Most-improved series this generation?

Sein

Neo Member
My nod goes to the Grand Theft Auto series. As we all know, the current games enjoy immense critical and popular acclaim. The earlier games in the series, however, were generally regarded as poor executions of what was then a novel concept. The first three Grand Theft Auto games are held in somewhat higher regard now than when they were released, but I think that is the result of hindsight bias, with the current games' excellence having been undeservedly imputed back.
 
GTA

I'm not talking visuals though...

Actually, I take that back...

NFL2K
 
GTA, no contest. I'd even say that it has the most improvement within the generation. San Andreas is a pretty big step up from GTA3/VC.

The MGS series made the second biggest improvement this gen IMO. The graphics, control, and AI were all much, much better in MGS2, and MGS3 looks like it's going to add even more.
 
Xellos said:
GTA, no contest. I'd even say that it has the most improvement within the generation. San Andreas is a pretty big step up from GTA3/VC.

San Andreas definitely refines the formula, but playing it makes me appreciate how significant an accomplishment GTAIII was. The core gameplay in San Andreas is still impressive three years after it was introduced in GTAIII.
 
Sein said:
San Andreas definitely refines the formula, but playing it makes me appreciate how significant an accomplishment GTAIII was.

What's even more exciting is the jump from GTA:Vice -> GTA:SA was amazing and they were both on PS2. I can only imagine what GTA:SA -> GTA PS3 will be like.. my god I'll have to quit my job for a month or two. :O
 
GTA. First GTA2---->GTA3, an absolutely different experience and now GTA: SA, that adds even more replay value and deep to the GTA in 3D formula.
Also most of the big Sport games. The much more authentic graphics and animations, also refined physics changed the experience a lot.
 
I'm surprised I can't think of anything. Not GTA, the basic movement/combat worked better in 2d. The 3d versions added as much problems as new things to do.

All the series have had expected improvements of new technology, incremental refinement.

I'm going to say Dynasty Warriors, which on PS1 was a 2dplane fighting game that looked like Tekken. The PS2 incarnations are great Slashemup games with huge armies on a big fields, requiring strategy and character building. That's a big change and a big improvement
 
GTA & Metroid.

Had Super Metroid not been as good as it was, I'd say Metroid hands down... but the early GTAs weren't that great so ultimately that is the series that has improved the most.
 
Musashi Wins! said:
Are you for real?
The controls in the 2D version were superior, as 2D controls, than GTA3 and GTAVC's controls are by 3D standards. I haven't played GTASA, but the controls in the other two in many respects was just shoddy.
 
The only GTAs I've played are VC and SA, so I don't know how much improved they are. :P

I'd say Ace Combat.
 
GTA.

I tried playing GTA2 yesterday and it's absolute shit.

Y'know, that's really the only game that comes to mind that has seen an improvement, everything else has gone downhill except maybe sports games.
 
Insertia said:
GTA.

I tried playing GTA2 yesterday and it's absolute shit.

Y'know, that's really the only game that comes to mind that has seen an improvement, everything else has gone downhill except maybe sports games.

???????????????
 
I wanted to drag this up again because, after some carefuly consideration (ok, not really), I've decided that Spider-man 2 really deserved a mention for this category.

I've played Pikmin2, and it's pretty good, and a large improvement over the original (Which I loved). Problem is, it's still more of the same - it simply doesn't have the same impact for me.

Same goes for GTA: San Andreas, which I played all of the first 10 or so missions and got kind of bored. I will definitely go back, but the allure is missing.

NEver played Halo2 or Halflife 2, so can't comment there.

Haven't played Metroid: Prime: Echoes yet (getting it today!), and I thought the first was a brilliant addition to the series, but in no way was better than Super Metroid (same goes for Wind Waker and Mario Sunshine, neither of which exceed their ancestors). In the same regard, I suspect Prime 2 will not exceed PRime by much either - certainly not enough to be as razzle-dazzled as the first.

