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[Death Metalist]

Time and time again I go through posts of people not knowing what the difference between a remaster and a remake well, it's time to change that! Last gen when the games being re-released on PS3/X360, they were were HD collections because well, they weren't HD. This time around they are called remasters because most(not all) seventh generation games were 720p at the very least. I see people call HD ports "remakes" when they are the complete opposite of a remake. They are just remastered versions of older games with bumped up resolutions and maybe some texture upgrades.

A remaster is when you take a game, upscale it to 1080p and make it run at 60FPS without changing anything from the main game. Take a previous gen game, do that and you can slap the remaster label on it(sometimes doing only one of the two is enough). A remake however differs. A remake is when you take a game and redo it from the ground up with new tools, assets and the work. Basically, it's a new game based on the original product.

Remaster:

Remake:

Remaster:

Remake:

Remaster:

Remake:

Hopefully now I get less annoyed going through threads of remasters/remade(remake) games.

 

[Corpekata]

There was another thread like this recently and I'm still not convinced this is a mistake common enough to warrant threads about it.

 

[Gnavux]

The way i see it, remaster's are akin to putting on makeup, and remakes are akin to getting plastic surgery. One touches something up and makes it look a bit nicer, while one changes the visual aesthetics completely....ish..

 

[TheMoon]

There was another thread like this recently and I'm still not convinced this is a mistake common enough to warrant threads about it.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1081610

this one.

 

[Majanew]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1081610

this one.

There was a more detailed one. I would search, but I know GAF's search engine is crap.

 

[Death Metalist]

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1081610

this one.

Missed that thread, wish I would have seen it or else I wouldn't have made this thread lol.

 

[Vincent Grayson]

We'll need another category for FF7, since it's a remake on a scale far beyond anything in this thread.

 

[balohna]

We'll need another category for FF7, since it's a remake on a scale far beyond anything in this thread.

Seems about on the scale of other FF remakes, like FF3 for DS/PC/etc.

I guess more gameplay changes, though. Probably.

 

[KHlover]

Your remake examples are pretty bad, they don't really look any different from the remaster examples.

Goldeneye 64 vs Goldeneye Wii (REMAKE)

 

[Stopdoor]

We'll need another category for FF7, since it's a remake on a scale far beyond anything in this thread.

"Re-imagining" is also semi-common with games.

 

[kurahador]

Does Halo and Gears counts as remake? I thought that was an enhanced port or remaster.
They're essentially the same game in a better coat of paints.

 

[LonelyGreyWolf]

So is this thread a remaster or a remake?

 

[Metalingus5150]

The Gears and Halo examples are enhanced ports.

 

[Haunted]

now add reimagining and reboot

also the halo environment screen could easily be taken for an example of a remaster, I think written definitions would be helpful

 

[Peltz]

I feel like this is a sliding scale rather than being two separate categories. For example, I'd argue that WWHD is in between the two categories and can correctly be deemed either one.

 

[Brian_FETO]

We'll need another category for FF7, since it's a remake on a scale far beyond anything in this thread.

"Re-imagining"?

Remake: Recreating the original game, new assets (maybe some new content/ideas)
Remaster: Polishing what's already there

 

[Majanew]

Does Halo and Gears counts as remake? I thought that was an enhanced port or remaster.
They're essentially the same game in a better coat of paints.

Halo 1 and 2 Anniversary should count as remakes since the graphics were overhauled. Halo 3 and 4 were more along the lines of a remaster since it's the original graphics just in 1080p60.

 

[Rad-]

Remaster: Same engine.
Remake: New engine.

That's all there is to me.

Then I guess "re-imagining" suits FF7R if it indeed changes the gameplay system.

 

[KappaFappa]

We'll need another category for FF7, since it's a remake on a scale far beyond anything in this thread.

We haven't seen anything yet

 

[hao chi]

Your remake examples are pretty bad, they don't really look any different from the remaster examples.

