Gaming is currently in the era of the remake. From Resident Evil 4 and Silent Hill 2 to Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, companies have been dusting off their old IPs, remaking them in glorious graphical stylings while tweaking a few aged mechanics, and polishing them into diamonds. It is no wonder we've gotten so many remakes within the last few years. This style of release is exceedingly lucrative, satisfying both fans and the companies that make them. PlayStation 2 titles seemingly always get left behind, but some of the games playable on the Sony console are true standouts.
Seeing the characters from that era that we all grew up with revived in HD, back like they never left, is a feeling unlike any other. With so many releases on the horizon, it is easy to forget a few gems along the way. Certain games belonging to the consoles or whole franchises get left in the dust, sitting on a shelf when they deserve the remake treatment just as much as, say, Dead Space and Final Fantasy. From Fatal Frame to Primal, these underrated gems found on the console deserve a proper remake that exposes them to new audiences, while giving longtime fans something new to love.
The Fatal Frame fandom is small but mighty, with a slew of survival horror fans looking for something new in the genre. The franchise, which began in 2001, is all about defeating vengeful ghosts by exorcising them via a camera. This PS2 game follows Miku Hinasaki as she traverses the haunted and exceedingly spooky Himuro Mansion. Equipped with her wits and an antique camera called the Camera Obscura, Miku must capture photos of spirits that follow her, getting close-up shots via Viewfinder Mode that take those ghosts out in first person.
This piece of tech uses a slew of film, with each new cartridge dealing more impactful damage that players can switch out at will. The camera can also be used to solve puzzles, revealing hidden clues not visible to the naked eye. This is a wholly unique combat style unlike anything I have ever seen before or since. Strangely, it was decided that the second game in the franchise, Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly, would receive a remake instead of the PS2 original. The 2003 classic was re-imagined in March 2026 and was praised for its beautiful visuals and atmospheric audio design, thus proving that the world is ready for the 2001 game to be remade as well.
Capcom is on a roll with Resident Evil remakes as of late, from Resident Evil 2 to Resident Evil 4. There truly is no stopping this franchise. The company's remakes have done exceedingly well every time, down to the remake of Resident Evil 1. According to market analysis lead Rhys Elliott in a breakdown on Substack, Resident Evil 4 is currently the top-selling and most successful remake of the current console generation, generating $560M in gross revenue for Capcom so far across three platforms.
With a Resident Evil CODE: Veronica remake on the way and so much to celebrate about RE remakes, why is there no love for Resident Evil Outbreak? The game, which was released in 2004 in the United States, is very different from others in this successful franchise, which could explain its lack of recognition. The title was designed to be the first online co-op in the franchise, and introduced a slew of new mechanics that could come off as a little clunky. I'm looking at you, Virus Gauge.
Despite the creative leap that could fall flat with some, the game is a favorite of many, and it clearly has an air of importance in the franchise, so much so that a character from the game appears in Resident Evil 9. Maybe the return of journalist Alyssa Ashcroft in the 2026 title is the closest fans of Resident Evil Outbreak will get to a full-blown remake.
The game focuses on eight regular citizens, a very unique perspective. Players will choose one of the eight to play as, surviving the Racoon City Incident without any Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield plot armor. I am still holding out hope that we will see the game get some of the recognition in the coming years as Capcom continues to churn out successful remakes.
سەرچاوەی فەرمی بە زمانی ئینگلیزی: https://gamerant.com/forgotten-playstation-ps2-games-perfect-candidates-for-modern-remake-ranked/
