Summary
in any industry, it is a good idea to always put the best foot forward when launching a new project. In the video game industry, some incredible launches have birthed some of the best video game franchises in history. It makes sense that a gamer will want to play a new game if the previous one was great and for developers, this mentalityleads to big sales numbers.
However, not every video game franchise starts off this way. There are always going to be cases where the first game in the series is the worst because of the advancements made throughout time. Then there are a few gaming franchises that got off to a rocky start with a particularly poor game.
Ask anyone about theRed Deadfranchise from Rockstar, and they are likely to gush about theRed Dead Redemptiongames. These open-world cowboy games have successfully transported players to the Old West with stellar storytelling andbreathtaking visuals. However, this franchise began much earlier than most players would believe.
The first game in theRed Deadfranchise was notRed Dead Redemption, released in 2009. In fact, the first game in the series wasa third person action gamethat was released for the PS2, calledRed Dead Revolver.This original game was a fun linear adventure that let players face enemies with a variety of rifles, shotguns, and throwing weapons. Unfortunately, this game is often forgotten as it is a big departure from the stellar work the series would put forward later on.
TheFIFAfranchise quickly became an annual release that almost every football/soccer fan has been drawn to in some way. It is hard to imagine a gaming industry where players can’t sit down and play a game of soccer on the TV with their friends online, or try to take their favorite team to the top of the league. Sadly, there was a lot of trial and error before the franchise could get to this point.
The very firstFIFAgame that was released by EA came out on PC months before it hit other consoles. This basic sports game switched things up from other soccer games at the time by allowing players to use an isometric view of the pitch, instead of a top-down look. The game launched well to generally positive reviews, but it would take a few attempts at the concept to become the must-have football game on the market.
The idea ofreleasing a fighting gameto compete with theStreet Fighterfranchise seemed like a difficult hill to climb back in 1992. Despite this, theMortal Kombatfranchise has grown to become a great addition to the genre, mainly due to its over-the-top fatalities and violent combat. Though, it did take a while for gamers to warm to this concept.
The firstMortal Kombatvideo game steered away from the 2D art style ofStreet Fighterand instead chose to use roto-scoped visuals to make the game appear more realistic. Sadly, such a strange choice in art style was off-putting for new arcade players, and the violent content made some people stay away from it entirely. Luckily, this controversial reputation madeMortal Kombata great experience for younger players.
The video games that came out in time totie in with the movie releaseofThe Lord of the RingsTrilogy are often cited as some of the best licensed games for the PS2. The hack and slash gameplay fromThe Two TowersandReturn of the Kingfeel ripped straight from the films, and they follow the movies quite closely. Sadly, few people mention the game that was released alongsideThe Fellowship of the Ring.
The reason for the oversight is that the initial game was released by WXP in 2002 for the Xbox. This release camealmost a year after the movie, and the rights to the other games were held by Electronic Arts. This meant that EA was able to release its game based on The Two Towersin that same year, with parts of the first movie heavily featured. Plus, this first game in the series is less focused on combat, and tasks the player with puzzle-solving and RPG elements instead.
The first game in theSaints Rowfranchise was not bad by any means, it just lacked a clear identity. Released in 2006 by Volition,Saints Rowwas an open-world crime game that was clearly meant to rival the success ofGrand Theft Auto.However, this game had less charm than its counterpart, and didn’t look nearly as good. Therefore, manyGTAfans dismissed the first game as an inferior rip-off.
Despite this initial response, theSaints Rowfranchise would go on to establish an identity of its own. The sales of the first game warranted a sequel, but theGTAfranchise had veered into more serious territory by that time. This gaveSaints Rowthe opportunity to counter this move byembracing the sillier aspects of the genre. As a result, the series that started as a pale imitation slowly grew to become a unique series that detractors of the newerGTAgames could appreciate.
The idea that the fifth installment inThe Elder Scrollsseries would be a mainstream success for consoles would have seemed ludicrous whenThe Elder Scrolls: Arenawas released for PC in 1994. That isn’t because the first game in this iconic franchise was bad, but rather because this fantasy RPG was very niche.
Thepixelated, randomly generated worldin this first game was populated by some very odd creatures, and it took players a lot of dedicated time to get through the main story and see everything the game has to offer. Fast-forward twenty-five years, and it is hard to believe that anyone who playsSkyrimnow would ever have given this franchise a chance based on the first installment. The sales of the new game are dwarfing anything the developers ever expected from such an idea.
