Top 10 Lists : The Top 10 Sequels That Redeemed Franchises

The first Hitman was a good, but severely flawed, game for the PC. But the second game in the series, Hitman 2: Silent Assassin, was the end result of what happens when a great idea and great execution come together. Players take control of the steely cold Agent 47, the bald terror of whatever unfortuante person happens to make his list. What makes the Hitman series so unique is that players can choose their own style of play - you can either go in, guns-a-blazin' and shoot everything that moves, or you can choose to take a stealthier approach. See that guard that came out to relieve himself? Rather than capping him, why not use your fiber wire, choke him out, drag him out of sight, change into his clothes, then execute your target under the eyes of his trusted security? Not only is it much more fun to get in and get out with no one the wiser, the game also ranks your based on your Aggression level. If you choose to go Rambo on people, you'll likely end up as a Butcher; but sneak around, unseen and you just might achieve the fabled Silent Assassin ranking, which unlocks some major goodies. Multuple pathways, inumerable scenarios, and a wide variety of missions all come together to make Hitman 2 a great game. Contracts may be newer, but Silent Assassin is still the best, capitalizing on the great concepts introduced in the first.

Sure we all have some fond memories of the Mortal Kombat series from "back in the day". After all, who doesn't remember the first time they saw Raiden upercut a woozy Jax so hard that his entire torso burst into bite sized pieces? But while we may have some fond memories of it, the MK series has long been the laughing stock of the fighting game genre. Any fighting game fan who didn't want to be laughed off the internet would never admit that they play MK. But all that changed in 2004 when Midway dropped the surprsingly good Mortal Kombat: Deception. Everything from the original MK's was back, including everything from Scorpion's signature "Get over here!" line to the "so over-the-top it's hilarious" violence level to the signature MK moves that require the dexterity of a double jointed octopus. But Deception also added some great new extra features: environmental hazards (want to throw Baraka into the spinning cylinders of spkiy death? Go for it!), the RTS-style Konquest Mode, Puzzle Kombat, and most importantly online play. Because if there's one thing better than playing Puzzle Kombat with a friend, (no I'm serious - imagine if Tetris and the Friday the 13th movie franchise had a child - that's Puzzle Kombat. It's also very good and surprisingly addictive.) it's playing Puzzle Kombat with some kid from Italy that you've never even met. Online play marked a first for fighting games, but hopefully will not be a rare feat. Deception is the first great MK game in years, and restores all the glory deserved to the granddaddy of controversy. It's also the first MK game since the original that fans can unashamedly admit to playing.

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is everything a Metal Gear fan could want. A crazy story that will give you a brain aneurism if you think about it for too long, Hideo Kojima at the reins doing what he does best, the famous Metal Gear mix of combat and stealth, and most importantly - no Raven! MGS3 really seemed to be Kojima's apology to the fans who were upset by the nonsense created by Metal Gear Solid 2 (which was most everyone). Aside from that, MGS3 is one of the best looking PS2 games ever, with some of the most crazy (and crazy good) boss battles in game history. Is there really anything better than a boss character named The Pain who attacks you with bees? I didn't think so.

Before Burnout 3 came along, the Burnout series was either thought of as good, or not thought of at all. Most people tended to prefer the Need For Speed and Gran Turismo series to Burnout. Until Burnout 3 came along that is. Imagine the fastest thing you've ever seen. An F-15 perhaps? Maybe a dragster. Or maybe the Millenium Falcon. Whatever it is, Burnout 3 is faster than it. Get going and before long the screen blurs, the sounds become distorted, the scenery all blends together as you whip along the track at heart-stopping speed until... you crash into a wall and explode in glorious, unrivaled destruction. And that is what makes Burnout 3 so great: even when you lose, you win because the game features some of the greatest crashes ever. Period. Easy to pick up and near impossible to put down (especially if you have some friends), Burnout 3 is one of the fastest, greatest, and most fun racing games of all time. If you haven't already played it, Crash Mode (in which you try to cause as much glorious destruction as possible - just try to beat my $4.5 million high score) alone is worth the price of admission. The fact that the game is now only $20 thanks to the wonders of Greatest Hits, makes it even better, so do yourself a favor and go pick it up.

