Poll: What Do You Think About Remasters?

In general, I feel there are way too many remasters. But that's largely because I don't care for most of them. However, when it's a remake I really want, I do get excited.

Now that I think about it, I've purchased way more PS4 remasters than I originally thought when taking the poll
Resident Evil 4
The Last of Us
Shadow of the Colossus
Uncharted Collection
Burnout Paradise

The remakes I still want are Maximo and the Skate trilogy.

Mass effect trilogy as a remaster please!! Never played them and don't have a ps3

Remaster are like all the other games. If I want them, I buy them. So simple.

The more choice the better. I bet everyone would like to see their favourite PS3 game, or any PS3 game they missed and want to play now, available on the PS4 with improved graphics.

Remasters don’t take anything away. They add to the library and give us a chance to replay our favourites or play them for the first time.
They are also great ‘comfort food’ in between the more unknown new releases.

I like the idea of remasters my only issue is if they are released again for next gen I think games that have come from the PS2 era to PS4 are perfect depending on how they are like for example Shadow of Collosus. Yes it was released on PS3 but I think had they skipped it and did what they did from 2 to 4 it would have been a perfect tribute to such a cult game. I would love to see

SSX Tricky
Mercenaries 1
Ace Combat Distant Thunder
GTA Vice City (Remaster)
Onimusha 1, 2 & 3
Armoured Core
Dead Space 1 and 2

(Irony that most are EA games)

Some for example but again if they were getting the treatment that Bluepoint did with SoC then yes they are worth it.

I prefer remakes over remasters and find the purchase more justified. My favourite example are the Yakuza Kiwami games.

But there are some remasters nobody asked for like ac rogue, legend of Kay, cel damage hd,...

A good remaster, done with care and also good value for money is all good for me. I have TLOU, Bioshock Collection, Uncharted Collection, SOTC Ratchet and Clank, and Tomb Raider. I think I might have a few more even. I am defo getting Dark Souls.

I like them but I'm worried that if they sell well, it will kill any prospect of PS5 backwards-compatibility stone dead

I'm a bit half & half on the topic. I could easily say there's too many, and I do think there's quite a bit. However, while it was a small pain earlier this generation, there's plenty of original games now that offset their presence. I still think it's silly to remaster remasters though, as it just seems redundant, even for games I like such as Kingdom Hearts, Devil May Cry, and Final Fantasy X.

I'm not above buying them though if I missed them the first time and can't get them on the original system, or the "newest" remaster has a feature that interests me. It depends on whether or not it really felt necessary. They're not something I'd jump at everytime.

For those curious, all the remasters I've purchased on PS4 are-

Last of Us Remastered
Kingdom Hearts 1.5+2.5 HD Remix
Tomb Raider Definitive Edition
Final Fantasy Type-0 HD (It's worth noting the original game is Japan only, but I thought I'd include it regardless)
Devil May Cry 4 Special Edition

@sketchturner Shadow of the Colossus is a bit different. That's more of a remake. It's completely built from scratch. Remaster often means taking an existing game, increasing the resolution of the game itself and the textures, perhaps a higher fps, and that's it.

In general, remasters aren't made in lieu of new games, so there's no reason to oppose them existing.

At worst, then can be lazy re-releases meant to be a cash grab and little else (looking at you, most Switch first-party "remasters")

At best, they can come with new content and/or address issues present in the original release (TLoU:R, Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, The Wind Waker HD, Fast RMX, Okami HD)

Then there are the ones that are so touched up that they basically qualify as brand new games (OoT3D/MM3D, Shadow of the Colossus on PS4, Yakuza Kiwami)

In general, the higher up that "touched up" spectrum they are, the more inclined I am to want to support them.

some are good some arent remastered hardly at all. I like the ones that actually struggled on old hardware and remaster runs like was originally intended.

I think they are good in certain situations. I did not own a PS3, so having the first party or exclusive games get ported over has been good for me. Most third party games though, I am not usually interested in. I either played it the first time around or was not interested in them the first time.

