Max Payne remake can’t repeat GTA: The Trilogy’s mistakes

digitaltrends.com:

Remedy Entertainment and Rockstar recently announced Max Payne 1 and 2 remakes that would revive an excellent series that has long been on the backburner. As all three games from the Max Payne series are fantastic third-person shooters, I’m excited about this long-awaited return. Despite that, this announcement also leaves me worried in the wake of Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition.

It’s no secret that Rockstar botched the re-release of its classic GTA titles. And although the Max Payne remakes already have a grander vision than GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition did, Remedy Entertainment and Rockstar need to be careful not to repeat any of the same mistakes while recreating more all-time classics.

Remasters and remakes can be an important tool in game preservation, going beyond simply bringing straight ports on digital storefronts. It’s a surefire way to earn goodwill from fans and highlight one’s legacy, but Rockstar messed this process up with GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition.

GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition had an identity crisis where its developers couldn’t decide whether or not they wanted the game to be a remake, remaster, or simple port of these classics. This non-committal nature made the final product feel underbaked under all three labels.

The developers didn’t make enough radical changes to be a remake but did modify enough, like the combat controls and visuals, that it didn’t fit under the port umbrella either. Remaster would seem like the best label, but it wasn’t as polished as other modern remasters. As I played GTA 3 for the first time, I kept wishing that Rockstar had just remade this innovative sandbox game rather than half-commit to a remaster that