Remasters To Play Instead Of GTA: The Trilogy

This year turned out to be a catastrophe for fans waiting to get their hands on "Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition." While players had hoped to experience some refreshed and tweaked traditional GTA experiences, they got a glitchy, ugly mess instead. Since launch, Rockstar has attempted to stabilize the flatlining collection of classics, but the damage has already been done. The disastrous launch shouldn't sway players from remasters altogether though; there are still several worthwhile titles players should check out instead.

For every nightmare like "GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition," there are remaster success stories. Whether it's a collection of classic titles or a single game with a fresh coat of paint, there are plenty of options to fill the void left by "GTA: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition." Here are five remasters that are actually worth players' time and offer an updated experience without introducing new woes.

Though players got a somewhat recent entry in the form of "Devil May Cry 5" back in 2019, fans of the franchise still eagerly want sequels of Capcom's over-the-top action series. "Devil May Cry HD Collection" presents players with an opportunity to re-experience the first three entries accompanied by glorious HD visuals and an increase to 60 fps. Players can find the titles readily available digitally for PC, PlayStation 4 (and PlayStation 5), and Xbox consoles.

Originally a "Resident Evil" sequel gone astray, the "Devil May Cry" series follows the demon hunter Dante, the protagonist who must defend earth against multiple onslaughts by the forces of hell. Players have an assortment of weapons and abilities at their disposal as they traverse stages that rank and score performance. The titles have earned the praise of fans and critics alike over the years for their focus on style and combat, going on to help pioneer action-adventure games that would follow.

"The Last of Us 2" may get the brunt of players' attention, having just been released more recently, but there's still plenty worth exploring in "The Last of Us" — especially its remastered version. Whether players are diving into the series for the first time or going back to replay 2013's game of the year, "The Last of Us Remastered" presents the game in a hauntingly beautiful 1080p resolution and 60 fps. Players can find "The Last of Us Remastered" on PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4, though they're able to play the PS4 version on PlayStation 5 as well.

Fans and critics have almost universally appreciated the cosmetic improvements and inclusions of DLC content, Despite the remaster releasing only a year after the initial version of the game. Since the remaster's release, the title has gone on to become one of the highest-rated titles for PS4 ever.

With Tom Holland (of "Spider-Man: No Way Home" fame) officially set to premiere as  Nathan Drake on the big screen, now is as good a time as any for players looking to refresh themselves on the "Uncharted" series or even jump in for the first time. The three most essential "Uncharted" games have been assembled and remastered in one complete package titled "Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection. The collection is available to purchase physically or digitally for PlayStation 4 consoles and is playable on PlayStation 5.

"Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection" combines the first three adventures of treasure hunter Nathan Drake, his mentor Sully and accompanying companions like Elena Fisher and Chloe Frazer. Each game is remastered with updated visuals and added DLC content. The "Uncharted" franchise became a dominant mainstay on Sony platforms after titles were continually met with an increasing positive reception by fans and critics.

The "Kingdom Hearts" franchise is a gaming oddity; for all intents and purposes, it's something that shouldn't work. That said, the amalgamation of beloved Disney characters slicked fresh with a spunky "Final Fantasy" presentation and a labyrinthian plot delivered one of the most beloved JRPG franchises of all time. The series made its splash on PlayStation 2, but as of "Kingdom Hearts 3" release in 2019, players can find remastered versions of most of the franchise on a wide assortment of platforms.

"Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix" collects the Final Mix versions of both the first and second Kingdom Hearts in addition to the PlayStation Portable prequel "Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep," the remake of the Game Boy Advance's "Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories," and two cinematic movies detailing the events of "Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days" and "Kingdom Hearts Re:coded." The collection is available on PC exclusively through the Epic Games Store as well as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. There's even a cloud version in the works for Nintendo Switch.

For players longing for the good old days of classic platformers, "Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy" is sure to fill the void. While the orange bandicoot was largely absent from the spotlight for the better part of a console generation, the franchise came back in a big way and reminded the industry why players initially fell in love with the series on the original PlayStation. Though the collection sports engine tweaks and new visuals built from the ground up, the titles carefully recreate the same "Crash Bandicoot" experiences fans love and remember.

The "Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy" brings together the first three "Crash Bandicoot" games and garbs each title in a gorgeous fresh coat of paint. Visually, the title has improved leaps and bounds, but fans will still find themselves running, jumping, and spinning past enemies as they collect crystals and gems. "Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy" originally launched for PlayStation 4, but has since become available for Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch.