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General discussionWhat happened to the series(es)?(30 posts)(30 posts)
(30 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted January 15, 2023
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Leroux: all stories have to end somewhere, and IMO it's better to let them end on a high note, before people get sick of them
It is true in general, however in some cases game-writers / lead-designers have planned much larger plot ahead. I think, it is better to complete and conclude such projects. Even, when the sequel is late and only some of the original developers are still on board.

In addition, old series could be revived, when a really good idea of continuation suddenly comes. ;)
Posted January 15, 2023
I honestly wouldn't blame anyone if they straight up did not want to work on the same series for ten years. Heck, I'm surprised Sniper Elite is still going, Rebellion found their golden goose I guess.
Posted January 15, 2023
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AlexTerranova: It is true in general, however in some cases game-writers / lead-designers have planned much larger plot ahead. I think, it is better to complete and conclude such projects. Even, when the sequel is late and only some of the original developers are still on board.
Oh, definitely. It's really unfortunate if series end on a cliffhanger, like Half-Life. Of course, that's not what I meant at all. They planned to continue the story but then didn't. IMO, it's better to avoid that in the first place and make every story self-contained, especially if the future of the series is unclear.
Post edited January 15, 2023 by Leroux
Posted January 15, 2023
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CarChris: I surely would like to see Max Payne, Master Thief Garret, Nina Kalenkov, Cate Archer, and others again...
I disagree about Thief, imo Thief 3, while somewhat inferior in gameplay compared to the first two games, was a good ending to Garret's story, sequelitis might well ruin it.
Posted January 15, 2023
One of my favorite series...

... Brothers in Arms...

... has been dormant for quite a long time.

Firmly set during WWII, it fell to the wayside as Gearbox thought interest in WWII was done. Then, after Tarantino had a hit with Inglorious Basterds, Gearbox looked to re-work the series as a comical over-the-top WWII "fantasy"... but a teaser proved that absolutely no one wanted that. Since then, individuals have claimed that there is indeed a new, "classic" Brothers in Arms game in development, but no official word has been made.

So "dead?" No.

Dormant due to bad ideas and corporate confusion? Seems like it. Ah, Gearbox...

Regarding Styx...

... it's a bit strange that 1 and 2 came out relatively close to one another...

... but...

... 3 hasn't even been hinted at so far.

As for Max Payne...

... I thought 3 was brilliant. Different but brilliant.

But so much money was put into that game (and promotion) that it would have to have been a runaway hit to make that money back. It wasn't... and R* and Take 2 have very little appetite for anything but home runs. Too bad.

Lastly...

... Splinter Cell.

How could this series have been dormant for SO LONG... and now they don't seem to understand how to make a sequel!? Craziness.

I guess it shows that staff turn-over and changing priorities can mean that sometimes good series simply get dropped.
Post edited January 15, 2023 by kai2
Posted January 15, 2023
Hello everyone!

One aspect of sequels or the lack of continuation of a series (whether in the film or game industry) is the aging, death or price of developers, actors and voice-actors!

I think that Hollywood went the road of remaking the same films over and over, because either their directors/regiseurs or iconic actors got too expensive to recruit again, or the main actor did not fit anymore into his/her role due to advanced age.
(The recent news about another entry in the Indiana Jones movie series comes to mind, where some footage in the trailer seem off due to Harrison Ford's age and (half-heartedly) de-aging effects.)

Two striking examples for aging or cost explosions (or otherwise rejections) of original (voice-)actors in modern video games are the "Metal Gear Solid" and "Splinter Cell" franchises!
Do you remember the tremendous backlash from the fans when it was announced that David Hayter would not lend his voice to Solid Snake anymore, or when Michael Ironside did not continue as Sam Fisher?

Some figures, similar to these mentioned ones, are just to iconic for their contribution in a series, that it is hard to predict, if a new and younger person would be able to step up in those 'huge shoes', or would be froned upon by fans.

Even from the director or developer side of things, I am not so sure. Both in the film and game industry, I can think of examples whom I do not trust anymore with a potential sequel.
Sometimes they did not reach their vision in former entries due to the lack of technology, but at other times some of them showed that even they lost touch with what fans loved about the originals, or they have gone with the changing times and circumstances.

Either way, I agree with the others that it is a difficult task: attempting a sequel or doing something new with more creative freedom.

Kind regards,
foxgog
Posted January 16, 2023
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CarChris: (...) Whereas series continuing (with more or less often new games) are:

Syberia

(...)
Do You think the series will continue without Benoît Sokal?
Posted January 16, 2023
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KillingMoon: Do You think the series will continue without Benoît Sokal?
Depends on the sales of the the previous game.
They'll find some story to tell. Sokal adventures are more known for their aesthetics than the story.

But to be honest, I don't think much more is needed. We had the same story for three games (with horrible gameplay mechanics in the third game) and only the last game offered something remotely new.



Gabriel Knight ... that's a real downer.
The third game had a better story and more ideas than any Dan Brown conspiracy and offered a great stage for a new plot, now that Gabriel finally learned the truth and reason for his existence.

But the game was a technical desaster, the sales were not all that good. With the end of Sierra this game series died.

Jane Jenssen promised to continue the story in novel for, but the novels never came. She never even released a book to part 3.
Is that a good or a bad thing ... I don't know really. I own the novels to part 1 and 2 and they are written terribly, you could as well read a walkthrough for the games. They do offer some insights tho, for example that all the shadow hunter chronicles are written in english, even the old ones, because they knew that some day someone would need them who only spoke that language.