Goldeneye 64 vs Goldeneye Wii (REMAKE)

Goldeneye Wii is just another game based off the same movie. They didn't follow the N64 game at all.

 

[Xaero Gravity]

Your remake examples are pretty bad, they don't really look any different from the remaster examples.

You're not being serious right?

 

[Jamix012]

We'll need another category for FF7, since it's a remake on a scale far beyond anything in this thread.

Reimagining. MGS Twin Snakes for example, fits into this category.

 

[Death Metalist]

Your remake examples are pretty bad, they don't really look any different from the remaster examples.

Goldeneye 64 vs Goldeneye Wii (REMAKE)

Which is why people easily mistake them for being a remaster. The most obvious one is the RE1 ps1 vs RE1 gamecube(remake).

So is this thread a remaster or a remake?

The Gears and Halo examples are enhanced ports.

Not really, they changed alot in both Gears of War ultimate edition and Halo 1 + 2 Anniversary.

 

[ArtHands]

Does Halo and Gears counts as remake? I thought that was an enhanced port or remaster.
They're essentially the same game in a better coat of paints.

They are not. Everything has been rebuild from the ground up.

 

[The Baron Count]

Does Halo and Gears counts as remake? I thought that was an enhanced port or remaster.
They're essentially the same game in a better coat of paints.

That's exactly why they count as remakes. They are the same game's remade. Every single asset was recreated at a new fidelity and in the case of Halo, the sound was overhauled as well.

When a game is remastered the assets are usually left untouched or slightly enhanced with higher res versions of the same assets but things are never rebuilt.

 

[Aeana]

I tend to think of remakes as something that does more than put a new coat of paint on it. The actual game is remade, with updated systems and gameplay concepts.

FF4 DS not only changes the way FF4 looks, but it also updates the combat system, balance, map design (somewhat) and adds a progression system. Ys: Oath in Felghana has a similar kind of major overhaul compared to Ys 3. And Tales of Destiny PS2.

Something like Halo Anniversary where you can literally switch back and forth between the original version at will strikes me as the definition of a remaster. They're the same at all points except they look different.

 

[Tertullian]

Remaster: What marketing departments call late ports to manipulate everyone into buying the same game twice.

 

[Inuhanyou]

Gears and Halo anniversary are basically the limit of how far you can take a remaster without going overboard. But they are remasters.

Halo 1/2 as actual remakes would have been a completely different game taking full advantage of 360. When instead it was the same game with an asset update running the same engine with the same voice files and cut-scenes(not in the case of halo 2 anniversary cutscenes wise but you get my point)

Same with Gears.

Graphical updates aren't remakes.

REmake Resident Evil 1 is called that for example because while it has a similar layout of the original game, but its completely different cut-scene wise, outside of having similar events and dialogue, the voice actors are different, the game is significantly expanded and it is basically a different title compared to the original.

 

[Kayant]

Does Halo and Gears counts as remake? I thought that was an enhanced port or remaster.
They're essentially the same game in a better coat of paints.

Halo 3,4 maybe two are "enhanced ports"

 

[MakotoYuki]

Isn't Gears a remaster according to Microsoft?

The landmark original Gears of War returns, stunningly remastered and modernized for Xbox One.

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/gears-of-war-ultimate

 

[Majanew]

Isn't Gears a remaster according to Microsoft?


http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/gears-of-war-ultimate

Halo 2 Anni was also labeled as a remaster. But there's a difference between Halo 2 Anni and something like God of War III. One received completely changed and more detailed graphics, with a bump in resolution/frame-rate; and the other only got a bump in resolution/frame-rate. Well, I guess I could have just used Halo 3 and Halo 4 since those only received a bump in res/frame-rate also.

 

[Ridley327]

Your remake examples are pretty bad, they don't really look any different from the remaster examples.

Goldeneye 64 vs Goldeneye Wii (REMAKE)

The thing that's tough with that comparison is that it's an entirely new game that shares just the source material. The one that they were planning to release on the 360 at one point fits the remake definition better, since it was the same game but with all the graphics and audio updated with more modern tech.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

But OP you are simply reducing remakes to visual upgrades here. Even though you are using the classic REmake as an example, you are not illustrating the fact that that had all new story and gameplay sequences, level designs, and mechanics to go along with the audiovisual overhaul.

