If you haven’t played it, it’s new to you…
For some, the mere concept of a remaster or remake is dirty by design. For these critics, revisiting a title is often chided as a sign of creative bankruptcy, an affront to the game it replicates, or an easy exploitation of fan nostalgia. In essence, some consider remakes a “lazier” option, diametrically opposed to exploring new concepts and ideas.
But for many designers, remakes do provide that very opportunity to venture down new, exciting paths. It allows them to take a beloved title – one already proven to be a hit with audiences – and experiment with the technology, resources, skills and ideology of an entire new era of developers. This in itself is a form of creativity.
The existence of a remaster or remake does not, by design, harm the original’s reputation – that game remains etched in both the annals of time and your own memories – but they can open up older games and their delightful worlds, characters, and stories to new generations of fans, while offering alternate experiences to those of us creaky enough to remember their humble origins.
These are the nominees for Destructoid’s Best Remaster/Remake of 2019:
