Sequels and promoting the unknown

[RivaOni]

Year after year, the top games recieve a sequel or update or some sort of expansion to the series, wihle in some cases this adds more weight to the franchises story, others only add small things such as new teams or a new action for you to perform in game. They are also a mixed bunch, with it being difficult to expand what made the original a good game and making the sequel better being difficult to achieve, some manage it, you only have to look at Resident Evil 4 to see that, and some don't, take Devil May Cry 2 for instance.

But we always moan about sequels and about the lack of originality in the industry, but if this is the case why do we still keep pumping money into series that we love? Why don't we ask for more changes for our money, does a new setting, altered story and possibly a new character really warrant spending another £40 on what is normally last years game with a few extra's? If anything this states to the industry that sequels are ok and that we dont really want something original, in fact, when something different is released, we are all sceptical about it, and if we do discover we like it, we only evangelise to those that are in the know already rather than trying to spread this knowledge to the mainstream, in fact sometimes it feels like we dont want you Mr Smith from down the road who only owns a PS2 for Pro Evolution Soccer to know about this great new thing we've found.

We dismiss that they wouldnt be interested, but have we ever really tried? Its something that needs to be dealt with if we want the industry to recieve the same sort of respect that the Movie and Music industries do. The press spend alot of time focusing on the bad points of gaming, the violence and gore, not enough attention is given to those games that are truly different, how many people that aren't in the know will go out and buy the re-release of ICO or even the developers second title Shadow of the Colossus, I know my brother won't, and I know its not because its not his sort of game, but because he doesn't read up about games. He just goes to his local supermarket and picks up the latest FIFA, Pro Evo or generic racing title.

But how many of us do the same? looking at my own personal collection I have 8 Final Fantasy titles, 2 Burnout titles, 2 Tony Hawks titles, all 3 Metal Gear Solids plus the majority of the normal Resident Evil games. Yet, other than the original versions of these games and a select few from the series, how many of them have truly revolutionised the way we play games? Final Fantasy VII brought RPG's into "true 3D" and delivered a cinematic experience never seen before, the original Metal Gear Solid made games feel like a movie for the first time ever and introduced us to the Stealth-'em up, and Burnout was a natural progression of titles such as Ridge Racer and OutRun.

So my question to you is, why do we complain about sequels, yet we cant wait to get our hands on the next in a particular franchise? Why don't we put as much as we can behind new titles if we want the industry to progress so much?

[Silver Adept]

Some of the titles, like the Final Fantasy series, have no correclation with each other at all (excepting for the pair of Final Fantasy X games), and thus a whole new world and story awaits with each of the Final Fantasy games. Some games are designed to be multi-part (take .hack, for example), and others do well enough that the developers can use more of the story in the sequel. It's somewhat like how movies tend to see sequels, and whether or not movie sequels suck bad.

[Bob]

Less new ideas...
Means less money to the design team.
Means trackable existing market for the management team to feel comfortable.
Means less money trying to advertise to the existing market.

You can try to sell the new games ideas, the lesser known titles, what have you. But that requires who are not only capable, but willing to ignore the 16 hours a day of advertising, telling them how great the sequal by the big company is.

You're right, it can, and should be done. But it needs to be done when you see an opening. They need to show a spark of individual thought.... or an inability to escape your harasment.,,, or even the chance to see you playing lesser known titles without leaving their ussual daily pattern.


As a side note, I think you preach to the converted for the same reason I do. To get a conversation about games, and to avoid being stared at like a freak for not just playing Fife-Evo Racer 50 like all the other clones. Or maybe thats just my home town.