After a long sabbatical, Konami returned from the dead in the last quarter of 2022, announcing they were going to commence work on a Silent Hill 2 remake, as well as several new Silent Hill titles to the excitement of fans of its IPs.
What's more, in the early summer of 2023, a remake of the much-loved Metal Gear Solid 3 was announced, though its title has since been changed to Metal Gear Delta: Snake Eater. While many fans are rejoicing at Konami's choice of games, many other titles in Konami's vast library have their dedicated circle of fans that deserve their own remake.
9 Contra
Contra was a popular run-and-gun game released back in the 1980s, bringing a taste of the action-packed 80s movies to home computers, to great critical success and acclaim. Players would suit and boot up as two of Earth Corp marine commandos Bill Rizer and Lance Beam, as they fight against the evil Red Falcon Organization, as well as the alien lifeform that is controlling them.
With an interesting sci-fi storyline, plenty of blood, guts, gore, and fun gunplay, a Contra remake has the potential to be a great success and bring a classic albeit forgotten title to a new generation of fans. Updating the graphics, mechanics, and gameplay for more modern hardware would elevate this classic to greater heights.
8 Silent Hill 3
There is a Silent Hill game that hasn't had much attention in recent years: Silent Hill 3. Following the thread of the original Silent Hill game, players control Cheryl Mason, who is now known as Heather, renamed to hopefully shelter her from the dark secrets of her younger life. After falling asleep during a trip to the mall, Heather encounters a mysterious PI that claims to know her origins, before plunging into a world of twisted rust and flesh, filled with monsters.
Despite being lauded on its original release, Silent Hill 3 has fallen to the rising popularity of Silent Hill 2 but is equally deserving of recognition. Picking up on the excellent plot of the first game, introducing terrifying new monsters, and a tense final fight against the reborn "God." With a remake treatment, players would get to experience the terror and psychological strain of SH3 without the limitations of the dated tech it was originally released for.
7 Suikoden 2
Konami has proven its versatility when it comes to games, being responsible for the horror franchise Silent Hill, creating the stealth series Metal Gear Solid, as well as side-scrolling Metroidvania games Castlevania, which helped coin that term. They also delved into the world of RPGs with their Suikoden title. The game begins with two young people joining the youth brigade of the Highland Army, which the Prince orders the execution of, pretending to be the army of the neighboring city in order to have an excuse for a full-blown invasion. The two men survive the slaughter and make their escape.
With stakes this high just at the start of the game, Suidoken 2 isn't shy about telling a bloody and dangerous fantasy tale. With a remaster purportedly in the works, Konami was in agreement that it deserved some attention, and fans can only hope it lives up to their expectations.
6 Castlevania
Castlevania started a craze, coined a category of games alongside another famed title, and reinvented a classic tale of gothic horror. In this title, Simon Belmont stars as the playable character, a descendant of the famed Belmont clan, a family of expert hunters. Simon must carve a bloody campaign through the infernal creatures that inhabit Dracula's castle before facing off against the vampiric Lord himself.
Released back in 1986, Castlevania's true potential was dampened by the technological limitations of the time. If given a new lease on life, it could introduce a new generation of gamers for the start of the iconic series and may encourage them to play more.
5 Metal Gear Solid
Though not the first game in the MGS timeline, it was the first released in the series, placing players in the combat boots of Solid Snake, pitting them against the FOXHOUND group, which is suspected of terrorism. It is up to Snake to infiltrate the base, free hostages, and stop them from launching their nuclear weapons. Though not the first stealth game, Metal Gear Solid is one of the most popular thanks to its excellent gameplay.
Thanks to the popularity of the Delta: Snake Eater announcement, it's not out of the realm of possibility that Konami will consider more remakes, and the first MGS could be a very promising choice. Given a new lick of paint and updated gameplay mechanics, it could be a success with more modern stealth game fans and would allow existing fans to revisit their favorite title recreated with new software.
4 Sunset Riders
One of Konami's lesser-known titles, Sunset Riders is a side-scrolling run-and-gun game where players control bounty hunters in the Wild West, who hunt down criminals for the promise of monetary rewards. There are a total of four bounty hunters, allowing up to four friends to play together.
Given the popularity of titles such as Red Dead Redemption, Sunset Riders has the potential to become a fantastic and well-liked title if given an updated version with new graphics, gameplay, and even a focus on lore and plot. With enough care, it could rival RDR for its spot on the throne of best Western game.
3 Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night
Symphony of the Night features the return of Dracula's dhampir son Alucard from Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse and is considered by and large the greatest game in the Castlevania series. Players once again take up the mantle of Alucard waking from a deep slumber after Dracula's castle returns following the disappearance of Richter Belmont. Alucard sets off on a quest to reduce the castle to rubble, and end Dracula's reign of terror.
Featuring the side-scrolling action elements the series is well known for, creative monster design, and challenging boss fights, Symphony of the Night also incorporates RPG elements such as HP and MP tracking, consumables to replenish his resources, as well as leveling up to give him an edge against the monsters he finds in the castle. A remake could build further upon these elements as well as the core mechanics of the game, elevating it to new heights, and gathering a new generation of fans.
2 Gradius
One of Konami's arcade shooters of yore, Gradius takes players into outer space, where they pilot a spaceship known as the Vic Viper, and must defend it from the aliens that seek to destroy it. Players can retrofit their ship with more powerful weapons by collecting capsules that feed into their power meter. This system was praised by many critics, as it was considered innovative at the time.
While there is no shortage of sci-fi shooters nowadays, Gradius still has the potential for success if upgraded for modern consoles and computers. Konami could further expand on the ship-building mechanics, allowing further customization for weapons, shields, armor, or even the rooms inside the ship.
1 Silent Hill
With Silent Hill 2 given the remake treatment, and a previous case made for Silent Hill 3, then it makes sense that the first installment of the series is also remade, to bring back the original that started the timeline, and one of gaming's most infamous horror titles. With the graphic fidelity of the modern age, a recreation of the first game stands to terrify a new generation of fans by reintroducing the iconic fog and ash-covered town of Silent Hill, as well as the twisted fleshy creatures that inhabit it.
Players take on the role of Harry Mason, a father searching for his missing daughter in the sleepy titular town. While looking for Cheryl, he happens upon a cult that has taken residence there that is dead-set on resurrecting their deity, and that his daughter is a key ingredient in their ritual.