New reports say that Sony has development on a The Last of Us remake for PS5 going under original developer Naughty Dog, which is quite frankly a ridiculous proposition given that the original only came out in 2013 on PS3, got a Remastered version on PS4 in 2014—which, I should add, is available as part of the PS Plus Collection on PS5 for all PlayStation Plus subscribers—and had its sequel release just last year. Pursuing new ideas and sequels to big games aside (RIP Days Gone 2), The Last of Us is one of last games that comes to mind when looking at which PlayStation exclusives Sony should remake.
Putting out a remake (whatever “remake” actually means, in this context) of The Last of Us, built by the same studio who already put the game out less than eight years ago, feels devoid of creativity on Sony’s part. Even the 2016 Ratchet & Clank remake from Insomniac was 14 years after the original’s release. Whether it’s just the original game with some PS5-level enhancements, or its a full-blown remake that changes up multiple elements of the game (the reporting seems to suggest the latter), The Last of Us is very low on the list of PlayStation exclusive remakes that fans are clamoring for on the PS5.
Now, that’s not to say that The Last of Us is a bad game—far from it—but rather that it just doesn’t warrant a remake just yet. In no particular order, here are 10 PlayStation exclusives from Sony studios that deserve PS5 remakes more than The Last of Us.
10 PlayStation Exclusives That Deserve PS5 Remakes More Than The Last of Us
Jak and Daxter
If we’re mining Naughty Dog’s history for remakes, can we delve back a little further than the last franchise the studio worked on? In fact, let’s even jump back past Uncharted, to an era of platforming creativity in the early 2000s when Naughty Dog created one of the most beloved platforming duos of all time. Uncharted and The Last of Us are both excellent series, but Jak and Daxter were last seen in 2005’s Jak X: Combat Racing, and with Naughty Dog’s increasing focus on visceral realism, Jak and Daxter seems to have been forgotten. What could Naughty Dog do with the Jak and Daxter franchise now with the PS5’s tech and after all the lessons learned in the last 15 years? I’m much more interested in exploring this possibility than in revisiting The Last of Us again so soon.
Resistance: Fall of Man
A brilliant 1950s-era first-person shooter that saw aliens invade earth in the early 1900s and change history forever following WWI, Resistance: Fall of Man mixes the period setting with sci-fi in a brilliant and unique way. The Chimera were iconic foes. Nathan Hale’s story resonated with players. And then the series was largely dropped following 2011’s Resistance 3. The final entry was 2012’s offshoot, Resistance: Burning Skies, on PlayStation Vita. Insomniac have repeatedly expressed that there is no interest in returning to Resistance from either the developer itself or Sony, but it’s is one of those franchises that deserves another look far more than The Last of Us.
Infamous
Infamous was at one time a strong PlayStation exclusive franchise. Infamous: Second Son and First Light were early looks at the wonders of the PS4, but the franchise got its start in 2009’s Infamous. The series seems to have been dropped by Sony, following 2014’s First Light, and Sucker Punch moved on to make the lauded Ghost of Tsushima. With all the love that alternate takes on superhero stories are getting these days, revisiting that first Infamous on PS5 would be a welcome look back at a great PlayStation series.
Twisted Metal
Twisted Metal’s last outing was the PS3’s Twisted Metal in 2012, which controversially changed up a number of the series’ biggest elements—namely connecting individual drivers to their specific cars and giving each one a unique reason for entering the Twisted Metal competition. But we’ve seen what a classic return to form can do for a series, just look at what Activision did with Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, which captured the nostalgia of the originals in a whole new way. We’d love to see a similar approach to Twisted Metal, remaking the classic PS1 games (notably Twisted Metal 2), or even a remake of the darker Twisted Metal: Black. With a Twisted Metal TV show on the way, now seems like a perfect time to revive the series’ classic and best games. If I won the Twisted Metal tournament, that’s what I’d wish for.
Sly Cooper
Sly Cooper is another classic cartoon-platformer that got dropped by Sony. The first game released back in 2002, while the last release was Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time (effectively Sly Cooper 4) in 2013. Sly and his pals were at one time in the upper pantheon of PlayStation mascots, joining the likes of Jak and Daxter and Ratchet and Clank in an era of fun buddy platformers that Sony ran through the early 2000s. Sly’s been a bit lost to time after his time traveling antics of 2013, but we’d love to revisit his origins again.
Ratchet & Clank
Yes, Ratchet & Clank is not a dead or dormant series, and yes, there’s a new game coming out this year, and also yes, Ratchet & Clank already got a remake with the 2016 game (which was free earlier this year from the Play at Home initiative). But, can you see where I’m going with this? I’d love to revisit other older Ratchet games too. Imagine Going Commando or Up Your Arsenal (ah, the classic days of inappropriately punny Ratchet game subtitles) built with PS5 tech. While certainly lower on the list than many of the other titles here, remaking classic Ratchet & Clank games is still something I’d want more than The Last of Us.
Legend of Dragoon
At this point it’s a pipe dream to see anything remade or continue from Japan Studio, but Legend of Dragoon was a classic RPG that was often compared (if somewhat unfairly) to Final Fantasy. Legend of Dragoon has gained a cult following in the decades since it released, so much so that it was heavily demanded as the Bluepoint remake (which ended up being the PS5 remake of Demon’s Souls). We’d love to see what a modern exploration of Legend of Dragoon could look like though. You could even have Shuhei Yoshida return to produce!
Syphon Filter
This one seems like a no-brainer. Syphon Filter was part of the “stealth shooter” genre of games that included the likes of Metal Gear Solid and Splinter Cell. With Metal Gear Solid seemingly dead in the water after Kojima’s split from Konami, and Ubisoft reluctant to actually put out a new Splinter Cell title, now seems like the perfect time to revisit Syphon Filter, especially because Bend Studio tied the world of Days Gone into it. Though with Days Gone 2 reportedly going nowhere, I don’t expect Sony to jump at this opportunity.
God of War
Like with Ratchet & Clank, it’s entirely possible to continue a series while having an appreciation for its origins. The new God of War is fantastic, one of my favorite games ever. The next one is sure to be a masterpiece as well, but I can’t help but wonder what the original 2005 God of War might look like remade for PS5. This isn’t really something I’m clamoring for, but I certainly think it’s more deserving of a remake than The Last of Us at this point, so it made the list mostly just to prove a point.
Killzone
Sony really got out of the shooter business, dropping many of its titles in favor of blockbuster experiences. Killzone last saw an entry at the PS4’s launch, and it doesn’t look like we’re set to see another one anytime soon. Still, it would be interesting the revisit the classic titles in the franchise. What could Killzone 2 be if made for the PS5? Sony clearly still has a love for the Helghast, so maybe there’s something here that can be revived.
The 10 games and series above are just the tip of the iceberg, with plenty of additional Sony franchises that deserve another chance more than The Last of Us, which at this point doesn’t need a fresh remake to remain a viable and beloved series. Just look at how many awards its sequel won just last year. Dark Cloud, Ape Escape, Heavenly Sword, Lair, Tokyo Jungle; the Sony vault is filled with games, IPs, and franchises that have seemingly been abandoned while Sony reportedly wants to keep printing money with one of its most recently successful series.
Maybe in another few years, we can start the conversation about what remaking The Last of Us looks like—I mean, at least let the game hit a decade, jeez—but for now, let’s look to other PlayStation exclusive games that deserve another chance. Or better yet, invest in unique new ideas or continuations for these beloved IP.
Which PlayStation exclusives would you like to see Sony remake rather than The Last of Us? Let us know in the comments below.
