With recent releases of remasters and remakes of classic games on modern platforms like thePlayStation 5, there remains a large catalog ofPlayStation 2games that also deserve to be remade and remastered. This catalog includes games that cannot be accessed through any official means, a lack of accessibility that leads to great games and classics being stuck on old consoles or systems that have either shot up in price due to rarity or are no longer sold. However, remasters tend to be a controversial subject, especially since sometimes remasters don’t fare well.
This can be said for plenty of remasters of fan-favorite classics, such asGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy, which performed poorly, and theSilent Hill HD Collection, which was received poorly due to an incomplete source code that was never properly archived. However, despite some remasters doing poorly, there have been others that have been received well, such asFatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar EclipseorFinal Fantasy 12: The Zodiac Age. Thanks to these successful remasters,there is some hope that there can be even more well-made remasters, especially for games that are not as accessible currently.
10Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy 7 (2006)
Published By Square Enix
Following Vincent Valentine, an optional party member in the originalFinal Fantasy 7,Dirge of Cerberusfocuses on the aftermath of the events following the mainline game’s story, where Sepiroth attempts to destroy the world. Genetically-enhanced super soldiers from an organization called the Deepground hunt down Vincent to capture the Protomateria, which helps control the Chaos gene within him.
Forget FF7 Rebirth, There’s A New Best Way To Play FF7
Final Fantasy 7 has just benefited from FF7 Rebirth’s glamorous reimagining of its middle chapter, but a new release offers an enticing alternative.
Unlike the turn-based combat that was known in the series,Dirge of Cerberuswas conceived as a third-person shooter. Although it’s a unique entry, it was not received well by its intended audience, and it received mixed reviews. Despite being one of the weaker entries in theFinal Fantasyseries, it’s still very relevant to the Remake trilogy developed by Square Enix. Should Square Enix decide not to move forward with a remake ofDirge of Cerberus, thenfans of the series deserve a remasterthat is accessible so thatFinal Fantasy 7’sstory could be understood in full.
9Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2003)
Published By Ubisoft
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Timefollows an unnamed Prince as his father’s army is provoked into attacking Maharaja’s palace where the Sands of Time are kept. While fighting in the palace, the Prince finds the Dagger of Time, and he is tricked into releasing the Sands of Time, which then turns everyone except for the Prince, Farah, and the Vizier of the Maharaja into monsters. The Prince attempts to undo his mistake with the help of Farah.Prince of Persia: The Sands of Timeis considered a classicby many thanks to fluid, satisfying gameplay.
As one of the best installments in the series,Prince of Persia: The Sands of Timeis worthy of its own remaster, considering that the original is no longer accessible beyond the original PS2 copy and emulators.A remake for the game is currently in the works, but it’s suffered from delaysafter itsearliest footage was heavily criticized. A remaster might ultimately be the better option, but even having a digital download of the original game on modern consoles would be nicce.
8Fatal Frame (2001)
Published By Koei Tecmo (Tecmo)
It is the year 1986, andMiku Hinasaki enters an old Japanese mansionin search of her brother, Mafuyu, who visited the old mansion to look for his tutor. As Miku explores the mansion, she discovers that it is haunted and that the tutor that Mafuyu is looking for has already been killed by the ghosts. Using her supernatural ability, Miku is able to see and witness supernatural events, and using her camera, she is able to fight off more malicious ghosts.
There’s Only One Revival We Want After Silent Hill’s
Silent Hill isn’t the only survival horror franchise in need of a revival after being stuck with an uncertain future - Fatal Frame is too.
Fatal Frame, otherwise known asZeroin Japan andProject Zeroin Europe, is a horror franchise with two recentremasters ofFatal Frame: Maiden of Black Waterin 2021 andFatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipsein 2023. Though these were released long after the original, they still received remasters faster than the original three. Should Koei Tecmo remaster any of the original trilogy,the original game should be firstdue to it being relevant toCrimson Butterfly’sstory andThe Tormented’sstory, though each one serves as a standalone game.
7Socom 2 U.S. Navy SEALs (2003)
Published By Sony Computer Entertainment
SOCOM 2 U.S. Navy SEALsstarts off with SEAL members Specter, Jester, Wardog, and Vandal, who learn from a fellow informant that the Sesseri Syndicate is trafficking plutonium and weapons. After learning this information, the SEALs go to investigate and destroy the weapons, if at all possible.
As a sequel to the originalSOCOM U.S. Navy SEALs,the game was a well-received tactical shooter. While it was playable as an offline game with twelve missions, it also had online play, though the servers have long since shut down in 2012. Still, this sequel had fun gameplay along with voice chat in its online play. Three ranks were already unlocked for first-time players, but in order to unlock the other ranks, players had to beat the game as Commander to unlock Captain and then as Captain to unlock Admiral.