Broken Sword and Secret Files all had their fair share of games. If they had an ongoing storyline it would be nice if that storyline continued, but especially Broken Sword has mostly independent stories, so there is nothing to miss really. But who knows, if the last game brought the devs enough money, they might continue the series.
Post edited January 16, 2023 by neumi5694
Posted January 16, 2023
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AlexTerranova: It is true in general, however in some cases game-writers / lead-designers have planned much larger plot ahead. I think, it is better to complete and conclude such projects. Even, when the sequel is late and only some of the original developers are still on board.
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Leroux: Oh, definitely. It's really unfortunate if series end on a cliffhanger, like Half-Life. Of course, that's not what I meant at all. They planned to continue the story but then didn't. IMO, it's better to avoid that in the first place and make every story self-contained, especially if the future of the series is unclear.
Having not played any Half-Life after the first one, I'm glad I didn't bother now!

The one that really annoys me is Anachronox; it was a brilliant game, ending on a cliffhanger and really, really needs a sequel - or they need to publish the story - so we know what was meant to happen. I loved that game - and I normally detest JRPGs (and yes, I know that it's made by Texans)
Posted January 16, 2023
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AB2012: - I value No One Lives Forever franchise more precisely because we had 2x really good games and not 18x Call of NOLFy's.
The first step was made: don't forget Contract Jack :D
Posted January 16, 2023
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AB2012: - I value No One Lives Forever franchise more precisely because we had 2x really good games and not 18x Call of NOLFy's.
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neumi5694: The first step was made: don't forget Contract Jack :D
I actually didn't mind that game. Although I knew it was an action spin off when I bought it.
Posted January 16, 2023
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KillingMoon: Do You think the series will continue without Benoît Sokal?
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neumi5694: Depends on the sales of the the previous game.
They'll find some story to tell. Sokal adventures are more known for their aesthetics than the story.
That's bother me. I couldn't imagine Syberia without visual style of Sokal. So I hope they stop series.
Posted January 16, 2023
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CarChris: Max Payne - had a 3rd one that bombed
No One Lives Forever - was never that successful, 2nd one even less, and now licencing
Alone in the Dark - had a sequel that bombed (available on GoG)
Earth 2140-2160 - 2160 was a flop, RTS didn't sold that well anymore
Two Worlds
Sacred - you know, there is a sacred 3 out there and Sacred 2 - not sure if it made profit at all.
Soldier of Fortune - 3rd one was a very bad game and didn't sold well
Thief - last reanimation bombed
Neverwinter Nights - not sure, but afaik 2nd one wasn't that successfull. And Dragon Age and Mass Effect happend...
Dungeon Siege - 2nd one wasn't that successful, 3rd one even less
Styx
Gothic(s) - publisher got the rights and made ArcaniA (a Gothic tale) aka Gothic 4 (not that successful). 1 will be remade though.
Risen(s) - The devs went for Elex. Btw, those are the same guys who made Gothic. They can only make one game every few years. It is a very small Dev team.
Project I.G.I.
The Longest Journey (or Dreamfall) - 2nd one didn't sold that well afaik
Dracula (adventures)
Half-Life (of course!) - Steam made more money and GabeN had fun playing with other tech he was now able to throw money at.
Gabriel Knight
Serious Sam - you know there is 4 on here that isn't very old? Expecting one every 2 years or what?
Painkiller - if you redo the same game over and over again with the same engine one day sales go down...
Warcraft (single player) - Wold of Warcraft happend
BloodRayne
Crysis - EA might still got the rights, beside that Crytek went F2P and started to make money again, while Crysis 3 not so much
Torchlight - Heads left, studio shifted to Hob, Hob was not a hit, studio closed. And now rights are in China (perfect world)
F.E.A.R. - 2nd one wasn't that successful anymore, 3rd even less...
Prototype
Dirt (Colin McRae rally games) - well, he died. but actually, Dirt 5 is from 2020 - i wouldn't call that one dead yet (the game series). Well, EA bought them...
Dishonored - never was that successful in the first place (like everything from Arkane) but it is a single studio that made Prey, Wolfenstein and Deathoop. Maybe they return.
Secret Files
Broken Sword
Lost Horizon

And I surely forget others.

Whereas series continuing (with more or less often new games) are:

Tomb Raider
Hitman
Syberia
Age of Empires
Divinity games - to be honest, they did 3 very different types of games and named them all Divinity. IO modernizes the same game over and over again and named it Hitman. Phirania Bytes does the same type of game again and again and names it Gothic, Risen and Elex... - I'm not sure if you took anything behind the name in consideration.
Far Cry
Deus Ex - it is deader then some of the ones you named as being dead...
SpellForce
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.
Assassins Creed
Doom
Elder Scrolls
Witcher - it is not like CR:PR got much other stuff they could bring up.
Call of Duty
Layers of Fear
Homeworld
Darksiders
Fallout
Grand Theft Auto
I have to say, your list sometimes read if you don't know who made the game and what those studios did after the games you named...
Posted January 16, 2023
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KillingMoon: That's bother me. I couldn't imagine Syberia without visual style of Sokal. So I hope they stop series.
He already set the direction, they just have to follow it, already did in the last game. His name was on it, but he was not involved as he was in previous games.


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pds41: I actually didn't mind that game. Although I knew it was an action spin off when I bought it.
What I wanted to say was that they already tried to extend (milk) the franchise. The game itself I found to be average at best, but it was ok.
Posted January 16, 2023
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KillingMoon: That's bother me. I couldn't imagine Syberia without visual style of Sokal. So I hope they stop series.
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neumi5694: He already set the direction, they just have to follow it, already did in the last game. His name was on it, but he was not involved as he was in previous games.
Yeah, I could agree with that. In fact, only the first Siberia was incomparable.
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionWhat happened to the series(es)?(30 posts)(30 posts)
(30 posts)