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While 2020 has offered plenty of new, original games, it’s also been a fantastic years for reimaginings, remakes, and remasters of beloved games originally released as recently as just a few years ago and as long ago as the original PlayStation era.
To celebrate some of the finest remakes and remasters of the year that revitalizes RPGs, horror, sports, and Soulsborne games, these are our nominations for the best remake/remaster of 2020.
Click through the gallery above or scroll down for the full list!
Demon’s Souls
Bluepoint Games has struck gold once again, modernizing a decade-old game while staying impressively faithful to the source material. Demon’s Souls shines on the PS5 with its stunning environments and realistic lighting effects that just weren’t possible on the PS3. But Bluepoint didn’t just apply a fresh coat of paint; it meticulously rebuilt this classic from the ground up.
Everything you remember from the 2009 original is here, which is sure to please die-hard fans. The addition of performance and fidelity modes allow you to choose the type of experience you want, and really showcases the power of the new console. Plus, the incredibly fast load times mean dying is just a bit less painful this time around.
For more, check out our full Demon’s Souls review!
It takes a lot to create a remake that honors the original without being overly formulaic, and brings a beloved game into the modern era without completely reworking what came before it. While this isn’t a full retelling of the 1997 classic, the story told here manages to be more than a remake, not quite a sequel, and definitely something wholly unique. Some characters receive minor personality tweaks, others are given more thoughtful backstories, and the entire narrative is reimagined and re-contextualized in way that left this lifelong FFVII fan completely blown away. As part one of a much larger whole, the cliffhanger ending might not go over well with everyone, but the adventure that it sets up has serious potential. Square has created something very interesting in Final Fantasy VII Remake while still managing to deliver a comforting trip down memory lane.
For more, check out our full Final Fantasy VII Remake review!
Persona 5 Royal
Persona 5 Royal adds so much to the original, from an entirely new story act to a brand new companion and a brilliantly reworked combat system and dungeons, it almost feels like it should be called a remake rather than just an update or a re-release.
There is very little of the 2017 JRPG classic that has remained untouched, and virtually everything that has been added or tweaked made the experience noticeably better. Considering Persona 5 was already one of the small handful of best JRPGs ever, that’s quite an accomplishment. Any developer looking to do an “Enhanced” or “Game of the Year” version of their games that wants to pull out all the stops now has a new, high bar to aim for. And thank the gods Morgana finally stopped telling us to go to bed all the time.
For more, check out our full Persona 5 Royal review!
Resident Evil 3
Just like its predecessor, Resident Evil 3 has the spirit of the 90s original with the bones of a 2020 survival horror game. It’s Resident Evil 3 remixed into different new shapes that feel like the original but have been smartly updated to ease the frustration of old level design. Crunchy combat completes the picture, but you’ll never feel safe for long in the face of relentless, genuinely frightening enemies.
For more, check out our full Resident Evil 3 review!
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2
Bringing back a pair of classic games viewed as flawless among longtime fans is no easy feat, but Activision’s execution of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 was nothing short of perfection. Everything that players wanted from the 1999 original and its all-time sequel was brought back and elevated to new heights.
The new details in the maps are incredible, while keeping the throwback to the originals that give fans that nostalgic, fuzzy feeling. The soundtrack, something that was immensely huge with players of the original game, brings you right back to the early 2000s kicking back on a friend’s couch, passing the controller to your buddies while jammin’ out. And the fact they brought back all the original skateboarding legends and added in eight new faces to the roster, just roots more connections players can have with both the old and new skaters.
For more, check out our full Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2 review!
Those are our picks for the best remake/remaster of 2020 – let us know in the comments what’s on your list that didn’t make ours, and be sure to cast your vote for our Game of the Year 2020 People’s Choice Award here! You can also vote for your favorite PC Exclusive, the best PlayStation, Switch, and Xbox console exclusives, and the best movie, TV series, and comics of the year!
There are plenty of other awards beyond just the best remake/remaster! Check out all our platform, genre, and design award nominees – and, of course, our picks for this year’s GotY – below!
IGN’s Game of the Year 2020
Best Games by Platform
Best Games by Genre
Game Development and Craft Awards
Be sure to check out all of our other Game of the Year award nominees as well as our picks for the best movies, TV shows, comics, and anime of 2020!
IGN’s Best of 2020 was designed by:
Lead Design + Art Direction: Justin Vachon
Branding + Art Direction: Angela Nguyen
Branding + Social Design: Julia Rago
Editorial Design: Amanda Flagg
Editorial Design: Eric Sapp
Motion Graphics: Will Batchelor
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