Five Games That Need to Find Their Way to the PSP Remaster Series

Written by Jason Trent Monday, 23 May 2011 11:00

Sony has just announced its PSP Remaster Series for the PlayStation 3. This is a collection of PSP games being released on Blu-Ray for use on the PlayStation 3 and featuring HD graphics, special features, and even multiplayer. Surprisingly, Sony also promises that game saves created on the PS3 versions of PSP games will be usable on the PSP, and that PSP saves will be usable on the PS3. This is great news for players of the first announced title to get the remaster treatment:  Monster Hunter Portable 3rd HD Ver. as this game is insanely popular in Japan, and fans of the title have undoubtedly invested many hours into the game, and probably wouldn’t be too excited about having to start over. For now, we’ve only been told about this one title, so I figured it’s up to us, the consumers, to let Sony know what games we also want to see make their way to the PlayStation 3.

First, the no-brainers: God of War: Chains of Olympus and God of War: Ghost of Sparta. The God of War series has been nothing short of a smash hit for Sony, and the PSP games live up to their older brethren in both scope and style. Considering that the God of War Collection has already made the leap to the PlayStation 3, I think it’s more than safe to expect these two games to be remastered. God of War is simply meant to be played on the big screen.

Now, for the game belonging to one of the most beloved franchises, and one that probably didn’t get the full audience it deserved: Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII. Sure, this might not be the style of game you’d expect to find bearing the Final Fantasy VII name. It focuses on real time combat rather than turn based, but for those fans who were able to get around that and open their minds to a different sort of experience, Crisis Core offered a complete and entertaining experience that was not only fun, but also offered a great deal of back story on some of our favorite Final Fantasy characters. And hey, this might help us continue to reassure Square Enix that a Final Fantasy VII remake would be an incredibly financially keen decision, right? Well, one can dream.

Another game I’d like to see be a part of the Remaster Series is Silent Hill: Origins. Silent Hill is one of, if not my favorite game series of all time. The games are consistently dark, deep, and disturbing, and Silent Hill: Origins was a perfect addition to the franchise. You have a protagonist with a secret past, a physical manifestation of purgatory, and monsters that would make most people cry. It’s a hit that will only be more frightening on a bigger screen.

Finally, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker deserves an HD remake. Peace Walker was a fantastic game and one that’s on par with the other games in the Metal Gear Solid series. It had the complex (if not a bit convoluted) story you crave, the stealth action that makes you tick, and a huge selection of missions, side missions, and multiplayer content that puts the vast majority of games to shame. It’s easily one of the most complete games I’ve ever played, and one that needs a shot at reaching an audience who wouldn’t have otherwise tried it out.

The PSP Remaster Series is a pretty exciting move by Sony, and I’m curious to see where it takes them. I believe that a concrete lineup of steadily released titles could prove to be a great success for both Sony and its customers. How much would you be willing to pay for a remastered version of a PSP game? I can’t imagine paying more than the original game cost, even if a lot of additional effort is being put into the transformation process. I’m hoping we see these games release at a friendly budget price of $20 - $30. That seems fair to me. What about you? What games would you like to see make the list, and how much would you expect to pay?