For me, all these games are excellent, and obviously improved, but were excellent games made into slightly more excellent games. However, SPider-man went from an average game to an excellent one when 2 arrived halfway through this year. NO other game this year made me want to rush home after work to spend hours playing it. It had a solid mission structure, as well as that pick-up-and-play-me-for-a-few-minutes gameplay (which always ended up a few hours). The feel of SPider-man was there like never before, the graphics and physics were great, controls definitely solid, and above all fun - no feeling was greater than swinging around NY city AS Spider-man. No other movie-licensed game in recent times (Goldeneye64 was probably the best) has reached matching the feel of the film, while still being a great game in its own right (Rogue Leader and RotK come close, though). In fact (and I may lose some readers here), I think Spider-man2 is a much better game than GTA - playing San Andreas makes me want sky rises that I can walk up, and swing around - I miss that 3rd dimension in travel.

Maybe even my GotY.
 
SSBM, though it had the same gameplay, was a great improvement over the original. Other series I agree with are Metroid, and MGS.
Least improved = Soul Calibur. 1 > 2
 
Honestly, GTA III for all its glitz and glamor is still the same thing we were playing back in '98 just from a birds-eye view. I even played GTA III from its top-down view for a little while, and it felt remarkably similar to the previous games. That being said, the leap to 3D makes it feel much more real, even though the game remains the same. Hell, I even miss a few elements from the original (gimme a line of Hare Krishnas to run over again.)

GTA: SA was a pretty big leap from the previous games though; the world is absolutely huge and adds a lot more elements to the table like stats and stuff, but again nothing was really improved; mainly refined.

I'd say Metal Gear Solid, or Ninja Gaiden. Both play way differently and improve the series a lot.
 
Metroid Prime. Late transition from 2D-3D, and -WHAT- a transition!

SSBM and F-Zero GX are on the same level in terms of gameplay refinement - perfect sequels...
I can only name less than 5 things wrong with either of them.

RE4 is looking to be a winner too.

I still think GTA has plenty room for improvement...
 
Ironclad_Ninja said:
SSBM, though it had the same gameplay, was a great improvement over the original. Other series I agree with are Metroid, and MGS.
Least improved = Soul Calibur. 1 > 2
For real? i enojoyed SC II so much, it was like my return to fighting games after a long layoff since street fighter 2 snes. I'm not a big fan of smash bro's but after my little brother bought the 64 version, their is a huge improvement both visually and content wise.
 
APerfectCircle said:
For real? i enojoyed SC II so much, it was like my return to fighting games after a long layoff since street fighter 2 snes. I'm not a big fan of smash bro's but after my little brother bought the 64 version, their is a huge improvement both visually and content wise.
I too enjoyed SC 2 but in comparison, SC blows it away. Also, there wasn't much of a change.
 
Yeah I would have to say GTA, I also think SSMB improved greatly on the original.


It’s honestly a tough question, most franchises are pretty stale some even devolved.
 
GTA and Winning Eleven/Pro Evo series.

(offtopic)

IAmtheFMan said:
I even miss a few elements from the original (gimme a line of Hare Krishnas to run over again.)

yeah i wonder why they left this out i suspect it had something to do with 9-11 because they also didn't include this in the final game:


Lastly, there is a dark, brooding old man who hides, or sort of dwells, in the shadows of the game, and his name is Darkel. Darkel is more or less like the city's muse, or prophet, and he says weird things, and asks you to do weird things, too. From Darkel, you can find jobs, too. In one situation, Darkel asks you to perform a hideous task that can only be found in the darkest of comic books (I'm thinking of Spawn at the moment). In this one case, Darkel sets you out to steal an ice cream truck and to acquire some dynamite. Your job is to attract as many people to the truck as possible and to set off the bomb to kill as many of them as you can! Dark! Evil! Gruesome! But hey? When was the last time you did that in a game?!
http://ps2.ign.com/articles/091/091649p1.html
 
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