Remakes tend to be more exciting than remasters because the improvements often go beyond mere bumps in resolution or framerate. At best, studios reimagine classic experiences in exciting new ways, sand away rough edges, and somehow retain the intangible x-factors that made fans fall in love with these titles in the first place. At the very least, remakes offer a great way to play antiquated or less accessible experiences on modern hardware.
The remake boom has been in full swing in recent years to the point that it’s starting to get tough to keep track of all the projects in the works. Thankfully, we’ve gathered as many of the announced remakes (not remasters) that we could find and gathered them in one neat list, arranged chronologically by release window. This will be an evolving list that will be updated as new remakes are announced and released, so be sure to keep an eye on it over the coming months.
Joe & Mac: Caveman Ninja
Joe & Mac may not have the platforming star power of Mario or Sonic, but this prehistoric co-op arcade game has enough of a cult following to earn a contemporary revision. Developer Mr. Nutz Studios replaces Caveman Ninja’s 16-bit art with new HD visuals, is tightening up the gameplay, and the soundtrack includes new sound effects.
Front Mission
Forever Entertainment answered the wishes of Front Mission fans by announcing plans to remake not one, not two, but the series’ first three games. Front Mission 1st Remake hits Switch in November and features modernized controls and a reorchestrated soundtrack. 2nd and 3rd Remake will likely get the same treatment, and hopefully, these games will wash away Left Alive’s bad taste.
Dead Space
EA’s Motive Studios, the team behind Star Wars: Squadrons, is crafting a faithful remake of the 2008 sci-fi horror classic. Built from the ground up, Dead Space aims to recapture the glory of the original while also expanding it, adding seamless exploration, side quests, and even giving Isaac the voice he originally lacked.
Like A Dragon: Ishin
Ryu Ga Gatoku Studio is finally bringing its Japanese-exclusive Like A Dragon spin-off to the west with a modern spitshine. Ishin is a historical epic set in feudal Japan starring familiar Yakuza characters like Kiryu Kazama in the roles of real-life figures. This new version of Ishin adds more recent favorites, such as Ichiban Kasuga. For us westerners, Ishin may as well be a brand new game and will hopefully continue the franchise’s upward trajectory overseas.
Resident Evil 4
Some argued Resident Evil 4 didn’t need a facelift as badly as its predecessors, but it’s tough to deny how good this revamp appears to be shaping up. The revolutionary over-the-shoulder action looks as polished as ever, and the Las Plagas-infected enemies have never been scarier (or more disgusting). Like the remakes of RE 2 and 3, Capcom is also reimagining RE 4’s story with new twists. Hopefully, that means a more tolerable Ashley Graham.
System Shock
First revealed in 2015, Nightdive Studios’ remake of System Shock has had a long, seemingly unending road. Originally funded via Kickstarter, the game was first slated for December 2017 but has since been delayed multiple times. It has slowly materialized over the years, with Nightdive even releasing a playable demo on Steam (that you can still download). The most recent sign of life came in the form of an IGN preview this week, but the game’s release has quietly slipped into next March. If nothing else, the remake seems to be faring better than System Shock 3.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Final Fantasy VII Remake’s second installment moves beyond Midgar and into uncharted territory. Sure, we’re likely to visit established locations like the Gold Saucer and encounter new versions of old friends, but Rebirth’s story can go a multitude of new directions based on Remake’s events. We’re excited to see what shake-ups Square Enix has in store as long as the snowboarding mini-game remains intact.
Lollipop Chainsaw
2012’s Lollipop Chainsaw may not have been a critical darling or a commercial hit, but that’s not stopping publisher Dragami Games from remaking the zany action title. Fans hoping for a Resident Evil or Final Fantasy-caliber update should temper their expectations, however.
Though billed as a full remake, Dragami Games president Yoshimi Yasuda (who produced the original game) stated it will be “as close as possible to a remaster.” He explains the goal is to make Lollipop Chainsaw playable to a new audience rather than reinvent it. The title features overhauled graphics but lacks many of the original’s licensed songs. Co-creators Suda51 and Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn will also not be involved. Despite these caveats, maybe Juliet’s second zombified go-around can prove more successful than her first.
Silent Hill 2
Bloober Team is reviving Silent Hill 2 with a modern coat of paint. The minds behind Layers of Fear and The Medium may not have the greatest critical track record, but hopefully, working with an established (and better) template will yield more positive results. It would be nice to have a good modernized version of Silent Hill 2 after the less-than-stellar HD port from 2012. Silent Hill 2’s release window remains shrouded in fog, but it will come to PC and PlayStation 5 as a timed console exclusive.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
The reveal that arguably the best Star Wars game ever was getting a much-needed remake had fans raising their lightsabers in celebration. Unfortunately, the game’s development may have already succumbed to the dark side. It’s been reported, though not yet confirmed, that progress had stalled, and work on the game has switched hands from Aspyr Media to Saber Interactive. Allegedly, Lucasfilm was unhappy with an internal demo, which brought development to a screeching halt for a period (and led to the firing of two directors). Whatever the case, we hope KOTOR can get back on track and eventually see the light of day.
Splinter Cell
It might not be a new entry, but a remake of Sam Fisher’s first outing is better than nothing after years of waiting. Ubisoft Toronto sits at the helm of the project and plans to rebuild the game from scratch using the Snowdrop Engine while maintaining the classic stealth elements. Outside of recently losing its director (on good terms), it’s unclear how development is faring or when we’ll get to see this fresh spin on the franchise.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Development has been rocky for The Sands of Time’s impending remake, to say the least. Besides the game’s reveal garnering backlash from fans due to its unimpressive graphics, it has been delayed twice: first by two months, then indefinitely. In hindsight, it’s wild to think we were supposed to be playing this in January 2021. In May 2022, Ubisoft announced it had moved development from its fledgling Indian studios back to Montreal, where The Sands of Time was first created. While it's unfortunate that Ubisoft Pune/Mumbai couldn’t bring the remake together, we’re excited to see if Ubisoft Montreal can reapply the same magic.
Dragon Quest III: HD-2D Remake
HD-2D is becoming an increasingly popular template for reviving classic JRPGs. It worked wonders for Live A Live, and Square Enix is giving Dragon Quest III the same treatment. For now, we know next to nothing about the game other than that it’s coming to consoles at a yet-to-be-specified window.
Max Payne 1 and 2
In April, Remedy Entertainment pleasantly surprised the gaming world when it announced it had struck a deal with Rockstar Games to remake Max Payne and Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne. Remedy sold the IP to Rockstar in 2002, but the two are partnering to revive the gritty crime series that popularized bullet time. The games will be made by Remedy, with Rockstar footing the bill on development and publishing, and target current-gen consoles and PC.
Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp
This much-anticipated bundle features full remakes of Advance Wars 1 and 2 that transform the pixelated sprites into full 3D models. We were supposed to be plotting turns in April, but the unfortunate Russia/Ukraine conflict caused Nintendo to hold back on releasing the war-focused games until a later date. We hope it arrives sooner than later; these are two strategy gems we can't wait to revisit without digging up our old Game Boy Advances.
The Witcher
CD Projekt Red’s litany of upcoming projects includes a full remake of the first Witcher game. It’s being built in Unreal Engine 5 by developer Fool’s Theory (with supervision from CD Projekt veterans) and is said to be very early in development. The Witcher, released for PC in 2007, isn’t the easiest game to revisit due to its age and lack of console ports. Now that Geralt and friends are mainstream draws, newer fans can finally experience the adventure that started it all.
Which remakes are you looking forward to playing the most? Let us know in the comments!
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