- Square Enix Plotting More Retro Revivals After Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Success Push Square
- Square Enix says it’s ‘considering’ remastering more old titles following FF Pixel Remaster success | VGC Video Games Chronicle
- Following the success of Final Fantasy’s Pixel Remasters, Square Enix is considering more old games PC Gamer
- Square Enix Unsurprisingly Considering More Remasters After Recent Successes; A Shareholder Specifically Wants Xenogears Noisy Pixel
- Square Enix is “considering various ideas” about further remasters of classic games TechRadar
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Tag Archives: remaster
“Metal Gear Solid 4” Remaster Finally Coming? – Dark Horizons
- “Metal Gear Solid 4” Remaster Finally Coming? Dark Horizons
- The Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection popped up on Steam with a notice it wouldn’t support mouse & keyboard before disappearing a half hour later PC Gamer
- Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 – All Games, Everything You Need To Know Nintendo Life
- I just completed the terrible Metal Gear Solid 2 PC port — now I’m desperate to play the MGS Master Collection Tom’s Guide
- Metal Gear Solid Collection: Volume 2 Is Going To Include The Best Game Of The Series Giant Freakin Robot
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster could be in the works at Square Enix – My Nintendo News
- Final Fantasy Tactics Remaster could be in the works at Square Enix My Nintendo News
- Square Enix developer lets slip that yes, a Final Fantasy Tactics remaster is probably on the way PC Gamer
- Rumour: Final Fantasy Tactics Revival Could Now Be in Full Development at Square Enix Push Square
- Square Enix producer: “The team that handles Final Fantasy Tactics is extremely busy with another project at the moment” RPG Site
- The Final Fantasy Tactics Team Is Heavily Involved In A Project, Theatrhythm Final Bar Line Director Revealed Wccftech
- View Full Coverage on Google News
Best PS5, PS4 Remake, Remaster, or Re-Release of 2022
Our Game of the Year coverage continues with the Best PS5, PS4 Remake, Remaster, or Re-Release of 2022, of which a top four has been put together by the Push Square editorial team. This category crowns the best PS5, PS4 titles that we have played in the past, but have been released once again in a new form — some will have received enhancements while others arrive as part of a collection. At the end, we will list a few honourable mentions.
Few would dare remaster a PSP game for modern consoles, no less one that didn’t exactly release to much widespread praise. However, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII was a fascinating title at the time, and it’s getting its due all over again as part of the Final Fantasy VII Remake efforts from Square Enix. The portable title has received a magnificent glow-up that restores the original game — without any story additions — and makes it playable on PS5, PS4. While you wait for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, this is a side story more than worth exploring.
You can read our Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion PS5 review through the link.
Collections of much older games are common nowadays, but rarely are they treated with as much love as has been given Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration. Digital Eclipse has set a new bar for retro compilations by matching roughly 100 titles with a complete history of Atari, allowing you to learn about the company’s origins and then immediately boot up the games mentioned. It’s essentially a museum in your own PS5, PS4 console, with a slick interface and excellent emulation. This is a must-play for history buffs.
You can read our Atari 50: Anniversary Celebration PS5 review through the link.
The PS5 version of Cyberpunk 2077 didn’t just fix the RPG, it rescued the IP from the depths and effectively rebooted sales. The CD Projekt RED game has now taken on a new lease of life with record player counts and a much more optimistic outlook for the future of both the developer and the series. It was most certainly broken at launch — and that should never be forgotten — but the Polish team has worked tirelessly to update the game and get it to where it should be. The developer deserves credit for that, and the PS5 version of Cyberpunk 2077 now represents a compelling experience more than worth playing.
You can read our Cyberpunk 2077 PS5 review through the link.
Pricing aside, there’s absolutely no debating the impressive job Naughty Dog did with The Last of Us: Part I. Whilst remaining completely faithful to the gameplay and story of the original PS3 experience, the team made it a top visual contender on PS5 with gorgeous graphics, lifelike facial models, and stunning vistas. This is now the definitive way to experience the campaign of The Last of Us and its DLC Left Behind. The modern classic is made beautiful all over again with new accessibility features, AI improvements, and excellent DualSense controller support. An outstanding game it remains in 2022.
