After hearing last week’s news on Grand Theft Auto V finally receiving a remastered release date on current gen platforms – Xbox One and PlayStation 4 – and PC, there seems to be a lingering question that’s been nagging me for a couple days now; one that’s been floating around the internet since the start of this year. Is the trend of re-releasing video games justifiable?
Before I get to my answer, let’s take a minute to list the abundance of video games that are no more than a mere re-release from late-January of 2014 to late-January of 2015.
First, we have Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition and from that follows The Last of Us: Remastered, Metro Redux, Minecraft: Xbox One Edition, Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition, The Walking Dead: Game of the Year Edition, The Wolf Among Us, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Grand Theft Auto V, and Saints Row IV: Re-Elected. That marks ten remakes and/or re-releases of significant hit titles in just a matter of twelve months. I’m sure I’ve missed at least half a dozen more but let’s focus our attention on these for now.
The question still remains then: Is the trend of re-releasing video games justifiable?
As anyone can figure, two answers will stem from such a question. First, you have the party that will look at these remakes and re-releases with disgust, stating how it’s simply a cheap cash-in for publishers. Gamers with this mindset see remakes and re-releases as no more than a lazy way for developers to squeeze “extra money” from their consumers; consumers who are too blind to see how such a tactic is doing nothing for the industry in terms of advancement and innovation. On the other hand, there are those who don’t mind the trend of remakes and re-releases. In fact, some of these very gamers fully condone the trend and believe that it actually helps developers more than the opposing party would like to admit.
It all comes down to a single point, however. These remakes and re-releases are still, at the end of the day, video games. That’s right, they are simply an item in which we, the consumer, have the option to either purchase or neglect so long as our heart desires. These games are there for people who would like to experience them – either for the first second or third time. Why should the opposing party place so much concern on this trend being negative then? There’s no hiding the truth. The year of 2014 has been plagued with remakes and re-releases. Gamers have just spent hundreds of dollars on a new console and want new games to play. Spin-offs, brand new IPs, or even sequels; this is what gamers expect to experience when they jump over to the new generation.
So with that, let’s take another look at our list of ten remakes and re-releases and decide which are generally favored by the public and why. Unfortunately, there seems to be only two in which most gamers across multiple online forums believe are absolutely worth it. If you didn’t guess which two they were yet, it’s Metro Redux and Halo: The Master Chief Collection.
Come on, Square Enix, is a definitive edition of Tomb Raider or Sleeping Dogs really worth spending time on? Some would argue not at all. The Last of Us: Remastered, The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us, Grand Theft Auto V, and Saints Row IV: Re-Elected? These fall into the same boat as well. All we are receiving from these titles are generously packaged Game of the Year Editions that bundle all previous content with the main game for the standard retail price. Right? What’s more, the only difference is that these games are being optimized at a slightly higher visual fidelity when compared to their original counterparts. That means the game will play slightly smoother because of a bump in framerate and look a tiny bit more appealing due to the increased resolution. But that’s what all these games are: slightly prettier versions compared to their originals.
Then why are Metro Redux and Halo: The Master Chief Collection justified remakes and re-releases? The answer is clearly written in their names.
Metro Redux aims to pack both Metro 2033 and its sequel, Metro: Last Light, in a generously packaged bundle – containing all previous downloadable content – that ensures a truly remastered experience. Now unfortunately, Metro: Last Light just came out in 2013, so there’s only so much of a difference for the game. What’s nice is that Metro 2033 has been completely overhauled and built from the ground up using Metro: Last Light’s engine. Character models have been redefined, weapon designs are polished, significant improvements have been added to key gameplay elements, and even the user interface is completely reconstructed. Check out my latest review for more detail if you desire.
What’s important here is that developer 4A Games did not just retouch the games with “prettier graphics.” Rather, they refined the games as a whole in order to deliver a completely different experience. Players who have already played the original version of Metro 2033 will find that their adventures through post-apocalyptic Moscow will be completely foreign when playing again through Metro 2033 Redux.
Moving briefly onto Halo, developer 343 Industries shares similarities to the ambitions 4A Games has been able to establish with Metro Redux only on a greater scale. Halo: The Master Chief Collection bundles together Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 Anniversary, Halo 3, Halo 4 – including all of the DLC that has ever been released for each game – as well as early access to Ridley Scott’s Halo: Nightfall digital series and exclusive access to the Halo 5: Guardians Multiplayer Beta ten months before Halo 5: Guardians launches. One will be left in awe when they realize this amazing collection will only cost them $59.99.
But you see, this is exactly why Metro Redux and Halo: The Master Chief Collection are considered “okay” when discussing remakes and re-releases.These titles do more than upgrade the visual fidelity of existing games; instead, they aim to bundle an entire series together with a significant emphasis on truly “remaking” the game’s experience different from the original.
Let’s inch our way back to the original question once more: Is the trend of re-releasing video games justifiable?
Hit titles are being re-released at a higher visual fidelity so that fans can sink hours into them all over again. Conversely, those who never had the chance to experience the game the first time around – but have already moved onto the next generation – can enjoy them just as much.
What’s more important in this discussion is the consideration of how this helps or hurts developers.
Following this practice on new consoles is a learning process. It allows developers to understand how to tinker with Microsoft’s and Sony’s new hardware while that tinkering occurs on pre-existing assets. It allows developers to grasp an understanding of how to make a game run faster, play smoother, and look better, all without compromising time and resources on new IPs or ambitiously large sequels.
While what follows is a bold statement, what I have just stated is not subjective. It’s the cold, hard, objective truth.
Would gamers not rather see Rockstar re-release Grand Theft Auto V just a year after it’s initial launch, thus paving the way for an early 8th generation installment of Bully 2 or a sequel to Red Dead Redemption? Shouldn’t Naughty Dog trifle with The Last of Us in order to obtain an edge on how to create a beautifully detailed world so that fans can rejoice when Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End launches with bug-free gameplay and crisp visuals?
Developers can begin working on larger projects sooner once they understand how to handle the new hardware. So don’t be upset that this year has been dominated by remakes and re-releases. While there have been at least two dozen that can be mentioned, there have also been and will be a slew of perfectly enjoyable titles such as Titanfall, Wolfenstein: The New Order, Sunset Overdrive, Driveclub and more. No single developer or fanatical gaming friend is forcing anybody to purchase these remakes and re-releases.
One final time: Is the trend of re-releasing video games justifiable?
Yes.
The knowledge developers achieve by re-releasing established hit titles is invaluable to their skill set and future projects.
