With the age of the games industry, it’s grown old enough to where blockbuster hits that captivated the entire space can be revisited to the same effect as long as their gameplay is brought up to par with contemporary expectations. While franchise reboots such as God of War and Tomb Raider did a wonderful job rebranding favorite games and bringing classic characters into new situations, as well as new consoles, this list will focus on remakes or original games built from the ground up while maintaining the same story. With that clarification aside and the new consoles on the horizon, here are five next-gen remakes we would like to see.
5- Dino Crisis,
Returning to the Dino Crisis franchise would be a great way to utilize Capcom’s experience with the RE Engine while also reintroducing another fan-favorite franchise to modern players. Stepping away from the claustrophobic tension of Resident Evil 7 and more toward the sprawling action sprint the Resident Evil 3 remake offered, Dino Crisis could escalate the intense escape sequences Nemesis created by nature of all the different dinosaurs roaming the entire island. The heart-pounding tension of the kitchen scene from Jurassic Park, where two children are stalked by velociraptors, fits perfectly with the resource management Capcom has mastered in another notable horror title. Taking inspiration directly from that scene, Capcom can evolve their horror formula and introduce stealth mechanics. The possibility of staying hidden from dinosaurs because players don’t have the resources to deal with direct conflict seems like a winning ticket.
4- Resident Evil
Ever since 2017’s Resident Evil 7 debuted the RE Engine, its interconnected plantation house left dedicated fans dreaming about what a visit to the Spencer mansion could look like with the advancements in Capcom’s latest technology. The latest remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3 are showcases for the engine’s graphical capabilities, as well as the fan reception of older games being updated with modern gameplay. With the success of Resident Evil 7 and the remake of Resident Evil 2, both of which included a memorable “haunted house” and glimpses of another mansion in the trailer of Resident Evil Village, Capcom understands the appeal of one large setting that must be pieced together one puzzle at a time. A return to the Spencer mansion could emphasize the claustrophobic tension present in RE 7 and 2 as well as introduce optional objectives throughout the labyrinth that could influence the outcome of the surviving members of Jill or Chris’ squad. This kind of influence on players’ experience has been lacking from the series since the original Resident Evil 3, and returning to the original Spencer mansion this way could be a legendary experience that cements Capcom’s mastery of the haunted house simulator.
3- Fallout
The original Fallout games led by Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky impacted western RPGs in unprecedented ways. The setting was unique in that the road warrior apocalypse had remnants of technology that evolved differently than ours resulting in a never before seen experience. Tribes of people form in the deserts to protect each other from dangerous wildlife while gangs form in cities made of rubble. Organized crime and corruption run rampant; the only law left is the strong serve the weak. It’s up to players to decide the fate of the wasteland, the vault dweller has a mere four months to locate a water chip in the vastness of the wastes, leaving the door of possibility to players wide open. Gamers can ask everyone they possibly can about a water chip or send a caravan of water to the vault, painting a clear picture to those seeking to take advantage that the vault is vulnerable. Players stumbling into a dungeon specializing in packaging corpses into meals for a restaurant have a variety of ways to deal with the situation. They can play it cool, leave and take the information to blackmail the restaurant owner, or inform the wasteland officials of the horrible business. If the reactivity of the waste-land returns alongside all the iconic locations and characters, updating the vault dweller’s journey could be what puts Bethesda Softworks back in player’s favor.
2- Silent Hill
In 2014 Konami showed the world what the Fox engine was capable of in the department of atmosphere and graphical fidelity with P.T. After that marvel was cancelled, it only seems right that the technology would go to something as good. P.T. was the last time the Silent Hill franchise has seen widespread critical acclaim and there’s no reason why it should be the last time. Even without the visionaries of Kojima and Del Toro at the helm, the original trilogy captivated an enthusiastic audience that still references their appeal to this day. Konami should see the writing on the wall with the success of P.T. and make use of their powerful technology to satisfy fans who are hungry for a return to survival horror.
1- Metal Gear Solid
Without the leadership of Hideo Kojima, it is unclear whether this would be an attempt worthy of the legacy he has left behind, but Konami still has developed their proprietary Fox engine, which is still one of the greatest-looking engines ever made. With some of the team who developed Metal Gear Solid V still at Konami, it should have an attempt to bring the original games that put Kojima on the map to the modern generation. Many younger players may only know of their exploits from the latest Metal Gear Solid V and would be willing to see where the legend all began. The gameplay from that title saw it receiving many Game of the Year nominations, but the dispute between Konami and Kojima would see the end of that game rushed and unfinished. Perhaps a revisiting of the original trilogy could bring that same gameplay success while refining the narrative of the franchise.