Generally, I just buy remasters when I want to play a game from a previous generation. The graphics up-scaling is nice, but playing through the gameplay of a Resident Evil 4 or something is my real interest.

Personally I love remasters. I didn’t have a PS3, so to have some of those great games available is a real bonus for me.

Also some PS1 and PS2 classics of my youth being remade and for me to be able to share them with my son is awesome.

In terms of taking away, surely it must be much easier to remake a game with improved graphics, sound and a few features rather than make one from scratch where you need everything from a concept to writing the story to working out the play style and so much more. So as long as new games keep coming, remaking old games is a good thing.

If it wasn't for remasters/remakes, I never would have had the chance to play shadow of the colossus. So I am very thankful for that.

I love remasters...
On my switch. Can’t get enough of them.
But if it’s a simple port called remaster on ps4 I’m better off buying the original game on ps3, ps2/gamecube or ps1/n64.

Example, I wanted to buy GOW 3 on ps4 when it launched, I ended up buying it for ps3 for €5 that same day.

Only ever bought 2 remasters they were so so. I do not see the point of them the same for films generally remasters/remakes are pointless. Just another way for games to be recycled generation after generation.

Genuinely interested to see that I’m in the minority of not liking remasters. I’m glad other people enjoy them and I’m all for consumer choice, but personally I’d rather spend my money on a new game (I’d include complete remakes like SotC in that).

Often when I see news of another remaster, I can’t help but see them as cynical cash grabs or a lack of new ideas- but having read the comments here I’m happy to concede I’m probably not right to think this way.

So many remasters, literally the only ones I want are Mass Effect trilogy, Demon Souls, Dragon Age Origins, and Final Fantasy 8 on my PS4.

If people have already purchased the original that is being remastered, then those people should get that game at a discount price. It's wrong that if you want a particular remastered game, you have to pay full price when you have already paid for that original.. If the game is new to you then I agree with the full price.

The thing to keep in mind here is that, if you never played the original release that a remaster is based on, it is, for all intents and purposes, a new game for you.

@Shepherd_Tallon PS1/PS2 bc would be great, I hope you're right. I think I've just got my cynical hat on today...

Remasters are good. They can be a great way for people to play games that they missed the first time around.

Love a solid remaster which is well made or remake that sticks close to the original. Hope we see a few more classics return which have been forgotten. Something retro that isn't Nintendo or Sega for a change. Fingers crossed.

The biggest reason I like remasters is that I never had a PS2 or PS3. I'm getting the chance to play some amazing games that I missed out on. Uncharted 1-3, Shadow of the Colossus, Last of Us....so many great games.

@Old_School_Gamer absolutely, and Dead Space: Extraction for PSVR!

Depends on the game.

I bought TLOU and the Uncharted remasters, as they're some of my all-time favourite games; I found myself playing them over and over on PS3, so getting them on PS4 was a no-brainer.

I didn't buy the Jak & Daxter games, as I'd already bought them on PS2 and PS3. (I did grab the free J&D which came with the Uncharted 4/Lost Legacy bundle. Haven't played it yet, though.)

Burnout Paradise I loved on PS3, but haven't bothered with that remaster. It's just not something I want to play through again.

Apologies if someone’s already mentioned this, but I think one of the good aspects of remasters/remakes is that for someone who’s never owned a Sony console, or a youngling who’s first console is the PS4, they get to experience some excellent games firsthand, particularly (imo) when it comes to Sony’s first party studios.

@Anguspuss very good point, I agree 👍

@Gremio108 PS5 and PS4 games will be back compatible. If they are not it means sony went out of their way do make it that way. ps4 and ps3 are different so back compatibility is not easy. but going forward back compatibility should be as simple as having nothing to do.

I dont like this current trend because I own a PS3 and a Wii U so I dont want to buy games I already own. Good for people who missed them.

