00:00Next time we see them, I hope we're fighting on the same side.
00:04Hey man, you hang on to this.
00:07Just make sure to keep it safe, alright?
00:09Whether you like it or not, video game remakes are here to stay.
00:13And if they can reach the same heights as these, we're pretty okay with it.
00:17Welcome to Mojo Plays, and today we're looking at the best remakes of the decade so far,
00:22released from 2020 to 2025.
00:24And, just in case it needs to be said, we aren't including any remasters on this list.
00:35But before we dive in, we publish new content all week long.
00:39So be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
00:51Mario's first RPG has long held a special place
00:54in the hearts of many players.
00:56Thankfully, a whole new generation got to experience its glory with a remake in 2023.
01:01With a new engine, Super Mario RPG features new levels of visual charm.
01:06But there are also some appreciated quality of life improvements,
01:09like an additional difficulty option and the ability to swap party members on the fly.
01:14And new gameplay features like powerful team attacks that build up over the course of a fight.
01:27It's an already damn good game, updated for the modern era.
01:31And if you've often heard about how great a game this is and want to experience it yourself,
01:36this is an excellent way to do it.
01:46Demon's Souls
01:51From Software is one of the best developers when it comes to crafting a tense atmosphere.
01:57And while that's still true of the original Demon's Souls,
02:00we must give credit to Bluepoint for its incredible improvements.
02:04Technical performance and visuals were obvious things improved,
02:08and definite points of praise since the game is truly stunning to look at.
02:20But Bluepoint also made small, but appreciated advancements to gameplay and controls
02:25that make everything less frustrating.
02:27That's not to say the game isn't still bonkers hard, because it absolutely is.
02:32It's just a much smoother, more polished version.
02:35So, you'll still want to break your controller in half,
02:38but the game plays things a bit more fairly now.
02:46Star Ocean, The Second Story R
02:55A bit of a darker horse, the original Star Ocean, The Second Story, was released in 1998.
03:01So, it was a prime choice for a remake.
03:04The story remains the same, so purists won't find changes there,
03:08but developer Jim Drops went the popular HD 2D route for visuals,
03:12refreshing the character sprites while redoing the environments.
03:16And, just like many other games to utilize this style,
03:19it's genuinely gorgeous.
03:29With new music and strong voice performances,
03:32it's a treat for the ears as well as the eyes.
03:34Plus, even more important for a sprawling JRPG,
03:37it's got an addictive gameplay hook that keeps you glued to its world for hours at a time.
03:50Metal Gear Solid Delta Snake Eater
03:57There will probably always be a slight dirty feeling
04:01when consuming Metal Gear Solid without its creator involved.
04:05Who knows if we'll ever fully forgive Konami for how it treated Hideo Kojima,
04:09but the fact remains that this is a great remake of a great game.
04:13It isn't as in-depth a remake as others.
04:16Visuals were clearly touched up,
04:18and controls were refined to make things smoother.
04:25But there were no real expansions on story, levels, or voice acting.
04:30That's not necessarily a bad thing.
04:32It isn't as if it really needed to be touched up in those departments.
04:35All in all, it's the best way to revisit a classic,
04:38or to experience it for the first time.
04:47Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 and 2 and 3 and 4.
04:57The best types of remakes can take a game that hasn't exactly aged gracefully,
05:01and revamp its controls, graphics, and mechanics
05:04to capture what it felt like when you played it originally.
05:08The remakes of the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series do exactly that.
05:12For 1 and 2, developer Vicarious Visions knocked it out of the park.
05:16It still had the nostalgia we feel for those games,
05:19yet everything still felt so fresh.
05:283 and 4, developed by Iron Galaxy,
05:31didn't quite hit as high a mark,
05:33specifically because 4's career mode was lacking.
05:36Still, both packages are supremely fun,
05:39able to transfer us all back to that time
05:42when pro skating was the coolest thing around.
05:54Persona 3 Reload
05:59Since it was a fan request for years,
06:03it was only a matter of time before Persona 3
06:05was refreshed for modern consoles.
06:07Thankfully, Atlus didn't miss a beat in doing so.
06:11Style is clearly an important facet of the series,
06:15so seeing the original art design enhanced
06:17to be more in line with what you see in Persona 5
06:20made every frame a delight to experience.
06:23That, along with some new music,
06:25make it one of the flat-out coolest JRPGs you can find.
06:32That's not to mention the various quality-of-life improvements
06:35to mechanics and controls that make it the best way to play.
06:39Persona 3 Reload is another great inclusion
06:42in what has become one of the biggest JRPG franchises around.
06:53Silent Hill 2
06:55No.
06:58You're...
06:59not.
07:03To say that Silent Hill 2
07:05is one of the most important survival horror games of all time
07:08would be accurate and still an understatement.
07:11Plenty of players had their misgivings
07:13leading up to the release of its remake.
07:15Yet, against the odds,
07:16Bloober Team delivered a stunning,
07:18disturbing,
07:19and terrifying experience.
07:21The team remained loyal to what came before it,
07:23only touching up and changing things
07:25that were absolutely necessary.
07:27It's not a mystery.
07:33Visuals deserve special mention,
07:35the atmosphere is incredibly tense,
07:37and the reworked creature designs
07:39are truly the stuff of nightmares.
07:41Even if you've played the original dozens of times,
07:44this remake will have you on the edge of your seat
07:46all the way up to the devastating end.
07:55Dead Space
08:01If you thought the original Dead Space was disgustingly horrific, then you were probably
08:07extremely happy with the remake.
08:09The visual enhancements make every necromorph design that much more unsettling, making your
08:14heart beat out of your chest as you cautiously navigate every dark corridor.
08:19This was complimented sublimely by some truly incredible sound design.
08:30Subtle tweaks to gameplay and action sequences made everything just a bit more thrilling,
08:35and crucially, Isaac Clarke received a hefty dose of characterization, no longer a silent
08:41protagonist.
08:42This is a perfect revitalization of one of the best horror games of the 2000s.
08:48Whether you played the original or not, we cannot recommend it highly enough.
09:04Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth
09:13It almost feels like cheating to call these games remakes.
09:17With a third entry planned to cap them off, they've made greater changes to the source
09:20material than anything else on this list.
09:23Yet, although change can be scary, these are some truly glorious games.
09:28Since the original came out in 1997, there are notable updates and alterations beyond how the
09:33story progresses.
09:35And all of it, from its graphics, to the voice acting, to the gameplay, is extremely strong.
09:49It has been such a joy to revisit one of gaming's all-time greats.
09:54And the way that the story, character dynamics, and areas have been expanded on has made Final
09:59Fantasy VII a pleasure to get lost in all over again.
10:09Resident Evil 4
10:16When Capcom began remaking the classic Resident Evil games, we knew one day they'd get to
10:22one of the franchise's crown jewels.
10:24We awaited it with eager anticipation, and it more than lived up to the hype.
10:29Like many others on this list, an incredible visual overhaul made for a flawless atmosphere.
10:34And the reworked control system helped us to savor every bit of it.
10:44One of its biggest improvements was Ashley, notoriously annoying in the original, but given more depth
10:50and likability thanks to new story elements and changes to her escort missions.
10:55Everything that Capcom could improve about Resident Evil 4, it did.
10:59And it did it with such a plum and respect that the original Titan deserved.
11:09Did we leave off one of your favorite remakes of the 2020s?
11:12Which upcoming remake are you most looking forward to?
11:15Share your thoughts in the comments, and we'll see you next time.
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