Let me say this first, so you'll know where I stand: I love the Tekken series. I've played and enjoyed every game in the series, from the its humble beginnings in arcades to its PS2 debut, Tekken Tag Tournament, and I've loved every minute and every quarter spent. But not everyone feels this way. Tekken Tag Tournament is usually despised by "pure" Tekken fans, who scorn the game for straying from the series 1-on-1 action into the realm of tag matches. Namco tried to correct the issues taken with Tekken Tag in Tekken 4, and although the game returned to its roots, it also strayed into unfamiliar (and unwelcome) territory. Tekken 4 seemed to take a cue from the Dead Or Alive series by adding multitiered environments and adding boundaries and breakable objects. The reaction was, at best, mixed. Some people loved it and hailed it as the best Tekken ever; others hung their heads in shame as they realized exactly how far Namco had strayed from what made the series great in the first place. Seeking to address all these complaints and make the best fighting game to date, Namco dropped a bombshell when they released Tekken 5. Everything about the game sparkles; with stunning graphics, a deep combat engine, three new characters (Raven, Feng Wei, and Asuka Kazama), the return of some old favorites (Devil Jin, Jack 5), and doing enclosed arenas the right way, Tekken 5 was the pinnacle of the series. Universally praised by even the strictest fans, the series had definitely returned to grace. Now if only Namco would add online play, the series would be perfect. *cough - Hint, hint - cough*

My oh my was this was a bombshell of the greatest kind. The Unreal series started off strong with Unreal Tournament, but then the series seemed to stumble with the good but not great, Unreal Tournament 2003. UT 2003 was still a great game, but it just wasn't as good as it could have (and should have) been. Taking all the criticism into consideration, Epic Games released the next UT installment in March of 2004, and boy was it good. All the standard stuff was there; the graphics were updated and looked better than ever (courtesy of the Unreal engine), fan favorite weapons like the Flak Cannon and Shock Rifle were back, and all the standard gameplay modes (Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, etc.) were there. But UT 2004 wouldn't make my list without some fanstastic improvements - namely, the return of Assault and the addition of Onslaught. The Assault gameplay mode first appeared in UT, and featured two teams on the same map. One team tried to achieve a series of objectives that worked toward an end goal while the other team tried to stop them. For some reason, this stellar gameplay mode was omitted from UT 2003, but came back in a big way in the 2004 iteration. The other new addition was the fantastic Onslaught mode. Featuring a first for the Unreal series (vehicles), Onslaught pit two teams against each other in an effort to control power nodes. The ultimate goal was to connect the dots (or nodes) and establish a line to the enemy power core. When the core became vulnerable, attacking it and destroying it yielded victory. What makes this mode so fun is the vehicles - everything from the slow moving but powerful Goliath tank, to the speedy Scorpion, the "terror of infantry" Manta, and the Leviathan (think nuclear warhead on wheels) were included and worked perfectly. Any FPS veteran will tell you that unbalanced vehicles are no fun to play against; fortunately, the vehicles in UT 2004 are perfectly balanced so that while they may be powerful, they're far from invincible, giving ground troops a fighting chance. Onslaught is simply fun, and really, that's what games should be all about.

Once upon a time, before David Jaffe brought us God of War, he and his team at Incog worked on the next installment of the Twisted Metal series. Jaffe and his team developed Twisted Metals 1 and 2 before handing the development reins over to 989 Studios...who promptly ran the series into the ground. Sensing that his series was in trouble (which it was), the old team was quickly reassembled and produced one of the greatest car combat games ever. Twisted Metal: Black took the series in new direction by making it genuinely dark and well...just generally twisted. I would not recommend playing this before going to bed, at least not unless you're the kind of person who only has happy dreams after watching the story of a Vietnam vet who went crazy and turned into a cannibal. TM:B did another great thing and decided to pretend that Twisted Metals 3 and 4 simply never happened. Therefore, Black is a direct sequel to Twisted Metal 2, and picks up where TM2 left off. TM:B featured all the great car combat, with weapons ranging from homing missles, to satellites, to gas cans that can be left as incendiary bombs. It updated the graphics, reinvented some old favorite characters (such as Warthog) and included a surprsingly deep combat system. Sure you can beat the game simply by mashing on the fire button, but why not try firing a freeze missile at your opponent, then blasting them with a Zoomy for an extra damage 10/10 missile bonus? TM:B also featured perhaps the craziest story in the series - the entire game takes place inside one character's head. How's that for philisophical? Featuring subtle nods to the former games, surprises for noobies and veterans alike, and for restoring pride to the former king of car combat, TM:B more than earns its spot on my list. Now where's the sequel?

