3) Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
Why the original was great
It paved the way for many of today’s platformers, tossed in a thematically relevant time-rewind mechanic, and offered up a simple but charming story. It’s one of those perfect packages that shrugs off the majority of criticism because it feels complete. When you talk about games as works of art, Sands of Time will always have a place in the conversation.
Why the sequel wasn’t
Warrior Within was a vast departure from Sands of Time, turning the prince into a grim-dark brooder and throwing out artistic integrity for a drop-tuned metal soundtrack. Sure it cleaned up a few gameplay issues, but it was an aesthetic mess that betrayed just about everything people loved about Sands of Time. Credit is due for trying something different, but the game still stands as one of the most misguided sequels ever.
Who could fix it
thatgamecompany, developers of Flower and Journey, are masters of games that feel like artful, complete packages. Sure, their games are shorter and simpler than Sands of Time, but you’d never worry about them making a game that wasted your time or betrayed its ideas. That, and they have some mighty fine sand technology that would fit well with the Persia setting.
4) ToeJam & Earl
Why the original was great
With light-hearted humor, an amazing soundtrack, and roguelike gameplay that was way ahead of its time, ToeJam & Earl is one of the few 16-bit games that seems to get better with age. The variety of enemies and randomly generated items keep the game fun no matter how many times you play it.
Why the sequel wasn’t
The original ToeJam & Earl is a top-down game with randomly generated environments. The sequel, in an attempt to appeal to the mascot platformer crowd, became a side-scroller, and a bad one at that. It betrayed the entire premise of the original, and not in that love/hate way Zelda II did. It’s pretty much just terrible.
Who could fix it
When I think of laugh-out-loud humor and excellent cartoon art, few developers come to mind more quickly than Double Fine. With games like Brutal Legend, Iron Brigade, and Costume Quest, they’ve already proven again and again that they can make games in smaller genres with plenty of depth. I can’t even imagine the brilliant writing they’d pull off, but I can’t help thinking it would be full of goofy references to the 90s.
5) Duke Nukem 3D
Why the original was great
Duke Nukem 3D took the Doom formula and packed it full of tastelessness and goofy gimmicks. Duke Nukem spouted one-liners while tipping strippers and then fired rockets at aliens in grimy alleyways. The world was full of weird interactive buttons, playable pool tables, and more. The sleazy, boys’ club humor may not hold up today, but just like Doom, the gameplay is still sharp.
Why the sequel wasn’t
Duke Nukem Forever isn’t the worst game ever, but it might be the most disappointing. Over a decade of development resulted in a game that would have been neat in 2001, but today it’s simply a derivative mess. Even those who appreciated the humor of the original game found most of DNF’s jokes gross. The impregnated twins scene was quite possibly one of the lowest points in video game storytelling.
Who could fix it
Ultra-violence, dark humor, depravity, fast and refined gameplay — one recent game managed to accomplish all of these things while remaining smart and modern. That game was Hotline Miami, and if any developer could recapture Duke for a new generation, it’s Dennaton Games. Duke Nukem doesn’t work as he was nor does he work as an antiquated parody of himself, but I can’t help but see parallels between Duke Nukem 3D and Hotline Miami. If anyone could reinvent Duke and make him brilliant again, it’s Dennaton.
Do you have a dream team in mind to save a fallen franchise? Share your ideas in the comments below!
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Sometimes, all it takes to revitalize a game series is to put some new eyes on it. Deus Ex may be one of the best cases for this. After Deus Ex: Invisible War failed to excite people the way the original game did, Ion Storm’s series languished for years. When Deus Ex finally returned under the reigns of Eidos Montreal, there were some doubts, but the final product ended up being one of the best games of 2011.
Even more striking was the decision by Capcom to pass Devil May Cry to Ninja Theory, who were given full blessings to reinvent Dante. The resulting game was both refreshing and respectful of the source material, but more importantly it showed that a franchise can take an exciting turn if you put it in the right hands.
Some series have it a lot worse. The following five franchises have fallen into obscurity after follow-ups that were either awful or missed the point entirely. Some have been forgotten, while others have been nearly overshadowed by their horrible sequels. Where does one go from here? With each entry, we'll discuss what made the original so great, where the sequel went wrong, and what modern-day development studio could potentially make it all better.
1) Perfect Dark
Why the original was great
It was the psuedo-sequel to GoldenEye, with a new hero(ine) and the spy gadgetry dial turned up to eleven. The missions were usually more than just shooting all the dudes, which was refreshing at the time. It was also the best you were going to get in terms of console multiplayer, with customizable bots, a massive pile of weapons, and tons of creative game types.
Why the sequel wasn’t
Perfect Dark Zero was one of many early Xbox 360 games that came out half-baked, probably by the necessity of its launch title status. It was an ugly game, whether from a story, art, or graphics standpoint. It also featured some poor design choices like third-person actions, sluggish controls, and dumb AI. All in all, it wasn’t a complete disaster, but it was a huge disappointment considering the hype and expectations at the time.
Who could fix it
Monolith, the developers behind No One Lives Forever, F.E.A.R., and Condemned, have established themselves as FPS experts. They’re also willing to be a little weird, throwing spy humor, mech-driving, and visceral bum fights into their games. They nail the gunplay, but they also throw in enough variety that their games feel like more than mere shooting galleries. Combine that with the love for NOLF and you have a dev that can bring everything that made Perfect Dark so good into the current generation, while garnishing it with their own spy fiction twists.
2) NiGHTS into Dreams
Why the original was great
NiGHTS may be one of the most misunderstood games of all time. Pitted against Mario 64 in a grudge match it couldn’t possibly win, it seems to have been overhyped as a result. In truth, if Mario 64 was ambitious, NiGHTS was unique and quaint. It’s really only trying to accomplish two things — putting a smile on your face and providing addicting, fast-paced score attack gameplay.
Why the sequel wasn’t
Journey of Dreams, the Wii sequel, sought to add all the typical mascot game wrinkles that the original game “lacked.” In the process, it turned a fast, psuedo-sequel to Sonic the Hedgehog into a bloated mascot game with unnecessary exploration and additional gameplay mechanics no one asked for.
Who could fix it
What developer could craft a simple, 2.5D, fast-paced, score-based sequel to NiGHTS? I say the only choice is RedLynx, the developer of Trials Evolution. Stylistically, the games couldn’t be further apart, and I wouldn’t want a gritty reboot of NiGHTS, but RedLynx have mastered the feeling of momentum in a game that only uses a handful of buttons. Hell, I wouldn’t be surprised if you could just make a NiGHTS sequel with their robust level creation tools.
