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[KOCMOHABT]

Crysis

Crysis was so ambitious and it was one of the biggest steps forwards in terms of technology laying the groundwork for some essential features present in every engine today, the most notable being screen space ambient occlusion.

But that's just one side of the coin: Crysis was meant to be the realization of a perfect "FarCry" and boy was it good.

I don't know it's really one of these rare titles where companies are like "fuck it we try to make the best game ever" and actually don't end up massively under delivering.

Crysis, in the end, will probably be remembered as the ultimate system seller, the SLI and Dx10 messiah and the synonym for a interactive benchmark, but I think it's worth noting that it's a damn fine game as well.

Really sad that Crytek lost all ambition and touch for reality afterwards.

 

[The Abominable Snowman]

Master of Orion

4X Made simple yet addicting. MoO2 included parts that I simply didn't care enough about and MoO3 continued that trend and made the game unfun.

I'm aware of the 'remake'.

 

[HammerFace]

Yeah this is probably the best example in the thread. All if the sequels went in a different direction and screwed stuff up badly. The campaign suffered heavily in Resistance 2 due to bad design decisions, the multiplayer in Resistance 3 was complete garbage and it's campaign mode while solid paled in comparison to the first game's.

Resistance 1 was the total package and got it all right, it's a shame neither if it's follow ups managed to fill it's shoes.

I feel like I suffered from playing the 2nd Resistance game first. I love 2 and 3 honestly. Still havent done a full playthrough of 1 yet though

 

[impact]

Jak and Daxter.

this is a good one

I dunno why they went from making a godlike 3D platformer to a shitty shooter

 

[AniHawk]

It's like the second one was designed by suits that said "GTA is popular and it needs to be dark and brooding! No one wants colorful anymore!" Fuck off.

this is almost essentially what happened. i remember a jason rubin interview where he complained that someone playing super mario 64 would have no motivation to get to the end of the game because all you'd get is a cake from the princess.

 

[Harlequin]

Uncharted.

Now, I realise that the gameplay was improved upon a lot in the two sequels and, of course, the jury's still out on A Thief's End, but what I play Uncharted for are mainly its story and its atmosphere and Drake's Fortune had by far the best story and atmosphere in the series IMO. So yeah, for me Uncharted peaked with the first instalment (unless ATE's manages to beat it in the story department).

 

[AniHawk]

this is a good one

I dunno why they went from making a godlike 3D platformer to a shitty shooter

there was a postmortem on the game dark schala clued me in on a couple years back. it's fairly illuminating of their thought process of the time and pretty depressing to be honest.

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=96488585&postcount=150

 

[deoee]

World if warcraft

 

[Upinsmoke]

FEAR
RFOM
Gears of War

 

[deadeyekiwi]

Demon's Souls for From's Souls series (+Bloodborne).

Not many will agree.

Demons souls (and bloodborne) isn't part of a series it's a stand alone thing. They have the same type of gameplay, and are made by the same developers but they take place in different worlds, there is no actual connection. Dark soul's is its own series.

 

[zedreamcast]

Persona 3. Persona 4 made a lot of improvements, but the story ultimately came off weaker.

Im judging you so hard right now...you made Mark cry D:

 

[sf2fanatic]

Would Double Dragon count?

 

[Dremark]

I feel like I suffered from playing the 2nd Resistance game first. I love 2 and 3 honestly. Still havent done a full playthrough of 1 yet though

I really don't feel the second game is as bad as people make it out to be, but they certainly made some mistakes with it, the most glaring issue being the removal of the weapon wheel in favor of a COD like 2 weapon system. Adding a (again COD like) kill streak system in multiplayer was also a bad idea.

3 is a solid game, but I think it gets more praise here than it honestly deserves. The campaign mode is pretty solid, not quite to the level the first game hit but it was good.

Ultimately they were not confident with what they initially created and tried to copy Call of Duty instead. It's unfortunate, the series had a really solid foundation and it would have been nice if it had stayed around.

 

[Hedge]

Spyro - best platformer and the first game was amazing.
Assasins Creed - I loved the atmosphere and the bare-bones movement and combat. It didn't feel bloated like the rest of the entries (though I haven't played the latest).

 

[ViewtifulJC]

-Viewtiful Joe(although 2 is very good)
-the rebooted Team Ninja Ninja Gaiden series
-Doom(love the bestiary/S.Shotgun additions from Doom 2, but Doom 1 level design/music >>> *)
-the rebooted Prince of Persia series of games, aka Sands of Time trilogy
-I'd go to bat for Devil May Cry 1
-Chrono Trigger, if we're gonna pretend that Chrono Cross is a real thing
-Banjo-Kazooie, cuz Tooie got too broad and Nuts & Bolts was some other shit
-Bionic Commando, but the remake...if that counts? The sequels arent good is what Im saying
-Crysis, boy did the sequels miss the appeal of that game, huh?
-F.E.A.R.
-Warioware, its either that or Twisted, but they're leagues ahead of the other sequels
-Yoshi's Island, compared to all its many riffs and rip-offs

 

[Celine]

As for my pick, I'd say Rastan.
The first game was a classic Arcade game inspired by Conan while the second game was nothing special.

Then the later games added in a jump button and Wiimote waggle and the whole thing went to shit.

Kororinpa ousted Monkey Ball on Wii.

 

[SPCTRE]

Mass Effect.

*runs away*

don't run away from the truth

 

[blazeuk]

Read the thread title instantly thought of Jak & Daxter and it was the first reply, good choice.

 

[orochi91]

Persona 3. Persona 4 made a lot of improvements, but the story ultimately came off weaker.

Agreed.

The Death motif of P3 was significantly more interesting than the Truth/Mystery theme of P4.

 

[CloudWolf]

BioShock and (unpopular opinion warning) Batman: Arkham Asylum.

 

[Monocle]

Devil May Cry. Well, apart from the combat system, which is obviously the central element. The original DMC's art and sound and enemy design is exceptional, and the game is full of Hideki Kamiya's signature touches.

Mass Effect.

*runs away*

Where's the lie though?

 

[Yabberwocky]

Kingdom Hearts is my big one. I do have a fondness for DA2 (shush) and ME2, but DA:O and ME1 both have this incredible scope and atmosphere that the other games haven't been able to emulate.

 

[Insert Coin]

Not sure if already said but...

Company of Heroes - first game was awesome, the second felt like it was trying to be everything at once with stupid DLC.
Dawn of War - as above.
Red Faction - was far better than RF 2 with the plot, weapons, locations and flowing level design.
Red Faction Guerrilla - was a genuinely fun and exciting open world romp whereas the sequel took it all underground.

 

[Arnie7]

Catslevania Lords of Shadow.

First game is still a flawed masterpiece IMO. The second one was a dissapointment.


Bayonetta.

Don't get me wrong Bayonetta 2 is 10/10 but can't really top the first game. You punch a friging god into the sun.


Batman Arkham asylum

All other games never matched the feel for this. I loved the tight metroidvonia style map. Don't like the semi-open world route they took with other games.

 

[Kenshin001]

Resistance Fall of Man

Good pick. Still one of my favourite games from last gen. They didn't manage to capture the same atmosphere in the other two games. I think the British setting and narration had a lot to do with it.

 

[Oreoleo]

No way. Max Payne 2 is so mechanically superior it makes MP1 feel like a slog in comparison. And personally I thought the story with Mona Sax was more intriguing and relatable than MP1's "my family's dead lets go kill some drug dealers" outline.

For me, Dead Space 2 has more replayability due to the combat focus. Like each time start a new campaign, I can choose to use and upgrade different weapons.

Dead Space 1- why are you using anything other than the plasma cutter?

That's a pretty fair assessment, actually, even if Dead Space 1 is the only Dead Space game I've played more than once. For me Dead Space 1 and 2 is like the difference between Resident Evil 4 & 6. More is not necessarily better. Or maybe it's more like old Resident Evil versus new Resident Evil. Dead Space 1 had a great design that they mostly messed up in the sequel by making it more action-oriented.

 

[Thud]

Agreed.

The Death motif of P3 was significantly more interesting than the Truth/Mystery theme of P4.

Persona 3 is the fourth game in the series smh.

 

[Hibiki Kurosawa]

Mass Effect and Half-Life are the ones that come to mind. Hopefully Andromeda rekindles some of the greatest of the first Mass Effect and, well, blah blah blah Half-Life 3.

 

[Stevey]

Dead Space
Dark Souls
Doom
Borderlands
WH40K: Dawn Of War
Deus Ex
Crysis
Dragon Age
Mass Effect
Bayonetta
Batman Arkham

 

[GifGafIsTheBestGaf]

crash bandicoot

 

[SpokkX]

The Metroid Prime series.

Yes

The first one is, by far, the best.

Got progressivly worse each time. That being said. MP2 and MP3 are still amazing games

I also think Batman Arkham Asylym fits here. The later instalments tries bigger and more spectacular and misses a lot of what made the original greate

 

[martino]

I love the entire series, and Jak II in particular did some really cool things with the story

Spoiler

(Samos hut reveal, Metal Head nest assault)

but the change in tone was ultimately for the worse.

First post as always

 

[Shion]

Zelda 1 (I think I like Zelda II a bit more, but Zelda 1 is still the best top-down Zelda)
Mega Man X
Wario Land
Sega Rally
Silent Hill
Banjo-Kazooie
Jet Set Radio
Jak and Daxter
Ratchet and Clank
Super Monkey Ball
Ninja Gaiden (3D era)
Mass Effect
Portal

 

[User 479360]

I will never understand people who prefer Borderlands 1 to 2. Skills were less interesting, DLC was overall worse, gameplay wasn't as tight, weapon variety was lacking, environment variety was lacking, endgame was worse, there was less content....

I found it to be more fun, less frustrating solo (they made Borderlands 2 a bit too difficult for solo players, but I still beat it), and better overall. The story was better, the DLC was definitely better and I liked the classes better.

 

[Nick]

Animal Crossing.

 

[Phediuk]

Anyone mention Ape Escape yet?

The sequels all sucked.

 

[Sword Of Doom]

Arkham Series imo

 

[bizzarewars]

my contribution: phoenix wright ace attorney

it introduced a colorful cast and a really fun, unique lawyer-themed visual novel/adventure game. the sequels have some high points too, but no prosecutor feels as tough as edgeworth or manfred von karma, and the stakes don't feel ever quite as high (aside from justice for all's awesome and final case). the constant reuse of characters from the first game in the sequels kind of became a bit grating as well.

not to say those other games are bad, but i think the first game did it best.

I'm with you on this. The first AA is definitely my favorite.

 

[5taquitos]

Anyone mention Ape Escape yet?

The sequels all sucked.

Oh man, the first game was perfection. So satisfying scooping up those monkeys.

 

[Razzorn34]

Mass Effect.

*runs away*

Why run? You are completely correct.

Dragon Age also.

 

[Servbot24]

Not sure if it counts, but Mega Man X.

Also, Demon's Souls.

 

[Voost Kain]

 

[Cess007]

Persona 3. Persona 4 made a lot of improvements, but the story ultimately came off weaker.

Agreed.

The Death motif of P3 was significantly more interesting than the Truth/Mystery theme of P4.

Neither of you are serious, right? right?

 

[Staf]

Arkham Asylum and Dragon Age Origins are honest to god the only ones I can personally think of.

Good choices. +1 for me.

 

[GusZamboni]

Resident Evil
Silent Hill
Quake
Batman Arkham series

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

Bayonetta is a good candidate.

The sequel is a much better designed game. The original has some scenes (and an ending) that are much better, but overall as a playable game the second one is fantastic.
I say this as someone who played them back to back.

 

[Rapscallion]

Sly Cooper. Though I really enjoyed 2, it ran a bit too long for my tastes, and some of the missions with Murray and Bentley as the playable characters weren't too great. 3 just took things too far with the whole assortment of different playable character missions.

Spoiler

Haven't played Thieves in Time yet...

Yep, came here to post this. I love 2 and 3, but 1 is definitely the peak of the franchise. Sly, like many platformers, fell into the trap of "more gameplay styles = more fun". Focused gameplay, like it was in the original, leads to better and more fun gameplay.

 

[Mecha]

It makes me cringe when people say KH1, KH2FM is far beyond KH1 in quality.

 

[Jay Sosa]

I can't agree with this AT ALL. SMB2's single player was different from 1's but just as good and it's minigames were waaay better. Monkey Target in 2 is objectively the best Monkey Ball game

I'm sorry..but are you out of your goddamn mind? The way they fucked up Monkey Target is the main reason I disliked the MP in SMB2.

Also everyone knows that Prime 2 is the best Prime.

Persona 3. Persona 4 made a lot of improvements, but the story ultimately came off weaker.

Meh, those improvements made me like the game less.

Characters getting sick and having their own fighting style (Marin Karin Marin Karin Marin Karin) made the game more fun and added to the atmosphere.

To me Persona 3 is better in pretty much every aspect.

On topic(ipsthat only have two installations don't count as franchises to me):

Crash.. I like my games simple, short and sweet, to me less is more.
Silent Hill ..second one is great but the first one was almost as mindblowing as Resident Evil back then.
Disgaea: First one was perfection

That's it I think.

 

[Phinor]

Unfortunately modern Bioware belongs here. Both Mass Effect and Dragon Age peaked with first game. At least the Mass Effect sequels were (mostly) great, but Dragon Age franchise went downhill quickly and the recovery attempt with Inquisition was even worse than what they were attempting to recover from.