Original Ideas are wonderful too. But I would not be happy if my favorite characters and worlds were buried alive. Yeah it's all about the money to the publisher, but not to the fanatic.

I get the impression there is a 50-50 split among ppl that hate remakes and those that love them. Where do you stand? What game do you want remade? Do you want extra this-or-that?

I want Metroid 2 (from GameBoy) to get remade. I never played it and will never b/c the graphics suck. I just want the 2D game with proper graphics nothing changed. Anyone else.

Don't know if this needed a poll or not, but I'll throw in my two cents.

Generally, I wince at the thought of remakes because of the fact I'm paying $40-$60US for a game I've already played. Sure, the graphics are nice and pretty, they added some voice-acting, and there's some bonus content. Was it really worth all the money? Further more, the FACT that they went through the hoops to make a remake means they weren't spending time and money on new IPs, or a least the next game in the series.

Furthermore, some of those older games had a bit of charm to them that would be lost in this day and age. Mechanics that were new and fresh in the 80's and 90's aren't going to seem so fresh and new now that they've been copied and done 100 times. Voice acting could kill appreciation for a game's dialogue if it wasn't how you imagined the voice sounding. The graphic style could get changed if a new artist takes over design.

That said, yes, I typically enjoy remakes of my old favorites. If the game was good enough for me to play through it again, it'd be nice for shinier tinfoil and more features the 2nd time around. But I don't particularly encourage the notion.

If it's done well a remake can be heavenly. Oh and I too have long been waiting for a Metroid 2 remake (I loved the original) as well as a Blaster Master remake.

If the remake is botched then the opinion will slant against the original as well. It's called power of three opinion: an entire crowd can be incited towards a singular opinion if three different people in the crowd start shouting one opinion. If 3 Reveiwers say it's botched, then opinions will start to blame whom or what-ever they can for the remake, including the prequel or original.

Remakes are good when sequels fail to capture the essence of the previous game, or when a game gets so dated it no longer works. Also helps when they DON'T try to improve too much, but implement changes that were liked in later games...

I'd pay full price for a remake of Battlefield 1942 if it were just remade complete with the BF Nam engine (There's a taste of it in BF Nam Redux)... A couple new maps would be nice, but simply improving graphics is all I seek, and NOT the lag or gimmicks of BF2/2142. Serious, remake 1942 with Nam's improvements and some graphic tweaking, and make it so Road to Rome and Secret Wpns don't need to load as add-ons and I'd spend $80CDN for it right now. A Co-Op version of Midway that has the full fleet/size like the Conquest one would be nice though too.

Oh, remakes of Moo2, Perfect Dark (But for PC), and Rise of the Triad would also be VERY welcome...

i dont tihnk its to bad to be honest
i mean
resident evil one was a great remake
and metal gear solid twin snakes was also a good remake for a game
i mean as long as there good there aint much of a problem :-)

Like games that people tell me are great but I never played, but now i wont play them, the graphics are just too outdated, great examples are Final Fantasy 7 and the older MGS games, maybe just a revamp in graphics and a release onto next-gen systems.

Great games: REmake.

Crap games: Waste O' Money.

If you're going to remake a game, you have to add to it.

Doom 3 was a fail because it didn't remake Doom, it just remade AvP. Serious Sam was a better Doom remake.

Let's see though, Paradroid using the Lithtech Engine, Sabrewulf using the Cry engine, the Elite expansion for EVE; Jeff Minter on graphics on a TL card, Rob Hubbard on orchestral music, Tim Schafer designing the backstory....

I think I need a cold shower.

The_root_of_all_evil:
If you're going to remake a game, you have to add to it.

Exactly my thoughts. Just look at the upcoming Bionic Commando remake for the X-Box Live Arcade.

thebobmaster:

The_root_of_all_evil:
If you're going to remake a game, you have to add to it.

Exactly my thoughts. Just look at the upcoming Bionic Commando remake for the X-Box Live Arcade.

Not always... Most games I've seen remade that I'd consider a fail, failed because of what they added or changed from the original. Same always applied to sequels. Its mostly about what is added...

Add new levels/maps. Add new guns. Add new enemies. Add new improved graphics (so long as it doesn't add new lag). But don't add a new interface, don't add new gimmicky features, and PLEASE don't add new storyline segments... Fable The Lost Chapters WAS wicked, but the added end segment on the frozen wastes of whatever that place is called, wasn't nearly as good as the rest of the game. The bordello rocked, the new quests were sweet, but the last chapter was made of poo and fail.

