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| 2 | %%% Please keep in mind that no examples can be added until six months after the game's release. |
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| 4 | |
| 5 | * ''[[VideoGame/NintendoWars Advance Wars]]'': |
| 6 | ** Even if the relative lack of new content made it feel a bit like a MissionPackSequel, the fandom almost unanimously agrees that ''Black Hole Rising'' was a major step up over the original ''Advance Wars'' due to the more balanced gameplay, the more refined enemy A.I., and the vastly improved level design. However, opinion is much more split over the third game in the franchise, ''Dual Strike''. Many praised the game for the wealth of new units and game modes, the new dual-front battle system, and the overall faster pace of battles, while its detractors criticized the weak cast of new [=COs=], the almost nonsensical plot, and the overemphasis on gaming the CO Power system to win. |
| 7 | ** ''Days of Ruin'' / ''Dark Conflict'' has caused an even greater divide than ''Dual Strike''. While its supporters praise the game for taking a [[DarkerAndEdgier darker, much more serious tone]] in its story and dialing back the importance of CO Powers and bonuses after ''Dual Strike'' took it to extremes (thus bringing the focus of battles back to strategy and planning ahead), its detractors deride it for [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks being so radically different from the rest of the series]] that it comes off less like an actual sequel and more like a knockoff with the ''Advance Wars'' name slapped onto it. |
| 8 | * ''VideoGame/AmnesiaAMachineForPigs'' is praised for its story, improved voice-acting, and sound design, and criticized for its [[ItsShortSoItSucks length]], lack of horror, and removal of many gameplay elements from [[VideoGame/AmnesiaTheDarkDescent the original]]. |
| 9 | * Is ''VideoGame/AnimalCrossingNewHorizons'' a huge step forward for [[VideoGame/AnimalCrossing the franchise]], an entry with improved graphics, new features like the photo studio, allowing changing hair at your will, having a healthy amount of {{ensemble dark horse}}s among the FunnyAnimal cast, the increased focus on island customisation, with every part of the island under your control (even down to the layout and which villagers will move away), and a larger inventory for your player? Or was it completely ruined by the increased "gamification" of the mechanics, such as [[BreakableWeapons item durability]] on every tool (even the Golden Weapons), the removal of almost ''21 [=NPCs=]'' that have appeared in prior games in some capacity, the reimplementation of those [=NPCs=], content and events prior games had as standard via its new "Live Service" model, all at the expense of ''Animal Crossing''[='s=] traditionally laid-back atmosphere, wide variety of content, and interesting/funny villager interactions? |
| 10 | * Depending on who you ask, ''VideoGame/ArmoredCoreNexus'' is either a slick, content-packed sequel that finally brings ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'' up to modern standards by upping the production values and finally giving players the option to use proper dual-analog controls, or a disaster filled with lazy, simplistic missions and ruined by [[ScrappyMechanic an overly-restrictive heat management mechanic]] that kills much of the fun and choice in building your own mech. About the only things people agree about is that the soundtrack and the bonus disc with [[NostalgiaLevel remade PS1-era missions]] are awesome. |
| 11 | * ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'': |
| 12 | ** ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'' received a fair amount of praise for its unique direction, naval warfare, and for its [[GrayingMorality portrayal of the antagonists]]. It was also criticised by fans for its glitches, scripted missions, lack of stealth, a poorly written story and a protagonist that wasn't as compelling as the previous one. To an extent, the divided opinions extend to the other games set in the Americas. |
| 13 | ** Opinions over ''[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedUnity Unity]]'' are divided. While it is praised for bringing the series back to its roots and its beautifully realised setting, some fans think this entry reeks of {{Sequelitis}} due to the plethora of bugs, mixed views on Arno, and the cliche ending. The fact that this game followed the highly praised ''[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag Black Flag]]'' did not help matters one bit. ''[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRogue Rogue]]'' on the other hand, is praised and loved by fans and critics alike. |
| 14 | ** ''[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedRevelations Revelations]]'' was a contested sequel. Some enjoyed playing as an older Ezio, moving on to a new setting in the Ottoman Empire, experiencing flashbacks from Altair's life after the first game, and wrapping up both tales. Others considered the story to be boring with a cheap antagonist, and didn't like how it removed all the supporting characters we'd come to love in ''[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII II]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood Brotherhood]]''. |
| 15 | * ''[[VideoGame/BackyardSports Backyard Baseball 2001]]'' and ''Backyard Soccer: MLS Edition''. Some people say that it is better than the original because of the pros and MLB/MLS teams, making a perfect "Dream Team," and others hate it because of those same pros. |
| 16 | * ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie:'' |
| 17 | ** ''VideoGame/BanjoTooie'': While the core gameplay was virtually unchanged from the original (aside from some new moves for Banjo and Kazooie), the worlds were about triple the size, and each was connected to other worlds in some way, thus necessitating some backtracking in order to get some of the Jiggies. While many fans loved and embraced these changes, other fans of the original preferred the smaller worlds and being able to get all of the Jiggies in one sitting. |
| 18 | ** ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooieNutsAndBolts''. Some believe that it's a fun resurrection of the franchise, some think it's a good game on its own but not a good ''Banjo-Kazooie'' game, and some say that it destroyed any chance of a more traditional ''Banjo-Kazooie'' game being released. |
| 19 | ** Its CreatorDrivenSuccessor, ''VideoGame/YookaLaylee'', also gets this treatment. While some say it's a solid collectathon that manages to retain the same kind of charm ''Banjo-Kazooie'' had, others who view the game negatively claim it's inconsistent, retains many of the issues ''Banjo-Tooie'' had, and tries so hard to emulate ''BK'' that it never gets the chance to establish itself as its own franchise. |
| 20 | * ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamSeries'': |
| 21 | ** ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins'', though it's a prequel, still qualifies. The game was made to expand the Arkham franchise beyond Rocksteady Studios, and [[ChristmasRushed was rushed]] to the point there were [[GoodBadBugs many bugs upon release]] and the actual gameplay was [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks 90% identical to that of City]] (using mostly modifications of the City resources to build upon). Still, the change in production company and story writers is noticeable. The premise is more bare bones, telling a story that isn't overly convoluted and allows more emphasis on Batman's interaction with both enemies and allies. Many fans consider the story, taken by itself, to be the best of the series, even if the gameplay itself is underwhelming. |
| 22 | ** Opinions are varied as to whether or not ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight'' lived up to its predecessors ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamAsylum ''and ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity'' (and to some extent, ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins''). Some loved the enhanced visuals, the expanded combat, the bigger world and found the story to be compelling and a fitting finale to the series. Others, however, found the story to be lacking, criticized the handling (and frequency) of the Batmobile, missed the on-foot boss battles that the series was well known for, and were disappointed by the inability to use other characters in challenges (which was later fixed). |
| 23 | * ''VideoGame/{{Bayonetta}}'': |
| 24 | ** Everyone agrees ''VideoGame/Bayonetta2'' is an awesome game. But fans debate whether this game or the first has the better overall aesthetic and plot themes, as well as whether [[spoiler:Loptr as Aesir]] can top [[spoiler:Jubileus, aka the series' equivalent of God]] as the FinalBoss. And while the easier [[PressXToNotDie QTEs]] and removal of minigame segments have been almost unanimously praised, several of the changes to the combat have been quite contentious. Often criticized is the game's overreliance on Witch Time (where the first game removed the mechanic at the highest difficulty), Umbran Climax being unbalanced, enemy design, removal of certain advanced techniques, and scoring system. Critics argue that the changes result in a more restrictive game that while more approachable for new players, forcefully railroads the player into an overly defensive playstyle. |
| 25 | ** ''VideoGame/Bayonetta3'' quickly proved to be an even more divisive entry among fans. One camp enjoys the game for its fine-tuned combat, varied locales, and diverse gameplay while the other camp dislikes it for its perceived overreliance on GameplayRoulette, a plot considered to be undercooked in many respects, and an AudienceAlienatingEnding. |
| 26 | * ''VideoGame/BioShock'': |
| 27 | ** ''VideoGame/BioShock2'' is either a neat exploration of the world of Rapture and its lore, or an an unnecessary slapdash redo of the first game with shoehorned multiplayer. |
| 28 | ** ''VideoGame/BioShockInfinite'' is either a deep character driven story with interesting game mechanics like the sky rails or the tears, or a narratively confusing dumbed down mess for leaving the ''VideoGame/SystemShock2'' and ''VideoGame/BioShock'' roots, enemy research, hacking, and different ammo types for a lot more combat. Depending on who you ask, it's either the best game in the series, or worst. |
| 29 | * While agreed to be a solid game. how much ''VideoGame/{{Burnout}} Revenge'' stacks up to the universally-beloved ''Burnout 3: Takedown'' is debated among fans. Some find it a straightforward improvement with the new formula complemented by a generous amount of new tracks, cars and fun new mechanics like the ability to throw cars at other racers and the ability to use Crashbreaker mid-races. Others dislike the new dark and gritty visual direction (particularly pronounced for the Xbox 360 version, which ''massively'' amps up the grit and bloom as [[RealIsBrown was typical of the time]]) and find the new "Traffic Check" mechanic both overcomplicates the Crash mode and trivializes much of the risk/reward calculus that had been at the core of the series' appeal. |
| 30 | * ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyWorldAtWar'' and ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyModernWarfare2''. It's argued whether the former deserves the merit of being called a sequel despite the change in setting, and it doesn't help that many disliked on the principle it was made by [[OnlyTheCreatorDoesItRight Treyarch instead of Infinity Ward]] or was a UsefulNotes/WorldWarII game. The latter's major complaint is that it went too far into the RuleOfCool, hurting the more realistic impression ''VideoGame/ModernWarfare'' gave. For PC gamers, the major complaint with ''Modern Warfare 2'' was the lack of Dedicated Servers and mod tools. |
| 31 | * ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'': |
| 32 | ** ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaIISimonsQuest'' attempted to take the platforming gameplay of [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaI its predecessor]] and build an ActionRPG around it. Its reception was mixed enough that ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIIDraculasCurse Castlevania III]]'' kept well away from its RPGElements and continuity and the series would not make another (and far more successful) attempt at [[{{Metroidvania}} an open-world action/adventure hybrid]] until ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaSymphonyOfTheNight Symphony of the Night]]''. |
| 33 | ** ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLordsOfShadow2'': Many people consider the game as inferior to [[VideoGame/CastlevaniaLordsOfShadow the original game]] at it takes place in a modern setting that doesn't quite fit with the ''Castlevania'' mythos, has undeveloped characters, and [[spoiler:the final battle with Satan is merely fighting your son possessed by Satan]] -- but it actually feels much more like a ''Castlevania'' game than its predecessor, playing as Dracula is fun, and it's certainly much darker than the previous game. |
| 34 | * [[FourX 4X games]] are very prone to this, especially the ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' series, which is why ''Civilization IV'' onwards are designed from the start to be easily moddable. That allows fans to do whatever they want, even turn it into a remake of the non-Sid-Meier ''Civilization: Call to Power''. |
| 35 | * ''[[VideoGame/CompanyOfHeroes Company of Heroes 2]]'' and ''VideoGame/TotalWarRomeII'' were both heavily contested sequels due to the DLC commanders, the single player campaign for ''COH 2'' and the poor optimization for ''Total War: Rome II''. |
| 36 | * ''VideoGame/Condemned2Bloodshot'' added a great deal of depth to the melee combat system, sharpened the graphics, and put in much more interesting forensic investigation. You either like it for those, or you dislike it for abandoning the creepy slums and giving the plot a ''ludicrous'' twist. |
| 37 | * ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'' was destined for this by being the only ''VideoGame/ChronoTrigger'' sequel. (Or rather, [[VisualNovel/RadicalDreamers the only sequel]] released outside of Japan [[LateExportForYou for a long time]].) There are a lot of people who loved the mood of the game, the huge cast of characters, and the plot seemingly delightfully tying [[HappyEndingOverride rather darkly]] into its predecessor in a way that proved interesting and engaging. The other half of the ''Chrono'' fandom hates it for the cast of characters not getting much time to develop aside from a small handful, calling the ties to ''Trigger'' making the whole story a rather dark {{Retcon}}, also calling the plot an epic MindScrew coupled with a GainaxEnding. Most of the fandom agrees that ''Cross'' a good game in its own right, with near-universal praise going to the soundtrack, frequently called one of the best original video game soundtracks ever. But the dispute as to whether ''Cross'' is a good sequel to ''Trigger'' is pure FlameBait. |
| 38 | * In the world of ''VideoGame/CommandAndConquer'', ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianDawn Tiberian Dawn]]'' is the only game that isn't a sequel, and is consequently the only game that doesn't qualify. ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert Red Alert]]'' is contested for being nothing but a ''Tiberian Dawn'' remake (gameplay-wise, at least); ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianSun Tiberian Sun]]'' is contested for being too dark and Science Fiction-y; ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert2 Red Alert 2]]'' is contested for being too damn cheesy (oh, and the CanonDiscontinuity); ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerGenerals Generals]]'' is contested for being an InNameOnly spin-off; ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquer3TiberiumWars Tiberum Wars]]'' is contested for its CanonDiscontinuity and its striking resemblance to ''Generals''; and ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerRedAlert Red Alert 3]]'' is contested for [[{{Camp}} cheesiness that reaches outright silly levels]], CanonDiscontinuity, and lots of other stuff. Lastly, ''[[VideoGame/CommandAndConquerTiberianTwilight Tiberian Twilight]]'' is reviled for its combat system being a significant departure from previous games and being closer to real time tactics than real time strategy. Suffice to say, epic glame wars have erupted over which games are "good" and which games are "bad." Everyone agrees, however, that ''Sole Survivor'' [[FanonDiscontinuity never happened]]. |
| 39 | * ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'': |
| 40 | ** The [[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot1996 first]] [[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot2CortexStrikesBack three]] [[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot3Warped games]] and ''VideoGame/CrashTeamRacing'' were made by Creator/NaughtyDog. Everything after that is [[BrokenBase hotly contested]]. Some say ''VideoGame/CrashBash'' and ''VideoGame/CrashTwinsanity'' were still good, some say more or all of the games were good, and a very small portion only like the ''Titans''[=/=]''Mutant'' duology. |
| 41 | ** ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot4ItsAboutTime'' may be the most divisive one yet. Some praise it for its visuals, story and core gameplay mechanics, while others are more critical of the character redesigns and/or ''immense'' [[SequelDifficultySpike difficulty spike from the previous games]]. Fans of the post-Naughty Dog era were also disappointed to see this game essentially reset the timeline back to square one, with it setting itself up as ''the'' direct sequel to ''Warped'' and no plot elements or characters from those games showing up outside varying cameo appearances. |
| 42 | * ''VideoGame/CytusII''. Fans of it prefer it over the original ''VideoGame/{{Cytus}}'' for its aesthetic, fleshed out story, and increased difficulty, while detractors [[PlayTheGameSkipTheStory find the story to be too in the way]], despise the excessive use of paid DLC, feel that the game resorts to FakeDifficulty for more difficult charts, and the tedious LevelGrinding that one has to do to progress said story and unlock new songs. |
| 43 | * As far as the main ''VideoGame/{{Darius}}'' series goes, ''Dariusburst'' is this to ''G-Darius''. Fans either like it for being less punishing on life losses and encouraging aggressive play with its Burst weapons, others feel that it took a serious hit in the level and boss design departments. |
| 44 | * ''VideoGame/DarkSouls'': |
| 45 | ** While some people enjoy ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsII'', finding it even better than [[VideoGame/DarkSoulsI the first]] thanks to its mechanical improvements, some people hate it, criticizing various aspects of its gameplay design, music, storytelling/lore, and visual aesthetic as uninspired, lazy, and poorly thought-out compared to the first game. [[TakeaThirdOption Some people think it is still a pretty fun game, but]] [[ToughActToFollow just doesn't live up to the memorable experience of the first]], even taking ''DSI'''s flaws into account. There isn't really a consensus. |
| 46 | ** While ''VideoGame/DarkSoulsIII'' was generally well-received, there isn't much of a consensus on how the game stacks up to its predecessors. On one hand, gripes about its lack of individuality, combat more reminiscent of ''VideoGame/{{Bloodborne}}'' than the other two ''Dark Souls'' games, and [[ContinuityPorn call-backs to the original]] are common. Praise, on the other hand, for its detailed world, balanced difficulty curve, and [[AwesomeBosses/DarkSouls numerous and varied bossess]] is just as common. |
| 47 | * ''VideoGame/DarksidersII'' was overall well-received, but splits opinions regarding whether it's better than [[VideoGame/DarksidersI the original]] or not (those who prefer the first feel it's more polished and has a better story, the sequel camp feel the sheer wealth of content and a more interesting and charismatic protagonist tips in their favor). ''VideoGame/DarksidersIII'', on the other hand, had a more mixed reception, with the decision to ditch its predecessors' gameplay and instead take elements from ''Dark Souls'' being deemed as either a welcome change of pace or diminishing for dropping what made ''Darksiders'' stand out in the first place. |
| 48 | * Every ''VideoGame/DawnOfWar'' game that ''is'' a sequel is a ContestedSequel. |
| 49 | ** The original game's agreed-upon high water mark is the ''Dark Crusade'' expansion, which featured seven playable races (expanded to nine in the less-well-received ''Soulstorm'' expansion), a RiskStyleMap as its primary single player experience, and emphasis on large armies and building a traditional tech tree. Vehicles and infantry used separate [[ArbitraryHeadcountLimit population caps]], requiring different weapons to counter effectively (for example, heavy machine guns mowed down infantry but did little more than tickle tanks, while rocket launchers kicked infantry around somewhat harmlessly but were very effective against vehicles), and Heroes were powerful units that could attach to squads and were improved by research. |
| 50 | ** ''VideoGame/DawnOfWarII'', by contrast, was a tactical combat game that focused on smaller numbers of smaller squads (for example, a Tactical Marine squad in ''I'' started at four, could reinforce up eight and then add a Sergeant for nine, while the same squad in ''II'' started and maxed at three with an option to add a Sergeant) and no base building. There were three single player campaigns released, of which two were playable only by Space Marines. ''II'' started out with four playable factions, capping out at seven in the final expansion, ''Retribution''. The large armies and separate population caps were removed in favor of a simple 1-100 system shared across all units. In place of huge army and economy management, cover, positioning, firing arcs, and ability rotations were the game's core micro skill. Hero units were both expanded and restricted, with each player starting the game with a single hero unit that could be revived if killed and grew more powerful as the game progressed. These two games offered very different experiences, meaning that while there were many fans of both, most players had a distinct favorite. |
