PS4 Remastered Games: What Went Right and Wrong

While many gamers will roll their eyes at the announcement of yet another game of yesteryear being remastered, I typically get excited. After all, what’s wrong with a title potentially getting exposed to a new generation of gamers, and gaining a second chance to fix some flaws. It’s not like there’s a dearth of new releases to play, so these re-releases help fill out the release calendar.

That said, not all PS4 remastered games are created equal. Some are painstakingly redone with care and feel like a much better game than the original, while others feel like a cash-in. To help readers figure out which remastered titles have done a good job, and which have failed, I’ve taken a look back at 10 high profile PS4 remastered games.

As you can see from the list, there have certainly been some excellent PS4 remastered games release this generation. The bar has been set pretty high, and hopefully developers will put more care into remasters as they continue to get made. Let’s hope for more games that are more like Odin Sphere and less Dead Island.

Let us know in the comments below what PS4 remastered games you’ve played, and which developer has done the best job at bringing their past games to PlayStation 4.

PS4 Remastered Games - Which Were Done Right?

PS4 Remastered Games - Which Were Done Right?
Resident Evil Zero HD

What It Did Right & Wrong: Capcom has a pretty darn good track record with remasters and Resident Evil Zero HD is no exception. The game looks absolutely gorgeous (thanks to new lighting effects), and even features a new character to play (Wesker!). Sadly, there is some tiny frustration as Wesker Mode isn't unlocked until the player has completed the game, which is weird in a re-release.
Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition

What It Did Right & Wrong: Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition is basically the standard of what players should expect from recent remasters. It includes all of the game's DLC, it looks as good as the PC version, and runs smoothly. It doesn't go the extra mile to fix some of the game's flaws, but it's the best version of Sleeping Dogs.
Valkyria Chronicles Remastered

What It Did Right & Wrong: Valkyria Chronicles Remastered does a really good job of getting Valkyria Chronicles running on PS4. If that's all you want, then it's great. Sadly, the game is starting to show its age, and a few simple tweaks to the gameplay (and a difficulty option) could've made this a much better game in 2016.
Shadow Complex Remastered

What It Did Right & Wrong: Shadow Complex Remastered is a lot like God of War III Remastered as both games are using the original assets at a higher resolution. So while Chair Entertainment's fantastic Metroidvania is still ultimately an Xbox 360 game at heart, it's a damn good looking one. Also, the release doesn't feature many extras, which is pretty disappointing. The addition of fast travel would've really opened up the game, but there's also something respectable about keeping the original game intact.
Day of the Tentacle: Special Edition

What It Did Right: Day of the Tentacle: Special Edition is one of the best remasters on this list. Not only did Double Fine create brand new visuals for this release, they're based off the original artwork. It's like getting to play the original vision of the game, that wasn't able to be made due to technical limitations. On top of that, there's new control schemes, great developer commentary (more of this, please!), and the ability to look at the original game. It's a stellar release.
Dead Island Definitive Collection

What It Did Right & Wrong: The Dead Island games had their own charm on PS3 (which was largely thanks to the game's fantastic analog combat), but it also had a ton of flaws. Dead Island Definitive Collection was a chance to fix a lot of these weak points, and instead nothing got changed. This collection is just as glitchy (if not glitchier) than the original games, and it's only slightly better looking. While it's cool that gamers can now chop off zombie limbs on PS4, this just didn't do enough to make it worth another go.
Gravity Rush Remastered

What It Did Right & Wrong: Gravity Rush Remastered was good on the Vita, but it was truly great on PlayStation 4. The core gravity shifting mechanics felt a tad bit clunky in the original, but can be done with ease with a DualShock 4. The game also still holds up graphically, although that's solely due to the game's art style as character models look pretty bad when examined closely.
Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir

What It Did Right: Odin Sphere: Leifthrasir is probably the best example of a remastered version of a game ever. In fact, it arguably goes into remake territory, but nonetheless Vanillaware took their time and addressed the many flaws that the original game had. A remastered version should be a second chance at getting the best possible game out there, and that's exactly what the developer did. More interesting level designs, better boss fights, smoother combat, enhanced lore. Literally everything is better in Leifthrasir.
Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection

What It Did Right & Wrong: Few remasters are as gorgeous as Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is. Bluepoint Games did their usual stellar job technical wise, but even then they can't make Uncharted: Drake's Fortune feel enjoyable in 2016. One disappointment is that this collection actually is missing features the original games had, namely multiplayer.
DmC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition

What It Did Right: DmC: Devil May Cry Definitive Edition turned one of the best character action games in recent memory to one of the best ever made. Not only does the game include all of the original game's DLC (playing as Vergil is so much fun!), but Ninja Theory went back and added new difficulty modes to the game. Throw in a smooth framerate of 60fps, and you have one of the best looking and playing games on PS4.