The last few years a large number of HD remakes have been released, everything from The Legend of Zelda games to some of the original Resident Evil games. This got me wondering if revisiting these games are worth the price.

This is not an easy question to answer. Some HD remakes are not simply the same game with much improved graphics, but include numerous additional improvements such as controls, sound and sometimes even gameplay. Games like The Legend of Zelda Wind Waker is definitely the definitive version of that game and if I had to pick which version to play between it and the original GameCube version I would most definitely pick the WiiU remake.

However, some games, even with improved graphics did not age well. HD remakes such as the Metal Gear Collection on PS Vita and the Silent Hill Collection on PS3 and Xbox360 (which was a butchering of a remake with all the voice overs being redone horribly), do not stand up as well as they once did as gamers grew accustomed to more modern control schemes and less static camera angles.

One plus point of these HD remakes is that it affords people who missed the original release of the game the opportunity to experience it. If you consider the Legend of Zelda Wind Waker again, the original GameCube version has become an expensive and scarce item to get hold of, and even if you do, you need a working GameCube to play it. 

These games also give people the opportunity to revisit games they loved from previous console generations, which they might no longer own. So from this perspective HD remakes do add value.

In the end the conclusion I came to is, it depends. Some HD remakes are amazing and adds a great deal to the original experience. Whereas some HD remakes feel like blatant cash-ins from their publishers who just want to milk a bit more from a past investment. I do feel there is something wrong with HD remakes being sold at the full retail price of new releases. In the end this is a decision everyone has to make for themselves, because even considering all the above mentioned the one factor that can overrule all other factors is the sentimental or emotional attachment someone can have for a game, and the opportunity to revisit the experience will be the biggest deciding factor for many people.