| 51 | ** Then came ''VideoGame/DawnOfWarIII''. It tried to split the difference between ''I''[='s=] huge armies and ''II''[='s=] intimate micromanagement and made... [[MasterOfNone something else]]. [[MultiplayerOnlineBattleArena MOBA]] elements were worked into the multiplayer, with the single player being a single linear campaign shared by the game's three races (fewer than in any previous entry, and all whom had been present in the base games of ''I'' and ''II''). Hero units became the primary micro skill, drawing criticism for the perceived MOBA influences. Vehicles became more like elite units, being less of a unit type to be countered and more of a LightningBruiser to be endured. The game has not fared well and has not seen post-release content in the vein of the expansions for the previous two games. |
| 52 | * ''VideoGame/DeadlyPremonition2'': [[VideoGame/DeadlyPremonition Another]] SoBadItsGood art game that offers a deeper look into York and his charmingly quirky surrounding cast with some surprisingly emotional moments, or a frustrating, [[{{Flanderization}} Flanderized]] mess of an attempt to capture lightning in a bottle twice whose myriad of technical issues were probably made to run badly on purpose. |
| 53 | * ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'': |
| 54 | ** ''Dead or Alive 4''. Most competitive players hate the game and blame it for the stigma attached to competitive ''DOA'', but the more casual fans love it due to its unique online mode and flashy aesthetics. |
| 55 | ** ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive6'', for being TamerAndChaster and BloodierAndGorier. |
| 56 | ** For the spin-off ''Xtreme'' series, ''Xtreme 2'', which while offering more than just beach volleyball (jet skiing, butt bumping, flag races, water slides) was decried by some for [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks retreading]], technical problems in spite of superior hardware, and unrealistic JigglePhysics. ''Xtreme 3'' got praise for improving the graphical part, but still divided by removing plenty of features of the other two games along with fan favorite characters. |
| 57 | * ''VideoGame/DeadSpace3''. People who like the game cite the weapon customization, the co-op mechanics, the side missions and new character Carver's story additions as positive aspects. Detracters criticize it for adding common ThirdPersonShooter elements (taking cover, being able to kill previously-regenerating enemies with enough shots, fights with gun-toting humans, etc.) to a SurvivalHorror, mixing in microtransactions and including those very same co-op mechanics that further dilute the horror aspect. |
| 58 | * ''VideoGame/DeusEx'': |
| 59 | ** The original ''Deus Ex'' is often called "one of the greatest games of all time" so from the get-go its follow-up, ''VideoGame/DeusExInvisibleWar'', had a lot to live up to. Due to factors like the removal of the skill points system (meaning the only thing players can upgrade are their biomods), smaller levels as a result of also developing the game for console players, being an overall shorter game, and feeling like an ActionizedSequel, many are in agreement ''Invisible War'' ultimately did fail to live up to the standards set by the original. However, the "contested" part comes in when people try and discuss if ''Invisible War'' is still a good ''game'' in its own right if you forget for a moment what it's a sequel to, as some argue that if it is seen more as a sci-fi FPS from the era when games like ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' were hitting it big then ''Invisible War'' stands out as one of the more unique FPS titles of the era. |
| 60 | ** ''VideoGame/DeusExMankindDivided'' was yet another Contested Sequel. Coming off the well-received ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'', this game was praised for evolving the gameplay of the previous game and having a well-written story, while placing more emphasis on dialogue-based bosses and giving you a bunch of cool new experimental augmentations to play with. However, the major complaint about the game was the [[ItsShortSoItSucks length]], clocking in at about twenty hours (including heavy sidequesting), and the experimental Augs you get, you have to permanently disable other Augs or else you will be penalized for using them, and while a sidequest to obtain an item to fix this problem is introduced and can be completed fairly early in the game (after the first few story missions) the actual solution is not implemented until much later in the game. Combine that with an online multiplayer mode that absolutely no one asked for and microtransactions. Making this even worse were the reports that Creator/SquareEnix was [[http://www.psu.com/news/31018/Deus-Ex--Mankind-Divided-sequel-is-in-development apparently developing a sequel to Mankind Divided since mid-2015]]. This report, when combined with the relatively short length and the fact that there was only a single hub area, left many people to speculate that ''Mankind Divided'' was just [[TwoPartTrilogy the first part of what was supposed to be a much larger game]]. |
| 61 | * ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'': |
| 62 | ** ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry2'' is either an awful sequel that [[FanonDiscontinuity should be buried and forgotten]] (a sentiment aided by the fact that the following installments barely acknowledge the game's events) or a merely mediocre game that, in spite of being buggy and at times dull, is at least playable and offers good concepts like [[PromotedToPlayable making Trish playable]] (which influenced in her depiction in the fourth game's ''Special Edition'') and the Bloody Palace, a feature that has appeared in every game since. |
| 63 | ** ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry4'' is either one of the best or one of the worst sequels. Detractors found Nero a ReplacementScrappy and hated the high amounts of {{Backtracking}} and {{Recurring Boss}}es, while fans, especially more advanced players, hold ''4'' in high regard thanks to the gameplay tech that's only found in this game due to the depth that mechanics such as Nero's Exceed and Dante's Style Switch and Weapon Swap provide. |
| 64 | ** ''VideoGame/DMCDevilMayCry'' was a reboot hated by old fans for [[ItsEasySoItSucks simplifying the gameplay]] while adding ham-fisted themes and making the characters unlikeable, but has fans that call it a fun, accessible title with great art direction, a protagonist that actually develops and grows rather than remaining static for most of the time, and a story that's more than a somewhat-confusing ExcusePlot -- a common defense is that it might not work as a ''Devil May Cry'' game, but is a decent title in its own right. |
| 65 | * ''[[VideoGame/DinoCrisis Dino Crisis 2]]'' split the fanbase, with some praising the ActionizedSequel aspects while others criticized the lack of SurvivalHorror elements from the first game. |
| 66 | * By the same token as ''Dino Crisis'', ''VideoGame/{{Disciples}} III'' features a significant departure from the previous two games in terms of graphics, storyline, battle mechanics (units can now move ''Heroes''-style), changes in types of leaders, resource management, etc. Once again, the fan base is split. |
| 67 | * ''VideoGame/DonPachi'': |
| 68 | ** ''DoDonPachi DaiFukkatsu'', particularly version 1.5. The over-the-topness of the gameplay is either a fun diversion from past games' strictness, or a mockery of its own series. |
| 69 | ** ''[=DoDonPachi=] Saidaioujou''. You either like it for going back to the series' roots after the bullet-cancelling craziness of ''[=DaiFukkatsu=]'', or the SequelDifficultySpike is [[ItsHardSoItSucks too off-putting for the game to be enjoyable]]. |
| 70 | * ''Franchise/{{Doom}}'': |
| 71 | ** Everyone agrees ''VideoGame/DoomII'' is still fun to play, but debates about the game's level design are quite common, with a significant amount of people considering the levels from ''Doom II'' way too gimmicky and inconsistent, as well as thinking that the maps are too plainly textured and just ugly, with an overuse of brown. Some people only take issue with Sandy Petersen's maps, which have an abstract feel to them and aren't necessarily up to par with the style or quality of the rest of the maps. There are even those who consider ''VideoGame/FinalDoom'' to be a superior sequel, particularly the Plutonia Experiment half thanks to improvements like higher difficulty and more consistent level quality. |
| 72 | ** ''VideoGame/Doom3'' was either interesting and refreshing for incorporating a survival horror-inspired take or inferior to its predecessors due to the lack of in-your-face fighting the previous installments were known. The shift of tone in ''BFG Edition'' may have fixed this by making it more action-orientated than the original. |
| 73 | ** ''VideoGame/DoomEternal'': |
| 74 | *** Even though the game is generally praised, there are people who are unhappy with the changes from ''VideoGame/Doom2016''. ''Doom Eternal'' tries to combat against the [[ComplacentGamingSyndrome "use Super Shotgun and Gauss Cannon for everything" strategy]] by giving the combat a much harder emphasis on TacticalRockPaperScissors and reducing the max ammo count significantly to encourage switching weapons more frequently. A consequence of these changes are that it breaks up the pace of combat by having you run away to look for a mook to chainsaw to refill your ammo because you can't fire the weapon you need to counter the biggest threat and EarlyGameHell is in full effect due to how pitiful your max ammo count is at the start, and having gameplay revolve around hard counters means strategy against individual enemies just boils down to using the appropriate weapon against them and limits player agency. |
| 75 | *** ''The Ancient Gods'' DLC is a rare example of a Contested ExpansionPack, most of which can be blamed on bad balance. ''Part 1'' is a significant difficulty spike from the base campaign, with some majorly dickish enemy placements and the addition of even worse DemonicSpiders [[FakeDifficulty that seem like they were added solely to force the players to use underpowered weapon mods more often]]. ''Part 2'' weirdly [[SequelDifficultyDrop goes in the opposite direction]] because of the addition of a GameBreaker of a weapon in the form of the Sentinel Hammer to combat said Demonic Spiders and makes balance even more confusing and the game ends on a GoddamnedBoss that fights like a super beefy [[DemonicSpider Marauder]]. |
| 76 | * ''Franchise/DonkeyKong'': |
| 77 | ** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry3DixieKongsDoubleTrouble'' gets a lot of flak for its more subdued soundtrack, which wasn't produced by series veteran composer David Wise, Kiddy Kong being an uninteresting replacement for Donkey Kong and Diddy Kong, the weak ending, and its greater emphasis on exploration and item collecting. It's generally seen as the weakest game of the 2D "Country" series no matter who you ask, but whether said fan will follow that up by saying it is still a perfectly fine game in its own right or decry it as being truly awful varies. |
| 78 | ** ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong64'' is considered by some to be the best ''Donkey Kong'' game due to its huge levels, emphasis on exploration, and the ability to play as many different members of the Kong family. But at the same time, it's considered by some to be the one of worst ''Donkey Kong'' games due to its [[CollectAThonPlatformer high emphasis on item collecting]] in order to get the true ending. |
| 79 | * ''VideoGame/DragonAgeII'': |
| 80 | ** Take away the tactical elements that made ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'' a call-back to the oldies like ''Franchise/BaldursGate'' and replace them with an emphasis on interactive combat. Take away the epic storyline of saving the world and replace it with a more in-depth and character-driven storyline with more personal stakes. Add a simplified item crafting system, a SuddenlyVoiced [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking main character]], and choices that have actual meaning to the protagonist, and you've got all you need for [[FlameWar a nice, long discussion about its merits as a game on its own and as a sequel]]. However, many fans praise the more in-depth writing and the unusual storyline (which starts as a struggle for survival and develops into a clash between WellIntentionedExtremist factions) as a refreshing departure from the usual CRPG "save the world" type of plot. |
| 81 | ** ''Origins'' actually got some flack as a Contested CreatorDrivenSuccessor to ''Baldur's Gate'', initially criticized for being a poor tactical RPG due to class imbalances. |
| 82 | * ''VideoGame/Drakengard2'' wasn't directed by Creator/YokoTaro, and it shows, such as with the replacement of [[SociopathicHero Caim]] with the much more generic Nowe and a lighter atmosphere overall. The gameplay is ''significantly'' improved, though, and those who found the [[VideoGame/{{Drakengard}} first game]] was [[TooBleakStoppedCaring too dark]] might '''prefer''' a less gloomy game. |
| 83 | * ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors 6''. While most fans will say it sucks, there are a significant number who actually enjoyed the game. Almost everyone agrees that the others are better, though. |
| 84 | * ''[[VideoGame/EccoTheDolphin Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future]]'', mainly due to completely abandoning the older games' storyline for a story written by someone who'd never played them. |
| 85 | * ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'': |
| 86 | ** ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]''. Though critically acclaimed and a financial success, it is a contested sequel for fans of ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]''. Many dislike the LevelScaling and claim that it was [[ItsEasySoItSucks dumbed down]] for console users and casual players. In this vein, a lot of old-school ''Elder Scrolls'' fans have complained about one or the other facet of ''Oblivion''[='s=] gameplay. ''Oblivion'' did shake things up. The ''Shivering Isles'' expansion, however, is generally well received by both sides. |
| 87 | ** ''Morrowind'' was contested among ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIDaggerfall Daggerfall]]'' fans at release, but it's died down a little since ''Morrowind''[='s=] release, and it has become something of a SacredCow to some. |
| 88 | ** Eventually, things settled between ''Morrowind'' and ''Oblivion'' fans. Then ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' came around, and shook up the fandom once again. Though often praised for its enormous world and content, beautiful environments and more dynamic design, while also frequently being accused of butchering the "true" RPG elements the series held so far and seemingly not having learned anything from previous games as far as writing quality, locational variety/depth and ''especially'' pacing goes. |
| 89 | * ''VideoGame/EtrianOdyssey'': |
| 90 | ** ''VideoGame/EtrianOdysseyIIHeroesOfLagaard'': Both versions of the game fall into this: |
| 91 | *** Time hasn't been especially kind to the original version, being stuck between the well-known first game and the series-refining third game. By comparison, ''Heroes of Lagaard'' can come across like a MissionPackSequel due to reusing the first game's classes and its plotline hitting many of the same beats, and it has plenty of its own issues such as odd experimental mechanics, very lopsided class balance (with top-tiers from ''Etrian Odyssey'' being nerfed into uselessness while low-tiers became overpowered), and being very buggy. Still, it has its fans for improving on aspects of the first game (mainly by refining mapping and removing level correction) as well as its faster pace, beautiful strata environments, and more interesting town dialogue, and ultimately most still find it a decent game in its own right. |
| 92 | *** ''The Fafnir Knight'' is potentially the most divisive game in the series. Its fans love it for the at-the-time largest class roster, the customization offered by the improved Grimoire Stone system, numerous quality-of-life changes kept for the rest of the series, and a more interesting Story Mode with better character writing. Non-fans dislike the aspects of the first ''Untold'' that were retained, the questionable balance (if not as much as the original game), the overly complex FOE and boss puzzles, and the high amount of paid DLC. The vastly different boss encounter design from every other game in the series (featuring fights with very high health, strict but dangerous patterns, and frequent summoned minions) tends to be the deciding love-it-or-hate-it factor. |
| 93 | ** ''VideoGame/EtrianOdysseyVBeyondTheMyth'': There are fans who appreciate the game for refining the tried-and-true "create your own guild and explore a 30-floor dungeon" formula, especially the four-race system, expanded cosmetic customization options (such as RGB sliders for hair and eye colors and choosing voices for characters), and some of the more unique selections of new classes (the Harbinger/Reaper and Necromancer in particular stand out). Others don't like that the game did away with the Story Mode of the ''Untold'' games and the world maps of the past two non-''Untold'' games, resulting in [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks what feels like a bare-bones product]]. |
| 94 | * ''Franchise/{{Fallout}}'': |
| 95 | ** ''VideoGame/Fallout3'': Due to being a very different type of game than ''[[VideoGame/Fallout1 Fallout 1]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/Fallout2 2]]'', it is either game of the year by a mile or a lazy rehash of ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' with guns, depending on whom you ask. |
| 96 | ** ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas''. While closer to the original games in atmosphere and story, some fans who preferred the atmosphere and style of ''Fallout 3'' found ''New Vegas'' to be lacking. Among the fans of the original games, reception was more positive. |
| 97 | ** While many regard ''VideoGame/Fallout4'' as an improvement over ''Fallout 3'', how it compares to ''New Vegas'' is a major source of contention among fans. Much of this is due to Creator/{{Bethesda}} toning down the RPG elements that [[Creator/ObsidianEntertainment Obsidian]] brought back in ''New Vegas'' in favor of placing more emphasis on combat and exploration. |
| 98 | * ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'': |
| 99 | ** The entire ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' series. Some entries, like ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' (and, more recently, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIIRemake''), ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'', ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'', and ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'', get more hate than others, and as the years have worn on, the vitriol has gotten a lot worse. But these games also have large fanbases who will defend them to the death. In truth, all the games get argued over to death. You'd think [[ThematicSeries a series where the sequels are deliberately out of continuity]] would not have this problem, but it had it even before Square started making direct sequels. |
| 100 | ** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'' and ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' are both [=MMORPGs=] that have fans debating over which one is better than the other. People who grew up on ''XI'' feel that ''XIV'' is [[ItsEasySoItSucks too easy and dumbed down]] while ''XIV'' fans feel ''XI'' is [[ItsHardSoItSucks too difficult]] and has outdated game design that simply doesn't fit in the modern trends of [=MMORPGs=]. There also fans who [[TakeAThirdOption like both games]] and acknowledge the flaws both games can present. |
| 101 | * ''Franchise/FireEmblem'': |
| 102 | ** The Elibe games are incredibly divisive when compared to past games, but they both have their own reasons: |
| 103 | *** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBindingBlade The Binding Blade]]'' is a rather divisive title, particularly [[AmericansHateTingle outside of Japan]]. Being the follow-up to the very creative ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemThracia776 Thracia 776]]'', ''The Binding Blade'' let go of many of their revolutionary additions, preferring a back-to-basics approach reminiscent of ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemMysteryOfTheEmblem Mystery of the Emblem]]''. As such, there are fans who consider it to be not worth their time [[ToughActToFollow in light of its predecessors and its prequel]], while other fans enjoy it for what it is in spite of this and may actually enjoy some of the simplification considering some of the more [[ScrappyMechanic glaring mechanics]] of the Jugdral duology. Some fans, both those who like and dislike the game, are eager to see a remake (possibly acting as a [[VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar second generation]] for ''The Blazing Blade'') that fixes its issues. |
