2.5D remakes

[Moniker]

They kinda rock, don't they? At first I was pretty skeptical, but every one I've tried has turned out really well. Just picked up Megaman Powered-Up and Maverick Hunter X. Powered-Up, while I don't really dig the supercute style, fixes just about all of the issues I have with the original. The annoying inertia is gone, level design is improved, robot master weapons still kinda suck but hey whatever. Haven't tried playing as a robot master yet but that's a pretty cool addition. Haven't played much of Maverick Hunter X yet but I have to say that the little changes to sound effects and gfx make you really feel like you're blowing shit up, and I'm someone who really liked the style of the original. Bionic Commando Rearmed and Dracula X Chronicles also added great modern convenience with no expense to gameplay.

Just had to share.

[Estebang]

While I thought the original BC Rearmed turned out remarkably well, I wasn't impressed with the new final stage--nothing but endless corridors of wait-and-go obstacles, stuff that wouldn't grace even the cheapest NES shovelware platformer. At least the return of Hitler's exploding head (the sole reason for the game's M rating) made up for it.

The game also really needed online multiplayer, though lag might have killed it. And the stages retained from the NES version should've gotten more of a touch-up; some sections are just plain strange, annoying and arbitrary. Though I guess that describes Garegga for some people...

[Raytrace]

yeh BC was great and also, while not strictly a remake (though it is full of homages) - I LOVED Shadow Complex and wish theyd make another one :p

[Mortificator]

These are among the most pointless of remakes to me. They don't do anything besides change the original graphical style to one that's palatable to the current audience.

[Sumez]

Lol, I just saw Maverick Hunter X for the first time, after finding it on YouTube - WHAT the HELL? Why would anyone want this? The Mega Man X games on SNES look amazing - I sure hope the original is included.

Most people also seem to have an issue with the Dracula X remake, but I think it worked fine, though I'll always prefer the original. And having played that a shitload of time, I can easily tell there are obvious changes in the gameplay.

[Elixir]

Thanks for reminding me of the atrocious Rocket Knight remake.

[Drum]

Cave Story 3D looks really atrocious and I heard nothing good about the Sega Ages pukemakes.

[Sumez]

Thanks for reminding me of the atrocious Rocket Knight remake.

Remake? You mean the new game on XBLA? I considered buying it, but didn't, due to a high risk of it being, yeah, atrocious.

[Drum]

Are people looking forward to Sonic Generations? I was at first, but then I realised that all the parts of it that looked good (the 2.5D remakes of the 16-bit levels) are sort of pointless as the older Sonic games have aged really well and everything else looks pretty lol: http://youtu.be/CSXhZaY-V7Y

[Skykid]

I thought the PSP Drac X Chronicles was horrendously ugly in 2.5D. I could only ever play the original version.

[Herr Schatten]

I thought the PSP Drac X Chronicles was horrendously ugly in 2.5D.

I second this.

[TrevHead (TVR)]

BC rearmed looks great, so does Shadow Complex which ive just finished. It was ok, but I felt the work the devs did on the graphics could of gone into something with faster pacing and better boss fights.

One genre that looks totally wrong imo in 3D are arcade style brawlers, ild rather have 2D or atleast a 3D world with 2D sprites.

[Estebang]

While the Rondo of Blood remake is certainly lacking in the graphical department, the original gameplay was accurately retained, and there are some subtle changes that make it more fair and easier to control--Richter can now backflip from a forward jump, for instance. There's also the terrifically hard new final form of Dracula.

And the collection includes a proper new translation of SotN, with a Japanese voice option. If only they had put in the Saturn version's added content.

[Skykid]

While the Rondo of Blood remake is certainly lacking in the graphical department, the original gameplay was accurately retained, and there are some subtle changes that make it more fair and easier to control--Richter can now backflip from a forward jump, for instance. There's also the terrifically hard new final form of Dracula.

And the collection includes a proper new translation of SotN, with a Japanese voice option. If only they had put in the Saturn version's added content.

I find Dracula terrifically hard in the original Rondo of Blood. The SOTN is cool though, and unlocking it is quite challenging. I'd say it's a pretty neat PSP package in all, although the port of PCE Rondo has a few technical niggles iirc.

[Moniker]

Thanks for reminding me of the atrocious Rocket Knight remake.

Remake? You mean the new game on XBLA? I considered buying it, but didn't, due to a high risk of it being, yeah, atrocious.

Well, it isn't really a remake. More of a sequel/reboot/whatever. I rather like it, but then I didn't play the original back in the day. I'll have to make a more serious attempt at playing it on an emulator.

These are among the most pointless of remakes to me. They don't do anything besides change the original graphical style to one that's palatable to the current audience.

As for the 2.5D graphics in general, I can take 'em or leave 'em. It's the other modernization touches like stage select, replacement of passwords with saves, and general game design cleanup that make 'em for me. Bionic Commando NES was a very very rough diamond, as was Megaman 1. I also immensely enjoyed Shadow Complex as it fixed nearly all my niggles with Super Metroid, but yeah the bosses were pretty uninspired. This is probably highest heresy, but I would buy the shit out of a Super Metroid update (better map, physics, control scheme, wall jumping).

[Sumez]

And the collection includes a proper new translation of SotN, with a Japanese voice option. If only they had put in the Saturn version's added content.

I don't know if you played the Saturn version, but you aren't missing out on much, the new stuff was terrible sub-par, both in terms of graphics, gameplay and general purpose. I can understand why they didn't want to keep it.
Except playing as Maria, that was awesome.

[ChainsawGuitarSP]

I find Dracula terrifically hard in the original Rondo of Blood. The SOTN is cool though, and unlocking it is quite challenging. I'd say it's a pretty neat PSP package in all, although the port of PCE Rondo has a few technical niggles iirc.

Are you sure you're not thinking of the SNES version of that fight?

... Cause PCE Dracula is just as trivial as all the others IMHO.

[evil_ash_xero]

I've always been disappointed with the graphics of ReArmed. Awesome game, but it lacks detail. I know that crap the developers said about using less detail in a 2D game, so you can see better....but that's junk. There's a lot of games that have way more detail, that are like that. Take Ghouls N' Ghosts on the PSP, for instance. Sonic Generations has nice graphics also(don't know about the game). Hell, the remake of Klonoa looked tons better(and that really IS 2.5).

[Kiken]

Are people looking forward to Sonic Generations? I was at first, but then I realised that all the parts of it that looked good (the 2.5D remakes of the 16-bit levels) are sort of pointless as the older Sonic games have aged really well and everything else looks pretty lol: http://youtu.be/CSXhZaY-V7Y

Yes, quite a few people are looking forward to it, myself included (I enjoy classic 2D Sonic as well as the boost-a-thon mechanics from Unleashed).

Also, you could always try out the demo.