Remaking Games

12th May 2004

The film industry does it, the music industry does it, so when will the games industry catch on? Should we let games Rest In Peace? I recently watched Solaris on DVD and often the first thing I do is visit the IMDB site to read other people’s comments.  This is the second film based on Stanislaw Lem’s book, the first film was made in 1972.

It was very interesting to read the comparisons between the two films and the book. The latest film is all to often called a remake of the first film, but in fact it’s often just another interpretation of the book. Of course if there is no book or other material beside a film then the second is obviously a remake of the first film.
So, what has this got to do with gaming I hear you ask in frustration? Well, the above got me to thinking, when will we see developers begin to remake games?  I’m not talking about porting from one system to another, for example: Xbox to PC or simply converting content to the latest engine, as in the HL reports.

I was thinking more like Tim Burton’s ‘re-imagining’ of Planet of the Apes, where they used just the basics to create a new vision. What would happen if Valve gave their permission to ‘re-imagine’ Half-Life? I accept that in many ways certain current games are remakes of old originals (Space Invaders to Flight Sim?) but I’m thinking story not just graphics. We are probably at least a few years away from this happening but who knows?

3 Comments

  1. I don’t see why not. Improvements could be added, cut scenes, better graphics.. Limitless really

    1. I think you have missed the point. It’s not just a case of updating the games in the latest engines, but only using the basic premise and having new developers take the idea in a new direction.

      1. Absolutely. I never thought that it was a simple case of just updating games/engines. New all the way around. I should have been more concise there..lol

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