| 104 | *** This reaction towards ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemTheBlazingBlade The Blazing Blade]]'' was the result of FandomRivalry with the previous game. Most fans consider it a [[SurprisinglyImprovedSequel huge improvement]] from ''The Binding Blade'' by fixing a number of gameplay issues it had (i.e. unfair throne bonuses, poor hit rates), having a more likeable cast, and have a more unique and interesting story that made it a good introduction to the franchise. However, others criticized the game for its [[BroadStrokes inconsistent continuity between the titles]], the questionable additions made to the game such as the [[ScrappyMechanic Weather mechanic and more gimmicky Gaiden Chapter requirements]], numerous plot holes that plagued the story, and, most of all, insist that the title just gets a free pass for being the first ''Fire Emblem'' game officially released in English, and benefits from a NostalgiaFilter from people who have only played during their youth. |
| 105 | ** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'' was the most divisive game in the series before the [=3DS=] titles. |
| 106 | *** Narratively, its fans like the moral complexity, and argue that its [[GodIsEvil storytelling]] [[DarkerAndEdgier cliches]] are at least ''different'' cliches from the rest of the series. Its detractors loathe that its story made plentiful haphazard changes of the mythology of TheVerse to do it, and are especially critical of the cut-down Support conversations and rampant ShipSinking (rumor has it, in an attempt to [[PanderingToTheBase pander]] to the YaoiFangirl crowd). |
| 107 | *** Mechanically, its fans like the uncompromising challenge of the gameplay and shake-ups to the series formula at work. Its critics consider it to be overloaded with FakeDifficulty, [[ScrappyMechanic opaque or badly designed mechanics]], and [[LowTierLetdown uselessly weak characters]]. |
| 108 | ** Both of the Jugdral titles also attract this kind of reaction. |
| 109 | *** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemGenealogyOfTheHolyWar Genealogy of the Holy War]]'' attracts a lot of praise for its interesting and complex plot, willingness to move on from [[VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight the]] [[VideoGame/FireEmblemGaiden Archanea]] [[VideoGame/FireEmblemMysteryOfTheEmblem universe]], and many interesting and experimental gameplay choices, particularly the [[RelationshipValues Love and]] [[LevelUpAtIntimacy5 War system]] [[spoiler:plus the resulting "Second Generation"]]. Yet, at the same time, the huge levels make avoiding the series' trademark {{Permadeath}} really hard (with the Love and War system adding ''further'' consequences to losing someone), many of the mechanics are either opaque or [[ScrappyMechanic artificially complex]], particularly the item management system, and there are lots of "newb traps" that can only really be discovered via TrialAndErrorGameplay. |
| 110 | *** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemThracia776 Thracia 776]]'', in turn, has fans who call it a deep, uncompromising, well-designed game with many experimental features of its own, and critics who describe it as unfair, almost-fatally complex, and thoroughly unfun, with the "experimental" features being either [[ScrappyMechanic hated whenever they come up in later titles]] (Fog of War is the most obvious culprit), terribly implemented (Escape chapters where Leif has to wait until everyone else has escaped before escaping himself or lose them forever, the Rescue ability) or just plain bad ideas that add little, detract from the experience, and have never returned (Fatigue, Dismount). |
| 111 | ** The 3DS titles caused a major NewbieBoom. ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening Awakening]]'' saved the series after Nintendo was seriously considering shelving it, and the strong sales of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' saw the company acknowledge the series as a major IP in the U.S. -- a big deal, given that it was strictly [[NoExportForYou Japan-exclusive]] for a long time, and the studio had frequently been skeptical of its ability to succeed outside its native country. However, in making the series more accessible, they attracted criticism from many series fans, who dislike that [[ItsEasySoItSucks lighter difficulties]] and [[ItsPopularNowItSucks "unskilled newbs"]] will be heavily influencing its direction for the foreseeable future. |
| 112 | *** The fans that love ''Awakening'' enjoy the high-headroom reclassing system and Pair-Up mechanic, the shipping-friendly Support system and the way it interacts with the [[spoiler:TimeTravel]] plot, and the player-built protagonist. Its critics despise it for many of the same reasons. |
| 113 | *** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' is largely held as improving on ''Awakening'' in terms of gameplay, but a step back in terms of storytelling. While the reworked Pair-Up, reclassing, and weapon mechanics are seen as well-made, and while it features some of the best, most-nuanced map designs in the series, the story is seen as poorly written, and not well served by the [[OneGameForThePriceOfTwo business model that undergirds it]]. As a result, its overall quality compared to ''Awakening'' is difficult to determine, and often relies on what the individual subjectively values more. |
| 114 | ** The reception to ''Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia'', though generally positive, can be at least partially chalked up to a combination of OldGuardVersusNewBlood and the CasualCompetitiveConflict. Not only was it coming off the heels of ''Awakening'' and ''Fates''' commercial and critical success, ''Shadows of Valentia'' was also a VideoGameRemake of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemGaiden'', widely considered to be the OddballInTheSeries. To say that Creator/IntelligentSystems had their work cut out for them modernizing ''Gaiden'' over two decades later would be an understatement. On one hand, the writing is generally considered to be a marked improvement over ''Awakening'' and ''Fates'', [[AdaptationExpansion expanding upon the original story]] while making ''Gaiden''[='s=] somewhat nebulous ties to [[VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight its]] [[VideoGame/FireEmblemMysteryOfTheEmblem connected]] [[VideoGame/FireEmblemAwakening installments]] [[ArcWelding much stronger and cohesive]] as well as taking a far better crack at GreyAndGrayMorality than ''Fates'' did, though the largely minimalistic implementation of Supports was bemoaned (for both gameplay and characterization purposes). And while some of ''Gaiden''[='s=] [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness strange quirks]] found their way into later games (such as UnbreakableWeapons in ''Fates''), ''[=SoV=]'' retained enough of them to make new and longtime players alike scratch their heads ("No [[TacticalRockPaperScissors Weapon Triangle]]?" "Magic is CastFromHitPoints?" "Mercenaries [[PrestigeClass promote to]] ''Myrmidons''?" etc.), to say nothing of the poor growth rates and the FakeDifficulty it can cause in the second half of the game. Those who were used to the idea of a customizable PlayerCharacter, marrying off their units, and [[spoiler:getting to use said couples' kids in battle]] also found the omission of these features to be a strike against, even if there was no narrative or gameplay purpose to their existence this time around. (To wit, ''New Mystery'' garnered criticism for inserting a [[SpotlightStealingSquad spotlight-stealer]] into the original story, whereas ''Fates''[='=] narrative justifications for including [[spoiler:second generation units]] were seen as flimsy compared to ''Genealogy'' and ''Awakening'', amounting to little more than [[PanderingToTheBase simply being there because it was a popular aspect of the previous game]].) |
| 115 | ** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemEngage'' is the second lowest-reviewed mainline ''Fire Emblem'' game on Metacritic in terms of critical scores, after the similarly controversial ''VideoGame/FireEmblemRadiantDawn'', and the lowest-rated mainline mainline ''Fire Emblem'' game overall in terms of user reviews (even lower than the DS remake of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight'' and the ''Revelation'' route of ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'') due to a divide between high and low ratings. The reason for this divide is in large part how the game compares to ''VideoGame/FireEmblemThreeHouses'', as it features more challenging and traditional gameplay that appeals to long-time fans, while lacking much of what newcomers liked in ''Three Houses'', such as the story and characters. |
| 116 | * ''VideoGame/FireShark'', the sequel to ''VideoGame/SkyShark''. On one hand, you have players who love this game because of the iconic flamethrower weapon and the absoultely fantastic synthesized metal soundtrack, considering it to be a vast improvement upon ''VideoGame/SkyShark''. On the other hand, there are people, even fans of Creator/{{Toaplan}}'s other games, who dislike this game because of its [[NintendoHard sadistic difficulty even by arcade game standards]], not helped by the game's intentionally-unhelpful powerup system that can force the [[ScrappyWeapon narrow-range green beam]] onto the player, and prefer ''Sky Shark'' for being simpler yet much more fair and refined. |
| 117 | * ''VideoGame/FreedomForce vs. The Third Reich'' split the fanbase. The additional powers were nice. The new characters were well developed. The plotline was good (although the [[spoiler:disappearing teammates]] angered people who liked those character and/or had invested a lot of experience in them). But they dumbed down the power consumption mechanic from a wide spectrum to three possible values of one-third, two-thirds, or all of your power bar, which nerfed many of the concepts, and minor changes in the engine meant most of the third-party models no longer worked in-game. |
| 118 | * ''VideoGame/FugaMelodiesOfSteel2'' is viewed as this compared to the original ''VideoGame/FugaMelodiesOfSteel''. On one hand, its gameplay is viewed as a natural evolution of that of the first ''Fuga'' -- characters have more varied skillsets in battle (though less skills overall), there are greater varieties of enemies to fight, the first game's bartering system has been replaced with in-game currency which can also be used to alter progression, and the addition of the Managarm (as a "diet Soul Cannon" that [[CastFromHitPoints incapacitates]] one of the children rather than [[{{Permadeath}} killing]] them) allows for a wider range of strategies. The major point of contention is the story itself -- following the mixed view on how the first game's plot was presented, the sequel aims for a more fantastic Shonen-esque style of writing and humor akin to ''VideoGame/SolatoroboRedTheHunter'', and while some players find it to have more personality and feel it fleshes out its characters better (the portrayals of Malt and Jihl tend to be among the more well-received), others feel it clashes too much with the more grounded WarIsHell theming that ''Fuga'' is meant to be based around. Likewise, quite a few take issue with plot decisions such as two particular AssPull cases regarding [[spoiler:the characters of [[UnexplainedRecovery Flam Kish]] and [[RememberTheNewGuy Cayenne]]]], along with [[spoiler:the [[ANaziByAnyOtherName blatantly Nazi-esque]] surviving antagonists of the first game being too EasilyForgiven]]. The general consensus from critics is that while the gameplay has improved, the writing isn't anything to write home about, and those who didn't already like the first game likely won't be swayed by this one. |
| 119 | * The existence of ''VideoGame/FZero99'' was polarizing from the get-go, thanks to a longstanding collective desire for a new ''VideoGame/FZero'' game and the expectations that stemmed from it. On one hand, there were players upset that they waited nearly [[SequelGap 20 years]] for a new ''F-Zero'' game only to be met with a multiplayer remake of the original that didn't incorporate any of the lore or other content from later games (or even the content from the two ''BS F-Zero Grand Prix'' titles for the Platform/{{Satellaview}}), and wanted something similar to or even [[ToughActToFollow topping]] the critically acclaimed ''VideoGame/FZeroGX'' -- or at least something that could salvage the series' reputation after ''VideoGame/FZeroGPLegend'' and ''VideoGame/FZeroClimax'' were met with [[FranchiseKiller series-stopping disappointment]]. Others were just glad that a new ''F-Zero'' title existed in the first place and consider it one of the best fits for the BattleRoyaleGame format, upgrading the game for modern times while keeping true to the look and feel of the original and being an addictive, fun game in its own right and not just nostalgia-pandering. |
| 120 | * ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV''. Some love it for its realism, rich characters, production values and gritty nature, while others chastize it for those very things, preferring the zany, cartoony, over the top style of ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity Vice City]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas San Andreas]]''. Notably, the developers put considerable effort into building a digital recreation of New York City with appropriate levels of detail, but they took away many popular gameplay features from previous games, like military vehicles, character customization options, non-urban environments, and every aircraft model except helicopters; some fans consider this an appropriate trade-off, while others disagree. |
| 121 | * ''VideoGame/GuildWars2'' has very little to do with the original ''VideoGame/GuildWars'' gameplay-wise, making any comparison between the two challenging. |
| 122 | * ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'' has a few complicated cases. Everyone agrees ''VideoGame/Halo2'' and ''VideoGame/Halo3'' are {{Even Better Sequel}}s with beloved additions such as online play. But each game also has its share of detractors for things such as the weapon sandbox and how ''2'' [[NoEnding ends the single player abruptly]]. ''VideoGame/Halo4'' had people decrying how it incorporated aspects from other shooters [[OnlyTheCreatorDoesItRight and lacked the polish of what Bungie had done]], along with those that liked that the core gameplay and elements were intact and there was also a more emotional story in the campaign. And then came ''VideoGame/Halo5Guardians'', that while the fans accepted well the gameplay changes on the multiplayer, what was done in the campaign was very divisive, as the four player co-op stunted the OneManArmy feel and gave numerous characters that didn't contribute much to the story, to say nothing of [[spoiler:Cortana becoming the Big Bad of the franchise]]. |
| 123 | * ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon'': |
| 124 | ** While ''[[VideoGame/HarvestMoonBackToNature Back to Nature]]'' is a popular game within the series, being the source of the series most popular titles, it is the MissionPackSequel to the game often considered [[VideoGame/HarvestMoon64 the best in the series]]. |
| 125 | ** ''[[VideoGame/HarvestMoonTreeOfTranquility Tree of Tranquility]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/HarvestMoonAnimalParade Animal Parade]]''. The latter gets major flak due to the slower pacing, less interesting characters, near-identical storyline, boring festivals, etc. |
| 126 | ** ''[[VideoGame/HarvestMoonDS DS]]'' has its fans but is also a source of scorn for many older fans, considering it's technically a combo of ''[[VideoGame/HarvestMoonAWonderfulLife A Wonderful Life]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/HarvestMoonBackToNature Friends of Mineral Town]]'' which are ''the'' most popular titles. The main issue is the ExcusePlot and how everyone was extraordinarily flanderized. |
| 127 | * While many fans of the ''VideoGame/HeroesOfMightAndMagic'' series despise the fourth installment due to turning the heroes into regular units (and allowing you to have your entire army composed of 7 uber-powerful heroes) and other gameplay changes, as well as destroying the old world developed in the first three games as well as ''Heroes Chronicles''. Others actually enjoy finally taking their heroes into the thick of battle and like exploring the new world. Then comes the fifth game, developed by a completely different company (in Russia), creates ''yet another'' world, this time completely unrelated to the rest of the franchise, changes the game mechanics (the heroes are once again merely generals, but still get their turn, during which they can attack or cast), and adds 3D graphics. But wait, there's more. The sixth game is made by a ''third'' developer. The fans are probably confused by this point. |
| 128 | * ''VideoGame/ImperiumGalactica II'' upgrades the series to 3D graphics. However, battle mechanics have changed as well and, in most fans' opinion, were dumbed down. Space Fighters can no longer be directly controlled. Instead, the player can adjust the Attack-Defend behavior scale. However, fighters are also almost useless in this installment. The first game focused the fleet on the flagships, a special class of powerful ships that were the only ones who could carry invasion forces. The sequel removes the flagships and instead allows each capital ship to carry a certain number of tanks. |
| 129 | * After the original ''VideoGame/InazumaEleven'' ended, its sequel ''Inazuma Eleven GO'' got mixed reactions from the fanbase. Some people thought that it was much better than the original while other thought it was a step backwards. |
| 130 | * ''[[VideoGame/InitialDArcadeStage Initial D Zero]]'' departs from a lot of the traditions set by the first ''Initial D Arcade Stage'' that lasted until ''Initial D Arcade Stage 8 Infinity'', and it has proven to be divisive: |
| 131 | ** Was the move from an up/down shifter to a 6-gear H-shifter necessary? |
| 132 | ** Is the new J-rock soundtrack a refreshing change of pace, or TheyChangedItNowItSucks? |
| 133 | ** Was moving from data cards to the online-requiring Sega Aime infrastructure a wise move? While it does mean that the player doesn't have to worry about outright losing their data -- since the data is stored server-side, card corruption ceases to be a concern and a registered Aime user who loses or otherwise is unable to use their card anymore can simply buy another card and tie it to their account -- it also means that the game, which is [[NoExportForYou Japan-only]], cannot be played outside of Japan; even if one were to import a cabinet and somehow able to get it running, they would not be able to save their data. |
| 134 | * ''VideoGame/JakIIRenegade'' is one due to how much of a departure it is from [[VideoGame/JakAndDaxterThePrecursorLegacy the first game]]. Some prefer the more traditional CollectAThonPlatformer gameplay of the first game, [[ItsHardSoItSucks dislike the increased difficulty of the sequel]] and think the DarkerAndEdgier setting and tone were a dumb attempt to make the game more "mature" and combined with the genre shift resulted in the series suffering an identity crisis, while others like the new gameplay additions and enjoy the more complex story and fleshed out characterization compared to the first game. |
| 135 | * ''VideoGame/{{jubeat}} saucer''. Fans like it because it is always being updated with new songs to play, but detractors are turned off by the monthly deletion of songs; not only were non-Konami originals not removed until ''saucer'', but this is the first ''VideoGame/{{BEMANI}}'' game to delete songs through udpates. |
| 136 | * ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'': |
| 137 | ** The biggest ContestedSequel in the franchise, at least until [[VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance 2012]], was undoubtedly ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsBirthBySleep''. Some say the story was refreshing because it lacked [[KudzuPlot the complicated narrative beats]] of ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories Chain of Memories]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII II]]'', returning to a simpler ''Franchise/StarWars''-esque story, while others say this is when the story started going off of the deep end, with the formal introduction of Master Xehanort and Vanitas complicating the plot of the numbered games. Some say that the action finally had more variety and that there was great exploration. Others feel that in terms of action, it was terrible all-around because of the lack of combos, non-staggering enemies including bosses, lack of a magic bar/summons/multiple shortcuts, lesser mobility, etc. |
| 138 | ** ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsChainOfMemories Chain of Memories]]'' gets this for its card-based battle system, ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHeartsCoded Coded]]'' for its perceived contrived and {{Filler}}-esque story, and ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts358DaysOver2 358/2 Days]]'' for the character portrayal of several fan favorites, a ParodySue that some say CrossesTheLineTwice, and the new ability system. And then there's ''[[VideoGame/KingdomHearts3DDreamDropDistance Dream Drop Distance]]'', contested for the VirtualPet mechanics, its EPIC MindScrew nature and a surprise or two. |
