Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Main / SurprisinglyImprovedSequel

Go To

1%% Image chosen via crowner in the Image Suggestions thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/crowner.php/ImagePickin/ImageSuggestions140
2%% https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1452266899092104700
3%% Please do not replace or remove without starting a new thread.
4%%
5[[quoteright:350:[[Website/RottenTomatoes https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/surprisinglyimprovedsequel2.png]]]]
6[[caption-width-right:350:[[Film/{{Ouija}} Talk about]] a [[Film/OuijaOriginOfEvil glow-up]].]]
7
8-> ''"Y'know, I want to write and direct the third installment of this franchise and make it the best thing anyone has ever seen, just so I can force critics to say "My God, you have to see ''Baby Geniuses 3''!"''
9-->-- '''Ash''', ''The Shitty Movie Night Podcast'' (talking about ''[[Film/BabyGeniuses Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2]]'')
10
11So you've read a book, watched a movie, or played a video game, and you're underwhelmed. Maybe the story was clichéd and unoriginal, or it was difficult to follow. The characters were little more than a handful of personality traits. If it was a video game, the gameplay maybe had some good ideas, but they were handled poorly and the effort was wasted.
12
13The book, film, or game may even have been pretty good. It's just that after reading it, you try out the {{Sequel}} and you're completely blown away. It's much better. The story is more original, the pacing was fixed, the characters who seemed so flat before are now more fleshed out and interesting in their own right. If it's a video game, the gameplay has been much improved and everything comes together more tightly. You weren't expecting the next product to be this good, but it seems the creator(s) did indeed learn from their mistakes. You're rightly impressed.
14
15There are several reasons for the surprisingly good sequel: Franchises with more regular production cycles can help studios retain talent and acquire financial backing more easily. It can also allow the production team more time to hone the stylistic aspects of their works. In fact, many authors and directors claim that some of their first work in a series was a near miss and they didn't really hit stride until the sequel. Franchises which plan things beforehand are particularly able to take advantage of this because they're less likely to get caught in in the sort of death spiral an open ended series can fall into.
16
17Note [[Administrivia/TropesAreFlexible this can still apply]] if the original is utterly terrible and the follow-up is merely SoOkayItsAverage -- the improvement is still very much there, even if the end result isn't as notable.
18
19The opposite of {{Sequelitis}} in many cases, though sometimes a great sequel can produce a bad third or fourth installment, which would make it the opposite of SophomoreSlump. One rule espoused by some fans of comic-book style movies is that the sequels will have a chance to be better films overall, due to not having to get the origin out of the way.
20
21GrowingTheBeard is similar, but it deals with a television series that becomes remarkably better once it finds its stride.
22
23See also MorePopularSpinoff, SequelDisplacement and RemadeAndImproved.
24
25''This is about the sequels to products that either sucked or were just average to begin with, but somehow magically improved a lot in the next installment. This is not about products that were already very good but got better. If the original was excellent to begin with rather than mediocre, then it's an EvenBetterSequel. Naturally, examples will be subjective.''
26
27
28'''A Administrivia/{{No Recent Examples|please}} rule applies to this trope'''. Examples shouldn't be added until '''six months''' after the sequel is released, to avoid any knee-jerk reactions.
29----
30!!Examples:
31%%Please sort examples alphabetically by subject. Thank you.
32
33[[foldercontrol]]
34
35[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
36* ''Manga/BirdyTheMighty: Decode'' is widely regarded as a vast improvement over the original four-episode OVA.
37* The first entry in Creator/{{Nitroplus}}'s science adventure series, ''VisualNovel/ChaosHead'', was not terribly well-regarded, especially in anime form. Both the ''VisualNovel/SteinsGate'' visual novel and anime, on the other hand, are regarded as high-tier science fiction.
38* ''Anime/GoPrincessPrettyCure'' has been this for the post-''Anime/HeartcatchPrettyCure'' era of ''Anime/PrettyCure'' series in terms of story, ratings and sales as all three have been consistently better than its two predecessors, ''Anime/DokiDokiPrecure'' and ''Anime/HappinessChargePrettyCure'', the former being accused of focusing too much on its lead while the latter suffered from a RomanticPlotTumor.
39* ''Anime/GundamBuildDiversReRise'' is the sequel to ''Anime/GundamBuildDivers'', the latter which was considered [[SoOkayItsAverage neither amazing nor outright horrible]]. ''Re:Rise'' brings in not just CharacterDevelopment for Hiroto and his team, but also cranks ups the stakes, tone and more to new heights, while also addressing some issues left unanswered by its predecessor.
40* ''Anime/HighlanderTheSearchForVengeance'' is widely considered to be the best thing related to the ''Franchise/{{Highlander}}'' franchise released since ''Series/HighlanderTheSeries'', following a very poorly received spinoff of said series (''[[Series/HighlanderTheRaven Highlander: The Raven]]''), [[Film/HighlanderEndgame a very poorly received film]], and [[WesternAnimation/HighlanderTheAnimatedSeries and a poorly-received Western animated series]].
41* ''Anime/Jewelpet2009'' was regarded as a SoOkayItsAverage little girls' anime. ''Anime/JewelpetTwinkle'', the 2nd season, was praised for its likable characters and interesting (and [[WhatDoYouMeanItsForKids surprisingly dark]]) plot.
42* ''Anime/DragonBallSuper'' while still very popular having revived the series after decades of being dormant nevertheless caused a massive BrokenBase and was frequently criticised for lesser quality animation, hit-and-miss humour, {{Flanderization}} of characters’ worst traits (especially Goku and Chi-Chi), underutilisation of a lot of the cast and regurgitation of well-trodden ideas like TimeTravel and [[TournamentArc Tournament Arcs]]. ''Super'''s two follow up films ''Anime/DragonBallSuperBroly'' and ''Anime/DragonBallSuperSuperHero'' are much more unanimous positively received thanks to vastly superior animation and fights (especially in ''Broly''), better characterisation, funnier jokes, more stakes and in ''Super Hero''’s case genuinely giving characters other than Goku and Vegeta a chance to shine. This also applies to ''Anime/DragonBallZResurrectionF'' which is oft-considered one of the weakest films with ''Broly'' and ''Super Hero'' being a top to bottom improvement.
43* ''Anime/MDGeist'' was a mediocre OVA from TheEighties given popularity in UsefulNotes/NorthAmerica due to a widespread advertisement campaign by [[Creator/CentralParkMedia those who licensed it]]. This popularity managed to sway the director of the OVA to make a sequel after ten years; those ten years of experience are very evident.
44* ''Anime/PokemonTheSeries'':
45** The movies are usually seen as shallow MerchandiseDriven children's movies, and although the first two movies have their fans, they didn't fare well at all with critics (though this may be due in large part to Creator/FourKidsEntertainment's [[{{Macekre}} adult-alienating English dubs]]; the Japanese are considered a lot better, with the first movie in particular being well-received in its homeland). ''Anime/Pokemon3'', however, is dark, more personal, better animated, and spends a lot of time developing its antagonist, who goes in far more of a WoobieDestroyerOfWorlds direction than the previous fairly bland villains. Among the subsequent sequels, ''Anime/PokemonHeroes'', ''Anime/PokemonLucarioAndTheMysteryOfMew'', ''Anime/PokemonZoroarkMasterOfIllusions'' and ''Anime/PokemonKyuremVSTheSwordOfJustice'' are fan-favorites for their good plot and character development.
46** ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesXY'' is considered by many fans [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff in the West]] to be amongst the best yet, while the preceding ''Anime/PokemonTheSeriesBlackAndWhite'' isn’t held in as high regard. Ironically, the reverse opinion is held in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} among the general viewership, with ''XY'' suffering an even worse decline in ratings than ''Best Wishes'' did.
47* ''Anime/TransformersEnergon'' is commonly regarded as one of the worst series in the franchise for its lazy plot, flat characters whose development is continuously nullified, amateurish CGI work and a horrendous American version with a [[TranslationTrainWreck nonsensical script]] and enormous plot holes. ''Anime/TransformersCybertron'' is mostly seen as SoOkayItsAverage, but it's an improvement in all areas: the characters are more memorable, the CGI's much more polished (if still not stellar), the story has pacing problems but at least doesn't run out of steam halfway through, and the dub had a lot of effort put into it. And it's ''fun''.[[note]]''Cybertron'' was originally released as a sequel to ''Energon'' only outside of UsefulNotes/{{Japan}}, although it was actually conceptualized as such even there. However, Japanese fiction has later abandoned this idea and now regards ''Cybertron'' as a real sequel to ''Energon''.[[/note]]
48* ''Anime/TransformersHeadmasters'' was usually regarded as a complete slog - despite being a much-prized G1 continuation, it suffered from terribly bland characters, a repetitive structure, and the pacing of a drugged tortoise. It was followed by ''Anime/TransformersSuperGodMasterforce'', which was much better-crafted and more ambitious, but suffered from a barely coherent narrative and being a HenshinHero series with few actual Transformers. The third in the series, though, is ''Anime/TransformersVictory'', which struck a balance between the craft of ''Masterforce'' and the approachability of ''Headmasters'', resulting in a decently-paced and entertaining romp with beautiful animation and a likable cast, laying a lot of the groundwork for the ''Anime/BraveSeries'' in the process. It seems third time's the charm.
49* Apparently, ''Anime/Stratos4'' falls under this trope, what with ''Advance'' having a better, more sensible plot that the [[MindScrew original]].
50* ''Literature/VampireHunterD'' was basically another cheesy 80's {{Gorn}}tasic OVA/movie with a terrible dub. ''Vampire Hunter D: Bloodlust'', on the other hand, is far more serious, the story and aesthetics are much improved, and the art and animation are vastly better.
51* The first season of the ''VideoGame/UmaMusume'' anime, made while the game was deep in DevelopmentHell, was widely seen as a SoOkayItsAverage mobile game advertisement, with most criticism focused on its [[VanillaProtagonist bland protagonists]] and story that [[IndecisiveParody couldn't seem to figure out if it was a goofy parody]] of [[GamingAndSportsAnimeAndManga sports anime]] or a silly but straight example of the same. The second season, released after the game, aligned itself firmly with the latter tone by getting rid of most of the tongue-in-cheek elements, resulting in many reviewers praising the depth that the characters and dramatic arcs gained.
52* ''Anime/{{Wz}}'' is the sequel to ''Anime/HandShakers'', an anime largely considered one of the worst ever made and is even downright unwatchable in some cases (the CGI-heavy shots and wild camera movements have been reported to give some viewers motion sickness and headaches), but it managed to clear the very low bar set by it. While it still suffers from many of the same mistakes its predecessor also committed, the fact that it reined in the crazy camera movements and the technology behind its production to make itself watchable was a surprise improvement to viewers.
53[[/folder]]
54
55[[folder:Comic Books]]
56* The comics based on ''Franchise/AvatarTheLastAirbender''. Beginning with the SoOkayItsAverage ''The Promise'', the subsequent volumes are each generally regarded as improvements on the arcs which preceded them, up through ''North and South'', the author's final story before departing the series.
57* Similarly, ''ComicBook/VenomDonnyCates'' follows up Mike Costa's run, generally considered to be SoOkayItsAverage, and also uses Eddie Brock rather than Flash Thompson, who had only recently died. Not only that, but it was also worried the series would be too much of a tie-in to the [[Film/Venom2018 film]]. Instead, the run so far is considered one of, if not ''the'' best Venom series (to the point that it is joked that this run is better than DC's ''ComicBook/{{Watchmen}}'').
58* ''ComicBook/SecretWars2015'' is generally considered this. The original ''ComicBook/SecretWars1984'' though iconic and full of great moments is still largely an excuse for a load of Marvel heroes and villains to fight and in a greater sense to sell toys. ''ComicBook/SecretWarsII'' is only really known for characterising the Beyonder and giving him a human form (a guy with a mullet in a white suit). The 2015 ''Secret Wars'' has vastly improved writing and is a big WinBackTheCrowd particularly for ComicBook/TheFantasticFour and undos Doctor Doom’s years of VillainDecay.
59* ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse: Creator/CarlBarks created Scrooge [=McDuck=] and introduced the character in ''Christmas on Bear Mountain'' (December 1947). But this version of Scrooge was little more than a geriatric misanthrope who wanted to play a cruel joke on his nephews, and the story was a Christmas comedy with plenty of misunderstandings between the characters involved. When Barks decided to turn Scrooge into a recurring character, he wrote the sequel story ''The Old Castle's Secret'' (June 1948) with Scrooge in a co-protagonist role. It was a horror-mystery story set in Scrooge's ancestral castle in Scotland. It featured a redesigned Scrooge who was healthier, more physically fit, and carried a handgun. He was also a bit smarter and braver than the previous depiction on him. The story was considered far more memorable than ''Christmas on Bear Mountain'', and established Scrooge as an interesting character in his own right. By 1952, Scrooge was popular enough to get his own comic book series from Dell Comics. Several Disney writers have since written sequels and prequels to ''The Old Castle's Secret'', while few have bothered with revisiting plot points from ''Christmas on Bear Mountain''.
60* ''ComicBook/TheImmortalHulk'' is very much considered this compared to the previous big ''ComicBook/PlanetHulk'' and ''ComicBook/WorldWarHulk'' storylines. While both sagas are popular and full of grand scale action and drama, Creator/AlEwing’s run managed to blow them out of the water being one of the most popular Marvel, let alone Hulk runs in decades. Rather than just focusing {{spectacle}} of Hulk’s life and strength with him smashing enemies while generally ignoring/downplaying Banner all together like the ''Planet'' and ''World War'' storylines do, ''Immortal Hulk'' does some excellent RevisitingTheRoots of Hulk’s original billing as a TerrorHero while also upending the usual Marvel conventions allowing for a greater character study of both Bruce and the Hulk as individual — yet distinct character. And it gives Hulk’s supporting just as much attention and care rather than as an afterthought like alot of previous storylines often treated them. Such was the success of Ewing’s run, a good amount of fans weren’t pleased that Donny Cates’s Hulk run just went back to lower-brow power battles Hulk is known for.
61* ''ComicBook/GodzillaKingdomOfMonsters'' was criticized during its publication for its [[DecompressedComic slow pacing]], unpleasant artwork, overly cynical tone, lack of focus or momentum, shallow and mean-spirited social commentary, and excessive pop culture references that became dated within months. Its sequels, ''ComicBook/GodzillaOngoing'' and ''ComicBook/GodzillaRulersOfEarth'' surprised fans by fixing all the problems present in the first series, and most readers now skip ''Kingdom'' entirely due to how little it contributes to the overall storyline.
