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[nkarafo]

I'm playing the PC version of the recently released port and i cannot believe how amazing it looks.

Even after i played lots of amazing looking modern PC games (including GTA5) on my recently build PC, this game still manages to wow me visually even though the graphics are only slightly improved compared to the GC version with the only obvious improvement being the resolution bump. There is not a single jaggie to be seen (not even on the shadows) and the 3D models look like they were ripped from a high quality CG movie. Even at the modest 720p settings.

Resolution was the only thing holding the original GC version back but it still looks great on a CRT, if you still have one. This version fixes this problem, in the same way Dolphin does i assume. Also the 60fps option adds a bit to the splendor but i tested it at 30fps and it wasn't any less impressive for me. I also loved how the scrolling of the backgrounds looked, it feels like someone is watching you with a camera

All in all, i think the game looks much better than RE4, 5, 6, Revelations and any other newer RE game.

I guess it's time for me to replay this for a third time.

 

[Crimsonclaw111]

It holds up pretty well, except for Neptune Tank.

 

[SargerusBR]

It holds up pretty well, except for Neptune Tank.

Yep i rushed through it because it looks really ugly.

 

[SpiceMelange]

This game was way too ahead of it's time. I played Majora Mask in 2000. Then a year after this goddamn zombie game from the future drops in. Traumatized me. I couldn't believe the graphical leap.

 

[liquidtmd]

The pre-rendered backgrounds helped a ton but some of the artwork is still beautiful.

I'd argue that classic 2D art styles help many of the 16 bit ish era games a bit better from earlier periods and in my heart I'd argue the 21 year old arcade Daytona USA has aged the best for me, but in terms of action adventure titles like this REMake is pretty hard to beat

 

[nkarafo]

I don't feel the same way for other games with pre-rendered backgrounds. But REmake blends it's backgrounds with the 3D models and lighting much better than any other game with a similar technique. Sometimes i forget it's just a 2D background.

 

[TheSpaceBetween]

It's between REmake and Metroid Prime. Both released in 2002.

 

[liquidtmd]

I don't feel the same way for other games with pre-rendered backgrounds.

REMake is indeed an amazing accomplishment and not many pre-rendered games stand out like it does

In terms of pre-rendered if you ignore the poly characters though, I'll always have a soft spot for FFVII in particular for the way it intergrated pre-rendered with FMV and 3D models. Hasn't aged nearly as well as REMake though.

 

[injurai]

Gran Turismo 2 though.

 

[nkarafo]

It's between REmake and Metroid Prime. Both released in 2002.

Yeah, Metroid Prime still looks amazing thanks to it's art direction and 60fps. But i think the geometry in most areas is starting to show it's age.

 

[SixMachine]

I wonder if pre-rendered backgrounds could still be a viable style in modern day games, since technology has progressed so far since then. Especially for games that have only one viewpoint. Like for example, I know in D3 you can zoom in on your character while playing, but if they go rid of that one feature so the camera is always isometric, I wonder what a developer can pull off trying to this again. A lot of horror games back then that uses pre-rendered backgrounds always somehow capture "darkness" really well. I don't know if any got what I was saying with that sentence but sort of how the backgrounds of D1 and D2 oozed atmosphere in a much different manner than a full 3d background. Another example is something like Sanitarium or the morgue in Planescape: Torment. Today even indie games that do try to copy the isometric style and gameplay of those type of games give off different vibes with its graphics.

Back on topic, I love REmake. Really looking forward to see if they port RE0, even though I liked it less than REmake, I still enjoyed playing it.

 

[-MD-]

REmake is brilliant, still gorgeous so many years later.

I really need to get back to the remaster, newer releases pulled me away for the time being. So glad we have this officially on PC forever.

 

[GayForMaster]

I'm certain the cube version is 60 fps, yes? I threw it in my cube a few weeks ago and played it on my CRT and yeah... through component at 480p this game still manages to look goddamn amazing.

 

[Neff]

They went all-out. I can't think of many games that have had the care and attention to detail lavished upon them that REmake did by its team. It's truly exceptional.

 

[nkarafo]

I wonder if pre-rendered backgrounds could still be a viable style in modern day games, since technology has progressed so far since then. Especially for games that have only one viewpoint. Like for example, I know in D3 you can zoom in on your character while playing, but if they go rid of that one feature so the camera is always isometric, I wonder what a developer can pull off trying to this again. A lot of horror games back then that uses pre-rendered backgrounds always somehow capture "darkness" really well. I don't know if any got what I was saying with that sentence but sort of how the backgrounds of D1 and D2 oozed atmosphere in a much different manner than a full 3d background. Another example is something like Sanitarium or the morgue in Planescape: Torment. Today even indie games that do try to copy the isometric style and gameplay of those type of games give off different vibes with its graphics.

