IMHO game sequels generally fall into two cateogies.
1) A continuation of the story in the same setting using some of the same characters/organizations, etc that's like a movie sequel
2) An upgrade with better graphics, UI, features, etc that's like a movie remake except warranted
I'd love to see a sequel to Alien Legacy (1994 - developer: Ybarra Productions, publisher: Sierra). The game needs vast improvements in graphics first off, and some of the mechanics (explore the planet and gather resources) need a lot of work to remove some of the tedium. But the basic base building and story format of the game works.
Also, while I'm wishing, some of the games that ate my time in the MS-DOS era:
Stronghold (1993 - developer: Stormfront Studios, publisher: SSI). D&D based fantasy RTS thing.
Darklands (1992 - developer: Microprose, publisher: Microprose). Period role playing in 15th century Germany.
Detroit (1994 - developer: Impressions Software). Run a car manufacturing company from 1908 on.
Realms of Arkania: Star Trail (1994 - developer: Attic Entertainment, publisher: Sir-Tech). A tactical RP based on a German role-playing game system. If I remember, combat control was painful. The UI could use a complete overhaul.
As a bonus, one (dual) entry from my Amiga days:
Mega Traveler 1 : The Zhodani Conspiracy (1990) and Mega Traveler 2 : Quest for the Ancients. Basic SF based games following the Traveler P&P rules. The DOS versions were pretty anemic, and the ancient security system was horrible.
Logic, my dear, merely enables one to be wrong with great authority.
Do we even need sequels? I mean, I'm all for them, but are they good for the industry? Sequelitis stifles creativity in a bad way imo.
Sometimes things should just END.
Franchises tell gamers what to expect. Ideally, they provide more of a good thing, while presenting a chance to fix issues players had with the original. In that sense, they're usually good for the industry.
Personally I love a good series. Assassin's Creed is a good example for me. I like that from game to game they change the setting and add or expand on certain things. They even alternate between two different development houses between games in the series.
Same here. While I don't think every franchise needs sequels, most do benefit. It's not as simple as sequels = lacking creativity. If your story is done and you have no ideas, then don't force it (hello, Mass Effect Andromeda). But otherwise, a sequel is up for consideration.
Sometimes, franchises use a serialized narrative that necessitates sequels (Trails, Shenmue, Yakuza, Resident Evil).
Others use the franchise to give players a general genre expectation, while changing their setting and subtly tweaking mechanics with almost every new game to keep things fresh (Fire Emblem, Tales).
The worst sequels are those that have become unrecognizable due to lack of confidence in the franchise formula itself. How did Shining go from a legitimate strategy RPG to a C-list action JRPG? What the fuck was Banjo and Kazooie Nuts and Bolts? Trend-chasing kills franchises.
It is like channel drift on new TV stations, the WoW template for MMOs, starting subscription or B2P and ending up F2P, the way AC has moved away from its unique gameplay to bring in what might be called more RPG like elements. It revolves around the idea that there is a best way to entertain, one which will please the most audience. That idea works fine when making cars, not entertainment, you end up with a mishmash of styles or sterility of innovation.
Do we even need sequels? I mean, I'm all for them, but are they good for the industry? Sequelitis stifles creativity in a bad way imo.
Sometimes things should just END.
Franchises tell gamers what to expect. Ideally, they provide more of a good thing, while presenting a chance to fix issues players had with the original. In that sense, they're usually good for the industry.
Personally I love a good series. Assassin's Creed is a good example for me. I like that from game to game they change the setting and add or expand on certain things. They even alternate between two different development houses between games in the series.
Same here. While I don't think every franchise needs sequels, most do benefit. It's not as simple as sequels = lacking creativity. If your story is done and you have no ideas, then don't force it (hello, Mass Effect Andromeda). But otherwise, a sequel is up for consideration.
Sometimes, franchises use a serialized narrative that necessitates sequels (Trails, Shenmue, Yakuza, Resident Evil).
Others use the franchise to give players a general genre expectation, while changing their setting and subtly tweaking mechanics with almost every new game to keep things fresh (Fire Emblem, Tales).
The worst sequels are those that have become unrecognizable due to lack of confidence in the franchise formula itself. How did Shining go from a legitimate strategy RPG to a C-list action JRPG? What the fuck was Banjo and Kazooie Nuts and Bolts? Trend-chasing kills franchises.
It is like channel drift on new TV stations, the WoW template for MMOs, starting subscription or B2P and ending up F2P, the way AC has moved away from its unique gameplay to bring in what might be called more RPG like elements. It revolves around the idea that there is a best way to entertain, one which will please the most audience. That idea works fine when making cars, not entertainment, you end up with a mishmash of styles or sterility of innovation.
I'm not exactly in love with ACs new open world RPG style. That said, I think any genre can benefit from RPG mechanics, intelligently applied.
I just think that ACs RPG mechanics needed to be less combat/damage and more utility/stealth oriented. It worked for Deus Ex - there's no reason why it shouldn't have worked for AC.
ToEE 2
Arcanum 2
Bloodlines 2
Fallout 3
Dark Sun 3
Darklands 4
Realms of Arkania 4
MMXI
Wizardry 9
I'd definitely love to see these sequels. Obviously, there is a game that claims to be FO 3, but I mean an actual one. I just don't see Bloodlines 2 being an actual bloodlines 2 either. Maybe, we'll see soon.
I'd love to see a sequel to Alien Legacy (1994 - developer: Ybarra Productions, publisher: Sierra). The game needs vast improvements in graphics first off, and some of the mechanics (explore the planet and gather resources) need a lot of work to remove some of the tedium. But the basic base building and story format of the game works.
Also, while I'm wishing, some of the games that ate my time in the MS-DOS era:
Stronghold (1993 - developer: Stormfront Studios, publisher: SSI). D&D based fantasy RTS thing.
Darklands (1992 - developer: Microprose, publisher: Microprose). Period role playing in 15th century Germany.
Detroit (1994 - developer: Impressions Software). Run a car manufacturing company from 1908 on.
Realms of Arkania: Star Trail (1994 - developer: Attic Entertainment, publisher: Sir-Tech). A tactical RP based on a German role-playing game system. If I remember, combat control was painful. The UI could use a complete overhaul.
As a bonus, one (dual) entry from my Amiga days:
Mega Traveler 1 : The Zhodani Conspiracy (1990) and Mega Traveler 2 : Quest for the Ancients. Basic SF based games following the Traveler P&P rules. The DOS versions were pretty anemic, and the ancient security system was horrible.
Omg, I thought I was the only person on earth that really liked the D&D Stronghold game. I have it in my GoG library. It was so fun to play, and pretty revolutionary for its time. I remember having a hard time with it, because then my English was not very good at all, and it took me a while to figure out when a character said something like "Unit of 4" that meant that particular character was in fact 4 of these characters.
One of these days I'll revisit that game. A sequel of it would be so good, although I'd rather it be in 3.5 or Pathfinder universe. I really do not care for 5th edition.
Do we even need sequels? I mean, I'm all for them, but are they good for the industry? Sequelitis stifles creativity in a bad way imo.
Sometimes things should just END.
Franchises tell gamers what to expect. Ideally, they provide more of a good thing, while presenting a chance to fix issues players had with the original. In that sense, they're usually good for the industry.
Personally I love a good series. Assassin's Creed is a good example for me. I like that from game to game they change the setting and add or expand on certain things. They even alternate between two different development houses between games in the series.
Same here. While I don't think every franchise needs sequels, most do benefit. It's not as simple as sequels = lacking creativity. If your story is done and you have no ideas, then don't force it (hello, Mass Effect Andromeda). But otherwise, a sequel is up for consideration.
Sometimes, franchises use a serialized narrative that necessitates sequels (Trails, Shenmue, Yakuza, Resident Evil).
Others use the franchise to give players a general genre expectation, while changing their setting and subtly tweaking mechanics with almost every new game to keep things fresh (Fire Emblem, Tales).
The worst sequels are those that have become unrecognizable due to lack of confidence in the franchise formula itself. How did Shining go from a legitimate strategy RPG to a C-list action JRPG? What the fuck was Banjo and Kazooie Nuts and Bolts? Trend-chasing kills franchises.