Khell_Sennet:

Not always... Most games I've seen remade that I'd consider a fail, failed because of what they added or changed from the original. Same always applied to sequels. Its mostly about what is added...

Hrm. I'd tend to disagree. The real fail parts are the bits that are changed. (UI etc.)
Look at Freeman, No Celebrity Voice Overs, No Fancy HUD, No Blue Keys in Blue Doors, No Chainsaw; just a good solid game.

How many other games would you be willing to sit through a five minute unskippable walkthru of?
But in Halflife 2...no real changes, still a cracking game.
Doom-> Doom 3 ...lots of changes, changed from a bughunt to a survival horror. Not nearly as good.

SS2 with a new graphics engine would be great. Imagine a decent game made with the Bioshock engine!

Fan made remakes I can support, rehashes from the same company? Not so much.

After all, how many people are interested in the HL2 mod: Black Mesa?

I know I am.

I prefer leaving remakes to the fans. They don't have money to worry about (remakes are rarely gonna pull in extra cash), have insane amounts of respect for the game - but will occasionally (which is when it works well) take risks with it and know exactly what the fans (who will be the major consumer base) want.

I'd love to see SS2 in the Unreal engine, and the original C&C rendered 3D in the current C&C engine. Or Fallout 1&2 in the Oblivion engine (you know it's on its way...)

Star Trek: A Final Unity is just screaming for a fan remake in something of the vein of Bridge Commander (If the Nano FX engine picks up, I'd seriously consider having a bash at)

The only problem with fan made remakes is the re-use of all that material - bit of a legal minefield...

Cooper42:
I prefer leaving remakes to the fans. They don't have money to worry about (remakes are rarely gonna pull in extra cash), have insane amounts of respect for the game - but will occasionally (which is when it works well) take risks with it and know exactly what the fans (who will be the major consumer base) want.

I'd love to see SS2 in the Unreal engine, and the original C&C rendered 3D in the current C&C engine. Or Fallout 1&2 in the Oblivion engine (you know it's on its way...)

Star Trek: A Final Unity is just screaming for a fan remake in something of the vein of Bridge Commander (If the Nano FX engine picks up, I'd seriously consider having a bash at)

The only problem with fan made remakes is the re-use of all that material - bit of a legal minefield...

I actually agree with you whole-heartedly. Fans of a game/series will have the highest amount of respect for it (even the creators, sometimes), and are least likely to horribly mangle it. Unless they say they're trying sometihng new, in which case you were warned :-p

But due to that legal minefield you mentioned, AAA style remakes are pretty much left up to companies. Heck, even AA and A quality would be hard to pull off, since lawyers start swinging the sueing bat if it even REMOTELY smells like it could make a profit.

The chrono trigger remake project comes to mind...

I'm getting my remake fix with Wing Commander Saga right now... Damn I love that series.

I really like remakes for the most part, because there are some games that were simply wonderful, but you either (A) can't get them anymore because time has the unfortunate habit of Moving Forward or (B) can get them, but can't stand to play them anymore because 10-year old game mechanics can get frustrating at times.

Port/Remake that needed it: Link to the Past to GBA (because I never had an SNES), Link's Awakening to Color (because we can all agree that as "classic" as they are, many GB games were @$$-ugly.

The winner: Pokemon Red/Blue to Pokemon Fire-Red/Leaf-Green. Okay, so Leaf-Green was a poor choice of moniker, just TRY to play pokemon Red or Blue now after playing Ruby and Sapphire. Without a doubt, Red/Blue had the best pokemon set, with Gold/Silver coming in close second, but after playing modern games, the mechanics were ridiculously frustrating, like having to save the game after changing a box, being unable to run. Also, the Missing No. bug. That made playing multiplayer a pain in the posterior, because I'd have to say - "no level 250 Rapidashes. Scalliwag." After playing FireRed when I was 16 or so, I finally had my fill of Pokemon.

Other Winner: Super Mario Bros. Deluxe for the GBC. It had the orginal, and the Lost Levels, and Challenge modes, and Boo Races, and Lord Lord it was portable.

