Summary
Bethesda’s surpriseOblivionremasteris, in reality, closer to a fully-fledged remake, featuring entirely new visuals built within Unreal Engine 5 but placed on the brain of theOblivion’s original engine. It’s a unique blend of authenticity and innovation that has, in large part, made it a hit among fans.
While many players are busy exploring the province of Cyrodill once again or for the very first time, some can’t help but wonder what other RPGs could use an update. The list below includes a number of thoseclassic RPGs that are in great need of a face-lift on par with or, in some instances, more drastic thanOblivion’s recent makeover.
While Sony’sThe Legend of Dragoonhas already made its way into the modern generation with a PS5 port that enhanced some of its visuals and mechanics, the game is still archaic when compared to modern JRPGs of today. Controlling a party of Dragoon warriors, fighters who can harness the power of dragons, players set out on a journey to stop the destruction of the world itself. With a concept as cool as transforming into dragon warriors alongsideThe Legend of Dragoon’s excellent setting, revisiting this underrated RPG to give it a fresh new coat of paint feels like a no-brainer. Especially considering Sony’s recent questionable slew ofremasters for titlesless than 10 years old.
BeforeDishonouredandPrey, there wasArx Fatalis, Arkane’s first game and one that was ahead of its time. Set in a world with a dying sun, the game seesplayers exploring subterraneanmedieval cities as they set out to defeat the God of Destruction, Akbaa.
Compared to today’s standards,Arx Fatalisis quite dated and janky, and requires additional third-party programs to be installed just for it to run smoothly on modern hardware. However, when it dropped back in 2002,Arxdelivered a truly immersive setting and a magic system that still stands out as unique today. Modern gamers deserve to experience it in its full glory.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlinesis the fire station baby of RPGs. Left unfinished on players' doorsteps in 2004, the game was infamously plagued with bugs that were left for the community to fix themselves. Even with that sort of dedication from the fan base, the game is still a bit rough around the edges.
It’s a shame becauseBloodlinesis a genuinely fantastic RPG. Based on the TTRPGVampire: The Masquerade,Bloodlinesinvites players to a monster-ridden version of L.A. where they’ll become vampires themselves, growing their dark vampiric powers as they pursue a number of quests. With the release of the game’s sequel becoming more and more uncertain, anOblivion-inspired polished version of the original would be met with celebration from fans.
Square Enix’sParasite Eveis unique for its blending of the survival horror and RPG genres. Players assume the role of Aya Brea, a New York City police officer, as she faces off against Eve, a sentient and parasitic mitochondria hell-bent on destroying humanity. Gameplay revolves around survival horror staples like solving puzzles and scavenging for supplies, with combat taking inspiration from the turn-based mechanics of JRPGs.
Considering the success Capcom has had with theirremakes of theResident Evilfranchise, it is clear gamers are eager to discover or rediscover classic horror titles with updated visuals and mechanics reflective of today’s quality of games.Parasite Eveis a great candidate.
Xenogearsoriginally started out as a concept pitched forFinal Fantasy 7,before developing into its own ambitious project. The game’s story is difficult to summarize, as it juggles so many ideas and philosophical concepts. It begins with Fei setting out to uncover the forces pulling the strings of the universe and within himself after he accidentally destroys his village while operating a Gear,Xenogears’mechs.
Despite such a layered and complex story,Xenogearswas overshadowed by titles likeFinal Fantasy 7and never received the same sort of recognition. For that,Xenogearsshould come back, getting a revamp on the same scale asFF7did back in 2020 with its remake.
Although it would benice for Bethesdato make new games rather than stick to their endless cycle of remasters and re-releases, the recent glow-up ofOblivionhas eyes now turning to its predecessor,Morrowind. While the latteris more dated, likely meaning heavier changes to gameplay mechanics will need to be made, Bethesda has an excellent foundation to work on if they ever decide to remake it.
A lot of fans would probably appreciate the same authentic approach made toObliviontoo, asMorrowind’s immersive exploration and detailed setting are already considered perfect by some. Altering the game too drastically in that regard would risk alienating dedicated fans of the original.
While a valid argument could be made for Bethesda’s homegrown titles to be remade first, the originalFalloutgames are definitely in need of some love. Though playable and accessible today,Fallout’s first outing is still a little too crunchy for some gamers' tastes. Fans of the original duology and Bethesda’s first-person reimaginings would likely leap at the opportunity to experience the first game with updated visuals, a sleeker UI, and more intuitive gameplay.
AFalloutremake could even take a page out of Capcom’s book, moving its overhead camera to afirst-person viewlike its successors. However, a gameplay shift as substantial as that is bound to divide fans.
Many fans considerDeus Exto be perfect as it is, jank and all, and believe that a remake would be unnecessary. Yet the recent release ofSystem Shock’s remake, though coming from far more inaccessible source material, proved that the magic of a classic immersive sim can be successfully updated for a modern audience.
Should Square Enix or a second-party developer approach aDeus Exremake with player agency and an open-ended RPG experience at the core of their design principles, the game would have the potential to satisfy veterans and newbies alike.
The explosive success ofBaldurs Gate 3has reinforced that there is still a strong market for isometric RPGs in the video game world. Which means that there is no better time than now for one of the genre’s best titles to come back with a shiny new update.
Black Isle’sPlanescape: Tormentis widely regarded as boasting one of the best narratives in RPGs. Players assume the role of the Nameless One, a disfigured immortal who has come down with a common case of video game amnesia. Setting out across the city of Sigil, the Nameless One begins picking up pieces of his past and running into faces he can’t remember. With a remake,Planescape’s visuals and often times obtuse gameplay mechanics could be improved, likeOblivion, to have it rubbing shoulders with modern CRPGs.
The idea of alteringChrono Triggerin any way may, to some, be deemed as sacrilege, with many gamers holding the title in their hearts as one of the best RPGs ever. But a remake on the scale ofOblivion(updating the graphics, perhaps to HD-2D, while maintaining the core gameplay elements) or evenFinal Fantasy 7(where mechanics and visuals are changed drastically) that exists alongside the original, may be a good way for modern gamers (who otherwise would have missed the titl)- to experienceChrono Trigger’s world and story for the first time.
Created by the collective minds of the “Dream Team,” a dev team which included the late legendaryDragon Ballcreator Akira Toriyama, players follows a group of adventurers, led by silent protagonist Crono, as they travel through time to prevent the apocalypse.
