Three years ago, I compiled a list of five (original) PlayStation RPGs that were overdue for a remaster, an opportunity to inspire a new generation. Miraculously, one of my long-shot choices is about to get that revitalization next month—Lunar Remastered Collection, compiling Silver Star Story and Eternal Blue in a modern package.
And this is only the latest in a long series of RPGs getting a new lease on life. RPG fans have been eating well with classic revivals like Suikoden I & II HD, Dragon Quest III HD-2D, Persona 3 Reload, Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven, and Star Ocean The Second Story R. (To say nothing of other, non-RPG turn of the century classics like Legacy of Kain 1 & 2, Tomb Raider, and Tomba!.)
To celebrate the pending return of Lunar and other long-lost roleplaying gems, let’s dig back into the history books and highlight a few more RPGs that are also deserving of a remaster.
Honourable Mentions
Now, before we dive in, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that the remaining four from my 2022, PS1 wishlist are still prime candidates for remasters (or at least a feature in PlayStation Plus’ Classics Catalog). Jade Cocoon: Story of the Tamamayu, Xenogears, Legend of Dragoon, and Legend of Legaia each have a lot to offer new players, and cult followings that would love to see them back on modern consoles.
5) Wild Arms
Woe unto any other RPG that tried to launch in 1997, like poor Wild Arms, when Final Fantasy VII was about to revolutionize the genre. One of the earliest RPGs on the PS1, it featured a unique Western-inspired setting, like Trigun with broader cultural influences. Players chose the order in which they’d play through the individual prologues for each of the three main characters before their paths cross—almost like a very early precursor to Octopath Traveler. The original game comes across like a missing link in the genre’s transition from 16-bit 2D to a 32-bit polygonal hybrid.
Wild Arms became a series in its own right, spawning multiple sequels over the first two PlayStation consoles. Each featured a cast of plucky heroes who must save a world named Filgaia from demons, though these settings shared little more than the name, a general vibe, and tensions between humans and their use of technology.
“A remaster could help change this pirate’s luck and show modern gamers a different side of the genre’s history, not focused on Sony or Nintendo releases.”
Whether just the original game, its enhanced PS2 remake, the more traditional original three games, or all five numbered games, a potential Wild Arms remaster collection would be a welcome history lesson for modern gamers.
Likelihood of Revival: Low to moderate. Unlike many studios on these lists, the original developers, Media.Vision, are still active today—working on the Valkyria series, and the upcoming Digimon Story: Time Stranger. Better still, a spiritual successor called Armed Fantasia is in the works after a successful Kickstarter campaign in 2022. It would be a long shot, but a Wild Arms remaster doesn’t seem beyond the pale.
4) Skies of Arcadia
One of the biggest cult classics to spawn from the Sega Dreamcast’s short lifespan was Skies of Arcadia, a turn-based RPG from Sega’s Overworks team. Unlike many competitors on the PS1, Skies of Arcadia embraced a more light-hearted tone and the spirit of adventure—though it wasn’t without its darker themes.
Protagonist Vyse is an air pirate, not to be confused with Ivalician sky pirates. His group, the Blue Rogues, opposes the evil Valuan Empire, seeking out the Moon Crystals which control hulking titans known as the Gigas. Along the way players get to explore the world in airships, charting their own course and even recruiting their ship’s crew.
Skies of Arcadia was released halfway through the Dreamcast’s two-year lifespan, then went on to be re-released on the Nintendo GameCube. Yet, it remains only a cult classic today, somewhat forgotten in the haze of its platforms’ diminished popularity. A remaster could help change this pirate’s luck and show modern gamers a different side of the genre’s history, not focused on Sony or Nintendo releases.
Likelihood of Revival: Decent, actually. Sega has a golden opportunity to market Skies of Arcadia‘s swashbuckling tone to fans of the wildly popular One Piece. Plus, if recent rumblings about Sega trademarks are any indication, we could be due to sail the remastered seas (or skies?) in the relative future.
3) Final Fantasy Tactics/Final Fantasy IX
Speaking of rumours, the chatter about remasters or remakes of Final Fantasy Tactics and/or Final Fantasy IX never quite dies down.
Final Fantasy Tactics is the most beloved of the franchises’ spin-offs. This tactical RPG is the certifiable masterpiece that helped make the subgenre viable for larger audiences, something Nintendo hadn’t entrusted Fire Emblem to do for non-Japanese audiences at the time. It was remastered for the PlayStation Portable a decade after its release, but this version has its own ups and downs. A definitive edition that blends the two iterations would be a perfect fit for today’s gaming industry, especially with the hybrid handheld options offered by the Nintendo Switch/Switch 2, PlayStation Portal, and Steam Deck.
Likewise, Final Fantasy IX went down in history as the one of the most quintessential experiences in the mainline franchise. It took the best innovations from FFVII and FFVIII and melded them with more traditional story and gameplay elements of the first six, 2D games to create the perfect love letter to the series. At a time when many fans, and the developer itself, can’t seem to agree on what defines a Final Fantasy, a lovingly-updated remaster of Final Fantasy IX could offer the perfect perspective.
