The video game industry is known for its long-running series. Rarely does a highly successful game not get a sequel of some kind—unless it’s a live-service title that’s already regularly updated. However, popular series don’t only contain pure sequels. Most also have entries that are either remakes or reboots.

It’s at this point that developers start to struggle with titling their games. Or at least it seems that way because they often reuse names from earlier instalments. For remakes, this is very understandable since they’re new versions of already existing games. Reusing a title is a bit more unnecessary for reboots, but using the first entry’s name - typically also the series name - gives the fresh start feel that a reboot is supposed to provide. Here are some of the most notable examples of titles that have been repurposed.

TheTomb Raiderseries has existed since 1996, when the original game was released. That first game was just called Tomb Raider, and it was followed up with multiple sequels. Then, 17 years later after the original’s release, another game just called Tomb Raider came out.

2013’s Tomb Raider served as a reboot of the series. It stripped away the wacky, over-the-top gameplay and replaced it with a more grounded adventure featuring deeper storytelling and more realistic gunplay. The game is also set in a different timeline from the original and its sequels.

The Resident Evil series contains some ofthe best video game remakes ever. Some of them, including Resident Evil 4, use the exact same title as the original game they’re based on. Capcom doesn’t even add the word ‘remake’ to the titles.

The remake is the same as the original in terms of story and general setup. Yet, it does a lot of things differently. There are new areas, new puzzles, new cutscenes, and the writing is generally better. Plus, it’s certainly more visually appealing. So, some could say that it’s the ultimate version of Resident Evil 4 and that it has lived up to the name it reused.

In 2008, the world was treated to a terrifying game known as Dead Space. It was an excellent survival horror title that ended up launching a series. In 2023, the game spawned a full remake that was given the exact same name.

The remake was released on much more powerful systems, so it contains some extra elements, such as more gore and dynamic lighting. The main character, Issac Clarke, also talks now, which wasn’t the case in the original game. Overall, however, it’s a similar experience to the first one.

For some people, it may be a surprise to hear that there is more than one Prey game. The original came out in 2006, while a new one was released in 2017. Technically, despite having different developers and no narrative links between them, the two games are still part of the same series.

They both have different stories, characters, and gameplay. However, they both follow characters who are stuck in space with a dangerous alien species. Yet, they are hardly the only games in the world with that sort of premise. So, the names are basically the only connection between the games.

Saints Row is a series that has changed a lot over the years. The first two games were some ofthe best GTA clones ever, and then the series got a lot more over-the-top and wacky. Yet, the 2022 entry, simply called Saints Row, did away with some of that wackiness.

That said, you still can’t really claim that the 2022 game resembles its namesake, aka the original title. After all, the first game focuses on more traditional gangsters and gang activity. The 2022 title is about a group of roommates who get involved in crime to pay their rent. As you’d expect from those premises, the tone of the two games is very different.

While it’s often refered to as Mortal Kombat 9, the 2011 MK game is technically just called Mortal Kombat. So, it shares a name with the original game in the fighting franchise. The reason for this is that it was a soft reboot of the series. As such, the story takes place in a different timeline.

However, it isn’t a complete narrative depature, as the story is connected to the seventh main game in the series, and it re-tells altered versions of the stories from the first three games. It’s understandable if you’re a little confused, as that is what the narrative of the Mortal Kombat series does to people. All you need to know is that 2011’s Mortal Kombat still includes the same level of violence and gore that the original game introduced.

Medal of Honor often feels like a bit of aforgotten first-person shooter series. The first game, however, was a huge deal as it really helped popularize World War 2 shooters. It came out four years before the first Call of Duty, after all. The original game was followed up by a slew of sequels.

Then, in 2010, a reboot of the series came out, simply called Medal of Honor, just like the first game was. Unlike the original title and most in the series, it’s set in the War in Afghanistan instead of World War 2. This seems to be the main reason for the reboot.

The Doom series started in 1993 with the original game, which was just named Doom. It then had a bunch of sequels and spin-offs during the late 90s and early 2000s. They didn’t quite make the same impression that the original did.

In 2016, though, another game named Doom was released. It serves as a reboot. Yet, it isn’t a complete departure from the original game. It’s still an FPS where you’re encouraged to be in perpetual motion while fighting many monsters. The mechanics and visuals have been severely upgraded, though.