A remake of an earlier post/thread: a re-release that's way better than the original.

[LV20 Succubus]

A "remake" of an earlier thread. What's a remake, remaster, port or re-release that's way better than the original to the point where it's the preferred way to play it?

And no...update versions of Fighting games like super turbo, +R or dark resurrection don't count.

 

[gwardojones]

Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions. The hand-drawn look of the cutscenes, the excellent voice acting, and the amazing retranslation elevate the game to something even greater than the original.

 

[Fluff IV]

To me, the #1 re-release spot goes to Rez Infinite. I love KH Final Mixes and some SMT ones as well but I guess those are updates?

However, for Rez Infinite, it's not the standard game itself that was better, but rather the VR mode. They added a new bonus campaign (Area X) specifically designed for VR, which was cool, but the original game was also ported to VR. If we're talking remake/remaster, this is my favorite one. The new VR mode of the original campaign feels like the definitive version of it. It's as if the game had always meant to be played that way, even back on the Dreamcast and PS2 in 2001. Rez was designed to be like an acid trip, the VR mode accentuates this times a million.

That's why I think it's the best re-release of a game ever: it's essentially the same game, the vision stays intact and the intended artistic expression conveyed by the game remains unchanged but it's now made better, WAY better, through technology that wasn't there at the time. It's like Tetsuya Mizuguchi (game's main creator) meant for the game to be VR without really knowing what that was, since it didn't really exist, and realized "oh hey, I can make the game I envisioned now" when it became a thing. Rare example of a game that was ahead of its time not because of its impressive technical feats, but rather those it simply could never achieve back when it released. Glad it got the treatment it deserved.

 

[Swagmata]

The system shock remake for sure. Playing the original looks to be a little much even for me. Hacking mini game looks just a little too unplayable

 

[Stare best girl]

Devil Survivor Overclocked, the original game is already a masterpiece but Overclocked makes even greater making Strength build more viable, more demons, save slots and adding a new Day 8 for some routes, this is one of few Atlus re-releases that don't suck

Metroid Zero Mission is one of few remakes that are better than the original game that even allows you play it after you finish the game

 

[Potapota]

Most of the Nightdive stuff have been really good honestly. I am always cautious about these things but they have so far left me with a positive impression.

 

[pingugaming]

my choice would be Quake II.
we got everything that made the game awesome but with almost everything bundled in like the official expansion packs, a brand new episode by machinegames (the people behind the newer wolfenstein games!), the previously exclusive N64 levels and by downloading a small mod for PC you can get the PS1 levels too to make it the complete package. plus reworked enemy AI, graphical enhancements, optional video filters, the og soundtrack its there and untouched (thank god cuz its freaking awesome!) controller support for those who prefer it, local co-op with split screen and multiplayer crossplay support. and if you buy it on PC you get the original, non modified, Quake II for absolutely FREE.
this is by far my favorite remaster and it set the gold standard for me on how to remaster games the right way.

 

[NotReallyHere]

Sid Meier's Pirates! Specifically, the 2004 version for PC and the OG Xbox

There's been MANY versions of this game over the years, all pretty good for their time. But the 2004 version added a lot of QOL features and generally sped-up the gameplay while adding a more cinematic feel that just wasn't possible in the older 2D versions.

Playing it nowadays, it's kinda janky. But that didn't stop me, my friends, and even my wife-to-be from getting completely hooked! Seriously - my roommate squarely failed out of college due to a combination of this game and KOTOR 2

 

[CanicheSlayer]

Persona 3 Reload (except the remix of the OST)

 

[RustySK]

The SaGa remasters are all really considered, expanded takes on their original versions from what I've seen.

They didn't just slap convenience features on there that would have ruined the balance or the like while also expanding the scope and adding in content that was intended for the original but got cut over time or resource reasons. Definitely helps that Kawazu was apparently involved with all of them.

 

[Stingy Perry Stingy Perry]

Star Ocean The First Departure this is a remake of the SNES game Star Ocean that was rebuilt from the ground up. It uses the same engine as Star Ocean The Second Story which was a received a remake too.

 

[Cardboardtubeknight]

Resident Evil 2 Remake

 

[MajesticSiN]

Damn even threads are being remade? The video game industry is out of control.

 

[GardeniaSky's icon GardeniaSky GardeniaSky]

I really liked Star Ocean:Second Story R and First Departure R.

They both kept to the same feel as the original, while making it more accessible to newer audiences.

