Sony Santa Monicahas just droppedGod of War Ragnarök: Valhalla, a brand-new roguelike game mode available for free, which also serves as a story epilogue to the original Ragnarök. In January,The Last of Us 2 Remasteredis coming, charging you $10 for the PS5-ready version that also throws in a roguelike mode, placing you into the shoes of different characters as they attempt to survive various challenges.
While all this is pretty neat stuff on its own, what excites me the most is how this promising trend among PlayStation games might shake up the whole gaming scene, paving the way for more satisfying remasters down the road or even serving as a template for post-launch support in single-player titles. If other devs pick up the right cues, the next wave of remasters might tackle two major issues head-on: the superfluous nature of some remasters arriving too soon after the original, and the risk of short story campaigns being padded unnecessarily just to extend playtime.
Suitable For Almost Anything
Sony’s sudden interest in adding roguelike modes likely finds its roots inReturnal, Housemarque’s unusual AAA venture into a genre that usually thrives in the indie scene. Initially, the game may not have seemed like a massive hit, but it appears to have served as a valuable lesson, shaping Sony’s new approach to the single-player formula.
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Granted, Sony isn’t exactly a pioneer here. Some AAA developers have dabbled with roguelike modes for years. FromRemnant: From the AshesandThe Division’s Survival modes toMortal Shell:The Virtuous Cycle andAssassin’s Creed Valhalla: The Forgotten Saga, there are already examples of successful implementations. With its broader influence though, Sony could bring this trend to a much larger stage, potentially inspiring more companies to adopt the same idea.
When you think about it, it’s a win-win scenario for everyone involved. Developers benefit from increased engagement from players, extending the lifespan of their products, and fans, in turn, get new, replayable content to pour hours into while awaiting the next installment. Sounds perfect, right?
We all go back to our favorite single-player titles from time to time, so more updates in the vein of The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, combining upgraded visuals with brand-new game modes, seem like a no-brainer. It gives us more reasons to dive back into adventures we once conquered. I know that some players might not typically return to completed games, but I think this new approach could prompt even those individuals to reconsider.
Numerous titles could benefit greatly from such treatment. Take, for example,Star Wars Jedi: SurvivororControl. In fact, any game with a solid combat system could thrive with such a mode. When I revisited The Last of Us Part 2 earlier this year, before the Remastered version was even on the horizon, I spent dozens of hours replaying its intense and visceral fights available straight from the menu, and you know, Naughty Dog’s combat rocks. The No Return roguelike mode undoubtedly offers even more thrilling possibilities that my earlier venture lacked.
Help, My Game Is Too Short!
The inclusion of additional game modes, such as a procedurally generated gauntlet, not only provides devs with a tool to add value to remasters of their older games but also addresses other issues, like the problem of very short story campaigns in titles that don’t offer much beyond that. ThinkThe Order: 1886, for instance.
Ready At Dawn’s ambitious creation faced widespread criticism for its short length, even though the project was pretty solid overall. From its standout visuals (still looking gorgeous almost a decade later) and a unique setting to a rather robust combat system that, unfortunately, lacked opportunities to fully spread its wings and maximize its potential, The Order: 1886 arguably deserves a sequel or at least a remaster more than any other Sony game out there.
Now, imagine if it got updated for PS5 with an additional roguelike mode, allowing you to fully explore every weapon in its rich steampunk arsenal and face varied challenges, such as jam-packed areas with human enemies and lycans to clear. Don’t tell me you wouldn’t be tempted by such an offer, assuming it comes with a reasonable price tag.
Furthermore, introducing more game modes after launch could signify a positive shift in general, especially given how long it takes to develop massive AAA games nowadays. It’s a smart way to bring new experiences without putting too much strain on a team already occupied with the next upcoming project. By adopting this approach, devs could make the time between titles feel shorter, ensuring the original game stays relevant, and, most importantly,profitable, for much longer.
Not A Revolution, But A Welcome Change
Certainly, there have been previous attempts to keep players engaged in single-player games for an extended period, with many titles offering additional combat arena modes or something akin toResident Evil’s Mercenaries, focused on clearing endless waves of enemies to achieve a record score. But this new initiative by Sony seems even more fitting for post-launch content updates and so-called definitive editions. Instead of just throwing a bunch of quality-of-life improvements on top, why not strive to make the package more appealing and lasting?
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Not every game needs to be an epic story spanning dozens of hours, and I’ve already expressedappreciation for the current trend of making games shorterrather than bloating them with unnecessary filler. And this new trend of adding roguelike modes could prove to be a winning solution as well. Those who are content with just beating the story can happily move on to the next title in their backlog, while those who enjoy a particular game’s core mechanics, like the combat system, can spend extra hours with it. This could permanently spare developers from the need to superficially stretch the story they want to tell in favor of squeezing more playtime into it under pressure from publishers.
Even thoughSony has yet to fulfill its generational pledgewith diverse titles, I have to give it credit here. With this new wave of updates to The Last of Us 2 Remastered and God of War Ragnarök, the company seems to have found the right way to make fans return to older games without overcharging them. At the same time, they make remasters of not-so-old games look much more attractive than just a minor facelift, as it used to be. Hopefully, other studios will follow suit, and the next inevitable wave of remasters will be much more rewarding than just a more high-res version of an older game, where some might struggle to even spot a difference.