| 139 | ** ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsIII'' is one compared to ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsI'' and ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsII''. It's generally agreed that the scope, level design, combat, action scenes and emotional stakes are the best the series has ever had, but many fans still don't consider the game to be an EvenBetterSequel the same way they felt ''II'' (particularly its [[UpdatedRerelease Final Mix]] edition) was to ''I'', primarily due to the [[SequelDifficultyDrop easier difficulty]] with no Critical Mode at launch; no ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' characters until the DLC (even then, they only show up for two scenes while [[VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII Cloud and Sephiroth]] are still missing); the lack of battles against Disney Villains (with most of the bosses of the worlds being giant Heartless); most of the plot being {{Filler}} until after all the Disney worlds are complete (with half of the Disney worlds not only following the plot of the movies to the letter but also having the tendency to relegate Sora and co. out of the plot); the lack of post-game content; the lack of a big midway event (like the second visits to Traverse Town and Hollow Bastion) which makes the game feel less evenly paced; and the quality of the writing of the game. Some people were also not too keen with the implementation of ''VideoGame/KingdomHeartsX'' content in ''III'' due to the relative obscurity of the mobile game and its microtransaction-heavy nature, and also felt like this meant the game spent too much time promoting the next big saga of the series instead of bringing a satisfying close to the saga at hand. |
| 140 | * Go to a Creator/{{Sierra}} fan board and ask if ''VideoGame/KingsQuestMaskOfEternity'' is a ''VideoGame/KingsQuest'' game. Then ask them if it's a ''good'' game. [[FlameWar Make sure to bring chocolate, marshmallows, and graham crackers for the inevitable cookout.]] ''VideoGame/QuestForGloryV'' gets this to a lesser extent. Most fans will still say it still feels like a proper ''QFG'' game in terms of story and humor, and appreciate [[BackForTheFinale the return of beloved characters for the final installment]]; the main points of contention are how poorly executed the VideoGame3DLeap is and the change in focus from puzzle-solving to combat. |
| 141 | * ''Franchise/{{Kirby}}'': |
| 142 | ** ''VideoGame/KirbyAndTheAmazingMirror'', due to the {{Metroidvania}} aspect of the game. While plenty of fans enjoy this take on a ''Kirby'' game, other fans have criticized it for being overblown, confusing, poorly designed and not meshing well the ''Kirby'' formula. |
| 143 | ** It is often debated whether or not ''VideoGame/KirbyStarAllies'' holds up to the [[VideoGame/KirbysReturnToDreamland previous]] [[VideoGame/KirbyTripleDeluxe three]] [[VideoGame/KirbyPlanetRobobot games]]. Defenders of the game enjoy the return of the helper system from ''VideoGame/KirbySuperStar'', the HD graphics, many fan-favourite characters becoming playable and the new lore (particularly with the final boss), while the most common criticisms are the more streamlined level designs due to the greater multiplayer focus, the helpers making boss fights and puzzles trivial and the game too easy, the short length of the game[[note]]the game has 40 levels, around the same as several previous ''Kirby'' games, but only four worlds with around half the levels being thrown into the last world, the levels are simpler and a large chunk of the levels are boss levels with only two or three rooms before the boss[[/note]], and the game feeling rushed, especially around the ending, as well as the ''Return to Dream Land'' formula, itself being a revised ''Super Star'' formula, [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks becoming stale after its fourth consecutive use in a mainline game]]. |
| 144 | * Regarding ''VideoGame/KnightsOfTheOldRepublicIITheSithLords'', most fans agree that the [[LeftHanging lack of an ending]] (due to Creator/LucasArts [[ExecutiveMeddling wanting the game]] [[ChristmasRushed out for Christmas]]) sucks. Other than that, they're largely divided over whether the story provides a much-needed {{Deconstruction}} to the Star Wars universe, or comes off as mean-spirited fan fiction written by someone who hates Star Wars. Then there's the sequel, ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', an MMO, with all the usual polarizing aspects about [=PvP=], [=PvE=], "pay to win" with the Cartel market, which class is best, a large portion of the fanbase RootingForTheEmpire, and at least a dozen controversial decisions about the handling of Revan, Exile, and the legacy of their companions. |
| 145 | * ''VideoGame/TheLastOfUsPartII'' has many fans, but the many who don't like it argue that the game isn't a huge improvement on [[VideoGame/TheLastOfUs the original]] in terms of gameplay. The plot, on the other hand, is extremely controversial and opinions vary wildly from "masterpiece of the medium" to "unnecessary and incoherent disaster." Thankfully, the major consensus seems to be leaning on "average." |
| 146 | * ''VideoGame/Left4Dead2'' is hotly debated over whether or not it's an improvement over [[VideoGame/Left4Dead the first game]]. Fans who like the sequel love the varied environments and having levels take place during the daytime instead of always being at night while others feel that the horror of fighting zombie hordes goes out the window when the sun is introduced. Melee weapons, a new mechanic that was not present in the first game, are either liked for giving players more means of self-defense or are hated for being "silly" (i.e. attacking zombies with a guitar or frying pan). |
| 147 | * ''VideoGame/LaytonsMysteryJourneyKatrielleAndTheMillionairesConspiracy'' is a somewhat divisive follow-up to the original and prequel trilogies, partly because it has a looser and more episodic plot, fewer ties to past games, and more "trick question" puzzles compared to previous games. |
| 148 | * ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'': |
| 149 | ** Any ''Zelda'' sequel, going at least as far back as ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime Ocarina of Time]]'', has been [[ToughActToFollow immediately divisive among fans and gamers]]. ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaMajorasMask Majora's Mask]]'', for example, was not widely liked at the time of its release for [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks being too different]] from ''Ocarina of Time'' ([[DarkerAndEdgier and darker]]) but some fans consider it [[EvenBetterSequel the best game in the series]]. The subsequent games, ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Wind Waker]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess Twilight Princess]]'', went as far as causing a BrokenBase, as the former departed from the overworld mechanics and changed the visuals to cel-shading, while the latter followed the more traditional conventions, both to praise and criticism. |
| 150 | ** ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword Skyward Sword]]''. Defenders argue that the game fixes the problems ''Twilight Princess'' had with items that were useless after their intro dungeon, pushes Wii Motion Plus to its limits with an amazing control scheme, gives Link a personality unseen since ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Wind Waker]]'', has a stronger, more cinematic plot behind it than most of the past games, and some of its dungeons (Ancient Cistern, Sandship, Sky Keep), bosses (Koloktos, Ghirahim) and in-game mechanics (Timeshift Stones, RPGElements) are ranked by longtime fans among the finest in the franchise. Detractors find the story cliché [[note]]particularly the childhood friend relationship with Zelda being similar to the childhood friendship with Ilia from ''Twilight Princess''[[/note]], Fi has been called the most annoying [[ExpositionFairy guide character]] in the series due to her [[AnnoyingVideoGameHelper constant interruptions]] and [[CaptainObvious stating the obvious on where to go next]][[note]]which stood out even more since Midna in ''Twilight Princess'' was widely praised as the ''best'' guide character in the franchise[[/note]], feel the motion control is gimmicky, and there are criticisms of the game's linear progression, constant tutorials, and hand-holding. |
| 151 | ** ''VideoGame/ZeldaIITheAdventureOfLink'' was a contested sequel long before the post-''Ocarina'' trend. There are fans who welcome the RPG and platformer elements of the game, while others prefered the traditional format instead. Whether its [[NintendoHard extreme difficulty]] is a strength or a flaw is also a point of debate. So far, it's the only game of its type in the main series -- its 2D platformer style was copied for [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaCDiGames the CD-i games]], which are pretty self-explanatory. |
| 152 | ** ''The Wind Waker'' itself has spawned contested sequels as well, ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]''. The games took advantage of the DS' touchscreen, and as a result are almost completely button-free, both to the rejoice of those looking forward to a more unique gameplay style, and the dismay of those preferring button controls. |
| 153 | ** Even ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'', while widely popular, has been controversial for making some of the most massive changes to the formula since the NES era. Some fans consider it a much needed reimagining of a series that was going stale, and a [[RevisitingTheRoots return to the roots]] of [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaI the first game]]. Others think that while it's overall a good direction for the series, too many staple elements of the series like dungeons and item collection were removed in favor of extreme open-endedness and non-linearity. And some fans of the previous games feel it's so different that, regardless of whether it's a good game in itself, it isn't what they want in a ''Zelda'' game. These fans are concerned that with the massive critical and commercial success of ''Breath of the Wild'', Creator/{{Nintendo}} will see no reason to make any more games in the classic style established by ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaALinkToThePast'' and ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime'' (not helped at all by the poor fan reception of games with that traditional template like ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks'' and ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword'', despite the latter addressing many of its flaws in the Switch version and being VindicatedByHistory to an extent). |
| 154 | * ''Franchise/{{LEGO}}'': |
| 155 | ** ''Island Xtreme Stunts'', compared to the first ''VideoGame/LEGOIsland'' (it's considered a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel compared to ''[[{{Sequelitis}} LEGO Island 2]]''). On one hand, it is a welcome return to the free-roaming sandbox approach of the first game, now combined with the increased freedom in movement introduced in the second game, and gives us a much larger island to explore, plus a hefty dose of SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic provided by L.E.G.O. Radio. On the other hand, it has [[TheOtherDarrin unprofessional voice acting]], carries over its predecessor's poor platforming (which becomes apparent, once again, when you must ascend the Brickster's tower), and has numerous [[GameBreakingBug Game-Breaking Bugs]] including one particularly infamous one which corrupts your save file. Some fans of the series also feel that the ExtremeSportsPlot felt out-of-place in the LEGO Island setting, while others don't mind it at all. |
| 156 | ** ''[[VideoGame/LegoRacers Lego Racers 2]]''. It tried to be anything except a sequel to the original. If anything, it tried to be the polar opposite. The game was a lot more open than the original (It had a ''VideoGame/DiddyKongRacing''-esque Adventure Mode), the power-up system was changed to randomization (in the original, you had four colors for different types and could add three additional levels of power to it), the controls were changed to be more realistic, there was a new car damage system, and every world now has five courses taking a different route through the world. These changes led to a wide variety of opinions. |
| 157 | ** [[VideoGame/LEGOAdaptationGame On the Traveler's Tales side]], there's ''VideoGame/LEGOMarvelSuperHeroes2''. Some like it and consider it one of the best in the series, citing the attention to detail in [[TheOverworld Chronopolis]], the story, several improved mechanics, and the large roster that includes many an UnexpectedCharacter. Others dislike it for ''[[SequelNonEntity lacking Expected Characters]]'' from ''ComicBook/XMen'' and ''ComicBook/FantasticFour'' due to Marvel's [[Film/XMenFilmseries Fox]] [[Film/FantasticFour2005 Embargo]], as well as a copious amount of bugs -- and '''[[GameBreakingBug not]]''' of the [[GoodBadBugs good bad variety]]. |
| 158 | * ''VideoGame/LikeADragon / Yakuza'': |
| 159 | ** While ''VideoGame/Yakuza3'' received good to average reviews, it was widely deemed inferior to its predecessor ''VideoGame/Yakuza2''. Many fans who had played the previous two games weren't fond of the game's sudden emphasis on the new direction focusing on the orphanage or the children, felt the plot wasn't on par with the previous games[[note]]It was also the first game in the main series without the involvement of crime novelist Hase Seishū[[/note]], and found the FinalBoss of this game wasn't nearly as memorable as Ryuji Goda, but there's a good portion of fans who consider it one of the better games of the series due to its sole emphasis on Kazuma Kiryu (which would be lost in [[VideoGame/Yakuza4 the]] [[VideoGame/Yakuza5 next]] [[VideoGame/Yakuza6 three]] mainline games), loved the SliceOfLife moments involving the orphanage, felt the game had its own memorable characters and story, and found the game's FinalBoss not only to be a memorable and complex villain in his own right, but found the fight against him to be one of the best in the series. |
| 160 | ** ''VideoGame/Yakuza4'' is either seen as an improvement to its predecessor or inferior to it. Some fans believed the series would begin to go stale if the series continued to focus solely on Kiryu, and found that introducing more protagonists was a needed breath of fresh air, and enjoyed what they had to offer to the story. The game's plot, however, was seen by many as a convoluted mess filled with ChronicBackstabbingDisorder and twists galore, and were torn on how the game's story played out between the four characters, who each have their fans and detractors. |
| 161 | ** ''VideoGame/Yakuza5'' is seen by fans as either one of the best entries in the series or inferior to its predecessors by trying to be too grand for its own good while suffering from the same gameplay and story problems as ''4''. Many fans enjoyed every aspect of the game from beginning to end with the game's new engine, improved combat, AntiFrustrationFeatures and variety of gameplay, while others were torn on the characters' unique side story quests, Saejima's chapter, Haruka's gameplay, Shinada's combat and his story, and some features, moves and mini-games from the previous games not returning. Many agree that from a gameplay perspective it's the best in the series, but reactions to the story itself are all over the place, although some of those who claim the story is the worst in the series maintain that it's only the weakest in a lineup of strong stories, and is still leagues above those offered by its triple-A competitors. |
| 162 | ** ''VideoGame/Yakuza6'' was the first game released on the Dragon Engine, meaning that while it was the most immersive and impressive looking entry in the ''Yakuza'' series yet, and finally leapfrogged the visual quality of the games to contemporary levels, it was offset by a host of technical issues, a feeling of unrefinement, as well as a far lower amount of content relative to previous games, though some appreciated its more focused nature with ''5'' being as large as it is. Most of these issues would have been a lot more forgivable for a spinoff game, but the fact that it's meant to be the GrandFinale for the Kiryu saga means it was held to higher standards. Points of contention are the fact that Kiryu is the only playable protagonist once more, the characters intoduced in the entry, how a certain romantic relationship ([[spoiler:Haruka and Yuta]]) was handled, the way the game treated long-time recurring characters, the FinalBoss in terms of both story and gameplay, and finally, [[spoiler:Kiryu and Haruka not receiving a happy ending after everything they've been through, with the former faking his death so the latter is no longer marked as a target due to her ties with a legendary ex-yakuza]]. In spite of that, the game did receive a lot of positive reception for its SliceOfLife aspects and its themes of family and humanity. |
| 163 | ** ''VideoGame/YakuzaLikeADragon'', almost solely due to its GenreShift from a real-time BeatEmUp to a turn-based [[EasternRPG JRPG]] after 14 years. |
| 164 | * ''VideoGame/LittleBigPlanet 3'' had a load of [[GameBreakingBug Game-Breaking Bugs]] at launch, and the community members were divided between going to the third game, with its new characters, 16-layer gameplay, and loads of new possibilities for creating, but having to contend with the bugs that plagued the game, or sticking back with ''[=LittleBigPlanet=] 2'', which had fewer choices for creating, but wasn't completely broken. |
| 165 | * ''VideoGame/MafiaIII'' is easily the most controversial game in the ''[[VideoGame/MafiaTheCityOfLostHeaven Mafia]]'' [[VideoGame/MafiaII franchise]]. Fans of the game believe the game is good in terms of storyline, cutscenes, soundtrack, and cinematics. Detractors of the game often feel that the storyline ([[AntagonistTitle the mafia is actually Lincoln Clay's enemy]]) does not fit the series, criticize the shift from a linear mission path to an open sandbox game, the fact that some of the more realistic features from ''Mafia II'' (such as dressing in different outfits and repairing, refueling, or modifying cars) were cut, and claim Lincoln is nowhere near as strong of a character as Tommy or Vito were. |
| 166 | * ''VideoGame/{{maimai}} Deluxe'', the first hardware upgrade to the then-7-years-old ''maimai'' series, was met with mixed reception from fans. Fans enjoyed the improved hardware (especially for slide note detection; the original hardware is known for having a relatively primitive touchscreen) and new note types. Others disliked the idea of arcades having to chuck out all their existing ''maimai'' cabs, the larger cabinet dimensions, how out-of-place the new note types are, and the phone holder replacing the camera, i.e. [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."]] |
| 167 | * ''VideoGame/MarioPlusRabbidsSparksOfHope'', the sequel to ''VideoGame/MarioPlusRabbidsKingdomBattle''. While both ''Mario + Rabbids'' games were well-received, some fans argue that the first game is superior for its ''VideoGame/XCom''-style strategic gameplay and having a greater amount of ''Mario'' series elements involved in the narrative (namely in the form of Yoshi as a playable character in the main game and Donkey Kong getting his own DLC campaign), whereas others prefer the second game for the integration of RealTimeStrategy elements into the combat, much deeper plot, and having VideoGame/{{Rayman}} as a DLC character with his own story campaign. |
| 168 | * ''VideoGame/MarioKartWii'' had this reputation since it came out, due to lacking both the two-driver system from ''[[VideoGame/MarioKartDoubleDash Double Dash!!]]'', the Mission Mode from ''[[VideoGame/MarioKartDS DS]]'' (although it has an equivalent to it in its competitions), or the extra Battle Modes from ''Double Dash!!'' with this game's iteration of the mode often seen as lackluster (and it being restricted to teams-only making it more divisive), but it has intensified thanks to the divisive nature of ''its'' sequels and the creation of the "Custom Track Grand Prix" mod, which adds 216 more tracks and several quality of life features to the game. The game is praised for its "loose", sportlike gameplay, which can be accredited to the introduction of bikes, the unique stats of each character in its large and varied roster, and enhancements/mechanics such as the half pipe ramp (which did not return in the series until ''[[VideoGame/MarioKartTour Tour]]''), 12-player races, and tricks. The creation of the aformentioned mod is also cited as proof of the game's staying power and vibrant community, which fans of the other entries have attempted to mimic but cannot fully attest to. Its detractors, on the other hand, criticize it for many of the same reasons, particularly with the fact that each character and kart having unique stats allows only a handful of combinations to be viable, and the significant advantages bikes have over karts that, against its name, ''Mario Kart Wii'' ends up being more "Mario Bike Wii". They also claim CTGP has distorted perceptions with how the mod masks issues with the original, such as a lame Battle Mode and various gameplay issues it has (particularly with "Ultra Shortcuts", which result in a glitchfest second only to ''VideoGame/MarioKart64''). Needless to say, especially for a game that's thrived on its community alone, there's not a lot of middle ground. |
| 169 | * ''VideoGame/MaxPayne 3''. A long development cycle and a change in developers led to it being very different stylistically than the previous games, both in gameplay and in general aesthetics. Those who favor it praise the detailed graphics and environments, the scale of the gunfights and feel the changes don't detract from the story. Those who don't like it feel the gameplay isn't as polished and loses some of the series' appeal, that the long and unskippable cutscenes are a poor replacement for the graphic novel segments, the noir aspects aren't as well done and that the story is too dark for its own good. There are those who would even say that it's a good game, just not necessarily a good Max Payne game. |
| 170 | * ''Franchise/MegaMan'': |
