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When you think “2020 video game remake,” the first thing that comes to mind is probably Final Fantasy VII. That makes some amount of sense. The famous RPG’s remake was a long-awaited dream, a fulfillment of a promise that Sony accidentally made when they created a cool CG trailer eons ago to try and sell PlayStation 3 consoles.
Final Fantasy VII Remake redefined what a big re-release could be. It was a proverbial breath of fresh air from an industry more often focused on quick cash-in remasters. It won tons of critical acclaim and awards. It sold millions of copies to PS4 players, and was one of the best exclusive send-offs the console could have asked for next to Ghost of Tsushima. It started a trilogy which has now become a bloated prospect, with the first sequel not selling that well in spite of lofty expectations.
It’s also not the only high budget, well-crafted, high-definition remake of a beloved classic that launched in 2020. In fact, I think someone else did the same idea a tiny bit better just a few months later.
In September of 2020, 2K and Hangar 13 released Mafia: Definitive Edition. Although the name implies it’s a simple re-issue of the 2002 original, it’s actually a full blown high budget open world remake, with core…