To me that is what separates a remake from a remaster.

 

[Death Metalist]

Gears and Halo anniversary are basically the limit of how far you can take a remaster without going overboard. But they are remasters.

Halo 1/2 as actual remakes would have been a completely different game taking full advantage of 360. When instead it was the same game with an asset update running the same engine with the same voice files and cutscenes.

Same with Gears.

Graphical updates aren't remakes.

REmake Resident Evil 1 is called that for example because while it has a similar layout of the original game, but its completely different cut-scene wise, outside of having similar events and dialogue, the voice actors are different, the game is significantly expanded and it is basically a different title compared to the original.

Let me tell you, in the case of RE1 it's a special case because they went above and beyond in that one but in the case of the other examples it's easy to see why they are remakes because there was actual coding done from scratch instead of just upscaling the game, make it 60FPS and call it a day. It may look familiar but there are tons of changes all around you. Nothing compares to RE1 though, not even MGS1: The Twin Snakes. They added and changed so much that it's ridiculous, from mechanics to bosses and anything else you could think of.

Isn't Gears a remaster according to Microsoft?


http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/gears-of-war-ultimate

The word remaster is the popular thing around the block now so that's what everyone will be using.

But OP you are simply reducing remakes to visual upgrades here. Even though you are using the classic REmake as an example, you are not illustrating the fact that that had all new story and gameplay sequences, level designs, and mechanics to go along with the audiovisual overhaul.

To me that is what separates a remake from a remaster.

If they had to develop a new code from the ground up, then that's a remake. Pure and simple. Just upscaling a game and making it 60FPS is not a remake, it's a remaster. In the case of RE1 well, there is nothing like it to be honest. RE1 is like the holy fuck batman god teir of remakes.

 

[real_slime]

There was another thread like this recently and I'm still not convinced this is a mistake common enough to warrant threads about it.

I see people get the two mixed up all the time.

A remaster is just a slight update in line with new technology, like how a 1980s film might get released on blu ray, and a remake is a game being built from the ground up again, like a 1980s film being rewritten and reshot entirely. Reimaginings and reboots might fall under remake, but they'd never fall under remaster. Like someone said, remasters are essentially ports with usually only resolution and rendering tweaks separating them from the original.

It's pretty simple yet I see people thinking remakes are remasters and remasters are remakes quite a lot. It's pretty pedantic, but people might as well know the difference.

 

[Spieler Eins]

Let me tell you, in the case of RE1 it's a special case because they went above and beyond in that one but the case of the other examples it's easy to see why they are remakes because there was actual coding done from scratch instead of just upscaling the game, make it 60FPS and call it a day. It may look familiar but there are tons of changes all around you. Nothing compares to RE1 though, not even MGS1: The Twin Snakes. They added and changed so much that it's ridiculous, from mechanics to bosses and anything else you could think of.

Zero Mission.

 

[Dark_castle]

I feel like the differences aren't completely black and white. For instance, FF XII: International Zodiac Job System barely touched the original version in graphics, sound and engine but there are plenty of gameplay mechanic changes, some pretty major too. Neither a remaster or full remake.

 

[Karak]

now add reimagining and reboot

also the halo environment screen could easily be taken for an example of a remaster, I think written definitions would be helpful

Reimaginitionaining

Its funny though, same thing came up in the other thread. Even the devs I talk to don't know exactly what to call their games especially as the lines are so blurred.

 

[Death Metalist]

Zero Mission.

Never played it but that looks damn good.

 

[Ridley327]

I feel like the differences aren't completely black and white. For instance, FF XII: International Zodiac Job System barely touched the original version in graphics, sound and engine but there are plenty of gameplay mechanic changes, some pretty major too. Neither a remaster or full remake.

