A Look at Bad Decisions in Game Design Read more at Suite101: Game Sequels Gone Bad: A Look at Bad Decisions in Game Design

Sequels are so natural in the gaming industry, as blockbuster movies. And like them, they can be a devastating blow to the franchise decisions terribly wrong. The idea behind this is that the question of how much "bigger" and "feeling better" than the original charm and lost the game. There are several examples in the last game in history have either released or thrown in the works, the controversy:

Operation Flashpoint 2: Dragon Rising

Avid players of the franchise know that is not even a "real" Sequel - Bohemia Interactive, author of Operation Flashpoint, Codemasters and distributed sat with their "military simulator" Armed Assault in the series.

For many fans, the idea raised a few eyebrows here and that was probably the first part, why the result was not as well received - the franchise is a full game niche that was his own shop, just improvise Codemasters and without IB experience has miserably failed.

And they do not. Most combat elements that speak of the character set ArmA - the military, as you are led / driven across the landscape disappeared, concentrate on the game, which is the essence of the game, but it offers very little in the area "military" atmosphere.

Combined with a multi absent, non-dedicated server is oriented player and a recipe for disaster. OPF 2 is a perfect example of trying something that can be streamlined, simplified - for the pure reason to kill, which is unique in the first place.

But overall, Dragon Rising is not the worst idea of challenge in the short list - the biggest problem the game has not been very well received by fans of Operation Flashpoint. Other players could be met, which seems to be the group sought Codemasters could be from official bodies such as the BIS Forums, or try it with, put things in perspective.

Grand Theft Auto IV for PC

Many gaming forums asking why exactly GTA IV deserves all the praises of "professional" commentators game he did.

Leave us a little about the way - the land is beautiful and detailed, is one of the new physics and a good change and challenge multiplayer few subtle improvements.

Then we look at the pieces of rock star has dropped. Firstly, the game has changed history. In their attempt to look at their game "gritty" and "mature" has lost its predecessors, GTA IV, the uniqueness of drowsiness. The history of the games could easily be a "depressing" is a big change are described. At this time, Saints Row 2 more for the "feel" of the original Grand Theft Auto GTA IV did then.

Of course, whatever striking the playing area itself is too restrictive, and compare it to San Andreas - is not a "rural center of the city" offers a number of areas, a refreshing break in the final game.

But these are of course some personal opinions. For what it's worth, reducing internal mechanics working. What is not disputed that) the quality of the PC connection (as reported by Gamespot Justin Calver in his speech that run or look good, even on modern platforms to refuse the hollow "It is so advanced , PC support is still not there yet "excuse again - Multiplayer lobby instead of the best dedicated server solution that GTA IV could be a decent game console as a PC connection is simply worse.

Confirmed by a glance at the forum, most users of the PC version that PC games feel a little cheated.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2

Another game that so much controversy, since it has received positive feedback. And still beats the best selling lists in some places, but ... Why?

The element of one player and offer more flashy explosions and sequences missing from its predecessor - no inclination is perhaps the best example, but history is not only ... Meaning, like Joe McNeilly of GamesRadar: "The plot is like one of those magic eye puzzles - if you are a certain way, you get Defocus you see the depth." Start the Russian invasion as consequences of an installation evident incarceration Pierce in a former Russian gulag next, launched by the atomic bomb, it will not be held together with ease, unlike the first game.

Then, of course, again, the PC version by the absence of a true multiplayer support in ruins - no dedicated server, no modding capability, a limit of 18 players.

MW2 sold well in spite of everything, of course, but the game industry tends to take his "revenge" is with few payments over time. And while the console is selected will still be alive, the PC probably will not soon forget.

Max Payne 3

Finally, something comes in the future, Christmas 2010, the third installment of the series Max Payne.

One wonders what a New Yorker Neo-Black "story is here in Sao Paulo. As far as I can figure, the slums, there are a lot of death and the shooting, one of the identifiers of the Max Payne series has to offer, to take part in the night - the first game turn, the worse when Max is in his nightmare, the second is only at night.

Then, to the point of view of Max Payne people scratching their heads (Last Cam Shea and Patch Kolan, IGN "Max was Warren Beatty circa 1991 went to Bruce Willis with a tramp beard."). Well, he There is nothing wrong with a person ages, but the abandonment of an established series is now actually seems to be "refreshing." This is still in the air, however, time will tell.

One trend is clear in the following four examples - the botched suites usually affect the PC market is strongest. One wonders, with the advent of more "next-gen" consoles, most developers have lost their eyes, as far as PC games? This seems to be the case, PC games the most popular tend to focus only on PC gaming, while the Games budget high for multiple platforms become very, very bad, the PC-risk gamblers.

If these two media as incompatible? Probably not, but what does seem to confirm, is a direct console-to-PC port failed designers.

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