Quality HD re-releases...Crap HD re-releases

[evil_ash_xero]

OK, this is pretty self-explanatory. I've been very excited about some of these HD re-releases, and some are really something, and some are...uh, not so much.

Here's my list of what has been impressive, and what has been not so-impressive. I certainly haven't played all of these re-releases, so jump in.


Top Notch:

OK, Bluepoint seems to take the cake, with their "remasters".

God Of War Collection
God Of War Origins Collection- This actually may be the most impressive one I've seen, considering they were PSP games.

I'm VERY happy that they are doing the MGS and Ico and SOTC collections(they're not doing PW though). Anyone know if they're doing the ZOE collection, as well?

Impressive:

Ikaruga- looks about as good as I could see it looking.
Rez HD- Same goes for this.
Outrun Online- I haven't played enough of this to truly know, but from what I've seen, it looks top-notch.

Strong-

Tomb Raider Trilogy- Flat out, all I've played is Anniversary(since it's the only one I liked in the trilogy), but it looks really good to me.

Good Effort-

Radiant Silvergun- Really nice, for doing a Saturn game. I know they have a small team, so they couldn't go "all out", but it does look a little odd at times. The jaggies are really toned down, but they couldn't cover up that those were 32 bit polygons. On an SDTV though, it rocks. Except for that 4:3 crap.

Slapdash-

Resident Evil 4 HD- This isn't HD. It's just upscaled. I'm torn as to if it looks a little worse, or better on an HDTV, than the old GC versions. They were really lazy with this one. On the bright side, it looks GREAT on an SDTV. But that wasn't the goal, and it deserves way better than this. If I can play freaking Chains Of Olympus with no jaggies, I should be able to play RE 4 with no jaggies. No excuse, considering Capcom is a really big corporation.

Well, what have you guys seen?

[dan76]

I've been playing Resident Evil 4 HD on a standard tv and it does look good. Yes, it's a lazy job - if only they would have added a little something extra. But it's in my top 5 games of all time so it's worth it, just for convenience and the excuse to play through it yet again (that and I had some spare points I hadn't used in two years).

I agree with your list generally.

[Sumez]

what's a "standard tv"?

[dcharlie]

Well, what have you guys seen?

Monster Hunter 3rd HD - hmm - a painful one. Buggy implementation with reports of a lot of online disconnects (though apparently now fixed). The game itself (especially in 3D) looks great - BUT- they left all the sprite based items (icons, HUD, grass etc) as is and so looks like a blocky mess over a nicely done touch up job.

I've got Sly Cooper and PoP but not tried either yet.

Zelda 3DS is a pretty damned good "HD" release - well, at least there's a fair amount of effort gone into it.

[Zeron]

what's a "standard tv"?

CRT TV

[burgerkingdiamond]

What hookups are you using to your CRT? Component?

[gct]

Zelda 3DS is a pretty damned good "HD" release - well, at least there's a fair amount of effort gone into it.

Not quite on topic, but I got Zelda 3DS, and it is my first time playing OoT in any form, and the first Zelda game I have played since LttP many many many years ago. I am trying to like it, but... the combat just feels so lethargic after having played Ys. What am I doing wrong?

[Skykid]

Zelda 3DS is a pretty damned good "HD" release - well, at least there's a fair amount of effort gone into it.

Not quite on topic, but I got Zelda 3DS, and it is my first time playing OoT in any form, and the first Zelda game I have played since LttP many many many years ago. I am trying to like it, but... the combat just feels so lethargic after having played Ys. What am I doing wrong?

Isn't Ys turn based? (Genuine question, never played it.)

[Jeneki]

Isn't Ys turn based? (Genuine question, never played it.)

There's no turn based Ys games that I'm aware of.

In Ys 1, 2, and 4, you just walk into stuff to fight it. Adol's such a badass he doesn't even need an attack button to kill stuff. This is especially hilarious when you outlevel enemies to the point you can one-shot them, and just wade though without even slowing down.

In Ys 3, 5, and 6, there's an attack button.

