RPG General News - Trend of Remaking classic RPGs

[HiddenX]

Couchpotato spotted an article on Gameinformer about the current trend to create remakes:

Persona, Star Ocean, And Final Fantasy Developers Discuss The Trend Of Remaking Classic RPGs

Every RPG faithful has that formative experience that turned them into a lifelong fan. But what if you could experience it again for the first time? Or if you could recommend it to those who haven't played it without needing to explain away the parts that haven't aged well? In today's gaming landscape, remasters are common, but we've seen an influx of full-on remakes of classic role-playing games in recent years.

While 1990's Ys I & II is likely the earliest example of remade role-playing games, perhaps the most prominent early examples came in the form of the Pokémon franchise. Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen, 2004 remakes of the series' debut titles less than a decade after their initial release, showcased the technological leap from original Game Boy to Game Boy Advance. However, when those games were remade for a second time through Pokémon Let's Go, Pikachu & Let's Go, Eevee on Switch in 2018, it was an even bigger jump ahead.

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[Redglyph]

It's very focused on the Japanese market.

There are just more games, maybe that's why we see more remakes and remasters. It also makes sense to bet on a previous success, of course, especially with higher budgets.

 

[Hastar]

The only game that would excite me with a remake is Everquest. That most likely won't happen and that's probably better for my personal life.

 

[hisvin]

Ultima VII (Black gate and Serpent's isle) for me... Not against the all series.

 

[JDR13]

It's very focused on the Japanese market.

Unfortunately, yes. There are so many better games that could be remade. Titles like Betrayal at Krondor or some of the Gold Box games. I couldn't care less about 99% of JRPG remakes.

 

[JDR13]

Ultima VII (Black gate and Serpent's isle) for me... Not against the all series.

That's one that came to my mind as well. They wouldn't even need to change much. Just update the graphics and make the combat into something that's not a complete mess.

 

[rjshae]

I'd like to see a remake of the SWTOR games, among others. Just as long as it's a significant improvement, and not a mere money grab.

 

[Alrik Fassbauer]

It's like Hollywood : No new ideas, instead rather following a financially proven route ... I wonder how long it will take until profit-driven thinking has invaded all of our personal lives ...

 

[rjshae]

It's like Hollywood : No new ideas, instead rather following a financially proven route ... I wonder how long it will take until profit-driven thinking has invaded all of our personal lives ...

That's true to some degree. In Hollywood, a remake can be a safe investment and thus is easier to sell to investors. For computer games though, the technology has advanced to such a degree that a proper remake can be a significant improvement. Older games can feel clunky and less polished, which takes away from player enjoyment. For example, the gold box games are essentially just a series of set piece battles with relatively little role-playing. A modern remake can add more player agency through skill use, character interactions, and additional plot choices.

 

[henriquejr]

I'm still dreaming of a Wizardry VIII remake.

 

[Couchpotato]

That's true to some degree. In Hollywood, a remake can be a safe investment and thus is easier to sell to investors. For computer games though, the technology has advanced to such a degree that a proper remake can be a significant improvement. Older games can feel clunky and less polished, which takes away from player enjoyment. For example, the gold box games are essentially just a series of set piece battles with relatively little role-playing. A modern remake can add more player agency through skill use, character interactions, and additional plot choices.

Correct but the trend of remaking or re-mastering games that are barely a few years old is the bigger problem. A game that is a decade old then yeah your point is on the money.

 

[Redglyph]

For computer games though, the technology has advanced to such a degree that a proper remake can be a significant improvement. Older games can feel clunky and less polished, which takes away from player enjoyment.

That's a good point. Usually, the idea behind the game remains perfectly valid, and it's nice to discover an old game without having to put up with the downsides.

 

[Carnifex]

If someone ever redid the basic Everquest and made it so you didn't have to play online, I'd be first in the que. The odds on that happening, however, strike me as extremely remote.

 

[Greygore]

As mentioned earlier, I would love a remake of the SSL Gold Box Games. I spent a lot of time playing those on my C64. Even with the Gold Box Companion app I'm just not able to deal with them any more. They were definitely a favorite in my early years.

 

[mercy]

Nothing wrong with remakes. We are doing a remake too.