With so many video games being sequels, it’s almost impossible for them to go wrong, as developers take the criticisms of players’ experiences on board and rectify them in the follow-up games. And unlike the movie format, the video-game industry is still very much in its infancy, as the technology is still growing, meaning that developers can continuously make sequels so vast in gameplay and level design compared to their predecessors.
This often leads to particular sequels being looked at as the franchise defining entry into a series. But the focus on gameplay or building the world can also lead to forgetting what made the original games great in the first place, leading to many lauded sequels that are vastly overrated.
Defined A Franchise: Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (2009)
The Uncharted series is now seen as possibly the greatest PlayStation franchise ever, as each of the four games is full of memorable gameplay and incredible storytelling that was never done before in a video game, but it wasn’t always seen that way. The first Uncharted game, Drake’s Fortune, was an extremely simplified duck-and-cover game with mechanics that were so inferior to games that came years before it.
However, it was its sequel, Among Thieves, that really turned the series into the influential franchise that it’s known as today. It was a more globe-trotting affair, as it saw Drake leap from rooftop to rooftop in Nepal, fight his way through a train crash in the Himalayas, and discover the hidden city of Shambhala. Its exploration is why it’s one of the video games to play if you love Indiana Jones, and the gameplay mechanics were increased tenfold too.
Overrated: TimeSplitters: Future Perfect (2005)
TimeSplitters is one of the most beloved series that has unfortunately been left dormant for two whole generations of consoles. Being a first-person shooter that sees players travel through time and explore levels from the past, present, and future, the series is beloved for the way it blends a cartoonish style with unique time periods.
With the third entry, Future Perfect, though it’s considered to be way ahead of its time for being immersive and having a narrative that links all of the levels together, it was at the expense of the series’ trademarks. The levels didn’t have as much depth, the fun soundtracks were gone, and it was much greyer than its colorful predecessor.
Defined A Franchise: Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time (2020)
The gaming world is currently enjoying a Crash Bandicoot renaissance, as 2017 saw the completely remade versions of Naughty Dog’s celebrated original trilogy, and the following year came the remake of the just as beloved karting game. But the crown jewel of the series came just last year with Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, which completely disregarded all of the tepid and broken sequels that followed the originals in the 2000s.
The fourth game is extremely faithful to the tone of the first three games, but being released on a console three generations removed from the PlayStation One, Toys For Bob was able to take the character into (literally) new realms that weren’t possible before. Between jumping into parallel universes, controlling a range of different characters, and all of the references and Easter eggs to the old games, It’s About Time is a time capsule for 20-something-year-old fans and a great way to introduce new gamers into the series.
Overrated: Batman: Arkham City (2011)
Though Batman: Arkham Asylum might not exactly be a video-game tie-in, it was clearly hugely influenced by Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy, as the gameplay is largely stealth-based and has players lurking in the shadows for a considerable amount of time. It was the perfect Batman game.
Arkham City features the same gameplay as the original but expands on the open-world. It’s one of the best DC video games, but it’s just not as good as Arkham Asylum, as the original was so focused and every area was insanely detailed. Though it’s great to glide through a whole city, the open world isn’t all that detailed and it’s completely lifeless.
Defined A Franchise: Resident Evil 4 (2005)
Resident Evil 4 is great in so many ways, as not only is the location one of the most haunting areas in a video game, making it one of the horror games that would make a great TV show, but its mechanics were so ahead of its time too. It added a sense of reality to the game, as players weren’t able to run and shoot at the same time. If players want to shoot at the zombies, they have to stand still as the zombies thunder towards them, which made it even more frightening.
And Capcom has finally listened to fans, as the upcoming eighth game, Resident Evil: Village is looking like a direct sequel to Resident Evil 4, as its location is reminiscent of the villages of the fourth game.
Overrated: Grand Theft Auto V (2013)
There’s no denying that Rockstar is the most innovative game developer working today, as each new Grand Theft Auto release builds on the possibilities of what open-world games can do. Grand Theft Auto V is no different, as the whole world is immersive, but not as much as people like to give it credit for.
For starters, the heists aren’t as exciting as actually preparing for them, as they become rather linear despite the different choices that are made by players. And the open world is one we’ve already seen, even if it was in much lower definition. On top of that, there are just so many jokes that haven’t aged well, and they were already questionable upon its release.
Defined A Franchise: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 (2000)
After so many games in the franchise, it’s still Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 that remains the best. The second game in the series is not only what laid the foundation for the rest of the games, but it even inspired a whole genre of extreme sports games.
Matt Hoffman’s Pro BMX, Shaun White’s Snowboarding, and so many others all followed in the wake of Pro Skater 2. The game smoothed out all the clunky controls of the original, and it added some deep customization skills and some of the game’s most iconic tricks.
Overrated: Bioshock Infinite (2013)
Though the original Bioshock has an almost forgotten sequel, Bioshock 2, it was Bioshock Infinite that really turned heads when it was announced. The game delivers in its story, as the Lynchian plot that unravels is edge-of-seat enjoyment, but it’s as if 2K forgot to actually include the game.
Infinite looks beautiful and the story is well told, but the game mechanics are terrible, and there’s nothing much to do outside of soaking in the world that 2K built.
Defined A Franchise: Portal 2 (2011)
The first Portal game was almost like an experiment, and it wasn’t even sold as its own game, as it was bundled in with Half-Life 2: Episode 2 and Team Fortress, but of the three, the puzzle game came out as the MVP. However, four years later Portal 2 was released as its own, proper full-length game.
The result was mind-blowing, as it was so much more than a simple puzzle game; it had one of the most intriguing storylines, was fully embedded as part of the Half-Life universe, and it had a stunning musical score. And Valve spared no expense, as they even hired Stephen Merchant and J.K. Simmons to voice the main characters.
Overrated: God Of War (2018)
The first God of War game of the series in five years is undoubtedly an incredible work of art, and it follows an emotionally driven narrative about one of the best PlayStation protagonists, but God of War focuses more on the story than the actual gameplay.
It might prove that the material would make a great movie, but the fact that the Blades of Chaos don’t even show up until two-thirds of the way into the game, which are the best things about the series, is blasphemy. It’s almost an entirely different game to the rest of the series in terms of the mechanics, and those looking for a fun slash ‘em up like the first games would be bitterly disappointed.