Are greatest hits / platinum hits etc altered or left untouched?

I would like to get back into gaming with my PS2 and there's a store in my area that has many of these greatest hits for PS2 at only $5 each, but I was always nervous buying them. For one thing.. the artwork is shrunk on the cover. Not so much with PS2, but moreso on the Xbox 360. Even though 360 isn't considered "legacy" yet.. I still need to get a hold of early titles for that system as well such as Dead Rising, Gears, etc.

Now I can deal with a stamp on the front cover. I used to be paranoid about this stuff and want my game shelf to be perfect with nothing 'out of place'. But now I'm older and come realise you can't have it all. So for the sake of just seeking out older games and playing them as they were originally intended.. are they a safe bet? Because if it's any way gimped then I'll cough up the dough for original.

Here's an example.. Saint's Row limited double pack which has both 1 and 2 is now a platinum hits set that I can get for $20. That's cheap. But what gives?

Thanks in advange for the infinite wisdom from you gurus!

I would like to get back into gaming with my PS2 and there's a store in my area that has many of these greatest hits for PS2 at only $5 each, but I was always nervous buying them. For one thing.. the artwork is shrunk on the cover. Not so much with PS2, but moreso on the Xbox 360. Even though 360 isn't considered "legacy" yet.. I still need to get a hold of early titles for that system as well such as Dead Rising, Gears, etc.

Now I can deal with a stamp on the front cover. I used to be paranoid about this stuff and want my game shelf to be perfect with nothing 'out of place'. But now I'm older and come realise you can't have it all. So for the sake of just seeking out older games and playing them as they were originally intended.. are they a safe bet? Because if it's any way gimped then I'll cough up the dough for original.

Here's an example.. Saint's Row limited double pack which has both 1 and 2 is now a platinum hits set that I can get for $20. That's cheap. But what gives?

Thanks in advange for the infinite wisdom from you gurus!

oldskooler79

Im no guru but you have to watch out for some games I guess, gta3 trilogy for example does not carry over old saves b.c they were altered.

Okay after research I've learned that they may ship with bugs fixed, DLC in some instances, or some content changed. That's fine but what I should have asked the first time is specifically concerning graphics/sound/etc. Do they alter music, or downgrade the graphics any? You know like how you can watch a movie with less bitrate (making it look worse). It's probably a silly question because don't they just copy the same code? But thought I'd ask anyway seeing as how the games are a deal cheaper in most cases.

Some do and some don't, however the majority of greatest hits titles are mostly unaltered, minus several bugs and glitches being fixed most of the time.

Most are exactly the same as the original reease. In some, they may fix a bug or two, but leave the game otherwise untouched.

There are a few where they add stuff to the game, but those games are few and far between. It's a pretty safe bet they a greatest hits cop is the same as a black label version.

Okay after research I've learned that they may ship with bugs fixed, DLC in some instances, or some content changed. That's fine but what I should have asked the first time is specifically concerning graphics/sound/etc. Do they alter music, or downgrade the graphics any? You know like how you can watch a movie with less bitrate (making it look worse). It's probably a silly question because don't they just copy the same code? But thought I'd ask anyway seeing as how the games are a deal cheaper in most cases.

oldskooler79

Why would they? It would cost them more to downgrade it than it would to simply press the same disc.

I guess if the game is using licenced music, they may have to take out/replace a song if there's a legal issue using it, but I can't think of a time that that's happened.

Okay after research I've learned that they may ship with bugs fixed, DLC in some instances, or some content changed. That's fine but what I should have asked the first time is specifically concerning graphics/sound/etc. Do they alter music, or downgrade the graphics any? You know like how you can watch a movie with less bitrate (making it look worse). It's probably a silly question because don't they just copy the same code? But thought I'd ask anyway seeing as how the games are a deal cheaper in most cases.

oldskooler79

most of the time it's just the same game. Sometimes, you may get new box art. My copy of Mafia 2 is the greatest hits version and that copy gave me all the dlc. I have also noticed, sometimes you can get two games, like the saint's row 2-pack on the 360.

They usually make the box really ugly.

Just the game case label and the pressing of the actual PS2 disc. Which will have greatest hits on them. The game content itself is not changed in any way.

Depends on a few factors. Generation being the big one.

As far as PS1 games go, I believe they are basically all the same with a few exceptions that include "fixes" and such. I don't remember ever having a collector's urge to pick up any of them for any notable reasons.

Most GH/PH games are the exact same on older systems. During the Xbox/PS2 years they would occasionally add content in some fashion. For example, the original Fable game was re-released as a Platinum Hit on the Xbox with the subtitle "The Lost Chapters" and it contained a bunch of new content. Also, the PS2 re-release of Marvel Ultimate Alliance was branded as a "Special Edition" and came with a bonus DVD that didn't affect the game itself. A few will include bug fixes. Grand Theft Auto San Andreas release as a GH/PH included the removal of the "Hot Coffee" line code I believe.

The newer generations will often include all the DLC up to that point, or will at least include the most recent patches that were pushed out on XBL to existing owners. So, if you want to play a game where you can use some exploit that is available only prior to a certain update, the greatest hits version will probably prevent that. For example, the Platinum Hits version of Midnight Club Los Angeles is subtitled the "Complete Edition" and it contains I think all of the DLC for that game. This is starting to become the standard approach for releasing Platinum Hits on the 360. The majority of them contain additional content.

Mostly, if you want to know the differences you just have to do a few google/wikipedia searches to find out. Generally, they will say nothing about the Greatest Hits release if there are no changes.

99% of the time you will get either the same experience, or an "expanded" experience when you buy a GH/PH version over the vanilla release. I, personally, prefer the vanilla releases whenever possible since my OCD demands it. Only when a GH/PH version is enhanced in someway that is otherwise unavailable to do I track them down.

I don't remember ever having a collector's urge to pick up any of them for any notable reasons.Bgrngod

Read the whole thing, a great read! :).

I wanted to quote on this bit in particular though. It has never bothered me until recently (as long as I have the game, I have the game, you know?) but I have recently been thinking "but I love those games... it would be pretty cool to own both the platinum and the original just for the sake of a collection". Does that sound strange at all?

For example, it would be awesome to see Tomb Raider 1, 2, 3, The Last Revelation and Chronicles standard alongside all of the platinums. But I don't know yet, a part of me is telling me it is kind of a waste of time... but I would love to collect them as well :P. Is that just me being strange? :lol:

Or even Tomb Raider original, followed by platinum, followed by Tomb Raider II original, platinum etc. I love having a collection as much as I do playing them. Of course, I wouldn't bother having platinums for games that I only LIKE, but only games that I truely love. That would include the series of Tomb Raider, Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid etc. but even then as I said before, it's like I would rather use my money on other games I don't have... maybe another day? :P

Speaking of Tomb Raider II just now AND the other day, I realised something (I also just eBayed it to make sure). I have just realised it wasn't the original platinum at all... it was a yellow case called... give me a second... Ricochet! that's it.

Do you know what the deal with this is? that means there's 3 PS1 Tomb Raider II versions out there!

EDIT: actually, that's the original Tomb Raider, but you get the point. That means there's also one for Tomb Raider 1!

That's not strange. Plenty of collectors go that route for their collections :)

For me though, that doesn't work into my personal "rules" for my collection. I always get the "original release" version for everything whenever I can, unless something significant enough makes me want a repackage/re-release.

To each his/her own!

I like to collect games. I don't really care if games are black label or not. I mean, if I'm staring at a game shelf at a store and there's a sealed black label and a sealed greatest hits sitting next to each other for the same price, I will go with the black label version. However, if the greatest hits version includes DLC, extra features and / or bug fixes, I will go with the greatest hits version because it is the definitive version. Getting the definitive version of a game is much more important to me than the color of the box art. I'll also always get the greatest hits version if it's sealed and the original is priced outrageously for a sealed copy. I'm kind of a stickler for good condition, so I will always get a sealed copy, greatest hits or not, if the opportunity arises. For example, Final Fantasy VIII, IX, X, X-2 and XII are all under $20 dollars for sealed greatest hits copies on Amazon, whereas the sealed black label copies are priced about 6 times as high. In these cases, I'll go with the Greatest Hits version as well.

I've never heard of a situation where a greatest hits version is worse than the original. You asked about graphics and audio, those are never downgraded in greatest hits versions. Here are some of the greatest hits versions of games that I have where there are differences from the original black label release. I may have more than what I list, but these are the ones that have differences that I am aware of.

Call of Duty 2 Platinum Hits Special Edition on Xbox 360 comes with a bonus DVD.

Fable 2 Platinum Hits on Xbox 360 comes with all the DLC.

Forza 2 Platinum Hits on Xbox 360 comes with 2 new tracks and 43 new cars.

Halo Wars Platinum Hits on Xbox 360 comes with all DLC, including extra maps and game types.

Mass Effect Platinum Hits on Xbox 360 has improved gameplay, inventory management, and a bunch of other stuff (same as PC version). It also includes a second disc with extra behind-the-scenes footage and stuff. The DLC "Bringing down the Sky" is also included.

Batman Arkham Asylum on PS3 comes with all the additional DLC and 3D support.

I'm sure I am forgetting some, but you get the general idea. With greatest hits, you either get the exact same game, or in some cases additional DLC content and features like 3D support, along with a different looking cover art.

Another game is Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition by the way. This one is pretty silly though because it might as well be just a platinum one. It is just a special cover with loads of codes apparantly (one use codes on card, near the manual). I could be mistaken, but from what I have seen and read, that is what it is (just RE5 with a different cover and loads of codes inside, rather than on the disc itself). I would like it though, because I still need some of the DLC. If I find it cheap and the codes haven't been used I would get it, because it would be nice to add to my collection (it would also be the same as just getting microsoft points to download the stuff anyway).Ashley_wwe

I have re5gold, its the same game except with the dlcs(new chapter/teamdeathmatc).tab134

[QUOTE="tab134"]I have re5gold, its the same game except with the dlcs(new chapter/teamdeathmatc).Ashley_wwe

From my experience, they're the same game.