A Case for Video Game Remakes 300
The MTV Games site has up a talk with Morgan Grey, the producer on the recent title Tomb Raider: Anniversary. Anniversary is a remake of the now-classic original Tomb Raider title and (perhaps not unsurprisingly) Grey makes an argument to Stephen Totilo that game remakes are a way of preserving gamer culture. "'We have all witnessed remakes of movies that have been modernized for us to digest that came out 50 years ago before we were born,' he said as a point of comparison. If games are to achieve the same timelessness, the classics need to be easily accessible. But anyone who has tried to play certain 3-D gaming classics from even just five years ago -- let alone tried to get someone who didn't play them at the time to put up with outdated controls, graphics or camera-work -- know that it's hard to appreciate them." Grey goes on to point out that this is less true of 2D titles; he's primarily talking about 3D games here. Any titles you'd like to see remade, like Anniversary, or even re-envisioned ala Prince of Persia?
how about some RPGS (Score:5, Insightful)
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For Wasteland; I disagree.. make a (real) sequel or play the Fallout series.
For Ult5, there was a adaptation of it for Dungeon Siege that looks pretty good (never played it).
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These games don't need to be remade. Part of the appeal to them was they didn't have 'awesome graphics'... just like alot of movies.. if you add in more visual elements, I feel you take away the imagin
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Maybe this is being a graphic snob but at some point trying to lower expectations for some older games hasn't worked too well for me..YMMV. Then again when Wing Commander came out in VGA (I was blown away...) it was the best the industry had to offer. On the flip side playi
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Going beyond RPG's for a sec though, I would love to see some remakes of the great space shooters. Namely, X-Wing and Tie Fighter. Also, the original Wing Commander that came out on SNES was a great game, I would love to see a console update of that.
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If you have a Mac, there's an officially-sanctioned update available here. [lairware.com] It's nicely done and even includes options to change elements of gameplay if you want (move diagonally, automatic battles, etc). In my mind, this is exactly what these updates should be--updated to be played on newer machines/OS's, with enhanced graphics and gameplay options if you want them (but you can still turn them off to get the original experience if you choose to).
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One word:
Darklands [wikipedia.org]
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I'm with you on this one. That game was pretty sweet.
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The 1st-person Ultima 4 can definitely use being remade. That also goes for the 3/4-perspective Ultima 8. I have fond memories of that game, but it also needs some improvement (like not needing t
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I'd check out a remake of FF VII regardless of combat system, but I don't mind improvements here and there.
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And yeah, helps to read up on games before purchase
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Then offer a different new game option that maintains the story, but with certain aspects remade. Maybe revamp the battle system, expand the golden saucer (and make it an online multiplayer experience?), and whatever other changes you want
They're called 'sequels'. (Score:3, Insightful)
Let's take Super Mario Brothers. Now let's improve the graphics, the sound, tweak the controls to better fit today's control schemes, and what do you get?
Super Mario Brothers 3. Or Super Mario World. Or Mario 64. Or... you get the point.
Unlike movies, where sequels usually just continue the storyline from what came before, video game sequels (should, at least) add new stuff, improvements, updates, etc. If you want the 'Tomb Raider' experience, you play the most recent one. If you want the 'Civilization' experience, you play Civ 4. If you want a good FPS on your X-Box 360, you play the latest remake of Halo... they call it Halo 3.
And so on and so forth.
Re:They're called 'sequels'. (Score:5, Insightful)
You improve the sound graphics and slightly tweak the controls and you end up with Super Mario All-Stars.
A sequel is where you add significant features that the core gameplay revolves around. Remakes may add new features or subtly tweak things but by and large the differences between the remake and the original should be fairly minor or not drastic.
To me, remakes are more like a new edition of a book. A lot of the recent remakes can easily be viewed in this way as they have been going through and fixing bugs, clarifying story elements or in some cases expanding the game play a little bit (or making minute adjustments for balance or to keep things interesting). That's something that's not uncommon in revisions of books.
Sequels are usually a continuation of the first or another story in the same "universe". What you're suggesting is that Two Towers is a remake of Fellowship of the Ring.
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What we're talking about here though is more along the lines of the John Carpenter remake of The Thing
Re:They're called 'sequels'. (Score:5, Insightful)
Part of games being taken seriously is going to require the industry being willing to take on some measure of preserving the classics. Digital distribution is a good way to do this (id just put their entire back catalog on steam) as are retropacks of classic games (sierra did this last year with most of the adventure franchises). Remakes are another way of preserving the past.
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Movie are a changing media though, and this necessitates remasters and remakes over time. Yes, you can find the original Gone with the Wind, but it's still probably been updated in terms of sound, color and perhaps restored scenes.
