This year is already poised for major new video game releases early on, with the likes of Final Fantasy XVI for the PlayStation 5, and more between. However, several other big and small releases peppering 2023 with promising quality are remakes.
Video game remakes and remasters alike have become more commonplace in recent years, capitalizing on nostalgia and modern technology to give facelifts to beloved classics. System Shock, have players feeling eager as well.
10 Dead Space
Originally developed by EA Redwood Shores, 2008's Dead Space was a milestone game in the survival-horror genre. Following the tense ventures of engineer Isaac Clarke, players had to navigate him through a ravaged spaceship plagued by Necromorphs.
It was a masterclass building tension with its claustrophobic and industrial-horror setting, paired with engaging survival mechanics and cathartic third-person shooting gameplay to tactically aim for body parts to neutralize Necromorphs. That leaves the Dead Space remake with a lot to live up to, but what's been shown is both promising and suitably foreboding thanks to the power of current-gen consoles. The remake launches on Jan. 27 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
9 Resident Evil 4
Popularly regarded by many longtime fans as the best game in the Resident Evil series as well as the horror genre in general, Resident Evil 4 is finally preparing for its inevitable remake. Even with the multiple remastered ports released over the years, Capcom's work on the recent Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 remakes prove that this classic could still justify an alternative reinvention.
Adopting a more horror-centric tone and atmosphere than the original version, Resident Evil 4 is looking to be something that's both faithful to the source material as well as giving it a riveting new interpretation, in addition to modern quality-of-life improvements seen in 2 and 3. Resident Evil 4's remake releases on March 24 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
8 Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Square Enix's flagship JRPG franchise Rebirth will finally get into the meat of the original story.
But only time will tell if there's anything new on the horizon for Zack Fair and Aerith Gainsborough. The trailer released last year confirmed a release of "next winter," which could put it on track for a November/December 2023 release for PS5. However, Square could also be intentionally vague about this window in the event of a possible early 2024 release.
7 Like A Dragon: Ishin!
Publisher Sega and developer Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio's Yakuza series has seen a welcome resurgence westward since Yakuza 0 popularized it, and 2023 should be another good year for the franchise. Of the two games in the series set to release this year is Like a Dragon: Ishin!
This title is a remake of the Japan-exclusive PS3/PS4 game that was released in 2014, and it puts an exciting spin on the series' usual premise. Taking place in mid-to-late 1800s Japan as opposed to the typical modern-day, Ishin! puts the Yakuza familiar faces in a new setting, with a Kiryu lookalike as samurai Sakamoto Ryōma. Like a Dragon: Ishin! launches on Feb. 21 for PS4, PS5, XBO, XSX|S, and PC.
6 Gothic
A cult classic from the early 2000s, German developer Piranha Bytes' Gothic became a memorable action RPG for its time. However, given that the game is now over 20 years old and was a PC exclusive from a time when that platform was more niche for gaming, it's certainly due for a remake. THQ Nordic is in charge of the Gothic remake, aiming to revitalize the inventive dark-fantasy RPG.
It centers around the protagonist's unnamed prisoner who's ordered, among others, to mine for magical ore to fight a losing war against the Orcs. There's no firm release date, but given the gameplay shown so far and placeholder dates listed on retailers like Amazon suggest a late 2023 launch is possible for PS5, XSX|S, and PC.
5 Front Mission 2: Remake
The strategy RPG subgenre has some fantastic games under its umbrella, and even more so in recent years as the subgenre has seen a welcome resurgence. This is partly due to the continued success of Intelligent Systems' Fire Emblem franchise. That makes this new era as good a time as ever to revisit other cult classics, and Front Mission 2 is among those in line for 2023.
Published by then-Square and developed by G-Craft, Front Mission 2 was a mecha-themed sci-fi tactical RPG praised for its mechanical depth. Storm Trident is in charge of Front Mission 2: Remake and fans will hope that it does more than the remake of its predecessor did when it launches later this year for Nintendo Switch.
4 Silent Hill 2
Despite years of Konami abandoning its big-name IPs in favor of pachinko machines, the publisher seems about ready to make a big dive back into gaming. And the first triple-A production of this (hopefully) grand return is a remake of Silent Hill 2. The franchise has been sorely neglected for many years now, and Silent Hill 2 was also widely acclaimed as one of the finest survival-horror titles.
It was the deeply layered psychological horror to Resident Evil's more campy brand of horror, with the Silent Hill being a genuine competitor back in the day. A concrete release isn't confirmed, but potential late 2023 release for PS5 and PC, with a likely XSX|S launch after 12-month exclusivity period.
3 Dragon Quest III: HD-2D Remake
While Final Fantasy is Dragon Quest is responsible for paving the way for much of what modern JRPGs achieve today and given its decades' worth of titles and the climate being ripe for remakes of old classics, it was only a matter of time before the series got the same treatment.
Capitalizing on the success of Octopath Traveler and its nostalgic "HD-2D" art style, the aptly-named Dragon Quest III: HD-2D Remake will take advantage of this gold mine of a trend to reimagine the NES original. For now, there's little known about the game or the platforms on which it will release.
2 System Shock
The System Shock remake has been a long time coming, especially since it had to change hands to developer Nightdive Studios. The original game was quite influential at the time, helping inspire later critically-praised action-adventure/horror titles like the Prey, and indie-horror hit SOMA.
Well-received for its immersive and atmospherically moody sci-fi world, System Shock follows a nameless hacker attempting to thwart a hostile AI. Fans will be eager to finally see if it successfully and tastefully reinvents the cult classic for a modern age when it launches in March for PS4, PS5, XBO, XSX|S, and PC.
1 Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp
Given the current global affairs, Nintendo has been continuously pushing back the collective remakes of Advance Wars and Advance Wars 2. Developed by WayForward, the game(s) were originally set to release early last year, giving a modern facelift to the beloved Game Boy Advance classic strategy games.
The games were lauded for their charming artistic presentation, addicting turn-based combat system, and tremendous replay value. Though it's speculation for the time, because the games have essentially been complete for some time now, a release sometime in 2023 isn't out of the question for Switch.