| 171 | ** The franchise has entire series that are contested in this manner, particularly ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'' and its follow-up ''VideoGame/MegaManStarForce''. {{R|olePlayingGame}}PGs and platformers being such different genres, this is probably to be expected. |
| 172 | ** In [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic the Classic series]], there's ''VideoGame/MegaMan3''. The general consensus is that it's still a great game, but the debate is whether it lives up to the ToughActToFollow that was ''VideoGame/MegaMan2''. Those that find it as good or better than its predecessor point to the more colorful and imaginative stages, new mechanics such as the slide, the excellent soundtrack, the length of the game (18 stages as opposed to 14, counting revisits), and the introduction of the popular new characters Proto Man and Rush. Those who find it worse bring up that it was rushed to market and has several flaws as a result, namely occasionally sloppy and unpolished level design, [[AllThereInTheManual a lack of context for anything that happens in-game]], various glitches and slowdown issues, [[ScrappyWeapon a rather weak selection of Robot Master weapons]] (including the infamous Top Spin), and a general lack of difficulty, particularly in the Wily stages. |
| 173 | ** Among the ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' series, there have been feuds between the games ''after'' ''VideoGame/MegaManX4'' (which is generally seen as the only game on par with [[VideoGame/MegaManX1 the first]]) and which one either stands as one of the better games in the series or the worst. This typically rounds to out to ''VideoGame/MegaManX5'' being deemed a worthy title on the merit of [[SignatureSeriesArc its]] [[WhamEpisode narrative]] but not necessarily [[TimedMission its]] [[ScrappyMechanic gameplay]], ''VideoGame/MegaManX6'' and ''VideoGame/MegaManX7'' duking it out to determine which entry is the lowest point of the series, and ''VideoGame/MegaManX8'' serving as a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel (and solid entry in its own right) that had the misfortune of coming after the widely panned ''X7''. |
| 174 | * ''VideoGame/MetalGear'': |
| 175 | ** Depending on whom you ask, ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty'' is either a crowning achievement in gaming and video game narrative or an unspeakable abomination. There is no in-between on this. |
| 176 | ** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid4GunsOfThePatriots'' is either a masterpiece of storytelling and a fitting conclusion to a great series or the worst game in the entire series that ruined everything with its anticlimactic "nanomachine" garbage and took away all ambiguity and weirdness that defined the series. |
| 177 | ** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidVThePhantomPain'' is either the pinnacle of the franchise and the entire video game stealth genre in its gameplay and attention to detail and a fitting send-off of the series under [[Creator/HideoKojima Kojima's]] hands... or an absolute disgrace and horrible way to end the original run of the series due to an absolutely clumsy and horrendous narrative that soiled the series even harder than the previous main titles. |
| 178 | ** Most ''Metal Gear'' games get this to some extent. The two PSP titles (especially ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPortableOps'') are sometimes ignored, and ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater'' has its detractors, for mixing up the gameplay and introducing features such as the camo index and maintaining your stamina. |
| 179 | * ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'': |
| 180 | ** ''Metal Slug 3''. A major point of contention is its length; some welcome the epic length of the game compared to other titles, but others feel that it succumbs to EndingFatigue and as a result [[ItsHardSoItSucks is very brutal in difficulty compared to other games]]. The more supernatural elements are also a point of controversy: While the non-human enemies are beautifully animated and give the game an unmatched visual flare, most of them are [[IncrediblyDurableEnemies bullet sponges]] who can be a slog to fight. |
| 181 | ** ''Metal Slug 5'' made some considerable changes to the formula, introducing a new set of enemies, [[AutobotsRockOut a rock/metal soundtrack]], [[DarkerAndEdgier a more serious tone]], and various gameplay changes like a ''Franchise/MegaMan''-style slide move. Fans say that these changes make the game a much-needed breath of fresh air and hold it up as one of the best in the series. Detractors argue that these changes were unnecessary and detract from the game, and regard it as one of the worst in the series. Some in the middle believe that while it had some good ideas, the execution wasn't there. |
| 182 | ** ''Metal Slug 6''. Many look down on it for sharing several themes to ''3'' and being [[ItsEasySoItSucks considerably easier than the other games]], whilst many others love it for those very same reasons. Either way though, it is generally agreed that it is where the series got out of its AudienceAlienatingEra. |
| 183 | * ''Franchise/{{Metroid}}'': |
| 184 | ** ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime2Echoes''. Is it an interesting game with beautiful scenery, fun new powerups, a DarkerAndEdgier tone, memorable boss battles, and old-school difficulty, or is it a glorified MissionPackSequel with FakeDifficulty through the roof, unnecessary ammo mechanics, a story worthy of a bad romhack, a flawed multiplayer mode, and key-collecting ripped straight from an early-90s FPS? |
| 185 | ** ''VideoGame/MetroidPrime3Corruption''. While the motion controls work very well and it provides good closure to the Phazon/Dark Samus plotline, as well as varied and beautiful level design (particularly in Bryyo and Elysia), not everyone was happy that the game leaned more towards action than exploration, as they feel the increased prominence of the plot and the presence of [=NPCs=] undermined the claustrophobic sense of isolation that had permeated previous entries in the series. Some players also feel that the gunship's features [[UnderusedGameMechanic weren't sufficiently exploited]]. |
| 186 | ** ''Videogame/MetroidOtherM'' is either [[PlayTheGameSkipTheStory a fun game only bogged down by a poorly implemented focus on narrative]], or a complete failure that even came short in providing gameplay that fits with the rest of the series. |
| 187 | * ''Every'' installment of the ''VideoGame/MonkeyIsland'' series has been contested by some fan or other. Some people don't like ''VideoGame/{{Monkey Island 2|LeChucksRevenge}}'''s darker tone, ''VideoGame/TheCurseOfMonkeyIsland''[='=]s cartoony style (and lack of Gilbert, Schafer, and Grossman), ''VideoGame/EscapeFromMonkeyIsland''[='=]s poor graphics/controls/grasp on the series continuity, or ''VideoGame/TalesOfMonkeyIsland''[='=]s episodic style. |
| 188 | * The fifth-generation ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' installments got hit by this, despite (and likely ''because'' of) them becoming the most successful and thriving games in the franchise: |
| 189 | ** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterWorld'' has received critical acclaim far and wide and gone on to not only become the best-selling ''VideoGame/MonsterHunter'' game ever, but also the best-selling game ''out of all of Creator/{{Capcom}}'s games''. Many who enjoy it cite its heavily streamlined user experience (No more breakable gathering tools! Gunner and Blademaster weapons use the same armor now! Planning armors and weapons is more organized now!) and absolutely beautiful visuals that are the result of the game being designed around the [=PS4=]'s and Xbox One's cutting-edge hardware (as opposed to the respective [=PS3=], Wii U, and Switch ports of ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterPortable3rd'', ''[[VideoGame/MonsterHunter Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate]]'', and ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterGenerations Ultimate''; the first was originally released on the PSP and the latter two on the 3DS). That said, not everyone is pleased with it, even in relation to past ''[=MonHun=]'' games, with traditionalists feeling that [[ItsEasySoItSucks the game is too dumbed down]] and many series veterans finding that [[ItsShortSoItSucks the game has a sore lack of monsters or G-rank]], and others preferring older games due to the portable factor, something that ''World'' doesn't have due to being console- and PC-exclusive (even if you did manage to install the PC version on a laptop, it's not as on-the-go friendly as a handheld game system and there's still no local multiplayer, one of the biggest selling points of the PSP, 3DS, and Switch ''[=MonHun=]'' games). |
| 190 | ** ''VideoGame/MonsterHunterRise'' was acclaimed for carrying over many of the quality-of-life improvements first seen in ''World'', plus featuring a greater variety of monsters (including classes that were absent in ''World'' due to technical reasons, such as Leviathans and Amphibians), introducing the beloved Palamute companions, and more quests by bringing back the dedicated single-player questlines (though, in line with the older non-expanded games, they don't go beyond Low-Rank). However, it also received criticism due to the Rampage quests, not having a very extensive postgame, and once again for having a decreased difficulty. |
| 191 | * ''VideoGame/Mother3'' is almost unanimously viewed as an EvenBetterSequel to ''VideoGame/{{EarthBound|1994}}'' by international fans for a variety of reasons, including its rewarding Sound Battle system, its greater emotional depth, its tighter emphasis on plot, and its better-developed cast of characters. [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff On the home turf]], though, reactions are ''significantly'' more divided, with a number of detractors slamming the game for having a linear chapter-based style of progression as opposed to giving the player a semi-open world to explore, much smaller areas, weaker writing of incidental dialogue, abandoning the {{Eagleland}} setting that defined ''VideoGame/EarthBoundBeginnings'' and its sequel, and generally feeling joyless or even {{glurge}}y compared to the first two games. While some international fans have these criticisms as well, they're nowhere near as vocal about them as Japanese fans. |
| 192 | * ''VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes2DesperateStruggle'' is this compared to [[VideoGame/NoMoreHeroes the original game]]. Supporters cite the sequel's more mature plot, detailed levels, [[ScrappyMechanic lack of entry fees]] for getting into the next boss fight, more varied enemies and weapons, [[{{Padding}} the tedious sandbox aspect being gone]], and the retro style of the side job minigames. Detractors claim that the absence of an overworld (the aforementioned sandbox was replaced with a map screen that allows quick access to city locations) might potentially shorten the game's longevity despite the higher number of rank missions, that some of the bosses are tedious to fight, and have the opinion that the stages starring EnsembleDarkhorse Shinobu need polishing. |
| 193 | * ''VideoGame/PacMan Championship Edition DX'' to the original PMCE. While some players enjoy the massive ghost trains, varied mazes, and intense speeds, various players find that ''DX'' is too focused on [[SlidingScaleOfLinearityVsOpenness following a strict and rigid path]] compared to its predecessor. |
| 194 | * ''VideoGame/PAYDAY2'' has a sharp divide among the fan base over several elements. Fans who like the sequel praise the game for having multiple ways of tackling a heist, character skills that lets them customize their abilities to how they want to play, and weapon mods that also lets the player tailor their guns' performance to their liking. People who don't like the sequel feel that the levels are too small and boring compared to the bigger and more grand looking heists in the first game and they also feel that the sequel [[ItsEasySoItSucks is DSjust not hard enough]]. |
| 195 | * ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarIII'' does not have the same developers of the rest of the tetralogy, and thus a different art style and a story separated from the rest of the rest of the universe (aside from something connected to the plot of ''[[VideoGame/PhantasyStarII II]]'' that shows up, and [[HijackedByGanon Dark Force eventually showing up]]) make its borderline GaidenGame qualities divisive. It works well as an independent chapter due to its standalone qualities, but not for those already familiar who expected something more like its predecessors. |
| 196 | * ''VideoGame/{{Pikmin}}'': |
| 197 | ** ''VideoGame/Pikmin2'': While there are a number of aspects that are the cause of this divide, from the cave system to the storytelling to the difficulty, the biggest point of contention is the game's removal of a overarching TimedMission structure. Where the first and third game had one in the form of the player getting a game over if they couldn't fix Olimar's ship in thirty in-game days, or run out of juice, the second gives you as much time as you need to pay off the company's debt. Those who enjoy ''Pikmin 2'' welcome the more relaxed pace, while those who don't find that the lack of a time limit removes all tension from the gameplay unless you're doing a SelfImposedChallenge. |
| 198 | ** ''VideoGame/Pikmin3'' is divisive, but for different reasons than ''Pikmin 2''. Fans either like this game for its smarter Pikmin AI, more expansive overworld maps, focus on a linear narrative, gorgeous visuals, and refined gameplay. Others find it to be a weaker entry due to its different feel than the first two, linear plot, collectables not playing into the game's progression, easier difficulty, removal of caves, and overall shorter length. Those who are critical of the game also dislike how previous elements from the franchise were treated in this game, from the removal of the C-Stick March (replaced by the less versatile charge mechanic) and Piklopedia to the sidelining of the Hocotatians in favor of the new Koppaite characters. In the lattermost example, detractors dislike how the Hocotatians were [[{{Flanderization}} Flanderized]], with Olimar being greedy and somewhat uncaring, Louie being a destructive, gluttonous [[TheLoad load]] [[note]]only able to say "FOOD! FOOD! FOOD!"[[/note]], and the President learning nothing from the previous adventure and nearly dooming the company yet again. ''Deluxe'' would alleviate some of these issues, with its new content (especially in regards to Olimar's Comeback) and refined controls, though as a whole the game is still seen as divisive overall. |
| 199 | * ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'': Any game following the [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue first]] [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver two]] generations qualify. |
| 200 | ** ''VideoGame/PokemonRubyAndSapphire'': Some fans consider it one of the best games in the series thanks to the SceneryPorn, new 135 Pokémon, the introduction of new gameplay mechanics like Abilities and Natures which improved a lot with battles, ''many'' more Berries (as well as the ability to farm them), Contests, and better graphics; others felt it was too much of a ContinuityReboot and consider it one of the worst in the series. This was not helped by how some innovations the last set of games brought were stripped out, such as trading Pokémon with the [[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue previous]] [[VideoGame/PokemonGoldAndSilver games]], (visible) morning/day/night cycles, and being able to visit the previous games' regions. There were obvious technical reasons for this, but it does make the game feel like a smaller and shorter experience compared to ''Gold & Silver''. |
| 201 | ** ''VideoGame/PokemonDiamondAndPearl'': The games are praised for retrieving some of the features scrapped in the previous games (like day/night being visible in the overworld), introducing the Physical/Special split so Pokémon would not be restricted to certain Types based on their stats, and increased connectivity. However, they are also frequently criticized for a slow frame rate and a needlessly restricted selection of Pokémon (both of which were somewhat addressed in the UpdatedRerelease ''Platinum''), as well as a questionably large number of the new Pokémon consisting of evolutions for older Pokémon or legendaries. |
| 202 | ** ''VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite'' is well-liked for its greater focus on story, characters, speeding up the battles from Gen IV and for providing a deconstruction of the franchise's basic premise. It is criticized, though, for limiting all past Pokémon to the postgame, the new 150 Pokémon having [[CripplingOverspecialization debatable competitive viability]], and many of them being [[{{Expy}} expies]] of past Pokémon. |
| 203 | ** ''VideoGame/PokemonBlack2AndWhite2'' are also susceptible to this. Some fans also consider it one of the best in the series due to its large Pokémon selection and many new features such as the new legendary Pokémon forms, the Pokémon World Tournament and Black Tower/White Treehollow, and being a continuation of the story from the originals. Others have criticized it for its weaker story elements, and claimed that it introduces nothing original or new to the series. Additionally, while the original ''Black and White'' were criticized for [[ItsEasySoItSucks being too easy]], the sequels have often been criticized to be [[SequelDifficultyDrop even worse on that matter]]. |
| 204 | ** ''VideoGame/PokemonXAndY'' have become a particularly pronounced example, especially as time goes on. The people who dislike the game tend to point to Kalos being a rather uninteresting region overall that, despite the "French" theme, doesn't do a whole lot of interesting things mechanically or story-wise to make it memorable (especially compared to [[VideoGame/PokemonBlackAndWhite the fifth generation]], which it comes right on the heels of) and what new mechanics there are, like Mega Evolution, feeling somewhat out of character for the series, with [[ItsEasySoItSucks the very easy difficulty]] and lack of post-game not helping matters. The fact that the games feature a considerable amount of [[ShoutOut references]] and [[CallBack call-backs]] to ''VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue'' has also drawn the ire of those irritated by the prevalence of [[NostalgiaFilter Genwunners]][[labelnote:Explanation]]People who feel that the first generation of ''Pokémon'' (and in some cases the second as well) are the only good one(s)[[/labelnote]] in the fandom, believing the references to be an over-exaggerated response to Generation V's [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks detractors]] or an attempt to [[WinBackTheCrowd win back]] older fans who grew up with Gen I but lost interest in the franchise overall.\ |
| 205 | \ |
| 206 | Those who ''like'' the games, though, tend to be very passionate about it, and are very attached to things like the huge Pokédex with two sets of starters and legendaries, trainer customization, Pokémon-Amie, the orchestral-sounding soundtrack, the more diverse cast, the vastly improved competitive breeding/training mechanics, and Mega Evolution and how it gives a number of old favorites a new lease on life and shakes up the metagame. Additionally, the aforementioned Generation I pandering attracts many fans who enjoyed Gen I and its Pokémon, especially its iconic starters and legendaries, whether or not they identify as "Genwunners". All of these opinions came into particularly sharp relief in [[FlameWar online debates]] during the prerelease of ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'' about what direction future games should take. |
| 207 | ** This happened with ''VideoGame/PokemonSunAndMoon'', though the divide is pretty straightforward: It being more plot-heavy than any previous Pokémon game to date, either players enjoy the story and like the new characters, or they see the story as unskippable padding and just want to get to the end of the game as soon as possible to be ready for competitive play. |
| 208 | ** ''VideoGame/PokemonUltraSunAndUltraMoon'' seems to have become this with critics, with the games either being considered better than ''Sun and Moon'' due to the positive tweaks they made to the gameplay or slightly weaker due to the games being [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks a bit too similar]]. The story is also subject to this as a few story events that occur in the base ''Sun and Moon'' games either play out differently, are replaced by new scenes, or do not occur at all. |
| 209 | ** ''VideoGame/PokemonLetsGoPikachuAndEevee'' is one to ''[[VideoGame/PokemonRedAndBlue Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen]]'', as both are Kanto remakes that include and exclude a variety of different mechanics and story builds. Visuals aside, those who prefer ''Let's Go!'' praise its vastly improved and modern mechanics made long after ''FR/LG'' came out[[note]] The Physical-Special Split, which allows Pokémon to use moves better aligned with their stats by not dividing their effectiveness by type; [[EarlyInstallmentWeirdness HM moves]] being replaced with Secret Techniques, no longer [[ScrappyMechanic requiring the player to keep a Pokémon with certain (often otherwise worthless) moves on board for the sake of progression]]; Mega Evolution and the Fairy type, neither of which existed when ''[=FireRed=] and [=LeafGreen=]'' were released, were still included despite other cuts; overworld encounters allow players to focus more on which Pokémon they want to get instead of having to cycle through various 'mons they don't care for, this also makes progressing through [[ThatOneLevel otherwise tedious areas]] a lot less pace-breaking and annoying.[[/note]], enjoy the multitude of references to other games and the various manga series[[note]]Archer referencing his exploits in ''[=HeartGold=] and [=SoulSilver=]'', a younger Mina waiting at the Vermillion boat for her trip back to Alola, and the first appearance of Green/Leaf in any form of media since the Gen III remakes[[/note]], and see the more simplified and streamlined experience as the better series starting point, particularly for players who primarily or only play ''VideoGame/PokemonGO''. Those who prefer ''FR/LG'' cite its more standard if not dated gameplay and it containing all Pokémon from the first three generations upon completion, giving it more than double what ''Let's Go!'' offers, as well as the Sevii Islands arc. They often criticize the ''Let's Go!'' games for sticking to just the Generation I roster and the Meltan line, not having the Sevii Islands, replacing traditional wild encounters with the ''GO'' catching mechanics, and being an incredibly simple and easy experience. Putting brand new main characters in place of Red and Blue did little to allay fans' displeasure. |
