Nominees for Destructoid’s Best Remaster/Remake of 2021

I should just ‘remaster’ last year’s text

Well, it clearly isn’t a fad. As Destructoid’s annual nominees have frequently shown, the Remake/Remaster trend is most certainly A Thing. Revitalized editions of the classic games of yesterday have become such a central — not to mention lucrative — venture in modern gaming that it has, essentially, become its own genre. It’s understandable that this raises eyebrows among much of the community; offering games less than 15 years old a fresh coat of paint and a fresher $60 price tag is hardly the right side of innovation, after all. And, when you look at the sales figures… The people want it.

However, as last year’s Game of the Year awards demonstrated, it can be done the correct way. Square Enix’s Final Fantasy VII Remake, Capcom’s Resident Evil 2, and Bluepoint Games’ Demon Souls show how a retread can be done exceptionally well, offering up-to-date excitement for new fans while giving franchise veterans a fresh perspective on some of their all-time favorites. There is a time and place in gaming for remasters and remakes and, when handled correctly, they can offer the same thrills and spills as both their respective predecessors and even their entirely original contemporaries.

Here are the nominees for Destructoid’s Best Remaster/Remake of 2021:

• Diablo II: Resurrected
• The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD
• Mass Effect Legendary Edition
• NieR Replicant
• Pokemon Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl
• Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne HD Remaster
• Sonic Colors: Ultimate