Top 10 Changes in Video Game Remakes No One Asked For

These games obviously never heard the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Most Bizarre Changes in Video Game Remakes & Reboots! For this list, we’re looking at changes made by video game remakes and reboots that were just downright absurd and befuddling.

How would you feel if CD Projekt Red came out tomorrow and said "Forget it - Cyberpunk 2077 isn't an action RPG anymore. We're going full-blown 'Call of Duty'"? Well, that's precisely what happened with "Shadowrun", an all-around solid tabletop RPG game for the SNES that was run into the ground by its own 2007 remake. Instead of retaining its unique mechanics and story, "Shadowrun" was transformed into an online multiplayer FPS, and not a very good one. Maybe critics would have been more forgiving had FASA Interactive tacked on a single-player campaign. But the game we got was notably lean in terms of content, prompting many to call the price tag unfairly steep. Sadly,“Syndicate” suffered a very similar fate.

Look, we're not saying "combat needs to be in EVERY horror game", but the way "Shattered Memories" went about removing combat wasn't exactly elegant or inspired. Rather than giving us some way to fend off monsters, the game opted for segments in which the player must frantically run through a series of doors to escape pursuing enemies. On paper, this might seem like a good alternative; it certainly keeps the tension high! Unfortunately, in application, these chases begin to feel repetitive and at times downright frustrating, especially since they require you to follow specific paths in order to escape successfully.

“Ape Escape: On the Loose” (2005)

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When the series debuted in the late ‘90s, "Ape Escape" really showcased the potential of dual analog stick controllers. It also required players to have two analog sticks or else it was impossible to play. However, this time-honored requirement was forgotten when "On the Loose" launched on the PSP. Tell us, what's the problem with launching "Ape Escape" on the PSP? Oh yeah, it's MISSING AN ENTIRE ANALOG STICK!! “On the Loose” doesn’t carry the blame alone, but it’s certainly a contributing factor as to why we haven't had a new "Ape Escape" in such a long time! “Super Mario 64 DS” had a similar problem - this game was not meant to be played with a d-pad!

In this 2020 remake, once you’ve finished the main story, you can beef up your characters to Class 4 by taking on a quest that has you looking for Spheres and engaging in boss fights. And while that might sound like a welcome addition, these fights don’t make a lot of sense. For starters, Duran fights a ghost of his dad in a public tournament. Weird...but okay. Angela fights a clone of herself despite having already resolved internal conflicts. As for Hawkeye, Charlotte, and Riesz, they all fight bigger versions of common enemies. So, it's all rather... unexciting. It honestly felt like this was put in just to pad things out, especially since Kevin was the only one who's trial was particularly interesting.

“GoldenEye 007” (2010)

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In case you haven't seen "GoldenEye" the movie, Alec Trevelyan (Agent 006) turns against Bond and MI6 for what happened to his parents. Turns out his parents were Lienz Cossacks, an ethnic minority group from Ukraine & Russia, whom in real life after World War 2; were executed by the Soviet Regime after the British denied them asylum and turned them over to Josef Stalin. Pretty grim backstory and motive for a villain, right? Well, it gets completely rewritten in the 2010 remake. Trevelyan instead betrays MI6 because the government makes too much money and the banking system sucks. We guess they were trying to make him a more timely sympathetic villain… but it was definitely an odd choice.

“Resident Evil 2” (2019)

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Given how detail-oriented and complex of a narrative the "Resident Evil" franchise has, the last thing we needed was a time paradox. And yet, here we are with "Resident Evil 2", and it's big problem is Annette. In Leon's scenario, she manages to shoot Ada before bleeding out. However, she also shows up in Claire's scenario and dies in the security room. How is it that this character dies in both scenarios when Leon and Claire are experiencing their own events simultaneously? And why didn’t anyone take issue with this during development? Let's see you science your way out of this, Capcom!

There was simply no way that we could publish this list and NOT include the now infamous "Warcraft III" remake. Though a very enticing idea in concept, the baffling changes made to the game in "Reforged" generated widespread outrage. For starters, you could no longer join automated tournaments, form clans, or even create custom campaigns. On top of that, several balancing changes were made that practically made "Warcraft III" a completely different game! Oh, and don't get us started on those manipulative EULA policies Blizzard put in place! If you're going to tell players you own their creations, you're essentially eradicating your entire modding community.

“Space Raiders” (2003)

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If you don't remember the gritty tragedy that was "Space Raiders", well, thank your lucky stars! This was pandering at its finest and dirtiest! "Space Raiders" was a sad attempt at rebooting the "Space Invaders" franchise. You know, the one in which you command a lone tank and shoot pixelated aliens? Yeah, that's the game they chose to load up with gritty environments and provide us three different protagonists; a street kid, a cop, and a well-endowed fashion photographer who gets her own shower scene. You know, because "Space Invaders" needed an injection of drama, edge, and smut.

“Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes” (2004)

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We are, BY NO MEANS, saying that "Twin Snakes" is a bad game. However, we really need to be honest with ourselves - there are quite a number of scenes that are just WAY too ridiculous. We're talking moments where Snake jumps off a missile, manages to no-scope with a sniper rifle, dodging bullets miraculously… Basically, it's a lot of wire-fu and moves rarely seen outside of anime. Kojima, buddy, these action scenes are great and all, but people fondly remember the first "Metal Gear Solid" for a reason. Don't you think some of these cutscenes were a little too over-the-top? Before we reveal our most absurd top pick, here are a few Honorable (or Dishonorable) Mentions…

Because Weakpoints Weren’t Obvious Enough

Because We Gotta Keep This Aging Handheld Alive

Because the Original’s Story Wasn’t Good Enough for PSP

Self-Censorship, “Conker: Live & Reloaded” (2005)

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Because M-Rated Games Shouldn’t Swear

Because You Need to Blow Into the Mic and Hurt Your Wrist for That Head Start

“Final Fantasy VII Remake” (2020)

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While newly added scenes to flesh out the story of this 90s classic was an absolute given, no one could have predicted the direction Square Enix would go with this hotly anticipated remake. For the most part, the plot sticks to the original Midgar section from the first disk, but starts to derail every now and then once Cloud surprisingly encounters Sephiroth much earlier than he was supposed to. From that point on Cloud is haunted by wraith-like beings called Whispers whenever the plot starts to deviate, which culminates with an ending that makes us wonder just how different the sequel is going to be to the original.