Remastered....

In my ongoing installed games clear-out two more long-term titles are staying. Time to mention some remasters.

Remasters rarely hit the marks of both being as good as the game they 'rework' and still add to those games in meaningful ways; To enhance and not take away from the old. A troubled modern reworked 'remastered' game I had interest in was of the classic Blade Runner game "Blade Runner - Enhanced Edition".... From all I've read and heard it's much better to stay with the original( it 'may' take more than one patch to make it right). Time will tell on that one, but for now it's best to avoid or get the original....

Of the best remasters done in recent years; Two come to mind straight away:

Total War ROME - REMASTERED....

I've gushed previously on posts for the original and remaster(here and here). So it's not surprise I'd list it here as a recommendation. If you were into the original or into other Total war games then the remaster is the best version of Rome to get. As always each to their own, not all Total War games are for everyone.

Command & Conquer Remastered Collection....

As with Rome Total War I've gushed in many posts about Command & Conquer over the years. The remaster of the original C&C and Red Alert is a similar jaw dropping iteration. If you've played them previously then the remasters are the way to go now.(my previous waffle here and here). While not a remaster I play as much as Rome it's one I'll be pottering away with long, long-term.

Total War Definitive Editions and a SHOGUN 2....

Total War MEDIEVAL II - Definitive Edition....

Total War NAPOLEON - Definitive Edition....

Total War EMPIRE - Definitive Edition....

Total War SHOGUN 2....

None of the Total War games are perfect; For all the faults Rome gets a pass(from me) due to it's playability, even today, even with the remaster features of those 'faults'. Nostalgia eh?

With the newest of these games being Total War SHOGUN 2 at 11 years old it's no surprise that they've been gathering dust on my steam list, never mind the physical editions I've purchased over the years. So disk versions changed to Steam versions, yet I still wanting more from them. These 4 are the Total War games I've wanted to get into but never really could. Not much more than in a very casual way. 

The first Shogun game was technologically of it's time but it had character and playability. The first Rome total war game blew my fragile little mind when I first got it(initial release); A game I've adored since, bought about 4 times and then got the remaster... A remaster that is the pinnacle of what a remaster should be; Art with a chefs kiss. No wonder I've not been playing the other games over the years. Are they worth it in their own right. Yes. Each has it's own take on the franchise game mechanics, some the same, some different. With time and a certain remaster out are they worth going back to and pouring hours into....? Not for me not at this stage. I've no nostalgia for them.... A slight bit for Med II; I think that was more about hype post Rome total war for their next game than the game itself..... Not enough nostalgia about to really get stuck into it or them. I'd rather go back to the original Rome or it's remaster(older posts) with a dash of the original Shogun. I prefer Shogun over Shogun 2..... That's just me('better' graphics do not equal 'better' gameplay).

A Casual Carebear Gamer

Nostalgia plays a huge part when considering my older games. Some games cause that due to their technology of the time. Some because of times and circumstances in life... Others a combination of the two. 

Loading up any of the 4 with old saves and playing the games does nothing for me but remind me of how good Rome and it's remaster are; Or nostalgia and fun the origianl Shogun is(for me).

Yet I've had an itch to keep trying the others to get more value out of them. That said I can't even bring myself to watch some Youtubers play any of the 4 I've listed above. I think a final uninstall and waffle on the internet to seal the deal is now called for.....

Total War: ROME - REMASTERED....

Yet another game I dip in and out of long-term and which I've and an extremely long history with. 

If I was a 'real' "influencer" I'd be waffling on about "How I was there on day one!"; Or a real try had and waffle about pre-release alpha, beta and private demo's. But I'm an old dog from back in the day, a gamer who read a magazine or two, saw some internet 'stuff' and picked up the big box game in an actual shop the weekend after it's release. But the 2000's saw a move from big box to DVD case so it was a rare occasion to get both in once package. Yea in a shop/store..... Those were the day's(October 2004). Kind of like the ancient empire itself. All rose tinted romantic notions about how it was..... Avoiding slavery and the blood n'gore of the arena; Or like avoiding snot nose toddlers pawing game boxes and long queues to a cash register.... Back in the day.... eh....

Anywho....

It's a great game that has seen flaws, patches, patched flaws and flaws that were left in... I guess today they would be called 'features' in an artistic way. It's a game that allowed a player to play it how they wanted. Painstaking grind with all the hardest options to console code time savers(cheats?) like additional coin to grease the wheels of war..... This game allows for a wide variety of gaming moods.

It's remaster was a bit of a surprise when it was announced. Playing it shows how well it was done and the options they considered. Everything done right; No complaints.

Since it's been out I've played it and enjoyed it as much as the old version over the years... Both versions have 'got it'. So no wonder I've been pottering away with both versions. I guess I like the 'retro' nostalgia of the actual older software and it's systems if even now I still go back to it. Too many comfortable memories(and here) to just ditch it in favor of the remaster alone just because it's a 'newer' version. The remaster will earn it's memories via long-term gameplay. Time will tell.

Going through saves and redoing some campaigns/battles is one thing but the mountain of achi's on Steam is a no go for me. I'd be trying to do them for the achi's alone and leaving 'the fun' behind. I'd rather 'just' play the game and if an achi pops then great.

I did smile when I saw this in the remaster, a faithful version of the game? Everything old is new again.

Total War ROME Remastered....

The original game is one I've bought a few times since it came out. Iterations over the years due to the needs of the day of different Windows operating systems; All of which have their own saved game versions. A long-term game that may as well be a 'lifelong' game for me. Total War Rome Remastered(Rome Total War Remastered(wording - shakes fist)) like so many other newly remastered games seem to be setting a trend of respectful reworking a game to be 'modern' while also .... doing it well. I hope that trend lasts.

No reinvention of the wheel here, 'just' enhancing it with reinforcements and spikes..... The Remaster is definitely a 10/10 on how a remaster should be done. As for my old saves, it can read and load all post patch 1.3 saves including all Barbarian Invasion and Alexander expansion saves. 

Old...

Remaster....

Seeing the remastered version in action has and continues to be great. I've already poured in a lot of time to it. It enhances the game to be 'modern' in all the best ways. In looks and game options. With the best option of all.... Turn off all the new options! Another game that caters to player needs. Options are a games and a gamers best friend.

Still I've found myself going back to old saves in the old game (Steam version) and staying there to play some more as well. I've not fully transitioned to remaster only yet! Maybe it's ongoing nostalgia. Maybe I 'just like' the older look of the original. The old game hasn't lost anything over the years. Even now with the remaster it's not really replaced the old game(for me, for now at least). Both have the playability for sure but the remaster makes it more palatable for 'newer' gamers to get into it; And old dogs like me get all the mod cons. Speaking of remasters and graphics; That's one thing that the Command and Conquer remaster did well. On the fly graphical switching between the old and new looks. The new graphics of Rome took a moment for me to get used to. Close to two decades of being used to seeing the old maps/empire's and game-play and my setup now in a modernized did take me a mo..... But well used to it now. Another version of the game to put hundreds of hours into...

Old...

Remaster....

Old...

Remaster....