62* Creator/FrankMiller's 1986 title ''ComicBook/BatmanTheDarkKnightReturns'' is by all means a classic, being a watershed work for both ''ComicBook/{{Batman}}'' stories and the superhero comic industry as a whole, but the 2001-02 sequel, ''ComicBook/TheDarkKnightStrikesAgain'', was a heavily polarizing mess, with widespread criticism towards the rushed, highly inconsistent artwork and its convoluted, borderline nonsensical plot, featuring a bizarrely cavalier depiction of the titular character. Fortunately, the following 2015-17 installment, ''ComicBook/DarkKnightIIITheMasterRace'', while nowhere near the monolithic heights of ''Returns'', is considered a solid improvement, reviving the subtle moodiness of Miller's artwork (he's no longer the sole penciller, but the art team does a damn fine impression), featuring a much more comprehensible plot, and [[CharacterRerailment restoring the characterization of its heroes back to familiar, beloved ground]].
63* ''ComicBook/TheNew52'' is generally regarded as a well-meaning but ultimately failed attempt to revamp Franchise/TheDCU. The initiative was plagued by [[WritingByTheSeatOfYourPants poor planning]], [[TooBleakStoppedCaring ill-conceived attempts]] to be DarkerAndEdgier, and a general sense of being [[LostInMediasRes directionless]]. Sales plummeted. Than ''ComicBook/DCRebirth'' happened. Not only did nearly every book that suffered under ''The New 52'' recover spectacularly, but sales skyrocketed and many feel that ''Rebirth'' has brought Creator/{{DC|Comics}} into a new golden age. However, it was replaced in 2018 by ''ComicBook/DCUniverse'', which depending on who you ask, either keeps it up or trips and falls into {{Sequelitis}}.
64* Volumes 1 and 2 of ''ComicBook/UncannyAvengers'' suffered from controversy and uneven writing. The third volume saw a change in the creative team and managed to fix nearly every problem people had with the first two.
65* Many ''ComicBook/{{Venom}}'' comics are criticised for being everything wrong with TheNineties, with a thoroughly unlikable protagonist steeped in edginess, with directionless plots. The 2011 series, starring Flash Thompson as ''Venom'', is the first to be critically ''and'' commercially successful, and is praised for its mature writing and depiction of Thompson as a complex veteran and alcoholic, with an addiction to his role as Venom.
66* ''ComicBook/XMen'':
67** Rick Remender's ''ComicBook/UncannyXForce'' run is this to every ''X-Force'' run before it. Previous runs (with the exception of Peter Milligan's, which was deliberately InNameOnly) tend to be criticized as poor attempts to be [[DarkerAndEdgier edgy]] and relevant, often seen as embodiments of everything wrong with MediaNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks. In contrast, Remender's run is praised for its intelligent writing and {{Deconstruction}} of the NinetiesAntiHero concept. It's now regarded not just as the best ''X-Force'' comic, but as one of the greatest ''X-Men'' comics ever.
68** ''ComicBook/XMen2019'' aka ''ComicBook/XMenTheKrakoanAge'' is this for not only ''ComicBook/AllNewXMen'' but the last few decades of X-Men comics as well. After an inordinate amount of WritingByTheSeatOfYourPants, TooBleakStoppedCaring, LostInMediasRes and the ResetButton getting smashed constantly by StatusQuoIsGod. Jonathan Hickman decided to flip the script entirely and bring every single mutant together under one roof and delve into what that means for the universe and the Children of the Atom — with the result that the X-Men are now top sellers again having been more popular than they have been in decades.
69[[/folder]]
70
71[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
72* ''WesternAnimation/TheAngryBirdsMovie'' is more divisive than straight-up bad, ranking at a Rotten 43% on Website/RottenTomatoes (though as far as video game movies go, [[VideoGameMoviesSuck that might as well be a compliment]]). The [[WesternAnimation/TheAngryBirdsMovie2 2019 sequel]], on the other hand, is widely considered an improvement over the former thanks to improving the relationship between the pigs and the birds and generally improved humor. Its Fresh 73% Tomatometer rating currently makes the sequel the most critically successful video game movie in film history.
73* ''WesternAnimation/Cars1'' isn't considered a bad film per se, but some people still view it as Creator/{{Pixar}}'s weakest film due to its [[ClicheStorm rather generic story]] and becoming somewhat of a CashCowFranchise. Then came ''WesternAnimation/Cars2'', which served as a sore spot in Pixar's filmography due to how much it detracted from the original, and ended up becoming their lowest-rated film to date.[[note]]Admittedly, reviews were more mixed than outright negative, but no Pixar film had ever received a film rating as low as 39%.[[/note]] In noticeable contrast to the two previous films, ''WesternAnimation/Cars3'' got a much better reception for returning to the original aspects of the first film, having a more original story, and focusing heavily on CharacterDevelopment. Some even went as far as to say it's [[EvenBetterSequel better than the original]].
74* ''WesternAnimation/CinderellaIIDreamsComeTrue'' consists merely of three blandly written, poorly animated episodes of an unaired ''WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}}'' TV show. ''WesternAnimation/CinderellaIIIATwistInTime'' boasts a more exciting storyline and animation that sometimes looks as good as that of the first movie, and even makes Cinderella and Prince Charming [[TookALevelInBadass take a level in badass]] so they would [[EarnYourHappyEnding earn their happy ending]] instead of make animals and servants do all the hard work.
75* ''WesternAnimation/MinionsTheRiseOfGru'' had better reviews than both ''WesternAnimation/{{Minions}}'' and ''WesternAnimation/DespicableMe3'', by focusing more on Gru as opposed to an overreliance on the Minions themselves, and toning down the ToiletHumour.
76* While ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyANewGeneration'' didn't receive many professional reviews due to its low-profile Creator/{{Netflix}} launch, those it did get were generally much stronger than those of ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyTheMovie2017'', highlighting a stronger narrative, improved pacing, better focus on character, higher-quality animation and comparative friendliness to those outside the fanbase. ''A New Generation'' also boasts higher audience scores than the 2017 film on both Website/RottenTomatoes and Website/{{IMDb}}.
77* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirls1'' was extremely polarizing when it was released, both among its target demographic and [[PeripheryDemographic the bronies]], due to its rather bland HighSchoolAU story and uninteresting AcademicAlphaBitch villain. The sequel film, ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsRainbowRocks'', is considered superior in every way, especially in terms of the soundtrack and how its plot managed to transform said AcademicAlphaBitch, one of the franchise's weakest villains, [[RescuedFromTheScrappyHeap into a lovable, sympathetic protagonist]].
78* The first ''WesternAnimation/NormOfTheNorth'' film was critically ravaged (with the first film briefly getting a '''''[[MedalOfDishonor 0%]]''''' critic rating on Website/RottenTomatoes before getting bumped up to a marginally less pathetic 6%) and the sequel, ''Keys to the Kingdom'', was considered even ''worse'' for their over-reliance on ToiletHumor, [[NoFlowInCGI poor animation]], and for the lemmings, who are viewed as [[FollowTheLeader obnoxious rip-offs of]] [[Franchise/DespicableMe the Minions]] (who are divisive characters to begin with). ''King-Sized Adventure'', while still bad, has a better audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes (33%, as opposed to the first and second films respectively earning 22% and 20%)[[note]]The second and third films do not have critic ratings on Rotten Tomatoes[[/note]] and was given a slightly less negative review by WebVideo/MediaHunter.
79* ''WesternAnimation/TheNutJob'' was torn apart by critics, with chief complaints being that [[TooBleakStoppedCaring there was nobody to root for]], since the heroes were all either {{Jerkass}}es or idiots. [[WesternAnimation/TheNutJob2NuttyByNature The second film]], while not considered much better, got a slightly less vitriolic reaction for being less cynical, making the heroes more likable, and improving the comedy. Ironically, it ended up becoming a BoxOfficeBomb, despite the first film performing reasonably well.
80* ''WesternAnimation/{{Planes}}''. The original has a 25% on Website/RottenTomatoes, and was generally lambasted as a worse, more obviously MerchandiseDriven ClicheStorm than ''Franchise/{{Cars}}''. The sequel ''WesternAnimation/PlanesFireAndRescue'' got a 44% on Rotten Tomatoes and is generally considered much better - more interesting plot and characters, good music, etc.
81* ''WesternAnimation/ShrekTheThird'', while not seen as ''terrible'', is nonetheless regarded as one of the ogre's [[{{Sequelitis}} weaker outings]] and got a Rotten 41% on Website/RottenTomatoes. This was because of the perceived over-reliance on pop-culture references, Shrek going through BadassDecay, and [[ToughActToFollow just not being as clever as its critically-acclaimed predecessors]]. ''WesternAnimation/ShrekForeverAfter'', while not without its detractors and also still seen as somewhat paling in comparision to the first two films, is generally seen as an improvement due to a better-received villain in [[EvilIsCool Rumplestiltskin]], making a genuine attempt at doing something new with the franchise, and ContinuityPorn.
82* ''WesternAnimation/SmurfsTheLostVillage'' isn't considered a ''great'' movie or anything, but its TruerToTheText approach means it's viewed as a far better attempt to translate the little blue people to the big screen than the two [[Film/TheSmurfs live-action movies]] and their [[TotallyRadical rather sad and stale]] efforts to update the franchise for a new audience.
83* ''WesternAnimation/{{Trolls}}'' is more of a divisive film rather than a straight-up bad one, with detractors pointing to the soundtrack consisting of modern pop music, the emphasis on [[SweetnessAversion overly cutesy imagery]], stupid amount of celebrity voices and having a somewhat [[ClicheStorm generic story]] as the film's biggest weaknesses. The 2020 sequel, ''WesternAnimation/TrollsWorldTour'', is unanimously considered a better film due to focusing heavily on world exploration, having a solid message regarding cultural appropriation, more genres of music, and the cutesy tone being dialed back to an extent. Also helped by the fact that their online revenue surpassed its own budget within 3 weeks, when it took the first film 5 months.
84[[/folder]]
85
86[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
87* The ''Film/{{Annabelle}}'' series has always been considered the weaker half of Film/TheConjuringUniverse, with [[Film/{{Annabelle}} the first film]] not being well-received by both critics and the audience. However, its sequel, ''Film/AnnabelleCreation'', while still not reaching up to ''Film/TheConjuring'' level, is considered a better movie.
88* The ''Film/{{Apocalypse}}'' franchise is largely known for its piggybacking off the success of its creators' previous series ''Film/{{Left Behind|2000}}''. While the first film is basically a rip-off of those, the three sequels' focus on supernatural elements (and C-list talents' performances) make them rather entertaining.
89* ''Film/BadBoysForLife'' puts more focus on the characters given [[SequelGap after 17 years]] [[CharacterAgedWithTheActor the actors are now playing 50-something cops]], and has a less frantic approach than its predecessor, and was very well-received as a result - it even outscored the other two on Website/RottenTomatoes!
90* ''Bloody Murder 2: Closing Camp'' was seen as a vast improvement over the original, not that that's very surprising, since the original was Godawful.
91* ''Film/TheBoogeyman1980'' sequels are generally viewed as a step up from the entirely mediocre original.
92* ''Franchise/ChildsPlay'':
93** ''Film/BrideOfChucky'' is viewed as a much better film than the two previous films, with its HorrorComedy approach being highlighted.
94** ''Film/CurseOfChucky'' managed to successfully bring the series back to horror after the overly silly ''Film/SeedOfChucky''.
95* ''Film/{{Bumblebee}}'' received stronger critical reviews than every other film in the ''[[Film/TransformersFilmSeries Transformers]]'' film franchise by a wide margin - in fact, it's better reviewed than the last four ''put together''. This was especially impressive coming off of ''Film/TransformersTheLastKnight'', which was seen as [[{{Sequelitis}} exceptionally bad even by prior standards]], and given that it had a budget of less than half of its predecessor.
96* The original ''Film/DungeonsAndDragons2000'' adaptation was mind-bogglingly awful (albeit hilariously so). The sequel, ''Film/DungeonsAndDragonsWrathOfTheDragonGod'' was more faithful to the source material and is generally considered SoOkayItsAverage. The reboot film ''Film/DungeonsAndDragonsHonorAmongThieves'' on the other hand was a box-office smash and massively critical acclaimed (91% on Rotten Tomatoes) for being TruerToTheText and having good humour and heart.
97* The ''Franchise/DCExtendedUniverse'' has seen its up and downs, though people agree that for every time the series tumbles, it comes back stronger than before.
98** After the lukewarm ''Film/ManOfSteel'' and the critically trashed ''Film/BatmanVSupermanDawnOfJustice'' and ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'', ''Film/WonderWoman2017'' was welcomed as a breath of fresh air, being regarded as a far superior movie than any of its predecessors. On Website/RottenTomatoes, it is the first in the franchise to attain a Fresh rating.
99** ''Film/JusticeLeague2017'' is a ContestedSequel and seen as a letdown after the awesomeness that is ''Wonder Woman''. It's also a bomb domestically, only barely making even by factoring overseas gross, putting doubt on the franchise' ability to continue. Then came ''Film/Aquaman2018'', which was able to WinBackTheCrowd massively; while not exactly a critical darling, everyone agreed that it improved on ''Justice League''. The biggest news, however, was it becoming the highest-grossing film in the franchise, thanks to [[GermansLoveDavidHasselhoff a very strong performance in China]].
100** ''Film/ZackSnydersJusticeLeague'' shockingly became the Creator/ZackSnyder film with the best reviews and audience scores in the whole setting (especially compared to ''Batman v Superman'') in addition to being now considered the superior ''Justice League'' film.
101** ''Film/SuicideSquad2016'' offers two cases, which instead of the tonal clash caused by ExecutiveMeddling went all-in to a whimsical approach and thus were better received for it, first Harley Quinn's next outing, ''Film/BirdsOfPrey2020'', and then the [[SoftReboot not-quite-sequel]] ''Film/TheSuicideSquad''.
102* ''Film/EscapeFromThePlanetOfTheApes'' had the issue of continuing from a ''massive'' DownerEnding of the divisive and at times reviled ''Film/BeneathThePlanetOfTheApes'' [[TorchTheFranchiseAndRun that seemed like a narrative dead end]]. Thus it took a different route, sending talking apes to the human world instead of the other way around, and also took a more character-driven approach which led to it being considered the best of the original four sequels.
