Right, this is the blog post that I've been gearing myself up to write... it's about game series that have changed since they first started and what is good and bad about those changes (mostly bad as this IS me doing the blog) so without further ado let us begin...
There are 3 main games series that I am going to be discussing in this blog; Resident Evil, Sonic the Hedgehog and Final Fantasy. The first two have had major changes to the style of games that they consist of since they have started whereas Final Fantasy has had minor changes (but changes nonetheless) and the reaction to these changes has been different with each of them.
Resident Evil
First let's talk about Resident Evil as that is the game series with changes that irritate me the most. The Resident Evil series first started back in 1996 and when I first played it (or watched my Step-Brother play it) it scared me half to death, gave me nightmares and made me never want to play the game (yet at the same time I was compelled to see more). This is because Resident Evil was billed as the first in a series of survival-horror games that were designed to test your mental abilities with puzzles, make you conserve you life and ammo and scare you... the next 2 games in the series were made in this fashion and maintained the fear that the first brought to gamers.
After this there were a few spin-offs that were based in this way but weren't 'as' popular for various reasons and some sub-games that completely diverged but were supposed to be as they weren't part of the main series. Then came the moment that made me angry... the moment I saw Resident Evil 4... The game completely changed the enemies in the game from Zombies to parasite-controlled mad-men and completely changed the style of game from a survival-horror to a action. WHY!? The game was still supposedly developed as a survival horror, but it lost nearly all the elements that made it so and incorporated more action elements which is why I call it an action game.
Common traits for the first 3 games were a lack of healing items, ammo and save ribbons, fixed camera angles and dark mysterious environments. In the fourth game it was mostly set in day-time and the camera was done from an over-the shoulder perspective like a 3rd-person shooter... I cannot understand why they did it... I really don't... the series was never criticised as being repetitive and no change was needed but alas it went ahead. And to make matters worse it was popular - people liked the game immensely to the point where 4 became the best-selling game in the series! In my opinion, I don't think the truly faithful did like it, but because the style was more mainstream being an action game, more people took to it.
This style of game followed into Resident Evil 5, which has since become the best-selling game in the series (again, how!?), and the action elements were increased and survival-horror reduced yet again... So this is one example of how games change - they can change massively and still sell well, but those who TRUELY know should realise that while they may be good games they are NOT the same as the classics.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Ahh, Sonic the hedgehog one of the most popular and iconic characters of his age and also the one riddled with the most scrutiny. Sonic the Hedgehog was first made back in 1991 for the Sega Megadrive and instantly became a worldwide hit, with it's fast-paced gameplay, loveable characters and design of the 16-bit era. The next 3 games (2, 3 and Sonic and Knuckles) on the megadrive improved on the game series, adding more characters and gameplay elements that didn't change the game; only made it better. These games were all 2D games which is part of the reason that they worked, so the transition to 3D was always going to be interesting...
But Sega pulled it off, the next 2 games, Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 were just as well received and, while elements of the game HAD to be changed to incorporate 3D they worked well and the games were a success. However, it all went downhill after these games - Sonic games started becoming more and more childish (you may argue that Sonic IS a kid's game, it was still playable by adults) and they started using odd gimmicks as a premise for games. The next game Sonic Heroes had potential but the game itself was lacking something... I can't place my finger on it but trust me, many others I have talked to agree and so do the critics.
All other games in the series have just gone even more downhill, with knight themed games, werehog themed games, and boarding games. While some have fun elements to them, they are ultimately tedious attempts at making games and have nothing to do with what made Sonic fun in the first place. Attempts have been made the salvage the past with the recent Sonic the Hedgehog 4 - I personally haven't played this game so I can't make a personal observation here but apparently the game lacks what the first megadrive games had - high-speed action which was the point of making the game in the first place.
So this is an example of a game series that has changed it's ways for various reasons and this time no-one took to these changes at all and the series itself has almost become a joke, mocking the great heritage that it once had...
Final Fantasy
This is a game series that needs no introductions, not just because of its popularity but because it is my favourite game series and has thus been mentioned numerous times already in my blog. The series was first released back in 1989 for the NES and established what would become the staple of most JRPGs to come, much as Resident Evil did with Survival-Horrors. The game was praised for the way it told its story and the fun battle system that progressed it along. Certain elements have been received in a more mixed way such as random encounters but ultimately people praised the series for being what it was.
The way on which the game was made was universally the same through the first 10 games, with only a few changes to the games to make them unique to one another, some of which made the series more popular, such as summon monsters, limit-break special attacks and the ever popular active-time battle system. The spin-offs the main series explored radically different games styles, such as strategy games and action-RPGS but ultimately these were mostly successful too.
Once the series hit the 12th game things started to change a bit, with the game being the most radical departure from the norm in the entire series, and while this was generally met with a mixed reception the series was still popular. Ultimately, yes, there are things with 12 that annoy me and I don't know why they changed it, particularly the battle and exploration system but unlike Sonic and Resident Evil, the departure wasn't TOO radically different and could thus be adapted to and considered to be linked to how the series started.
At the 13th game things were mixed up again but in a more bizarre way. The 13th game returned some elements of the first 10 games and kept some from 12, creating a blend of the two which was generally well received in relation to the criticisms of Final Fantasy XII's diversities but at the same time, as mentioned in an earlier blog post, certain aspects were altered to try and make the game appeal to western gamers... this was not met as well. The changes are very subtle and, like Sonic Heroes, it is difficult for me to place exactly what was off about the game becuase theoretically it is more like the norm than XII was... Final Fantasy XIII has gone on to become one of the best-selling games in the series and THE quickest selling but has also gained a reputation for being the most controvertial.
So there you have it, a game series which has had only subtle changes made but reactions are still mixed, with blame being on the changing ways of the game series as a whole...
Hope you enjoyed this blog post about the different reactions gained by game series changing, mostly negative in my personal viewpoint but mixed among critics and others... So anyways, 'til next time - that's all folks!