You can read our The Last of Us: Part I PS5 review through the link.
Honourable mentions: GTA 5, Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series, Pac-Man World Re-Pac, Sonic Origins, and Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection.
What was your favourite PS5, PS4 remake, remaster, or re-release of 2022? Place a vote in our poll and then explain your personal pick in the comments below. For further Game of the Year coverage, click the link.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster Collection Launches On Switch Spring 2023
Following on from an ESRB rating earlier this week, Square Enix has now officially announced the release of the Final Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remaster Collection for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4. It’ll be arriving in Spring 2023.
This collection will include Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V, and Final Fantasy VI. These remasters will also be made available individually, or you can purchase them in a bundle.
In addition to this, Square Enix has also announced a standard edition ($74.99 USD) and a 35th-anniversary edition ($259.99 USD). These are Square Enix Store exclusives.
More details soon.
Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series coming to PS4, Switch in spring 2023
Square Enix [5,076 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/companies/square-enix”>Square Enix will release the Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster [3 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/series/final-fantasy/final-fantasy-pixel-remaster”>Final Fantasy Pixel Remaster series for PS4 [24,403 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/platforms/playstation/ps4″>PlayStation 4 and Switch [12,737 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/platforms/nintendo/switch”>Switch in spring 2023, the company announced.
Final Fantasy (Pixel Remaster) [4 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/final-fantasy-pixel-remaster”>Final Fantasy I, Final Fantasy II (Pixel Remaster) [4 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/final-fantasy-ii-pixel-remaster”>Final Fantasy II, Final Fantasy III (Pixel Remaster) [4 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/final-fantasy-iii-pixel-remaster”>Final Fantasy III, Final Fantasy IV (Pixel Remaster) [4 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/final-fantasy-iv-pixel-remaster”>Final Fantasy IV, Final Fantasy V (Pixel Remaster) [4 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/final-fantasy-v-pixel-remaster”>Final Fantasy V, and Final Fantasy VI (Pixel Remaster) [6 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/games/final-fantasy-vi-pixel-remaster”>Final Fantasy VI will be available both individually or together as a bundle. Standard and “ Final Fantasy [47 articles]” href=”https://www.gematsu.com/series/final-fantasy”>Final Fantasy 35th Anniversary Edition” physical editions will also be available day and date with the digital launch, exclusively via Square Enix Store. Quantities for both will be limited.
Get the details below.
Final Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remaster Collection – Standard Edition – $74.99 (Square Enix Store-exclusive)
- Final Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remaster Collection – Physical collection of all games for either PlayStation 4 or Switch
“Quantities will be extremely limited, so be sure to preorder before it sells out.”
Final Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remaster Collection – Final Fantasy 35th Anniversary Edition – $259.99 (Square Enix Store-exclusive)
- Final Fantasy I-VI Pixel Remaster Collection – Physical collection of all games for either PlayStation 4 or Switch
- Anniversary Edition goods box
- A bonus lenticular sleeve for the game package
- Two-disc vinyl record set featuring newly arranged game music with exclusive cover artwork by Kazuko Shibuya
- A specially compiled artbook showcasing beautiful character pixel art
- Eight stylized pixel art character figures in window packaging
“Quantities are limited, so order now to avoid missing out.”
The Pixel Remaster versions of the first six Final Fantasy games are currently only available for PC, iOS, and Android. Final Fantasy I, Final Fantasy II, and Final Fantasy III launched on July 28, 2021, followed by Final Fantasy IV on September 8, 2021, Final Fantasy V on November 10, 2021, and Final Fantasy VI on February 23, 2022.
Here is an overview of each game, via Square Enix:
Final Fantasy
This is the ironically named game that started it all. You take control of the Warriors of Light, off on a journey to defeat four fiends and restore peace to the world.
So many of the elements of the series that we’ve come to know and love make their debut right here in this very first entry: a massive world full of mystery, some iconic monster designs and that incredible music.
Final Fantasy II
The second game in the series introduces a new world, new characters and something that would become a trademark of the series: innovation.
