Hopefully these newer HD collections will play in a correct, non-stretched aspect ratio. I learned my lesson from the God of War 1-2 HD collection, and will carefully research any future HD makeovers before I purchase.
God of War 1 and 2 were made with the 16x9 format in mind from the get go on the PS2 (and not stretched at all). When making a game in 16x9 they are left with the choice of what to do to the 4x3 users.
They could either:
A: Crop the the left and right and give 4x3 users a smaller play field to run around in
B: Letterbox it
C: Keep the 16x9 playfield and just open up the borders (black bars) to the background
They went with C, kept the gamefield open for 4x3 users and then opted to ditch the black bars and extend the view field. If you look online and research the developers are clear on the 16x9 is proper.
Street Fighter 4 dose the same thing. On a 4x3 it retains the 16x9 playfield but just opened the matting so there are no black bars. But it most certainly is designed to be played and viewed in 16x9 and forces 4x3 users to play it in 16x9 (it just removes the black bars and opens the view further up and down).
God of War 1 and 2 BOTH had the same proper view in 16x9 as the PS2 versions and the PS3 version does as well.
It's the same thing with Pan and Scan version of movies versus letter boxed movies. A lot of pan and scan versions of movies actually do show MORE picture to the top and bottom then their letter boxed version. A lot of films are matted and they "lift" the mat for the pan and scan. Independence Day is one example... the pan and scan version (4x3) shows more on the top and bottom than the letter boxed version. But it is most assured not the correct or intended viewing field.
Opening up the mat is just doing 4x3 owners a favor and not forcing black bars on their set. But 16x9 users are getting the picture the correct way. There are other next gen games that do the same thing in 4x3... they don't force the black bars on you in 4x3 they just open the matting. There are alot that force the black bars in 4x3 sets also though.