Editorials

Re-releases > Remakes

April 8, 2010, Author: Joe Staley

Over the past few months, I’ve had the chance to sample a number of remakes and re-releases of some very popular games. In my opinion, there is a very clear trend in quality, with re-releases featuring face lifts seeming a better option than fully fledged remakes. The way I see it, the need to tamper or try to improve on a classic formula past polished graphics can often end in tears, or at least alienate part of a fan base.

So with a few of these games under my belt, here are the ones that I believe help to prove my point.

Perfect Dark (XBLA)
I’m starting with the most recently released; Perfect Dark on the Xbox LIVE Arcade. As many of you know, Perfect Dark was created by Rare (formerly RareWare), who also crafted the astonishingly popular Goldeneye, both for the N64. The N64 version was phenomenal. The graphics were superb for the time and to have the combination of a futuristic setting loosely based on Blade Runner and the control system from Goldeneye was like a dream. In modern day terms it would be like crossing Modern Warfare with Star Trek.

Anyway, I won’t babble on too much about it, as I’m sure 90% of you have played it, if not at least heard of it. The XBLA release is a basic port. The control system is identical and the music, sounds and voice acting don’t seem to be any different. Saying that, there are some major improvements, the most obvious one being the graphics. They have re-textured everything; the characters and NPC’s are no longer blocky and are instead very smooth similar to PS2 type quality.

To top it off, Perfect Dark is presented in full 1080p HD and 60fps, so nice smooth animations are a sure thing. They have left a few little things alone in this release, however. Little things like zero mouth movement whilst the characters are talking and the ability to turn on the split screen mode when you play co-op or any other online game type, to help it feel like you are playing on the N64 version help fuel the nostalgia. Welcome additions are a few of the Goldeneye maps and weapons for use in online multiplayer. I won’t tell you which ones, but I’m sure you will recognise them when you see them!

All in all they have stuck with a game that they cannot possibly change too drastically. It is true to the original and makes a perfect replacement for your old N64 copy.

Perfect Dark XBLA: 800MSP Xbox LIVE Marketplace
Perfect Dark N64: £7.47 Amazon.co.uk

 

Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes (Gamecube)
This game shocked me. It has been out for years now but I have only started playing this revamped version of the PS1 classic, Metal Gear Solid, a few days ago. For those of you who have been living under a rock for the past decade, this game kick-started the stealth action genre, and ensured its popularity for many years after. This popularity only lost momentum recently, when MGS4 arrived on the PS3. This is the only one I haven’t played, so I’m not entirely sure why the franchise’s popularity has plummeted, but enough of that, back to Twin Snakes.

This Gamecube release is a total overhaul of the PS1 classic. It combines features found in the PS2 game, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty, and in the original. The story was intact, but I wasn’t too keen on the changes made to this version. The first crucial tweak they made was, of course, graphics. All the cut scenes were re-rendered with new player models and textures and almost matched the graphic quality of the PS2 sequel. Everything looked better, played better and just basically updated everything. However, this good news ended when I realised all the classic, and very quotable, lines from the classic had been removed and voice acting re-recorded. David Hayter still does the voice of Snake, but other subtle things like when the guards say “Huh? What was that noise?” have been removed. They can call in back up, ripped right out of the second game, you can collect enemy dog tags in first person, again ripped from the second game, and also the difficulty in my opinion, has been cranked higher.

I don’t mean to be so negative about this remake but I was a huge fan of the original, and enjoy reminiscing about it. Even little things like the ‘Game Over’ screen made me smile… so why they removed those from this version is beyond me!

It is still spanned over two discs, and still plays almost the same. Some people love it, some hate it, and some people refuse to acknowledge it exists because it was a ‘Sony’ franchise (despite the sequel appearing on the original Xbox).

I could talk about this remake and my dislike for it for hours, but if you own a Wii, and an old Gamecube controller, pick this up for about £25 and have some fun.

Metal Gear Solid Twin Snakes Gamecube: £24 CEX Stores Nationwide
Metal Gear Solid PS1: £8.39 Amazon.co.uk

 

Pokemon Heart Gold/Soul Silver
I don’t have much to say about this game, as I’ve not been such a huge Pokemon fan since the Gameboy Advance versions, but I’ll try to say a few words.

Back in the 90’s when everyone tuned in to SMTV LIVE with Ant and Dec to sing the Poke’rap and watch Pokemon at 9:25 on a Saturday morning, I was the proud owner of a Gameboy colour and Pokemon Blue. This Japanese game came over to the UK and sent kids across the nation absolutely crazy.

After the world of Kanto and the 151 Pokemon you could catch, Nintendo decided it would be a great idea to release another set of games for us all to trade, battle and cry over. These were Pokemon Gold and Silver, exclusive to Gameboy Colour. Silver was the last Gameboy Colour game I ever bought, and to this day, is still one of my favourite handheld games. After seeing a TV advert with footage of the old Silver game, announcing you can re-live your Pokemon Silver experience, I decided to test it out on my sister’s DS.

After five minutes of playing Soul Silver, I wanted to go out and buy a Gameboy and Pokemon Silver again; it wasn’t a very good re-make at all. Now regular readers and viewers may already know how much I hate Nintendo since the DS and the Wii were released for going overboard with crappy peripherals for their consoles and regular updates meaning your newly owned DSi will be replaced with an XL two months later… but after playing this, I now really wish bad things on Nintendo.

To start with, the only similarity with Silver and Soul Silver is the title and possibly the Johto Islands that you are venturing about on. Other than that, it feels like a totally different game. Firstly, its 2.5D. Your character and other sprites are 2D but everything else is 3D, not a look I like. Everything is also updated to modern day, if not, the future. You have an advanced phone, PDA, a new bag system… it’s so different it feels like I’m playing Pokemon Diamond…

Maybe it’s because I haven’t played Pokemon since 1998, but after sampling this I lost my urge to play it again. You be the judge.

Pokemon Soul Silver DS: £29.99 Gamesation
Pokemon Silver Gameboy: £9.99 Ebay

So, suffice to there are a lot of remakes and re-issues I haven’t mentioned or had chance to play for myself for that matter, but what do you guys think? Which ones prove my point, which ones don’t?

Tagged Metal Gear Solid, Perfect Dark, Pokemon