Video Game Remakes Shouldn’t Be Exact Remakes

by

I’ve been reviewing TopMob games for a while now, and I’ve noticed we’ve seen a lot of remakes and updated versions of older titles. Many of them have been really good, even excellent! It’s fantastic to see classic Japanese games, like Live A Live and Romancing SaGa 2, finally become available to players outside of Japan.

Recently, I’ve noticed something seems to be missing from a lot of these remakes, even the ones I’ve liked. I couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was, and I initially wondered if I was just getting tired of playing so many remakes. But after revisiting Dragon Quest I and II HD, it finally clicked – I realized exactly what’s been bothering me.

So many remakes lack ambition.

As a gamer, I’ve noticed something pretty consistent: when a new game or movie comes out in a series I already know – like a new Star Wars or Call of Duty – I have a good idea of what I’m getting into. It’s comfortable, you know? But remakes are even more predictable. They’re basically using a script that’s already been written! They take the characters, the cool locations, the story, and everything else we love, then just update the graphics and maybe tweak how it plays. It’s like a familiar friend with a fresh coat of paint.

Simply updating the game wouldn’t be enough. A remake should be more than just a fresh coat of paint. If you’re rebuilding something from the ground up, why not make it truly new and different? There’s no need to be limited by the original version.

Take Dragon Quest I HD-2D Remake, for instance. The original Dragon Quest has a very straightforward story: a hero with a special destiny emerges to rescue the princess and defeat the evil Dragonlord and his followers. This was typical for role-playing games when the genre was new, and later games in the series built upon these simple beginnings to create some truly legendary experiences.

This remake follows the same story as the original game, but tries to update it with unnecessary details. You start by rescuing soldiers from Tantagel’s best unit from monsters, then head to the iconic castle where the king begins your quest. These nameless soldiers pop up later in the story, seemingly to add weight to the plot. One is suffering from a mysterious illness, another deserted his position out of fear, and the third is struggling with feelings of inadequacy.

I really wanted to get attached to the companions in this remake, and they definitely could be great. But like the original Dragon Quest I, it’s still a pretty lonely journey. Once their little story moments are over, they just… disappear. The princess, Gawelin, is a little better this time around – seeing her actually struggle while she’s captured adds a nice touch. Still, she ends up mostly just giving advice from a distance. I guess they didn’t want to change the original story too much, which is understandable, but it’s a shame because she could have been a really cool character to have along for the ride.

The developers limited their creative options by sticking too closely to the original story. There was a lot of opportunity to build upon DQI’s narrative in interesting ways. For example, the Tantagel soldiers could have occasionally assisted players as helpful characters – similar to how the Princess of Cannock’s role was expanded in Dragon Quest II HD – which would have added depth to their personalities. By developing these characters further, we could have also learned more about the hero and the history of the ruined cities throughout the game.

The ideas for expanding the story are fairly mild, but Dragon Quest I could have been much more surprising and dramatic. Imagine if Princess Gwaelin briefly turned to the dark side, or if the hero questioned his own ability to succeed and had to find his courage again. While letting the player consider the Dragonlord’s offer to rule part of the world is an interesting thought, another game already explores that concept. The potential to really surprise players is there, but it’s unfortunately not taken advantage of.

As a fan, it’s a little disappointing with Dragon Quest 1 HD. It’s weird because the game seems to know it doesn’t need to be a strict retelling of the original. They add cool stuff like the dwarf and fairy villages, and even throw in extra bosses and change things like locked doors. But then, a lot of the time, it just sticks to the same story moments, just with fancier writing and prettier cutscenes that don’t really add much. Honestly, I think Dragon Quest II HD did a better job as a remake – it actually added a new character you can play as, plus more places to explore and more to read. Though, even that one felt a little held back, if I’m being honest.

This isn’t just about criticizing older RPGs that didn’t focus much on story. Many people, including me, thought the original Resident Evil 4 was a landmark game that still holds up today, so we questioned the need for a remake. While the remake is good, it largely delivers what you’d expect if you’ve played the original. That raises the question: why remake it at all, other than to profit from the well-known title? It might be naive to think that name recognition shouldn’t be enough for companies, but I believe there’s a lot of untapped potential to reimagine RE4 with a significantly different story. In fact, I’d love to see an alternate version of the game, exploring one of the many concepts considered during its original development – perhaps a game based on the early “Castle” or “Hallucination” ideas.

We’ve seen a lot of remakes lately – like Super Mario RPG, Metal Gear Solid Delta, and Persona 3 Reload – and they’re all good, but pretty predictable. It’s frustrating because developers seem afraid to take risks and really update these older games. They prioritize staying exactly true to the original, even if it means sacrificing innovation. While some fans get upset by any changes, I suspect you’ll never fully satisfy those people with a remake anyway.

Unlike some fields, art forms like film and television readily embrace new interpretations of established ideas. We see this with countless adaptations of popular stories – think of the many versions of Superman, The Lord of the Rings, or The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and even classic tales like Sherlock Holmes and Frankenstein. It’s not just about different writers or artists taking on a series; even original creators revisit and reimagine their own work, as seen in projects like the Rebuild of Evangelion films. These creative fields recognize that a remake doesn’t diminish the value or legacy of the original work.

When people ask me about a good remake, I often point to the Final Fantasy VII Remake project. Most fans are already familiar with the story and characters, but instead of simply retelling it, the remakes – especially ‘Rebirth’ – are cleverly changing and reinterpreting familiar elements. There’s definitely some debate among fans about these changes, which is understandable. However, you have to appreciate Square-Enix for taking risks and doing something more than just a straightforward rehash. The Final Fantasy VII Remake recognizes that the original game still exists, and that freedom allows it to be bold and innovative, making it truly engaging.

I believe remakes should feel free to be creative and offer something new, rather than simply copying the original. It’s important to respect what people loved about the first game, but not everything needs to be treated as untouchable. I’m actually optimistic about some upcoming remakes – for example, the new Danganronpa will feature a completely different story, and a popular villain will be the focus of a new plot in the Yakuza remake. Even though I’ve been critical of the Dragon Quest remakes so far, I’m hoping the upcoming version of Dragon Quest VII will be more in line with what I’d like to see. Hopefully, more developers will recognize that remakes are a chance to reimagine games in exciting and innovative ways.

Read More

2025-11-25 03:10