[maxlords]

Zelda 3DS is a pretty damned good "HD" release - well, at least there's a fair amount of effort gone into it.

Not quite on topic, but I got Zelda 3DS, and it is my first time playing OoT in any form, and the first Zelda game I have played since LttP many many many years ago. I am trying to like it, but... the combat just feels so lethargic after having played Ys. What am I doing wrong?

Nothing... OoT just blows. One of the most boring Zeldas IMO.

Also, I haven't played em but I have the Sly and Prince of Persia HD collections. I thought the God of War one was pretty meh. The game looked fine and then you had those HORRIBLE cutscenes...bleah. They couldn't have remastered those? Really? So sad. Course I also hated the games themselves....

[Casper<3]

Perfect Dark & 3rd Strike updated releases are both very nice!

[Skykid]

Isn't Ys turn based? (Genuine question, never played it.)

There's no turn based Ys games that I'm aware of.

In Ys 1, 2, and 4, you just walk into stuff to fight it. Adol's such a badass he doesn't even need an attack button to kill stuff. This is especially hilarious when you outlevel enemies to the point you can one-shot them, and just wade though without even slowing down.

In Ys 3, 5, and 6, there's an attack button.

Wow, that sounds interesting. Any series recommendations or is it best to go from the top?

Nothing... OoT just blows. One of the most boring Zeldas IMO.

God I just-

Whatthefuckis-

No.

I don't care.

Whatever.

*walks away.*

[Mortificator]

As nice as some of these re-releases are, I doubt they'll ever get to every game I liked from last generation (not that I want to re-buy everything anyway).

all I've played is Anniversary(since it's the only one I liked in the trilogy)

Good choice.

[Strider77]

OMG Skykid... you have never played Ys?

Play them. You need to.

[Obiwanshinobi]

Good way to have with Ys games for the PC:
Ys I&II Complete
Ys: The Oath in Felghana

Then there's Ys: IV: The Dawn of Ys for the PCE CD, soon to be remade for Vita in the Ys Seven style, but still worth a go as is (with the fan translation patch).

I don't believe GoW I&II are much more than straight ports. If they suffered less than RE4, it's because in the latter you get to see most textures from near, whereas in GoW the poorest textures and blockiest models are always seen from afar. Straight ports of Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance and Champions games would also look pretty handsome rendered in high resolutions without any retexturing or remodelling. RE4 was bound from the start to look no better than, say, the PC port of DMC3 (where even on the PS2 some of the worst textures could be seen too close for comfort).

[Skykid]

OMG Skykid... you have never played Ys?

Play them. You need to.

I'm intrigued. Obviously I need translations - what's the recommended platform: patched emulation?

[BulletMagnet]

Wow, that sounds interesting. Any series recommendations or is it best to go from the top?

Personally, I first discovered the series via Ark of Napishtim (number 6), though it seems that long-time fans aren't as fond of it (Oath in Felghana uses the same engine and seems to be better-liked, maybe that'd be a good choice). I and II I can appreciate for what they were back in the day, but they're a tad too antiquated for my own tastes.

[Obiwanshinobi]

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?p=627219
No better place to start than Ys I&II Complete. Boy, do these games play FAST and look pretty (on a CRT) at that. I don't get what beef people have with the rearranged soundtrack. Also...
http://hardcoregaming101.net/ys/ys.htm

[Skykid]

Thanks for the Ys advice chaps.

[dcharlie]

played Shadow of the Collossus last night in 3D mode. Looks pretty damned good!

Pity the controls aren't tightened up but hey, not like i'm not used to them

[Casper<3]

I like Y's Ark of Napishtim the best myself.

[maxlords]

Nothing... OoT just blows. One of the most boring Zeldas IMO.

God I just-

Whatthefuckis-

No.

I don't care.

Whatever.

*walks away.*

Traumatizing Skykid.....priceless.

[dcharlie]

well, to play devils advocate - the problem with OoT is the pacing. At the start of the game it's a little too slow, i've found going back to the (glorious) 3DS remake a bit of a chore at the start.

It's -still- a great game, but it's not without it's problems but "blows" is far from close - at least for me.

