remake
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Sega started and cancelled a 'Shenmue' remake
Did you play the remastered versions of the Shenmue games and wish that Sega and d3t had done more than port the titles largely unchanged? So did the developers, apparently. Digital Foundry has discovered that the team had originally been working on remakes that included dramatically improved graphics. While the characters and locations were extremely familiar, virtually everything had much more sophisticated geometry and higher-resolution textures -- flat roofs and blocky people suddenly popped with detail. There were also more advanced lighting effects, such as ambient occlusion (how objects interact with ambient light), more realistic reflections and shadow maps.
'Resident Evil 2' is the classic you remember but with a good camera
Wow, those intestines are really pretty. I never expected that particular phrase to pass through my mind, but it definitely did during my playthrough of the new Resident Evil 2 remake -- and more than once. Twenty years after its launch on the original PlayStation, RE2 has been essentially rebuilt from the ground up for modern platforms and it's nearly unrecognizable, at least from a visual standpoint. Gameplay-wise, however, it feels just like RE2.
The (re)making of 'Crash Bandicoot'
Facedown in the sand, a figure wakes up on a desert island. The tide has been dragging him up the shore. He looks over his shoulder, before disappearing into the jungle.
A new 'Shadow of the Colossus' HD remake is coming in 2018
PlayStation 4 users are getting a new remake of Shadow of the Colossus next year, Sony announced at its E3 2017 keynote today. The action-adventure game originally came out in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 and was remastered in 2011 with "high-definition" graphics. But lots of things have changed since then, with consoles like the PS4 becoming increasingly more powerful, so you can't blame Sony for wanting to take another stab at such a classic title. And if the first Shadow of the Colussus trailer is any indication, this remake promises to be much better than the last. There's no specific release date, but at least you know it's (hopefully) coming at some point in 2018.
'Metal Gear Solid' fan remake bites the dust
When a fan remake of a popular game dies, it tends to die quickly. Either the effort required is too much for a group of part-time volunteers, or the original developer's lawyers shut it down over copyright issues. And unfortunately, the team behind the recently revealed Metal Gear Solid remake Shadow Moses is learning this first-hand -- the creators have abruptly shut down their project for "reasons beyond our control." It's not clear just what those reasons are (we've reached out to both sides for comment), but the phrasing suggests that copyright might play a role.
Enjoy the 1998 'Metal Gear Solid' in Unreal Engine 4
Shadow Moses is a labor of love from some serious Metal Gear Solid fans who want to play Konami's pivotal 1998 game in updated, Unreal Engine 4 graphics. So far, it's looking so good. The creators don't have permission from Konami to actually release the remake, though they're aware that conversation will have to take place, eventually. "Konami owns the MGS copyright and therefore sooner or later we will need their full permission," creator Airam Hernandez writes on YouTube and Facebook. "We have therefore chosen to openly share this project from the beginning so that we can deal with any issues that may arise as they come. We believe this is better than putting years of work into a project only to get it shut down. Please, respect this decision."
Watch two minutes of remastered 'Final Fantasy VII' on PS4
Square Enix teased a remastered, PlayStation 4 version of Final Fantasy VII back at E3 2015 -- and today we get a better look at what that remake means. Final Fantasy VII kicked off the PlayStation Experience keynote this morning, with a two-minute trailer for the remaster (embedded below) and news that the original game is available on PS4 today. There's no word on a launch window for Final Fantasy VII on PS4 just yet. Update: That said, a press release issued just after the trailer suggests that the remake could arrive in episodic chunks, in what it's calling a "multi-part series, with each entry providing its own unique experience." Hrmmm.
The original 'Valkyria Chronicles' heads to PS4 in HD (in Japan)
Valkyria Chronicles, Sega's strategy RPG that hit the PlayStation 3 in 2008, is getting an HD upgrade for a launch on PS4, Famitsu reports (as translated by Gematsu). The remake is confirmed for a release in Japan on February 10th, with no mention of North American plans just yet. Sega is also working on a new entry in the series, Valkyria: Azure Revolution, slated to hit Japanese PS4s in winter 2016, according to Gematsu. Valkyria Chronicles debuted on PC in November 2014, and while that wasn't an HD remake, it featured dual-language support, Steam Achievements, customization options and all previously released DLC -- not bad for $20.