Personally, i would like to see what Capcom could do with a RE2 remake in the same fashion. Because frankly, no other game that uses pre-rendered backgrounds impresses me as much as REmake. Maybe it's the lighting, maybe it's the shadows, i don't know. I really don't like any other game of that style that much, especially most indie efforts. I mean, the graphics can be "serviceable" and atmospheric but no other game managed to make me say "wow, this looks amazing" while using this style.

I'm certain the cube version is 60 fps, yes?

Hmmm, honestly i'm not sure but i thought it was 30, i have to check.

 

[impact]

I'm certain the cube version is 60 fps, yes? I threw it in my cube a few weeks ago and played it on my CRT and yeah... through component at 480p this game still manages to look goddamn amazing.

It's not

 

[ss_lemonade]

In terms of pre-rendered if you ignore the poly characters though, I'll always have a soft spot for FFVII in particular for the way it intergrated pre-rendered with FMV and 3D models.

I thought FF VIII was the best one out of the 3 Final Fantasies (7, 8, 9) to use CG backgrounds. I remember that one being full of movie backgrounds you could run around in. Was really impressed by that.

 

[Orniletter]

It truly is up there among the absolute best games ever made, Capcom was just something else back then.

 

[Salsa]

I mean the PC version that youre playing had some work done, its not slightly

that said, yeah. pre-rendered backgrounds not only help in being timeless but it also means taking a huge load off that can be used for better graphics elsewhere, to put it bluntly

its a great looking game, but kinda unfair to compare visually to other games that render 1000x more stuff in one shot?

your statement isnt wrong but theres a very obvious reason for it is what im saying I guess

 

[iShouldGoPro]

It's between REmake and Metroid Prime. Both released in 2002.

Prime holds up so damn well.

 

[nkarafo]

your statement isnt wrong but theres a very obvious reason for it is what im saying I guess

But i still don't feel the same way for other games using pre-rendered backgrounds, like i said. Something about this particular game makes it stand out. It did stand out back then and it still does today.

 

[Crimsonclaw111]

But i still don't feel the same way for other games using pre-rendered backgrounds, like i said. Something about this particular game makes it stand out. It did stand out back then and it still does.

Mikami and his team have an impeccable taste for art direction. The Evil Within looks amazing too.

 

[Salsa]

But i still don't feel the same way for other games using pre-rendered backgrounds, like i said. Something about this particular game makes it stand out. It did stand out back then and it still does today.

were there many pre-rendered background games in the era your talking about tho? in part it stood out because of that fact.

I mean this was a remake of a game that already used pre-rendered backgrounds when they were more common. hence why it uses them. otherwise by the time this came out we had moved on

keep in mind im talking purely from a technical standpoint. I think the game is gorgeous and the art direction is fantastic

 

[AESplusF]

I wonder if pre-rendered backgrounds could still be a viable style in modern day games

It absolutely could be and it should be, I mean even FF VII, VIII, and IX still look nice because of those pre-rendered environments, the biggest thing holding them back is their resolution, I've been dying to see this make a comeback but there really hasn't been much yet except for some CRPGs here and there.

I mean just look at these, they have so much character

 

[Hugstable]

Chrono Trigger has aged incredibly well too.

 

[nkarafo]

were there many pre-rendered background games in the era your talking about tho?

I mean this was a remake of a game that already used pre-rendered backgrounds when they were more common. hence why it uses them. otherwise by the time this came out we had moved on

keep in mind im talking purely from a technical standpoint. I think the game is gorgeous and the art direction is fantastic

You are probably right about "AAA" developers but there are still games with pre-rendered backgrounds being released at smaller budgets or indie developers. Of course, one wouldn't expect from an indie dev to make a game more impressive than what Mikami and his team did, but it's an ancient game by videogame standards so i don't know. I mean, we get fully 3D games from indie devs today that look better than AAA 3D games from 15 years ago, why can't anyone surpass REmake?

Can it be just the art direction?

 

[MattKeil]

I will always be confounded by the love for this game. The prerendered backgrounds were a step backwards, and just as annoying and immersion breaking as they were in the old days. I don't get why people give it credit for how good it looks when it's literally just high res images with character models moving around in it. I found it to be a throwback in a very negative way, but then I wasn't much of a survival horror fan before Silent Hill freed the camera up.

 

[nkarafo]

it's literally just high res images with character models moving around in it.

It's a little bit more than that. You forget how real time lighting and shadows are interacting with the 2D images and how well the 3D models are blended in, which is not an easy thing to do.

But i can see where you come from, i also prefer the freedom of a 3D environment and i usually don't like pre-rendered backgrounds. But REmake is an exception for me.

 

[Crimsonclaw111]

It's funny because the one 3D classic RE (Code Veronica) looks terrible compared to REmake imo.

 

[1er tigre]

Chrono Trigger has aged incredibly well too.

I concur.

 

[Data West]

Robotron aged the best. That game is always insanely addictive.

For a more contemporary choice, Max Payne 1 holds up extremely well on PC(Max's face aside)

 

[Ingueferroque]

Tons of 2D games aged just as well, if not better.