The formula on Whether to Remake:

boolean Remake(Remake_Exists, Age, Quality, Current_Availablitiy)
if (Remake_Exists) then {
return false;}
else {
int X = (Age * Quality - Current_Availability);
if (X < 75)
return false;
}
return true;

Remade games are just a lazy excuse. Most of the good games are ruined or get a crap addon + the standard better graphics.
If you don't believe me, Conker Live & Reloaded, 'nuff said >_>. Ruined the good old multiplayer...

windfish:

The formula on Whether to Remake:

boolean Remake(Remake_Exists, Age, Quality, Current_Availablitiy)
if (Remake_Exists) then {
return false;}
else {
int X = (Age * Quality - Current_Availability);
if (X < 75)
return false;
}
return true;

lol
your C++ skillz make this my favorite post. Very logical!

Corporal Fitz.:
Like games that people tell me are great but I never played, but now i wont play them, the graphics are just too outdated, great examples are Final Fantasy 7 and the older MGS games, maybe just a revamp in graphics and a release onto next-gen systems.

I can relate to that. There are all these old LucasArt games like Monkey Island, Sam & Max and Day of the Tentacle that I just can't get into because of the graphics. BLAH! I didn't find any of them funny either.

Still, I don't see FF7 and MGS that dated. That being said, in terms of the former, I have a serious fetish with pre-rendered graphics. I really should go see someone about it.

To answer the original question, I voted 'bad' because I've never personally come across a game remake that's satisfied me more than the original. Resident Evil on the GC was really good, but it just doesn't have the charm of the original. To me, the 1st Resident Evil on the PSX is the equivalent of the best B-movie around.

Someone mentioned re-releasing with updated graphics. I theory this could work but it doesn't. Ever seen the re-released Sega classics? Some like Panzer Dragoon had smoother graphics but it just made them look more bland.

Personally, I'd way prefer these giant companies invest money on great writers to create original stories that take games where they're never been before, or programming new series' altogether. When your game company is as big as Capcom and Konami, there really is no excuse.

Remakes are great, so long as there is atleast a decade between the remake and the original. Some don't even need that big of a jump in time so long as graphically and gameplay is expanded upon.
Seriously, who wouldn't like to see a version of Theif: Deadly Shadows with longer levels, bigger cities, and playing kind of like Assassin's Creed when it comes to the cities? I myself would love to see Theif on an AC level, AC showed us really how Theif could be made even better.

Now, some games can just accept a graphics upgrade, if they're good. And I mean GOOD good, like, not too much hype yet still received high scores good. Like Vectorman, or a good Zombies Ate My Neighbors. A remake can always be good though, no matter when it comes out, so long as the poper steps are taken. Even a cash cow remake can be done good.

Remakes are bad because there are plenty of new ideas that deserve more development time. Go onto any forum's "come up with a game" thread. There you go.

Remakes of really old games that pleanty of younger gamers may not have even been alive when made I think can be a good thing. That said, if remade games are part of an ongoing franchise the sequals of which havent been out all that long (Tomb Raider springs to mind) I personally dont see the point in a remake. If, for example, Bull Frog's Syndicate was remade, id rush to buy it because the origional sounds so good even now. But if The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall was remade, I personally dont think id get an experience any different to 3 & 4, & indeed may conclude that it doesnt warrent the holy grail status fans give it: So its better left as one of those games Ill never play.

Simularly leaving remaking a game in the hands of its dedicated fanbase is, imo, not a sure way to sucess. Fans, being fans, will imo be conservative in their approach to remaking a game because they will do their best to not change a single thing they liked about its origional, even if doing so would result in a better game experience for the general consumer. Either theyll produce the exact same game, or change it so much that it cannot be said to be the game theyre supposed to have remade. Leave the fanbase to making mods to improve on games & not the games themselves I say

Finally, slapping on a new graphics engine imo is not a sure way to make a good remake. For example, for me the best of the GTA games has been GTA 2. If it was remade in full 3D glory, I think it would lose all the immature charm that its origional had (one of the few things I dislike about the 3D sequels is that theyve lost the anarchistic sillyness of 1 & 2, instead seemingly getting more "serious"). I think alot of the games we nostaligcly look back to as bastions of greatness would have the pedestal pulled from under them if rereleased with nothing but a new graphics engine, ignoring the changes to gameplay style etc that a graphics upgrade brings.