If there is anything I love to talk about it’s the glory days of the Playstation, meaning the first iteration of the console giant.
A long time ago I relived my memories of the old grey box in an article that was called “Ode to the Playstation“, which I think you should go read if you have some time. It seems that more recently there is a new trend in gaming: Bringing back old Playstation games back in HD remasters or even going as far as remaking the games from scratch. So since Crash Bandicoot and Spyro The Dragon are getting fresh makeovers using their old Playstation era base codes, why not look at other games from that same era that need to come back thanks to the glory of HD remakes or remasters.
10. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
We might as well begin with one of the things that sparked this whole mess. With Resident Evil getting an amazing remake for Gamecube, PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 & Xbox One and the spectacular Resident Evil 2 getting the same remake treatment, why not finish the trilogy with Resident Evil 3? The gameplay is Resident Evil 3 is amazing, the story was a fitting end to the Raccoon City saga. Plus imagine what you could do with the Nemesis now that you have no restrictions on space, hearing that classic “STAAARRRS!” in surround sound or through headphones while feeling the vibrations in the controller as he steps closer and closer… Man, that’s some good horror right there. But at this stage, I’m guessing that CAPCOM will wait to see how the Resident Evil 2 Remake will do first before deciding on this one.
9. Crash Team Racing
Considered the Mario Kart for Playstation, Crash Team Racing would be a welcome return to the Playstation family. Since Crash Bandicoot has already proven to be a great seller on the Playstation 4, why not bring this one back too. Maybe even add a few new courses in for good measure, or there might be some cut courses from the early beta version or something that could be put in just like they did with Crash Bandicoot. Either way Crash Team Racing would be a great finale to those games from Naughty Dog that have found new life, and fans, in the modern era.
8. Grand Theft Auto
Grand Theft Auto has had a lot of success in the 3D realm since Grand Theft Auto 3, telling great stories with some well rounded (yet not so mentally stable) characters. However I think there is some sort of weird nostalgia of being some nameless guy who answers a phone and enters into a life of crime and works his way up the ranks of the city’s mob. This could be like Grand Theft Auto Online for people who want to be their own “Made Man” without having to deal with overpowered greefers who spend all day camping your corpse with their high powered space lasers. Only thing holding this back is exactly what Grand Theft Auto would be taking away from: Grand Theft Auto Online, which is Rockstar’s biggest cash cow.
7. Bushido Blade
Oh man, talk about something so innovative that it was never replicated. Bushido Blade literally followed the respectful ways of actual Bushido, meaning you could not attack your opponent before they stopped talking, use illegal or disrespectful moves to gain an advantage, plus many other smaller rules that could result in you not seeing the final boss or even the ending to the game. Game play wise this was a fighting game without a health bar, leaving battles that could go on for ages with each player having limbs disabled from a strike, or battles end in a single strike that killed your opponent. Not to mention that Bushido Blade was one of the first Playstation games to also feature a first person VR mode, something that was thought impossible during that era. Now imagine Bushido Blade coming out with today’s modern graphics and even a Playstation VR version; sounds good huh?
6. Spider-Man/Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro
Usually I would keep to the “one per franchise” rule with lists, but honestly I couldn’t choose between the two games about everyone’s favorite wall crawler. Spider-Man and Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro are probably some of the best Spider-Man games to grace any system. They invoked the look and feel of the great 90s era cartoon, thanks a lot to the inclusion of Marvel legend Stan Lee as the games narrator and some of the same voice cast from that cartoon too. Now this would require some extra licensing since I would use the web swinging engine from Spider-Man 2 on Playstation 2 with the story from these games with updated graphics and more free roaming action. But I doubt anything is going to resurrect these games, they are as dead as Uncle Ben.
5. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
From the amazing intro that still holds up to today’s standards, Soul Reaver is the dark Tomb Raider game that we need. I would probably give this one to the guys behind the Uncharted series and see what they can do with the dark subject matter of a former Vampire turned soul eater who is out for revenge against his master who jealously ripped his wings from him. Maybe update some of the platforming to be a bit more challenging, but overall keep things the same and just update the graphics.
4. Tekken 2
Now I know people would probably want to see Tekken 3 go here since most places call that one the best game in the series, but Tekken 2 is personally one of the best games in the franchise. It added a ton of new characters, including the Devil himself, which would later go on to give us the Mishima Saga story line. But take things back to a simpler time where we didn’t get a long complex story in order to tell things. Instead just give me the fancy graphics and 10 hit combos that I loved as a kid.
3. Dino Crisis
Ok, stick with me here. While Dino Crisis went from Survival Horror to shooter to weird Sci-Fi shooter to “what the fuck is this shit” and then into oblivion… Thankfully. Now imagine returning this game to it’s Survival Horror roots with HD graphics. That would be some amazing stuff. High Definition dinosaurs bursting through walls and windows at your weakest moments, the sound of their roars ripping your ears to shreds with surround sound. Seems like a horror fan’s dream huh? I’m all on board with bringing back Dino Crisis, bad sci-fi story and all, if it gives me a chance to crap my pants thanks to killer dinosaurs. Bonus points for a Playstation VR version.
2. Silent Hill
Yeah another horror game. But where games like Resident Evil and Dino Crisis were more about surviving in situations where something was chasing you, Silent Hill was more about messing with your mind till you thought there was something stalking you at all times from the shadows. Silent Hill has a great history… At least when it was made in Japan as the American offerings were a bit weird and more action orientated than mentally taxing. However we all know this will never come about since Konami have given up on making video games outside of the Pro Evolution Soccer series and pachinko machines… Assholes.
1. Metal Gear Solid
I can hear people crying foul on this one since Metal Gear Solid got a remake of sorts with the Gamecube version under the name Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes. To be honest, I would be happy with that version getting a bit of a HD makeover like Metal Gear Solid 2 & Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater did and a release that way, but again we are relying on Konami to do something that would actually please the fans, so there will be no way in hell we would ever see this… And it makes me sad… Fuck Konami! I know Konami likes way to make a quick buck and this would be something that would give them a lot of money very quickly, but again, they hate to make fans happy and at this point in time Konami doesn’t like to give Hideo Kojima any credit or even any money.
