If there’s one thing the current generation of consoles will be known for, it’s remasters. Final Fantasy X , Tomb Raider , Uncharted , Halo , Ico , Shadow of the Colossus , Gears of War , and Kingdom Hearts are all prime examples. If there’s a title you loved on a previous system and it made money, odds are you’ll see it again on a PC or current console.
But is this always a wise decision? Do games always deserve to make a comeback? The answer isn’t always yes, even if the game was originally something amazing. There are times when a title deserves to be left to a previous generation for the good of everyone involved.
Most recently, we’ve heard talk about potential Final Fantasy XII and early Batman: Arkham installment remasters. Both would be instances where enhanced ports would be welcome. The former is something of a forgotten Final Fantasy . It was a great game that dared to do some different things, and deserves some time in the limelight again. With the Batman: Arkham series, a port would be beneficial because there were so many entries prior to Arkham Knight . People who started with that entry will want to see the full story.
For all that good, there are times when such ports are unnecessary. Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition was one. Too little time had passed between the original and HD remaster, and there wasn’t enough altered content to justify the additional release. As much as I love The Last of Us , The Last of Us Remastered was another case where a port didn’t need to happen. There wasn’t enough new content and not enough time had passed.
When it comes to ports, be they remakes or remasters, it always comes down to two things. You have to look at how much time has passed since the original release how much content could be added to the game. If the contributions aren’t substantial, then they don’t deserve to be making a comeback. It’s what sets apart a desirable remake, like the one rumored for Final Fantasy XII , and a superfluous one like the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition .