2011 seems destined to be the Year of the HD Remake. With major publishers raiding their back catalogs for material to resell, both retail shelves and online marketplaces seem increasingly packed with familiar games from the last console generation (and beyond). These revivals often play on the strength of a popular brand such as Resident Evil and Metal Gear Solid. Other times, an HD remake can offer a little-known game a second chance.
One such remake hitting the Xbox Live Arcade this week is Guardian Heroes, a cult favorite and critical darling that had the misfortune of being a Sega Saturn exclusive. The sprawling beat-em-up with RPG stat-management and multiple endings never found the audience it deserved in 1996, but fifteen years later it still represents one of the best examples of the genre.
