The Fine Line Between Tribute And Travesty
Some remakes breathe new life into beloved games, while others leave fans wondering why they were made at all. In gaming, nostalgia can be a powerful force. However, it can also magnify disappointment when expectations aren’t met. Here, we’ll explore titles that reimagined classics with striking success and others that stumbled despite high hopes. But before we get to those that impressed fans, let’s first hit those still remembered for being disappointments.
YAKUZA KIWAMI | PS5 Gameplay (4K 60FPS) by BenedictPlays
1. Warcraft III: Reforged
Warcraft III’s remake left fans stunned, but for the wrong reasons. Promised features like cinematic cutscenes and tournament tools were cut, graphical upgrades felt uneven, and even the original version vanished from Battle.net. After many refund requests, it was dubbed “Warcraft III: Refunded”.
Warcraft III Reforged Honest Review – Is It Finally Worth Playing by GameVault HQ
2. Silent Hill HD Collection
Just imagine stripping away the fog effect—only to reveal unfinished backgrounds never meant to be seen. This one swapped out beloved original actors and suffered frame rate problems. It was built from incomplete assets after Konami lost the source code.
Silent Hill HD Collection - What Happened? by Matt McMuscles
3. Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition
This trilogy was reborn with bugs and visual glitches. NPCs looked cartoonish, and some cheat codes vanished. Typos even appeared on in-game signs. The backlash was fierce enough to prompt a public apology from Rockstar, and they also restored the classic PC versions.
Grand Theft Auto The Trilogy The Definitive Edition - What Happened? by Matt McMuscles
4. MediEvil: Resurrection
Combat felt slower and less precise than in the original PS1 game, and the humor was reworked into more slapstick, clashing with the gothic tone. It was exclusive to PSP, which limited its audience, and several original levels were cut or heavily changed.
MediEvil Resurrection (PSP/PS5) - Black Sheep Game Reviews by Blondeguygamer
5. XIII (2020)
Gone was the cel-shading that defined XIII, and many animations and sounds felt generic. Reworked stealth and combat alienated longtime fans, and multiplayer was missing at launch. The developers eventually promise post-launch fixes.
The XIII Remake Is Now Slightly Less Awful by GmanLives
6. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD
This remake delivered fewer levels and missing skaters, and off-feeling physics made tricks harder to land. Iconic tracks were absent, and the flow and speed of the originals were not captured. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD quickly faded from relevance.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater HD Retrospective - How Bad Is It? by KafeJake
7. Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered
Having multiplayer locked to online only removed the original’s couch co-op charm. Worse still, region-based restrictions prevented friends from playing together in some cases. Loading times were surprisingly long, too. Square Enix just had to give that public apology.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles REMASTERED Review -- "A Huge Disappointment" by ProJared
8. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
Players could toggle instantly between old and new visuals—a feature that highlighted the remaster’s flaws. Updated graphics often clashed with the original’s tone, and some redesigned areas confused navigation. Also, audio-sync issues hurt cutscenes. These ruined it for many players.
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Game Review by IGN
9. Double Dragon II: Wander Of The Dragons
The combat here felt unresponsive and lacked the impact of classic beat ’em ups, and for its 2013 release, the graphics and animations were considered dated. Enemy AI offered little challenge, and due to poor reception, it was delisted from Xbox Live.
Double Dragon II Wander of The Dragons Review, ProJared
10. Secret Of Mana (2018)
First, the remake failed to fix bugs that had been present since the 1993 release. Then the 3D character models were criticized for looking lifeless. And if you thought it couldn't get worse, even lip-sync was out of place in several cutscenes.
Double Dragon II Wander of The Dragons Review, ProJared
Now, let’s go over to the most standout remakes.
1. Resident Evil 2 (2019)
Rebuilt in the RE Engine, Resident Evil 2 delivered modern visuals and atmospheric lighting. It faithfully retained the survival-horror tension while adding over-the-shoulder shooting mechanics. Leon and Claire’s campaigns are reimagined with expanded dialogue and emotional depth.
2. Final Fantasy VII Remake
The Midgar section grew into a full-length story here, and combat was redesigned into a hybrid of real-time action and tactical commands. Also, Aerith’s and Tifa’s personalities were fleshed out with more cinematic cutscenes, and the ending diverged from the original, sparking intense theories.
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Review by IGN
3. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2
Levels from the first two games were fully recreated with modern graphics and detail, while original gameplay physics were carefully preserved. New tricks from later series entries were added for variety, and the soundtrack included most of the classic songs.
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 Review by IGN
4. Shadow Of The Colossus (2018)
Even though every asset of this one was rebuilt from scratch, gameplay stayed faithful to the 2005 original. Controls were slightly modernized to feel smoother for new players, and thanks to upgraded animation, the colossal battles feel more cinematic.
Shadow of the Colossus PS4 Review by IGN
5. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy
All three original Crash games were remade in the Vicarious Visions “Remaster Plus” approach, and gameplay physics were adjusted to unify across all three titles. Some of the toughest original platforming sections became even harder due to new hitboxes.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy Review by IGN
6. Demon’s Souls (2020)
Bluepoint Games redesigned every environment with intricate details and lighting effects. The infamous “World Tendency” system was left intact and still baffled newcomers. It was a PS5 launch title, showcasing the console’s speed and graphics power.
Demon's Souls Remake Review (PS5) by IGN
7. Metroid: Zero Mission
The game fully retold the first Metroid with modern visuals and smoother gameplay. It added new areas, abilities, and a post-game stealth section. This is where the Zero Suit Samus design debuted, and speedrunners embraced this remake for its fluid movement and shortcuts.
Metroid Zero Mission is the BEST Remake in Gaming History (Retrospective) by BasedSam
8. Pokémon HeartGold & SoulSilver
These DS remakes rebuilt Pokémon Gold & Silver with updated graphics and features. They reintroduced the beloved Pokémon walking-behind-you mechanic, and the included Pokéwalker accessory let you train Pokémon by walking in real life. Music was remixed, but one could switch to the classic soundtrack.
POKEMON HEARTGOLD & SOULSILVER: THE REMAKES EVERYONE WANTED by Johnstone
9. Yakuza Kiwami
Yakuza Kiwami expanded the story content to fill gaps in the original plot, and combat was improved with multiple fighting styles. It bridged the gameplay feel between Yakuza 0 and the rest of the series, and the “Majima Everywhere” system added surprise encounters with a fan-favorite character.
10. The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening (2019)
The Game Boy classic was remade with a unique toy-like 3D art style. Gameplay was updated with quality-of-life changes like quick item switching, while the game retained its quirky, dreamlike atmosphere. A dungeon builder feature was added for creative players.