Yet older games are not being remastered. Shenmue is split in 2 systems in the US, begging for a remaster but nope. Crash was a great choice as they are PS1 games

SEGA wheres my Streets of Rage 2 remaster? Come on you can do it!

If I’ve not played it before sometimes I’ll pick up a remaster but if I’ve already played it, especially on a previous gen console I’m not interested. Already so many games out there that I’ve played.

If I haven't played it before then I'm ok buying them. If I already own the game then it's just a waste of my time. Usually.

I've bought several remasters and regretted it almost every time. At first I get excited, play for a bit and then realize I have too many games I haven't played once and I should instead be playing those. So I end up never beating them.

Playing a game for the second time loses its magic for me. The ones that come to mind are DmC and God of War 3. Brilliant games, but sort of pointless to me to reply them.

@Strebor_ you can always wait for a sale. It's not like you get a discount when you buy a dvd of a movie you've seen at the cinema.

I like in general, right now I'm playing Valkyria Chronicles remastered, which is a masterpiece, but things like Assassin's creed rogue are, at best, passable.

HI Guys, Long time lurker first time poster. I only bought my Pro back In January last year and missed out on loads of these games when originally released like The last of us and god of war 3 which I got for under a tenner before the new one comes out next month!

I love remasters that actually have effort put into them. If you want a good example of how NOT to do a remaster, Splinter Cell Trilogy HD. Great games, but Ubisoft basically just ported them to PS3. There's frame drops all over the place, and they didn't even try for 60 FPS (despite quite literally advertising the games as such).

But then there's remasters that really did have effort put into them like, for instance, Wind Waker HD. And other remasters that had effort put into them were my introduction to the games they are remasters of. The Last of Us Remastered was my first experience with the game, and I loved it. I'm also planning to try Good of War III Remastered Shadow of the Colossus, and the Uncharted Collection, none of which I've ever played before.

I just want awesome classics to look and perform their best.

I don't see the issue with Remasters in general - as long as they are taking up the slack for the increased game development time and not in lieu of - which is in general how it feels.
I do think though, there is right and a wrong way to do a remaster and some seem to push the limits of acceptability. CoD:MW was a great example of a remaster done well BUT then they ruined it by changing the MP with new weapons etc - can't argue though that the 'remaster' was handled very well - like Shadow of the Colossus. God of War 3 though was an example of a cash grab - just port the game and increase the resolution - that's it!
Another aspect about 'remasters' that MANY seem to forget or don't bother considering, is that there are many gamers whose first console could be a PS4/XB1 or maybe weren't old enough to enjoy or appreciate games aimed at an 'adult' audience and these 'remasters' give them the opportunity to play the games that us 'older' games played the first time. Just because I played games like Last of Us, Burnout Paradise or even Crash Bandicoot the first time they released (as well as the games you will find in compilations like Rare Replay or Sega Megadrive Collection), there are many that missed out on these because of age or opportunity so they also serve to cater to these - not just the 'fans' of those games.
They can also help to preserve games too.
Given the choice, I would take a new game over a remaster but I still think they have a place and serve a purpose.

We're at the point where those who haven't remastered the most popular entries in their back-catalogue appear to be the odd ones out...

...yes, I'm talking about you, EA.

Also, remasters aren't a new thing in the slightest. A lot of people say that the current generation is swamped with remasters, but I've got just as many on my shelf for PS3, usually in trilogy form. Hitman, Jak & Daxter, Metal Gear Solid, Tomb Raider and Splinter Cell, all drew together PS2 (and sometimes other format) games in a neat little package with updated HD graphics.

If anything, the problem with remasters today is that they're quite often for single games. If you're gonna re-introduce the old, do so at a lower price point and bundle them up, either with new releases if they form an ongoing series or as trilogies or compilations if they're just being nostalgic.

That doesn't count for remakes (Crash, Shadow of the Colossus) because there's a lot more hard work put into them.

Remasters? What's not to like ?

Remasters add more choices for younger players or those that missed past gen games and now are in improved versions.

