Game sequels that are better than the first game

[Lance]

^ Well, that was a direct reference to a scene in Aliens (where the captured marines implore Ripley to kill them). So I tend to let it off.

The fundamental difference between the two games is in the character of Duke himself. In Duke 3D, his sexism wasn't really that pronounced. It was there, but it was more on the goofy side of tongue-in-cheek. In DNF, it was blatant and often came with unsavory connotations.

I appreciate the game isn't that bad from a technical or gameplay point-of-view. It's not spectacular, but it's not unplayable either. But I do think that in trying to "up the ante" on the controversy the original game had, they went a little *too* far. IMO.

 

[Stoo]

Nah I can't excuse something that disturbing just because it includes a movie quote.

Although if the wider point is that DNF is worse overall for sexism then, okay. I do recall it starts with a scene heavily implying Duke is getting blown by adoring fans...

 

[Lonemagpie]

The big problem with DNF is that it seems to have been made by people who've heard of DN3D and heard second-hand tales of what it was like, but who'd never actually played it or understood the inherent satire.

 

[Jax]

Uncharted 2 was a giant leap from an already solid 1st game and made UC the number 1 Sony franchise/Mascot. Sonic 2 did something similar IMO and cemented the Sonic series as SEGA's dominant 90's franchise.

 

[B.J.]

Maybe it would be more interesting to name bad sequels.

I doubt any are as infamous as Duke Nukem Forever, though.

^ Master of Orion III is a close contender.

Ooh! That reminds me of a pretty good example of both! Star Control 2 was (and still is) a wonderful and well-loved game that took the basic idea of Star Control to a whole new level. And then Star Control 3 crapped on it.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I'm in two minds about Deus Ex.

I absolutely loved Human Revolution. After the stinker that was Invisible War, I feel the break the series had before we got a sequel was a great thing for the franchise. It felt fresh and renewed, and actually felt like a good piece of fiction if you took the time to take in the backstory. In fact, the backstory could be said to be more interesting than the actual story. But overall, they really did a lot of things right with that game.

And oh yeah, absolutely agreed on DNF. DN3D was like an uncle you couldn't wait to see at every gathering, meanwhile DNF was like an uncle who burps very loudly at the dinner table, following uncomfortable silence. Would definitely have improved things had they dialed it down some. I still fire it up now and then though to remind myself of how fortunate we are to have better games out there.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Assassin's Creed II
Batman: Arkham City
Far Cry 3
Grand Theft Auto V
Resistance 2
Starfox 64
Super Castlevania IV
Super Mario Bros. 3
Super Metroid
Super Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

 

[CorporalClegg]

Chrono Cross

*runs

 

[Wyse]

^ I actually did prefer CC over CT.

Resident Evil 2 > Resident Evil
Silent Hill 2 > Silent Hill
Lunar 2 > Lunar

I think the only series I can think of where the original beat out the sequel was Parasite Eve. That sequel just... was not up to snuff.

 

[Davros]

Herzog Zwie
Sim City 2000

 

[Lance]

The big problem with DNF is that it seems to have been made by people who've heard of DN3D and heard second-hand tales of what it was like, but who'd never actually played it or understood the inherent satire.

Absolutely. I mean, I know for a fact that the game was made by a team at Gearbox that included one or two former 3D Realms staffers, some of whom at least must have had something to do with Duke 3D back in the day. But for some strange reason, DNF feels like a race memory of what DN3D was thought to have been like, rather than actually being very much like DN3D really was.

I'm in two minds about Deus Ex.

I absolutely loved Human Revolution. After the stinker that was Invisible War, I feel the break the series had before we got a sequel was a great thing for the franchise. It felt fresh and renewed, and actually felt like a good piece of fiction if you took the time to take in the backstory. In fact, the backstory could be said to be more interesting than the actual story. But overall, they really did a lot of things right with that game.

There's no doubt they got the tone absolutely right -- it has it's own problems, but DE:HR feels like it's got the original Deus Ex to the very core of it's D.N.A. It's almost neurotic about it in places. The makers of the game clearly played the first game extensively.

I do think IW had that too (the story *is* just as gripping as the original), but it was simply fudged in the execution.

 

[Showdown]

Double Dragon 2 (NES versions) because of co-op
Street Fighter 2
Mortal Kombat 2
Final Fight 2 (better than the FF1 SNES because of co-op)
Streets of Rage 2
Brawl Brothers (sequel to Rival Turf)
Donkey Kong Country 2 (the first is awesome, the sequel... even better)
Earthworm Jim 2


Bad sequel.... Double Dragon 3 (NES)
For all the crap DNF got, it can't come close to how big of a disappointment, how truly awful Double Dragon 3 is. At least DNF have some fun parts. What hurt my enjoyment of DNF was the long, long load times and the bad humor. IMHO, it's just been in development hell too long. But coming after the fantastic DD2, DD3 was a mess from start to rage quit. One of the worst sequels of all time.

 

[Lance]

Oh yeah, Double Dragon 3 was a real disappointment. Was it even made by the same team as the first two games?

 

[Chaos Descending]

Master of Orion 2

 

[Corran Horn]

Sim City 2000
Arkham City
Mega Man II
Castlevania III
Portal 2
LEGO Batman 2

I might even say Bioshock Infinite accepting that I'd be in the minority.

 

[martok2112]

Bioshock 2, Far Cry 3.

 

[Rincewiend]

Just Cause 2
Overlord 2
Settlers 6 was a better game than 5, 7 was a bit of a step back IMO...

 

[Lakenheath 72]

Metro: Last Light, a sequel to Metro 2033
Portal 2

 

[Showdown]

Super Mario Brothers 3
Sonic the Hedgehog 2

Oh yeah, Double Dragon 3 was a real disappointment. Was it even made by the same team as the first two games?

Don't know. However, I did found out that the Double Dragon 3 Arcade was developed by another company, but I never played it.

 

[StalwartUK]

Age of Empires II.

Interestingly Quake II originally wasn't going to be called "Quake II" at all. id simply couldn't come up with a better name for it and in the end stuck with the original/working title.