It’s launch week for a new generation of consoles, as we see the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 hit store shelves. Alternately, we’re also seeing them fly off of shelves, in most places. My coworker Keiran remarked not to worry about remasters just yet, but I have a lot of thoughts on the current state of this type of game. There’s been a lot of polished-up examples that bring flashy new graphics and quality-of-life improvements, but rehashing a game is not always a good thing.

Between a remaster, a remake, a reboot, a reimagining, and everything in-between, an iconic game/game series will make its way onto newer consoles time and time again. Most of the time, it makes for a great experience. For example, the Halo: Master Chief Collection has seen the legendary series in its best format, whereas the reboot of the Tomb Raider franchise gave us three stellar action platformers that size up to Uncharted.

Recently, there was a lot of hype behind the first-person shooter XIII getting a remaster. It was one of the first games to use a comic-book aesthetic and had gameplay reminiscent of Goldeneye. There were tons of fond memories from gamers who got to experience the original in 2003. Unfortunately, the remaster sits at a 10% positive rating on Steam as of now, ditching the comic presentation and releasing in an unfinished state. This easily makes it an easy pass and a big disappointment for anyone excited.

The big issue I have with remasters/remakes is seeing them charged at full price. It’s understandable if these come with all the DLCs. However, if it’s a carbon-copy like The Last of Us Remastered popping up a year after the original, it comes off as a ripoff to me. The accessibility is understandable if you’re one to get rid of your old consoles, but why dish out $60 (and soon to be $70) for the same experience with a new coat of paint?

As a humongous Mass Effect fan, I was intrigued to hear whispers of a remaster. Yet then I stepped back and realized, “what’s stopping me from just enjoying the series right now?” With the trilogy already in my Origin account, it seems extraneous for me to grab the games again. I personally feel that there isn’t much that could be done to improve the experience. The only saving grace would be having every single piece of DLC attached. EA rarely ever discounted the story-related DLC on Origin.

Alas, we will see games of yore on the Xbox Series X and Playstation 5 for years to come. As I’ve said, they usually turn out to be fun games. However, the necessity of them has worn off on me by now. If that’s something you enjoy, by all means, keep at it! 9 out of 10 times, it’s a finished, fantastic product. It’s just a matter of you not already being able to enjoy the game, especially with your nostalgia goggles removed. What do you think about remasters, remakes, etc. as we go into the next generation? Let us know in the comments!

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