Sometimes, it feels like the movie industry and the video game industry have a symbiotic relationship. Just as developers strive to make games feel more cinematic, filmmakers are always on the lookout for the next game franchise they can bring to the silver screen.
This industry influence extends to the philosophies of remaking old hits. Hollywood is littered with sequels, prequels, and remakes. And now, the video game industry is absolutely dominated by remakes and remasters.
Don’t believe us? Here are the best remakes and remasters to look forward to in the rest of 2020 and beyond.
The Wonderful 101: Remastered
Release Date: May 19, 2020
Platforms: PC, PS4, Switch as a digital release
PlatinumGames may have brought us Bayonetta, but do they have anything new to offer to the world of action? As it turns out: yes!
The Wonderful 101 put you in control of 100 heroes at one time, forcing you to find the right combination of powers and weapons to beat the bad guys. It’s an experience that is simultaneously slick and ambitious, and the remaster promises better graphics, speeder loading times, and higher frame rates.
Saints Row: The Third Remastered
Release Date: May 22, 2020
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Certain longtime fans of Grand Theft Auto were disappointed at later games. That’s because much of the over-the-top silliness of previous games was replaced with attempts at realistic plots and action.
And that’s where Saints Row: The Third really shines. This franchise wasn’t afraid to fully embrace the “kid in a candy shop” craziness of a true sandbox experience. While GTA is the more polished series, Saints Row is definitely more fun.
Armed with enhanced graphics, this remaster is going to introduce the Saints to a whole new generation of gamers.
Command & Conquer Remastered Collection
Release Date: June 5, 2020
Platform: PC
Command & Conquer is more than just another Real-Time Strategy game. In fact, this is one of the games that helped define that entire genre!
EA is remastering this collection for PC. and they’re really going all out. You can expect a remastered soundtrack, spiffier multiplayer, a better user interface and enhanced multiplayer. Whether you’re a longtime veteran or a newbie to the franchise, this will be the perfect time to join the battle.
Ys: Memories of Celceta Remaster
Release Date: June 19, 2020
Platform: PS4
Remasters are a great opportunity to help new players discover a game. And that’s especially true if very few people got a chance to play the original.
Ys: Memories of Celceta was a great game, but it originally came out for the PlayStation Vita in 2013. And as great as that little system was, it never really took hold with gamers.
With this remaster, every PS4 player will get to experience this action RPG in high-definition, 60 FPS glory. And no need to fret over subs vs dubs — a later patch will give you the choice to play either way.
Destroy All Humans! Remake
Release Date: July 28, 2020
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
Plenty of people like to speculate about whether aliens are real. But wouldn’t it be more fun to control an alien during his destructive rampage?
That’s the idea behind Destroy All Humans! The original game came out in 2005 and allowed players to use everything from flying saucers to anal probes (no, really) to fight the human race. Throw in some sandbox design and you get a truly memorable action game.
The remake promises better graphics, enhanced audio, and even a lost level, making this the most comprehensive version of the game ever released.
Crysis Remastered
Release Date: Summer 2020
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
It feels a bit weird to think about a remastered Crysis. After all, this game spent years as a benchmark title to help PC players test the limits of their gaming rig.
Nonetheless, developer Crytek is confident that this remaster will look even better with high-quality textures, temporal anti-aliasing, motion blur, and more graphical and performance improvements than you can shake a stick at.
With all that being said, it will be interesting to see how well it runs on the Switch!
XIII Remake
Release Date: TBA 2020
Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
As fun as first-person shooters are, most of them boil down to simply running and gunning between objectives. It’s enough to make you crave a shooter with more depth.
XIII was one such game. You control a skilled shooter with amnesia and a hell of a record: everyone keeps saying you’ve killed the president!
We don’t know much about this remake aside from the fact that it looks more like a comic now and less like its classic cel-shaded self. However, we’re confident that all of the killer story and action are still present.
Gothic Remake
Release Date: TBA (sometime after 2020)
Platforms: PC, next generation consoles
Sometimes, a remake comes out and you find yourself asking: who actually wanted this? In the case of the Gothic remake, the answer is just about everyone!
Before committing to the remake of this 2001 RPG, THQ Nordic released a playable teaser. They wanted to gauge fan reaction and demand for a remake. The teaser received high praise from all corners and the remake got slated for a release sometime after 2020.
Interestingly, THQ is actively soliciting fan ideas for the remake. They’ve already promised a world that is grittier than the original game, so don’t hold your breath for a ton of color!
The House of the Dead 1 and 2 Remakes
Release Date: TBA
Platforms: TBA
With this last entry, we’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that the first two entries in Sega’s zombie shooting franchise are getting remade. The bad news is that we don’t yet know which platforms will get in on the action.
Another concern is the light gun element. The arcade and home versions of these games used light guns that only worked with CRT monitors and televisions, and the Nintendo Wii releases relied on the sensor bar. So, even though we know we’ll be shooting zombies again, it’s unclear if we’ll be using guns, controllers, or something else entirely.
Which remake or remaster are you most looking forward to? Tell us in the comments below!
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