Highlights
- There has recently been disappointment surrounding the ports of Red Dead Redemption onto the Switch and PS4, as fans were hoping for a remaster or remake instead.
- The Last of Us Part 1 did not receive as much demand for a remake from fans, but the gameplay changes and added immersion in the updated version were still appreciated by players.
- Red Dead Redemption fans were eager for a remake to match the graphical fidelity of its sequel, but a remake or remaster now seems unlikely for the foreseeable future.
Now that the rumors of a Red Dead Redemption revival of some sort have been aired out, the actual product has proven to be much less exciting than the leaks had claimed. Indeed, Red Dead Redemption getting a remaster or remake would have been exceptional and upheld it to the same standards or higher as its sequel, though it is instead receiving ports onto the Switch and PS4. It is disappointing that it is not being exhumed for something equal to The Last of Us Part 1, especially since the reception to both titles mirror each other as stark opposites.
Red Dead Redemption is already available on current-gen Xbox consoles due to backward compatibility with the new PS4 port essentially achieving that same function on PS5, but it can already be presumed that the Switch port won’t be anything wildly impressive in terms of its technical performance. Having Rockstar’s seminal Western epic be more accessible is great, though it is an underwhelming update when fans surely would’ve preferred a dedicated remaster or remake, whereas The Last of Us Part 1 arguably never did.
Nobody Needed a Remake of The Last of Us
The Last of Us Part 1’s premise as a remake was divisive since there wasn’t a ton of demand from fans for a remake of the original. The Last of Us holds up incredibly well in terms of gameplay and while its graphics certainly weren’t up to par with its sequel, fans were quick to dismiss the idea of having to pay more money for the same game they may have already purchased twice before, once on PS3 and once on PS4. There were gameplay changes made that were relatively subtle compared to what a dedicated remake suggests, but it still helped to scratch an itch that PS5 players had and helped make it more immersively coherent with the sequel, even in its title alone with the added ‘Part 1’ to help distinguish it.
The Last of Us Part 1 and The Last of Us Part 2 can now be played back-to-back with full immersion as if they were released in the same console generation, and that’s still wonderful even if most fans never expressed any desire for that opportunity. The real issue was still that it would cost fans again for the same game, but Red Dead Redemption fans don’t seem to share that disdain when it comes to having a remake.
Everyone Wanted a Red Dead Redemption Remake
Red Dead Redemption isn’t in such a poor condition that it’s desperate for a remaster or remake, but seeing how phenomenal its sequel looks on even a base PS4 it would be incredible for both to be packaged with the same graphical fidelity. Many fans believed that a Red Dead Redemption remaster could accompany a current-gen update for Red Dead Redemption 2, and while the latter could still come to fruition it seems as though the original installment will not get the attention that fans believe it deserves. Red Dead Redemption will soon be available on PS4 alongside its sequel, but the distinction between how both play and look will only be made that much more drastic when compared side-by-side on the same console.
Remaking Red Dead Redemption in its entirety to match the standard set by its sequel would obviously be no small challenge and would take quite a lot of development time, though fans probably would have been content with waiting that long if it meant the product they were getting met their hopes and expectations. The Last of Us demonstrated that it is possible to re-render an original game and give it the same hyperrealism as its graphically superior sequel, and it’s unfortunate that Rockstar neglected to do the same.
Red Dead Redemption is available now for PS3 and Xbox 360 with PS4 and Switch versions coming August 17.