At least the pacing isn't as bad as Twilight Princess :/

[maxlords]

Thread derail...sry!: Twilight Princess had worse pacing for sure but I enjoyed it more. Better story and BEAUTIFUL artwork. One of the big problems with OoT for me was partly that I hated playing kid Link (though I loved Wind Waker....weird huh?) I couldn't play Majora's Mask because of this either. The MUCH bigger problem was the FUCKING NAVI FAIRY! Why for the love of god did they decide this was a good idea??!?!?! OoT introduced the filthy god-forsaken navi faires to link and for that I can NEVER forgive it. Seriously...if you're gonna give me something like that...make it a god-damned OPTION that I can shut OFF! It ruins the ambiance, the sense of exploration, and it's fucking irritating too. And every Zelda since...constant hand-holding OoT was the Zelda that dumbed down Zelda. If only you could switch off the fairy and turn off the onscreen button mapping display I'd at least give it the time of day...as it stands, hate it, revile it and find it vastly overrated.

[gct]

well, to play devils advocate - the problem with OoT is the pacing. At the start of the game it's a little too slow, i've found going back to the (glorious) 3DS remake a bit of a chore at the start.

So it gets better? I guess I'll stick with it then. Because up until now, playing that stupid Face Raiders game with pictures taken of porn stars on my computer was more fun than OoT.

[Elixir]

Resident Evil 4 HD- This isn't HD. It's just upscaled. I'm torn as to if it looks a little worse, or better on an HDTV, than the old GC versions. They were really lazy with this one. On the bright side, it looks GREAT on an SDTV. But that wasn't the goal, and it deserves way better than this. If I can play freaking Chains Of Olympus with no jaggies, I should be able to play RE 4 with no jaggies. No excuse, considering Capcom is a really big corporation.

Looks HD to me.

[dcharlie]

Thread derail...sry!: Twilight Princess had worse pacing for sure but I enjoyed it more. Better story and BEAUTIFUL artwork. One of the big problems with OoT for me was partly that I hated playing kid Link (though I loved Wind Waker....weird huh?) I couldn't play Majora's Mask because of this either.

woah, i'm exactly the same. I hardly touched MM at all as well.

Looks HD to me.

not see the HD version in person yet - but isn't the comparison down to bad output options? I saw the video of the difference and i thought "what the hell are they playing the GC version through?! Vaseline Svideo?"

I suspect the original textures and models and lighting are the same as the original just rez'ed up to 720p and kicked out as is. i.e. just a "good enough" effort. I was pretty hyped for the HD version but it's just gone now. I cleared the GC version twice, the Wii version once and the PS2 version i stopped half way though. The reality is i'd probably never play it. 3.5 times is enough and nothing has been added except "moar shinny!!" :/

[Elixir]

Why the hell does 3rd HD have 190 1 star reviews on Amazon? Is it really that bad? It's 2950 yen, I was thinking of actually buying it at this price.

Edit: Most of them are bitching about Adhoc Party, no surprise considering it's Adhoc Party. Still though.. playing the game online wouldn't be my primary reason for buying.

[dcharlie]

Why the hell does 3rd HD have 190 1 star reviews on Amazon? Is it really that bad? It's 2950 yen, I was thinking of actually buying it at this price.

Edit: Most of them are bitching about Adhoc Party, no surprise considering it's Adhoc Party. Still though.. playing the game online wouldn't be my primary reason for buying.

the copying over of data from the PSP to the PS3 is all manual - if you are especially dumb and get it wrong then it can result in you trashing your save game. The Japanese seem to need their hand held on this stuff and there's been countless stories of people losing thier 2000+ hour save games (which they also handn't back up to a PC as well!)

Throw in that there were connection issues with adhoc party in that it would routinely freeze or kick people out of sessions mid quest and you end up with a lot of pissed off people.

Apparently the issues are now all patched up - but the "issue" with the manual data copy still exists.

[Treasurance]

Nothing... OoT just blows. One of the most boring Zeldas IMO.

+1

Wind Waker's easily the best one. The vast sea is atmospheric as hell