The story focuses on the conflict between the hostile Empire of Palamecia and the rebel resistance. A small group of heroes is all that stands between the world and ruin.
Final Fantasy II demonstrates the developers’ willingness to push their boundaries and try new things. For example, rather than sticking to the predictable, the game features a proficiency system in which characters skill with weapons and abilities increase the more they used them.
Fun fact: this is the Final Fantasy game that introduced the world to chocobos! Now that’s a legacy.
Final Fantasy III
When darkness falls and the land is robbed of light, four young heroes are chosen by the crystals to head off an exciting journey across a vast and hostile land.
This critically-acclaimed entry in the series innovated with a flexible job system, which lets characters change their roles in combat at any time. Many of the most famous elements of Final Fantasy started here too—for example, it was the first to introduce summons, including series mainstays Bahamut and Shiva!
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy IV delivers one of the richest and most powerful stories in the series. It’s filled with characters and scenarios that fans continue to love to this day.
It focuses on the dark knight Cecil, who finds himself stripped of his position and rank when he questions his king’s increasingly troubling orders. When he’s sent on a simple delivery mission with his friend Kain, the shocking events that follow send him and a group of allies on an incredible journey of betrayal, love and redemption.
This is the first game to feature the Active Time Battle (ATB) system, which combines turn-based and real-time elements to create fast-paced and strategic combat.
Final Fantasy V
The world of Final Fantasy V is on the verge of destruction because the elemental crystals that bring life and prosperity to the lands have lost their power.
The only hope lies in four heroes: Bartz, Princess Lenna of Castle Tycoon, pirate Faris and the mysterious Galuf. Driven together by fate, they set off on a quest that to save the planet itself.
As well as refining the ATB system, Final Fantasy V expands your strategic options massively through a greatly expanded job system, which let you customize your characters with 22 different jobs.
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VI is a game that’s beloved by fans and critics alike.
That’s partly thanks to its incredible setting and story. It’s set in a land where magic has disappeared, and humanity has instead turned to iron, gunpowder, steam and other technology.
Actually, it would be more accurate to say that magic is mostly gone – a young woman enslaved by the evil Empire still has the power. When she encounters a powerful ancient being called an Esper, she sets off a chain of events that will have epic and terrible consequences.
Weirdly, The GTA Remaster Devs Fixed The Worst Switch Port
Back in 2018, the Switch received one of its worst and most unplayable ports in the console’s history, a remarkable distinction given how many rough games are on the platform. You might know it, as it’s a pretty popular first-person open-world survival simulator called Ark: Survival Evolved. Now four years after its initial release, Ark has a new Switch port using a newer version of Unreal and it might be one of the most impressive upgrades to a Switch game I’ve ever seen.
There have been some miracle ports on the Switch. Games like The Witcher 3 and Doom 2016 not only look nice on the aging portable hybrid console, but also play well, too. That’s not easy to do, mind you. The Switch is old and not very powerful, so getting modern, big, fancy-looking 3D games running on it is challenging. I mean, even Nintendo-published games like the new Pokémon struggle on it. So it’s not surprising that for every miracle port there are a dozen bleh ports of big games. But then there are the truly abysmal ports, the ones that make you wonder why they even got made. And perhaps the worst of the worst is 2018’s Ark: Survival Evolved.
Ark on Switch in 2018 wasn’t just bad, it was really, really terrible. Many websites and critics have called it one of, if not the, worst port released for Switch. It featured incredibly low resolution and a horrifically bad framerate, with tons of stuttering and hitching.
Even when it ran well, it looked like shit, with lots of blurry objects and fuzzy shapes floating around. Some of these, apparently, were meant to be dinosaurs or trees. It was hard to tell. This Digital Foundry video from 2018 is a great look at the port and how poorly it played. Fast forward a few years later and now this month a brand new version of the popular survival game is out on Switch. And folks, it’s kind of impressive how much better things are.
