4 Ways Remakes and Remasters Have Surprised Us

Fashion is notoriously circular, and now (so it seems) is the games industry. Remakes and remasters have dominated release schedules in recent years, providing both a nostalgia hit for fans and a chance for anyone who missed out the first time around to enjoy some modern gaming classics.

Thanks to this trend, there’s no need to hold on to outdated hardware in order to play some of the best games from the past two or three decades. Remakes and remasters not only run on the latest platforms, but they’ve almost universally been polished graphically and mechanically so that they match up to current standards… and any rose-tinted memories you may have of their past-gen renders!

And thanks to schemes like EE’s console trade-in, you can not only free up space at home by sending in otherwise dust-gathering tech for secure refurbishment or recycling, but you can free up funds (up to £270) in the process, to purchase games remade for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch.

If you’re looking to do some nineties and noughties game (re)discovery, here are four remakes and remasters that surprised us with elements that elevate them way beyond a basic port.

The Last Of Us Part I

Naughty Dog’s beloved post-apocalyptic adventure underwent a significant facelift ahead of its PS5 re-release, but crucially, retained the captivating storytelling, compelling characterisation, and emotional depth of the original. The result is a playing experience that feels richer, more fluid, and somehow even more intense than when Joel and Ellie were first introduced a decade ago.

If you’ve not played The Last of Us before, the fidelity and detail present in The Last of Us Part I is immediately impressive. If you have fond memories of the PS3 2013 release like us, get ready to see the crumbling cityscape in a fresh new light – quite literally. Character models, environments, and lighting conditions have been rebuilt from the ground up using Naughty Dog’s latest engine to take advantage of the PS5’s processing power and 4k capabilities. It’s this reinvigorated realism – sweat beading on Joel’s furrowed brow, fine spores floating in the air, and poignant signs of a populace interrupted – that helps to create a dizzying level of immersion.

To build on this, the developers have also made use of the PS5 DualSense controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive trigger abilities, which shudder into action when gunfire or the thunderous gallop of your horse breaks the stillness. They upgraded the sound mixing to support 3D audio too, which ramps up the tension and makes the Clickers’ distinctive, echoing call all the more unnerving.

If the TV series has piqued your curiosity or you’ve been debating whether to invest the time in revisiting the world of The Last of Us, now’s the perfect time to dive right into The Last of Us Part I. The characters are some of the most engaging and believable you’ll ever come across, and creeping through the overgrown ruins of desolate Boston has never looked, sounded, or felt better. Fortunately, EE has some great value PS5 bundles that you can purchase directly or add to your mobile plan if you’re an existing EE customer, so you can experience it for yourself. Plus, each bundle includes Gamer’s Data Pass, Video Pass, and 24 months of PS Plus Premium, which you can use to play a two hour trial of The Last of Us Part I before diving in.

Resident Evil 4 Remake

If you prefer your zombie foes armed with chainsaws, Resident Evil 4 Remake might be more your style. Riding the wave of acclaim awarded to the 2019 and 2020 remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3, Capcom delivered another home run with this year’s upgrade of the 2005 survival horror favourite.

For fans of the original, many recognisable elements remain. The (at the time) pioneering over-the-shoulder perspective returns, and lead character Leon Kennedy is still lured into the depths of the Spanish countryside, attacked by the flesh-hungry locals, and forced to hoard resources in order to fight his way out, all with the US President’s kidnapped daughter by his side. However, a new checkpoint system makes the action seem tighter, and it’s Leon’s newfound abilities – crouching, and moving when aiming – that really add a fresh combat dynamic, while bringing the game in line with more recent shooters.

Enhanced stealth and the switch to two-stick control transformed our tense interactions with the dehumanised Ganados in Resident Evil 4 Remake. The brilliant knife upgrades also feed into this, with throat slicing and parry moves (especially against the aforementioned chainsaw) opening up new tactical possibilities. Even boss fights have been beefed up, with richer details and a couple of shot-stopping surprises. In combination, these tweaks prove that if you’re in the mood for an adrenaline-fuelled survival run through a creepy town, you can’t beat the classics.

Metroid Prime Remastered

For twenty years, hunter Samus Aran’s first 3D outing was locked to platforms contemporary to the game’s release. That all changed in February, when Metroid Prime Remastered was made available for the Nintendo Switch.

The Gamecube original featured a divisive control system, thought by some to be so clunky that Metroid Prime didn’t deserve to fall under the FPS genre. Thankfully the remaster left these concerns in the past, and delivers an entirely rejuvenated sci-fi adventure, made all the better by the console’s handheld properties melding with your HUD view through Samus’s smart visor.

As well as offering the original control set up and the later Wii port’s movement-based look system, the remaster surprised us with a further two control options using the Switch’s dual analogue sticks. These allow for intuitive aim and movement as you explore Tallon IV; an experience which, at times, is so immersive that our reviewer deemed Metroid Prime Remastered “the most tactile game [they’d] ever played outside of VR.” You can even blend the original and dual stick systems if you’re a returning player who wants to give their playthrough a stronger 2002 flavour.

If you needed any reassurance that a Switch is still a sound gaming investment, Metroid Prime Remastered proves that the oldest of the console ‘big three’ can still delight. Plus, with retro Gameboy games rolling out on its Switch Online service and one of the biggest games of 2023, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, available as a platform exclusive (also included in EE’s Switch OLED and Zelda mobile data bundle), you certainly won’t be putting it down anytime soon.

Final Fantasy VII Remake

A rework of the oldest title in this list, Final Fantasy VII Remake is the game that features perhaps the most startling changes of all: alterations to a 25-year-old narrative and a reinvented play style.

The remake takes the events of the Midgar section of the 1997 release and expands them into an almost entirely new campaign, packed with new missions, locations, and faces. Side characters and enemies familiar to those who played the original game have been given fully realised stories of their own, and a new foe in the form of the Whispers haunts everything from playable interactions to cinematics – even Aerith and Cloud’s first meeting, which was an iconic moment in the ‘90s release.

The battle mechanics in the 2020 remake have also been reimagined, swapping a more typical turn-based JRPG approach for real time action. This means that you now only control one character at a time, but tactical touches have been cleverly included via the ability to issue orders and swap between your party at will.

A lot can change in 25 years, and the narrative, combat, and graphics revamps that Final Fantasy VII Remake benefits from certainly illustrate that. But at the game’s core beats the heart of the PS1 original, and all the magic that entails. Experience it now on PS5, where you can also play the latest entry in the long-running franchise: Final Fantasy XVI. EE’s PlayStation bundle includes the game, a console, and 24 months of PS Plus Premium, so you can enjoy both epic stories on the latest tech simply by adding it to your data plan.

With Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Max Payne 1 & 2, and even more exciting remasters and remakes on the horizon, why not trade in and level up now by taking advantage of EE’s gaming offers? You don’t need to be an existing EE customer, as accessories, games and full console setups are available for everyone to purchase, including with PayPal credit plans that let you spread the cost over up to 36 months.

And if you’ve got your eye on an Xbox Series S or X, the savings also extend to Game Pass Ultimate bundles, featuring unlimited gaming data and the ability to buy in game credits and apps on the Microsoft Store by adding them to your mobile phone bill, at no extra cost. Spend less and play more, by bookmarking EE as your new destination for gaming.