Cyberpunk PC classic 'System Shock' is getting a proper remake
While System Shock might have only just received a facelift when it launched on GOG.com earlier this year, an entire remake of the legendary PC game is now in the works — and perhaps even System Shock 3. And if you've never heard of System Shock? You should have: both the creators of BioShock and Deus Ex were involved in the game, which is a 1994 classic in its own right. Night Dive, the same company that was tasked with this year's digital renovation, will handle the remake. It's picked up full rights to the franchise.
Capcom finally greenlights a 'Resident Evil 2' remake
It's official and it feels oh-so good: Capcom is working on a remake of 1998's survival-horror masterpiece Resident Evil 2. This one has been a long time coming for many fans, as Resident Evil 2 is widely considered to be one of the best games in the series -- and one of the best survival-horror video games, period. Producer Yoshiaki "H" Hirabyashi announced the remake in a video, noting, "We at R&D Division 1 will do our best to take on your feedback and deliver the gameplay experience you've been waiting for."
Filmmaker wants to Kickstart more old-school 'Thunderbirds'
If you've seen the CGI remake of Thunderbirds, you might feel as if the glossy images have lost some of the charm of the puppet-fronted original. Filmmaker Stephen La Riviére agrees with you, which is why he's asking for our cash to produce an old-school revival of the classic action-adventure series. Thunderbirds: 1965 has a goal of producing between one and three episodes of the show, complete with puppets and models, as before. Rather than "new" material, the team will produce visuals to accompany three audio-only episodes that were recorded by the original cast as a tie-in during the original run.
The 1998 'Battlezone' remake is getting remastered
The trends of remaking and remastering classic games just kicked into overdrive. Rebellion (best known for its Sniper Elite games) has revealed that it's developing not just a virtual reality version of the original Battlezone, but a refresh of the 1998 Battlezone title for PCs -- yes, it's a remake getting a remaster. It's too soon to know what this new version will entail, although it'll probably be fun if it maintains the 'original' mix of tank-based action, real-time strategy and an alternate-history space race. Let's just hope that someone doesn't try to re-do the remaster a decade from now... that would be a bit much.
Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy remastered for Steam, iOS
The "definitive version" of Quantic Dream's Indigo Prophecy is now available on PC, Mac and Linux via Steam as well as iOS. Crafted by porting specialist Aspyr Media, the updated version of the "supernatural murder mystery game" goes by the name Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered as a nod to the 2005 adventure's European name. Players can download it for $9.99 (€8.99 / £6.99). Aspyr noted in its FAQ that there is "absolutely no cut or censored content in this version" of the game. Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy Remastered features updated graphics that can be toggled on and off on the fly and controller support across all platforms. While the Heavy Rain developer's original game was capped at a resolution of 1024 × 768, Aspyr said the remastered version supports native resolutions up to 2880 × 1800. Aspyr claimed it "gave every texture in the game a facelift," giving some elements four times the detail as the original game, but the 2 GB size limit on iOS forced remastered textures to only double in size in the mobile version. While it won't provide a release date just yet, the developer did add that an Android version of Fahrenheit: Indigo Prophecy is in the works. [Image: Aspyr Media]
Jak 2 level remade in CryEngine is here to pump you up
Rockstar's Bully isn't the only PS2 game being remade by fans in a new engine; YouTube user Floordan has posted his work on a project dubbed "Jak 2 Renegade: Reborn," which uses the CryEngine to recreate Naughty Dog's Jak 2. The level you see in the video above is a pumping station, though depending on the view, you'd be forgiven for thinking it was a scenic newlywed retreat. Those sunbeams are already making us feel warm. Naughty Dog themselves considered developing a new Jak & Daxter game years ago, but ultimately scrapped it and built The Last of Us instead. And we're not complaining about getting to roam the fungal countryside with Joel and Ellie, but did you see what a new Daxter would look like? [Image: Floordan]
Majora's Mask 3D bundle sports a Skull Kid figurine
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask 3D will receive a limited edition bundle at the game's launch that includes a Skull Kid figurine. The $50 bundle doesn't include any of the goodies packed in to Europe's special edition, as Nintendo noted that it only features a copy of the game and the figurine. The publisher has yet to offer a launch date for the remastered game. Nintendo announced plans to remake Majora's Mask for 3DS during a Nintendo Direct livestream in November. The original game launched in 2000 for Nintendo 64, putting series hero Link in the doomed land of Terminus, months after the events of the other cherished Zelda game for the system, Ocarina of Time. Word of a possible 3D remake of Majora's Mask began in November 2011, when series producer Eiji Aonuma said the publisher was "seriously considering" it following the success of Ocarina of Time's own 3DS remake. [Image: Nintendo]
Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 3DS remake arrives stateside next year
Atlus announced today that it will publish a revamped version of its 2011 Nintendo DS strategy-RPG Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2 for the Nintendo 3DS next year in North America. The publisher notes that Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker "nearly doubles the content of the original Devil Survivor 2," offering a re-localized script, voiced story mode dialogue, and an all-new episode that continues after the events of the game's initial release. The new chapter slots into Devil Survivor 2's narrative by default, and veteran players can jump immediately to the new content at the game's outset. Record Breaker follows up on Devil Survivor Overclocked, a remade version of the first game in the series that launched for the 3DS in 2011. Devil Survivor 2 Record Breaker is slated to hit retail and Nintendo's eShop in North America in "early 2015." [Video: Atlus]
CCP slays Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines remake
CCP Games has halted a fan-developed remake of the classic PC RPG Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, requesting an end to development and the removal of assets taken from the original game via an e-mailed cease and desist order. The remake, codenamed Project Vaulderie, was to recreate Bloodlines in the Unity engine, patching up lingering issues from the original release and adding a multiplayer component. Bloodlines was originally rushed to retail in a notoriously buggy state in 2004 after an extended development period, and an active modding community worked to improve the game in the years afterward. "We're very sad to report that we received a Cease & Desist e-mail from CCP Games, asking us to cease game development, remove any materials that might contain Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines, names, locations or related elements from the sites we control, and cease any further use of Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines property, and in a disappointment shared among our team we are complying with that request," Project Vaulderie's team lead said in a recent blog post. The post continues: "We are avidly seeking a resolute course to continue working on a future game, but we cannot at this time discuss this publicly and with that I urge you to please be patient and hopeful that we will find a way." [Image: CCP Games]
CCP Games kills a fan remake of Vampire: the Masquerade - Bloodlines
With World of Darkness canned, the closest fans can get to experiencing the source material in video game form comes from Activision's 2003 Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines. Unfortunately, the game was released in a half-finished state and suffers from multiple glitches, balance issues, and general weirdness, not to mention graphics that have aged very poorly. Fortunately, the fan community rallied and set to work on an unofficial remake requiring the original. Double-unfortunately, CCP Games sent that fan remake a cease-and-desist. Although Activision technically owns the rights to the game, the IP remains in the hands of CCP due to its acquisition of White Wolf several years prior. The fans responsible for the remake are attempting to negotiate a way to keep development going, as the remake would have been unplayable without the original game. It's bad news for fans of the flawed but brilliant title and really anyone who would like to play a game based off the franchise any time within the next decade.
Check out one of Resident Evil re-remake's polygonal rooms
Next year's Resident Evil re-remake probably won't be as drastic of an upgrade as its 2002 GameCube source material, but there's still some interesting changes at play. As producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi explains via translator and demonstrates in the above video from Capcom Unity, select scenes will feature polygonal environments in place of the game's standard practice of flat images and video files played as backgrounds. As for why the entirety of the remake won't feature polygonal environments, Hirabayashi said that the team had considered it, but since the goal is to recreate the same tone as the first remake, there were concerns that it might come off looking different or "maybe a little soulless." Instead, the team considered whether each room would benefit anything from such a conversion on a case-by-case basis. This Resident Evil remake will arrive at digital storefronts on last and current-generation Xbox and PlayStation consoles. The Xbox One and PS4 versions will run at 1080p, but all versions will offer 5.1 surround sound, 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios as well as classic and modern control schemes. [Image: Capcom]
Nintendo is remastering 'The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask' for 3DS
Oh, so a head-scratching leak from Target wasn't enough to convince you? That's fair, how about something a bit more concrete? Nintendo just revealed in its most recent Nintendo Direct stream that The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is indeed getting a 3D remake, and it's slated to hit shelves in Spring 2015. We're coming for you, Skull Kid.
