Jet Set Radio Future
Jet Set Radio Future is the sequel to the Dreamcast’s Jet Set Radio, and unlike its predecessor, the game has never been released on a platform other than the original Xbox. You are part of a gang of rollerbladers called the GG’s, and through the game you will skate around a futuristic Tokyo setting, trying to take over territory from other rival gangs and a corrupt corporation group that are in overall control.
It is similar to the Tony Hawk game franchise in that it revolves around an action sport and isn’t meant to be too serious. Not only would fans of the game like to have a remastered version for the current generation of consoles, a wider set of gamers could be looking for a game like Jet Set Radio after the disappointment of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater HD & Pro Skater 5.
Jade Empire
Jade Empire released originally on the Xbox in 2005, just over six months before the release of the Xbox 360 from Microsoft, and it also came to PC in 2007. The action RPG from BioWare, the last game they released before the start of the much-loved Mass Effect franchise, was beloved then, and would surely be well received again if it was remastered for the current generation of consoles.
The game is set in a fictional setting inspired heavily by ancient China, with the combat heavily based on martial arts. You choose from six characters at the beginning of the game which either specialize in one of the three main stats – body, mind, and spirit – or a balance of the three. Jade Empire has multiple story endings depending on certain choices made throughout the game. While the combat is fun and the possible upgrades along the way make it feel like your character is improving, it’s the unqiue setting and the gripping story that would appeal to current gamers if the game was remastered.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Before working on Jade Empire, BioWare developed and released a Star Wars game called Knights of the Old Republic in 2003 for the original Xbox. The game was among the best on the original Xbox, winning multiple Game of the Year awards in 2003. With the love that fans have for not only this game but the overall Star Wars franchise, it would be a great choice for a remaster.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is an RPG that takes place around 4,000 years before the formation of the Empire, with the current Dark Lord of the Sith called Darth Malak launching an attack on the old Republic and leaving the Jedi in a weak position. You make your own character which will then gain skills throughout the game, while the combat can be tailored to be near to real-time action or with pauses at the end of each timed combat round.
Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee
Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee was the first game in the Oddworld franchise to make the move from 2D to 3D, releasing in North America on the original Xbox in 2001. You start as a frog-like creature called Munch, who is captured by a group that fish his species for commercial purposes. Throughout the game you will be able to possess certain enemies after collecting enough ‘spooceshrubs,’ and early on you will partner with Abe, the protagonist of previous Oddworld games.
Along with Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath, the game is a fan favorite on the original Xbox. An HD remaster was created but only for the PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Vita. There has recently been a revival of 3D platformers lately and Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee would fit right in with the trend.
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time released on multiple consoles in late 2003, including the original Xbox. The game is a third-person action-adventure platformer in which the player takes control of an unnamed prince from Persia in the ninth century. There are a variety of traps that you will have to get past and puzzles to complete along the way through the single-player story.
After release, the game was very well-received on the original Xbox, gaining a 92 average rating on Metacritic. Ubisoft last released a new Prince of Persia game in 2010, with their single-player focus being mainly with franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry. With the power of current consoles, a remastered version of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time would be great to play due to the enhanced visuals that it would have.
Ninja Gaiden Black
Ninja Gaiden Black was originally a remake of the 2004 Ninja Gaiden for the original Xbox, even though there were only 17 months between the release of the two games. Ninja Gaiden is an action-adventure hack and slash title by Team Ninja, who is also known for the Dead or Alive franchise and more recently Nioh.
The game has you play as a ninja named Ryu Hayabusa, who has access to a variety of different weapons through the progression of the single-player story. Ninja Gaiden Black was very well-received and also was regarded as a very challenging game. With the revival of more difficult game experience in the last five years or so with the likes of the Dark Souls series and Nioh, it would be a good time for Ninja Gaiden Black to be remastered for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
Otogi: Myth of Demons
From Software is best known for the Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne, and the Dark Souls franchise, which have all been given positive reviews by critics and by fans due to their interesting settings and very challenging combat. Over six years before they released Demon’s Souls in North America, From Soft developed a game for the original Xbox called Otogi: Myth of Demons.
The game is set in a destroyed Kyoto which has been inundated with demons from a different dimension. The player controls a character named Raikoh Minamoto as they make their way through 29 different stages. Seeing what From Software has been able to achieve recently, it would be great to see what they would be able to do if they remastered one of their old game series.
Project Gotham Racing
Before the rise of the Forza Motorsport series, Project Gotham Racing was the main racing franchise on Microsoft’s consoles. Project Gotham Racing 1 and 2 were released on the original Xbox, and a remastered version that includes parts of both games would be great for the Xbox One due to its fun racing gameplay and the style of tracks that you drive on.
The cars handle less realistically than they would in the Forza Motorsport series, but the game has a similar premise in that you are racing others around a track. You also have to earn Kudos points, which are gained by overtaking your rivals and how you drive. You also drive on tracks based on real-life cities like San Francisco, London, Barcelona, and Moscow.
Arx Fatalis
Arx Fatalis is an action-RPG developed by Arkane Studios, who is more recently known for the Dishonored series, that released on both the PC and the original Xbox. The first-person game is set in underground caverns after the sun died, with the character that you play as waking up in a prison cell. After escaping, you find what your main mission is.
The game was not overly well-received, having an average rating of 71 on Metacritic. It was praised for its atmosphere, puzzle gameplay, and combat, but the graphics and some of the voiceover work let the game down for some critics. The premise of the game and the style of gameplay would fit in well today with the exploration of varying caverns and opportunities for combat within them. Using the extra power of the current generation of consoles to improve the game, Arx Fatalis would be enjoyed by a wider audience.
MechAssault
Titanfall may have been the mech-based multiplayer game of this generation so far, and it was fairly well received by fans and critics, but it didn’t sell well or keep a large player base for long. The original Xbox, however, had its own mech-based game release in late 2002 called MechAssault, which could work very well as a remastered game on the current generation of consoles. The game is purely based on controlling a mech, and has both an enjoyed single player and multiplayer.
MechAssault was an action game set in the BattleTech universe, which was also used for the MechWarrior franchise. You pilot an armored mech machine that is used in combat and for destroying structures. The game has a story mode that involves you trying to take over control of a planet called Helios from a cult group, but it was also one of the first games on the Xbox that had multiplayer capabilities.
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