It’s a simple fact that video games, unlike almost every other art form, just don’t age very well. A huge driver for this is how the medium’s development is intrinsically tied to technological advancement, but there are other unique factors that make it challenging to revisit older games, things like standardised controls, user interface language, and quality-of-life features that we take for granted, despite many of them having only been invented within the last decade. Other barriers for old games to overcome are discovery and availability, which is why game preservation has become such a hot topic in recent years. As technology changes, old games become incompatible with newer hardware, and the machines they were designed for become rarer and rarer. Not only that, but they often just disappear from storefronts, as licenses expire and studios disappear, setting their publishing rights adrift in legal purgatory. So, some games desperately need a remake because they’re so outdated that they’re insurmountably ugly, impossible to find, difficult to get working, or challenging to operate. The original Dead Space, however, still holds up beautifully in the art department, is readily available on digital storefronts, is backwards compatible with Xbox Series consoles and Windows 11 PCs, and its controls and interface are still considered modern. So we’re a bit stumped on that one, but you should check out Kelsey’s review to see if it’s any cop. Until then, here’s a podcast all about the best games EVER that really, actually, properly need remakes.
Check out VG247’s The Best Games Ever Podcast on Apple Podcasts and subscribe. Or listen on Spotify. It’s even on YouTube if that’s your thing.
Here’s an artist’s impression of Chris Bratt disapproving of Goldeneye 007 being ported to Xbox without any significant enhancements to speak of. (Support friends of VG247, People Make Games, on Patreon). Cast: Tom Orry, Alex Donaldson, James Billcliffe, and Jim Trinca. Our picks this week (SPOILERS AHEAD):
Tom - PGR2
Just play Forza mate honestly it’s no happening
James - The Simpsons Hit & Run
A tragic casualty of licensing entanglements that are probably now impossible to unpick, this Simpson’s game is genuinely beloved, and for good reason: it’s one of those rare licensed games that does the source material perfect justice, while also being a thoroughly excellent game. Part of the pack of weird, experimental GTA III clones that came along when every publisher and their dogs were searching for the next big open-world crime sim, Hit & Run turns Springfield into an exhilarating video game location with excellent arcade driving, devilish platforming, and a great Treehouse of Horror story that absolutely stands tall alongside the golden era of the show. In short, it’s one of the greatest licensed games ever made, probably jostling for the top spot with the mighty Witcher 3 on that front. It’s that good. The Gamecube version goes for £80 these days. Good luck.
Alex - Final Fantasy VIII
It’s often considered the red-headed stepchild of the franchise, and makes a number of missteps, but surely a case of over-extended ambition is more deserving of a remake than its immediate predecessor, which was perfect the first time round? “What is VG247’s Best Games Ever Podcast?” you ask? Well, it is essentially a 30-minute panel show where people (Jim Trinca and associates) decide on the best game in a specific category. That’s it. It’s good. Listen to it.
Come back in a week for another exciting instalment of VG247’s Best Games Ever Podcast.