| 210 | ** ''VideoGame/PokemonSwordAndShield'' caused split reactions within the fandom, becoming one of the most divisive mainline games in the series. The games have received praise for improving access to competitive battling, a smoother gameplay pace which includes faster transitions between the overworld and battles, their lineup of new Pokémon including Galarian forms, introducing several much-needed mechanics such as mints or having online competitions taking place in-game rather than via the Global Link, well-implemented camping and cooking mechanics, many quality-of-life improvements (such as removal of random encounters and a dedicated large area for catching Pokémon), plus new characters and Pokémon that many fans (and detractors) enjoyed. The games have also received flack for their short length and increased linearity compared to previous installments, the poorly handled online modes, the controversial removal of the National Dex, which left more than half of all 890 then-current Pokémon on the chopping block[[note]]Many players who've spent ''decades'' trying to "Catch 'Em All" were outraged that they couldn't import their complete collection of {{Mons}} to the new game, not to mention any players whose favorite Pokémon didn't make the cut. But many other fans consider it an absolutely necessary step, because the number of Pokémon had become too huge for the National Dex to be sustainable, especially since the franchise's transition from sprite-based 2D to 3D rendering means that including full battle animations for ''every'' Pokémon would become prohibitively time-consuming and expensive (leading to either longer gaps between releases or lots of corner-cutting in every other aspect), a problem that would've kept getting worse with each generation (the franchise averages adding over 100 new Pokémon species per generation) if ''Sword and Shield'' hadn't nipped it in the bud.[[/note]]; graphics of debatable quality, the Dynamax phenomenon replacing more popular Mega Evolution and Z-Moves, which detractors consider more gimmicky; a smaller postgame than past titles; the continued lack of Battle Frontier in favor of another Battle Tower clone; and the bare bones plot that spends most of the game shunting the player to the side while other characters like Sonia and Leon investigate the more interesting things and then shoehorning in a generic "save the world" plot in the game's 11th hour. The divisiveness of these games seems to somewhat coincide with a "[[CasualCompetitiveConflict casual vs. hardcore]]" and OldGuardVersusNewBlood mentality, with most of the game's most ardent critics being the more hardcore and/or "old guard" fans of the series and most of the game's most ardent defenders being newer and/or more casual fans who generally don't examine the ''Pokémon'' games to the same level of meticulousness. |
| 211 | ** ''VideoGame/PokemonXDGaleOfDarkness'' to ''VideoGame/PokemonColosseum''. Despite the gameplay improvements, some felt that the LighterAndSofter take on Orre, using a more traditional KidHero protagonist, and in general recycling a lot of plot elements from ''Colosseum'' made this game seem like a step backwards. The only thing people never seem to criticize about the plot is [[EvilIsCool Shadow Lugia]]. |
| 212 | ** ''VideoGame/PokemonMysteryDungeonGatesToInfinity''. Some people like it for conveniences such as Companion Mode, new items, and the 3D environments for the Pokémon in the dungeons. However, it has been largely panned for some of the gameplay elements that were added, its weaker story, and only having 144 Pokémon, most of them from the fifth generation. To add on to that, the text speed in cutscenes moves very slow and it can't be sped up by pressing A, which is another thing for players to dislike about it. |
| 213 | ** ''VideoGame/PokemonSuperMysteryDungeon'' is praised for increasing the Mystery Dungeon aspect of the series, making more Pokémon available than those in ''Gates of Infinity'' and having a better plot than its predecessor. Others note much of the plot is recycled from past games, the game is too hard and it spends too much time in the starting village and not enough on the main action. |
| 214 | * ''VideoGame/Prototype2'' featured a new protagonist, new writing staff, and a greatly refined gameplay system. Quite a few fans were upset at the new protagonist, especially given that [[VideoGame/{{Prototype}} the previous one]] [[RogueProtagonist was now the]] BigBad. After the game came out, fans were split over those who felt the new protagonist was a genuine improvement, and those who didn't (many also felt that [[NotAsYouKnowThem the villain's motives, given in side materials and never even explained in-game, were out of character]]). While there is more consensus that the gameplay was improved, whether that made up for the perceived story faults is subject to debate. |
| 215 | * ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaWarriorWithin'' is the most polarizing installment in the ''Sands of Time'' trilogy. While the combat mechanics were improved and more time-based powers were added, the game got rid of the {{Arabian Nights|Days}} atmosphere of [[VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaTheSandsOfTime its predecessor]] in favor of an extremely DarkerAndEdgier one. The huge contrast between the characterization of the Prince in the first game and in the second one (in which he might've predated [[VideoGame/GodOfWar Kratos]] as a 2000s example of the NinetiesAntiHero archetype) was a big turn off for some. The third game, ''VideoGame/PrinceOfPersiaTheTwoThrones'', fixed this by making it somewhat a compromise to the tone of the two games and having the Prince, portrayed much closer to his original characterization in ''Sands of Time'', acknowledge (and move past) his depiction in ''Warrior Within''. Then again, while ''The Two Thrones'' was a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel for those who hated ''Warrior Within'' and had somewhat higher critical reception than its predecessors, those who were fans of ''Warrior Within'' found it weaker for those very same reasons. |
| 216 | * While both ''VideoGame/RadiantSilvergun'' and its CreatorDrivenSuccessor ''VideoGame/{{Ikaruga}}'' are highly-acclaimed, [[BrokenBase some fans tend to argue over which game is better]]. ''RSG'' is praised for its complexity while ''Ikaruga'' is lauded for having [[{{Minimalism}} the opposite]]. |
| 217 | * ''VideoGame/{{Rayman}}'': |
| 218 | ** ''VideoGame/Rayman3HoodlumHavoc'' had half the fanbase think it was the last good ''Rayman'' game before ''Origins'' hit, while others think this was the game that made the series go downhill for several years, and preferred the more serious tone and large, exploration-based levels of ''VideoGame/Rayman2TheGreatEscape''. |
| 219 | ** Reception towards the Rabbids, which grew out of the Rayman series, has been extremely mixed, ranging from open hostility to passive acceptance. The controversy comes from the cancelled ''Rayman 4'', which would've featured the Rabbids as the main enemies of a 3D Rayman platformer similar to ''2'' and ''3''; the game was ultimately canned and resurfaced as a party game on consoles, while the technically-inferior GBA and DS salvaged the remnants of the cancelled platformer as mediocre 2D sidescrollers. The Rabbids completely displaced Rayman for the next 8 years, and no major Rayman games came out until ''Origins''. |
| 220 | ** ''VideoGame/RaymanOrigins'' and its sequel ''[[VideoGame/RaymanLegends Legends]]''. Some viewed them as fantastic games that were long overdue the return to the series' 2D platforming roots, others enjoyed them but not as much as the older titles, and still others felt they were disappointments that pale in comparison to the 3D installments. The games also take a DenserAndWackier approach to its characters and [[ExcusePlot narratives]], with some people liking the approach, while others feeling it's too silly for their tastes; that latter group including those who view it unfavorably to its more serious predecessors. ''Legends'' also gets contention when compared to ''Origins''; some people feel the sequel is an grand improvement in terms of level design, ArtEvolution, and its additional Murphy and musical levels; meanwhile, others see it as a MissionPackSequel that fails to bring much new to the table. |
| 221 | * ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'': |
| 222 | ** Many fans cannot stand ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' and ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvil5 5]]'' because they're not like the preceding four (and contain ''horrific'' {{Eldritch Abomination}}s). However, some of those who have never played a ''Resident Evil'' game before enjoy both of them due to tight controls and an emphasis on action and shooting. Others who have played both think the newer controls are a welcome change to get away from tank controls which were becoming antiquated. |
| 223 | ** In spite of its attempts to cater to both crowds (and then some) via multiple scenarios, ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'' suffered from such a pratfall. Cue one half of the broken base claiming that Creator/{{Capcom}} sold out and completely abandoned {{survival horror}} for the sake of competing with other titles (such as ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty'') and staying fresh, while the other claims it was a well-done next step of the formula introduced in ''[=RE4=]'' that simultaneously incorporated the best elements from the classic titles. The fact that ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilRevelations Revelations]]'' and ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil7Biohazard'', much closer in tone and style to the pre-''[=RE4=]'' titles, both garnered significantly better critical reception did not help ''[=RE6=]'''s case. |
| 224 | ** Much like how ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil5'' and ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'' attempted to repeat the formula of ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' but were met with increasing backlash, the same story repeated itself with the [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Remake 2020 remake]] of ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil3Nemesis''. As with [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil2Remake its 2019 precursor]], the complaints center mostly around changes in the storyline and characterization, as well as related gameplay -- most prominently the interactions with primary antagonist Nemesis. Whilst still very beloved, it is far less adored than its 2019 counterpart. |
| 225 | * ''[[VideoGame/RollerCoasterTycoon RollerCoaster Tycoon 3]]''. While many people enjoy the game's VideoGame3DLeap and new additions, there are also many people who say it didn't translate well to 3D, mainly due to its ObviousBeta release, and the game was developed by a new developer, Frontier Developments. While the first two games' effective simplicity and Chris Sawyer's SugarWiki/GeniusProgramming holds up a lot better than ''3'' even decades later, it's now seen as a decent entry in the series, and its concepts would later be refined by its CreatorDrivenSuccessor, ''VideoGame/PlanetCoaster''. |
| 226 | * ''VideoGame/RType Final'' is easily the most divisive game in the series, even more so than ''[[OddballIntheSeries R-Type Leo]]'' and the following ''Tactics'' game that [[GenreShift changed the genre entirely]]. Supporters like the game's expansion to the series lore, large amount of content for a shmup (most notably its roster of 101 playable ships) and its dark, moody tone that provides a [[GrandFinale fitting closure]] to the series storyline, but there is a considerable contingent of fans who criticize ''Final'', finding it an [[ItsEasySoItSucks unexciting]] shooter with [[PacingProblems boring, uneventful levels]] and dislike the game's roster gimmick, citing the amount of grinding required to unlock new crafts and its [[MovesetClone redundant]] and unbalanced (in [[LowTierLetdown both]] [[HighTierScrappy directions]]) nature. |
| 227 | * ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird'' is this to ''VideoGame/SaintsRow2'', which is widely considered to be a great game by fans of [[VideoGame/SaintsRow the series]]. The third game went a lot DenserAndWackier than its predecessor, and whether that's a good or a bad thing is a substantial topic for debate amongst fans. There are also some other things missing from the second game (less clothing customization in return for what you do have looking better, etc). |
| 228 | * ''Senxin VideoGame/{{Aleste}}'' is seen by many as a SurprisinglyImprovedSequel to the Compile-era ''Aleste'' games as a whole due to being a much beefier game with BulletHell, [[SuperMode hyper modes]], multiple playable characters, and an in-depth scoring system (something that previous ''Aleste'' games notably lack, typically amounting to "just kill stuff and collect items"), while others [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks don't like it precisely for that reason]], feeling that it strays from what gives the ''Aleste'' series its own identity and is just another Creator/{{CAVE}}-like shmup in a market that has so many of them already. |
| 229 | * All of the mainline ''VideoGame/SeriousSam'' games after the first two encounters have been divisive for one reason or another: |
| 230 | ** ''VideoGame/SeriousSamII'' got a cold reception from the fanbase at release due to its intensely DenserAndWackier direction, [[ItsEasySoItSucks easier difficulty]] and somewhat pared-down enemy count. Its relative failure would cause Croteam to dismiss it as [[CanonDiscontinuity non-canon]] and backpedal ''hard'' from the "cartoon" era of ''Serious Sam'' for the following games. However, in the following years, the game would amass a growing fandom who love it precisely ''because'' it's such a weird and wacky game, with praise going to its lengthy campaign filled with many unique worlds, characters and enemies. Some (including, notably, popular "boomer shooter" reviewer WebVideo/Civvie11) also praise it for toning down the frustrating qualities of the previous games. |
| 231 | ** ''VideoGame/SeriousSam3BFE'': Some think it's a great sequel that got the series back on track after the cartoonish excesses of the previous game and features some of the most intense and exciting combat in the genre thanks to a generous case of SequelEscalation while others think it's one of the weaker installments with criticisms going toward the SlowPacedBeginning, the abundance of DemonicSpiders (which the ''Fusion'' release goes some way toward rectifying), and the [[CutAndPasteEnvironments uninteresting]] modern Egypt setting. The additions of modern shooters conventions like sprinting, reloading and aiming down sights were also contentious. |
| 232 | ** ''VideoGame/SeriousSam4'' is either a rough gem that successfully fixes all of the gameplay problems of ''BFE'' for the deepest and most balanced core game yet, or [[ObviousBeta an unfinished mess]] that looks little better than ''BFE'' despite releasing nine years after and suffers from overhyping features (specifically the open map and "Legion System") that [[UnderusedGameMechanic end up undercooked in the actual game]]. The extra focus on story is also divisive: some feel it add some unexpected emotional depth to the series while others find it annoying and unfunny. |
| 233 | * ''VideoGame/{{Shantae}}'': The series ran into this trope with ''VideoGame/ShantaeHalfGenieHero'', after every previous installment was generally considered to unquestionably improve upon the last. Defenders praise its higher budget, the new art style, the soundtrack, and the various additional modes such as "Friends to the End". Meanwhile, detractors bemoan the switch to a level-based progression system, the significantly more linear stages in a series that had been a pure {{Metroidvania}} up to that point, and feel that the decision to make the game a SoftReboot wasn't for the better. |
| 234 | * ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIVApocalypse'', depending on whether you ask someone who [[EnjoyTheStorySkipTheGame prefers story elements]] or [[PlayTheGameSkipTheStory focuses on game mechanics]], is either: |
| 235 | ** An improvement over ''VideoGame/ShinMegamiTenseiIV'' for refining its mechanics: Smirk is no longer hideously overpowered, death no longer costs a fee to come back from let alone just kicking you back to your previous save [[spoiler:except in the second-to-final dungeon]], battle partners are chooseable, have useful abilities, and are not as [[ArtificialStupidity stupid]] as in ''SMTIV'', and there's no 1/256 encounters (Want to fight the [[OptionalBoss Fiends]]? Just come to this late-game dungeon!). Or... |
| 236 | ** A downgrade for its messily handled lore: The Law and Chaos alignments are effectively "straw" alignments in a series where debating over which side is better is a major point, and in fact their respective endings are "bad" early endings. In the Bonds route, [[spoiler:Danu forcefully fixes the problem of her son Dagda trying to kill the protagonist by [[KillAndReplace killing her son and replacing him with a new one]] in a manner too close to AbusiveParent for comfort in a route about trying to achieve a peaceful resolution to the cosmic series-traditional ForeverWar]]. |
| 237 | * ''Franchise/SilentHill'': The [[VideoGame/SilentHill1 first]] [[VideoGame/SilentHill2 three]] [[VideoGame/SilentHill3 games]] tend to be liked universally among series fans. Every game since has been controversial to some extent: |
| 238 | ** ''VideoGame/SilentHill4'': The Room is by far the most controversial of the Team Silent era. It has its detractors who hate it for what they see is an "InNameOnly" sequel that lacked the themes and symbolism of the past three games and strayed ''too'' far from the original formula with more combat and some questionable at best gameplay decisions (a greatly increased emphasis on melee fighting without any major improvement to the combat mechanics, unkillable and unavoidable stalker enemies, multiple stages that are revisited several times, and an EscortMission that makes up the game's ''entire second half''), marking it as the "beginning of the end" for the series, but it also has a good-sized fan following who love it for its surreal atmosphere and a uniquely dark and twisted story, all while expanding on the mythos of a serial killer previously mentioned in [[VideoGame/SilentHill2 the second game]]. |
| 239 | ** ''VideoGame/SilentHillOrigins'': Depending on who you ask, an enjoyable return to the series roots that stand on its own just fine or a poor retread that only added unnecessary gameplay elements like Quick Time Events and breakable weapons and is driven by a bad fanfiction of a plot that only bloat the series mythology with needless details. |
| 240 | ** ''VideoGame/SilentHillHomecoming'': Taking a page from ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'', Homecoming opt for a more action-oriented approach by giving the players melee combos, a dodge moves, a lock-on and the ability to use the guns manually and have him fight fully fleshed-out boss fights. Whether or not this approach worked or even belonged in a Silent Hill game in the first place has been hotly debated. There’s also controversy over the game borrowing elements from the 2006 movie, an adaptation who happen to be its own can of controversies. |
| 241 | ** ''VideoGame/SilentHillShatteredMemories'': This game was destined to be controversial from the moment it was marketed as a reimagining of one of the series sacred cows as it obviously raises questions regarding tone, plot and characterization, but the differences doesn’t stop there as the game doesn’t play like any other game in the series. Combat is entirely absent with the emphasis being solely put on puzzle and exploration and the Wii motion controls are in full use. Some people consider it one of the most unique and interesting entry in the series, others a betrayal of everything the series stood for and some a good game on its own but not a ''real'' Silent Hill. |
| 242 | ** ''VideoGame/SilentHillDownpour'': Downpour is a tricky one. From one side, you have fans who praise it for finding a balance between the action-oriented Homecoming and Shattered Memories lack of it, evolving the exploration aspect by turning the town of Silent Hill into an open-world with optional side-quests and featuring a plot that doesn’t try to ape the original trilogy like many of its predecessors were accused to. On the other hand, they are some who accuse the game plot structure and themes of being too derivative of 2 to really stand out, feel like the side content doesn’t add much to the experience and criticize it’s glaring technical issues as well as the loss of Akira Yamaoka as series composer. It’s either an underrated gem that got screwed over by the network or a series low point. |
