2025 is set to continue the celebration of gaming with new remakes and remasters. It’s right we honor the games that paved the way for what we play now, and there are a variety of interesting titles scheduled for 2025.
The Silent Hill 2 remake and Tomb Raider I-III Remastered are top of the mountain for 2024’s best remakes and remasters. They are products of the PS1 era and look better than ever in the present. We’re used to seeing remasters tinker with an oldie to make it a goldie, whereas remakes are built from the ground up to represent a classic in a new and reimagined way.
We like either direction, to be honest, as playing a prettier edition of games we love is the best! Fortunately, the games industry recognizes this too, so we’re gearing up for even more remakes and remakes in 2025.
Biggest Remakes & Remasters in 2025
Like birds, expect more remasters and remakes to suddenly appear. Announcements can happen anytime and anywhere, from Summer Game Fest to Nintendo Directs. These are a handful of titles we know are coming in 2025—with official release dates and guesstimations.
Freedom Wars Remastered — Jan. 9
I had the original Freedom Wars on my PlayStation Vita as it was one of the rare, exclusive first-party titles. The Vita didn’t get much love, sadly, but Freedom Wars was a great addition to its catalog. It’s a Monster Hunter clone at its core, but the gameplay gets pretty intense, and there’s a nice sense of progression as you unlock better gear and harder missions. The battles become bigger, the bosses become badder, and Bandai Namco Entertainment is heading up this welcome remaster to, hopefully, give Freedom Wars the exposure it deserves.
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD — Jan. 16
Donkey Kong Country Returns HD is a simple remaster and port of the 2010 Wii original. The Nintendo Switch has been privy to a hefty amount of remasters and ports from previous generations, and the newest Donley Kong release is just this. The biggest difference here is Donkey Kong Country Returns HD includes content only found in the Nintendo 3DS port of the OG game. Other than this, it’s the usual buffet of banana collecting, obstacle climbing, and collectible-finding platforming.
Tomb Raider IV–VI Remastered — Feb. 14
I don’t know how many more Tomb Raider Remastered collections are planned—as there are still a few TR games left—but if this is the last one, it’s been a fun ride. The Tomb Raider games were seminal releases and helped propagate the idea women could be the stars of the action. Lara Croft achieved this and more. In Tomb Raider IV–VI Remastered, she kicks butt across Cambodia and Egypt in The Last Revelation, multiple continents in Chronicles, and France and the Czech Republic in Angel of Darkness. They’re not the most celebrated Tomb Raider entries, but it’ll be fun to revisit them once more.
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition — Mar. 20
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition took a while to commission, but it’s happening, and is set for a release as early as Mar. 20, 2025. The Xenoblade spin-off features all of the 2015 original’s content, along with graphical enhancements, additional story components, and much more. It shares a lot in common with other Xenoblade games as it’s a sprawling, open-world RPG where you fight aliens with spectacular attacks and complete missions to upgrade characters and earn better gear—the usual fare you’d expect.
Yooka-Replaylee
The adorably named Yooka-Replaylee takes 2017’s Yooka-Laylee and applies a fresh coat of paint. I was so excited for its original release, and despite some obvious shortcomings regarding its controls and chaotic camera, it’s the perfect example of why we need 3D platformers forever—a point Astro Bot has doubled down on. Yooka is a chameleon, Laylee is a cute bat, and together, they combine to explore multiple words brimming with personality, magically book pages, and pesky enemies. If you want a more chilled game where you can sit back, relax, and collect stuff, I’d recommend checking out Yooka-Replaylee.
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater
Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater might be a convoluted name, but it’s apt for the adventure the third mainline MGS entry takes us on. The origins of Snake are born here, and it sets in motion one of gaming’s most revered series. Konami sensibly chose to remake Snake Eater first as it comes first in Metal Gear’s narrative chronology. It’s set to be a faithful recreation of Snake Eater, featuring the same story, dramatic events, and even original voice acting roles. Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater may be a remake, but it’s sure to be one of 2025’s best games.
Which remake or remaster has you most pumped? Do you think the best title hasn’t even been announced yet? Let us know your thoughts below.
2025 looks dry Konami should remake Castlevania Lament Of Innocence too with Igarashi.