We live in an era of remakes, and the recently released and phenomenal Final Fantasy VII Remake shows just what a truly next-level remake can look like.
So much more than a remaster, a remake is a reimagining of a title that is able to push the bounds of our expectations, and by doing so, create something else entirely.
Over its long and storied history, Square Enix has released some of the best and most beloved JRPGs in the entire genre. Let’s take a look at some games that would make for unbelievable remakes, and as an extra challenge, only look at games outside of the Final Fantasy franchise.
Vagrant Story
Vagrant Story was considered fairly unique (at least in terms of JRPGs) when it released back in 2000; it featured a dark, adult storyline coupled with a complex battle system, and you spent as much time solving platforming challenges and puzzles as you did slaying beasts.
You play as Ashley Riot, a Riskbreaker, who is falsely accused of murdering Duke Bardorba of Valendia. This is revealed in the prologue, and the bulk of the game explores the events of the week before the duke’s death. It’s a twisting tale, replete with political intrigue and death cults, and the ruined city of Lea Monde where it all takes place is a fascinating, and deadly, setting to explore.
A modern remake could expand the scope of the world of Vagrant Story, and bring this grim tale of loyalty, betrayal, and vengeance to an entirely new generation of JRPG fans.
Parasite Eve
Parasite Eve is a franchise that has fallen by the wayside and is due for a remake, with the last game in the series, The 3rd Birthday, having been released all the way back in 2010. The series is known for its intriguing mix of survival horror mechanics and more familiar JRPG tropes, and its truly bizarre narrative.
Based on a novel of the same name, Parasite Eve is the tale of Aya Brea, a New York City police officer who races against time to stop the titular Eve (who is a genetically perfect being) from destroying the human race by means of spontaneous human combustion… She makes people explode with her mind. It’s great.
It’s a wild premise, but it really works within its own context, and it would give Square Enix a chance to fix some of the issues that held the original back from true success (like the glacial pace at which Aya moves). By leaning even further into the horror aspect that made it stand out it the first place, and smoothing out some of its rougher edges, a Parasite Eve remake could be something truly special.
Xenogears
Xenogears was released to widespread critical acclaim and has gained something of a cult fandom in the years since. Despite a rocky development, and a rushed second disc, Xenogears is praised for its complex narrative that dealt with everything from psychology, religion, love, war, and of course, heavily armed mech suits.
Its gameplay combined the Active Time Battle system that is now the hallmark of the Final Fantasy series with a unique combo-based mechanics, with a strong martial arts theme running throughout. Each character could also pilot a devastating Gear, which are the Gundam-esque mechs that the game is perhaps best remembered for. These sequences made Xenogears feel like it was on an entirely different scale to contemporary titles of the time.
A remake could serve to correct the missteps of the original and tell this epic tale on a level that would do it justice. Reworking the back half of the narrative, in particular, would elevate a game that already had lofty ambitions to new and unprecedented heights.
Super Mario RPG
Super Mario RPG is a delightful game that marries the joyful platforming exploration of Mario with the turn-based encounters one would expect to find in the earlier Final Fantasy games. It’s a really cool mix and one that holds up surprisingly well even now, almost 25 years later.
The game’s greatest strengths are its charm and sense of humor, which is laugh-out-loud funny at times. There is also a timing-based combo element to combat, with the player able to inflict greater damage or avoid an enemies attack entirely if their timing is right, which is a really engaging addition.
A full remake in the style of Super Mario Odyssey would be glorious to see and could bring the Mushroom Kingdom to life like never before. While it would most likely have to remain a Nintendo exclusive, a Super Mario RPG would be a great way to entice JRPG fans to pick up a Switch, if they hadn’t already.
Chrono Trigger
Now that Final Fantasy VII Remake is a reality, the only remake that could shake the world with a reveal that carried equal force is that of the legendary Chrono Trigger, often hailed as the greatest JRPG ever made.
Created by the holy trinity of JRPG icons, Hironobu Sakaguchi (Final Fantasy), Yuji Horii (Dragon Quest), and Akira Toriyama (Dragon Quest and Dragon Ball) joined forces back in 1995 and the end result was a timeless classic that modern game designers have been trying to emulate ever since.
A remake could expand upon the foundations of the original, adding more eras throughout time to explore and more endings for players to unlock. Thinking about a Chrono Trigger remake in the context of Final Fantasy VII Remake is incredibly tantalizing, as I can only imagine what could be achieved by modernizing the Tech system and having it occur in real-time.
Heres hoping that the success of Final Fantasy VII Remake will push Square Enix to be more bullish in regards to remaking their classic titles. They have shown that we are in safe hands and that a remake can be executed with deftness and consideration. The door is open, and we may get to revisit and relive the worlds and adventures that we grew up with, with a new coat of paint and a fresh new spin on classic mechanics, its only a matter of time.
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