I wonder if pre-rendered backgrounds could still be a viable style in modern day games, since technology has progressed so far since then. Especially for games that have only one viewpoint. Like for example, I know in D3 you can zoom in on your character while playing, but if they go rid of that one feature so the camera is always isometric, I wonder what a developer can pull off trying to this again. A lot of horror games back then that uses pre-rendered backgrounds always somehow capture "darkness" really well. I don't know if any got what I was saying with that sentence but sort of how the backgrounds of D1 and D2 oozed atmosphere in a much different manner than a full 3d background. Another example is something like Sanitarium or the morgue in Planescape: Torment. Today even indie games that do try to copy the isometric style and gameplay of those type of games give off different vibes with its graphics.

Back on topic, I love REmake. Really looking forward to see if they port RE0, even though I liked it less than REmake, I still enjoyed playing it.

Check out Pillars of Eternity, it looks gorgeous.

 

[MaxwellParrish]

I don't know. Sure, it has aged well, but I don't think that a game like Onimusha 2 has aged any worse graphically and I probably prefer it , mechanically speaking.

 

[Rich!]

Tetris on the GB is my choice.

 

[Nemmy]

I will always be confounded by the love for this game. The prerendered backgrounds were a step backwards, and just as annoying and immersion breaking as they were in the old days. I don't get why people give it credit for how good it looks when it's literally just high res images with character models moving around in it. I found it to be a throwback in a very negative way, but then I wasn't much of a survival horror fan before Silent Hill freed the camera up.

It looks good and the character models blend with the backgrounds really, really well. You wouldn't get this level of detail on the GC otherwise.
I don't care much for the REmake, but I can see its graphics as nothing short of a remarkable achievement.

In fact, to see why classic REs used prerendered backgrounds, one needs to look no further than Silent Hill I think. Having replayed it recently I felt it aged really poorly graphically, despite the now-iconic fog hiding its obscene draw distance, while REs 1-3 are standing the test of time much better.

 

[Vampirolol]

Controls suck and always will.

 

[Wasp]

REmake was considered the best looking game ever made when it was released in 2002 so I'm not surprised that it still holds up now.

 

[CaviarMeths]

Kind of cheating, no? The tank controls and the low-res pre-rendered environments were the two biggest things dating the Gamecube version, and both of those were fixed in the HD release.

No game with tank controls has aged well, IMO. Nothing immediately screams "I'm playing a first generation 3D game" at me like seeing my character stand in place and rotate left when I tilt the stick.

 

[Salsa]

You are probably right about "AAA" developers but there are still games with pre-rendered backgrounds being released at smaller budgets or indie developers. Of course, one wouldn't expect from an indie dev to make a game more impressive than what Mikami and his team did, but it's an ancient game by videogame standards so i don't know. I mean, we get fully 3D games from indie devs today that look better than AAA 3D games from 15 years ago, why can't anyone surpass REmake?

Can it be just the art direction?

I'd certainly want for some indie devs to try doing stuff with pre-rendered backgrounds a bit more (knowing big devs wont), cause even tho you mention it I don't really see it much

I guess it's kinda risky or hard to get the lighting right and such? it might be cheaper but I bet the blend isnt easy

 

[orborborb]

Don't forget Rez and Wind Waker

and when it comes to 2d graphics, I'd go with Pac-Man and Another World (Out of this World)

 

[correojon]

What about Wind Waker? Up to this day I'm still impressed with little things like the water effects or explosions and overall the game looks gorgeous.

 

[Sojgat]

Omega Boost - PS1

 

[Lightning Count]

I think Metropolis Street Racer has aged beautifully, the handling is still top notch and the graphics could easily pass for a current PSP/Vita game.

 

[imae]

I love REmake and think it looks great, especially in terms of the character design and detail/colors on the backgrounds.
However, I find static 2D backgrounds feel dated in general when I go back to games that use them. The photo background just makes it feel abit fake.

For that reason I feel there are other GC games that have aged better.

 

[PensivePen]

I'd love to see what developers could do in a modern, high budget game that used pre-rendered environments in an interesting way. The most I've seen using it are a few indie games, and even those are quite uncommon. It has its disadvantages to be sure but there are big advantages as well.

It holds up pretty well, except for Neptune Tank.

The area looks incredible when played on the original version on a native res display, but it definitely suffered the worst in the remastered version.

 

[nkarafo]

No game with tank controls has aged well, IMO. Nothing immediately screams "I'm playing a first generation 3D game" at me like seeing my character stand in place and rotate left when I tilt the stick.

I should have added "graphically" in the OP or thread title. Because i'm discussing graphics only (i have no problem with tank controls btw).

 

[FATALITY]

MGS 2 for me

 

[Omni]

I'm currently going through it on the Xbox One for the first time, and I'd have to agree. I was pretty shocked at how good it looks for a game as old as it is.

 

[Boomstompfloppy]

Gran Turismo 2 though.

I've been replaying this just now, in my head it would be great but it's just a mess to look at.

 

[Majine]

Is World of Warcraft cheating?