Sequels that made a series

[Psychospacecow]

We have the games that ruined a franchise thread, so let me pose the opposite question.

What is a game series that you thought was bad until a certain release came about with significant improvements?

One thing that fits the bill here would be Dead Rising.
It was an awkwardly controlled tank simulator where you play as a action hero level of uncaring news reporter who has to deal with a bunch of idiots and psychopaths in a mall full of zombies. Its absurdly difficult. If you die, last save better have been pretty soon before because there are indeed save points, in a game on the Xbox 360.

Dead Rising 2 kept the save points as well, but it made things a bit more forgiving. First of all, your character isn't a photographer anymore, so you don't have a photography minigame to level up your character. The controls improved a bit so it became easier to make sort of sharp turns. Your character can transfer over to a new game at any point, keeping his experience, which is good because the only real way to beat this game is to manage your time well, know the land and be a high level. Plus, you aren't murdered by inmates in a jeep for looking outside on day 2. Weapons suddenly became a lot more useful if they weren't a sledgehammer, or a broadsword. All the sudden, you could create good weapons from things in the environment. It took an absurd turn with many of them, which is good because these aren't games you should take seriously, and the first one didn't seem to understand that quite yet.

[gamemaster1991]

Assassin's Creed was a dull and boring game that I needed to keep holding on to get though it, but the story with Desmond and the ending made me come back to it. Assassin's Creed II was better and improved on what the first one had but the main story with Desmond is now lacking but the flashbacks are now better. The series hit it's peak at Brotherhood and Revaluations.

[SERIOUSLY THOUGH*]

Assassin's Creed was a dull and boring game that I needed to keep holding on to get though it, but the story with Desmond and the ending made me come back to it. Assassin's Creed II was better and improved on what the first one had but the main story with Desmond is now lacking but the flashbacks are now better. The series hit it's peak at Brotherhood and Revaluations.

I agree with this. The first game was very good but very repetitive. I only played until halfway through Brotherhood and the games were just getting better and better.

The series hit it's peak at Brotherhood and Revaluations.

The sequel where Ezio's real estate isn't worth as much as his broker had said.

[gamemaster1991]

The series hit it's peak at Brotherhood and Revaluations.

The sequel where Ezio's real estate isn't worth as much as his broker had said.

Woops. Revelations.

[Melcadrien]

Strange enough, I would say Mega Man 2.

The first one, in my book, was a bit of a mess. Not only that but if I remember right no one could progress in the wily fortress without the platform weapon.
It was when the second one came out where it truly shone. And the future Mega Man games followed suit.
That and I loved the music of Mega Man 2, especially the first 2 wily stages.

[BumblebeeCody*]

Pretty obvious set.

To be honest I liked the Devil May Cry series but man, once I played 4. Holy hell did the spectacle fighter/hack and slash genre REALLY start pushing what the genre is capable of. 5 years on the combo videos are fresh and DMC4 is well worth the honourable mention for that.
I'd also put DMC3 because that game has a great first impression. The series went from generally calm gameplay and dialogue to that opening scene and mission of DMC3. Really good way to reboot the series.

RE4. What can I say, one of my all time favourite games ever and while I love RE1, 2, 3 and 0, the new style really put the Third Person Shooter genre out there.

Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. It's not my favourite Zelda but easily in my top 5. Despite all the cutbacks the game still came out with a lot of love, care and attention. The iconic graphics, the gameplay, the characters and their interactions, the dialogue, the music really put this game as a stand out of the series in all the best way. It's hard to put into words but it's a game I appreciate exists and I think Nintendo outdid themselves on that one game.

Street Fighter 4: Pretty much revived an entire genre all by itself in 2009. Sure we still had fighting games during the years before but Street Fighter 4 really opened this genre back up to old and new alike. I think this generation owes a lot to SF4 and it's presence.

Pokemon Emerald. Introduced two v two battles, put EV and IV training into the spotlight, had an incredible set of sprite art, new travel mechanics like run and dive, well designed and distinct locations, brilliant soundtrack and a surprisingly engaging story. Easily my favourite of all the Pokemon games. Such a well crafted game.

Castlevania Symphony of the Night/Super Metroid. A genre that we need more of. Two brilliant games. Castlevania and it's well designed and fun gameplay while Metroid had the atmosphere.

[gamemaster1991]

Strange enough, I would say Mega Man 2.

The first one, in my book, was a bit of a mess. Not only that but if I remember right no one could progress in the wily fortress without the platform weapon.
It was when the second one came out where it truly shone. And the future Mega Man games followed suit.
That and I loved the music of Mega Man 2, especially the first 2 wily stages.

Strangely I have to disagree with you. Sure Mega Man 1 was basically crap and Mega Man 2 was better as a whole, I find Mega man 2 to be still lacking. The Robot Masters are all classic, the music is the best in the series, the Metal Blades is the best weapon ever, ECT. Ofcorse but IMO the game is way to easy (a side from the pain in the ass that is Quick Man's stage and the Eye Laser boss) and The weapons are too unbalanced. The first time I played it I loved it, but the second time I though every single boss either without getting hit or by getting hit once or twice. When fighting a boss (or going though the stage), it normally comes down to "do I use the Robot Master's weakness, the Mega buster, or continue to use the Metal Blades like I have all game?". If I remember correctly, there are only three bosses that can't be hurt by the Metal Blades and that's Quick man (Time Stop + Crash Bombs), the Eye Laser boss (Crash Bombs) and the Final Boss (Bubble Lead). The games are meant to be a Rock-Paper-Scissors style of game where you find the best weapon for each one boss, and when you only need one weapon for most of the bosses, it really doesn't work.