I think most would consider that along the lines of an enhanced re-release, which would fit in with similar titles like Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition, the Greatest Hits version of Silent Hill 2 or Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance.

 

[Spieler Eins]

Never played it but that looks damn good.

It also introduces new gameplay from Super Metroid, new controls, new areas, different bosses, etc.

 

[Tain]

Remaster:

A good port with a lot of enhancements and manual touch-ups.

Remaster:

Remake:

both good ports, but one with significant engine changes and a drastic asset overhaul.

Remaster:

Remake:

Both ports, one with significant engine and asset reworking.

OP posted a list of ports, all of which have varying degrees of enhancement in them. Given how complicated video games are, is there really so much meaningful commonality between re-releases of games to put stock into words like "remaster"? Just look at the re-release of 2002 Resident Evil: it's a mishmash of old and new assets and effects, with a lot of manual work put in where necessary. If you need to compare the enhancements between two games, why not just talk about the enhancements instead of fighting to define a marketing term like "remaster"? Why not just mention when a port has new/enhanced assets or lighting or 60fps or whatever?

 

[ArtHands]

I feel like the differences aren't completely black and white. For instance, FF XII: International Zodiac Job System barely touched the original version in graphics, sound and engine but there are plenty of gameplay mechanic changes, some pretty major too. Neither a remaster or full remake.

enhanced re-release (if on same system)/enhanced port (if different system)

 

[Metalingus5150]

Actually I think the Gears and Halo examples would be a different category.

 

[Mega]

It's very cut and dry that I don't get the confusion. In order from least to greatest change:

Straight-forward port, no changes.
Remastered port with higher res assets and higher native res.
Enhanced port with substantial improvements and content added.
Remake, top to bottom new assets and game engine.
Reimagined game with major overhauls from the original's story and gameplay.

Using Nintendo games as an example:

Ocarina of Time on Gamecube is a regular port, same for VC titles.

Mario 64 DS is an enhanced port with graphical changes and some new characters, enemies and stages.

GoldenEye Wii and Resident Evil are full remakes.

Starfox WiiU appears to be a reimagined Star Fox 64. Punch-Out Wii may possibly fit here too as a new take on Punch-Out for NES.

 

[Inuhanyou]

Let me tell you, in the case of RE1 it's a special case because they went above and beyond in that one but the case of the other examples it's easy to see why they are remakes because there was actual coding done from scratch instead of just upscaling the game, make it 60FPS and call it a day. It may look familiar but there are tons of changes all around you. Nothing compares to RE1 though, not even MGS1: The Twin Snakes. They added and changed so much that it's ridiculous, from mechanics to bosses and anything else you could think of.

Let's just make it simple. If it in any way has the same legacy code from the original game its a remaster. A pretty extensive one but still.

A remake implies basically making the entire game again from scratch, with no legacy stuff held over from the original, usually taking advantage of the current tech to make something much greater in scale.

A reimagining is the most extreme version of a remake, where your basically rebooting the entire concept into something new with reverence toward the original, if we're talking film terms.


For films, remasters are visually enhanced movies that are basically the same.

Remakes are completely redone, usually with a new cast, and a new script.

 

[Wonko_C]

Remaster: What marketing departments call late ports to manipulate everyone into buying the same game twice.

This. Some people think Remasters use higher definition assets when in reality it's just the resolution bump that makes the already-existing details more evident. (There is a minority of Remasters with enhanced assets, though.)

Think of remasters as a PC game where you pretty much toggle the resolution option to a higher one.

 

[TP-DK]

Gears of war and Halo are remasters, even MS says that.

A good example of a remake would be the new Ratchet and Clank.

 

[protomouse]

The cinema analogy:

Remaster = applying processing to an existing source film so as to enhance it (colorize, denoise etc.)
Remake = getting new actors to perform the script

One requires a lot of content generation, the other does not.

 

[pa22word]

One is a port run through the marketing department and groupthink generator to trick fools into thinking they're buying something new that they played (and paid) already, one isn't.