103* ''Film/TheEvilDead1981'', while absolutely being a fairly decent no-budget horror movie, is vastly superceded by the all-time classic ''Film/EvilDead2''. There was certainly no lack of talent in the original, but having 10 times the budget for the sequel definitely shows.
104* ''Film/TheExorcist'' is considered a classic horror film, its sequel ''Film/ExorcistIITheHeretic'' is considered a classic example of {{Sequelitis}}. ''Film/TheExorcistIII'', while not as good as the first, is definitely agreed to be much better than its immediate predecessor. This can be seen in the Website/RottenTomatoes score with the first getting a Certifed Fresh 83%, the second a really low 10% and the third a barely Rotten 59%.
105* After ''Film/FantasticBeastsTheCrimesOfGrindelwald'' was deemed a downgrade, critics were more acceptive of ''Film/FantasticBeastsTheSecretsOfDumbledore'', praising the more streamlined script and Creator/MadsMikkelsen taking over as Grindelwald.
106* ''Franchise/TheFastAndTheFurious'' starts out in typical {{Sequelitis}} fashion. [[Film/TheFastAndTheFurious2001 The first one]] wasn't particularly well received, and the following entries got progressively disdainful critical receptions (54 -> 36 -> 38 -> 28 on Website/RottenTomatoes). Then ''Film/FastFive'' was released and was generally considered by critics to be a solid heist flick. ''Film/FastAndFurious6'' didn't get as much critical acclaim but is still considered a worthy sequel to its predecessor. ''Film/Furious7'' became the most critically well-received and the highest-grossing of the series, which can partially be attested to the film acting as a touching send-off to Creator/PaulWalker and his character Brian O'Conner (as Walker DiedDuringProduction in an unrelated car accident).
107* ''Film/FinalDestination4'' was the first ''Franchise/FinalDestination'' disliked by fans and reviewers alike. ''Film/FinalDestination5'' managed to WinBackTheCrowd, being called the best since the original (it even has the highest scores of the franchise on both Website/RottenTomatoes and Metacritic).
108* The ''WebVideo/{{Fred}}'' MadeForTVMovie trilogy is considered to be not very good, but people think that each succeeding movie is better than the preceding one.
109* ''Film/FridayThe13thPartVIJasonLives'' is considered by many to be a step up over the previous installment in the series, ''Film/FridayThe13thPartVANewBeginning'', which had the poorly-received [[spoiler: [[JackTheRipoff copycat killer]]]] -angle to it.
110* The Showa Era ''Film/{{Gamera}}'' films are largely seen as goofy and cheaply made, essentially being the poor man's version of ''Franchise/{{Godzilla}}'', and heavily criticized for their focus on unlikeable child characters. At best they are seen as SoBadItsGood and unsurprisingly, most of them have featured on ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000''. The Heisei Era on the other hand is highly lauded for its [[DarkerAndEdgier consistently darker tone]], better stories, and [[BigBudgetBeefUp excellent special effects]] that make for some truly awesome monster battle scenes. They are often seen by fans as some of the best kaiju movies ever. This is specifically applied to ''Film/GameraSuperMonster'', a temporary FranchiseKiller widely considered the worst Gamera film and one of the worst kaiju films period, being followed 15 years later by ''Film/GameraGuardianOfTheUniverse'', the first film of the acclaimed Heisei trilogy.
111* After the [[ContestedSequel divisiveness]] of ''Film/GhostbustersII'' and the [[Film/Ghostbusters2016 2016 movie]] taking a [[OvershadowedByControversy controversial approach]] with a complete ContinuityReboot with an all-female cast, fans have warmed up to ''Film/GhostbustersAfterlife'', with some calling this the best ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' since [[Film/Ghostbusters1984 the original]] and a return to form for the franchise, and some even going as far as to say this finally broke the {{Sequelitis}} curse that held onto the franchise for decades.
112* ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation'' featured better actors, no cheap gimmicks, the costumes of Cobra Commander and Snake Eyes were impressive, the effects were really good, which made it seem like more of an effort to be a ''Franchise/GIJoe'' movie this time around than [[Film/GIJoeTheRiseOfCobra the previous effort]]. Still, both box office and critical reaction were the same, leading to a [[Film/SnakeEyesGIJoeOrigins reboot]].
113* ''Film/GodsNotDead'' is well-known for cringiness: Its atheist and Muslim characters are {{jerkass}} [[TheWarOnStraw straw men]], it portrays Christians as an oppressed minority in the US, it makes poor arguments for their faith, and are known to have so many sub-plots it's hard to keep track of what's happening. While it was a box office disappointment, ''Film/GodsNotDeadALightInDarkness'' is largely considered to be an improvement: It doesn't have straw men, it lets non-Christians present their arguments and even keep their opinions on faith, it calls out the victim complex the previous movies had, it doesn't admonish Christians for having crises of faith, and it acknowledges that the church has indeed a rather dark history of wrongdoings. It is also better-written overall because it doesn't have a great number of mostly-irrelevant subplots.
114* ''Film/GodzillaKingOfTheMonsters2019'' did not earn critic approval, with reviewers finding that for all the SequelEscalation it did not deliver regarding tone, plot, and characters. ''Film/GodzillaVsKong'', by contrast, is the best-reviewed movie of the ''Franchise/MonsterVerse'', earning high remarks for delivering fun {{Kaiju}} battles along with a less convoluted script.
115* ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' has two cases, both of whom also made sure to disregard whatever happened in the other sequels, the 20th anniversary ''Film/HalloweenH20TwentyYearsLater'' (only took the first two movies as canon) and the 40th ''Film/Halloween2018'' (only took the first).
116* ''Franchise/{{Hellraiser}}'':
117** After two films where Pinhead suffered VillainDecay and an overuse of splatter horror while losing the creepy atmosphere, [[Film/HellraiserInferno the fifth in the series]] returns Pinhead to his roots and tones down the gore a lot by moving to mainly psychological horror.
118** ''Film/HellraiserRevelations'' was the absolute low point of the franchise. An AshcanCopy made on a shoestring budget to retain the rights to the franchise. The installment was even publicly disowned by Creator/CliveBarker. The follow-up, ''Film/HellraiserJudgement'' was naturally a huge step up. With a bigger budget, PromotedFanboy Gary J. Tunnicliffe behind the camera and Pinhead returning to his moral authority over evil personality, it was received quite warmly.
119* Music/RobZombie's first film, ''Film/HouseOf1000Corpses'', was panned by critics as {{Gorn}}. Its sequel, ''Film/TheDevilsRejects'', received mixed to positive reviews. It even received Two Thumbs Up when reviewed on ''At the Movies with [[Creator/RogerEbert Ebert]] and Roeper''!
120* Every ill-received ''Film/JamesBond'' has a better follow-up (many times involving [[TheOtherDarrin an actor change]]).
121** The exemplar for the series would have to be ''Film/TheSpyWhoLovedMe''. ''Film/TheManWithTheGoldenGun'' is considered one of the weakest, if not ''the'' weakest entry in the entire series, in terms of box office gross, fan reactions, and critical reception. ''The Spy Who Loved Me'', on the other hand, was a great commercial success and a hit with both fans and critics. It's almost guaranteed to land on any "Top 10 Bond Films" list worth its salt, and some Bond fans consider it better than ''Film/{{Goldfinger}}''.
122** ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly'', by virtue of being more "down to Earth" (quite literally) than ''Film/{{Moonraker}}'' (which is regularly considered entertaining but too "outlandish" with its [[OutOfGenreExperience space plot]]).
123** ''Film/TheLivingDaylights'' with Creator/TimothyDalton was better received than the final film of Creator/RogerMoore, ''Film/AViewToAKill'' and is still considered better.
124** ''Film/GoldenEye'' was more warmly received than ''Film/LicenceToKill'', although the latter has been somewhat VindicatedByHistory since.
125** It happened again with the so so-received ''Film/QuantumOfSolace'', which suffered from the writers strike of 2007-08. ''Quantum'' was subsequently ignored by ''Film/{{Skyfall}}'', which many fans consider to be nearly as good as or even better than ''Film/{{Casino Royale|2006}}''. Of course, ''Casino Royale'' (considered the best Bond film of the 2000s) was itself a follow-up to the panned ''Film/DieAnotherDay''.
126** ''Film/{{Spectre}}'' is generally considered SoOKItsAverage. ''Film/NoTimeToDie'' is considered a better film, even breaking the "curse" of underwhelming final installments for Bond actors who've had a run with multiple films.
127* [[VindicatedByHistory Most people don't know now]], but ''Film/{{Jumanji}}'' is actually a very divisive film, even though it was a success financially. Its 2017 sequel, ''Film/JumanjiWelcomeToTheJungle'', managed to be a success financially ''and'' critically, being seen as a fun action-comedy flick.
128* The general consensus is that after the disappointments that were the [[Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark second]] and [[Film/JurassicParkIII third]] installments of the ''Franchise/JurassicPark'' franchise, ''Film/JurassicWorld'' is an effective action flick that manages to recover most of [[Film/JurassicPark1993 the original]]'s spirit.
129* ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'':
130** After ''Film/IronMan2'' was {{Sequelitis}} for the first ''Film/IronMan1'', ''Film/IronMan3'' is considered this by critics featuring a fully scripted screenplay (the previous movies had been loosely scripted and improvised) and a more focused plot with more effective villains and a better personal character arc for Tony.
131** Whilst ''Film/CaptainAmericaTheFirstAvenger'' had a fairly positive reception and definitely defied the notion that ComicBook/CaptainAmerica is a hero who's too obsolete for our era, it was never regarded as the best film of Phase 1. [[Film/CaptainAmericaTheWinterSoldier Its sequel]], however, had an even better response and was widely described as the best entry in either Phase 2 or the ''entire'' MCU up to that point (and perhaps still to this day).
132** ''Film/ThorTheDarkWorld'' is usually cited as one of the weakest entries in the entire MCU. The follow-up, ''Film/ThorRagnarok'', received absolute rave reviews from critics, and is currently one of the best reviewed films in the entire canon. Furthermore, ''Ragnarok'' also seemed to fixed the major problems that have plagued the ''Thor'' movies like how the films spend too much time on Earth and that Thor himself comes off as an InvincibleHero.
133** ''Film/AvengersAgeOfUltron'', while not an awful movie, is considered the weakest of the Avenger films and pales in popularity and box office compared to ''Film/TheAvengers2012''. However, the most direct sequel prior to ''Film/AvengersInfinityWar'', the Cap-centred ''Film/CaptainAmericaCivilWar'' was widely praised by both critics and audiences as one of the best entries in the MCU back then, to the point many consider it the proper second ''Avengers'' movie (if not ''Avengers 2.5'').
134* ''Film/TheMatrixResurrections'' was considered by many reviewers an improvement over the two {{Contested Sequel}}s of 18 years prior (especially ''Revolutions'').
135* While ''Film/MenInBlackII'' is widely considered a mediocre rehash of the original, ''Film/MenInBlack3'' has been surprisingly well-received.
136* The first ''Film/{{Mission Impossible|1996}}'' movie was pilloried for its convoluted, incoherent plot, and many fans from [[Series/MissionImpossible the original series]] cried foul at [[spoiler:Jim Phelps from the original TV show being the villain]]. [[Film/MissionImpossibleII The second movie]] was criticized, particularly for those who liked the first, for relying more on action than the plot - with the former being too over-the-top and the latter too generic. Despite this rough start, the series soldiered on, breaking away from the failings of the first two installments to great critical and audience acclaim starting with [[Film/MissionImpossibleIII the third]]. Every movie afterwards is considered an EvenBetterSequel than its predecessor, culminating with [[Film/MissionImpossibleFallout the sixth]], which is considered one of, if not, ''the'' greatest action movie of TheNewTens.
137* ''Film/NationalLampoonsEuropeanVacation'' is considered a poor follow up to the original ''Film/NationalLampoonsVacation'', being nothing more than a rehash of that film with a SettingUpdate. ''Film/NationalLampoonsChristmasVacation'' on the other hand is held as a vast improvement for keeping the vacation theme without recycling the first film's plot as well as nailing the stress of the Christmas season/family gatherings in the same way the original did for family vacations/road trips. Not only has the film eclipsed ''European Vacation'' in the public eye, but it's also now considered a classic Christmas film.
138* This has happened twice in the ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'' film series, interestingly both with movies [[OnlyTheCreatorDoesItRight that involved series creator]] Creator/WesCraven [[OnlyTheCreatorDoesItRight more actively]].
139** ''[[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet3DreamWarriors Dream Warriors]]'' is considered a markable improvement over ''[[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreetPart2FreddysRevenge Freddy's Revenge]]'', which while not completely bad and having been VindicatedByHistory to a degree, deviated too much from the [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet1984 first film]]'s plot.
140** ''Film/WesCravensNewNightmare'' is considered a marked improvement on the [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet4TheDreamMaster 4th]], [[Film/ANightmareOnElmStreet5TheDreamChild 5th]] and [[Film/FreddysDeadTheFinalNightmare 6th]] installments (regarded as a second nosedive after part 3) and some even think its as good as the original.
141** ''Film/FreddyVsJason'' is (surprisingly enough) generally considered to be one of the better films in either franchise and a ''vast'' improvement over both ''Film/JasonX'' and ''Film/FreddysDeadTheFinalNightmare.''
142* The horror film ''Film/{{Ouija}}'' was universally panned by critics. The prequel ''Film/OuijaOriginOfEvil'', however, received ''far'' warmer reviews, holding an 82% on Website/RottenTomatoes compared to the original's 6%.
143* ''Film/ThePinkPanther1963'' is widely regarded as a slightly above average '60s caper film, elevated by the presence of Capucine, Creator/DavidNiven, and Creator/PeterSellers in the (supporting) role of Chief Inspector Clouseau. Its sequel, ''Film/AShotInTheDark'', performs a bit of a genre shift (it's a DolledUpInstallment that shifts the focus to Clouseau), and is widely regarded as one of the best comedies of that particular decade. It also introduced characters and elements that became series staples: manservant Cato and his karate attacks, former Chief Inspector Dreyfus and his being driven to madness by Clouseau, etc. [[{{Sequelitis}} Regrettably, they didn't know when to quit when they were ahead.]]
144* ''Film/{{Predators}}'' was considered much better than the ''Film/AlienVsPredator'' films and received better reviews overall than ''Film/Predator2'', though there are some fans who feel ''Predator 2'' is the superior sequel. The franchise then had a much bigger case with ''Film/Prey2022'', which after the oft-despised ''Film/ThePredator'' ended up getting near unanimous praise (the critic score on Rotten Tomatoes is ''92%'', even better than [[Film/{{Predator}} the original movie]]).
