Sequels We Want, and the Formulas They Need


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Not a year goes by without a few publishers dipping into their back catalogs and dredging up old, forgotten favorite franchises. And much as we old-timers love to see the classics given new life, some series just weren't meant to live in this new era. Others have potential but end up being mishandled and lose the magic that made us love the originals.

Rather than take our chances and end up with more disappointments like Golden Axe: Beast Rider and Bionic Commando, we're staging an intervention right here, right now. We've looked back into gaming history to find 20 different, dusty franchises in desperate need of true sequels. And rather than trust money-hungry publishers to get it right through clueless focus testing, we've put together a list of what needs to happen to make these sequels work -- how to bring them to life in 2009 without losing the magic of 1989.

Take notes, publishers. You'll be graded at the end of the semester.

Continue to the list...

Pretty good list, I have to say. Great to see Road Rash on there. The only thing I'd say is missing is Chrono Trigger and a new 2.5D Sonic game.

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Here's what I'd like to see on that list:-

7th Guest / 11th Hour: I loved playing these games. Just imagine how good they could be and how much more playable they'd be with today's computing power.

Quest for Glory: I didn't like QFG5 but if they worked with the formula of QFG4 I think they could have a winner again. And someone needs to tell programmers that it's ok to use cartoon graphics - it doesn't all have to be 3d.

SimCity: With the release of SimCity Societies this franchise lost its true self. It'd be great if they release a new version with a modern engine but with the old style.

Abe's Oddysey: Seriously, you couldn't have any more fun than with Abe and the fart button.

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"Great old franchises shouldn't die!"

Yes they should, most of these remakes / reboots or whatever are absolutely killing the names of great retro titles that serve has a happy nostalgia memory. Leave them alone, go create some 'next-gen- franchises you can work on instead.

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There are still two little numbered series entries I'm awaiting with bated breath, and it irks me so that a certain former console manufacturer hasn't gotten around to making them yet.

*ahem*

Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

Phantasy Star 5.

The former needs to be in hi-res 2D with maybe some non-interactive 3D embellishments and highlights. The latter...do it like Tales of Symphonia or a Wild Arms game and it'll be done right.

EDIT: Well I'll be damned. They mentioned PSV. I'm quite impressed.

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"Great old franchises shouldn't die!"

Yes they should, most of these remakes / reboots or whatever are absolutely killing the names of great retro titles that serve has a happy nostalgia memory. Leave them alone, go create some 'next-gen- franchises you can work on instead.

I don't see how they're "killing the names of". The old games stand on their own. Nothing they do now can change how great they were and are. Now, some updates are botched (the article mentions Golden Axe), but there's no reason why they can't be done well (Bionic Commando Re-Armed).

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"Great old franchises shouldn't die!"

Yes they should, most of these remakes / reboots or whatever are absolutely killing the names of great retro titles that serve has a happy nostalgia memory. Leave them alone, go create some 'next-gen- franchises you can work on instead.

I don't see how they're "killing the names of". The old games stand on their own. Nothing they do now can change how great they were and are. Now, some updates are botched (the article mentions Golden Axe), but there's no reason why they can't be done well (Bionic Commando Re-Armed).

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"Great old franchises shouldn't die!"

Yes they should, most of these remakes / reboots or whatever are absolutely killing the names of great retro titles that serve has a happy nostalgia memory. Leave them alone, go create some 'next-gen- franchises you can work on instead.

I don't see how they're "killing the names of". The old games stand on their own. Nothing they do now can change how great they were and are. Now, some updates are botched (the article mentions Golden Axe), but there's no reason why they can't be done well (Bionic Commando Re-Armed).

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I don't agree with that list at all, the only two I'd be remotely interested in would be Shenmue 3 or Streets of Rage 4 and there's no doubt Sega would **** them both up for a cheap sequel.

Gotta agree with Sethos, leave the legacy games in the past and make new IP's (Y)

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NFL Blitz needs to come back on the current generation of hardware. That game was fun as hell, I'd love to see it with new graphics and mmm, maybe the Europhia engine.

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Abe's Oddysey: Seriously, you couldn't have any more fun than with Abe and the fart button.

The oddworld games where my favourite platformers of all time. I personally would have preferred them to stay the way they where, with a couple more parts of abe's story to be told.

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I saw a response on here about Kotor 3...

Welcome to Old Republic MMO my friend!!! Probably the closest to a Kotor 3 your going to get I think ;)

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