My interests are in new games as PS2 & PS3 games i like i have already played multiple times. So remaster or not i will pass on replaying games again and again and again.

Remasters that interest me are games like Skyrim which i passed on last gen because of dismal near unplayable performance on the PS3. On PS4 it plays near flawless and has all dlc included. On the PRO it looks great with superduper sampling.

Think it was more of a problem in the first few years of the PS4 as we weren't getting the quality brand new content that we have over the last few years alongside the relative amount of remasters. However most remasters are farmed out to smaller companies anyway so it has no real impact on the larger publisher who can focus on the new stuff.
There's so many people who didn't own a previous machine be it 360, PS3, Wii U, or from earlier gens, that there is, and should, always be a place for remasters for the console brand flippers to experience.

I buy every game based on my preference not just remasters. I want it I buy it, if I don't I think its great other can make the same choice. I have even bought some I missed and happy we each have that choice. They are not slowing big AAA games just look at 2018.

I like remastered, but I think some come too soon. Like Uncharted, the 3rd one really didn’t need a remaster when it came. I also think we need more PS2 era teamsters going on. Some reknowned games are hard to find without shelling out a lot of cash, like Steambot Chronicles. And if you want a lazy remaster, use the PS2 comeectuon on the PS Store for PS4. That really needs more games.

For me, it's simple : I consider "interesting" an offer to play nowadays, on my HD set, games that were released before the HD era.
So, regarding the Sony library, I'm interested to play any Psone or Ps2 game on my actual devices, cause the original consoles don't match anymore with the screens we use. I have waited for FFXII so long ! The original looks like crap on my HD set, when the remaster is beauty of every instant.

BUT for any Ps3 game that is released again on PS4, I just look away. I still own my PS3, it is still plugged on my TV, side by side with my PS4 pro. And I still play it, like, a lot. So, for The Last of Us, or the Uncharted saga, I stick with the originals.

Same thing for any "remaster of remaster" (really ?) : the Devil May Cry collection, or Zone of The Enders. I already got them on Ps3, so, no thanks.

Nothing wrong with remasters, but I'd prefer to get backward compatibility on games from now on. Instead of getting PS4 remasters on PS5, let us play PS4 games on PS5, at least digital purchases. Focus on remastering really old gems, such as Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, PS1's Resident Evil games - older titles can benefit the most of visual and controls upgrade.

I actually don’t purchase many of the remaster or remakes, but I like having the option. I really don’t want to turn on my PS3 much if I don’t have to. I like being able to experience the highest graphical integrity of a game if I do play it though, so I bought SotC, Jak & Daxter, Yakuza Kiwami, and I think I’ll get Dark Souls. I agree that late era PS3 games probably benefit the least versus the older games.
Come on FFVII!!

I HAVE NO STRONG FEELINGS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER

Yakuza=Good. Everything else=BAD.
But seriously if you're going to remaster a game do a little bit of work! I'm playing God of War 3 on ps4 ans besides the framerate it's the same thing! So why make us pay for frame rate?
Anyway, yakuza does the best remaster/remake wtv xD

I'd love to see the Dead Space trilogy and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance on PS4.
Also Tales of Xillia 1 and 2 please. The second Tales of Xillia came so late in the ps3 lifespan that I didn't even finish the game before totally moving on to the PS4.

@Fight_Teza_Fight great comment on the comfort food between big releases, that's exactly how I use them

