Do you remember your prime years of gaming? Where you’d spend hours and hours with various franchises that don’t exist anymore?
Do you ever wonder where they went? As the gaming age progresses, we see more and more series get left by the wayside while having to stomach the 10th iteration of a title that most people are not clamoring for.
10 Best Classic Games On PS Plus
It’s time to relive the classics.
With so many games getting remakes and remasters, it feels like no stone should be left unturned. In that case, why don’t we look at some game series that could use a revival?
12Legend of Dragoon
An Underrated Gem
Legend of Dragoon
Legend of Dragoonmight not hold up incredibly well today, but the whole concept and story of this game is right up there with the greats of the JRPG genre.
The story has one of the great twists in the JRPG genre, and is fascinating throughout, but the real star of the show here was the combat.
The addition system was so unique, requiring you to time your button presses to execute various combos, and the Dragoon transformations and subsequent attacks were some of the best of its time, rivaling contemporaries likeFinal Fantasy.
The world itself inLegend of Dragoonis amazing, with a gritty, muted color palette that occasionally gives way to soaring vistas and wild, fantasy-laden lands that were a sight to see at the time.
In today’s gaming era, the combat system could easily become something akin toFinal Fantasy 7: Rebirth, and really, that’s all you would need to do.
The story is perfect as is, with plenty of twists and turns, ‘OMG’ moments, and boss fights that last the duration of a modern JRPG.
Legend of Dragoonrecently popped up on the Playstation Network with a host of QOL improvements, making the game far more fun to play than its initial iteration.
It was a curious move, possibly testing the waters for a potential remaster or remake, but seeing as the JRPG is back in full swing, perhaps the most underrated JRPG of all time should get a chance to lead the charge with a full-on remake.
11Ninja Gaiden
Ryu, Kratos Made the Jump, So Why Can’t You?
Ninja Gaiden Black
Ninja Gaidenwas a mega hit when it was released in its resurrected form in the mid 2000’s and it went on to release multiple sequels and successful re-releases. The final title of the franchise wasNinja Gaiden 3, and it bombed, as the style of the game had changed, and it just wasn’t connecting with audiences like it used to.
Ninja Gaiden, for the unfamiliar, puts you in the tight black jumpsuit of Ryu Hayabusa, a ninja who gets into all sorts of insane storylines while staining the ground with the blood of thousands of humans and monsters alike. Gameplay was lightning fast, requiring incredible reflexes and constant scanning of your surroundings to survive.
The games more than hold up today as absolute classics of the action game genre, and today, that style of game is essentially gone in the triple A realm. RemakingNinja Gaidenas a slightly more realistic Ninja could be the move.
Much likeGod of War, you could make Ryu an older, more serious character in a world a little bit less insane than the one you navigate in Ninja Gaiden 1-3. Or, we could see a revival of the crazy fast action that defined the games of the mid 2000s. Either one works at this point, and we are clamoring for a return to the gaming bliss that wasNinja Gaiden.
10Jade Empire
The Only Game of Its Kind
Jade Empire
WHERE TO PLAY
After Bioware set the gaming world on fire withStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, they took a leap with their next apparent franchise starter withJade Empire.
An RPG set in China, you play as a martial arts student that has their land attacked, and from there, you’re thrown into an amazing story full of all the unique characters and story beats that classic Bioware was known for.
It was a hit and a really cool and different approach to the RPG genre. There were so many different styles to learn and master, and the combat was all real time, marking the first attempt Bioware made in that regard and the results were fantastic.
You had to time your attacks well, manage stamina, and keep track of your enemies to manage the often very tough fights the game had to offer.
Somehow, this success didn’t lead to a follow-up, and instead, Bioware took to the stars for the iconicMass Effectfranchise, and they can’t be faulted for that.
However, with all the ill will they’ve stirred up lately and seeing as they’re about to releaseDragon Age: Veilguard, why not look backward once more to a game that deserves a sequel?
A modern-dayJade Empirewould be mind-blowing. Imagine something akin toGhost of Tsushima, but set in China, with martial arts replacing samurai, and you have your instant pitch for success.
9Syphon Filter
Remember This Action Hero?
