5 Most Beloved and 5 Most Despised Remakes of All Time

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Gamers consistently ask for remakes of their favorite games – titles that either don’t work on newer consoles or look outdated. Many game companies have responded by releasing updated versions, ranging from simple collections and HD upgrades to complete overhauls. However, not all remakes are successful; some actually end up being worse than the originals. We reviewed fifty different remakes to identify five of the best and five of the worst.

1) Despised: Until Dawn

Released in 2015, Until Dawn was a groundbreaking interactive horror game that quickly became popular. It was highly praised for its unique style, impressive graphics, and more, so a remake seemed inevitable. However, the PlayStation 5 remake was a bit unexpected – it completely rebuilt the game using Unreal Engine 5, but didn’t change much of the original gameplay beyond improving the visuals. It felt more like an enhanced upgrade than a true remake, and many saw it as unnecessary except for potentially paving the way for a sequel. Critics largely disliked the remake, considering it a simple port, and players who had already enjoyed the original were often disappointed with the purchase.

2) Beloved: Dead Space Remake

Originally released in 2008 for PC, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, Dead Space quickly became a popular game and launched a series that continued until 2013’s Dead Space 3. In 2023, Motive Studio completely rebuilt the original Dead Space using the Frostbite Engine, creating a stunning modern version. While sales weren’t as high as the publisher hoped, Dead Space Remake was a huge hit with critics, demonstrating how to successfully update a classic game for today’s consoles and PCs.

3) Despised: Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition

As a huge GTA fan, I was so hyped for the Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition – remasters of GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas! Honestly, it was a huge letdown. They tried to keep the original look, but used the same old physics, and while they used AI to improve textures and add things like better weather and lighting (even borrowing stuff from GTA V), it just didn’t work. To make things worse, Rockstar pulled the original games from their store when the remake came out, which really upset a lot of us, though they did bring them back eventually. The whole thing was just riddled with technical problems, the character models looked…off, and the launch was a mess. Rockstar even had to apologize, which tells you everything you need to know. It’s a real shame because these are classic games that deserved a better treatment.

4) Beloved: The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D

The Nintendo 64 was home to two of the greatest Zelda games of all time, and both were later reimagined for the Nintendo 3DS. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D arrived on the handheld in 2011, delighting fans with a refined experience. The remake took advantage of the 3DS’s more powerful hardware to deliver faster gameplay, enhanced graphics, and welcome quality-of-life improvements. It also featured autostereoscopic 3D, which felt fitting for a game originally designed with depth in mind. Like the original, Ocarina of Time 3D earned widespread praise from both critics and players, building upon the classic without changing what made it special.

5) Despised: Dungeon Keeper

Released in 1997, Dungeon Keeper was a highly influential real-time strategy game that spawned a small series. Fans repeatedly asked for an updated version, and in 2014, they received one – though not in the way they expected. Instead of a remake, Mythic Entertainment released a new Dungeon Keeper as a mobile online strategy game for iOS and Android. This wasn’t a true remake, but a complete restart of the franchise, leaning more towards the tower defense genre. The game was heavily reliant on in-app purchases and received overwhelmingly negative feedback. Publisher Electronic Arts faced criticism and legal trouble in the UK due to misleading ads, and by 2022, the game was no longer supported.

6) Beloved: Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2

Released in 2020, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 1+2 is a remake of the hugely popular Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (originally released in 1999 and 2000). These original games were a big hit and helped revive skateboarding games, and the remake successfully updated them with modern graphics and gameplay. While more levels would have been welcome and the multiplayer wasn’t perfect, the game’s strong sense of nostalgia and clever modernization made it a success. A sequel, Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3+4, came out in 2025, remaking Pro Skater 3 and Pro Skater 4, but it didn’t receive quite as much critical acclaim.

7) Despised: Bomberman: Act Zero

I still remember when the original Bomberman came out on the NES in 1983 – it was instantly a classic! It kicked off this huge franchise, and the core gameplay stayed pretty consistent for years. Then came Bomberman: Act Zero in 2006, and honestly, it was a huge departure. It wasn’t really a remake; they tried to reimagine it with a much darker, grittier feel than the colorful, cartoony originals. But it totally flopped. Critics and fans alike hated it! It was plagued with problems – the AI was all over the place, it took forever to load, things didn’t line up right when you moved, and the gameplay got old fast. Plus, you only had one life and couldn’t even save! Now, people generally agree it’s one of the worst games ever made.

8) Beloved: Shadow Of The Colossus

Originally released on the PlayStation 2 in 2005, Shadow of the Colossus quickly gained a reputation as a stunning and highly-regarded game. While a remastered version came out for the PS3 in 2011, in 2018, Bluepoint Games completely rebuilt the game for the PlayStation 4. This remake wasn’t just a visual upgrade; it was a ground-up reconstruction with modern graphics and gameplay features, earning widespread praise from both players and critics.

9) Despised: XIII

XIII is a first-person shooter game released in 2003, based on a comic book series that originally came out in the early 1980s. It’s known for its unique cell-shaded, comic book-like graphics and offers both single-player and multiplayer options. While it wasn’t a massive success when it first launched, XIII gained a dedicated fan base over time, leading to a remake in 2020 for newer gaming systems. Unfortunately, the remake was widely criticized for being poorly made, buggy, and a significant departure from the beloved original, leading many to question if it even deserved the title of ‘remake’.

10) Beloved: Resident Evil 4

Capcom consistently delivers high-quality games in the Resident Evil series, and they’ve been especially successful with their remakes of classic titles from the 1990s. Resident Evil 4 is widely considered their best remake so far. It improves on the original game by expanding the story and developing characters, resulting in a truly exceptional remake. Critics and players alike loved it, with over 10 million copies sold in just two years. For many, RE4 sets the standard for how remakes should be done.

Okay, so I’m dying to know – what’s the best remake you’ve ever seen, and which one completely missed the mark? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Let’s chat about it over on the ComicBook Forum – come share your picks!

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2026-02-23 17:22