Franchises that failed to "evolve"

[Pulsar_t]

As we approach a new iteration of consoles, some franchises are still stuck in the PS2 and even the 32-bit era. A clear example of this is Dynasty Warriors, with its core gameplay remaining virtually the same with little to no improvements to the physics, dialogue or even the recycled music. Same goes for Way of the Samurai. Some traditional genres could retort by citing the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" mantra, such as Street Fighter and that is fine, but several series have stayed the course despite advances in technology. It's called complacency if nothing else. Maybe Persona/SMT is another example? I don't know since I'm not into those.

[TSTR]

I'm not exactly sure what you're getting at here. Isn't maintaining core gameplay throughout a number of sequels kind of what makes a franchise?

To speak directly to your examples:

Dynasty Warriors is kind of a tough franchise to pick on. I mean, there are only so many ways you can do a 3D hack-n-slash based on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, right? Even within that series, the very first game was a one-on-one fighter. The current formula didn't appear until DW2. And as far as technological advances go, compare the low draw distances and flat, barren environments of DW2 to what the current-gen iterations look like.

The SMT series is so widely varied in its offshoots and permutations that one would be hard-pressed to say that different things aren't being tried there. An exhaustive explanation of its evolution over time would take way too long, so I'll just link the HG101 article on it: http://www.hardcoregaming101.net/megaten/megaten.htm. And of course, that doesn't include the most current installments like SMT IV and P4A (a fighter, no less).

Even if you take into account some of the top-selling franchises today like Madden or COD, for example, those games haven't really changed their core gameplay over time either (you play football and you shoot people, respectively). Could you maybe expand upon your idea, or offer some other examples as to what you're describing?

[Pulsar_t]

I meant that by being complacent and out of touch with the latest technology those developers are churning out products that are stuck in the past. Take another example: Gundam games where you have to cycle targets to get to the one nearest to you. Why not just let me lock on to the nearest threatening enemy? Gameplay design that feels antiquated in other words. I think the Japanese gaming industry is still struggling to keep up even after that many years of the PS360.

Maybe I should have specified "Japanese" in the OP. PlatinumGames is about the only studio moving gaming forward..

Concerning DW, isn't it about time KOEI made something new rather than recycling the same assets for twenty games? How about better collision physics, enemies that serve more than cannon fodder, bosses you can go one-on-one against, doing away with the asinine dialogue each time you come across a character, etc.. It boggles the mind how archaic the games play and behave.

[TSTR]

I get where you're coming from on the DW formula being tired. It's one of those cases where if you've played one game, you've kind of played them all. It seems that's just what KOEI does with their games, even with different IPs like Fist of the North Star or One Piece.

I guess if people weren't buying the stuff it would stop getting made, but perhaps it's like comfort food in a sense. Folks sometimes want new and different things, but other times they just want what's familiar.

[Ack]

What about series that evolved and are now terrible as they continually attempt to modernize? Survival horror has been very susceptible to this, and two of its flagship series, Resident Evil and Silent Hill, have been bogged down by attempts to "modernize" them which has downplayed the horror and upped the action to make them little more than uninteresting third-person shooters.

[Luke]

Golden Axe.

[Hatta]

They tried evolving Golden Axe, turning a 2d beat em up into a 3d action adventure, and failed miserably. This is a case where it doesn't need to evolve. Golden Axe was awesome, and a new 2d (or 3d rendered but 2d gameplay) Golden Axe would be awesome as well. I'm largely in the "if it's not broke, don't fix it" camp, when it comes to updates of classic series.

[Luke]

failed miserably.

Exactly.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Falcom games.

The newer Ys titles have a party system but otherwise feel similar to the older games.

The Legend of Heroes titles still feel like classic JRPGs.

Zero attempts to make a "AAA" game, zero Western influence. Which is why their games continue to be awesome.

[Pulsar_t]

I'll never find a JRPG that is as engaging as Mass Effect, unfortunately. Now that's a series, its ending aside, which evolved rather well from its KoToR roots.

Another non-Japanese series I can name is ARMA. It's the antithesis of fun, and even as a sim it falls short on most accounts. The AI isn't even there, comm is still a pain and it lacks personality altogether. At least Codemasters came up with playable campaigns for Operation Flashpoint sequels, despite lacking the sandbox that Arma prides itself on.