PC Game Remake/Sequels
Even with the growing number of new games that come out every year, there are times when it's better to return to familiar franchises and titles. Through these classic games, you get to reminisce about the first experience with a specific level or how impressive the graphics looked at the time. This nostalgia grows to the point where you want to see a sequel for a beloved franchise or a visual remaster of an old game. At the moment, some studios are already in the process of creating new titles for noteworthy series. Earlier this year, Rockstar Games announced the return of Red Dead Redemption, and recently, it was announced that a new installment in the MechWarrior series is in the works. Other titles return as remastered versions of the original, such as the Bioshock series.
However, there are some games that need a remake or sequel, and despite numerous requests from fans, an updated game or new title is nowhere to be found. Here, then, are 11 of those titles that should get a remake or sequel.
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L.A. Noire 2 (Sequel)
There hasn’t been a game like L.A. Noire for some time, and that’s a shame. The game, crafted by the now-defunct Team Bondi, blended open-world gameplay with procedural detective mechanics. In addition, you could also “read” a character’s facial expressions during an interrogation to find out if they were telling the truth or concealing a lie. At the moment, 2K and Rockstar have the rights for the franchise. With Grand Theft Auto V still attracting players every day and Red Dead Redemption 2 coming next year, we might not see L.A. Noire 2 for some time (or at all), but there’s always hope.
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Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Remake)
Before the Mass Effect series, BioWare made a name for itself in the Star Wars universe. To this day, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic stands out as one of the best role-playing games of all time because of its characters and story. In recent years, the game has also made its way to mobile devices. A sequel might never happen, but the least that the developers can do is create a remastered version of the same game. A quick search also brings up some fan-based attempts to upgrade the game’s visuals. One such project is Poem Studios’ “Apeiron,” and you can check the studio’s ongoing work on its Twitter account.
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Star Wars Episode 1: Racer (Remake)
Perhaps one of the few saving graces of The Phantom Menace, this racing game could use a modern upgrade. With today’s technological advancements, the sci-fi title could benefit from some new features such as a track editor, mods from die-hard fans, or even the ability to play in VR. Racing games like Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport are fine and all, but it’s been quite a while since we’ve seen a Star Wars racing game. In fact, it’s been way overdue.
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Need for Speed: Most Wanted (Remake)
Just so we’re clear, this is the 2005 version we’re talking about, not the lackluster 2012 reboot. Rockport was the stage and the Blacklist--the city’s top 15 racers--were all that separated you from your stolen BMW M3 GTR. Along the way, you had to increase your notoriety through races and police chases. It’s one of the most successful and memorable Need for Speed games to date, and it could garner an even larger fanbase if EA decided to give it a cosmetic facelift.
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Grand Theft Auto VI (Sequel)
With Grand Theft Auto V, the series returned to Los Santos. Prior to that, Grand Theft Auto IV brought us back to Liberty City. It’s only right that Rockstar Games’ next entry in the franchise returns to Vice City. Similar to previous games, it doesn’t have to focus on old characters, such as Tommy Vercetti. Instead, it can present a completely new protagonist in the same city. The only question would be how the studio would implement the game’s online section, which has been extremely successful. In any case, fans would be delighted to see a Vice City for the modern age.
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Portal 3 (Sequel)
Who doesn’t want more puzzles? It’s been five years since Valve showed off more of the internal workings at Aperture Science (aside from VR demos within The Lab). Numerous levels of moving platforms, turrets, and jumping cubes never ceased to provide a challenge, not to mention the fact that your trusty Aperture Science Handheld Portal device was always at your side. We could always use more testing, and GLaDOS is always happy to gives us a death-defying challenge. What do you say, Valve? Another Portal game?
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Max Payne 4 (Sequel)
It’s been four years since Max Payne shot up the streets of São Paulo, and it’s high time he returned for another adventure. The franchise’s combat sequences looked like something out of an action movie, and the “bullet time” mechanic added to the intensity of each enemy encounter.
The first two games were developed by Sam Lake’s team at Remedy Entertainment, but the studio sold the franchise rights to Take-Two Interactive. The new owners then asked Rockstar Games to make the third entry into the series. At the moment, Rockstar is quite busy with Red Dead Redemption 2, so it could be some time before we see another entry in the series featuring the painkiller-popping character.
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Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (Remake)
Arguably one of the best installments in the franchise, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory initially came out in 2005. Like all other games in the series, you play as Sam Fisher, but this time you’re tasked with tracking down the Masse Kernels, an algorithm superweapon that could spark war between Japan, China, and North Korea. Missions ranged from sneaking into a bank in Panama (my favorite level) to the heavily-guarded missile battery in North Korea. Each mission put your sneaking skills to the test as you hacked computers, picked locks, and knocked out unsuspecting enemies.
You can still buy it on Steam, but its graphics are outdated by today’s standards. At some point, Ubisoft should take another look at the game and give it some polish for a new generation of Splinter Cell fans.
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Skate 4 (Sequel)
Some of EA’s largest fanbases include sports fanatics, who buy the yearly iteration of Madden or FIFA titles. However, it’s been years since the company decided to come out with another game in its popular skateboarding series. The open-world title allowed you to roam city streets, skate parks, and winding hills all for the purpose of showcasing an endless montage of jaw-dropping tricks. Even if the a trick wasn’t executed, you could still laugh (or cringe) as your character faceplanted onto the ground or ran into a pole.
The demand for Skate 4 is so high that fans are constantly bothering EA about the game. A quick look through the comments on company’s Instagram photos reveal multitudes of players simply writing in "Skate 4." EA has to listen at some point, right? I should also note that previous Skate games weren't available for PC, but with similar sports games like Steep and Tony Hawk Pro Skater HD available for the platform, it's only fair that PC gamers join in on the fun as well.
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Prince of Persia (Sequel)
Many fans, including myself, were first introduced to the series with Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. The ability to manipulate time itself, in addition to the combat and grand puzzles, made it a memorable experience. The last major installment in the series was in 2010 with Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands. However, with the company’s growing number of new titles, including The Division, Steep, and For Honor, not to mention the almost-annual release of a new Assassin’s Creed game, its fleet of studios are always busy. You have to wonder, then, if we’ll see a new Prince of Persia game within the next five years or if it will take longer than that to add a new chapter to the story.
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