By Shadow Links

HD remakes are they worth it?

A recent phenomenon i’I’ve seen mostly on the PS3 and a few on other systems has been the remake of classic games into high definition. If you want the short answer, its probably yes.

Now if you already own the game, you are far less likely to deem it worth buying one with updated graphics for good reason except for certain additions. However if you don’t own it, buying a remake is probably worth it since it was deemed popular and good enough to even be given the chance to be remade.

The first thing to realize is that not all remakes are equal. Some have been completely re-hauled whereas other have only brushed the surface with a more precise brush. Second is that sometimes they can include new content, however nothing ground breaking has been added and most are less in impact than most DLC content today.

Zone of the Enders HD collection would be an example the early and somewhat lower end remake, but well worth considering where it had been on the PS2 and the lack of popularity compared to Kojima’s Metal Gear Solid Series. Much of the character designs are sharper, the frame rates are stabilized, and both games have remade opening sequences.

Halo CE Anniversary is a more involved example, completely re-textured everything as well as including new features such as skulls and terminals which reveal background information, that can be found around the maps. The nicest thing about this games is that with a press of a button you can revert back to the original textures and play that ways just to see how far things have come in the years since its first release. The multiplayer contains all the old maps as well as updated versions to play with the updated styles of Halo Reach.

There are some collections like the Metal gear solid HD collection that includes previous unreleased on console versions of games like Metal gear Solid Peacewalker as well as Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 which both are the special versions of each game previously called Substance and Subsistence.

Kingdom Hearts HD Remix 1.5 is a recently released example of an HD remake. 1.5 Included Kingdom hearts 1 Remix, Chain of Memories (PS2 version), and HD cinematic and diary entries of 358/2 days which is all the games between KH1 and KH2. In this case we get a directors cut version of the first game with updated controls and HD visuals as well as some bonus content in the form of new moves, cutscenes, enemy color palettes, and bosses that were absent in the american version and added in the remix which was only released in japan. While the visuals in the original version were not bad, the update in this case is enough that it materializes what you might have seen in your mind’s eye when playing this years ago. A 2.5 Remix will be available before too long that will include KH2, Birth by Sleep (PSP), and scenes from Re:coded (Mobile).

Assassins Creed Liberation was a PS Vita exclusive that now has a full HD version coming to PS3. Now normally I’d expect that this would be a simple port since the Vita is so powerful, but the developers seem to have decided to make an effort in this case. All the models have been remade, captures re-done, controls redone, and feedback from the vita version (which had not been received but so well) has been incorporated into the design of the game and the mission structure.

Tales of Symphonia and Tales of Symphonia 2 Dawn of a New World are both getting a remake on the PS3 in the Tales of Symphonia Chronicles. While this may not be any different from the originals, the controls from Dawn of a New world receives a much needed makeover considering the original Wii controls were questionable at best.

Other remakes that come to mind:

• Beyond Good and Evil HD
• Bully: Scholarship Edition
• Devil May Cry Collection
• Golden Eye 007: Reloaded
• God of War Origins Collection
• ICO and Shadow of the Colossus Collection
• Jak and Daxter Collection
• Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D
• Legend of Zelda Windwaker HD
• Metroid Prime Trilogy
• Pokemon Fire Red/Leaf Green/Heart Gold/Soul Silver
• Prince of Persia Trilogy
• Ratchet and Clank Collection
• Resident Evil 4 HD
• Splinter Cell HD Collection
• Sly Collection

So would you buy any remakes? Which ones?

Written by Nerd Bacon