| 243 | ** Even ''VideoGame/SilentHill3'' has been viewed as this [[DownplayedTrope to a lesser extent]], especially when compared to its predecessor ''VideoGame/SilentHill2''. Though many agree that it is a good entry overall, debate continues on whether it was a great idea to make a direct sequel to the first game with the Order returning and the cult being fleshed out, or a misstep for not continuing with the personal demons direction the second game established. |
| 244 | * In ''VideoGame/TheSims2'' fan circles, ''VideoGame/TheSims3'' is jokingly referred to as "TheDarkSide." While the game has its fair share of fans, many ''Sims 2'' players write it off completely. Reasons vary from being too attached to their ''Sims 2'' projects to not liking the way ''Sims 3'' sims look. ''VideoGame/TheSims4'' got even worse treatment, especially since the original release lacked basics like toddlers or pools, and went even further in the direction of "RPG-ish" "quest-based" gameplay which were part of the reason many ''Sims 2'' fans scorned the third installment. |
| 245 | * ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'': |
| 246 | %% VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog is a disambiguation page while Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog is the proper wick to use for the entire series; i.e. please stop reverting this change in subsequent edits. Thank you. |
| 247 | ** ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehogCD'' is somewhat obscure compared to the lauded Genesis/Mega Drive trilogy, but reaction has been surprisingly split. Fans of the game praise its lush, surreal graphics, high-quality soundtrack (a point of contention itself, as it varies between the EU/JP and US releases), introduction of series longstays Metal Sonic and Amy Rose, and the time-warp mechanic (adding variety and incentives to the game). Other players denounce the labyrinthine, offbeat level design (often featuring gimmicks and loosely-scripted sequences that send Sonic to a crashing halt), frustrating special stages (ambitious Mode 7 style fields with less-impressive depth perception), and time-warp mechanic (which is difficult to activate due to the choppy level design). It doesn't help that fans are equally split on whether ''Sonic CD'' or ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2 Sonic 2]]'' is the true sequel to ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog1 Sonic 1]]'', as they were developed concurrently -- ''Sonic 2'' in the US, ''Sonic CD'' in Japan. |
| 248 | ** ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure2''. The most general consensus is that this is still a good ''Sonic ''game, but one of the last ones of the era. Some liked the streamlined level-by-level progression as well as the longer, more linear levels, and the gameplay variety. Others preferred the overworld hub linking to each level and the shorter but more open levels of [[VideoGame/SonicAdventure the first game]], and the other playable characters being optional. |
| 249 | ** ''VideoGame/SonicHeroes''. A good (if not flawed) platformer with fun, (usually) fast-paced gameplay that features a novel and enjoyable emphasis on teamwork, [[ContinuityNod nice little nods to previous continuity]], and a feel hearkening back to the Genesis era that managed to be the last good game before [[AudienceAlienatingEra everything went downhill]]? Or a plodding, clunky platformer with [[ScrappyMechanic poorly implemented ideas and gimmicks]], [[MarathonLevel unbearably long stages]], FakeDifficulty, FakeLongevity, and an ExcusePlot that was [[LighterAndSofter a complete 180]] from the ''Adventure'' series' narrative- and character-driven drama which ''caused'' [[AudienceAlienatingEra everything to go downhill]]? [[ToughActToFollow Coming right after]] ''Adventure 2'' (as well as being the series' first new installment after Creator/{{Sega}} exited the console race and went MultiPlatform), bringing back Shadow after his presumed HeroicSacrifice, ''and'' directly setting up plot points for [[VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog Shadow's hotly contested spin-off]] only add more fuel to the fire. |
| 250 | ** ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4'': ''Episodes I and II''. While it's generally agreed that ''Sonic 4'' as a whole is a step back from its direct Mega Drive/Genesis predecessors, the contention comes from its individual episodes. Some people say ''Episode II'' is better than the first episode due to its [[ArtEvolution graphical overhaul]], more natural gameplay physics, [[TheBusCameBack the return of Tails]] to the gameplay with new co-op moves, and increased originality in levels, enemies, and bosses, compared to the first episode's [[{{Retraux}} massive recycling of past gameplay content]]. Other argue ''Episode II'' is worse than the first episode due to Tails [[ScrappyMechanic being required to progress through the levels]], the [[GameBreaker overpowered nature of the co-op moves]], tedious boss battles, and the general feeling that it failed to address many of the complaints pushed concerning ''Episode I''. While fans usually point towards ''Episode II'' as the lesser of two evils, critics seemed to think otherwise, as ''Episode II'' received a more mixed reaction compared to the mostly positive reception to ''Episode I''. The fact that ''Episode II'' came after the acclaimed ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'' didn't help its case. |
| 251 | ** In the ''VideoGame/SonicAdvanceTrilogy'', the third game gets this, with criticisms such as the level design not meshing well with the game's mechanics and the hubs being labyrinthe and unnecessary. The second game also gets this to a lesser extent for its greatly linear level design, [[AutoScrollingLevel auto-scrolling]] boss battles, and generally emphasizing a higher focus on speed more than the previous titles. |
| 252 | ** Once Creator/{{Dimps}} was relegated to producing handheld tie-ins to console games (''Colors'' on DS, ''Generations'' and ''Lost World'' on 3DS), opinion on their games became extremely mixed. Many fans deride the handheld versions as watered-down, content-bare cash-ins on the superior console games made by Sonic Team; others, including several outspoken critics, consider the handheld versions to be better than the console versions. Infamously, Jim Sterling gave ''VideoGame/SonicColors'' a 4.5 on Wii and an 8.5 on DS; to this day, Sega just won't let the matter die. Kotaku's review of ''VideoGame/SonicLostWorld'' was just as biased: it reviewed both the Wii U and 3DS games in one article, calling the 3DS version "the good one" and the Wii U version "the bad one" in the very first sentence. |
| 253 | ** ''VideoGame/SonicLostWorld'', coming right off the heels of the [[SurprisinglyImprovedSequel critically acclaimed]] ''VideoGame/SonicColors'' and ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations''. ''Lost World'' is Sega experimenting with yet another new style of gameplay, one which takes strong cues from later ''Mario'' games by slowing Sonic down, emphasizing precision platforming over fast setpieces, and introducing copious amounts of level-specific gimmicks. Fans are split whether despite the flawed execution, it was a step in the right direction as some felt the fast-paced, boosting gameplay of the aforementioned titles had run its course and needed to be scrapped, or that Sega are once again playing around with new styles instead of being consistent with one that worked. Notably, ''Lost World'' received more mixed reviews among the critics. However, like most Sonic games, ''Lost World'' became VindicatedByHistory years later thanks to notable improvements made to the game since, combined with its sequel, ''VideoGame/SonicForces'', receiving an even ''more'' mixed reception despite returning to the Boost gameplay of ''Colors'' and ''Generations''. |
| 254 | ** The 3DS version of ''Lost World'' is a pretty weird example; some players lambast it as one of the worst 3D Sonic games, filled with intrusive Wisp usage, lifeless gameplay, and absolutely tragic level design, while others praise it as one of the best 3D Sonics yet -- due to its Wisp usage, tighter controls, and level design. |
| 255 | * ''VideoGame/SoulSeries'': |
| 256 | ** For many fans, ''VideoGame/SoulcaliburV'' is this due to the poorly handled '''seventeen-year''' TimeSkip between it and the previous game -- this opportunity to start afresh with a slew of brand new characters and exciting older versions of established extras was instead squandered on either a) bringing the old regulars back with [[HandWave various flimsy Soul Edge magic-related excuses]] to explain why a lot of them hadn't changed or [[TheAgeless even aged at all]] in almost two decades, or b) worse, completely dropping them [[SequelNonEntity with little to no word on their fate or current whereabouts]] and replacing them with a younger SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute. And most of the cast wounded up OutOfFocus in the game's story anyway due to the rushed schedule the game was developed under. |
| 257 | ** While ''VideoGame/SoulcaliburVI'' is, for the most part, regarded as a welcome return to form, owning to the cast being (mostly) the same as the original ''Soulcalibur'', increased game speed, a larger movepool that was present in the older games, and more fluid animations, there are those that still have issues with the game, blaming the lack of single player content outside the two story modes, connectivity issues, the divisive Reversal Edge mechanic, and perceived bland stages (especially in comparison to, ironically enough, the previous entry). |
| 258 | * ''Franchise/{{Splatoon}}'': |
| 259 | ** ''VideoGame/Splatoon2'' is seen as being on par with [[VideoGame/Splatoon1 the first game]], if not [[EvenBetterSequel even better]], thanks to building and expanding on the first game with various massive improvements and additions such as its more polished graphics, more customization options, the addition of the long-requested playable Octolings, having just as creative and more balanced new stages/weapons/specials and gameplay changes that discourage [[LeeroyJenkins mindless one-man army attempts]], and the inventiveness of the "Octo Expansion" DLC single-player campaign. Due to this, debates within the community over whether ''Splatoon 2'' was a MissionPackSequel died down pretty quickly, but what ''would'' continue are debates over the quality of the "Hero Mode" single-player campaign. Those that liked it cite it directly building off the AudienceParticipation ending of ''Splatoon 1'', allowing the player to use a greater variety of weapons, and offering more worldbuilding (both in-game and via the ''Literature/SquidSistersStories'' supplemental material that explains what happened during the TimeSkip). Those that dislike it felt that the adventure was too much of a re-hash of the first game's Hero Mode (while also lacking fun bonuses like the Toys/{{amiibo}} challenges), that the story wasn't as deep as the supplemental material implied it would be, and weren't fond of the lack of Callie (as she wasn't present to speak to [[spoiler:after the FinalBoss fight]] until the Version 3.0 update). Furthermore, both sides agree that it was a waste that [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter none of the characters introduced in]] ''[[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter this]]'' [[TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodCharacter game were involved in the plot]] (the aforementioned "Octo Expansion" would address this complaint). There are also those who like ''Splatoon 1''[='=]s Hero Mode and characters more but like ''Splatoon 2'' more overall (and like "Octo Expansion" just as much as the first game's Hero Mode). |
| 260 | ** ''VideoGame/Splatoon3'', though not considered bad, is ''far'' more contentious than its predecessor. Defenders enjoy the new gameplay features like King Salmonids, Tricolor Turf War, and Big Runs; the base game featuring a much-improved single-player campaign; added bonus content, like lockers, Tableturf Battle, Splashtags and emotes, the locker room, the catalog system, Battle Replays, and the DLC adding the ability to revisit Inkopolis Square from [[VideoGame/Splatoon1 the first game]] to see how things have changed. Detractors point to the game generally feeling [[MissionPackSequel too similar]] to previous ''Splatoon'' games, especially ''2'', to justify releasing on the same console and that the bonus content leaves the game's main attraction -- its multiplayer -- with numerous issues; many of the stages feeling similar to each other, with the infamous "Tetrimino" layout running rampant; a number of the new features being poorly balanced or glitchy; numerous balance and connectivity problems that remain unaddressed from the previous game alongside newly introduced ones; a slower update cycle; ''Return of the Mammalians'' once again being too similar to previous single-player modes; handling a number of fan-favorite characters poorly (the most infamous cases besides Deep Cut are turning the mysterious [[spoiler:Mr. Grizz]] into a character that many felt was a rehash of [[spoiler:Commander Tartar from the Octo Expansion]], and relegating nearly all of Off the Hook's appearances to the paid DLC campaign ''Side Order''); still missing certain notable additions that its predecessors had such as a new Ranked Battle mode; and a general feeling of cut corners and lack of polish compared to the previous ''Splatoon'' games. |
| 261 | * There's some hot debate over whether or not ''VideoGame/SpyroYearOfTheDragon'' is an EvenBetterSequel to ''VideoGame/{{Spyro 2|RiptosRage}}'', or if it's [[{{Sequelitis}} the weakest installment]] that shows the original ''Franchise/{{Spyro|TheDragon}}'' trilogy isn't flawless. Pros often point to the more fleshed out Spyro parts, the pretty good boss battles, and the storyline being surprisingly deep and creepy when you really start thinking about it. Detractors point out how less than half the game is spent actually ''playing'' as Spyro, with the other half usually consisting of being bounced around other characters [[GameplayRoulette with greatly different playstyles]], with quite a few of them[[note]]Shelia, Bentley, and a few of Sgt. Byrd's missions being the prime offenders[[/note]] controlling rather awkwardly at times. |
| 262 | * The general fandom opinion towards ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsX'' is this from ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsV''. The addition of [[NintendoHard Expert Mode]] is generally a plus, for it answered the complaint of recent ''SRW'' titles are too easy, but the plot is considered too messy and lazy (as the writer tend to use "teleportations" to explain/solve everything). |
| 263 | * Each respective entry in the ''Franchise/StarFox'' series since ''[[VideoGame/StarFox64 64]]'' have dealt with this reaction. |
| 264 | ** ''VideoGame/StarFoxAdventures'', which is the OddballInTheSeries due to changing the gameplay from ShootEmUp to ActionAdventure, didn't please the fans of ''64''. Going by its own merits, though, the game is still quite divisive, being a ''Franchise/TheLegendOfZelda'' clone instead of a rail shooter. Critically speaking, the game actually did rather well, but it still gets demonized as the entry that marked the series' decline. |
| 265 | ** ''VideoGame/StarFoxAssault'' is well-liked by some series fans, who like the balance of Arwing and ground missions, the [[DarkerAndEdgier more serious tone]] of the story, the [[AwesomeMusic/StarFox amazing score]] and visual design, a completely new villain and storyline, and what is by most accounts the best multiplayer experience the series has ever provided. That said, others chide its short length, linearity, a relative lack of on-rails Arwing stages, the on-foot controls and being in general an easy game to beat, with some of the criticism stemming from the perception that the multiplayer aspect of the game was the bigger focus and therefore took away from the single player content. There are also those who don't like the more serious direction ''Assault'' took, equally happy to point out {{Narm}} moments and the lack of [[MemeticMutation meme-worthy]] lines. |
| 266 | ** ''VideoGame/StarFoxCommand'' returned the core gameplay to pure flying action as opposed to ''Assault'' (which was commonly criticized for having too much on-foot action compared to the Arwing sections), but most people didn't like it for a variety of reasons. While the lack of classic rail-stages is a valid complaint, fans also objected to everything else, including the innovative touch-screen controls (or the lack of a classic alternative). The story was also quite derided, probably because many of the MultipleEndings were rather baffling in nature, although there are people who found the idea a neat evolution of the series' usual branching paths. |
| 267 | ** ''VideoGame/StarFoxZero'' has it likely the worst out of any game in the series. Either it's a beautiful-looking and [[AwesomeMusic/StarFox sounding]] reimagining of ''64'' that pushes the Platform/WiiU's relatively aged hardware to its limits, with just enough original mechanics and vehicles to keep things fresh and an innovative, if often awkward, control scheme that shows the full potential of the [=GamePad=] in a way that few other Wii U games did, or a sloppy, disappointing regurgitation of the franchise's glory days with shoehorned new elements, where the most dangerous enemy is not Andross's army but the (to say the least) unorthodox controls that demand the player pay full attention to both the TV screen and the [=GamePad=] at the same time. There is almost no middle ground on the issue. |
| 268 | * ''VideoGame/StarTropics II'': Is it an EvenBetterSequel or a sequel that lacks the punch its predecessor had? Both games have their fans (and sometimes they like both games). However, some fans of the first don't like how in the sequel, it can be easy for Mike to get killed by monsters due to no MercyInvincibility. Another common complaint was the addition of time travel to the plot, most of which had nothing to do with the tropics. This angered some of the fans of the first game. It's still by no means a bad game or a bad sequel. The ending of ''[=StarTropics=] II'' is also divisive for seeming to directly contradict that of the original. [[spoiler:The Argonian children who'd established themselves on Earth were whisked back to their home planet by their king who's inexplicably alive despite Zoda supposedly killing him, even though the eight of them will seemingly be the ''only living things on Argonia''.]] |
| 269 | * ''Franchise/StreetFighter'': |
| 270 | ** The ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIII'' series is a big hot point among many fans, particularly "old-schoolers" who are more familiar with the ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' and ''[[VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha Alpha]]'' games, who claim that [[PunchParry parries]] (the ability to counter an attack without being stuck in block stun) kill the flow of the game, while its fans say that parries are what make the game great. The original version of ''Street Fighter III'' also received a lot of flak for [[PutOnABus jettisoning away]] the majority of the series' roster up to that point; the updates ''2nd Impact'' and ''3rd Strike'' tried to address this by adding back some of the original characters. |
| 271 | ** ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIV'' tried to find a middle ground; while parries are absent, the Focus mechanic allows something relatively similar in that you can absorb one hit (or, in special cases, two) and exploit the advantage; the game [[TheBusCameBack also restored many characters from the original roster]] that were absent in the previous title. The original arcade release focused on the 12 original World Warrior and boss characters (plus Akuma) with four new characters. The original home release, and then ''[[CapcomSequelStagnation Super]]'' [[CapcomSequelStagnation and]] ''[[CapcomSequelStagnation AE]]'' [[CapcomSequelStagnation editions]] added more characters from ''III'' and ''Alpha''. However, this brought ''new'' complaints, in that the hodgepodge of old gameplay elements and characters were accused of being shallow shells of their former incarnations, with little of what made them fun or interesting. |
| 272 | * ''VideoGame/SuikodenIII'' is praised by some for expanding the story by having five different viewpoint characters, one of whom is ''[[BigBad the villain]]'', but denounced by others for greatly altering the gameplay, in particular greatly reducing the scale of army battles and making them little different from regular party battles. Also controversial was that whereas the [[VideoGame/SuikodenI first]] [[VideoGame/SuikodenII two]] games were very closely linked and most of the returning characters in ''II'' had important roles, in ''III'' there were far fewer returning characters and most of them had minor roles. And one was a beloved character who made a FaceHeelTurn; fans are split on whether this was a brilliant twist or done purely for shock value. |
| 273 | * ''Franchise/SuperMarioBros'': |