 

[Stookymalarkey]

Tales of Phantasia on PSX had several changes that made it better than the original SF version, including giving Chester skills, better music, new techs and spells for everyone, a new party member, a cooking system and a revamped battle system. Definitely made the original redundant unless you love DeJap's translation choices (like how Arche ****s like a tiger)

 

[Yousef]

I really liked Star Ocean:Second Story R and First Departure R.

They both kept to the same feel as the original, while making it more accessible to newer audiences.

That’s what I’m playing

Damn even threads are being remade? The video game industry is out of control.

 

[Zerohour2k12]

From what I've played, either based overall, accessibility or QoL. The Nightdive ones.
Baten Kaitos, Muramasa Rebirth, Odin Spear Leifthrasir, WitchSpring, RGG Kiwami 2, SRW Alpha PSP, Freedom Wars, Soul Reaver 1 & 2. Trials of Mana, Strider 2014 and Dracula X Chronicles. If not better, they all pretty solid in my book.

 

[sun0wl]

Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions. The hand-drawn look of the cutscenes, the excellent voice acting, and the amazing retranslation elevate the game to something even greater than the original.

To piggyback on this, I'll throw in Tactics Ogre: LUCT and Reborn. Same reasons! Although I suppose the changes in gameplay/balancing between the games are a little divisive among fans.

 

[SBLAST91]

Resident evil 1's remake is one of my favorite remakes ever made.

 

[Nelson2001]

Rockman Rockman ~ Mega Man: Powered Up (2006, PSP) for me is a remake that surpasses the original 1987 game by several points:

- It has an Introductory Level (Which the original game did not have due to the limitations of the game's memory, i.e. it was only 128KB).
- Features 2 New Robot Masters like Oil Man and Time Man.
- Completely redesigned and considerable Level Design.
- Graphics Revamped for a 2006 game (although the characters themselves feel stubborn from the original game).
- Fair and Balanced Learning Curve (No Matter the Level of Difficulty You Choose).
- The Possibility of Playing with the Robot Masters if you defeat one of them and also that its separate story mode which adds more replayability than you think and as a bonus you can also play with Roll and Blues ~ Protoman.
- Completely Renewed Music and Decent English Voice Acting.
- It has a Retro Mode and the possibility of editing a level on your own, which made this remake unique for this feature.

Without a Doubt One of the Best Rockman Remakes ~ Mega Man of the Universe.

 

[Pinballbuzzbro]

-9 times outta 10 whenever Konami ported one of their arcade games to a home system it turned out so exponentially better than the coin-op original that it made the og look genuinely kinda bad in comparison. The two TMNT games, Jackal, Contra, Gradius II and III, life force, etc.

-King of the Monsters 2 is a pretty dreadful game in the arcade. Abysmal sound design with a ton of distortion and peaking in the voice clips, wonky controls, and AI that's so one-sided in the bosses' favor that you'd think the developers were developing a romantic relationship with them! The Genesis version sucks too IMO, but the SNES version actually completely fixes the problems with the obnoxious sfx and makes it so fights are actually fair and beatable now. Music was completely butchered during the transition but otherwise it's really the only enjoyable way to play the game IMO.

-Literally any of the Tengo Project Natsume remakes are so unbelievably good that they make the OGs genuinely kinda impossible to go back to, especially the Ninja Warriors and Wild Guns.

 

[Evaccaneer Doom]

-Haunted Castle Revisited (obvious)
-Nocturne Maniax (obvious)
Castlevania Chronicles (counts)
-Popful Mail on SEGA CD
-Ys: Oath in Felghana mogs any other Ys III
-the Mega Man Legacy Collections make grabbing the originals kinda pointless with the extra content, with the sole exception of Mega Man 8, which speaking of
-Mega Man 8 (Saturn)
-Etrian Odyssey Origins
-Mars Matrix (Dreamcast)
-Cyberbots (Saturn) (wish it was translated)
-Wizardry I & II/III & IV
-Sonic x Shadow Generations (duh)
-Tales of Phantasia PS1
-Fire Emblem Echoes
-Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland
-Kirby: Super Star Ultra
-Metal Slug X
-Metal Slug XX
-Dragon Quests 3-8
-Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness
-Deathsmiles MegaBlack Label (has an extra level and story)
-Blue Revolver: Double Action
-Sonic Colors DS
-Graze Counter GM
-Final Fantasy VIII on Steam
-Persona 2 on PSP
-Persona 4 Golden on Steam
-Valis III on Genesis
-Atelier Marie + Elie
-Dept Heaven on PSP
-Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions

 

[Viviana Santos]

Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door (2024) for Nintendo Switch is by far the definitive version of this wonderful game. The visuals and graphics are impeccable and the game is full of quality of life improvements.