The recent release of developer Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Part 1 remake has proven to be something of a talking point among gamers. While the visual enhancements and other subtle improvements to the game are clear to see, slapping a $70 price tag on the third release of the same game in less than a decade was always going to raise a few eyebrows. Regardless of the price though, it can't be disputed that Naughty Dog has created the definitive way to play its beloved game, and it should now look to do something similar with some of its equally brilliant back catalog.
Naughty Dog is no stranger to creating incredibly popular franchises. Long before The Last of Us was released, the developer was reeling off a string of hit games from Crash Bandicoot to Jak and Daxter and Uncharted. All of these games have already received the remaster treatment at various points over the years, and in particular the brilliant Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy. The latter two franchises, though, would surely benefit from full remakes, and Naughty Dog is in a strong position to tackle such projects.
Jak And Daxter
Released in December 2001, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy was one of the PS2's flagship titles. Taking inspiration from the buddy-duo platforming success of Banjo- Kazooie on the Nintendo 64, the game was a blend of bright, colorful visuals, action-packed platforming, and fun characters. It was a roaring success and spawned two main sequels, released in 2003 and 2004 respectively, as well as other spinoffs. Despite its sequels dramatically changing tone when compared to the first outing, the Jak and Daxter series is still highly revered today, and is thought to perfectly epitomize platforming games from the early 2000s era.
Despite the duo seemingly disappearing from the spotlight at the end of the decade, their impact on gaming was evident, with the likes of Ratchet and Clank following in their footsteps. Their trilogy was re-released first for PS3 in 2012 as the Jak and Daxter Collection, dubbed as a remastered port of the original trilogy featuring HD visuals, an improved frame rate, and trophy support. Then they returned again for PS4 in 2017 as the Jak and Daxter Bundle, which was largely the same as the previous collection. These re-releases were only slightly different from the original outings, and are far removed from the sort of remakes that the games deserve. The success of the Crash Bandicoot remasters from developer Vicarious Visions gave gamers a glimpse of what a true remake of the Jak and Daxter Trilogy should look and feel like, and it's a mouth-watering prospect for long-time fans of the duo.
Uncharted
When Uncharted was released back in 2007, at first glance gamers would be forgiven for thinking it was just a Tomb Raider knock-off. However, the game garnered strong reviews at launch and was a hit with fans, eventually spawning numerous sequels. It was in the release of these sequels that Naughty Dog probably realized what a special IP it had on its hands.
Globe-trotting treasure hunter Nathan Drake's adventures grew more adrenaline-fueled with each game, and however over-the-top the set pieces became, the grounded, relatable characters at the center of the story were the glue that held it all together. The game franchise has gone on to become one of PlayStation's most successful IP's, culminating in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End in 2016, a game widely regarded as one of the best titles on the PS4.
Age has not been particularly kind to Nathan Drake's early days though, and the first three Uncharted games could really use remakes. Indeed, playing the games in chronological order makes the jump in visual quality painfully apparent between Uncharted 3, a late PS3 title, and Uncharted 4. The character models are startlingly different, to the point where Drake himself almost looks like a different person. It can be relatively jarring and incohesive when trying to play the games back to back as one long story arc.
Even worse than this though is the startling drop in the quality of the gameplay when returning to Drake's first outing. Playing Uncharted: Drake's Fortune in 2022 exposes its shortcomings. The shooting mechanics are basic at best, and some game sections are awkward and clunky to play through. The first Uncharted game would probably benefit more from a remake than the other two due to these issues, but the visual upgrades alone make it worthwhile for all three. With these two powerhouse franchises in its arsenal, Naughty Dog has plenty of options in terms of what to do next, and fans would certainly appreciate either Jak and Daxter or Uncharted being remade.