Gaming in the 2000s is a fond memory for a lot of enthusiasts. The 2000s was a time when gameplay and graphical innovations were considered to be groundbreaking for the industry, and some of the best games of all time were from the 2000s.Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater,Grand Theft Auto,Halo,and so many more—heck,even the wrestling genre, a genre struggling to get bythese days, was at its peak during the 2000s.
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This era holds a lot of amazing titles that would eventually be forgotten because of today’s more saturated and varied market. Also, modern-day graphics put to shame anything from the 2000s that were considered “realistic.” Remaking games from the 2000s with today’s graphics and gameplay would create unique wonders that can compete with today’s standards—takeMafia,for example. With that said, here are 10 games from the 2000s that deserve a remake.
Updated April 18th, 2022 by Russ Boswell: The 2000s saw the release of some pretty incredible games. The 90s had really ramped up the video game sector of the entertainment industry and new studios were popping up all over to take a crack at creating their own titles. Some of the games released during this time would grow into full-blown franchises and there are some cult classics that are still looked at fondly by players in the modern age. To better showcase theforgotten games of the 2000sand shine a light on some of the other titles that deserve to be remade using today’s technologies, the following list has been updated and now includes even more entries.
13Metroid Prime
The original Metroid Prime was released for the Nintendo Gamecube all the way back in 2002. It’s been 20 years since its release, which served as an iconic twist in the traditional Metroid formula. Prior to the rather jarring shift, the series that followed the adventures of bounty hunter Samus Aran was firmly rooted as a side-scrolling platformer.Metroid Prime breathed new life into the franchise and gave players a unique First-Person shooter with puzzle elements and Metroid-style navigation that many fans instantly fell in love with.
That said, the release was a bit janky by modern standards. It definitely suffered from the limitations of its time, with gameplay that feels pretty awkward compared to the polished FPS titles of today. Thankfully, for dedicated fans, it does seem like aMetroid Prime remake might be on the horizon, and hopefully, players will get their hands on it soon.
12Max Payne
The early 2000s saw the release of Max Payne, a joint effort from Remedy Entertainment and Rockstar, which would quickly develop a cult following thanks to its insanely fun gameplay and engrossing main character. The gritty world of Max Payne has been revisited over the years with additional games in the franchise but there was something supremely special about the original release. The narrative, the visuals, all of it was exceptional, but it was, unfortunately, held back by the limitations of the early 2000s. The original Max Payne is a bit “ugly” and rough around the edges, with blocky characters and drab environments.
A Max Payne remake in the new age could revitalize the series by taking it back to its root, refining the gameplay, and most importantly, allowing artists to craft a macabre detective noir that truly fits with the iconic Max Pain aesthetic.
11Silent Hill 2
When fans think of Survival Horror titles, they likely reminisce on the Resident Evil franchise. After all, it’s perhaps one of the most well-known and appreciated Survival Horror games to ever hit the market. Silent Hill was making the rounds during the same time period, but it definitely took a different approach to the formula. While the base game felt pretty similar in style to the original Resident Evil, in terms of controls and camera angles, the similarities stopped there. Silent Hill was a much more unsettling experience, forgoing zombies in favor of actual monsters, with a fog-covered town and some truly creepy locations.
Silent Hill 2 is regarded by many as the premier Silent Hill experience, featuring a fantastic story, fun gameplay, difficult puzzles, and some downright freaky moments. It looked rather drab in the early 2000s and artists could surely up the scare factor in the modern age thanks to advancements in video game design.
10Vagrant Story
Vagrant Storyis a JRPG game developed in 2001. Game Director Yasumi Matsuno, who also worked on theFinal Fantasyseries, sought to innovate with an RPG game in 2000 and came out withVagrant Story.He analogizedFinal Fantasyto a Hollywood blockbuster movie andVagrant Storyto an indie film, which was definitely a fair comparison.