Games change even more than movies though. I mentioned
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7th Saga Sequel (Score:2)
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Or at least it's a very gray area. But I think the attempts to use book and movie metaphors here are flawed, because (most) games are not only about a story. I think what makes gaming interesting is the ability to provide a new style of interaction. If a sequel has the same core mechanic, and the same general story (like Z:OoT vs Twilight Princess) it might not be a remake per se but it's much less of a sequel
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To eliminate any further confusion:
From Wikipedia: "Additionally, it is a reimagined remake the original Star Fox,"*
*Nintendo Power: Why did you make Star Fox 64 a remake of the original Star Fox? (an interview between Nintendo Power and Shigeru Miyamoto exclusive to the Star Fox 64 Player's Guide
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To eliminate any further confusion:
From Wikipedia: "Additionally, it is a reimagined remake the original Star Fox,"*
*Nintendo Power: Why did you make Star Fox 64 a remake of the original Star Fox? (an interview between Nintendo Power and Shigeru Miyamoto exclusive to the Star Fox 64 Player's Guide
That won't eliminate confusion for anybody who has played StarFox 64. The controls are similar, but the level designs bear almost no resemblance to the original game. StarFox 64 is a sequel, not a remake.
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Re:They're called 'sequels'. (Score:5, Interesting)
Metroid -> Super Metroid = Sequel
Metroid -> Metroid: Zero Mission = Remake
I'm sorry, but Super Metroid may as well be a retelling of the original Metroid, no less than Zero Mission was. Sure, they made some excuses for the same exact plot happening over again, but it was basically a retelling. Zero Mission was, once again, the same plot, and completely redesigned gameplay (and areas) from the ground up. The only difference is that ZM CLAIMED to be a retelling, where-as Super Metroid claimed to come afterwards, but that differences is mearly superficial, especially since plot is was not exactly a primary goal in the Metroid series until Prime.
I'm just pointing this out because I think it illustrates how superficial the arguement about sequals/remakes is in the game world. Especially in the 8-bit era, and into the 16-bit generation, as well, most sequels consisted of little more than the same game with a different level set, and maybe a new sentance added to the 3-sentance plotline.
Humans aren't usually comfortable with altering a timeline once it's been set, but we also like the security of building off of something we already know, which is why many game sequels are basically the same game, but explained that they're part of a series of repeating events.
Calling Mario Bros 3 a remake of Mario 1 may be a stretch, as the gameplay changed so drastically... but then, so did Zero Mission's. Where do you draw the line, and is there really a solid line to be drawn?
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Super Mario Brothers 3. Or Super Mario World. Or Mario 64. Or... you get the point."
"Video Games don't need to get remade."
Considering that platforms die, making it difficult to play games from 10 years ago o
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Exactly, the virtual console is pretty much proof of concept that "remakes" can be wildly successful. To think, I just dropped ~$9 to buy "World Heroes" from the Neo Geo (a system I never owned) on the VC. *Shrug* It enjoyed playing that game a long time ago in the arcade and it's still fairly fun today. Though, I'd be the first to sign a petition to drop VC prices by 1/2. =) There's lots of games I probably buy if the
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While now they can run in progressive scan, use the wiimote/classic controller/gamecube controller, and let you save your state to resume later, I don't think the VC games are really enchanced in the way that, say, Final Fantasy III was remade for the DS or Tomb Raider Anniversary was remade for, well, everything.
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True, I'm just using the assumption that if one would be a re-release, one would presumably be willing to buy a remake, given the right price of course. Few are really going to spend more on a remake if it's available as a release. I wouldn't download a remake of the original Zelda when I already own the VC rerelease, even if the graphics looked like A Link to the Past.
Cheers,
Fozzy
extra levels (Score:2)
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No, HL: Source doesn't do anything for the graphics; it uses the old textures and geometry. The better alternative is Black Mesa [blackmesasource.com].
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Not necessarily. It depends on how you envision the "remake". Sequels are often very different games. Civ2 and Civ4 have different features and a different balance. Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario World have very different levels and upgrades. Halo 1 and Halo 3 don't have the same levels or story lines.
Personally, I'd really like to see something done to preserve video game history. Gaming platforms go obsolete. Sometimes you can get emulators, but the games don't always run properly in emulation.
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I would really like to have the original X/B-wing and Tie Fighter remade (not the later madness known as X-Wing vs Tie Fighter). These were infinitely fun to play despite the relatively low quality graphics. In fact if it is remade and released for a console or linux I will buy it straight away.
how about the 2d, too (Score:4, Interesting)
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Do I dare ask for it? (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Do I dare ask for it? (Score:5, Funny)
Pffft. That'd take them forever...
A few... (Score:5, Interesting)
Ultima IV-VII
Autoduel
Grim Fandango (Residual should take care of this)
Bionic Commando
Combat (on XBox Live!)