Syphon Filter
Syphon Filterwas an interesting franchise in the late nineties and early 2000s. There was Solid Snake, Sam Fisher and in between the two sat Gabe Logan, the lesser of the trio but still very important in his own right. Syphon Filter was a little bit of stealth, a lot of action and a ton of espionage intrigue that was rooted in reality, more so than, say,Metal Gear Solid.
Gabe Logan was a very fun main character to follow throughout the six games that the franchise lasted. While it was never a world beater, it was a solid enough franchise from game to game, with some of the best games being the PSP titles likeSyphon Filter: Logan’s Shadowstanding out as the best of them.
This type of game doesn’t exist anymore, plain and simple. The action hero is dead and, unfortunately, Gabe Logan’s espionage antics died in the late 2000s alongside other icons of the genre.
There is tons of potential here, however, and the gameplay is ripe for an upgrade into the modern era of gaming. The protagonist is pre-built for success, but the set pieces, the crazy mission scenarios throughout the series and the excellent plot writing are something that could become a big hit today.
It was drowned out a bit by its bigger budget contemporaries back in its heyday, but now, those contemporaries are gone, and there is a hole in the stealth action genre. It could be a great time to bring back one of the more successful franchises when gaming first started to really boom into the mainstream.
The Original Shadows
Tenchu: Stealth Assassins
When theSekiro: Shadows Die Twicetrailer was originally revealed, many thought it was going to be a resurrection ofTenchu. While that wasn’t the case, it’s still in FromSoftware’s control, and this classic stealth ninja game could definitely be an option for the next big title in their repertoire.
Staying in the vein ofSplinter Cell,Tenchuis a stealth game of a different animal. It takes place in ancient Japan, features some of the most brutal kills in the gaming industry at the time, and is wickedly difficult as well.
There were many games in the series, but the best were definitelyTenchu: Stealth AssassinsandTenchu: Birth of the Stealth Assassins. These games had incredible stealth for the time, with serviceable katana-based combat to boot if you failed your stealthy ways.
There was also a custom level creator, giving you full control over creating your own missions, which is a feature that is sorely missing from many games these days.
A modernTenchuwould definitely feel likeSekiro, but minus the fantasy elements, and more of a focus on not being seen. Perhaps something more likeGhost of Tsushima, but on a smaller scale.
With FromSoftware’s mastery behind it, it would be an awesome thing to see.
We Keep Asking For This
Deus Exis one of the most unique gaming franchises out there, and since 2015’sDeus Ex: Mankind Divided, the series has been completely silent.
It’s strange because it was a fantastic game that expanded upon everything built up in the equally greatDeus Ex: Human Revolution, but the problem is that it was rushed, and the end just didn’t feel remotely like an ending.
That’s okay because that’s what a sequel is for, right? Well, apparently not, as we’re approaching ten years without seeing a title come from this franchise, and it’s a complete shame as Adam Jensen is among gaming’s best protagonists andDeus Ex’s gritty, near-future worldis incredible to exploreand delivers a flavor much different than, say,Cyberpunk 2077.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided’s Ending Works, Actually
Adam Jensen’s neverending struggle for justice is a perfect tale for the times.
The gameplay was a unique third/first-person hybrid mixed with cybernetic enhancements to pull off brutal finishing moves. The best part of the games was figuring out how to approach each scenario.
Cyberpunk 2077’ssuccess shows that there is plenty of interest in a world like this. With a story still in motion and a clear conclusion left to tell, few games deserve either a full reboot or a more proper final entry thanDeus Ex: Mankind Divided.
6Chrono Cross/Trigger
Chrono Cross
Square Enix is very busy withremaking Final Fantasy games these days, but it would be smart for them to look backward once again for a series that they left for dead when it was at its apex.Chrono Cross/Trigger are two of the most beloved games in Square Enix’s entire lexicon and are so unique compared to other JRPGs.
The time and world-shifting mechanic is brilliant, and it would be amazing to see it with modern graphics. The art style of those games was so interesting, and it made exploring the world so much fun.
The massive cast of characters introduced was also fun to get to know and experiment with in combat, and it’s easy to see how this would translate well to today’s style of JRPG.
Imagine a semi-real-time or full-on action RPG variant of Chrono games. It could work very well withFinal Fantasy 7: Rebirth’s system, or maybe something like the upcomingClair Obscur: Expedition 33.
