With the likes of the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and the new line of PC graphics cards ushering in the next generation of gaming, players are looking forward to what originality the industry will soon bring. However, remakes and remasters have more and more become a norm when it comes to major releases.
Remakes tend to require the most time and work, but there is a solid catalog of great remastered classics amassed over the years that are great to play today. It's a great way to give older games a second lease on life and much-needed facelifts.
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection
Though being straightforward action-adventure games, the Uncharted series has plenty of content for players to dig into. It's commonly thought of as the video game equivalent to the Indiana Jones movies with its engaging action, thrilling set pieces, and charming characters. With The Nathan Drake Collection, the original trilogy of games is scaled up to PS4 and in a single package.
This collection is great for those looking to revisit the original games touched up or those looking to get into the franchise in a fresh and accessible way. Likewise, it'll be a great warm-up before Sony releases the Legacy of Thieves Collection for PC and (presumably) PS5.
Final Fantasy X|X-2 HD Remaster
The Final Fantasy franchise is filled with sprawling JRPG adventures, making it understandably daunting for some. However, in particular, Final Fantasy X is both among the best for beginners and in the series overall. It's a fairly linear game but doesn't suffer in the slightest for it.
The console versions of Final Fantasy X|X-2 Remaster are simple, but well-executed visual/performance upgrades and added extras, while the PC version adds some quality-of-life improvements to cut down on the grind. It comes down to player preference, but this collection is a great and accessible way to experience one of the best stories and games in the franchise.
NieR Replicant
Yoko Taro's deep, introspective action-RPG series started rocky but exploded with the acclaimed NieR: Automata. Branching off as a spinoff to the middlingly-received Drakengard games for the PS2, NieR on the PS3 got a troubled release globally.
The recently-released remaster NieR Replicant gave it a fresh coat of paint to make it streamlined for the modern age. While there are still some features that could have been added to make it more convenient in 2021, Replicant is a welcome remaster to give it the appreciation it deserved and proves it was ahead of its time.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Though Halo Infinite's best and thrilling multiplayer modes are out, for the most part, fans of Xbox's flagship sci-fi franchise can already get Halo: The Master Chief Collection. Previously only available on Xbox and restricted to the original trilogy, it's since expanded to PC and added other favorites Reach and the spinoff ODST.
Like most first-person shooters, the longstanding appeal may be multiplayer, but the franchise features a compelling, sweeping sci-fi epic of a narrative as well. This collection is a great way for fans to relive or catch up on Master Chief's saga before the campaign for Infinite releases.
The Last Of Us Remastered
The first game in The Last of Us series was the PS3's swansong, capping off with a profound and emotionally resonant dystopian thriller that instantly became a modern classic. Now with Part II out, both games are on PS4 and available through PS5 backward compatibility.
Though the first game is curiously getting remade for PS5 despite being relatively young, The Last of Us Remastered remains an excellent and timeless way to experience the original. Its further touched-up visuals and boosted performance make the game age even better. With this upgrade, it remains one of the best balances of action gameplay mixed with cinematic storytelling in the gaming medium.
Dark Souls: Remastered
FromSoftware's iconic Dark Souls series helped make the "Souls-like" subgenre mainstream. The original and brutal action RPG from the trilogy was touched up as Dark Souls: Remastered, and remains among the best medieval dark-fantasy games available.
Its subtle narrative style makes for a compelling way to uncover rich, dense lore and worldbuilding in its own right, with complex themes explored throughout. While this remaster could have done more graphically/visually, it's a noticeable improvement and, more importantly, gives Dark Souls a much-needed framerate boost from 30 to 60 FPS.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
Another critically-acclaimed sci-fi saga was BioWare's original Mass Effect trilogy. The series expertly blended the action-RPG and third-person shooter genres to craft an enthralling universe full of lore, engrossing stories, rewarding character development, all alongside thoroughly engaging action gameplay.
Mass Effect's branching dialogue options were a major appeal to storytelling, as they genuinely provided interesting rewards and consequences alongside varied endings. Legendary Edition collects remastered versions of ME 1-3 for Xbox/PlayStation consoles and PC with appreciated quality-of-life enhancements to streamline the experience, which the first game certainly needed in 2021.
The Yakuza Remastered Collection
For years, Sega's Yakuza was a beloved yet niche franchise in terms of global appeal. Thankfully, the series exploded with the popularity it deserved once the prequel Yakuza 0 broke out westward. Kazuma Kiryu's crime-drama story is as fascinating as it is complex, with countless protagonistic and antagonistic figures pulling strings behind the scenes.
Likewise, its pumping beat-em-up action gameplay is incredibly entertaining and can be as deep as the player wants to make it. At the same time, the series knows not to always take itself too seriously with its trademark comedic minigames and side missions. The Yakuza Remastered Collection brings the mainline PS3 games up to speed with more modern consoles (and more recently PC), thus completing Kiryu's saga alongside the remakes for the first two PS2 games and Yakuza 6 on PS4/XBO.