The PlayStation 5 is less than a year away and we can’t wait to get our hands on what we’re expecting to be some fantastic PS5 games. But if the last few years have taught us anything, it’s that brand new isn’t always best.
A surge in successful remasters and remakes has shown that sometimes we just have a hankering for some nostalgia - with some modern improvements. We’ve seen the likes of Crash Bandicoot, Spyro and even Resident Evil 2 land on modern consoles to fans’ delight, paving the way for the likes of Final Fantasy 7 Remake and Resident Evil 3 remake to shove their way through the door this year.
Next-gen consoles may be on the way, but we think the craze of remastering and remaking old favorites isn’t going away anytime soon. So we’ve put together a list of all the PlayStation One games we want to see remastered for Sony’s PlayStation 5. Some choices may be more likely than others, but we would love to see at least a few of these hit PS5.
Silent Hill
We’re actually quite surprised that we haven’t seen a Silent Hill remaster yet, especially considering Resident Evil 2 Remake was such a success. But with Kojima Productions’ Silent Hills being canceled and the studio going independent in a somewhat messy split from Konami, it’s understandable that the Silent Hill franchise has been somewhat put on the back-burner.
However we’re hoping that Konami can either remaster the original games or reboot the series entirely for PS5 - and it may happen according to these rumors. With Capcom having such success with its Resident Evil Remakes, we’re hoping Konami is spurred on to bring Silent Hill to the next generation.
The Legend of Dragoon
While Final Fantasy 7 soaked up all the glory as the PlayStation One’s golden child, RPG fans from that era knew of another game that rivaled - and even surpassed - Square’s tale of oversized weapon wielders: The Legend of Dragoon.
Why The Legend of Dragoon deserves a remaster is because it mixed a rhythm-based attack system with elemental types in a four disc odyssey that brought the original PlayStation to the pinnacle of its performance. With stunning 2D vistas, incredible CGI sequences and hours upon hours of dialogue, The Legend of Dragoon was a technical marvel of the era and desperately needs to be retold on next-gen consoles.
Croc
It’s a crying shame that we haven’t had a Croc remaster yet. The charming, backpack-wielding reptile may not be as popular as the likes of Spyro and Crash Bandicoot, and to many it may be considered yet another forgettable 3D platformer, but the Croc franchise is still an integral PlayStation game for many.
With other 3D platformer remasters showing that the genre can still have life on modern-day consoles, we think that Croc deserves to see a bit of that limelight on PS5. If not as a remaster then maybe a reboot utilizing the PS5’s power could merge the modern and the classic. We could also be totally wrong, we just really like Croc.
Dino Crisis
Now, this one actually does look likely. Well, kind of. A recent leak suggests that Capcom is planning on rebooting the Dino Crisis franchise and, while that would be great, we can’t help wanting to see a remaster of the original too.
Dino Crisis is a bit like Resident Evil meets Jurassic Park, with the premise being that you are a special operations agent who is trying to escape a secluded island research facility that has been overrun by deadly dinosaurs.
Personally, we think there’s not enough of this sort of cheesy horror game nowadays. Actually, there’s not really a huge number of great horror games coming out full stop. So why not return to this tried and tested method? It worked for Resident Evil 2. Think that Tyrannosaurus rex scared the dickens out of you back then? Imagine what it would be like with PS5 power.
Ape Escape
Ok, so we know that Ape Escape isn’t the greatest of games, but it sure is fun. Trapping mischievous apes in a net? Yes, please. Well, whether you want it or not, there’s been teases that Ape Escape will be making a comeback - but whether that’s on PS5 remains to be seen.
So why do we want an Ape Escape remaster? Well, it’s the perfect family game. While us adults may be focusing on what we want for the PS5, we need to remember it’s not just us who will be playing. And while Ape Escape could appeal to a number of us with its nostalgic value, in reality, it could appeal more to a younger generation who may see the same fun to be had in chasing down naughty primates as we did in our youth.
Gex
Gex may have originally been released for the 3DO, but it’s the PlayStation version that we remember best. The television-obsessed Gecko (with a major attitude) was Crystal Dynamics’ mascot for a long time and we would love to see him return next-gen.
While you may mistakenly see Gex as just another platformer series, it’s the character himself that is the draw. His wise-cracking remarks add a big dose of funny to the games and we would love to hear what he has to say about modern pop culture crazes like Netflix, social media and flossing.
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
Another Crystal Dynamics success, Soul Reaver was a very ambitious game for its time. And while it is still considered one of the PlayStation’s best games, combining stunning graphics with challenging puzzles. Imagine what it could look like on PlayStation 5?
The whole gothic concept even feels like it would sit perfectly on Sony’s next-gen console. You play as a vampire-turned-wraith Raziel, who has been revived by an Elder God to seek revenge on the vampire lieutenant who slayed him, shifting between spectral plains to solve puzzles and hacking and slashing your way through anyone who stands in your way. If there’s one game that Sony should definitely bring to the PS5, we think it’s Soul Reaver.
Time Crisis
You may know Time Crisis from your local arcade but it was ported to PlayStation in 1997 alongside a lightgun so gamers could enjoy the first-person rail shooter from the comfort of their own home.
This may seem like an odd choice as the rail shooter genre is arguably cheesy and out-dated, but we think it could work well on PSVR 2 - which is likely to be released for PS5. With a bit of an update to the controls, and the graphics, Time Crisis could make a new (more modern) home in VR.
Tenchu
If you thought games like Dark Souls and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice were difficult, then you obviously don’t remember Tenchu. Whereas a lot of other Ninja games have historically involved a lot of high-octane action – think Ninja Gaiden – Tenchu took things in a different direction.
Rather than arming you with a sword and asking you to create as much gore as possible, Tenchu was all about stealth, and it was not forgiving. We never finished this game, our young brains completely incapable of handling the steep challenge. But in a world where punishing difficulty is rewarded, Tenchu would fit right in.
Parasite Eve
If the success of Resident Evil 2 Remake teaches us anything, it’s that we need more japanese horror in our modern gaming libraries - and Parasite Eve is just the ticket. Based on the Japanese science-fiction novel of the same name, Parasite Eve mixes role-playing mechanics with survival horror to make one of the most unique games of the era.
While we’re happy with the momentum that Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil 2 Remake have given the horror genre, we’d love to see Parasite Eve’s unique blend of icky body horror and swift action gameplay revived for the next generation of gaming. It’s high time that zombies took a backseat to some of the weirder styles of horror we grew up with.
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