IMO Mega Man 3 and 4 are where they got it right.

[Arjahn]

I've said it before, but Kingdom Hearts is a messy, floaty, generally incompetently designed turd. Then they released a crummy GBA game about trading cards and memory castles or some sh*t and nobody really cared.

Then all of a sudden WHAM, KINGDOM HEARTS 2 BABY. WE FIXED THE CONTROLS, MADE COMBAT TIGHT AND SATISFYING WITH A SPRIKLE OF DEPTH, THE SPELLS ACTUALLY MAKE A LITTLE GOD DAMN SENSE, YOU CAN SKIP THE FUCKIN CUTSCENES BETWEEN THE WELL DESIGNED AND ENGAGING BOSSES although the reaction command system was integrated by an orangutan who spent most of his time jacking off THE STORY IS SENSICAL WITH SOME ACTUAL CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IN THERE AND NOW YOU CAN FLY AROUND WITH DONALD AND GOOFY KILLING ZOMBIES AND IT FEELS LIKE AN VIDEOGAME FREAKIN' SHOULD.

[gamemaster1991]

I've said it before, but Kingdom Hearts is a messy, floaty, generally incompetently designed turd. Then they released a crummy GBA game about trading cards and memory castles or some sh*t and nobody really cared.

Then all of a sudden WHAM, KINGDOM HEARTS 2 BABY. WE FIXED THE CONTROLS, MADE COMBAT TIGHT AND SATISFYING WITH A SPRIKLE OF DEPTH, THE SPELLS ACTUALLY MAKE A LITTLE GOD DAMN SENSE, YOU CAN SKIP THE FUCKIN CUTSCENES BETWEEN THE WELL DESIGNED AND ENGAGING BOSSES although the reaction command system was integrated by an orangutan who spent most of his time jacking off THE STORY IS SENSICAL WITH SOME ACTUAL CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IN THERE AND NOW YOU CAN FLY AROUND WITH DONALD AND GOOFY KILLING ZOMBIES AND IT FEELS LIKE AN VIDEOGAME FREAKIN' SHOULD.

Kingdom Hearts II: Press Triangle to Not Die.
I'm not sure which I like more. The first game for foucusing more on the Disney part (the worlds are more foucused on in this game) and having a simple plot but being broken or the "second" game for focusing on the Final Fantasy part (it has more of a Final Fantasy plot with the down side being the Disney worlds are not as great), giving more development to the characters, and fixing most that was brokn, but making the fire spell worthless, making battles a joke (press Triangle to not die is like 75% of them), and making the plot WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY to difficult......... oh wait that was 3D....... oh..... um..... having Dymix in the game.

I'm going to say CoM just to make every fan angry and not make a real desision.

[RepentantSky]

For Ratchet and Clank it was Going Commando
For Jak it was Jak 2, even if we only got two games that count as sequels and two lazier games made on PSP, at least so far.
For Kingdom Hearts , number 2 was good and promised it would continue to thrive, but honestly I think Birth By Sleep is better game because the story is stronger and the ending is far more satisfying.
Gears of war has Gears 2 which took care of most of the clunky controls, although Judgement was just a bad call.
Grandia, for as long as it lasted had Grandia 2 which is far better than original
Fire Emblem had The Scared Stones to get in popular in the west

I could go on, but that's enough for now.

[Psychospacecow]

I've said it before, but Kingdom Hearts is a messy, floaty, generally incompetently designed turd. Then they released a crummy GBA game about trading cards and memory castles or some sh*t and nobody really cared.

Then all of a sudden WHAM, KINGDOM HEARTS 2 BABY. WE FIXED THE CONTROLS, MADE COMBAT TIGHT AND SATISFYING WITH A SPRIKLE OF DEPTH, THE SPELLS ACTUALLY MAKE A LITTLE GOD DAMN SENSE, YOU CAN SKIP THE FUCKIN CUTSCENES BETWEEN THE WELL DESIGNED AND ENGAGING BOSSES although the reaction command system was integrated by an orangutan who spent most of his time jacking off THE STORY IS SENSICAL WITH SOME ACTUAL CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT IN THERE AND NOW YOU CAN FLY AROUND WITH DONALD AND GOOFY KILLING ZOMBIES AND IT FEELS LIKE AN VIDEOGAME FREAKIN' SHOULD.

Kingdom Hearts II: Press Triangle to Not Die.
I'm not sure which I like more. The first game for foucusing more on the Disney part (the worlds are more foucused on in this game) and having a simple plot but being broken or the "second" game for focusing on the Final Fantasy part (it has more of a Final Fantasy plot with the down side being the Disney worlds are not as great), giving more development to the characters, and fixing most that was brokn, but making the fire spell worthless, making battles a joke (press Triangle to not die is like 75% of them), and making the plot WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY to difficult......... oh wait that was 3D....... oh..... um..... having Dymix in the game.

I'm going to say CoM just to make every fan angry and not make a real desision.

I actually really liked Chain of Memories because it offered a mobile experience of Kingdom Hearts that wasn't bad. That is really saying something because even the DS game where you played as the organization was pretty unplayable to me. Though, Dream Drop Distance is where I can say for sure that they got the right idea, as I don't own a PSP.

[RepentantSky]

Monster Hunter freedom is another one that comes to mind. It was a great game for getting people into how the game played as well as show them what to do.