Granted, both games have been ported in the last decade or so. But an iPad version of FFT doesn’t do it justice, and the digital ports of FFVII through FFIX just make them playable on modern consoles. Both games could use a more thorough update than these iterations provided, one that updates the vision without changing it.
Likelihood of Revival: More a matter of “when,” not “if.” Rumours about both persist, even reaching credible sources like Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, who said the Tactics remaster “is real and happening.” Internal adjustments at Square Enix are likely the biggest obstacle, potentially holding back the resources to make them happen… and make them happen right.
2) Xenosaga Trilogy
Though I appended these games to Xenogears in my previous list, they’re distinct enough to earn a full recommendation in their own right.
Xenosaga was an ambitious project. Originally pitched as a six-episode series, in the end it was condensed into only three PS2 installments, all named from the writings of philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche—Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht, Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse, and Episode III: Also sprach Zarathustra. Xenogears creator Tetsuya Takahashi and fellow Squaresoft ex-pat Hirohide Sugiura founded Monolith Soft in 1999, and Xenosaga Episode I was their company’s first project.
“Making these games accessible without spending an arm and a leg is worth a remaster alone.”
As a spiritual successor to Xenogears, Xenosaga has a much more futuristic vibe, complete with androids and starships; yet, many of the original’s themes remained intact, including a heavy prevalence of Christian imagery. Combat had a novel twist, with special attacks chargeable by pooling Action Points over multiple turns. It was practically everything Xenogears offered, but on a whole new scale.
However, the first game was soon notorious for long-running cut scenes that would make Metal Gear Solid blush, and its sales were low despite a strong critical reception. This cast doubt on the future of the entire project, and after Episode II met a similar reception, Episode III was charged with rushing to the most satisfying conclusion it could muster. Given that, you might be surprised to learn that these games are highly-valued on the secondhand market. Episode III easily fetches over $200 for a copy with its case. Making them accessible without spending an arm and a leg is worth a remaster alone.
That being said, the story of Shion Uzuki and KOS-MOS is worth the time, and with more people interested in Monolith Soft’s work than ever before thanks to Xenoblade Chronicles, there’s never been a better time to reissue the trilogy.
Likelihood of Revival: Slim, but not impossible. The history of the Xeno- series is complicated and spans multiple publishers, making for a Gordian Knot of red tape. However, Xenoblade Chronicles has become a valuable exclusive for Nintendo, and if anyone has the resources and reputation to get those wheels greased, it’s Nintendo. If the original publisher, Namco, would play ball, a Xenosaga trilogy remaster would be right at home on Switch 2, if not the PlayStation 5 as well.
1) Chrono Trigger
Similarly, our top pick also received a new port in the 2010s, but the sort that makes a game playable without truly updating it. The time is right for a proper Chrono Trigger remaster.
Before the fateful Square Enix merger in 2002, there was Squaresoft and Enix, home to Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest respectively. The competition and inspiration fostered between these two titans of the industry pushed both of them to new heights. And then, they did the unthinkable… and worked together.
Chrono Trigger was the result of a collaboration between DQ creator Yuji Horii and FF creator Hironobu Sakaguchi, with the art style of DQ artist Akira Toriyama and the music of FF composer Nobuo Uematsu. It was the ultimate team-up for RPG fans in the mid-90s, and one of the last great games on the Super Nintendo. Rarely have we seen two major studios reach across the aisle in the way Square and Enix did here, and it resulted in one of the most highly-praised RPGs of all time.
Enemies appeared in the environments instead of attacking randomly and unseen. These battles used the familiar Active Time Battle made famous by Final Fantasy, but for once, they also took place in the same general area where the characters encountered them, instead of whisking the player away to a separate, generic arena. Its sprawling tale of time travel has a dozen different endings; thankfully, it helped introduce the concept of a “New Game Plus” to the genre, to help devoted players earn them all.
There should be practically nothing holding the consolidated studio back from digging into Chrono Trigger again. Furthermore, the company’s tasteful HD-2D graphics have been pretty universally praised in original games (Octopath Traveler) and remakes (Live A Live, Dragon Quest III HD-2D) alike—and Chrono Trigger‘s vibrant visuals would take on a whole new life if the company chose to remaster it in the same fashion. Sakaguchi has even begun working more closely with them again, after leaving around the time of the merger to establish his own studio, Mistwalker. The time is now (pun intended).
Likelihood of Revival: Honestly… 50/50. The recent untimely passing of Toriyama makes a Chrono Trigger remaster both more likely, and less likely. On one hand, it would be an opportunity to celebrate one of his most influential creations; on the other hand, he’s no longer around to give counsel on a remaster, and that alone might deter Square Enix’s creators from embarking on the project. One could argue that more stands to be gained from revitalizing Chrono Trigger for today’s audience, especially if it can be done before Sakaguchi and Horii are fully retired. Time will have to tell (pun intended again).