Mail Order Monsters (what's the last fighting game you remember that included tactical nuclear weapons?)
Archon
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On a side note, a remake of Archon needs som
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Autoduel
On top of Ultima 4-7, I'd add 3 also.
Other games I would like to see updated are Seven Cities of Gold, the old D&D games like Curse of the Azure Bonds and Elite. I'm sure there are a ton of them from my Apple days that I can't remember.
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*covers himself in gunpowder*
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I'd pay full price for graphics/physics updates and maybe a tiny bit of new content in a Deus Ex or System Shock I/II remake.
Beastfu (Score:2)
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Archon
Ah, a fellow Commodork. ;) Are you also a rabid fan of the Gamebase64 project?
I'll add M.U.L.E. to your list. In fact, I tried to make it - no fewer than three times! - during my much more laid-back undergrad days. Still one of the best games of all time, in terms of beautifully simple and fun gameplay.
- David Stein
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Damn, that would be GOOD!
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Need to revive the whole Graphic Adventure genre (Score:4, Insightful)
X-Wing and Tie Fighter (Score:5, Insightful)
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I know this is already available as a Windows95/98 game, using a 3D engine ... but I'd love to see this ported to a console (PS3 or XBox, I don't care) or to the Mac.
Man, I *loved* playing X-Wing and TIE Fighter - but probably more TIE Fighter, because it's great to play as the bad guy. Great space flight sim, without being *too* sim-y. And of course, it had a good story, which seems to be lacking in a lot of games today.
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You know, I never realised it until I played Tie Fighter, but Tie Fighters really are designed to fly screaming onto the screen and get blown away by the heroes. No shields, no armour, pathetic weapons, a top speed barely above walking pace, and they were still huge fun to fly. Getting all the way through a mission in one of those flying targets really felt like an accomplishment. And then, of course, eventually you got given the Tie Advanced and Tie Interceptor. Now, those were real ships...
Incidentally,
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Seriously, this is the kind of garbage that
X-Com (Score:2)
X-COM (Score:2, Insightful)
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Zelda! (Score:3, Funny)
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My List (Score:2)
X-Wing, TIE Fighter, X-Wing vs Tie Fighter, don't mess with a good thing too much just bring the Graphics up to date.
Star Wars Pod Racer, this was a fun distraction game, but it never really worked past Win 98.
Magic Carpet 1,2
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But...to each their own, that's what makes life interesting after all.
Zelda II (Score:2, Insightful)
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Wander around in a 3D Hyrule, visit Rauru, Ruto, Saria, Mido, Nabooru and Darunia, pick up cool magic along the way, save world... Yeah. That would be so damn cool.
Remake or fix? (Score:2)
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On this topic, I've been trying to convince *someone* at Universal to re-release the original "Spyro the Dragon (PS1)" for PSP on PlayStation Network. It was a wonderful game. Fortunately, I still have my copy, and my PS3 has hardware backwards compatibility - and yes, I do still play it.
I think Spyro would work really well on the PSP - iirc, the second stick didn't do anything, and R2/L2 (rotate camera) could be mapped to R/L ... losing R1/L1 (roll left/right, which I never used afaik.)
Sometimes, the o
Eye of the Beholder (Score:2)
There's a guy making an EOB2 remake [eob2remake.com], but he's working all alone, and I doubt he'll ever get it finished.
Starcraft 1 (Score:3, Interesting)
Greater than 640*480 resolution
3D Graphics
Lips synched with audio.
and maybe a few SC2 goodies in StarEdit.
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Best game ever... (Score:2, Funny)
Give us a choice of paddle color. White or Grey?
Smash TV (Score:2)
Master of Orion (Score:5, Insightful)
I still play it all the time.
Out of the box it should play _exactly_ like the old game with shiny new graphics. Maybe fix the last remaining bugs (combat teleporters, ancient derelict event etc) but leave the gameplay unchanged. However, (big however), make the game as mod-able as possible (something like civ 4 maybe). Make it so we can add races, technologies, spacehip graphics as required, and you would have the ultimate game for me.
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Better yet, what about one of the greatest 4x games of all time? Ascendancy... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascendancy_(computer_game)/ [wikipedia.org]
I miss colonizing some
There's a legitimate need for remakes (Score:2)
Some games are pretty much perfect as-is and do not need sequels, just graphic updates. Chess is good enough but I don't think anybody would argue about buying an update for prettier graphics once a decade. Similarly, there was some legitimate fun with VGA remakes of classic arcade games like VGA Joust. I also remember an aquatic-themed Pac-
The key is what games have a good enough storyline (Score:3, Interesting)
Now, look at games like Pool of Radiance and the direct sequels. By the standards of the time, and even today, the storylines work well enough to bring them back. Because the size of the areas were so small by the standards of today, the levels would need to be redesigned to make them worth playing again. The entire city where Pool of Radiance was played in, if taken directly into a modern engine, would be the size of just one area of a modern game. The storyline would not need to be touched, but the scale of things would need to be re-worked to make things seem interesting.
