Summary
With a legacy spanning more than 30 years, and a smorgasbord of intellectual properties under its hat, Sony’sPlayStationbrand has often tapped into its bursting back catalog to provide players with contemporary ways to play their older experiences. Considering the alterations and improvements made between hardware generations, many of a series' original titles can be lost to history or fundamentally altered if a remaster or remake is either hindered or bolstered by improving technology.
From genre-spanning collection anthologies to from-the-ground-up remakes of classic titles,PlayStation’s steady beat of releases has been continually bolstered by repeated returns to some of the industry’s most revered franchises.
8PS3’s Classic HD Collections
Bringing Some PlayStation 2 Greats Into HD For The First Time
With the industry-wide drive towards high-definition gaming in the jump from the sixth to seventh console generations, the newly-minted PlayStation 3 saw Sony bring many of its PlayStation 2-era franchises into the HD era. While many contemporary PlayStation players will have access to most of the formerly remastered titles in the ‘Collection’ line, through PlayStation Plus' Classic Catalogue offerings, many of these properties have not been touched by Sony since.
Despite the clear representation ofthe PlayStation 2’s focus on third-person action-platformers- through options such as theJak & Daxter Collection,Ratchet & Clank Collection, andThe Sly Collection- many of Sony’s more niche offerings were remastered in HD. From the once-ailing classicGod of War series to Team Ico’s pre-The Last Guardianeponymous titles, Sony’s PlayStation 3-bound HD collections were a phenomenal way for the publisher to breathe new life into its then-last-generation IPs.
Despite the 2016 reboot ofRatchet & Clankexisting at a muddling crossroads between the 2002 PlayStation 2 original title and the Kevin Munroe-directed motion picture produced in parallel with its development, the PlayStation 4 title was revered as the fun of the original game wasfaithfully brought back with gorgeous visuals.
While the motion picture was not as critically lauded as the tie-in title,Ratchet & Clank’s 2016 reboot brought with it mechanical and narrative tweaks that seemingly revitalized the fanbase. As such, along with introducing a new generation of PlayStation players to one of Sony’s most celebrated platforming properties,Ratchet & Clank (2016)set the stage for its much-loved PlayStation 5 launch-window sequel,Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart.
Despite multiple entries on Sony’s much-loved entry into the handheld gaming space, the PlayStation Portable, Tsutomu Kouno’s puzzle-platforming franchiseLocoRocohas arguably been somewhat left behind on aging tech by Sony. However, with the inclusion ofa themed stage in Team Asobi’s 2024 action-platformerAstro Botand PlayStation 4 remasters of the two core titles, the series is arguably more accessible now than ever.
Brought to the PlayStation 4 family of systems in 4K with seemingly all the original PSP release’s features intact,LocoRoco RemasteredandLocoRoco 2 Remasteredbrought one of Sony’s unique yet arguably forgotten franchises from the brink of obscurity. As such, along with the revered quality of the original titles and the updated visuals of the 2017 re-releases, these remasters are particularly notable for their contribution to the preservation efforts of the video game industry as a whole.
AlthoughMediEvil’s 2019 was first touted as purely a remaster of the 1998 PlayStation action-platformer for PlayStation 4, the game’s position as a remake resulted inone of the PS1’s bestgames being used as more of a framework than a palate for the game’s development.
In creating new areas and obstacles, along with revitalizing the arguably clunky controls of the original for contemporary players, Other Ocean Interactive’s 2019 remake straddles the line between faithfulness to the master copy and reinterpretation of its landscapes. With many of the originalMediEvil’s talent returning to provide new compositions and voice lines, the unique tone of the original is retained despite the from-the-ground-up reworking of the game as a whole.
Although its name has now become synonymous with its remake efforts ofShadow of the ColossusandDemon’s Souls, Bluepoint Games' 2015 remaster ofGravity Rushnot only compiled its various DLC with high-fidelity visuals but brought the then-PlayStation Vita-exclusive to the PlayStation 4.
Although Japan Studios' 2012 original boasted acomplex world, ripe to be exploredand its eponymous take on combat and traversal, the ailing sales of Sony’s second handheld system seemingly endeared the powers that be to bring the acclaimed action-adventure title to Sony’s then-current home console. Beyond its clear gameplay and visual benefits,Gravity Rush Remasterednot only struck a win for the preservation efforts of the video game industry but brought the unique property to a greater audience - which no doubt influenced the development and release of its 2017 home console sequelGravity Rush 2.
Although the Square-developed PlayStation titleFinal Fantasy 7was itself a self-contained entry in the acclaimed JRPG series, its professed trilogy of remakes exist as individual experiences as part of a whole. While 2020’sFinal Fantasy 7 Remakebegan this seemingly near-decade-long development cycle and centered on the party’s experiences in the cyberpunk landscape of Midgar,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthnot onlytightened up the mechanics and presentation from its predecessorbut recreated some of the best moments from the original 1997 title.
Following Cloud and the rest of the party as they traverse the semi-open world of Gaia,Final Fantasy 7 Rebirthexpands on the narrative and mechanical successes of the 2020Remakewhile still hitting some of the original title’s most emotional beats and high-octane combat encounters.
As far as many players' enjoyment of theShadow of the Colossusproperty goes, Texas-based Bluepoint contributions to the IP may well be their only experience with the PlayStation 2-heralding puzzle-adventure title.
While Japan Studio’s 2005 original has remained the basis for all Bluepoint Games' interpretations of the game, their work on 2011’s high-definitionIco & Shadow of the Colossus Collectionand - more pressingly - 2018’sShadow of the Colossusremake has been consistently commended. Developed from the ground up for the PlayStation 4, and utilizing the 4K capabilities of Sony’s eighth-generation hardware,Shadow of the Colossus (2018)not only reinterprets the original but introduces multiple new modes and collectibles on top of the revamped and revered experience.
Although theSouls-like genre has arguably become oversaturated with new experiences in recent years, the 2020 remake of the series' inaugural entry not only bolstered the PlayStation 5 launch but provided an entryway for new players of the genre. Beyond that, Bluepoint Games' 2020 remake of FromSoftware’s 2009 originalDemon’s Soulsnot only expanded the game’s systems but tightened the mechanism and visuals toshowcase the PlayStation 5’s capabilities.
While the aesthetic and tone of the original FromSoftware title were funneled into the 2020 remake, the creation of new assets, level designs, and music resulted in Bluepoint Games’Demon’s Soulscreating a solid identity for itself outside of the bounds of its industry-acclaimed inspiration.
