Remakes tend to be more exciting than remasters because the improvements often go beyond mere bumps in resolution or framerate. At best, studios reimagine classic experiences in exciting new ways, sand away rough edges, and somehow retain the intangible x-factors that made fans fall in love with these titles in the first place. At the very least, remakes offer a great way to play antiquated or less accessible experiences on modern hardware.
The remake boom has been in full swing in recent years to the point that it’s starting to get tough to keep track of all the projects in the works. Thankfully, we’ve gathered as many of the announced remakes (not remasters) that we could find and gathered them in one neat list, arranged chronologically by release window. This will be an evolving list that will be updated as new remakes are announced and released, so be sure to keep an eye on it over the coming months.
Riven
Riven: The Sequel to Myst is one of the most beloved PC games of the '90s, and the original masterminds at Cyan World are rebuilding it from scratch. The team even reached out to an existing fan-driven remake, The Starry Expanse Project, to incorporate their efforts into the title. Sporting remade, fully explorable 3D environments, modern controls, and VR support, we're optimistic this return trip will be worth the wait.
Silent Hill 2
Bloober Team is reviving Silent Hill 2 with a modern coat of paint. The minds behind Layers of Fear and The Medium may not have the greatest critical track record, but hopefully, working with an established (and better) template will yield more positive results. It would be nice to have a good, modernized version of Silent Hill 2 after the less-than-stellar HD port from 2012. Silent Hill 2 will come to PC and PlayStation 5 as a timed console exclusive.
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven
First released in 1993, the Super Famicom RPG is getting a full 3D glow-up. The update includes rearranged compositions by SaGa composer Kenji Ito (as well as the original versions), English and Japanese voiceovers, and enhancements to its turn-based combat. For fans, the remake retains Romancing SaGa 2's signature nonlinear storytelling and choice-driven dialogue.
Dragon Quest III: HD-2D Remake
HD-2D is becoming an increasingly popular template for reviving classic JRPGs. It worked wonders for Live A Live, and Square Enix is giving Dragon Quest III the same treatment. Despite the number, the game is a prequel to Dragon Quest I and II and is the first chapter of the Erdrick Trilogy. The remake sands off the rough edges of the NES classic with modernized features and adds new narrative elements.
Disney Epic Mickey: Rebrushed
2011's Epic Mickey was a cult favorite of the Wii, but its gameplay flaws held it back from becoming a true Disney classic. Developer Purple Lamp is transferring the adventure to a new canvas to paint a prettier, more appealing picture in Epic Mickey: Rebrushed. This full remake reworks the Wii motion controls to a contemporary setup and gives Mickey new platforming moves and abilities for his magic paintbrush. The Wasteland has been reimagined and looks better than ever, thanks to the improved graphics.
Gothic
2001's Gothic is getting a faithful glow-up that looks to reintroduce the RPG to a new audience. The combat system and control scheme, a criticism of the original, has been reworked to feel modern and, most of all, playable. Developer THQ Nordic Barcelona even released a playable teaser to obtain feedback and ensure it's on the right track. As 20+ year-old game, Gothic has been a tough game to revisit on PC, making this remake all the more welcomed.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Months of rumors proved true when Konami revealed it was remaking arguably the most beloved entry in the Metal Gear series, Snake Eater. Boasting, as Konami put it, "cutting-edge graphics and 3D audio," this new version will faithfully retell the story of Big Boss' origin. Best of all, the iconic theme song is back in full force.
Until Dawn
Although it doesn't feel like it, Until Dawn is almost nine years old. That means it's officially old enough for a remake, and that's exactly what's happening to the hit horror title. The previously PS4-exclusive game is being rebuilt for PS5 and PC by UK developer Ballistic Moon (with guidance from the original developer Supermassive Games). In addition to making an already great-looking game look even nicer thanks to Unreal Engine 5, the gameplay has been refined, and the adventure features new environments, new collectibles, and re-cut narrative sequences.
Dragon Quest I & II HD-2D Remake
If you wind up loving the HD-2D remake of Dragon Quest III and want more, Square Enix has you covered. Dragon Quest I and II are getting the same treatment. Best of all, both remakes will be packaged together as a single release.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Development has been rocky for The Sands of Time’s impending remake, to say the least. Besides the game’s reveal garnering backlash from fans due to its unimpressive graphics, it has been delayed twice: first by two months, then indefinitely. In hindsight, it’s wild to think we were supposed to be playing this in January 2021. In May 2022, Ubisoft announced it had moved development from its fledgling Indian studios back to Montreal, where The Sands of Time was first created. While it's unfortunate that Ubisoft Pune/Mumbai couldn’t bring the remake together, we’re excited to see if Ubisoft Montreal can reapply the same magic.
Front Mission 3
Nows that the remakes of Front Mission 1 and 2 are out in the wild, all that's left is the 3rd game, which, if you're a North American fan, was likely the first one you played as it was the first entry to launch outside of Japan. Like the previous two remakes, Front Mission 3 is heading to Switch exclusively at launch and features improved visuals and controls.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
The reveal that arguably the best Star Wars game ever was getting a much-needed remake had fans raising their lightsabers in celebration. Unfortunately, the game’s development seemingly succumbed to the dark side after reports surfaced that progress had stalled, and work on the game has switched hands from Aspyr Media to Saber Interactive. The game went radio silent for a long period until Embracer Group sold off Saber, prompting the studio's CEO to confirm that KOTOR is "alive and well". We hope that's the case and look forward to eventually seeing the remake in action.
Max Payne 1 and 2
In April, Remedy Entertainment pleasantly surprised the gaming world when it announced it had struck a deal with Rockstar Games to remake Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne. Remedy sold the IP to Rockstar in 2002, but the two are partnering to revive the gritty crime series that popularized Bullet Time. The project, which will combine both games into a single title, will be made by Remedy, with Rockstar footing the bill on development and publishing, and target current-gen consoles and PC.
Splinter Cell
It might not be a new entry, but a remake of Sam Fisher’s first outing is better than nothing after years of waiting. Ubisoft Toronto sits at the helm of the project and plans to rebuild the game from scratch using the Snowdrop Engine while maintaining the classic stealth elements. Outside of recently losing its director (on good terms), it’s unclear how development is faring or when we’ll get to see this fresh spin on the franchise.
The Witcher
CD Projekt Red’s litany of upcoming projects includes a full remake of the first Witcher game. It’s being built in Unreal Engine 5 by developer Fool’s Theory (with supervision from CD Projekt veterans) and is said to be very early in development. The Witcher, released for PC in 2007, isn’t the easiest game to revisit due to its age and lack of console ports. Now that Geralt and friends are mainstream draws, newer fans can finally experience the adventure that started it all.
Which remakes are you looking forward to playing the most? Let us know in the comments!
Source: Game Informer
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