This decade and the last one appears to be well hung up on remasters, remakes, and reboots of old video game titles. It can't be helped, certain masterpieces are simply too good to stay old and they need a new coat of paint every 10 years or so. This new sheen for them has also proven to be quite popular.
New-old titles like Resident Evil 3 Remastered and Final Fantasy VII - Remastered mark the first half of the year well. Still, despite the popularity of remakes and remasters, there are tons of classic and cult classic games that still haven't gotten their respective new coats of paint. Here are 10 such titles that deserve remasters or remakes.
10 MANHUNT - 76
It's not a very popular game even when it was released by Rockstar. Manhunt was deemed a little too violent even for a video game due to how visceral its executions can be. However, it's gameplay and general atmosphere of horror was unique and not for the faint of heart.
Manhunt's stealth-action blend with a prison break/The Purge-style plot was something no other video game has replicated successfully. It's like being in a horror movie where the players aren't sure if they're the villain or the victim.
9 VAMPIRE: THE MASQUERADE - BLOODLINES - 80
Speaking of villains, it's fun to play as them once in a while, that's something Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines explored as early as 2004. Back then it was a clunky and buggy mess but the writing, as well as the RPG elements, more than made up for it.
Now, the game is getting its sequel something this year or in the future. Still, Bloodlines remains to this day, one of the most memorable vampire-themed RPGs, and the story alone makes this little devil worth remastering.
8 SILENT HILL - 86
Nothing beats the original and only a few game sequels manage to surpass the first game. Silent Hill was so creepy when it was first introduced back in 1999 and remains so this day as the literal gamification of a high fever delirious nightmare.
The story? It was both tragic and phenomenal as it explored many facets of the human psyche and mentality from trauma, guilt, and even grief. Why it hasn't had a remake yet is rather puzzling.
7 THE WITCHER - 86
Without this rough and rather unpolished Polish masterpiece, there would be no The Witcher 3 nor shirtless Henry Cavill, nor Gwent. It's a catalyst to the RPG genre and even emerged victorious despite having experimental gameplay.
The Witcher is the continuation of Geralt's saga from the books and while its legacy is undeniable, it hasn't aged well in the graphical or cinematic department. Here's hoping that developer CD Projekt RED at least remasters it with The Witcher 3 graphics and presentation.
6 MAY PAYNE - 89
Neo-noir is not exactly a popular genre in gaming for some reason but the few games it has are quite golden examples of how it's handled. One notable neo-noir title would be Max Payne.
It's a little gem from Rockstar Games as well, hence it has good writing and top-notch presentation about the criminal underworld. Moreover, it introduced a Matrix-style bullet time gameplay mechanic that deserves to be seen in a more modern graphical flash.
5 THE ELDER SCROLLS III: MORROWIND - 89
Despite the advent of bigger and better games like Oblivion or Skyrim, nothing new quite catches the same magic that The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind brought to the table. It's a unique and alien experience as far as video game locales go.
Even more impressive is the fact that it takes place in a fantasy world instead of a sci-fi one. Meanwhile, the gameplay was the epitome of hardcore Elder Scrolls where fast travel is highly limited and everything is possible, including mass murder that triggers quest failures.
4 DEUS EX - 90
Like neo-noir games, cyberpunk titles are far and few between, usually from indie studios though AAA series like Deus Ex and the like have paved way for the genre. The first Deus Ex was an unparalleled RPG neon wonderworld.
It had unprecedented freedom as far as games from the year 2000 go. Its gameplay still holds up well to this day as a testament to the developers' craft. Sadly, the same cannot be said for the graphics and the interface, and Deus Ex deserves better.
3 LEGACY OF KAIN: SOUL REAVER - 91
Bloodlines wouldn't be the only vampire game needing an overhaul or remaster. The other one is Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. It's an action platformer from 1999 and is considered as among the best of the Legacy of Kain franchise.
It follows the story of Raziel, a human who got turned into a vampire after getting killed. Legacy of Kain was one of the most beloved childhood video games of most old gamers today and some are even clamoring for a belated sequel or at least even a remaster.
2 STAR WARS: KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC - 94
Which is the Star Wars game ever? The force seems to be strongest with Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. It was made by none other than the old Bioware which crafted the game into a D&D-style adventure.
From there, the game went on to become one of the most compelling Star Wars stories ever featuring one of the most popular non-film Sith Lord in the mythos, Darth Revan. Gameplay-wise, it could use an overhaul as well, along with better graphics. Anything else ought to stay as it is.
1 MASS EFFECT 2 - 94
Speaking of Bioware, one cannot deny just how great the Mass Effect saga is and the most highly-rated game out of all the trilogy? Mass Effect 2. It was the Godfather II of video games and surpassed the first one in every way, especially when it started trading in the RPG combat for action combat.
It was released back in 2010, making it nearly a decade old and liable for a remaster. Its graphics have certainly started showing age though the animations remain fluid enough compared to the latest Mass Effect game.