6Clock Tower 3 (2003)
Alyssa Hamilton is a fourteen-year-old girl who was sent to a boarding school by her mother three years prior. After her mother urges her to go into hiding until her fifteenth birthday, Alyssa disobeys her mother in an attempt to find her. She finds herself approached by a man in a dark coat and ends up transported through various time periods where she has to defeat serial killers. Supernatural powers are then awakened in Alyssa.Clock Tower 3is the fourth and final installment, though it had spiritual successors likeHaunting GroundandNightCry.
Almost 20 Years Later, This Controversial Horror Game Desperately Needs A Remake
Capcom needs to revive a long-forgotten classic for the PlayStation 2 that deserves just as much of a spotlight as some popular horror franchises.
Following a hide-and-seek format, Alyssa was able to hide from killers after distracting them, though this aspect wasn’t entirely successful in terms of gameplay. Though this game was considered a commercial failure, it was renowned and praised for its cinematics and script. But even though its gameplay was the worst part of the game, the killers and heavy, dark atmosphere were major highlights. With a remaster,an update to the gameplay and controls could enhance the experienceand make it more tolerable.
5Shadow Hearts: From the New World (2006)
Published By Xseed Games
In an alternate world in the Americas, Johnny Garland is a private investigator, and during an investigation regarding supernatural entities, he is saved by a transforming woman named Shania. Johnny joins Shania and Natan to stop a man named Gilbert from unleashing Malice, a dark energy, onto the world.
Shadow Hearts: From the New Worldis the third and final installmentin theShadow Heartsseries. Despite being the third installment, it is a standalone game, though it contains a bit of information from the original and its sequel, mostly regarding the Malice that came into the world. While not the first installment,Shadow Hearts: From the New Worldis very fun gameplay-wise, featuring a versatile cast of characters that have fun and unique abilities. Not to mention,From the New Worldis the funniest installment of the series, filled to the brim with jokes and humor.
4Tony Hawk’s Underground (2003)
Published By Activision
The fifth installment of theTony Hawkseries, following afterTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4,Undergroundwas a beloved and favorite entry thanks to its gameplay and story. Though the story may seem a bit dramatic or exaggerated at times, it was beloved for being good-natured and overall just plain fun; not to mention,Undergroundhas a more fun storyline than any of thePro Skaters. A remaster could make this game even more loved, or at the very least accessible, and thesuccessful remaster ofPro Skater 1 + 2proves how well this can go.
3Guitar Hero 2 (2006)
Published By RedOctane
Guitar Hero 2follows the career path of one of eight original characters. Players use the guitar as the primary instrument for career mode and perform at eight different venues. Then, the player can unlock other songs and earn money, which can then in turn be used to purchase various things, including characters.
Similar toGuitar Heroin terms of gameplay,Guitar Hero 2simply improves upon the original, making it an exciting return to the franchise. It adds to the multiplayer aspect of the original with three multiplayer modes, and a more approachable difficulty curve along with a video timing calibration option can make it less frustrating. A remaster could bring the franchise back to life or, at the very least, make it more accessible today.
2SSX (2000)
Published by EA Sports
SSXis a snowboarding game developed by EA Sports. It features an arcade mode where players can play as one of eight playable characters, all of whom players can pick to traverse and win medals through the various mountain courses.
Though there’s no exact story mode,SSXis beloved for its intense and insanely fun gameplay. The gameplay features intense and exciting courses that include insane obstacles for the players to run through. Additionally, the gameplay encourages the use of tricks, allowing players to unlock costumes and boards for completing a certain set of tricks. With positive reception,SSXeventually led to the development and publication of several other games, two of which were received positively as well.
1Silent Hill 3 (2003)
Published by Konami
Heather Mason awakens from a nightmare, and while she attempts to head home to her father, she is confronted by a private investigator who confronts her on her birth. Heather attempts to escape this man, only to find out the mall is occupied by monsters.This game takes place seventeen years after the events of the first game.Silent Hill 2wasn’t initially a hit in Japan, as explained bySH2andSH3artist Masahiro Ito in an X post discussing the art direction behindSilent Hill 3, so it’s not a surprise that it went in a different direction.
A remaster of the originalSilent Hilltrilogy was published and developed for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, though there were technical and developmental issues. However, theSilent Hill 3remaster on the PS3 was better received. APS5remaster of thisPlayStation 2classic alone could prove to be worthwhile, especially since there is no guarantee thatany otherSilent Hillgame will be remadeby Team Bloober, though there are hopes they will.
Sources:Ubisoft/YouTube,Masahiro Ito/X
Silent Hill 3
Heather Mason, a teenage girl, finds herself drawn into the nightmarish world of Silent Hill. As she uncovers her mysterious past, she encounters grotesque monsters and disturbing visions. The journey leads her to confront the cult responsible for her origins, revealing deep connections to her father and a dark prophecy. Heather must navigate through terrifying environments and solve puzzles to escape the horrors of Silent Hill.
