Ever played an old game and thought of how awesome it would look and feel if it were to be given a remake? Well plenty of us have and after playing through the brilliant Metal Gear Solid, I couldn't help but think of how immersive and engaging the game would be if were to be given a massive overhaul both in gameplay and in its graphics. Not only would it look a whole lot prettier with a fresh coat of paint, it would also be just as addictive if Konami introduces the Drebin system that was simply intuitive as it was fun. With that said, the following games are great titles that I would love nothing more than to get their much deserved remakes.
System Shock
System Shock may in fact be an adventure game, but different from other adventure games of today you do not just roam around triggering the next story element. Indeed, your actions are not tied only to the plotline. So, maybe it is not an adventure game at all. System Shock may in fact be a role-playing game, but different from other role-playing games of today you do not just about complete many generic quests to advance your character stats. Indeed, this game has a full story with unique character developments. So, maybe it is not a role-playing game at all.
A game of fetch goes horribly wrong.
Overall, System Shock is an unique game that combines adventure, role-playing, and action elements into a single coherent interactive experience. It is one of the best games I have ever played. Its graphics may not shine compared to today's games, but its unique sty!e definitely outshines today's titles.
Perfect Dark
Throughout Nintendo's history as one of the worlds most popular videogame companies, a few ingredients have been key to its success. At the top of that list, is revered game designer, Shigeru Miyamoto, whose imagination reinvigorated the industry years ago and continues to be a pioneering force of innovation and creativity today. Not far behind Miyamoto on that list would have to be UK-based, second-party game developer, Rare. Miyamoto may be the soul of Nintendo that has kept them vital, but Rare is the heart that has kept the company pumping with a string of successful titles that date back to the first 8-bit NES console.
Notice where the reticule is aimed at.
The surround sound effects arent as readily apparent as I would have liked, but most sound effects and character voices are crisp and convincing. In terms of visuals, Perfect Dark compensates with diverse textures and some inventive special effects that revolve around the different X-ray, infrared, and night-vision modes. Throw in life-like animation with the same complex hit-detection found in GoldenEye (enemies react very vividly to being shot in particular appendages), furthered by the rock-solid feel of the controls, and you have a game that plays great regardless of time and space.
Resident Evil 2
Like the first Resident Evil, you have the choice of two characters. This time you can be Leon Kennedy, a cop who should be tried for violating the civil rights of Zombie-Americans. This rouge cop seems to feel that the 'living-impaired' are just his personal punching bags, to beat up and shoot as he pleases. Of course, your only other oppressive option is to be a 'life-ist', biker chick in a bubble-gummer outfit. Her bigotry towards Zombies is just as obvious, whether she's shooting them or stabbing them with the knife she keeps strapped to her chest. Her name is Claire, and she's the brother of Chris from the first game. Let's just say it runs in the family.
Claire's usual stroll around the station may just turn out to be her last.
Now, I hear what you're saying: "This Zombie is chewing on my foot, it deserves to be shot." But that's just the response that society has conditioned you to have. So even though this is a great game with good graphics, terrific sound, riveting action, and puzzles that will keep you entertained for hours... As a favor to our Zombie friends, do not buy this game.
Just remember... they can't control it. It's really just a cry for help. With some therapy and big, warm, loving hugs, the living-impaired can be welcome members of a productive and happy community.
Parasite Eve
It is rare for an RPG to be set in the real world. It is rare for an RPG to be under twenty hours long. It is rarer still for an RPG to incorporate the themes of horror. Square's Parasite Eve, based loosely on the novel of the same name, is therefore a highly unique experience.
Eve's mere presence proves to be much for these poor sods.
Set in New York City, the very month the game itself was released (December of 1997), the story of Parasite Eve revolves around mitochondria, the microbes present in every cell which produce energy, rising up to destroy humanity. In practical terms of course, this means that there's a large amount of people bursting into flames or melting, and a number of cute cuddly animals transforming into grotesque monsters. Although the game can be completed in twelve hours, and spans a period of only six days, the fast paced plot does spare the time for some interesting philosophical and scientific discussion.
All in all, Parasite Eve is a fairly solid title with some elements that only appeal to a select few people. If you're in the mood for a horror themed game that's more disgusting than frightening, or just an RPG that can be completed in one sitting, Parasite Eve is an excellent choice. If however you want more substance, you may want to skip this one.
Final Fantasy VII
At the time of its release, Final Fantasy VII (FF7) broke new grounds with respect to graphics (3D), sound (CD-quality), story (epic) and gameplay (huge game, huge customisation). But does it stand the ravaging test of time? Although Cloud and his fellow eco-warriors may not look as phat as current-day heroes (box-fists and all), Hironobu Sakaguchi's original blockbuster is still one of the finest, most captivating and refined RPG experiences ever.
Square-Enix, make it happen.
If you're any kind of RPG-nut, you've probably already played and completed FF7, wasting several days of your life in the process of logging in countless hours of exploration, side-questing, random battles or just chilling with the trove of mini-games available. If you haven't yet experienced what millions of others already have (since that glorious day in 1997 - yes, a whole decade ago now!), FF7 truly is a fantasy well worth (re)playing. Do try it.
Goldeneye
You all remember it too, don't you? Those first few steps towards the dam, pistol pointed nervously ahead of you and guards strolling around left, right and centre. The control tower concealing the sniper rifle, allowing you to crouch carefully and pinpoint oncoming enemies with accuracy never before offered in a first-person shooter.
GoldenEye. The mere mention of the name sends rose-tinted shivers through many a gaming brain, harking back to a time when Nintendo's 64 was taking its first faltering steps and Rare still had a whole catalogue of c!assic titles still ahead of them. Shattering the illusion that movies do not make good video games, Rare produced a genre-defining title which had the player frantically diving for the nearest piece of cover and firing copious amounts of bullets at enemies way after they'd completed the single player mode for the first time.
Who knew a tiny bullet could pack in so much punch?
Obviously, things have moved on since then. Online battling with Modern Warfare 2 on the 360 attests to just how much fun shooters have become these days, with tense fighting and team battling absorbing players for hours. The fact that GoldenEye managed to do the same with only a fraction of the hardware capabilities and a comparatively basic multiplayer mode shows just how good it was for the time. It's safe to say that for its period, GoldenEye provided a turning point. From the moment it was released, every first-person shooter was judged against it. Whether or not anything has bested it in the eyes of many gamers is still a point of debate even to this day.
Metal Gear Solid
Metal Gear Solid is an EXCELLENT game. It is presented with such well-balanced cinematic quality that the overall experience is much greater than the sum of its graphics and sound components. The faces of the characters are not well defined, but this appears to be done as a sty!e of design. Rather than attempting to look extremely realistic, Konami has achieved a moody, believable atmosphere in which the drama can fully unfold.
A decade later and MGS still looks great.
The graphics are great for a PS1 game, using some really nice visual effects. No matter if your journey takes you across snow, down dark corridors, or through air ducts, the display is realistic, making it very easy to get "absorbed" into the world of Metal Gear Solid. The music is phenomenal from the first intro screen right on through, and the sound effects are very well handled. The game has just the right mix of graphics and sound to allow it to look and sound good, without upstaging the gameplay.
Final Note
While graphics aren't quite the dealbreaker when it comes to what makes a great game, it can help keep you immersed into a ten hour game with its believable portrayal of the world that its set in. And with today's advanced physics and technology, it can help elevate great games such as Resident Evil 2 to unimagineable heights.
What game(s) would you like to see getting a HD remake?