Eurogamer and Digital Foundry took a look at this new port and talked to the developers behind it. Apparently, the entire game has been rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal 4. In fact, according to the devs, nothing from the original game remains. Instead, this port is based on a newer Xbox build of the game. New port developer Grove Street Games (yes, the same people behind the hated, wonky GTA Trilogy remasters from last year…) is also using dynamic resolution scaling to help things look sharper and run better on the Switch.
G/O Media may get a commission
The new port of Ark features nicer-looking shadows and less pop-in thanks to new tools available in UE4. Even better, the infamously long loading times have been cut down to only around 30 seconds. That’s still a lot, but consider that in the original port it could take up to nearly three minutes. So yeah, big improvements all around.
To be clear: This is still a rough way to play Ark: Survival Evolved compared to more capable platforms. Of course, playing the game on newer more powerful consoles or a beefy PC will provide a much better experience. But for folks who prefer portable gaming or who only have a Switch, it’s nice to see a publisher go back and spend the money and time to completely fix and replace a bad port with something much better. This isn’t something you see very often and even if the new port still has its own issues, the new version is a night-and-day improvement that should be applauded.
Ark: Survival Evolved – Ultimate Survivor Edition is out now on Switch and is available to previous owners of the old port for free. Maybe The Outer Worlds can get a better port next?
Horizon Zero Dawn PS5 Remaster Reportedly In the Works Alongside a Multiplayer Game
A remaster of 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn is reportedly in the works for PS5 alongside a brand-new multiplayer game for PS5 and PC.
As reported by VGC and MP1ST, The Last of Us Part 1 Remake, in which we previously asked if that was worth its $70 price tag just nine years after its release, looks to be soon joined by an updated version Aloy’s first adventure on PS4.
It isn’t 100% clear if this would be a full remake like The Last of Us Part 1 or just a remaster, but some of the details make it seem like it is trending more towards the latter. The reports claim this new version will add “accessibility features, graphics modes, and quality of life improvements to the gameplay itself.” In a sense, it appears to improving the original to the added upgrades of Horizon Forbidden West.
Horizon Zero Dawn saw a PC release in 2020 and it added such features as an improved draw distance and higher framerates, but it wasn’t necessarily considered a remaster or remake of the original PS4 game.
This remaster, much like The Last of Us Part 1, looks to potentially be part of Sony’s plan to remaster some of its games that are set to become adapted for TV or film. Sony officially announced a Horizon series for Netflix, and this could be a way to capitalize on the renewed interest when the series is ready for its premiere, much like Cyberpunk: Edgerunners did for Cyberpunk 2077. It’s important to note that God of War is also getting the series treatment at Amazon, so maybe 2018’s classic could also be in for a remaster/remake in the future.
Alongside the news of this remake/remaster, the reports also claim that Guerilla Games is hard at work on a Horizon multiplayer game for PS5 and PC. In 2020, a Guerilla job listing was looking for a game programmer with multiplayer experience to work on an “epic open world game.”
VGC noted that leaked Horizon Zero Dawn concept art in 2014 hinted at Guerilla’s initial plans to add a Monster Hunter-esque multiplayer mode to the game that would have players teaming up to take down massive, mechanical foes. These plans never materialized, but they could be ready for Horizon 3 or a standalone game.
For more, check out our review of The Last of Us Part 1 to see how Sony handles its remakes and our review of Horizon Forbidden West.
Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.
Horizon Zero Dawn Remaster for PS5 Reportedly in Development
Here is a head-scratcher for your Sunday evening: Sony is reportedly remastering Horizon Zero Dawn for PS5. The claim is made by website MP1ST, citing multiple sources, and more online personalities in the know have come out publicly to say the project is real. Some even say they’ve seen it themselves. This does indeed seem to be real, and VGC sources corroborate the rumour.
The remaster is supposedly designed to bring the original PS4 game closer to its sequel Horizon Forbidden West. Along with the usual graphical improvements — apparently, they’re so good that it’s unclear whether this will be pitched as a remaster or a remake — the accessibility options built for Aloy’s second adventure will be brought to the first game. There will also be some quality of life improvements, updated character models, a better lighting system, enhanced textures, and upgraded animations.
