7 Video Game Franchises that got better after they were ruined by a terrible installment

Introduction

When the video game industry was in its infancy, the idea of a continuing franchise was a pipe dream. A company spent time and money on a single game, hoping it would be successful to keep the lights on for one more month. If it succeeded, that meant development could begin immediately on a sequel, or maybe even another game entirely. As gaming has matured into what is now a multibillion-dollar industry each year, franchises are not only expected but demanded by fans and shareholders alike. With such pressure to maintain success in an extremely volatile and unpredictable field, it should come as no surprise that some franchises stumble along the way. Still, there’s plenty of evidence that even if you’ve got one or two stumbles under your belt, you can still churn out quality products time after time again and give gamers what they’re looking for.

Final Fantasy

In 1995, Final Fantasy VII was released on the PlayStation and became an instant hit. It was a game that redefined what gamers expected from RPGs, and it still stands as one of the best games ever made.

There were some missteps along the way, however. Final Fantasy VIII had mixed reviews when it launched in 1999. Then things got worse with 2001’s release of Final Fantasy IX; this installment was universally panned by critics for being a step backwards from previous installments in terms of gameplay design and story telling.

Fortunately, Square Enix wasn’t done yet! In 2003 they released Final Fantasy X which went back to using more traditional turn-based combat instead of relying on real-time gameplay like its predecessor did. This proved to be another hit for Square Enix thanks largely to its great story lines about overcoming inner demons during difficult times (sound familiar?)

Pokemon

Pokemon Go is a game that was released in 2016 by Niantic, who also developed Ingress. Pokemon Go was based on the first generation of Pokemon and featured the original 151 Pokemon. The game had players go around their town capturing various pokemon with their phone camera, which would then be used to battle other players at gyms or catch new ones. This was all done with little to no input from Nintendo or Game Freak (the company behind Pokemon). It’s one of the most successful mobile games ever made and it had millions of players worldwide when it released in 2016.

Pokemon Go

Pokemon Go was a fantastic game that was ruined by the lack of support from the developers. The problem with Pokemon Go is that it’s not a game that people are going to play for hours on end. It’s something you play when you want to kill some time, get some exercise and catch some Pokemon. The problem is that there aren’t enough of those types of moments in your life where you can just head out into the world and do this without any planning or preparation beforehand.

Sonic The Hedgehog

First, let’s talk about the good. Sonic The Hedgehog is one of the most iconic video game characters of all time. He has had many great games, from Sonic Adventure to Sonic The Hedgehog 3 & Knuckles to Sonic Colors and more. Even some of his bad games were still pretty fun (Sonic The Hedgehog 2).

But then there are these other ones…

Zelda

The Legend of Zelda series has had many installments and the best of them, Ocarina of Time, is considered by many to be one of the greatest video games ever. In Breath of the Wild however, Nintendo managed to not only improve on a classic but also create something completely new. It’s not just an old style game with updated graphics; it’s a true masterpiece in terms of gameplay and storytelling.

But what about Skyward Sword? Well…it was disappointing.

Assassin’s Creed

The Assassin’s Creed series was one of the most popular video game franchises at one point, with more than 100 million copies sold. It was originally a stealth action game based on the Crusades and other historical events in history, but in recent years has become more action-oriented and less historically accurate.

Assassin’s Creed II is one of the best video games of all time (in my opinion), and I wouldn’t be surprised if it were up there for many others as well. The third installment received mixed reviews from critics due to its lack of polish, but it still sold well enough to warrant further installments being made.

Halo

Halo 4 and Halo 5 were pretty much the low point of the series. The story was terrible, the gameplay was dumbed down and lacked what made the first two games so great. Not only did they fail to recapture what made Halo great, but they also rewrote some major parts of canon that fans had come to love and cherish over the years.

But then 343 Industries took over and things got better! Halo Wars 2 is one of my favorite RTS games ever made (yes I am biased because I love me some Halo), while also adding another layer to this universe that only deepened it instead of retconning it like 4 & 5 did. Then there’s also Halo Infinite which promises to bring back some classic elements from past titles with a brand new engine for Xbox One X owners to enjoy later this year!

The franchise got better after it hit rock bottom under 343’s leadership, so there’s hope yet for other franchises who have been ruined by bad installments!

Some video game franchises just get better with every installment, while others make horrible mistakes and crush the soul of gamers.

In this article, we’re going to explore seven game franchises that did it right and bounced back stronger.

Conclusion

If you’re an avid gamer, there’s nothing worse than seeing your favorite video game franchise get ruined. After all the time and money spent on the series and the memories made with friends, it can be heartbreaking to see a terrible installment that just doesn’t feel right. However, there are some franchises out there that have proven they can bounce back from these mistakes.