Some people may dispute this, but I think it's a valid statement: Devil May Cry 2 almost killed the DMC series. Why? Because it seemed that Capcom simply no longer cared about the adventures of everyone's favorite silver haired, wise-cracking, arrogant demon slayer. Gone was the smart ass Dante from DMC1; instead we got a mute in a red trench coat. Gone was the flashy, over-the-top, John Woo karate action; instead, juggle enemies with your very guns. Despised even by the hardest of the hardcore DMC fans, who are a very loyal lot, DMC2 almost killed a great franchise. But then, Dante came back and in a big way. Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening arrived on the scene in March of 2005, and action gaming was elevated to the next level in big way. The old Dante was back. The crazy Saturday morning kung-fu action was back, and crazier than ever. The weapon selction included everything from twin Pistols, a rocket launcher, and even (are you ready for it?) an electric guitar. Yes ladies and gentleman, Dante is back and better than ever. And it's about time.

Game devopers everywhere, take note. This is how you do a sequel. Most people assume that the fabulous Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time came from nowhere, spinning itself from the ether of gaming greatness. But true Prince of Persia (PoP) fans know that Sands of Time (SoT) is actually the next step in the great arcade game originally developed by Jordan Mechner. The original features a heroic, nameless protagonist, simply called "the Prince" seeking to rescue a damsel in distress from the evil Jafar (no, not the guy from Aladdin). And, oh yeah - he only had one hour to do it. For its time, the original PoP featured stunning graphics, and incredible animation - not to mention the most amazing platforming since Mario's debut. Then in November of 2003, SoT hit the market and single handedly raised the bar on action-adventure-platformers. Never had there been a game quite like this. All the classic PoP elements were included; the graphics sparkled, really bringing to life the fairy tale atmosphere of the game. The Prince was back, this time trying to save the palace of Azad from the evil he inadvenrtently unleashed; he's even joined by a lovely maiden - an Indian Princess named Farah. The platforming is second to none, and has the Prince routinely performing gravity defying stunts that would make even Spider-Man jealous. And the stunning animations were taken to a whole new level; never had there been a game where one could enjoy simply running the character through his paces. SoT also stands as the only game to ever make me gasp in awe at a character climbing a ledge. And to top it all off, SoT introduced a whole new gameplay element - time control. Utilizing the mystical powers of the Sands of Time and the Dagger of Time, the Prince could fast forward, freeze, slow down, and even rewind time itself, allowing players to undo a fatal mistake, whether it be in combat or in the platforming. This ability to undo your greatest error allowed Ubisoft to develop a great combat system and excellent platforming. A great sequel, a great addition to the PoP legacy, and just all around a fantastic game.

How could any other game eximplify a redeeming sequel quite like Resident Evil 4? A few years ago, no one could have dreamed a RE title would be nominated for Game of the Year, and if anyone actually was brave enough to voice this, they would have been laughed at mercilessly. RE4 was the kick-in-the-pants the stagnating founding father of survival horror so desperately needed. Not only did it address every single complaint about the previous games, it also sort of reinvented the series by taking a more action oriented approach. Now people no longer had to worry about whether there flashlight battery would die; instead they had to worry about getting decapitated by very angry chain saw wielding Spanish villagers. RE4 also added a whole new level of strategy to the series; the game forced you to decide everything from whether to mow the villagers down or conserve ammo and shoot them in the knees, making them fall over, or to try to run from combat. It even made you consider whether or not to go for a head shot, beacuse, as strange as it may seem, that wasn't always a good idea. RE4 is one of the very best games in quite a while, and may be the greatest sequel ever. A true masterpiece that gave new (well-deserved) respect to the RE franchise.

Nobody's perfect, not even the game developers behind our favorites pasttimes. But despite their imperfection, they keep on trying, and if they produce a lackluster sequel, they have a tendency to make up for it in a big way. Here's to hoping that that trend continues from this generation into the next. I hope you enjoyed my list, and thanks for reading.

List by endersgame33 (03/20/2006)

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