10 JRPGs That Deserve Remakes
“Rogue Galaxy” (2007)
Some would argue that “Rogue Galaxy” does not need a remake whatsoever as it wound up being one of the first games to get ported to PlayStation 4, coming in with a slew of upgrades like 1080p resolution and trophy support. We beg to differ since it kind of reminded us about the blemishes back in 2007. What made “Rogue Galaxy” so lovable was not just the visuals and character designs, but the combat, side quests, and minigames as well. A remake could very well strengthen the AI in party members and iron out character development in the story on top of the main story itself. (A little too tropey for our tastes, but to each their own.)
“Wild Arms” series (1996-2018)
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If you haven’t played “Wild Arms”, you NEED to play “Wild Arms”! Whereas most JRPGs get caught up in their own fantasies or choose to make their ideas a bit more grounded or over-the-top, “Wild Arms” boasts focus and control. In addition to locations inspired by the Wild West (or American Frontier, if you prefer), the franchise excelled in its storytelling, character development, combat systems, music, and level design. Basically, it was Sony’s own “Final Fantasy”, and it has been neglected for far too long. The last game to come out was a 2018 Japan-exclusive mobile game, and the only games commercially available at the time of this video are the original “Wild Arms” (recently brought to PS4 and PS5) and “Wild Arms 3” (a PS2 game ported to PS4). Needless to say, this series deserves the “Final Fantasy VII Remake” treatment.
“Golden Sun” series (2001-10)
Speaking of beloved JRPGs that have been left by the wayside, “Golden Sun” is one of Nintendo’s many abandoned children that never seems to get the shine it deserves. Though primarily a series dedicated to handheld consoles (particularly the GBA and DS), “Golden Sun” thrusted players into a unique world centered around alchemy while introducing complex characters and stories. (Though, not as overly complex as certain other JRPGs tend to be.) Sadly, the franchise only saw three games, and it’s been laying in Nintendo’s cemetery since 2010. The success of the Switch could easily introduce the franchise to a wealth of new players if resurrected correctly. Worst case, get Masahiro Sakurai to make it. Dude put Isaac in three “Smash” games as an Assist trophy. He must love it, right?
“Shadow Hearts” series (1999-2005)
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Another series with potential but few games, “Shadow Hearts” served as another breath of fresh air as we got away from stories about the light and the dark and whatnot. “Shadow Hearts” had more of a dark fantasy focus, bringing us to all kinds of locations inspired by gothic horror and architecture. Combat took different forms a couple of times with the first game having elements of tactics games while later games would scale back to pure turn-based combat and put an emphasis on fusing and gaining control of monsters. It was a franchise with some creative concepts, imaginative environments, and fantastic characters. With the last game releasing in 2005 and selling horribly, we’re afraid that this IP might never rise again due to publishers' tendency to steer clear of new things.
“Skies of Arcadia” (2000)
On our list of 10 SEGA Games That Deserve a Remake, a handful of you folks were asking how we could have possibly forgotten about “Skies of Arcadia”. We’re with you! We’d love to see “Skies of Arcadia” make a comeback. Who wouldn’t want to set sail on an adventure of sky pirates and massive airship warfare? It’s a theme not explored in the gaming space and could really stand out in today’s sea of angsty apocalyptic open world games. The characters have some charm and personality to them, the music invokes that want for adventure, and modern technology could help improve animations and flesh out the world. In other words, SEGA, “Skies of Arcadia” make an excellent leap into the new consoles for you.
“Xenosaga” series (2002-06)
And we haven’t forgotten about you, Bandai Namco!! Yes, we see you over there with your money pool of “Dark Souls” and “Tales” and vampire waifu games. You have another JRPG that could really take advantage of us nostalgia-obsessed millennials. Behold the might and magic of “Xenosaga”. Yes, seventy percent of the games are pre-rendered cutscenes, but isn’t that what most outlets who don’t play video games want? Imagine what a remake could accomplish. Good-bye, pre-rendered cutscenes and hello, in-engine cutscenes! The biggest problem “Xenosaga” faced, though, was how it managed to find its footing just as it was ending. Though creator Tetsuya Takahashi has admitted how every game failed to meet sales expectations, “Xenosaga” is still worth giving another chance (again, given the massive successes of JRPGs today).
“Panzer Dragoon Saga” (1998)
Now, SEGA, let’s have another chat. That “Panzer Dragoon” remake may not have been the best idea, but we’re not quite sure how many folks were really wanting that. Have you considered “Saga” instead? Sure, it’s no on-rails shooter, but this is the one game in the franchise that is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made. The story is compelling and thrilling from beginning to end, the combat and menus are well-designed and make everything easy to read for the player, and the sound design put so many other JRPGs at that time to shame. So…why not pivot?
“Mother”series (1989-2006)
When it comes to JRPGs, Nintendo sure does have a habit of actively hiding and avoiding anything that isn’t Link or a cast where everyone has different colored hair. (No disrespect to “Zelda” or “Fire Emblem”, but let’s be real.) Fans have spent decades asking for more from the “Mother” games. Granted, we did get the first two games ported through Switch Online. However, the last time we got a new “Mother” game was basically “Earthbound”. “Mother 3” doesn’t seem like it will ever get a Western release, so we may as well ask for a remake of the first game. Heck, we’re even willing to accept a remake of “Mother 3” if we’re never getting the original.
“Revelations: Persona” (1996), “Persona 2: Innocent Sin” (1999), & “Persona 2: Eternal Punishment” (2000)
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Given how the “Persona” games have transformed leading up to the fifth core game, we’ve gotten to a point where these three are looking a bit more bizarre. In terms of visuals and gameplay, the original “Persona” and “Persona 2” games look a bit out of place when lined up with “3”, “4”, and “5”. We aren’t saying that Atlus should go back and jazz it up with some flashy theme to them, but given how dusty they’ve become, they might be worth revisiting to touch up the artstyle and mechanics a bit. And yes, we know the fans are asking for “Persona 3” to be remade more, but P3 is perfect the way it is. Don’t at us!
“Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars” (1996)
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Honestly, of all the games we’ve presented, this would be the one we would choose for a remake in every single timeline. Some might throw the “it’s perfect the way it is” argument back at us. Fair assessment. The combat is on fleek and was heavily reused in future games like “Paper Mario” and the “Mario & Luigi” series. The story is impeccable with its settings, writing, and humor. Original characters, albeit odd, still feel as though they belong in Mario’s world. Oh, and the amount of love and references to Mario and Nintendo is oozing. “Super Mario RPG” is one of those very few games that deserves every ounce of praise it has received, and it needs to be brought forward to Switch. If not a port, then a remake is urgently needed.
