Just read some early impressions about the Pixel Remaster, and it appears to be another version that's too easy. Apparently:
* The old spell slot system is used (though I haven't seen a screenshot, and I don't know how the amount of MP per spell level compares to the original)
* The bonus dungeons from the GBA/PSP versions are missing
* Aside from those two factors, the game plays like the GBA version, meaning that you level up too fast, things are too easy, and you can buy items like Hi-Potions and Ethers.

(Of course, because it's only been released on DRM-encumbered platforms, I don't have access to this version, but it is still worth noting that this version still has issues, and in particular is still too easy even without the change to MP.)

Edit: According to a twitter post:
* Ether restores 1 MP per spell level
* Enemies no longer cycle through their spells, but instead choose them randomly when casting them. This means that rarely seen enemy spells might appear more frequently, and it means the final boss can heal anytime it wants (instead of having to cast 3 other spells first).

Some excellent posts. Only positive remaster thing I can think of right now is Super Mario All Stars for the SNES. It contains 3 NES Super Mario Brothers games upgraded with SNES graphics plus Super Mario The Lost Levels which was never released in the US.
-Breaks out in a cold sweat.- Those things really killed its replayability, imo. Life's too short.

There's also Dragon Quest 3 on the Super Famicom, which I consider to be the best version to play in Japanese. (If you want to play the game in English, I recommend the Game Boy Color version, which is a port of the SFC version, and where the English version fixed bugs; just reset if a stat decreases when playing Pachisi. Note that the SFC version's fan translation unfortunately has a nasty bug that I ran into post-game that happens if you create too many characters.)

Also, the PSX version of Final Fantasy 1 is quite good, as are the GBA/PSP versions of Final Fantasy 2. (Don't know about those pixel remasters, aside from the fact that the only versions available are on DRM-encumbered stores, but from what I hear the FF1 pixel remaster is not something I could recommend even if it were DRM-free because it's too easy just like the GBA/PSP versions.)


With FFX, I think it's better to do challenge runs instead of trying to clear the postgame. For example, there's the basic No Sphere Grid challenge; beat the main game without using the sphere grid. Or, if you want to do some postgame, try beating the monster arean without celestial weapons. (Notice how this challenge sidesteps the part of the game you don't like.)

Unfortunately, this still doesn't solve the issue of cutscenes, but it does at least avoid the issues with both the postgame and the celestial weapon minigames.

I can think of a few. Samus Returns, Trials of Mana, FF7R, Adventures of Mana.

Of course one could argue those are less remakes and more retakes.

Also interested too. Surely I thought re-ports, remaster, and remakes would've been all the labels we needed.

Another egregious example is Neptunia re★Verse (PS5). It's a remake of a remake. It's effectively identical to the 1st remake except it comes with all the DLC bundled and a new fishing minigame.

So while the 2nd remake didn't change much, it completely fails to address the issues the 1st remake had: too much grinding or not rebalancing boss stats, no new dungeon music, monotonous dungeon design, no towns to explore, and VN interface instead of character model cutscenes. It's the laziest remake I've ever seen.

Well, in essence: They take the basic plot, character ideas, and threads and then make a new game around them; even going as to make changes in defiance of the originals, beyond simple expansion.

This is a remake. What makes this different from a "retake"?

You fail to explain what you mean by "remake".

You also fail to explain what you mean by "retool".

In other words, you give an explanation for something, but you fail to mention what that something is.

So, could you explain what you mean by each of these terms, and mention *which* term you're explaining while doing so?

Edit: Also, what's a "remaster" and how is it different from a "remake" or "retool"?

I'm not entirely sure how one could look at Final Fantasy 7 and Final Fantasy 7R and call them the same game. They're not the same genre, and look, Scott the Woz made a video detailing it.

I've snipped your post, but only because I pretty much agree with everything that you've said in here.

The only thing that I would further highlight is the censorship that comes in many remasters or remakes. While I know that people these days can be incredibly sensitive about pretty much anything, I want to be able to enjoy the original story or creative vision. I don't want to have scenes changed because some marketing exec has decided that someone somewhere might find them offensive - or if they do that, then I want the option to play with the original creative vision - like a toggle in the options that allows content that some viewers might find offensive.

The Flashback and Secret of Mana remakes

Turtles in Time Re-Shelled

The jump arc in the Link's Awakening remake/remaster

Inconsistent spritework in the FF pixel remasters with high res menus, fonts and environmental effects

Oh yeah, God forbid that the creators protect their intellectual property somehow!

Seriously, so what if a game requires an internet connection? Where are you that you don't have internet? Antarctica? Oh, wait... they have internet there.

D2 Resurrected looks awesome to me.

Basically everything done in the name/for the sake of puritanical and/or political correctness.
The removal of Miranda's "ass shots" in Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, covering up and de-beautifying the Amazon, as well as race-bending the Assassin in Diablo 2 Resurrected, etc.

No, they don't. Not all the time - storm can disrupt connection for quite some time. And not just in Antarctica, many countries that aren't US and EU have a non-reliable connection that isn't 24/7.