PS4 and Xbox One HD remasters have become a popular commodity in the games industry since this current hardware cycle began. After all, it’s a relatively easy way for companies to make a quick buck by adding a bit of HD spit and polish to an existing release, and perhaps throwing in a couple of extra goodies at an affordable price point. It also serves as a handy way to plug up the gaps in the gaming release calendar, particularly in those dry summer months. More importantly, it allows us to play some of our favorite PS3 games on our shiny new console without having to dust off our ageing, seven-year-old black behemoth.
Capcom has never been one to shy away from re-releasing its extensive back catalog, and has done so on past machines way before PS4 came knocking. Unsurprisingly, it’s recently revealed its intention to continue pumping out HD remasters, a trend that started on PS4 with Resident Evil and DmC: Devil May Cry earlier this year and continues with Devil May Cry 4: Special Edition in June.
The Japanese giant has a ton of great games that we’d willingly part with our cash for, so here’s four essential Capcom HD remasters we’d love to see.
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RESIDENT EVIL ZERO
Resident Evil Zero is pretty much a certainty at this point. Aside from the fact it hasn’t been released on any other format other than GameCube (and Wii, if you count the port from a few years ago), Capcom brought us Resident Evil Remake earlier this year in glorious HD, so it would make sense to bring the former Nintendo-exclusive to a Sony console at long last. After all, it’s been out since 2002. More than anything, we’ve seen evidence that Resi Zero is getting a modern facelift, after a shot of the game appeared on a PS4 XMB back in December. For those not in the know, Zero takes place 24 hours prior to the infamous Mansion Incident, and stars Rebecca Chambers of the S.T.A.R.S. Bravo and Billy Coen, a former marine convicted of murdering 23 people. The game was fairly innovative for the series at the time, eschewing the item boxes in favor of the ability to drop items in real time to juggle them between characters. It also featured Rebecca and Billy partnering up, although there wasn’t a proper co-op system in place. We doubt Capcom would go to the trouble of making this work, but wouldn’t it be great if they did? Either way, Zero looks like the best candidate for the next HD paint job.
ONIMUSHA HD COLLECTION
Capcom’s samurai-based hack-’n-slash series remains one of the most beloved PS2-era offerings among hardcore gamers, and many folk are still crying out for a proper revival. While that hasn’t happened yet, wouldn’t it be ideal to test the waters by remastering Onimusha 1-3 in HD for current-generation consoles? Not only would it give fans a chance to replay them with a lush graphical makeover, but also provide newcomers a chance to see what all the fuss was about. The games themselves are worth the asking price, packing in visceral, action-packed combat, gorgeous pre-rendered backdrops and solid storytelling, while moving away from the traditional contemporary setting associated with most of Capcom’s blockbusters in favor of a feudal Japan backdrop populated by demonic swordsman. What’s not to love?
DRAGON’S DOGMA
The PS3-era was packed full of underrated gems, and Capcom’s fantasy-RPG, Dragon’s Dogma, sums this up perfectly. The game’s development team consisted of a fine pedigree of workers who had been involved with the likes of Resident Evil and Devil May Cry, and it’s easy to see the results too, with gorgeous art direction, satisfying combat and some of the best boss battles seen in an RPG to date. Dragon’s Dogma also caters to the hardcore gamer, and while not quite as brutal as the likes of Dark Souls, is definitely not something you can just go into and hammer at the buttons and expect to come out on top. There’s a fine layer of strategy involved in Dragon’s Dogma, and it’s all the most satisfying for it. Sadly, the game didn’t attract as wide an audience as it should have, and a PS4 re-release—coupled with the expansion Dark Arisen—would be the ideal opportunity for gamers to rediscover this forgotten fantasy classic.
KILLER7
Forming part of the ill-fated ‘Capcom Five’ for Nintendo GameCube, Killer7 is among the most unique shooters of the past decade, and is seen as the spiritual precursor to the likes of Killer is Dead. Featuring a twisted, intricate narrative packed full of eclectic characters, Killer7 is also known for its striking, arthouse visuals, which have aged surprisingly well and would undoubtedly benefit from a bit of 1080p spit and polish. Aside from that, the game is just bloody fun to play (no pun intended), and would prove a great reminder of what creator Suda51 got up to in the days before Lollipop Chainsaw and Shadows of the Damned. Much like Dragon’s Dogma, it’s also a title that didn’t really get the attention it deserved upon its initial release, so for a cut price and HD polish, it’d be a great candidate for a re-release on PS4.
What Capcom games would you like to see given a HD facelift for PS4? Give us a shout in the comments section below!