Originally released for the PlayStation 3, The Last of Us went on to win multiple accolades, with some even going as far as to claim that the game is one of the greatest of all time. Although it’s hard to argue against that, The Last of Us doesn’t exactly need a makeover for the PS5. In fact, the game looks great on Sony’s latest flagship console thanks to backwards compatibility. In addition to this, Sony is better off letting Naughty Dog work on a multiplayer component for its sequel, The Last of Us 2, which, by the way, also achieved critical acclaim and commercial success, especially with the HBO video game adaptation series of The Last of Us already in the works. So, what we’re trying to say here is that Sony shouldn’t be working on a PS5 remake of The Last of Us. With that said, if Sony wants to work on a PS5 remake on a successful game, they don’t necessarily have to look elsewhere. In fact, Sony is sitting on a treasure trove of first-party titles. They could just pick one game at random and remake it for the PlayStation 5. Although doing so won’t guarantee a successful release, it likely won’t receive as much backlash as a TLOU PS5 remake would. Scroll down below to find which Sony first-titles that, we believe, deserve PS5 remakes over The Last of Us.
Knack
You can joke around with Knack all you want, but its sequel, Knack 2, was a genuinely good action game that the entire family could enjoy. After learning from its mistakes with the lackluster gameplay of the original, Japan Studio went to work with the sequel. One of the main highlights was how players could now shrink the titular hero to make it through the game’s numerous terrains and solve puzzles, all the while giving them the ability to grow in size when faced with tough opponents. While the story was never something that would have received accolades, Knack 2 did improve on the writing enough so that both parents and children could enjoy the game with just enough difficulty for even older gamers to find it challenging. Considering that the 2020s seem to be the year of remakes, Sony could circle back to what went wrong with the first Knack game and remake it for the PS5 if not for the new PSVR.
Killzone
We understand that Guerilla Games is busy working on Horizon Forbidden West right now, as it should be. After having spent years working on the Killzone series of titles, Guerilla Games first became known for Killzone. Although the initial title was far from the Halo killer that many went on to use to label the series, it was successful enough with its art direction and intense gameplay to receive three sequels, including the PS4 launch title, Killzone: Shadowfall. Should Sony ever want to get in on the battle royale hype train with one of its more proven franchises, the makers of the PlayStation could do a lot worse than to dig deep and give the first Killzone game, with its highly praised multiplayer component, a makeover for the PS5.
Gravity Rush
For a while, it seemed like Sony had completely forgotten about Gravity Rush. Japan Studio’s action-adventure title for the PlayStation Vita was one of the more standout titles for the failed portable console. However, fast forward to 2015 (2016 for the West), and a remastered version for the PS4 was released by Bluepoint Games. In 2017, a sequel to the original Gravity Rush was released, which improved on every aspect of the original title, and it seemed like a third title was all but certain at that point. For some reason though, talks of Gravity Rush 3 simmered down and we haven’t heard of the game since. Although a sequel would definitely make a lot of sense, especially given how Gravity Rush 2 ended, we wouldn’t blame Sony if it went with the remake route for the PlayStation 5 instead.
WipEout
At this point, we haven’t seen a new WipEout game in, well, years. The last true sequel was WipEout 2048, which was released back in 2012. The next title, WipEout: Omega Collection, was released in 2017 for the PlayStation 4, which was an HD remaster compilation that included WipEout HD and its expansion, WipEout HD Fury, as well as WipEout 2048. After how WipEout: Omega Collection wowed gamers with its 4K HDR support on the PlayStation 4, you’d think that Sony would revive the franchise. Unfortunately, in 2021, there’s no word of Sony working on a new WipEout game yet. It may be included in the numerous new first-party games that Sony has planned for the PS5 in the next few years. Then again, it’s also possible that it isn’t. So, consider this our way of throwing the hat inside the proverbial ring.
Syphon Filter
Before Days Gone, which is currently experiencing tons of success on the PC, Bend Studio made a name for itself with the Syphon Filter series. The PSone-exclusive title was a staple of the PlayStation brand. In fact, its unique combination of stealth action and third-person gunplay saw Bend Studio release seven Syphon Filter games in eight years. Unfortunately, after 2007’s Syphon Filter: Logan’s Shadow for the PlayStation Portable, we haven’t heard much of what Sony has planned for Gabe Logan’s next outing yet. At the moment, two console generations have passed since the last Syphon Filter game. We don’t think that Bend Studio nor Sony should let the third one slip by. If nothing else, longtime fans are curious to see how Lian Xiang would look on the PS5 in a potential remake to help introduce the game to modern audiences.
Ape Escape
Innovative is a term that’s used quite a lot in the video game industry. However, very few titles, if at all, live up to it. Ape Escape is one of them. During a time when the rest of the industry saw Sony’s DualShock controller as more of a gimmick, Ape Escape proved that this wasn’t the case. It was literally one of the first games that grew the application of the DualShock controller. Fast forward to today and it would only be fitting for a new Ape Escape title to show everyone the potential of the DualSense controller.
Extermination
The late 2010s saw a bit of a resurgence when it came to survival horror games. The likes of The Evil Within, Alien: Isolation, and Control, all proved to gamers that there were still ways to explore the genre outside of the usual frights and jumpscares. Since we’ve yet to see Sony’s first-party take on survival horror, why not dig deep into its catalog of forgotten IPs with Extermination? Extermination was first released back in 2001 as basically a showcase for the graphical capabilities of the PlayStation 2. Sure, Extermination didn’t win awards. It didn’t even see a sequel at all. But, still, anyone who remembers it will likely want to see how the game would look and play if it was developed specifically for PS5 as more than just a showcase. Even if Sony did intend for a PS5 remake to be just a showcase, what better way would there be to do it for the new PSVR than an IP that could have potentially rivaled Silent Hill and Resident Evil back in the day?
Folklore
Folklore’s art style has allowed the game to age quite well despite its 2007 release date. However, could you imagine just how much better it would look if it was remade specifically for the PlayStation 5? Back when it was first released, Folklore was highly regarded for its strong and compelling narrative. Unfortunately, audiences and critics alike were split on how it used graphic-novel style still cutscenes to tell its story. Not to mention, the lack of voice work made it harder for players to feel invested in what was going on, which is heavily inspired by Irish mythology. More than 10 years later and games like Immortals Fenyx Rising, as well as Assassin’s Creed’s Valhalla’s newest DLC, Wrath of the Druids, are quickly proving that gamers are interested in other culture’s mythology. Who knows? If Sony finally gives the games the marketing push it deserves, a potential PS5 remake of Folklore could fare a lot better commercially.
Omega Boost
If you thought that all Polyphony Digital could do was make good racing sims, well, you’re wrong. While there’s no denying the talent behind the studio that made the highly successful Gran Turismo series of games, Polyphony Digital has ventured to other genres in the past. In particular, with a little-known shoot ’em up game titled Omega Boost for the original PlayStation. Omega Boost was released in 1999, at a time when its graphics were considered top-notch and when very few games ever ran at 60 frames per second. While it wasn’t a huge commercial success, Omega Boost did sell well enough relative to its lack of marketing. Should Polyphony Digital and Sony ever want to consider venturing back into mecha simulation games, a PS5 remake of Omega Boostwouldn’t be a bad idea now, would it?
Siren
Should Japan Studio and Sony pass on our proposed PS5 remake, another early IP in Siren is another contender. Using the PlayStation 5’s power, one could only imagine how this survival horror stealth game would look like as a next-gen title. Paired with its suspenseful storyline, atmosphere-setting sound work, as well as clever use of jump scares, Sony will have yet another survival horror game
