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00:00Welcome to Mojo Plays, and today we're looking at the best remakes of horror games.
00:10Keep in mind, that means you won't find any remasters here, and we'll be playing
00:15a little fast and loose with the definition of horror.
00:22But before we get into it, we publish new content all week long, so be sure to subscribe
00:28and ring the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
00:32System Shock
00:331994's System Shock is a groundbreaking sci-fi horror game.
00:45It gifted the world an incredible AI villain in Shodan, and influenced multiple franchises
00:50for years to come.
00:52Naturally, remaking something like that was going to be a tall order.
00:56But Dive Studios did a pretty solid job, updating visuals to perfectly match the atmosphere.
01:08Navigating the Citadel Station while Shodan taunted you felt even more tense and lonesome
01:14this time around.
01:15Some felt it stuck too close to the original, and that certain mechanics were outdated.
01:19Which is fair.
01:20Regardless, it's still the definitive way to experience this classic.
01:24With a little bit of patience, players can still enjoy what made the original so iconic.
01:37Project Zero 2 Wii Edition
01:48Within the Fatal Frame series, the second game, Crimson Butterfly, is largely regarded
01:53as the best.
01:54In 2012, Tecmo Koei chose to remake it for the Wii.
01:58While that might give some players pause, the motion controls were actually very well
02:02implemented with the franchise's signature camera obscura mechanic.
02:06It also brought other quality of life improvements, like updated graphics and the more modern
02:11over-the-shoulder camera angle.
02:18Plus, the story, about a girl searching for her twin sister in a haunted town, is timeless
02:26and just as spooky as it has always been.
02:30Although it sadly never released in the US, players in Japan, Australia, and Europe got
02:35to experience a unique take on a horror masterpiece.
02:47Gabriel Knight Sins of the Fathers 20th Anniversary Edition
02:59Although it's not a horror game in the traditional sense, the first game in the Gabriel Knight
03:04series, released in 1993, was the most fearsome point-and-click adventure of its time.
03:10It follows the titular would-be horror novelist as he becomes mixed up in occult murders occurring
03:16in New Orleans.
03:24It was praised for its strong character writing and eerie tone as Gabriel delved deeper into
03:29the mystery.
03:30For its 20th anniversary, designer, writer, and director Jane Jensen worked on a stellar
03:36remake.
03:37Along with improved visuals, fans were treated to remastered music, new vocal performances,
03:42some refreshed story beats, and some new puzzles.
03:46Players looking for an engaging supernatural thriller should definitely check it out.
03:58Black Mesa
04:09We know Half-Life is more of a sci-fi shooter, but then you come across things like headcrabs
04:15and the only thing we feel is pure fear.
04:18Calling Valve's first release a groundbreaker is honestly a disservice to it, as even that
04:23doesn't feel like enough praise.
04:24It's the type of game that, even decades old, doesn't feel like it needs a remake.
04:29Not only did we get a phenomenal one in 2020's Black Mesa, but it was from a third-party
04:35developer, Crowbar Collective, with the approval of Valve itself.
04:48That should tell you how good it is, but if you need more info, the updated enemy AI,
04:54new story elements, improved level design, and supreme graphical overhaul made it a must
05:00play for fans of the original.
05:09Super Castlevania IV
05:20Here's where we stretch the meaning of 4er a bit.
05:24Castlevania has never been particularly scary, unless you count the constant threat of death
05:28from an overwhelming force of enemies, but the gothic horror elements have always been
05:33there.
05:34In 1991, Konami chose to reimagine the original story, about Simon Belmont storming the castle
05:40of Lord Dracula all by his lonesome.
05:49The move to 16-bit from the NES was actually quite the visual leap, and the new control
05:55scheme remains smooth to play to this day.
05:58It's now considered one of the best games in the series, as well as in the Super Nintendo's
06:03library.
06:04Konami also remade the first game an additional time, with 2001's Castlevania Chronicles,
06:10though the fourth game has had a more enduring legacy.
06:21Resident Evil
06:32Capcom is currently in the middle of remaking the Resident Evil series, which we'll get
06:36to later, but the studio first reimagined one of its beloved titles with a 2002 remake
06:42of the original.
06:43The team knocked it out of the park in every category.
06:47It looked incredible, and still does, and the controls were revamped to make things
06:51much smoother.
07:01Not only that, but players were treated to improved puzzles, new areas of the Spencer
07:05Mansion, and a subplot involving a new character, Lisa Trevor, that was cut from the original
07:11release.
07:12Capcom also rewrote the script and hired new voice actors to dial back the cheese factor.
07:18Really, there's no reason to go back to the first version other than nostalgia.
07:30Demon's Souls
07:31Yeah, we're going to stretch the definition of horror once again, but we defy anyone to
07:46play through Demon's Souls without feeling an immense sense of dread and fear throughout.
07:51The 2009 original kicked off FromSoftware's Souls-like genre.
07:56While it's known as a crushingly difficult fantasy action RPG, the setting of Boletaria
08:01is soaked in a chilling atmosphere, and the enemy designs can invoke genuine terror.
08:14Japan Studio and Bluepoint Games developed an incredible remake as a PlayStation 5 launch
08:20title, and it's still one of the best games on the system.
08:23All of the right quality of life changes were made, from the visuals, to the mechanics,
08:28to the controls.
08:30Yet, it never lost the feeling of panic prevalent in the original.
08:41The Last of Us Part I
08:49Was it a necessary remake?
08:51No.
08:52But was it a good one?
08:54Hell yes.
08:55Chances are, if you're into horror, you've already played The Last of Us.
08:59It's an excellent examination of the depths humanity can stoop to during an apocalypse.
09:04And the infected, particularly the one-hit-kill clickers and bloaters, can make your body
09:09tense up instantly.
09:18Naughty Dog remade the game for the PS5 in 2022, once again showing its expertise in
09:24the visuals department.
09:25But fans were also happy to find updated controls more in line with the second game,
09:30and stronger enemy AI, as well as more accessibility options in order to cater to every type of
09:36player.
09:44Dead Space
09:52The treatment of Dead Space will forever break our hearts.
09:55Not just because EA killed the original series and its developer, but because the incredible
10:002023 remake of the first reportedly didn't meet sales expectations.
10:06Motive Studio did everything right.
10:09The visuals brought every ounce of tension and suspense we felt from the first, and then
10:14some.
10:15Modern advancements meant no loading screens in between levels.
10:27There was a higher level of gore, and the protagonist, Isaac, was made more of a character
10:32with voice lines and reworked story elements.
10:36Our second journey through the Ishimura had us on pins and needles the entire time.
10:41And all we want is more.
10:50Resident Evil 4 Capcom is undeniably leading the charge in
11:02modern horror remakes with the Resident Evil series.
11:05However, since the fourth mainline entry is still one of the best in the franchise, its
11:11remake is the one we'll talk about today.
11:132023's Resident Evil 4 somehow surpassed the quality of the original.
11:28It obviously looks remarkable, but there were plenty of other refreshes to make it the definitive
11:34experience.
11:35Ashley in particular is far less problematic, both in her characterization and in her AI.
11:41It also came with a variety of different control schemes for all types of players.
11:46Most importantly, the mechanics were improved for the modern day, and taking Leon through
11:51Gothic Spain has never been better, despite multiple versions of RE4 already existing.
12:07What's a classic horror game you'd like to see remade?
12:10Share your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to Mojo Plays for more great
12:14gaming videos every day.