10 BAD Games That Deserve A Remake

10 Bad Games That Deserve A Remake

Welcome to Mojoplays and just because they were bad games, doesn’t mean they were “bad” games. Today we’ll be looking at bad games that could still be redeemed with a little love and attention and a full on from the ground up remake.

“Blinx: The Time Sweeper” (2002)

Platformers are one of the oldest genres in gaming and likewise can make it difficult to innovate on the familiar formula. Blinx attempted to shake things up by giving players control over time itself, and while the idea was novel - this was a year before the Prince was rewinding the Sands of Time - its execution was sorely lacking. With a bizarre control scheme that seemed to actively work against the player, frustrating level design, and an almost nonexistent narrative to drive things forward, Blinx just didn’t have the same charm and creativity of his counterparts such as Ratchet & Clank. However, that doesn’t mean the cat can’t turn back time and have a second chance. With not only Xbox but the entire industry hurting for family friendly platformers, Blinx could use his wibbly wobbly timey wimey powers to have an adventure worthy of his powers.

“Aliens: Colonial Marines” (2013)

Brilliant in concept, shackled in execution, Aliens: Colonial Marines had a lot going for it. Canonically it was designed to be a direct sequel to James Cameron’s masterpiece Aliens and gave players what they’d always wanted: the chance to battle a xenomorph horde alongside up to four of your comrades. However, nearly everything about the final product was a mess. From misleading footage to downright abhorrent enemy AI, what could have been the definitive Alien experience was somehow worse than frenching a face hugger. The closest gamers have gotten to a promised similar experience is Fireteam Elite, but even this was disappointing compared to what Colonial Marines could have been if given the proper time and resources to fulfill its ambition.

“Fuse” (2013)

Originally named “Overstrike”, Insomniac’s 3rd person shooter had a lot more personality than what we eventually received. Most likely due to EA interference like usual, what we got was a dull, bland 3rd person cover shooter devoid of the prestigious developer’s traditionally fun gameplay. What could have been the start of the “hero” shooter genre and a solid co-op experience felt more like a bargain bin experience than something coming from a developer known for their tight gameplay and inventive weapons. Given the surge of “live service” hero shooters, something new from Insomniac could potentially make a splash in a genre that is dying for innovation. Or preferably the teamwork dynamic and special weapon abilities of Fuse could become the throwback go-to couch co-op shooter experience which gamers are arguably in even more dire need of.

“Advent Rising” (2005)

Sometimes a project’s scope outpaces the technology available at the time, and sadly that was the fate of Advent Rising. Featuring some staggering talents such as Orson Scott Card, the writer of Ender’s Game, as the narrative lead and plans to create a multimedia universe full of sequels, novels, and graphic novels, the potential franchise ran out of steam after the first game. Due to a myriad of bugs, a fussy camera, and bizarre design decisions (who thought a flick targeting system was a good idea?) the Advent Rising series flew too close to the sun and ended up crashing and burning. However, in the modern era of sequels, spin-offs and reboots, something like Advent Rising could have the potential to flourish, and its vividly detailed sci-fi future aesthetic could fill the void left by the long dormant Mass Effect series.

“Too Human” (2008)

Disregarding all the other issues with developer Silicon Knights, Too Human was already facing an uphill battle long before release. Initially planned for the PS1, development moved to the GameCube before finally releasing on the Xbox 360 and despite the massive hype around the title, to say it under-delivered would be an understatement. The idea of a futuristic version of Norse mythology is undeniably an intriguing one and many of the sci-fi elements were extremely well thought out but were bogged down by absolutely ridiculous design decisions. Using a fixed camera and targeting locked to the right analog stick, players mostly guided Baldur down hallways blindly firing at enemies, and should they die be subjected to an overly long and unskippable Valkyrie resurrection scene. However, the game’s brilliant art direction and a story that finally kicked off right at the end has enough potential that a remake with modern quality-of-life improvements could jumpstart a franchise.

“Dark Void” (2010)

After the success of Gears of War, cover shooters were all the rage of the late 2010s and although a few attempted to innovate on the formula, few were able to truly stand out. Utilizing a jetpack, players were able to use cover on sheer surfaces as well as take to the skies to take out hard to reach enemies and take part in surprisingly engaging aerial dogfights. However, the Rocketeer aesthetic was marred by numerous technical bugs and the supernatural alternate retro futuristic history angle revolving around the Bermuda Triangle was underutilized in what could have easily been a standout entry into the genre. With a tighter script and gameplay as well as a more cohesive narrative with greater stakes and even potentially an open world setting to explore with the jet pack, Dark Void could set a new standard for cover based shooters at a time when the genre has become stagnant.

“Legendary” (2008)

The mid-2000s represents one of the most creative and experimental times for developers. Following in the footsteps of similarly cinematic first-person shooter Bioshock, Legendary had players unleashing the powers of Pandora’s Box and using their newfound powers as well a myriad of firearms to battle all manner of legendary mythical beasts in a modern setting. The game was much more linear than its counterparts and was clearly hindered by a barebones narrative and the developer clearly punching above their weight, but the idea of doing battle with mythological creatures of Greek legend in modern day as the city crumbles around them is intriguing enough of a concept that with enough time and bigger budget, it could have the potential to stand alongside the acclaimed Bioshock series. And just like most overly ambitious titles of the time, the game already left itself open for potential sequels.

“Lair” (2007)

What happens when you take a developer like Factor 5, renowned for their Star Wars Rogue Squadron series and shackle them with imprecise and unnecessary motion controls? You cripple all the potential of a major hit for your new game system and subsequently punish the studio for your stupidity by shutting them down. Or at least that’s what Sony did. Do you know how hard it is to make playing as a fire breathing dragon an experience completely devoid of fun? Lair was understandably ambitious for its time with battles taking place both on the ground and in the air and Factor 5 was able to release a patch that made the game a much more stable experience as well as disabling the abhorrent motion controls but by then, most players had already given up on the game.

“Star Fox Zero” (2016)

Nintendo fans had been demanding a new Star Fox game for literal console generations and Nintendo finally answered their requests with Star Fox Zero, unfortunately for the ill-fated Wii U. What could have potentially been a triumphant return for a beloved franchise instead crashed and burned due to Nintendo’s insistence on the mandatory use of the Wii U gamepad. The Wii U was one of Nintendo’s biggest failures and was already on its way to the recycle bin by the time Zero was released, so the gamepad requirement for what could have been another entry into a long dormant flagship series is baffling. However, out of all the entries on our list, this is the earliest to remake. Simply remove the awful gamepad interface and re-release the game and Star Fox Zero could be another classic in the fighter pilot’s storied history and potentially the start of a second renaissance for the series.

“Alpha Protocol” (2010)

Obsidian had a rough go of it for quite a few years before fully hitting their stride. After having their last big projects rushed out the door, KOTOR 2 and Fallout New Vegas, Obsidian’s next attempt to claim their rightful place as an RPG powerhouse, Alpha Protocol, ended up suffering a similar fate. While other developers were focused on medieval or sci-fi settings, Alpha Protocol attempted to make the player-driven RPG a bit more covert and dropped players into a world of espionage and intrigue. However, their ambitions for a new approach to the genre outpaced their abilities at the time and the game was plagued by bugs and its implementation of necessary elements such as gunplay and a cover system were poorly implemented and dragged down the experience. Obsidian is finally receiving the recognition they’ve always deserved, and we’d love them to take another crack at their unique approach to the spy genre.


Which bad game do you think deserves a remake to achieve its full potential? Share your picks in the comments down below.