We're well into the age of remakes and remasters, and while there's a lot that could be said about how they take resources away from potential new IPs and franchises, I, for one, really appreciate a good remake. And when I say 'good remake', I'm not talking about something like Resident Evil 3, which was a shoddy excuse for one. A truly great remake must become the definitive way to play the game.

For that, it needs to get everything right — not just the visuals, but the gameplay must be improved in thoughtful ways, while the aesthetic, tone, and overall vibe of the original must remain intact. It's an unenviable task, to be honest, but some video game remakes have walked the line confidently, marrying modern gaming with old classics to become the only way someone should play that game — veterans and newcomers alike.

8 System Shock's remake perfectly replaces the original

A legendary remake of a legendary sci-fi game

The original System Shock was always one of those legendary PC games I meant to get around to, but to be rather honest, its datedness, and clunky controls and UI were too obsolete for me to properly enjoy. Then came the 2023 remake by Nightdive Studios, and suddenly, I finally understood what all the fuss was about. This was no mere visual upgrade, either. Instead, it was the resurrection of one of the most influential sci-fi horror games ever made.

The 2023 remake modernized the interface, polished the movement and combat without dumbing anything down, and above all, it managed to hold on to that eerie, oppressive sense of isolation aboard Citadel Station. SHODAN is still one of the most chilling AIs in gaming, right next to GLaDOS, and the remake somehow manages to make her even scarier. It retains that immersive sim DNA while delivering enough quality-of-life upgrades to feel playable today. This is now the way to experience System Shock — no question.

7 Black Mesa is truly the best way to play Half-Life

Even the original devs prefer the remake over the original

I still remember installing the original Half-Life off a CD a senior in high school gave me, and it felt like stepping into something way ahead of its time. However, going back to it now? That's a tough ask. The gunplay, the AI, the visuals — they've all aged significantly. That is precisely what makes Black Mesa such an incredible accomplishment. It started as a fan project, but ended up becoming a full-blown, Valve-approved remake that reimagines Half-Life for a modern audience, and it does that without losing an ounce of what made the original game so special in the first place.

Everything in Black Mesa is a refined version of the original Half-Life. From its gun handling, level design, enemy encounters, to the entire XEN chapter (which was arguably the weakest part of the original), Black Mesa improves everything about the 1998 title. It actually looks how most of us remember Half-Life looking in our memories. For a game that defined an entire generation, Half-Life's remake, Black Mesa, is truly the best way to play the game. Heck, even the devs of the original game prefer it over their own 1998 creation, which is inarguably the biggest compliment anyone could give to Black Mesa.

6 Resident Evil 4 refined the perfect third-person shooter

The blueprint for every modern remake

When the original Resident Evil 4 came out on the GameCube, it redefined the entire third-person shooter genre. It would go on to inspire most, if not all, of the greatest third-person-shooter games, and spawned countless ports and remasters, both official and unofficial. This game, in 2004, remains one of the greatest survival horror games ever made, and by and large, nobody thought Capcom could actually improve on it. Somehow, in 2023, the remake did just that — it modernized the gameplay without sacrificing the campy charm, and somehow made Leon even cooler than he was in 2005. And don't even get me started on the knife parry system — pure brilliance.

What really impressed me was how Capcom reworked the game's structure in small, clever ways. Encounters became tighter, boss fights had so much more bite, and Ashley became less of a liability in the remake. It still felt like the RE4 we all grew up playing, sure, but it was slicker, smarter, and ten times more intense. Plus, you get to move and shoot, so why wouldn't we prefer that over the original? To anyone playing it for the first time, Resident Evil 4's remake is the version I would recommend, since it perfected the original title.

5 The Final Fantasy VII Remake is the best of both generations

A remake deserving of its own trilogy

Nobody thought Final Fantasy VII Remake would land the way it did. Instead of just being a faithful recreation of the original's opening, it became a bold reimagining that somehow felt nostalgic and new, all at once. The combat system ditched traditional turn-based fights in favor of an action-hybrid that worked far better than expected, and it somehow made each encounter feel more personal, more weighty. Every swing of Cloud's Buster Sword felt like an event.

What really sells the remake, however, is how it expands Midgar into a full-length RPG. The entire game is now a three-part remake because of just how significant the original game was. Side characters have so much more room to breathe, they are now fleshed out, the city feels alive, and the writing has seen such incredible improvements in the FFVII Remake. Sure, they've taken narrative liberties, but they certainly earned it. The remake doesn't replace the original, but it absolutely stands alongside it as the definitive way to feel that same magic in the modern era.

4 The Last of Us Part I is the only way to start this generational story

Everything the first game did, but better in every way

When The Last of Us came out in 2013, it pushed the PlayStation 3 to its very limits in what was the console's final year. Then, in 2014, the PlayStation 4 got a remastered version that made it look even better. This was my first time playing the game, and like a million other players, The Last of Us Remastered blew me away. Fast-forward to 2022, and Naughty Dog released a full-blown remake of The Last of Us, with a 'Part I' attached this time around.

Built from the ground up with all the graphical and performance improvements that its sequel benefited from, The Last of Us Part I immediately became the definitive way to experience the beginning of Joel and Ellie's story. It even enhanced gameplay mechanics like combat and exploration is certain areas, while never once losing sight of what made the original game as ground-breaking as it was.

The acting performances, already exemplary, became even better with higher graphical fidelity and animations, and the remake, of course, came with the plethora of QoL changes and accessibility features that Naughty Dog has always prided themselves on.

3 Mafia: Definitive Edition was a remake deserving of all the praise

One of the most underrated gems ever, remade brilliantly

I'll be honest — the original Mafia from 2002 hasn't aged particularly well. It had a strong story, sure, but the driving mechanics and clunky gameplay kept it from being something I'd revisit. That's why 2020's Mafia: Definitive Edition felt like such a pleasant surprise. Hangar 13 did so much more than just slap a fresh coat of paint on this game. They rebuilt the entire game from the ground up, and turned what was once a rough diamond into a genuinely unforgettable mob epic.

What stands out most about Mafia: Definitive Edition is how cinematic everything feels in the remake. The voice acting and character animations breathed new life into Tommy Angelo's journey, and the world of Lost Heaven looked breathtaking. Hangar 13 even improved the game's mission design, refining the combat and driving to be more responsive and enjoyable in the moment-to-moment gameplay loop. The remake proved its title right, and is clearly the only way you should experience one of the most underrated crime stories in gaming.

2 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 revived old memories

There's no reason to ever play the original games now

If you grew up in the late '90s and early 2000s, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater was so much more than a game. Instead, it became a cultural moment. Everyone and their dog wasted hours trying to land the perfect trick line to Goldinger's Superman. So, when the remake of both Pro Skater 1 and 2 dropped as a combined modern title, I had my expectations sky-high, especially since I never got to experience the golden days of the original games.

For those who played both the original games and the 1 + 2 remake, every move, grind, and revert felt exactly like they remembered. Of course, this time around, it came with buttery-smooth performance, revamped visuals, and way more robust skater customization. Even better, they brought back the original soundtracks — something the 3 + 4 remake failed to do — while updating the soundtrack to include newer bangers, too. This perfect remake came with all the old levels, lovingly built from scratch, and it managed to feel both nostalgic and modern. This is how you honor a classic.

1 The 2023 Dead Space remake is the gold standard

Even better than the Resident Evil 4 remake, hands down

As someone who played the original Dead Space and couldn't stop talking about it to their friends, 2023's Dead Space remake had me really excited leading up to its launch. Not only did Motive Studio perfectly recreate the vibe and atmosphere of the dreaded USG Ishimura, but they also made significant improvements to the gameplay. Gone was the janky zero-G gameplay, and they even worked on a fantastic dynamic audio system where Isaac truly reacted to everything going on around him.

Isaac didn't just become more human and relatable, either. The writing improved in the remake, treating some characters way better this time around. Then, there's the Peeling System they introduced in the remake, allowing players to dismember and peel off layers of the terrifying monsters that plagued the ship.

Now, I can't possibly imagine ever playing the 2008 version of the game again, simply because the 2023 remake wasn't just a visual overhaul. It improved almost every aspect of the original game that had room for improvement, and still managed to keep the scares and atmosphere intact. This is how you do a remake, and I hope every single developer takes notes going forward.

These set the bar for remakes

It's pretty hard to imagine going back to the originals with these eight remakes.

Not every remake is made equal. Some just slapped prettier textures and call it a day — just one step further from a remaster. Others do some things right but fail to keep what made the original great. This is where a game like RE3 Remake comes in, which cut so much content from the original game that the latter still remains the best way to experience Resident Evil 3.

The perfect remake respects the legacy of the original, rebuilding and refining boldly, and effectively replacing it as the best way to experience the story. Honestly? It's pretty hard to imagine going back to the originals with these eight remakes.