| 274 | ** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBrosTheLostLevels'': You either like it because it offers a fresh new [[SequelDifficultySpike challenge]] and the addition of some new kinds of obstacles such as upside-down pipes and wind, or dislike it because [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks it's just a]] MissionPackSequel that's [[ItsHardSoItSucks too difficult]]. This extends to the meta sense -- Nintendo of America was unsure whether fans in America would approve of the game, so they [[DolledUpInstallment reskinned]] the Japan-only ''[[VideoGame/DokiDokiPanic Yume Kojo: Doki Doki Panic]]'' with Mario characters and released that as ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'', in turn another contested sequel because of its origins and the various differences in style and gameplay from the other games. Americans eventually got ''Lost Levels'' with ''Super Mario All-Stars'', while Japan got the American ''Super Mario Bros. 2'' as ''Super Mario USA'', but still to this day neither is exempt from this status. |
| 275 | ** If you ask any classic Mario fan which Mario game is the best, chances are they'll choose either ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3'' or its sequel ''VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld''. Fans of ''3'' cite the more plentiful power-ups, slightly smoother controls, higher number of levels (90 versus 73) and the addition of Airship levels (absent in ''World''). ''World'' fans prefer its smoother level of difficulty, longer levels, availability of secret exits and a fully featured World Map, addition of Ghost House levels, addition of a save system (at least until it was added to the ''VideoGame/SuperMarioAllStars'' version of ''3''), and the introduction of Yoshi. Most will admit to enjoying both, however. |
| 276 | ** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioSunshine'', with its very different direction from ''VideoGame/SuperMario64'', is certainly one of the most divisive titles in the series. Mario travels to a foreign resort island with only a few of the series' staple characters and enemies (Bloopers, Bob-Ombs, Pokeys and Boos)[[note]]variants of Cheep Cheep and Piranha Plant are present, including a King Mook of the latter in the form of Petey Piranha[[/note]] and levels revolve around cleaning up dynamically generated goop and exploration-based platforming with the help of a water cannon. Public opinion was rather mixed at the time of release. As time went on, in the wake of [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks criticism on games]] like the ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' series and ''VideoGame/SuperMario3DLand'', ''Sunshine'' has been mostly [[VindicatedByHistory vindicated]], and many fans long for its daring creativity. |
| 277 | ** ''VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy2''. Was it better than [[VideoGame/SuperMarioGalaxy the first]], or didn't live up to the excellence of the first due to the removal of story elements among other things? Its status as the first truly direct sequel in the 3D lineup also caused some minor division in the fanbase. |
| 278 | ** Opinions are divided on which of the ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros'' games is the best --although [[VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros1 the first game]] and ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBrosWii'' are generally favored due to their improvements and additions to the franchise and not significantly reusing content like the latter two games -- and whether or not that best entry can compare favorably to the old-school installments released during the 1985-95 era. ''VideoGame/NewSuperMarioBros2'' is generally seen as the weakest of the subseries, but even whether it's still a good game in itself or not is also debated. |
| 279 | ** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor''. The fanbase always fights over whether this one was superior to [[VideoGame/PaperMario64 the original]], or inferior. |
| 280 | ** The ditching of the standard RPG fighting mechanics made ''VideoGame/SuperPaperMario'' even more divisive. The story is [[EnjoyTheStorySkipTheGame generally well liked]], though. |
| 281 | ** ''[[VideoGame/PaperMarioColorSplash Color Splash]]'' itself continued the trend once it finally came out. On one side are those complaining about how it's taking too many pages out of ''Sticker Star''[='s=] book (the card-based battle system, few new characters, still too many Toads, etc.) and solving none of its problems; the other side believes that while it still has nothing on the first two games, it's definitely a good game in its own right that actually does address a lot of ''Sticker Star'''s problems, (having an improved battle system, better developed characters (including Bowser, who was silent in ''Sticker Star''), removing the GuideDangIt aspects, and far more clever writing) and is ''much'' better than ''Sticker Star''. |
| 282 | ** Some believe ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiDreamTeam'' is overloaded with tutorials, the story is bland and the antagonist is a GenericDoomsdayVillain. Others think the game is a worthy successor to ''[[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory Bowser's Inside Story]]'' with tight gameplay, an interesting story and a detailed new location, often pointing to many of the flaws as [[FranchiseOriginalSin showing up in earlier games]]. This is to say nothing of the twist [[spoiler:Bowser is the true BigBad, not the original villain]], which is either a clever twist or a sign the [=RPGs=] are [[spoiler:getting too reliant on having Bowser as the main villain]]. |
| 283 | ** ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPaperJam'' is lambasted in some circles for retaining some of the flaws of the much hated ''Sticker Star'' (an overabundance of Toad [=NPCs=], generic enemies and locations and having Bowser as the villain) plus not using ''Paper Mario'' elements not found in ''Sticker Star'' and using the same gameplay as past games with few changes. Others like the game for adding to the characterisation of previously flat characters, removing the emphasis of forced tutorials and streamlining the gameplay. |
| 284 | * ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'': |
| 285 | ** ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosBrawl'' greatly suffers from this in the communities of the previous games. |
| 286 | *** The {{nerf}}ing of ''many'' characters, the poor character balance, the extremely floaty physics, the slower-paced combat, the removal of many advanced techniques, and [[ScrappyMechanic the tripping mechanic]] made many think of this game as a step backward from both ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosMelee Melee]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros64 Smash 64]]''. However, many non-competitive players don't care about those changes (or even see some as improvements themselves), and enjoy the expanded roster, and the expanded modes. |
| 287 | *** The Adventure Mode, The Subspace Emissary, is contested enough to be considered almost separately. It's either the kind of thing players really, really wanted when they first played the original Adventure Mode from ''Melee'', making it a favorite mode, or it's overlong, overblown, and just plain subpar. Ironically enough, it was only when [[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU the next game]] dropped Adventure Mode completely [[VindicatedByHistory that the fanbase started uniting behind SSE]]. |
| 288 | ** ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU'': While both versions had the same roster, item list, and mechanics, they each got different stages, game modes, and extras, with the 3DS version focusing on handheld gaming history while the Wii U version highlighted consoles instead. The general consensus is that the 3DS version ended up with better content, since its stages were less frustrating, its Classic Mode was better implemented, Smash Run blew Smash Tour out of the water, [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking and its menus were laid out better]]; however, the Wii U version won out in terms of playability, with superior graphics and control options. |
| 289 | * ''VideoGame/SupremeCommander2'' removed the epic scale maps and unit options in return for intimate battles and more detail, making it easy for casual gamers to fight short battles. Combined with changes to the resource system and a graphical downgrade, this erased most things the fans of the first game liked. |
| 290 | * ''VideoGame/TalesSeries'': |
| 291 | ** ''VideoGame/TalesOfSymphoniaDawnOfTheNewWorld'': While not the first direct sequel to a ''Tales'' game, it is probably the most well-known, given that it continues the events of [[VideoGame/TalesOfSymphonia the game that made the series popular and well-known to Western audiences]]. Some people enjoyed new characters Emil and Marta, the {{deconstruction}} of what happens after the goals of the previous game were achieved, and seeing their old favorite characters come back to kick ass. Some ''other'' people hate it for Emil and Marta, the reuse of the first game's locations, the {{Mon}}s system, and [[SpotlightStealingSquad their old favorite characters not getting enough screen time]]. There is no middle ground. ''DOTNW'' also gets a lot of hate for the fact that the old characters stop gaining levels at certain point, much earlier than Emil and Marta, forcing you to always rely on Emil and Marta and the monsters you recruit. |
| 292 | ** ''VideoGame/TalesOfXillia2'': Following the [[MilestoneCelebration 15th anniversary title]] ''[[VideoGame/TalesOfXillia Xillia]]'', the sequel was loved and hated by fans on various aspects. ''Xillia'' had been [[ChristmasRushed rushed]] to meet the anniversary date, which resulted in the plot being rushed at the end and the game missing things, which included playing as [[FinalBoss Gaius and Muzét]], a [[HotSpringsEpisode Hot Springs Scene]] and similar. All of this was put into the sequel and while some fans loved to see it, others found that throwing out a sequel to add things which ''should'' have been in the first game was a poor excuse to throw the complaining fans a bone. ''Xillia 2'' also had a darker story, including having no perfectly happy ending, with the best being [[BittersweetEnding a bittersweet one]]; once again fans were torn between loving the darker atmosphere compared to the previous ''Tales'' games while others thought it [[TooBleakStoppedCaring too dark]]. While the ''Xillia'' cast still remained as your party and often had screentime, the fact that -- aside from Jude and Milla -- none of them played too big of a role in the plot was once again a split-point for fans. Happy to see their favorite characters, unhappy that majority of them were mostly there to fill up your party and do little else. |
| 293 | %%** With ''VideoGame/TalesOfBerseria'' seen as a much improved prequel to ''VideoGame/TalesOfZestiria'', many fans want to declare ''Zestiria'' as flat out [[FanonDiscontinuity Discontinuity]], while others feel that while ''Zestiria'' was not good ''Berseria'' makes up for the game's flaws and makes ''Zestiria'' at the very least bearable. |
| 294 | %%%%%%%%%%% |
| 295 | %%% The above needs to be rewritten to explain why it's disliked, and account for people who liked it. No, "some consider it canon discontinuity and some consider it not good but redeemed by its prequel" doesn't cover all bases. |
| 296 | %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% |
| 297 | * While ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' is extremely popular, many of the fans of the original ''VideoGame/TeamFortressClassic'' were ''not'' happy with the changes Creator/{{Valve}} decided to make to the formula for the sequel and have not accepted it as a successor to ''TFC'' in favor of the mod known as ''Fortress Forever'', which is more faithful to the original ''Team Fortress'' mod for ''VideoGame/HalfLife''. However, there are also fans of the original ''Team Fortress'' who prefer what Valve did in ''[=TF2=]'' instead and take it as the natural progression from ''TFC'' (helped slightly by nods from Valve themselves to ''TFC'' itself occurring in ''[=TF2=]'''s murky past). The ''Fortress Forever'' vs. ''[=TF2=]'' debate was also very contentious because ''Fortress Forever'' came out the week before ''[=TF2=]'' did, and it felt very much like deliberate counter programming; not only did the mod have quite a few issues when it launched, but some of the decisions made to further distance itself from ''[=TF2=]'' post-launch happened at the expense of gameplay balance. Ironically enough, by the time ''Fortress Forever'' had become a much more polished experience, it had (begrudgingly?) adopted some of the improvements ''[=TF2=]'' made to the core experience (this was all before ''[=TF2=]'' had turned into the different beast it is today). |
| 298 | * ''VideoGame/TetrisTheGrandMaster 3''. Some ''TGM'' fans view it as an improvement on ''[=TGM2=]'', raising the challenge through faster speeds and at the same time making the game more intuitive to play through a 3-piece preview, hold piece, and a fix for the problem involving trying to rotate an I piece into a hole one cell wide. Others see these features as [[ItsEasySoItSucks dumbing down TGM]] and the increase in speed as FakeDifficulty. |
| 299 | * ''VideoGame/ThiefDeadlyShadows'' was made after the demise of Looking Glass Studios and whether or not it lived up to it's predecessors is contentious. To some fans, it's a perfectly fine game that did justice to the atmosphere and lore of the first two games, brought Garrett story to a satisfying end and made some welcomed improvements along the ways. But others describe it as a step down due to the removal of rope arrows, smaller levels (due to the Xbox limitations) and feel like additions like the hub world, the faction system and the third person camera where poorly executed. |
| 300 | * ''VideoGame/ThunderForce V'' is divise compared to the beloved Genesis games and the [[{{Sequelitis}} poorly received]] ''Thunder Force VI''. Those who like it cite its excellent presentation (particularly the soundtrack), exciting boss battles and a surprisingly dramatic and elaborate (by shmup standard) storyline; those who don't lament the flat level design lacking in physical obstacles and unique level gimmicks, and the decision to design the entire game and its scoring system around the [[GameBreaker overpowered]] Free Range weapon, giving players no reason to use anything else in their arsenal. |
| 301 | * ''Franchise/TombRaider'' began running into rocks starting with ''VideoGame/TombRaiderAngelOfDarkness'', alternatively considered either the most ambitious, atmospheric game in the original series, or an unfinished glitchy mess of awful controls. ''VideoGame/TombRaiderLegend'' was a reboot of the series by a different developer, with as much changes as that implies. Let's just leave it to the BrokenBase whether this is the point where it [[GrowingTheBeard grew the beard]] or [[JumpingTheShark jumped the shark]]. This happened ''again'' when the series was [[VideoGame/TombRaider2013 rebooted in 2013]] and took on SurvivalHorror and ThirdPersonShooter elements, although if the 2013 game did one thing, it brought ''Tomb Raider'' back into the mainstream, full-time. But even then, there is a fair amount of debate amongst those who liked it on whether or not its two sequels, ''VideoGame/RiseOfTheTombRaider'' and ''VideoGame/ShadowOfTheTombRaider'', are worthy follow-ups or lazy retreads. |
| 302 | * It's agreed that the ''VideoGame/TonyHawksProSkater'' franchise [[SeasonalRot fell off a cliff]] at some point, but ''when'' exactly that happened is frequently debated, with a valid case being made for every game after ''Pro Skater 2'': |
| 303 | ** For the hardcore set of fans who view ''Pro Skater 3'' as the beginning of the series' decline, they cite the introduction of Reverts, which made landing jumps and maintaining combos much safer, and subsequently the game is a lot easier than its predecessors. |
| 304 | ** ''Pro Skater 4'' drops the two-minute time limit and experiments with being more open-ended, which depending on who you ask is either a fresh take on the formula or something that loses the strategy elements of the previous games with finding the best line through a level. |
| 305 | ** The two ''VideoGame/TonyHawksUnderground'' games remain popular, but have their detractors for abandoning the pure skateboarding focus of the franchise, as well as for its ''Series/{{Jackass}}''-inspired humor. There are plenty of fans, however, who enjoy that irreverent streak, and still think the skateboarding and open world gameplay remains fun. |
| 306 | ** ''American Wasteland'' is probably the game most commonly cited as the JumpingTheShark moment, but it does have fans who consider it a good continuation of the ''Underground'' games and appreciate it for toning down the divisive humor of them. |
| 307 | ** Finally, there is a set of fans who maintain that the series was enjoyable through to ''Project 8'' and ''Proving Grounds'', the last games developed by Neversoft. While the "Nail the Trick" gimmick remains unpopular, these two games still represent the last entries in the series that stayed true to the formula before the {{Waggle}}-infested ''RIDE'' games. |
| 308 | * Depending [[Administrivia/EditWar on what mood]] [[Website/{{Wikipedia}} The Other Wiki]] is in on a given week, ''[[VideoGame/VandalHearts Vandal Hearts II]]'' is either "vastly superior" or "vastly inferior" to the original ''Vandal Hearts''. If you bought the second game after playing through the first expecting more of the same (at least semi-)realistic looking characters, nasty-looking animated monsters, and floating backgrounds, as well as gore, character classes, intriguing narration and CGI cutscenes, you're definitely going to be disappointed to find that all the characters in the second game are now animeish, with tiny bodies, oversized heads and no mouths, the first monsters you encounter are now just cartoonish snakes, no cutscenes, and character classes are now based on equipment along with enemies that can dodge attacks. |
| 309 | * ''VideoGame/{{Wario}}'': |
| 310 | ** ''VideoGame/WarioLand3'' became one in the years following its release, primarily due to the {{Metroidvania}} style of its gameplay unlike the more linear style of ''VideoGame/WarioLandII'', the amount of backtracking and several {{Scrappy Mechanic}}s, particularly the Golf minigame. Some think the execution, pacing and progression are a downgrade from ''II'', while others still consider it an overall improvement over ''II'' and the best game in the series. |
| 311 | ** Though still considered a good game, ''VideoGame/WarioLand4'' is more divisive than the titles before it. This is mainly because it makes Wario able to be killed again, there are fewer transformations he can turn into, it makes every level a time-trial mission to escape before it explodes, it becomes mandatory to find every single treasure to beat the game, the level designs go back to the more linear ones of the first two games, and it is much shorter in length than the previous titles. |
| 312 | ** Every game since ''Wario Land 4'' is even more contested. Which one is the "true" sequel to the previous games? Well, you'll get a lot of different answers to that question, as each has different gameplay mechanics and game design. Do you prefer the 3D beat-em-up/platformer hybrid approach of ''VideoGame/WarioWorld'', the stylus-oriented gameplay of ''VideoGame/WarioMasterOfDisguise'', or the more return-to-form 2D platforming of ''VideoGame/WarioLandShakeIt''? As for whether any of them are even good games... That's pretty debated as well. ''Wario Land: Shake It!'' gets flak for being too much like ''Wario Land 4'' except with less new ideas in it, ''Wario World'' has a very mixed critical reception in general, and ''Wario: Master of Disguise'' is seen by quite a few fans and critics as [[{{Sequelitis}} just plain bad]]. You can see this by the Metacritic scores of each game: 88 for ''Wario Land 4'', 71 for ''Wario World'', 60 for ''Wario: Master of Disguise'', and 78 for ''Wario Land: Shake It!'' |
| 313 | ** ''VideoGame/WarioWareTouched'' is either a worthy installment that successfully [[TechDemoGame delivers on showing off the promises]] of the Platform/NintendoDS's new technologies or [[ToughActToFollow fails to live up]] to ''Twisted!'' with shallower and more repetitive microgame design. As ''Twisted'' was either [[SequelFirst released after]] ''Touched!'' or [[NoExportForYou not released at all]] outside Japan, one's opinion often hinges on which game they played first. |
| 314 | * ''VideoGame/TheWitcher2AssassinsOfKings''. Many consider it an EvenBetterSequel with top-tier production values, and an extensively player reactive, complex, mature, and adult storyline that elevates it above many games in its genre. Others, however, consider it something of a SophomoreSlump, with consolized design choices and a highly unbalanced combat system, and complain that it replaces much of what made [[VideoGame/TheWitcher the first game]] charming and unique with overly convoluted political intrigue that comes off more like a ''Series/GameOfThrones'' knockoff. |
| 315 | * ''VideoGame/YoshisIsland'': |
| 316 | ** ''VideoGame/YoshisIslandDS'' was fairly well-received critically bar the music, while fans either like it for its various additions to the gameplay (in the way of new characters/abilities, enemies, level features and additional minigames and Time Trial modes) that make it feel like a worthy successor to the [[VideoGame/SuperMarioWorld2YoshisIsland the original game]] or hate it for its huge SequelDifficultySpike and [[ScrappyMechanic certain unintuitive changes]] in comparison to the original. |
| 317 | ** ''VideoGame/YoshisNewIsland'' is the the most divisive entry in the franchise for being too similar to the original, its aesthetic, its music, having none of the things ''DS'' introduced, and caused controversy among fans of the original because of the complete retcon of the first game's ending. There are also mixed opinions over how it was developed by Arzest (who is comprised of the same staff who made ''Yoshi's Island DS''). |
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