Hot off the 25th anniversary of the international release of the original PlayStation console, here are the five original PS1 titles most in need of remastering.
It’s hard to believe that the 25th anniversary of the PS1 is among us. Over the years since the era of the PS1 waxed and waned, we’ve had the pleasure of playing a handful of great remastered editions of old favourites, such as the recently released Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, Final Fantasy VII Remake, and Resident Evil games.
But buried between these are even greater gems, played in the days of yore by fans that would leap at the chance to get their hands on a modern re-imagining.
5. Chrono Cross
I know, I know – why not Chrono Trigger, one of the most wildly popular and acclaimed RPGs ever made? Well, for one thing, Chrono Trigger was originally released on the Super Nintendo, and was only later ported to the PS1. More importantly, Chrono Trigger has already received numerous HD recreations – most recently the incompetent 2018 Steam version. Studios have been grunting and clenching for decades now, and the result has either been constipation or diarrhoea. It’s about time they got off the pot.
Chrono Cross can’t help but be compared to its predecessor, but a true remastering could highlight the sense of magic and wonderment that would help it shine in spite of all that overshadowing.
4. Dino Crisis
You know what modern games don’t have? They don’t have scenes where a T-rex chases your character around the burning remains of the helicopter it’s just taken down. And we’re all the poorer for it.
In the wake of the success of the Resident Evil remakes, fans of the Dino Crisis series have been clamouring for a remake of the totally-not-Jurassic-park PS1 hits. Reports emerged earlier this year of the cancellation of a new Dino Crisis title, to the disappointment of many.
Needless to say, a remastering of these classics would satisfy a whole lot of nostalgia cravings and be a perfect PS1 25th-anniversary tribute.
3. Twisted Metal
Did you ever play battle mode in Mario Kart and felt that you’d be rather be blasting your mates with machine guns instead of shells? Well, the Twisted Metal series had you covered, starting with the original title’s release in 1995. Choosing your favourite vehicle and then picking up an array of weapons, players were thrown into a vehicular battle to the death. What more could you ask for?
The fact that one of the game’s central character is a murderous clown driving a weaponised ice-cream truck means that the glory of Twisted Metal deserves to be brought to the modern era.
2. Silent Hill
Fans of horror games will be hard pressed to name a more important title in the genre than Silent Hill, unless it’s to name Silent Hill 2 instead. The PS1 original stands as one of gaming’s first true successes in developing psychological horror titles, and was responsible for more than a few nightmares in our younger, more innocent days.
While the second and third Silent Hill games did receive some remake attention in the form of the Silent Hill HD Collection, it received a reception that could only generously be described as ‘mixed’. The easing of graphical limitations actually harmed the horror atmosphere, and fans criticised the shoddily implemented changes to the voice acting.
With luck, a fresh stab at Silent Hill would avoid these pitfalls, and deliver a remaster that benefited from modern advancements while maintaining that classic Silent Hill feel: a perfect 25th-anniversary gem for the PS1.
1. Metal Gear Solid
Broadly considered one of the most innovative and influential games of all times, Hideo Kojima’s massive stealth-action masterpiece has somehow made it this long without receiving the remastering treatment.
At least, not a modern remastering. A Metal Gear Solid remake was actually released in 2004 on the Gamecube of all platforms, under the title Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes.
At this point, not making a remake seems like leaving money on the table. But, given publisher Konami’s recently thin release schedule, its willingness to turn beloved game IPs into Pachinko machines, and its contentious relationship with Hideo Kojima himself, fans of the original might be waiting a while yet.
Lucky for us, we have this masterful fan remake of the intro cinematic to give us a brief, tantalising taste of the potential that’s lying in wait.