There are some games that would be nice to see. Betrayal at Krondor would make for a great re-make because it was so story driven that with a new engine it could be brought in without needing a lot of new features. There have been some remakes out there done by the community, like FreeCiv and free Sim City clones that were close enough to the original to keep the feel of the original.
There were some great games like Starflight 1 and 2, Alien Legacy(many people have never heard of it), Dungeon Master, and many others that really were different.
Then, you have games that were a lot of fun that many people have never paid much attention to. Populous: The Beginning was a real time strategy game that did what other RTS games just refused to do, deviate from the design of Warcraft 2. The difference in Pop: TB was that instead of just dumping resources into making units from nothing, your people would reproduce(as long as there was housing), and then you would have them train and turn into the unit you wanted them to become. The sad thing is that DirectX support was a bit too weak to let me continue playing without feeling that the game was running in software emulation mode.
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Quake I (Score:2)
Quake I is still one of the most fun and 'arcadey' feeling 3D shooters. I actually just reinstalled it a week or so ago and I've been having a blast. Nothing I've played since it came out has equaled it in terms of its tight feel and pure arcade style fun. No other game has ever quite captured the awesome feel of its rocket- and grenade-jumping, nor the ridiculously fun turning-in air Mario-style control. Not to mention the beefy and raw sound
It may be me.. (Score:2, Insightful)
Done before - this wasn't uncommon in the 90's (Score:2)
In the 90's, Lucasarts also rereleased the original xwing and tie fighter games (which were then a few years old) with improved graphics based off later graphics engines.
And again - in the 90's, Mech Warrior 2 was rereleased a few years after its original debut in a Titanium edition to take advantage of new 3D graphics card.
In this decade? Galactic Civilization and Tomb Raider are about all that come to mind...
W
Daggerfall (Score:2)
A good case for remakes (Score:2)
But there is a stronger case for remakes of 3D games. There are many early generation 3D games where the game presentation was clearly limited by technology. Many first-generation games are hard to look at due to the pixelation, aliasing, and incorrect perspective transformation of textures. I'd love to play a remake of Panzer Dragoon, for example. Or Doom--or even better, Marathon--with modern 3D graphics.
There is perh
Universe (I, II, III) by Omnitrend (Score:3, Interesting)
For those who never played either of the first two, these were part-space sim, part trader, part interactive fiction, part X-Com style tactical combat (well before X-Com was even a twinkle in anyone's eye.)
The space sim was a 'hard science' simulation, as opposed to a 'fighter combat' simulator. You plotted courses and routes and watched your 'nav screen' to check that other ships weren't attempting to intercept you. Ship to ship combat was handled by missles rather than magic space beam weapons. And if you managed to disable their shields (or they yours) you could send boarding parties over to take control of the ship.
That started the tactical combat, with your squad of marines fighting through randomly generated cooridors attempting to take enough control nodes to shut out the other crew.
If space combat wasn't your thing, you could mine planets. Uninhabited planets were relatively easy to mine, but the best ores were almost always in inhabited planets, leading to a similar combat to the boarding parties, to wipe out the local defences while your mining equipment did it's thing.
And if you were a non-violent person, you could dock at almost at any planet, pickup a huge variety of goods and attempt to make a profit off it. Each planet had it's own set of legal and illegal goods, as well as a 'sophistication' level that determined what they would be interested in.
The IF story is where I eventually got stuck, you play an undercover agent in a Cold War-esque standoff between two planetary alliances (you are on the "democratic" side of course). I got to a point where I couldn't get anything else to happen and lacking the era of easyily found walkthroughs, never figured out what I missed.
But even then, it was still fun wandering the cosmos blasting ships and making a buck.
It's been done (Score:4, Interesting)
Id Software's Doom was remade (or "reimagined" as they put it) as Doom 3.
Several Valve classics were converted to the Source engine. There is also a project underway to completely reimplement Half-Life on the Source engine with new models and textures (Valve's own Half-Life: Source uses the models, textures and sounds from the original game)
Classic Doom (3) (Score:3, Interesting)
Anyways, check it out if you are looking for a beautifully remastered version of the original Doom: http://cdoom.d3files.com/ [d3files.com]
-Rick
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Screw 3D remakes. I'd rather have all my favorite 2D games with high resolution sprites like that. Legend of Mana anyone?
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Loom CD is out there - with some work (Score:2)
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The first one was 20 levels of grinding with a couple of cool moments/fights.
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