Opinions on the "HD Re-releases"

[AlexFili]

I'm curious as to know what everyone things about all these HD Re-releases being released lately. Namely Metal Gear Solid HD, Devil May Cry HD, Silent Hill, Resident Evil...

In one way it makes sense because they're taking great plots and games and improving the graphics, fixing the old bugs and providing the game on a new platform.

What do you think? Do you like companies that re-release games many times over? Or would you prefer more original games and sequels instead?

[Varrok]

HD re-releases rarely really improve the graphics, they just tweak up the resolution like in ICO HD, Shadow of the Collosus HD, DMC HD, MGS HD etc etc

[T-nex]

I think HD-rerleases can be good for making old games compatible with newer versions of consoles/OS's as well... Some games are really worth it, and in the case of companies such as OWI/JAW, it's a great way of turning in profit with minimal costs.

And it is a great way of bringing focus back on old, and deserving games.


Of course some games were barely improved, and have no merit.. but mostly it's ok.

[Wings of Fire]

Do you like companies that re-release games many times over?

That sounds more like Capcom to me.

[JennyGenesis]

In response to WOF, I hate the way Capcom re-release their games, just take a look at the Street Fighter Series.

But for the direction that Oddworld is taking ETC, yeah I like that, it's interesting to see games with modern graphics, but at the same time I can't help but feel that developers have run out of ideas.

[Crashpunk]

I love how companies are doing this right now but it's nothing new really with Films being remade in 3D.

In some HD remakes I have noticed the games (ICO/SOC) do look a lot better even if its a change in resolution. Other times I can't see a hardly difference for example The Rayman 3 remake didn't look any different aside from some very minor tweaking which was disappointing.

I think if this HD remaking craze will stay with us, I want to see more classic games remake but completely revamped not just tweaked a tad, much like how the 3DS remakes of Star Fox 64 and Zelda: Ocarina were. Nintendo gets it.

I'm so existed for the Ratchet and Clank HD Collection, I can't wait to see how that turns out. The Games that I really want to see revamped are Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon, Zelda: Majora's Mask, Super Mario 64 (again) and Half-Life 1 (Even though a project called Black Mesa are already trying that)

I can dream...

[Strike Witch]

Frankly speaking, it's a way for me to get games I missed out on.

So it's a huge plus for me.

[Hazz-JB]

The only HD re-release I've played is God of War HD and it's not that impressive gameplay or graphics wise IMO, I guess it hasn't aged well and on my 1080p monitor it still looks like a pixelly PS2 game. That's just my opinion though and I'll probably still get GoW 3 some day.

I can't wait to play Strangers Wrath HD. From what I've seen, the work put into it has yielded excellent results. I have a good PC and it's made me a bit of a graphics whore so I'm waiting for the PC version instead of getting it on PS3, for higher resolution/slightly better graphics if nothing else.

[Chubfish]

I've always liked the idea of a portable HD remaster of Final Fantasy 10.

[Dynamithix]

Usually the 'HD' collections are barely HD, I can confirm that with the Silent Hill one (even though the games are great). Beyond Good & Evil HD wasn't any different either.

Like Strike Witch said, it's best to think of the collections as an opportunity to get the trilogy/the earlier games if you haven't played them. And they're usually cheaper than buying the games separately.

[AlexFili]

My personal wishlist for remakes is:
Magic Carpet
Dragonball Z: Legendary Super Warriors
GeneWars
Galactic Battle
Barcode Battler
Pizza Tycoon
Mad TV
Lemmings 2

[DarkHoodness]

HD re-releases are a nice way to experience older games to make sure people don't forget about them, and also make them more compatible with newer systems, as T-Nex said. A lot of work went into those older games as well, and many were really fantastic - It's a shame to see some of them consigned to history and forgotten about.

Like many here I do wish more HD re-releases were actual proper re-makes like Black Mesa and Abe HD and not like Beyond Good and Evil where they haven't changed a damned thing.

[Mr. Bungle]

I like them because they give me a chance to replay old games that I used to love but can't find anywhere nowadays, or to play games I may have missed out on back when they first came out. Super Street Fighter II HD Remix for example.

I don't think I'd ever buy an HD remake of a game I already own, though. That's just nutty.

[Manco]

I’m pretty tired of them personally. While I like the idea of making a great old game available to a new generation, too often it feels like HD re-releases have the bare minimum of work done to make them run on newer hardware, and get shoved out into the world with little more than shinier textures and a larger aspect ratio. I feel like we should be treating these games with a little more respect, and giving them a more loving polish before releasing them for sale.

The other thing I hate is how much it adds to this whole navel-gazing culture the industry has adopted recently. Everyone’s trying to re-release “classic” games, make retro-styled games, make witty references to older games, blah blah blah. It feels like people are trying as hard as they can to make themselves feel relevant, and are relying on their relatively short history to do so instead of being innovative.