With So Many Video Game Remakes, Is It Still Worth Playing The Original Games?

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Original Article: It’s no lie to say that many of the best games that have come out this year are remakes of older titles yet could still claim GoTY status. This does beg the question, however, with these new more polished video game remakes, is there any reason to go back and play the original games?

It’s an interesting question as many of these remakes are bringing in new fans. I recently had a friend who played the new Resident Evil 4 and asked if it was worth going back and playing the original and I didn’t really know what to say. Both are amazing but I doubt they’d want to play what feels like the same game twice. For this article, let’s take a look at why that original game may still be worth a playthrough.

The Importance of Remakes

We should start by saying that video game remakes are important and it’s understandable why they’re so popular. Outside of the nostalgia of seeing an old gem with a new coat of paint, they make a classic title far more accessible to newer audiences with better visuals, audio, and gameplay.

After playing The Zelda: Ocarina of Time Remake on 3DS, I don’t see much reason to go back and play the original since they’re essentially the same game but in the newer one, all the characters don’t look like cardboard, and The Water Temple isn’t a pain to get through.

There’s also the fact that many remakes include everything that was great about the original but with any more on top of that. Kirby Super Star Ultra, included everything from the original Super Star, plus extra levels and bosses so why bother going back?

Finally, we should mention that in many cases the original game is pretty hard to come by. That’s not the game’s fault but a lot of classic titles are still stuck on the PS2, PS3, and 3DS. It’s gonna be hard for younger players to give Silent Hill 2 a try (we don’t talk about the HD Remaster) when it’s still trapped on the PS2, meanwhile the upcoming remake will be available for PS5 and Steam.

The Benefits of The Older Version

With all this being said, there are multiple reasons why it’s worth tracking down these older versions, maybe even more so if you liked the remake.

The first thing older games still have going for them is simply that most of them are still great games. I remember when the Resident Evil 4 Remake was rumored, a lot of people asked “Why”?

As times go forward, games getting remade aren’t relics of the 8-bit era, but PS2 and PS3 titles made with more modern sensibilities that still hold up. The original RE4 is a masterfully made horror-action game with great mechanics, and a fun cast that many players find highly enjoyable even to this day.

More than that though, there are several aspects of the original that might not be included in the remake or might not be as well executed. You may have already seen people annoyed that the Persona 3 Remake won’t have the content from FES or Portable rereleases including an entire story chapter that acted as an Epilogue to the main game with The Answer.

Meanwhile, Pokemon Brilliant Diamond is pretty much the same as the original game but many fans didn’t like that the well-made pixel art of the original was replaced with unimpressive 3D character models. In both of these cases, the remake lacks some of the more memorable aspects of the original titles leaving viable reasons why someone might prefer one over the other.

A Sense of History

The other primary reason is just for the sense of history. Much like how some people enjoy watching black and white movies made decades before they were born, some people, weirdoes like me I suppose, just like going back and playing the older titles. It’s a fun way of seeing how games evolve from their genesis back in the 80s and this especially applies to remakes.

Yeah, Pokemon FireRed and HeartGold are fantastic but there’s still something fun about going back to the original Red and Gold, looking at the old sprite art of each monster, and seeing how they changed as time went on. Remakes tend to have a lot of differences but they can also have a lot that’s the same but under a different lens, which takes us to our last point.

There Not really The Same Game

This is an especially important one with the most recent streak of remakes we’ve seen over the past few years. Many modern remakes aren’t really remakes, as much as they are full-on reimaginings.

It’s not the same game but with a new high-fidelity coat of paint but a new game inspired by that original. They may have completely new gameplay mechanics like Resident Evil 2, add new characters like The Tsukihime Remake, or morph a 2D game into a full 3D like Trials of Mana. Probably the best example is Final Fantasy 7 Remake which isn’t even a remake, it’s a secret sequel to the original while also retelling its initial plot.

With a lot of these remakes, the main idea is to take the original and expand on their unrealized ideas with the power of next-gen consoles, making the action grander and the writing more up-to-date. Whether that equals better is up to you as a person but it’s interesting to play both versions and see how the games have been reinterpreted.

As such, going back to play the original isn’t just repeating the same game but with lower graphics, it’s a completely different experience, and best of all, one that’s still familiar to that previous experience. If you liked one version of a game, you’ll probably like another, and that ultimately gives you more content to sink into.

Closing Thoughts

Of course, different people are gonna have a different tolerance for older games but ultimately, I’d say a good remake stands out enough from the original game that you can still go back to that original and get something out of it.

As I said, times are changing, and older titles, even ones that are decades old, really don’t feel so ancient anymore and people still have ample reason to go back to them. A remake will have to try even harder to create an experience that is faithful but not the same, otherwise, you’ll get a situation like The Last of Us Part 1 where people criticize the game for not being different enough.

It also just comes down to the fact that good games are timeless. Some of these original games are still called the best games ever made and if they’re really that good then it should show, even decades later.

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