



I can't think of any better examples of full-on remakes than these two. Click to expand...

Full-scale remakes of older games are somewhat of a rarity in the industry. Sure, we get remasters fairly regularly now, but that's a much simpler undertaking. On the rare occasion that a publisher or developer decides it might be worth it to dedicate a full staff's resources to treading old ground, the results aren't always favorable (e.g. Metal Gear Solid: Twin Snakes). More importantly, it's rare for a full remake to succeed completely at supplanting the original to where it comes nearly obsolete.REmake (or the remake of Resident Evil that was released on the GameCube in 2002) is largely considered to be one of the best examples of how a game remake/reboot should be done. With the director of the original back at the helm of the remake, the new version was able to capture all of the magic of the original while also adding numerous enhancements that not only modernized it but also made it a more engaging experience altogether.Upon revisiting Odin Sphere Leifthrasir for both the PS4 and Vita recently, it got me thinking about how it should most definitely be help up in just as high a regard as REmake in the realm of remakes. In fact, I'd argue that it's an evengenerous remake of the original game than REmake was to Resident Evil 1.While even Leifthrasir suffers from some of that trademark Vanillaware asset recycling and repetition, the remake is so vastly updated from the original in terms of both content and gameplay that it's kind of ridiculous. Other than the storyline remaining the same, the rest is a borderline new game altogether given the revamped combat, progression, and level traversal. Leifthrasir improves on the original so much that there is almost no reason to ever revisit it, but you can quite easily because...Leifthrasir comes with the original Odin Sphere as well. Packaged in with the remake is a perfectly faithful port of the original with all of its gameplay preserved just as you remember it, only this time around you get to enjoy it in crisp 1080p 60fps. This is what I feel might put OSL over the edge when compared to even the unassailable REmake. Both re-releases improved upon their original games in countless ways, but OSL is both a full remake and a remaster on one disc (or digital download). It's pretty crazy, and I think Vanillaware deserves major props for going the extra mile with what was essentially a cult hit when it released all those years ago on PS2.I'm also just really appreciative of the fact that we get to experience Odin Sphere's sumptuous visuals at a resolution/framerate befitting them: