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Discussion: Worst sequel ever?

Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 1:21 pm
by 87th
This is continued on from a conversation I had with game production students last night.

None of us could quite agree on this, but what is the worst sequel/prequel/remake to a game ever made? This should be based in relation to the quality of the original game (i.e. Bubsy 3D is not applicable, as Bubsy 2 was crap, too).

Many people said Deus Ex 2 was probably the biggest disappointment, but I think that's pretty unfair. It was nowhere near as good as the original, sure, but it wasn't a dreadful FPS.

I'd probably say "Fade To Black" is probably the worst sequel I've ever played. "Flashback" was such a brilliant and compelling adventure game on the Mega Drive. I was so excited when I first heard it was getting a 3D sequel. The end result was utterly terrible, though. I can't begin to tell you how much I hated the "protect the scientist" level.

What do you believe to be the most disappointing follow-up ever?

Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 3:51 pm
by shidoni
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within... ehhhhhhhhh...... Angst, Prince, angst!

Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 7:24 pm
by X_Lupin
Halo 2, followed by Halo 3.

::runs::

Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 11:55 am
by Nexus_6
Twisted Metal III compared to Twisted Metal II. 989 studios certainly ruined that series.

Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 7:08 pm
by jcgamer60
Dreamfall.

Re: Discussion: Worst sequel ever?

Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 7:15 pm
by epitaph
87th wrote:Many people said Deus Ex 2 was probably the biggest disappointment, but I think that's pretty unfair. It was nowhere near as good as the original, sure, but it wasn't a dreadful FPS.
I guess it depends on your reference levels. When compared to its predecessor (which I consider a triumph in game design and my favorite game ever), it's very underwhelming, but when held next to most other FPSes I guess it's fairly okay.

There's no sequel I truly detest off the top of my head. MGS2 makes me angry just thinking about it, but I don't dislike it per se (I could expand on this if people are truly interested).

Re: Discussion: Worst sequel ever?

Posted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 8:09 pm
by 87th
epitaph wrote: There's no sequel I truly detest off the top of my head.
Really?
I can think of tons!
(note: Rock 'n' Roll Racing 2 is so crap, no one has even bothered making a wikipedia entry for it!)

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 7:54 am
by Snake700
There's a couple on my list:

Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness.
Halo 2.
The Matrix: Path of Neo (fun, but too glitchy)

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:22 am
by 87th
Snake700 wrote: The Matrix: Path of Neo (fun, but too glitchy)
Wasn't much worse than Enter The Matrix, really. In fact, it was probably a little better.

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 1:51 pm
by Henry Spencer
This is a really tough question, but I felt that Crazy Taxi 3 was a disappointment; they never changed the formula, considering it was better technology, I expected more off Sega back then, this would be the first of many disappointments from Sega for me.

Super Mario Sunshine was a disappointment. By no means a bad game, in fact very good, but I was expecting too much, since I loved Mario 64. Instead we got a sequel that took a sidestep and created something new, but definitely never felt like a sequel to Mario 64, at all.

Sonic Heroes was abysmal.

Gunstar Heroes sequel was disappointing, but wasn't a bad game, just very mediocre.

EWJ 3D has to be the worst of all time, though. The original team from EWJ 1 & 2 were thrown out, and were replaced by this new team, for reasons still unknown. Worst camera system of all time. Plus they bastardised Psycrow, one of my favourite video game characters ever!

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:23 pm
by jcgamer60
Henry Spencer wrote:This is a really tough question, but I felt that Crazy Taxi 3 was a disappointment; they never changed the formula, considering it was better technology, I expected more off Sega back then, this would be the first of many disappointments from Sega for me.

Super Mario Sunshine was a disappointment. By no means a bad game, in fact very good, but I was expecting too much, since I loved Mario 64. Instead we got a sequel that took a sidestep and created something new, but definitely never felt like a sequel to Mario 64, at all.

Sonic Heroes was abysmal.

Gunstar Heroes sequel was disappointing, but wasn't a bad game, just very mediocre.

EWJ 3D has to be the worst of all time, though. The original team from EWJ 1 & 2 were thrown out, and were replaced by this new team, for reasons still unknown. Worst camera system of all time. Plus they bastardised Psycrow, one of my favourite video game characters ever!
I'm glad i'm not the only one who found the Gunstar Super Heroes (sequel to Gunstar Heroes) disappointing.

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 6:00 am
by 87th
Gunstar Super/Future Heroes was incredibly disappointing. It took all the more basic and boring ideas from Gunstar Heroes, replicated perfectly, and forgot about all the more interesting elements. The removal of the weapon combination system and co-op were completely stupid. The helicopter levels were really boring. What the hell was up with the Flicky level, too?

I have a flatmate who plays the original at least once a week. He can play it on the hardest setting pretty well, now. He only bothered to complete the sequel once.

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 6:08 am
by Henry Spencer
That sounds like me, then. Gunstar Heroes is my favourite Treasure game, who are my favourite developers alongside Capcom and Konami. Definitely in my top ten of all time, love that game. And yes, I only bothered with the sequel twice; second time because I wanted to see whether I was being mean on the game, or not. I wasn't. That's why Treasure should never make sequels; they would never live up to the first title. I'm greatful that Treasure promised to never do sequels, aside from that game. Doubt they'll ever make a sequel again after that.

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 6:50 am
by 87th
Henry Spencer wrote:I'm greatful that Treasure promised to never do sequels, aside from that game.
They did, though

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 7:11 pm
by jcgamer60
If you're a Treasure fan then you should try Astro Boy on GBA.

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 7:44 pm
by Artemio
jcgamer60 wrote:If you're a Treasure fan then you should try Astro Boy on GBA.
That is a great game indeed.

A bad sequel? I'd vote for Golden Axe II for the Genesis/Mega Drive, but I second "Fade To Black" as the worst disappointment I've ever had.

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 8:02 am
by Rick Deckard
From what I've seen so far, Escape from Monkey Island boasts possibly the largest original-to-sequel quality drop in history. Even compared to Curse of Monkey Island, which was also much weaker than 1 & 2 (but still quite good), it seemed maddeningly, unplayably atrocious. I couldn't manage much gameplay, I just couldn't get past how ugly they'd made everything, and reduced the whole thing to this lowest common denominator, child-like, Americanised pish. Uuurrraaarrrggghhh, what were they thinking?

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:26 am
by 87th
Rick Deckard wrote:what were they thinking?
"We don't have Schafer anymore... oh shit!"

Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:53 am
by epitaph
A bad sequel? I'd vote for Golden Axe II for the Genesis/Mega Drive, but I second "Fade To Black" as the worst disappointment I've ever had.
That reminds me, Golden Axe III. I'm not surprised it didn't make it to the US because it's complete crap, much worse than the first two installments.

I was going to say Sonic Heroes, but that's already been mentioned.

Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2007 2:11 am
by RandommodnaR
Ever played Zombies Ate my Neighbourghs? Great game, fun to play. But if you liked it, then you must've despise the sequel. It changed the spirit of the game for worse.