The site says a Horizon Zero Dawn remaster/remake isn’t the only thing Guerrilla Games has in the works, however. We also have a Horizon online multiplayer game for PS5 and PC to look forward to, which could feature co-op. “Sources said that Sony had been keen to include co-op in the game’s sequel, Forbidden West, but Guerrilla decided to save the feature for a future project, which they believed would either be a standalone online spin-off, or Horizon 3,” said VGC.
Sony has been developing a habit of remastering and remaking some of its best titles in recent years, with a recent example being The Last of Us: Part I. Its new accessibility options allow disabled gamers to experience something that was once inaccessible to them. However, for the general consumer, a Horizon Zero Dawn PS5 re-release will likely be a tough sell.
What say you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
A Horizon Zero Dawn remaster is in the works for PS5, it’s claimed
Sony Interactive Entertainment [2,548 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/sony/”>Sony Interactive Entertainment is planning to release a remake of PlayStation 4 [5,454 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/playstation/ps4/”>PS4 title Horizon Zero Dawn [155 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/games/horizon-zero-dawn/”>Horizon Zero Dawn for PlayStation 5 [3,735 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/playstation/ps5/”>PlayStation 5.
That’s according to a report by MP1ST, which VGC can corroborate via our own sources.
The updated version of the 2017 Guerrilla Games [159 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/sony/guerrilla-games/”>Guerrilla Games title will feature improved visuals to bring it up to par with this year’s sequel, Horizon Forbidden West [143 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/games/horizon-forbidden-west/”>Horizon Forbidden West, in the form of new character models, lighting and animations, it’s claimed.
In addition, it’s claimed the new version of Zero Dawn will add accessibility features, graphics modes and quality of life improvements to the gameplay itself.
Horizon Forbidden West review | VGC
VGC has asked SIE for comment on this story.
Re-releases of recent hit games aren’t a new trend for PlayStation [6,271 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/playstation/”>PlayStation: the platform holder has already released multiple remasters and remakes for PS5, including Marvel’s Spider-Man [259 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/games/marvels-spider-man/”>Spider-Man, Ghost of Tsushima [124 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/games/ghost-of-tsushima/”>Ghost of Tsushima, Uncharted (series) [233 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/games/uncharted-series/”>Uncharted 4 and The Last of Us.
A PC [6,300 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/platforms/pc/”>PC version of Horizon Zero Dawn was released in 2020 with improved draw distance and higher framerates, but it mostly reused the assets and features from the PS4 version.
In addition, the MP1ST report claims that Guerilla Games is currently working on a Horizon multiplayer game for PS5 and PC, which matches what VGC reported last year.
VGC understands that the studio has long intended to expand the Horizon series into the multiplayer space. Sources had previously told us that co-op was first planned for the original Horizon game but was ultimately scrapped so the development team could focus on other areas of the title.
Zero Dawn concept art that leaked online in 2014 – verified by VGC – even shows initial plans to have multiple players battle the game’s huge mechanical beasts, in a scenario similar to Capcom [474 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/capcom/”>Capcom‘s Monster Hunter games.
Sources said that Sony had been keen to include co-op in the game’s sequel, Forbidden West, but Guerrilla decided to save the feature for a future project, which they believed would either be a standalone online spin-off, or Horizon 3.
SIE revealed in May that it’s launching a significant push into live service games, with 12 such titles planned to arrive by its fiscal year ending in March 2026.
In 2018 Guerrilla rehired game director Simon Larouche to work on an unannounced title, which is potentially related to a multiplayer project.
The designer has huge experience with multiplayer games, having directed Ubisoft [786 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/ubisoft/”>Ubisoft’s popular eSports shooter Rainbow Six: Siege, as well as online modes for Guardians of the Galaxy, Splinter Cell: Blacklist [13 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/games/splinter-cell-series/splinter-cell-blacklist/”>Splinter Cell: Blacklist and Killzone 2.
Sony announced in May that it’s working on a TV adaptation of Horizon, which will be released on Netflix [194 articles]” href=”https://www.videogameschronicle.com/companies/netflix/”>Netflix. The Umbrella Academy showrunner Steve Blackman is developing the show, based on the PlayStation franchise.