Usually, yes—but it is a worthwhile replay, not an essential repurchase. The PS4 release rebuilds the world and adds Photo Mode and several quality-of-life improvements, while keeping the original story and core adventure. If you already have a playable PS2 or PS3 copy and prefer its older, more dreamlike atmosphere, you can reasonably stick with it.
What makes the PS4 edition different?
The PS2 game is the original; the PS3 release was an HD remaster. The PS4 edition is a ground-up remake, not simply the PS3 version moved to newer hardware. Bluepoint Games president Marco Thrush described it as a remake because the jump from PS2 to PS4 called for more than re-releasing the earlier remaster. PlayStation.Blog’s account of the remake also explains the team’s aim to modernize the presentation without changing what made the game feel like itself.
That distinction matters most in the world you revisit. Scenery, characters, colossi, lighting and fur detail were rebuilt, making the Forbidden Lands richer and often easier to read. The story and essential adventure, however, remain faithful to the original rather than offering a new campaign.
What has changed—and what has not?
Presentation and atmosphere
The visual rebuild is the clearest reason to return. The landscape and creatures have far more detail than on PS2 or PS3, and the update gives familiar encounters a fresh visual impact. But fidelity is not automatically an improvement for every player: one review argued that the added detail can soften the original’s dreamlike quality. That is an aesthetic preference, not a flaw everyone will notice. Meristation’s PS4 review discusses that trade-off.
#1 Best Overall
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Controls and small conveniences
The remake uses a more contemporary default button layout and adds quick-select items on the D-pad. It also makes stamina progression clearer and reduces the interface’s visual footprint. These changes can make a return playthrough feel more comfortable without substantially changing how the adventure works.
Photo Mode and extras
Photo Mode is the most substantial new way to engage with the world: it lets you pause and compose images from the journey. The PS4 version also includes gameplay statistics and a mirrored mode unlocked after finishing. These are welcome extras, but they do not amount to a new story or a major expansion of the original experience. Game Informer’s review describes the remake as having few major additions.
Rank #2
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The original’s deliberate feel
Bluepoint did not set out to make Wander move like a different character. The studio retained his deliberately heavy movement and emphasized respect for the original design. If the older controls and pacing are part of what you value, the remake is not a radical reinterpretation meant to replace them. Bluepoint technical director Peter Dalton’s GDC presentation outlines that design principle.
How does it run on PS4 and PS5?
On PS4 Pro, the game offers a choice between an image-quality mode and a performance mode. Sony described Cinematic mode as targeting dynamic 4K at 30 fps on compatible 4K HDR displays, while Performance mode targets 60 fps. These are targets, not a guarantee that every scene will hold a fixed frame rate. Game Informer reported standard PS4 play at 30 fps and described the Pro options as 4K/30 and 60 fps. The practical choice on Pro is therefore sharper presentation at a 30 fps target or a 60 fps target—not a universally better setting. Sony’s mode descriptions and Game Informer’s platform observations provide those figures.
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The PS4 edition was released on February 6, 2018. The official US PlayStation Store listing identifies it as a PS4 game and says it is playable on PS5 subject to system software; some PS4 features may be absent. That makes the remake an option if you have compatible PS5 hardware but no longer keep a PS2 or PS3 connected.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Should you replay it or keep your old copy?
| Your situation | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You want to see the Forbidden Lands rebuilt, use Photo Mode or try updated defaults. | PS4 remake | Its main value is the new presentation and convenience changes. |
| You want the same story and colossus encounters, and your PS2 or PS3 copy is playable. | Keep your existing version | The core adventure remains intact; the remake does not add a new campaign. |
| You prefer the older game’s less-detailed, dreamlike visual mood. | PS2 or PS3 version | The richer remake can change the atmosphere in a way some players may not prefer. |
| You play on PS4 Pro and prioritize fluidity over image quality. | PS4 remake in Performance mode | Sony says the mode targets 60 fps; Cinematic instead targets dynamic 4K at 30 fps on compatible displays. |
For returning fans, the PS4 remake is easiest to recommend as a fresh way to experience a familiar game, especially if you want a visual revisit or a Photo Mode playthrough. It is harder to justify if your old copy is readily playable and the original’s atmosphere is exactly what you want. In his 2018 review, Kyle Hilliard of Game Informer similarly called the PS4 version worth seeking out for fans and newcomers, while noting it does not improve on the original or HD remaster in every way.
Quick Recap
Best Value
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Rank #4
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