When introducing yourself to a series of games...

[Mozgus]

Do you usually begin with the first in the series, or jump to the last? I tend to go for the last, assuming that it will be the most technically refined offering possible. But, the more I use this strategy, the more I get the impression that "sequelitus" is not necessarily due to overexposure to a series, but actually because sequels don't have the charm the originals have. More often than not, I believe sequels don't get near as much attention paid on their subjective aspects by the developers as the originals did. Aspects like art style, story, and soundtrack tend to become lazy efforts with any sequel. All that matters is that the original entry had an impressive enough set to print followup games.

So I guess my point is I am going to make an honest effort to try overlooked series in chronological order, from now on. How do you guys go about it?

[Gamerforlife]

I always do video games in order. It's the only proper way to gauge a series' progress. Plus, you can't really give an original a fair shake if you played an improved sequel. You're going to judge it more harshly than you would have otherwise. Plus, long running series often have little easter eggs, cameos or jokes that only people who have been with the series from the start will catch. So, it pays to start from the beginning,unless the original has a reputation for being really bad. I will also sometimes skip an entry in a series, if it looks exceptionally bad(like that stupid Prince of Persia:Warrior Within nonsense). Otherwise, I almost always start from the beginning of a series and follow through in order.

I'm sort of a purist. I think a sequel is meant to be played after the original, just as I believe an Asian movie is meant to be watched in its native language. I'll never play a remake before playing the original first. I never watch a movie in a trilogy out of order, and I absolutely refuse to start watching any series unless I can see it from the first episode of the first season.

Very rarely do I break these rules, I just think its the proper way to do it. You get much more out of a tv show's story if you're following it from the beginning. Things have more meaning and impact. Sometimes I will watch a movie based on a comic I haven't read though, so I'm not a purist about everything. Generally, this works out well since you can enjoy the movie as it is and then read the original story, which you'll probably enjoy even more since movies tend to condense everything. If you read the book first, you may just end up hating the movie for not capturing everything rather than just enjoying it for what it is.

Getting back to video games, sometimes a series will take such odd turns that you wouldn't even know about had you not started from the beginning. X-Men Legends 2 improved upon the original in many ways, but removed the usefulness and ease of combining two characters' powers. Now, they're advertising super power combos in the upcoming Marvel Ultimate Alliance sequel, and people who don't know any better think this is a new thing, while I just see it as getting back to one of the cooler features of the original X-Men Legends.

You make an interesting point about developers losing the subjective elements in sequels and basically just mailing it in. This type of behavior is typically broken by one of two things. New hardware, which forces developers to really put an effort into the next sequel because expectations are higher. There's also the point at which gamers finally get sick of a series and let developers know with lack of sales, which brings about radical new changes in a series(like Resident Evil 4). It's a catch 22 though, because some will love the new direction(like myself), other will hate it(like Mozgus). Damned if you do, damned if you don't

[Haoie]

Ideally it should be in first-last order, but usually I can't get the games in order, so I make do.

For example, when I got the Spyro games on the PS1, I first played Year of the Dragon, which was the last. And then the first game. Then finally, number 2, Gateway to Glimmer [known as Ripto's Rage in the US].

And there are more examples.

[Ack]

There is a problem with trying things chronologically. If it's an old enough series, the titles will be spread across multiple consoles. Then there's also the question of series that aren't necessarily linked, like the Final Fantasy. I suppose sequel implies that the games are linked by a consistent story, but series doesn't.

There is another issue with starting at the latest and moving to th earliest. As time goes by, more features or tweaks will be added, potentially making it harder to go back because you are used to said items. Take the Street Fighter series and its counter system. Start at the last, and it's in place, but you lose it as you go to older games.

[raztat]

Ideally it should be in first-last order, but usually I can't get the games in order, so I make do.

For example, when I got the Spyro games on the PS1, I first played Year of the Dragon, which was the last. And then the first game. Then finally, number 2, Gateway to Glimmer [known as Ripto's Rage in the US].

And there are more examples.

gate way to glimmer> wtf? lol tjats kinda of a wierd name. roptspes rage os wahy netter, sorry. but i do like the games a playhed i think all 3 cause my bro btought the trilogly. i like burning sheep.

[Doctor Fugue]

gate way to glimmer> wtf? lol tjats kinda of a wierd name. roptspes rage os wahy netter, sorry. but i do like the games a playhed i think all 3 cause my bro btought the trilogly. i like burning sheep.

Is tonight the night you are drinking? This post is the greatest. Happy Birthday.

[raztat]

gate way to glimmer> wtf? lol tjats kinda of a wierd name. roptspes rage os wahy netter, sorry. but i do like the games a playhed i think all 3 cause my bro btought the trilogly. i like burning sheep.

Is tonight the night you are drinking? This post is the greatest. Happy Birthday.

Yep. I drank 1 to many, once every one left I got in the bath tub and puked. It was still fun though but I probably wont drink for a while.

[Pingfa]

I'm sort of a purist. I think a sequel is meant to be played after the original, just as I believe an Asian movie is meant to be watched in its native language. I'll never play a remake before playing the original first. I never watch a movie in a trilogy out of order, and I absolutely refuse to start watching any series unless I can see it from the first episode of the first season.

Ditto.

Even if the story isn't directly linked, I want to recognize all references and be aware of things I can nitpick at when comparing the sequels to the prequels.

[executioner]

I also do my gaming in order when it comes to sequels, even if there are 3 or 4 sequels already released. Right now I'm on onimusha 2 and plan to play all 4, algo on ace combat 4 and plan to play 4 and zer. The same thing goes for devil may cry which I have not yet played and for prince of persia which I just played the first.