It is like channel drift on new TV stations, the WoW template for MMOs, starting subscription or B2P and ending up F2P, the way AC has moved away from its unique gameplay to bring in what might be called more RPG like elements. It revolves around the idea that there is a best way to entertain, one which will please the most audience. That idea works fine when making cars, not entertainment, you end up with a mishmash of styles or sterility of innovation.
I'm not exactly in love with ACs new open world RPG style. That said, I think any genre can benefit from RPG mechanics, intelligently applied.
I just think that ACs RPG mechanics needed to be less combat/damage and more utility/stealth oriented. It worked for Deus Ex - there's no reason why it shouldn't have worked for AC.
I agree with you indeed any game could potentially benefit from the gameplay mechanics of any genre. The problem is that we don't have a free form, experimental approach. What we have is decisions based on what seems to work well in other games, or gaming genres, which are then shoe horned into every game. AC was not a RPG at all, action adventure perhaps, with a unique and much copied playstyle.
And taking up what you said, what would fit AC better in gameplay development, combat or stealth? AC obviously leans to stealth, its not Warriors Creed after all!
I disagree. I think the RPG genre is like many genres. There is room for many areas that are shaded grey. We all have a different take on what an RPG is. Or isn't. AC allows upgrading of your character with skill points and upgrading and crafting your gear in a big open world while taking and completing quests. Sounds like an RPG to me.
Yes there is room for many shades of grey and we all have a different take on what a RPG is. Indeed this website with titled levels and special colours for advancement could be seen as an RPG.
But gaming companies don't, they have a very specific idea of what a RPG is. This can get added to or taken away from. For example because players in other genres don't see a lot of text, text has been reduced in RPG's. This did not change because of better graphics, the text could still be there, it was changed because gamers outside the RPG genre don't see much text.
All genre's have undergone a process of being made more "friendly" to gamers in general resulting in the loss of many elements which made those genres so good.
Do we even need sequels? I mean, I'm all for them, but are they good for the industry? Sequelitis stifles creativity in a bad way imo.
Sometimes things should just END.
Franchises tell gamers what to expect. Ideally, they provide more of a good thing, while presenting a chance to fix issues players had with the original. In that sense, they're usually good for the industry.
Personally I love a good series. Assassin's Creed is a good example for me. I like that from game to game they change the setting and add or expand on certain things. They even alternate between two different development houses between games in the series.
Same here. While I don't think every franchise needs sequels, most do benefit. It's not as simple as sequels = lacking creativity. If your story is done and you have no ideas, then don't force it (hello, Mass Effect Andromeda). But otherwise, a sequel is up for consideration.
Sometimes, franchises use a serialized narrative that necessitates sequels (Trails, Shenmue, Yakuza, Resident Evil).
Others use the franchise to give players a general genre expectation, while changing their setting and subtly tweaking mechanics with almost every new game to keep things fresh (Fire Emblem, Tales).
The worst sequels are those that have become unrecognizable due to lack of confidence in the franchise formula itself. How did Shining go from a legitimate strategy RPG to a C-list action JRPG? What the fuck was Banjo and Kazooie Nuts and Bolts? Trend-chasing kills franchises.
It is like channel drift on new TV stations, the WoW template for MMOs, starting subscription or B2P and ending up F2P, the way AC has moved away from its unique gameplay to bring in what might be called more RPG like elements. It revolves around the idea that there is a best way to entertain, one which will please the most audience. That idea works fine when making cars, not entertainment, you end up with a mishmash of styles or sterility of innovation.
I'm not exactly in love with ACs new open world RPG style. That said, I think any genre can benefit from RPG mechanics, intelligently applied.
I just think that ACs RPG mechanics needed to be less combat/damage and more utility/stealth oriented. It worked for Deus Ex - there's no reason why it shouldn't have worked for AC.
I agree with you indeed any game could potentially benefit from the gameplay mechanics of any genre. The problem is that we don't have a free form, experimental approach. What we have is decisions based on what seems to work well in other games, or gaming genres, which are then shoe horned into every game. AC was not a RPG at all, action adventure perhaps, with a unique and much copied playstyle.
And taking up what you said, what would fit AC better in gameplay development, combat or stealth? AC obviously leans to stealth, its not Warriors Creed after all!
I wouldn't go that far. I'm not a fan of forced stealth segments in non-stealth games, forced platforming segments in non-platforming games, or forced racing segments in non-racing games. A lot of my worst gaming memories are of my progress being locked behind my competence in a completely unrelated genre.
Hell, recently, I got really mad at Trails in the Sky 3rd Chapter for making my 100% completion run impossible just because I'm not good at Poker. Not cool, game. Not cool.
Comments
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1) A continuation of the story in the same setting using some of the same characters/organizations, etc that's like a movie sequel
2) An upgrade with better graphics, UI, features, etc that's like a movie remake except warranted
I self identify as a monkey.
As a bonus, one (dual) entry from my Amiga days:
Logic, my dear, merely enables one to be wrong with great authority.
Guild Wars 3
Star Wars: The Old Republic 2
Mass Effect: Andromeda 2
Neverwinter Nights 3 (I'd like this to go back to BioWare, or a similar studio and not the current developer of the MMO)
Legend of Dragoon 2
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Alpha Protocol 2
Neverwinter Knights 3
Mass Effect 4
a final fantasy worth its name....
Golden sun
Suikoden
Splinter cell
GTA (that just for laughs)
Other candidates I'd dearky wish for would be:
-Ring of Red (one of the best and most underrated strategy games I've played)
-Severance: Blade of Darkness (basically the first 'Soulslike')
-Suikoden as an MMORPG
-Hexen
-Heretic
-Warhammer Online 2
-Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 3
-Parasite Eve 3
-G-Police 3
-SWG/SW:TOR 2/JK4/KOTOR3 (basically any good Star Wars game)
I'm sure I forgot many but this should be enough for now ^^
It is like channel drift on new TV stations, the WoW template for MMOs, starting subscription or B2P and ending up F2P, the way AC has moved away from its unique gameplay to bring in what might be called more RPG like elements. It revolves around the idea that there is a best way to entertain, one which will please the most audience. That idea works fine when making cars, not entertainment, you end up with a mishmash of styles or sterility of innovation.
I just think that ACs RPG mechanics needed to be less combat/damage and more utility/stealth oriented. It worked for Deus Ex - there's no reason why it shouldn't have worked for AC.
Yes please, I can almost go back and play them now. I would even just love a good game in the Dragonlance setting.
Wa min God! Se æx on min heafod is!
Wa min God! Se æx on min heafod is!
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Arcanum 2
Bloodlines 2
Fallout 3
Dark Sun 3
Darklands 4
Realms of Arkania 4
MMXI
Wizardry 9
I'd definitely love to see these sequels. Obviously, there is a game that claims to be FO 3, but I mean an actual one. I just don't see Bloodlines 2 being an actual bloodlines 2 either. Maybe, we'll see soon.
- Bloodborne 2
- Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 3
- Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner 3 - Raidou Kuzunoha Vs. whatever Atlus wants to throw at him next.
- Divinity 3 (sequel to Divinity2: Ego Draconis/Dark Knight Saga)
- Lufia sequel
- A modern remake of The Granstream Saga (Terranigma's spiritual successor)
too many to list so i'll stop here.
And taking up what you said, what would fit AC better in gameplay development, combat or stealth? AC obviously leans to stealth, its not Warriors Creed after all!
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An unlikely one would be The Matrix 2.0. Maybe the next time I will play it.
EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests
Anarchy Online 2
Mechcommander 2
But gaming companies don't, they have a very specific idea of what a RPG is. This can get added to or taken away from. For example because players in other genres don't see a lot of text, text has been reduced in RPG's. This did not change because of better graphics, the text could still be there, it was changed because gamers outside the RPG genre don't see much text.
All genre's have undergone a process of being made more "friendly" to gamers in general resulting in the loss of many elements which made those genres so good.
Hell, recently, I got really mad at Trails in the Sky 3rd Chapter for making my 100% completion run impossible just because I'm not good at Poker. Not cool, game. Not cool.