The game had amazing graphics for its time, along with a beautiful story full of majestic beasts to slay. Remaking the game with today’s graphics and combat systems would give it an exhilarating and dynamic experience that could rival the modern-dayFinal Fantasygames.
9Freedom Force
Freedom Forceis asuperhero RPG game that lets players create and customize their own heroand give them different abilities as they please. Developed in 2002, the game has the potential to stand out in today’s industry where RPG games are either high-fantasy or futuristic—the recent Marvel game notwithstanding.
A superhero RPG is a promising concept that would sit well with gamers and superhero enthusiasts alike, given that Marvel has successfully made everyone and their mom a fan of superheroes. Modern-day standards makeFreedom Forcelook like a bland high-school animation, but, remade with today’s graphics and gameplay,Freedom Forcewould be a massive success.
8Jet Set Radio
Published in 2000,Jet Set Radiocenters around hip-hop music, skating, and graffiti.Players skate around the city, performing flips and tricks to the beat of the music. IfTony Hawk’s Pro SkaterandGuitar Herohad a baby, it would be this. Custom art can also be tagged on various walls and areas for limitless self-expression.
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The game also has a wicked art style reminiscent of the Avante-Garde stylings of The Gorillaz.A remake ofJet Set Radiowould be a welcome addition to today’s gaming industry with its groovy soundtrack and sandbox skate areas. The combination of the two gives players a funky street vibe, immersing them into true skate culture.
Conker’s Bad Fur Dayisn’t the kid-friendlyMario-like platformer it seems to be. Though featuring bright, adorable animals, the game is intended for mature audiences with its extremely suggestive themes. Mario has Bowser, Conker has sentient fecal matter known as The Great Mighty Poo—see what we mean?
This game would definitely thrive in 2020, a year in which irreverence is more in-style than ever. With today’s graphics, the game would definitely be more disturbing. Those levels would look less like chocolate syrup and more like what they intend to be. A remadeConker’s Bad Fur Daymay even putCrash Bandicootto shame.And, no, we’re not counting the disappointment that was the Xbox 360 remake.
6Battle Realms
Battle Realmsis a high-fantasy RTS published in 2001. It features four different clans, each with their own lore, unique units, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Unlike most RTS games, the harvest/gathering unit inBattle Realms,the peasant, is trained to become battle units rather than having battle units spawn at the cost of resources. With a small population limit, players are encouraged to outthink their opponent rather than brute-forcing them with huge armies.
Each unit inBattle Realmsis unique with their own battle gear, special abilities that can turn the tides of battle. The game also has story-driven campaigns good for hours of adventure. This 2000s game has been updated and added to the Steam store in 2019. With only three of four clans having a dedicated story, along with expressionless character models,Battle Realmsreally needs a remake.
5Sacrifice
Sacrificeis anRTSgame published in 2000. The game focuses more on strategic combat than resource gathering. There are only two resources in the game, and one of them is souls. Souls can be secured by killing enemy units, making battles more streamlined with harvesting. This system allows players to focus more on war tactics and strategies than worrying about resource shortage.
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Players can choose from five gods to side with, each of them granting the player different spells, abilities, and minion types. The combat-focused gameplay ofSacrificewill be a welcome addition to have in today’s RTS market.
4Perfect Dark
Perfect Darkis an FPS gamereleased for the Nintendo 64 in 2000. Humans and aliens are at war with each other in the year 2024—hey, it could still happen—and the two biggest institutes on earth have each formed an alliance with two warring alien races, creating a galactic conflict for supremacy. Players control protagonist Joanna Dark, deep in the middle of the conflict. With earth’s best interest at heart, Joanna does everything she can to stop the world from falling into darkness.
Perfect Darklets players play through the story via co-op, or competitively, the latter being a mode wherein an opposing player stops the player-controlled Joanna from accomplishing her objective. With today’s graphics making aliens and humanoids look more bizarre and gruesome,Perfect Darkcould use the upgrade.