The story itself can be mined for endless games, as it revolves around 1000’s of years of lore and intrigue and there is still plenty to be explained if a sequel was the route they wanted to go.
It’s a surprise this series was discarded, but it’s never too late. As Square Enix looks to the past for its games of the future, it shouldn’t ignore its most unique entry.
5Max Payne
Unapologetically Gritty
Max Paynewas one of the star video game characters of the early 2000s and, after its second title, it went dormant until 2012, when it finally made its return in 2012.
It’s a truly iconic series, as it introduced bullet time gameplay inspired by The Matrix movies, which would effectively change gaming forever, much like the movie did with cinema.
The slow-motion diving and shooting were just so cool and unique, and the extremely dark and mature story that supported them created a very weird and unique game that deserved much more than just three games.
The second title did very well, but the franchise then went dormant for a while as Rockstar took the controls from Remedy forMax Payne 3.
Max Payne 3was also an incredible game, but it clearly deviated from some of the more surreal elements that marked the tone of the first two games.
Thereis also the recent passing of James McCaffrey, who played Max Payne in all three games, which admittedly makes a sequel hard to fathom for many die-hard fans.
Still, this series is just too cool to leave behind, and while Rockstar is busy withGTA VI, they could give the rights back to Remedy, who is clearly clamoring for some Max Payne after essentially putting him intoAlan Wake 2in everything but name.
James McCaffrey voiced the FBI agent Alex Casey in that game, who had the face of Sam Lake, the creator of the game and the face of the original Max Payne.
The gameplay fromMax Payne 3holds up incredibly well today, and you could dive into the weirder aspects of the universe by mixing it into the other Remedy-verse games too, making for an interesting medley of a game.
Whether it’s a completely new game, a remake, or some sort of fusion, Max Payne was the coolest video game character of the early 2000s, and the gameplay and tone of those games could translate very well into a new shooter for the modern era.
4Dishonored
Arkane Has An Ace in The Hole
Dishonored
Dishonoredhas somehow been out of the gaming world since 2016 and in the time following that, Arkane has found its once prestigious reputation sink further and further down the totem pole.
With the disaster that was Redfall and the underwhelmingDeathloopthat came before it, all of that goodwill went out the window, sadly leading to the shutdown of Arkane Austin, the studio responsible forDishonored1 and 2.
Despite this,there have been multiple rumorsthatDishonored 3is real and possibly making a surprise release in the next few months. We’ll have to see that to believe it, but in the meantime, let’s discuss what makes it such a great series.
First, the level design in Dishonored is nearly unparalleled. The layers upon layers from ground to ceiling of these missions is just an amazing thing to behold and the freedom with which to explore makes it all the better.
The stealth gameplay mixed with fast-paced and brutal combat is as good as any game today, and seeing that unique art style upgraded into modern graphics would be a sight to see.
The closest thing we have toDishonored 3right now is a VR game,Vampire: The Masquerade- Justice, which comes close to nailing that feeling the original games managed to create.
3Xenogears
Parts Incomplete
Xenogearsis a game near and dear to my heart and was the cementing piece that got me into JRPGs in the first place. The soundtrack, the characters, the story,it was hypnotic in a way that hasn’t been seen in that way since.
The game was initially part 5 of a 6-episode series, and we were supposed to see the next and previous entries in it at some point, but the main developers left Square Enix to become Monolith Soft and proceeded to essentially remake the series withXenosagaand then theXenobladeseries.
All of those games are great in their own right, but they aren’tXenogears. They still have yet to recapture that mature tone, the realism of the characters (The anime tropes are getting old) and the shock and awe of the unfolding events.
There is also the factor of the Gears to consider. That type of mech combat has been vaguely mimicked since but never really nailed, withXenoblade Chronicles Xgetting the closest.
It’s highly unlikely that Monolith Soft fully revives this series at this point, asXenobladeis wildly successful in its own right, but it needs to find a way to. It’s one of the most singular RPGs of all time, and it never received the budget it deserved. We never saw the ending that was planned.
Monolith Soft has the talent and love for this series to make this happen, they just have to go back to their roots and see if they can snatch the rights away from Square Enix, who merely hold onto them as a grudge at this point.
