It’s the go-to developer for remastering or remaking beloved video games — particularly those from PlayStation’s past. Bluepoint Games has devoted itself to the craft of bringing back old favourite games with a new coat of paint so that newer generations of gamers can appreciate them without having to dust off an old piece of hardware.
Because of this unique role among other game development studios, Bluepoint Games doesn’t get as much credit as it deserves. Which is a shame, as the talented developers at this studio have poured so much love and care into each and every one of their projects, prioritising preservation and accessibility in an industry that doesn’t always value those two qualities.
8Blast Factor
An Infectious Twin-Stick Shooter
For a studio that is well known for updating older games it didn’t originally create, it’s somewhat surprising that Bluepoint Games’ very first title is also its only original property to date. While Blast Factor does suffer from some of the simplicity that comes with being an earlyPlayStation 3 game, it’s still a perfectly enjoyable twin-stick shooter.
Blast Factor is also notable for being the first PlayStation 3 game to run at both 1080p and at 60fps, an early indicator of how well Bluepoint Games was at technical excellence. The game also makes fun use of the Sixaxis controller to tilt the battlefield left or right, clumping together the enemies (or infections) so they could easily be picked off.
The purpose of Gravity Rush Remastered was twofold. It allowed PS4 gamers to enjoy the original game before its sequel launched a couple of years later, and it finally gave this cult classic PS Vita game to be enjoyed by a wider audience.
Bluepoint Games provided its signature high quality remaster treatment to Gravity Rush, improving the frame rate, visuals, and including all the original’s DLC into one fantastic package. For a game all about defying gravity, it was appropriate this game was finally given a chance to fly on a system with a much larger install base.
6The Ico & Shadow Of The Colossus Collection
An Arts Exhibition Of Some Of The PS2’s Best Games
There’s a slight awkwardness over returning to The Ico & Shadow Of The Colossus Collection as Bluepoint Games would one-up its work on the latter of these games some years later. With that said, this collection is still the definitive way to play Ico, a melancholic cult game on the PS2 that continues to influence left-of-field game developers to this day.
For its time, this collection was worth playing for no other reason than it fixed the infamous frame rate issues that plagued the original Shadow of the Colossus. If these two games are considered to be some of the first’games as art games', then this collection is a fine exhibition to showcase some of the medium’s most cerebral works.
Yes, it doesn’t include the multiplayer modes and, yes, it probably could have included Uncharted: Golden Abyss as well, but the amount of value to be found in Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is still immense. These three games are some of gaming’s most endearing popcorn adventures, combining loveable characters and fun action better than almost anything else on the market.
The first threeUnchartedgames were already technical powerhouses on the PS3, but Bluepoint Games ensures their longevity thanks to overhauled cutscenes and necessary tweaks to the gameplay. Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection is simply the best way to play this beloved trilogy of swashbuckling stories.
The Metal Gear Solid HD Collection is a terrific compilation of some of the most well-loved games from Kojima’s iconic series. While Sons of Liberty, Snake Eater, and Peace Walker are all considered classics in their own right, the only reason this collection doesn’t place any higher is because Bluepoint Games was only responsible for remastering two thirds of those games.
The work it did on Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3 was still fantastic – effortlessly bringing the games into the HD era while adding in some necessary control adjustments. But since Genki handled the remastering of Peace Walker, it’s hard to justify placing this collection higher than some of Bluepoint Game’s other works.
The God of War Collection was Bluepoint Games’ first foray into the world of remasters, and it nailed it straight out of the gates. The first twoGod of Wargames were already some of the most treasured games on the PS2, and the HD remaster only reinforced their legacy by giving them a gorgeous HD makeover for the PS3.
Throw in Trophy support and an improved frame rate, and the God of War Collection kicked off a line of PS2 HD remasters that included other classic series like Ratchet & Clank and Jak and Daxter. As for Bluepoint Games, this collection marked the beginning of a commitment to putting out high quality remasters and remakes of games that continues to this day.
BeforeElden Ring, beforeBloodborne, even beforeDark Souls, there wasDemon’s Souls. A 2009 FromSoftware game that has all the hallmarks of what the studio would become famous for — a dark fantasy setting, punishing combat, and truly awe-inspiring boss fights.
Bluepoint Games took it upon itself to give Demon’s Souls another chance in the spotlight with a comprehensive remake that ended up being afantastic launch gamefor the PlayStation 5. While the core spirit and design of the original was kept intact, there were so many improvements layered on top of this already incredible experience to ensure that Demon’s Souls now stands toe to toe with all the other great Soulslike games it helped inspire.
There was nothing wrong with Bluepoint Games' original HD remaster of Shadow of the Colossus in 2011 and yet, seven years later, it decided to give this iconic game another go around. Only this time, the studio remade all the art assets from the ground up to create one of the most visually striking games on the PS4 — remake or otherwise.
Shadow of the Colossus (2018) is a technical marvel that meticulously captures the majesty and melancholy of the original. It is the peak showcase of Bluepoint Games' impeccable ability to make an old game look and feel fresh again and has only strengthened the game’s storied legacy.
