Game remakes have been the hottest trend in the game industry for several years now. From Resident Evil to Star Wars, every studio and publisher is scrambling to revive old titles from their famous franchises.
Despite the success of the original games, it seems only a few remakes have left a meaningful impact on gamers. To ensure a remake's success, here are some factors to consider many players often want to see in their favorite games:
Improve, Not Change the Core Game Mechanics
One of the biggest turnoffs in modern remakes is the changes developers made to the core game mechanics.
These issues often arise when a different studio handles the remake or the old developer team responsible for the original game has already left the company.
With no direction from the original creators, studios are forced to take their own interpretations of the game and introduce new mechanics common in modern games.
As a result, the game becomes a confusing mess that alienates the older audience while failing to provide enough appeal to new players.
As a fix, remakes should build up from the existing game mechanics to modern sensibilities. If developers want to add a new mechanic, it is better as a separate concept that can be introduced as players complete the game.
Add Multiplayer Mode
If there is one game mechanic players are not adverse, it is the addition of an optional multiplayer mode for people to enjoy the remake with friends and fellow fans.
It can be incorporated partially into the story, an option where multiple players can run around and experience the game's challenges at the same time to ensure its replayability.
Bring Back Old Faces
Many old games already have established communities and fandoms. To make dramatic changes from the original is sure to alienate many fans of the game.
One way to ensure that the game would still look familiar to its original players is to retain some of the old cast, either the characters themselves or the voice actors who portrayed them.
Many games like the Super Mario Bros. have undergone several remakes. Despite the changes, Nintendo still hires Charles Martinet to voice both Mario and Luigi until his retirement in 2023.
The same can be seen in modern iterations of Batman games with the late Kevin Conroy or Paul Mercier appearing again as Leon Kennedy in Resident Evil 4 remake.
Do Not Change the Main Points of the Story
Like with game casts and characters, keeping the story's main plot points is important in keeping a good word-of-the-mouth on the game, especially from its original players.
Remakes can still be a modern retelling of an old classic as long as they respect and consider what made the original widely loved.
A new side-story or a more in-depth approach to already established characters can help introduce new players to the game while also providing fanservice to its core fans.
Game Storage Optimization
One of the biggest gripes many players have with modern remakes is the absurdly large 100GB storage requirement.
Yes, the game's graphics have improved but it does not mean that people would always need to free up space for a remake often ten times larger than the original.
