Only remake is set for 2022, so you’ll have to wait until next year to play the rest
(Picture: PA)While the best upcoming PS5 games are undoubtedly exciting, there’s something that can be said for revisiting the familiar; games you may have completed years ago, but still hold a torch for.
But going back to ageing games today can be a letdown. The sparkly graphics that enchanted your younger self now feel distinctly ropey, and even the mechanics may feel clunky and dated by today’s standards.
The best video game remakes either polish up graphics to match your rose-tinted memories while leaving the gameplay untouched, or reinvent the experience for 2020s players. Think Day of the Tentacle for the former (above), or Resident Evil 2 for the latter (below). Both have their merits.
We’re looking forward to revisiting these upcoming video game classics in 2023 and beyond.
Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp
The Game Boy Advance turn-based strategy games are set to be reborn for Nintendo Switch this year. Brilliantly, you get the first two games in one lovely-looking package.
As a first-party Nintendo game, this is a Switch exclusive, but it’s hard to think of a platform better honouring the game’s portable heritage. On the sofa or on the Tube, you will likely find Advance Wars near impossible to put down.
Release date: TBA
Available on: Switch.
Dead Space
Back in 2008, Dead Space creeped everyone out with the well-trodden mix of deep-Space isolation and a cast of hideous aliens intent on ripping you limb from limb. Fortunately, you were tooled up to the gills with mining equipment, ideal for shooting off their many limbs, before they got their talons on you.
This sounds more like a remaster than a total remake, with the same core story, albeit with remade assets, effects, and more dialogue. Sadly, last-gen consoles miss out and you’ll need an Xbox Series X/S, PS5, or suitably souped-up gaming PC to play.
Release date: January 27, 2023
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series, PC
Resident Evil 4
With Resident Evil 2 and 3 already remade, Resident Evil 4 is the next in line for the reimaging treatment. Of course, the remake of the 2004 classic will be less dramatic, given RE4 was the game to introduce the over-the-shoulder camera in the first place, but it’s still a great excuse to replay one of the best survival horror games of all time — especially with new twists to the familiar story along the way.
It’s coming to PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC in March 2023. Curiously, there’s no word on an Xbox One version, despite a promised PS4 release.
Release date: March 24, 2023.
Available on: PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
System Shock
It’s been nearly 30 years since System Shock blurred the lines between first-person combat and roleplaying, even if we have seen spiritual successors in the form of both Bioshock and Prey.
Now we’re going to revisit the original, courtesy of Night Dive Studios. Originally pitched as System Shock Remastered, the title’s last word was ditched as it didn’t do justice to the full reboot treatment the game is said to be getting. We’ll find out how successful that is next March, when it arrives on consoles, PC, and Mac.
Release date: March 2023.
Available on: PS4. PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, PC, Mac.
Silent Hill 2
With Resident Evil and Dead Space getting revived, what about the other legendary horror franchise? Good news, Silent Hill 2 is coming — and, hopefully, it’ll be a lot better than the distinctly underdone Silent Hill HD collection that arrived back in 2012.
It’s coming courtesy of Bloober Team, which has a habit of making unsettling horror games, including Layers of Fear, The Medium, and Observer. Hopefully, a fresh coat of paint will ensure Silent Hill scares the bejesus out of us all over again whenever it finally sees the light of day.
Release date: TBA.
Available on: PC, PS5.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Ask a fan what the best Star Wars game ever made is, and they’ll likely come back with Knights of the Old Republic — a legendary RPG made by Bioware and Obsidian back in 2003.
Nearly 20 years later, the blocky graphics of the original are getting the rich new coat of paint that it deserves. Unfortunately, it’s not clear when we’ll actually see it — a Bloomberg report from July claimed that it was “delayed indefinitely” after the game’s art and design directors were kicked off the project. While originally intended for 2022, the site’s sources believe 2025 is more likely.
Release date: TBA
Available on: PC, PS5 (timed exclusive).
Splinter Cell
Splinter Cell — the stealthy Tom Clancy tie-in that rivalled Metal Gear Solid back in the day — is finally getting a remake. Though, when it will actually arrive is anybody’s guess.
The good news is that we’re looking at a remake from the ground up, with producer Matt West promising that the team is trying to maintain “the spirit of the early games”. All with next-generation sheen, of course.
Release date: TBA
Available on: TBA
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Another Ubisoft remake that’s seemingly some way off is Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. The original is a beloved classic, which won plenty of positive reviews when it emerged back in 2003, which might explain why rebuilding it is proving problematic.
It was originally due in January 2021, but Ubisoft recently confirmed it’s no longer planning a 2023 release date, so there’s still a long wait ahead of us.
Release date: TBA
Available on: TBA
Max Payne
Not one, but two Max Payne remakes are coming. This is a bit of a surprise, as Grand Theft Auto makers Rockstar owns the IP now, but it’s apparently partnering with Remedy (Alan Wake, Control) to remake the first two Max Payne games.
If you’ve never played a Max Payne game, you’re in for a treat. The hardboiled cop pioneered the joys of bullet time in games, where time slows and you can dive out of the way of enemy attacks in slow-motion, just like you’re in your own personal action movie.
Release date: TBA
Available on: PS5, Xbox Series, PC.
The Witcher
Everyone’s familiar with The Witcher 3 and its life-sappingly addictive RPG gameplay. But, if you revisit the first game now, you’ll likely find it a little tough to get into, even if the story and setting is as captivating as ever. Especially as it was PC only.
Fortunately, CD Projekt Red has announced that the game is being remastered in Unreal Engine 5. Given the scale of the title and the pressure to get it right, we’d be surprised if it arrived any time soon, but this is definitely one to watch, all the same.
Release date: TBA
Available on: TBA
Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth
If you enjoyed the Final Fantasy Seven remake, then you’ll want to get your hands on the second instalment, which is coming next winter.
This is billed as the second in a trilogy, so there’ll be one more title to come, assuming this is as big a hit as its predecessor when it emerges on PS5 in late 2023.
Release date: Winter 2023
Available on: PS5.