With the fact that many people...myself included...end up boxing up their old consoles and games (some people even getting rid of them and regretting it later on), it's a good way to bring some of them back. After all, hooking up an Atari, NES, Genesis or even a Super NES to a new 4K HD TV, kind of looks horrible anymore, so seeing some classics getting a new life is great to me. I'd still like to see a Vol 3 and Vol 4 of the Atari Anthology Classics, but I'd also like to see more classics too...how about a nice Castlevania Collection from the NES era on up, Splatterhouse, Zombies Ate My Neighbors, Earthworm Jim 1-3 (granted the 3rd was pretty sad), James Pond, Nightmare On Elm Street, The GOONIES 2 and even go into some of Sony's greats...Grandia 1-xtreme, Wild Arms, Twisted Metal, Jet Moto, ATV Offload Fury, the original Tony Hawk's...heck, I'll even go for more remasters of Sony's PSP and VITA titles! I guess what I'm trying to say, is that it's a nice way to fill in the gaps between brand new series and keep people happy...something nintendo should have thought about with the Wii U, or even should think about with the Switch. All in all, it all depends on the price and what is added to them.

I think that there should should be a way for newer gamers to be able to enjoy the older games, I don't care if that happens through these remasters or backwards compatibility on consoles. Gamings history can be fascinating so everyone should be able to access it.

I really don't complain if they're also releasing new games, also it's great to play a remastered version of a classic or finally play a game that you missed.
To be honest, I would be way more excited with remastered versions of old Bioware games than anything new released these days by EA.

What I really want is Demon's Souls remastered.

I want all sony good 1st party games remastered with 4k and 60 fps graphics to ps4 since it seems sony will make future console x86 compatible (so all future ps console has bc).

I'm all for remasters. Eventhough I still own the previous PS consoles with all the games I did pay full price for all the remasters I bought. I don't like most of the ones released thus far (looking at the horrible PS2 collection in the PS-store, Rockstar games excluded) and am still awaiting for the ones high on my wishlist, Shadow of Rome, Final Fantasy 8 and NFS Underground 1. I want more but those 3 badly.

I really love reliving old memories between big new AAA titles. So keep 'm coming, hopefully my desired games show up someday.

Generally I’m happy to play the original version, but:
Uncharted Collection was excellent.
I’d like Mario Sunshine remastered since the original had some issues.

I don't mind remasters at all, unless they're making up the majority of good games on a new machine which was the case with the PS4's first year.

I really don't get the hype for them, especially when people act like it's the only way to play older games. Granted a lot of people can't, but if you really wanna play an older game just dig out your old console, updated resolution and framerate are something you'll probably forget about after 5 mins of playtime. Though as long as they don't hinder new game development, I don't care about their existence.

All my gaming happens on the PS4 and I love having a mix of new releases and enhanced classics.

Some invoke pure nostalgia (Oddworld new ‘n’ tasty takes me back to my childhood), others give me the chance to (re)play masterpieces (SOTC / R&C) and others fill a void in the library (Burnout Paradise providing that arcade euphoria rush and Borderlands: THC providing 4 player split screen madness).

Whether you like them or not, I think it’s great that they are on offer!

I like remasters. In some cases I get to play games I missed out on before (Secret of Mana), in other cases it's a convenient excuse to re-experience an old favourite (Okami), on the console you currently spend the most time on.

I still have my much-cheerished PS2 and PS3 consoles connected to my TV (along with my Xbox 360), and plan on buying a Playstation (1) as well one day. I still play games on them, since I enjoy older games almost as much as I do new ones.

In many cases I would rather spend my money on a remaster than a brand new AAA game, it all depends on the game.

@Frank90 I know on of the best games from the PS3 era. 😁

Hi All, - Surely if a Title is worthy of a Re-master, then why not put it out with some additional content from the Original Release -

Extra Levels etc - this would then help justify a £ 30.00 + Price Tag - take Note EA and Burnout

Just an Idea - Dead Space Re-mastered with extra Levels ....?

@NYJetsfan123 Maybe you will get lucky and get ICO as a bonus in the future. 😁

For me,its depends mainly on two factors 1) Have i played through it already? 2) How much re-playablity does it have? of course the quality of of the original vs re-master technically also comes into it.I think not only should the PS5 be backwards compatible,there should be a mandate across the board for titles to have graphical vs performance options..Or at least heavily encouraged by Sony (cash incentives maybe for example)

@Anguspuss What would you say are examples of this sort? i'm curious.