145* ''Film/PsychoCop'' was an incredibly generic and forgettable slasher film, while [[Film/PsychoCopReturns the sequel]] (the uncut version, that is) was amusingly zany and over-the-top, and benefited greatly Robert R. Shafer's much improved acting (in the previous film, he somehow combined LargeHam with DullSurprise).
146* While the first two ''Film/PuppetMaster'' movies are fairly decent horror flicks, the third one, which actually goes into Andre Toulon's back story, is considered a classic.
147* Popular opinion is that ''Film/ThePurge1'' came down with a bad case of TheyWastedAPerfectlyGoodPlot. Instead of the titular event, where all crime, including murder, is legal for one night a year, being the primary focus of the film, it was instead relegated to being a FramingDevice for an otherwise SoOkayItsAverage [[ProtectThisHouse home invasion]] flick; as a result, it was largely panned by critics and moviegoers alike. Its sequel, ''Film/ThePurgeAnarchy'', addressed the issue head-on by throwing the spotlight onto the Purge itself, telling stories from both perspectives (those reveling in the anarchy, and those trying to stay alive) and going much deeper into the causes and consequences of the event. General consensus is that the sequel was what the original film should have been.
148* While the film adaptation of ''Literature/RedDragon'' is no ''Literature/TheSilenceOfTheLambs'', the majority of critics and audience members alike agree that it's a definite improvement over the film version of ''Literature/{{Hannibal}}'', especially where Creator/AnthonyHopkins as Hannibal Lecter is concerned.
149* The ''Franchise/{{Rocky}}'' series has a well-known trajectory: the [[Film/{{Rocky}} first installment]] is a classic, the [[Film/RockyII second]] is a worthy, if perhaps unnecessary, successor, and the three that follow are various degrees of bad. The final installment, ''Film/RockyBalboa'', may not have set the world on fire, but succeeds in recapturing the heart and underdog spirit of the first two. While not a direct sequel, ''Film/{{Creed|2015}}'' has been extremely well-received as the best since the original.
150* ''Franchise/{{Saw}}'' has never been particularly known for being a critical darling, but has managed to get this reputation anyway from fans a handful of times:
151** ''Film/SawVI'' was regarded by fans and critics alike as a huge improvement over the two previous two sequels, and generally regarded as a worthy successor to the original trilogy. Whereas ''IV'' and ''V'' were criticized for being reliant on [[ExcusePlot perfunctory]], [[KudzuPlot increasingly convoluted]] lore, ''VI'' featured a story that had some level of prescience, character arcs, and clever twists on top of creatively gory traps. Unfortunately, it ended up becoming the series' resident AcclaimedFlop (likely due to moviegoers having been burned twice by prior films), convincing Creator/{{Lionsgate}} that [[Film/Saw3D the next film]] ought to be the last.
152** ''Film/{{Jigsaw}}'' -- the series' comeback in 2017 after laying fallow for seven years -- while critics still weren't particularly receptive, was well-liked by fans for largely being a no-frills, consistent return to form after the widely-panned ''Film/Saw3D'' seemingly ended up things on a tacky, ludicrously ridiculous sour note.
153** ''Film/SawX'' defied all expectations by not just being well-received by audiences (especially after the tepid response to the previous installment, ''Film/{{Spiral|2021}}''), it also ''finally'' earned broader respect from critics, netting an 80% critic rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the first "Fresh" film in the franchise, a title that evaded even [[Film/SawI the first film]] (widely recognized as [[FirstInstallmentWins "the genuinely good one"]] up until that point). Points of praise include making the story an early {{interquel}} -- conveniently sidestepping the franchise's later KudzuPlot and giving an opportunity for the beloved Creator/TobinBell a return to the spotlight as the series VillainProtagonist -- as well as stronger character focus and a surprisingly poignant script, balancing out the terrifying traps with sincere character drama and heart.
154* ''Film/ScannersIIITheTakeover'' pretty much hit rock bottom with the {{Sequelitis}}, running mostly on {{camp}}, with a DullSurprise lead and a nonsensical plot. Surprise then that the ''Film/ScannerCop'' spin-off about a cop with PsychicPowers has a much more grounded plot with a relatable and sympathetic lead and genuinely terrifying villains.
155* ''Film/ScaryMovie3'' was generally considered a great improvement on ''Film/ScaryMovie2'', with the [[GrossOutShow gross-out humor]] being replaced by more straightforward humor reminiscent of ''Film/{{Airplane}}'' and ''Film/TheNakedGun'' - helps that it has one of its stars (Creator/LeslieNielsen) and directors (David Zucker) of both.
156* While the first ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog2020'' was for the most part generally well received, there are those that felt that the movie follows too much on the typical formula of the generic everyman bonding with a CGI character, so the sequel ''Film/SonicTheHedgehog22022'' goes to the opposite direction and stay more true to the core aspect of the lore of Sonic, as well as adding in more characters in the franchise aside from Sonic and Dr. Robotnik.
157* ''Franchise/StarTrek'':
158** ''Film/StarTrekTheMotionPicture'' was dull, padded out with LeaveTheCameraRunning scenes, and didn't really feel like ''Star Trek''. ''Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan'', however, is widely regarded as one of the franchise's finest moments. Everyone agrees that the rest of the films vary in quality between the two; this gave rise to the StarTrekMovieCurse, which posits that the even-numbered films in the series are the better ones.
159** ''Film/StarTrekVTheFinalFrontier'' was an unmitigated disaster and is usually (alongside ''[[Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness Into Darkness]]'' as seen below) seen as the worst ''Trek'' film ever made, with a poor plot, appalling special effects and a focus on Kirk (and to a lesser extent the big three) that reduced most of the cast little more than extras. Three years later ''Film/StarTrekVITheUndiscoveredCountry'' was seen as both a massive return to form and a fitting send off for the original cast as they were (for the most part) retiring from the franchise at that point.
160** Also continued in ''[[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration The Next Generation]]'' films. ''Film/StarTrekGenerations'' was in general badly received by fans and critics. Its sequel ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'' is generally viewed as a vast improvement, being widely considered as by far the best ''Next Generation'' film and by some as one of the best ''Star Trek'' films. Sadly ''Film/StarTrekInsurrection'' and especially ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' saw the series decline rapidly in quality with the latter essentially a remake of ''Wrath of Khan''. As a result the ''TNG'' film series ended and most of the ''TNG'' cast would not be involved in ''Trek'' again until ''Series/StarTrekPicard'' nearly twenty years later. Meanwhile ''Film/StarTrek2009'' saw the franchise revived after the failed later ''TNG'' films and the collapse and cancellation of ''Series/StarTrekEnterprise''.
161** And now the [[AlternateTimeline Kelvin Timeline]] has its own case. ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'' is considered a very "meh" film due to [[Creator/JJAbrams the director]] [[Film/StarWarsTheForceAwakens getting ready to jump ship to the franchise he really wanted to direct]], a weak rehash [[Film/StarTrekIITheWrathOfKhan of one of the best villains]], and a muddled plot. The sequel, ''Film/StarTrekBeyond'', is hailed as the best of the Kelvin Timeline series and the first time Trek has managed to make a great Away Mission Film.
162* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
163** Critics generally gave much better reviews to ''Episode III: Film/RevengeOfTheSith'' when it was released in comparison to the first two prequels, and even fans who loathe the prequels sometimes regard it as "the least bad".
164** The jump from prequels to sequels was also found as this, with ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' having higher critical and audience scores than ''Revenge of the Sith''.
165* After the mostly negative reception to ''Film/TerminatorSalvation'' and ''Film/TerminatorGenisys'', ''Film/TerminatorDarkFate'' earned positive reviews and was considered a general improvement to the ''Franchise/{{Terminator}}'' franchise.
166* ''Film/TopGun'' was a case of CriticalDissonance that never really won professional reviewers, who felt the dogfighting sequences were bogged down by a monotonous plot and characters. ''Film/TopGunMaverick'', on the other hand, was showered with praise because this time the impressive aerial sequences were paired with a more compelling story and character arcs. In fact, critical praise for ''Maverick'' was so strong it was even nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
167* Zigzagged with the ''Film/UniversalSoldier'' franchise; the first movie is generally considered okay but not great, and the first few sequels are generally considered pretty bad. But ''Film/UniversalSoldierRegeneration'' and ''Film/UniversalSoldierDayOfReckoning'' are generally considered to be excellent action films.
168* ''Film/Venom2018'' did not win reviewers over, with the most charitable deeming it SoBadItsGood. ''Film/VenomLetThereBeCarnage'' was better received for going on a DenserAndWackier route that enhanced the comedic elements which were considered the best part of the first.
169* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries''
170** In a prequel example, ''Film/XMenFirstClass'' saved the ''X-Men'' franchise after the disappointing critical and commercial response to ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine''.
171** Reviews for ''Film/TheWolverine'' seem to be placing it as one to ''X-Men Origins: Wolverine''. It can also be considered one to ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'', since ''The Wolverine'' takes place after [[spoiler:Logan was forced to kill Jean Grey]].
172** ''Film/{{Logan}}'' ups the ante from ''Film/TheWolverine'' and is considered one of the best (if not ''the best'') X-Men movies ever.
173** ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'' is not only seen as a massive improvement on ''Last Stand'' by critics and fans alike, but it even goes the extra mile by erasing the previous movie's controversial plot elements from the film canon via CosmicRetcon.
174[[/folder]]
175
176[[folder:Literature]]
177* Creator/BruceCoville:
178** ''Literature/MyTeacherIsAnAlien'' is a decent standalone science fiction story. The three sequels, however, are an epic, philosophical, and surprisingly deep look at the human condition through the eyes of extraterrestrials. When people praise the series, it is almost always the sequels they are talking about, with the original being more like a pilot episode that sets up the characters.
179** The ''Literature/RodAllbrightAlienAdventures'' books follow the same pattern.
180* An older literary example, is that Creator/AnthonyTrollope's celebrated novel ''Barchester Towers'' is actually the sequel to the lesser-known ''The Warden'', both from the series ''Literature/TheChroniclesOfBarsetshire''.
181* Creator/RASalvatore's ''[[Literature/TheIcewindDaleTrilogy The Crystal Shard]]'' reads, especially in its first hundred pages, like it was written by a sixteen-year-old who'd just read ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings''. His later novels are a marked improvement in comparison.
182* Even Creator/StephenKing admits that ''Literature/TheDrawingOfTheThree'' was a huge improvement on ''Literature/TheGunslinger''.
183* The first two books of ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'', ''Storm Front'' and ''Fool Moon'', are considered to be okay, if nothing special. Depending on who you ask, either Book 3 or Book 4 are where the books begin to get far better.
184* ''[[Literature/InheritanceCycle Eragon]]'' is often mocked for being ''Film/ANewHope'' [[RecycledINSPACE in fantasy medieval times]]. ''Eldest'' and ''Brisingr'' start getting a little bit more original, though depending on who you ask they may not actually be all that much better.
185* The first [[Literature/TheCulture Culture]] novel, ''Consider Phlebas'', is a passable science fiction novel. The next, ''The Player of Games'', is the first in which the whole impact of what the Culture is like can be felt, and is usually the one recommended to read first. The key problem being that in ''Consider Phlebas'', the Culture are the antagonists, with the [[AntiHero hero]] of the story being an enemy soldier, more or less, who is obviously none too fond of them. The criticisms he raises of this society are a lot easier to understand and ponder on when you actually know more about just what the Culture ''is''.
186* ''Literature/TheHeroesOfOlympus'': The first book ''The Lost Hero'' was considered rather lackluster, with flat protagonists in Piper and Jason, a by-the-book quest, StrangledByTheRedString romance and excluding characters from the previous series. However the second book ''Son of Neptune'' introduces the badass Roman Camp, brings back the universally-beloved Percy as a narrator and better-developed new characters (Hazel, Frank, Reyna, Octavian). The third and fourth book fall into EvenBetterSequel. As all the books are a SequelSeries to ''Literature/PercyJacksonAndTheOlympians'', the improvements saved the overall series from {{Sequelitis}}.
187* Creator/DanBrown's ''Literature/TheLostSymbol'', sequel to ''Literature/TheDaVinciCode'' - he breaks away from a lot of the cliches that had bogged down his earlier books (the formulaic opening sentence, the first good guy mentioned dying, a TokenRomance) - and spins a thriller that ends up not postulating a likely incorrect view of history, but one that hinges on the idea that wisdom lives inside us.
188* ''[[Literature/{{Shannara}} The Sword of Shannara]]'' has some rough patches and comparisons (justified or not) to ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' abound. The later books found more solid footing. Brooks has stated that ''The Elfstones of Shannara'' (the second book) needed a lot of editorial work, but it's his favourite as a result. In fact, when the [[Series/TheShannaraChronicles TV series]] finally got off the ground, ''Elfstones'' was the first book adapted as ''Sword'' is considered far too similar to LOTR to even attempt.
189* ''Franchise/StarWarsLegends'': The original ''Literature/JediAcademyTrilogy'' by Creator/KevinJAnderson (1994) is generally rated as middling schlock among Legends fans, having generic and weak villains and an infamous case of an EasilyForgiven KarmaHoudini. ''Literature/IJedi'' (1998), Creator/MichaelStackpole's POVSequel to the trilogy starring [[Literature/XWingSeries Corran Horn]], is consistently rated as one of the best single novels in the entire Legends continuity.
190* Although ''WesternAnimation/{{Brave}}'' was a financial success and did well with critics and fans, many generally regard it to be one of Creator/{{Pixar}}'s weakest films and SoOkayItsAverage at best. The 2022 sequel novel, ''Literature/{{Bravely}}'' on the other hand, despite being a novel written without Pixar's direct involvement, is regarded by fans to be a marked improvement over the film due to the book having a less predictable plot, better pacing, and a more consistent tone compared to the films, while also giving the characters (especially Merida) more depth and development.
191* Literature/TheChroniclesOfThomasCovenant has a first book that is very hard to get through. The rest of the series is much, much better.
192[[/folder]]
193
194[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
195* Season 5 of ''Series/{{Arrow}}'' was considered a major improvement and WinBackTheCrowd moment of the show by fans and critics after its [[SeasonalRot divisive season three and four]].
196* ''Series/StrangerThings'' Season 4 is considered a vast improvement over the second and third seasons which suffered from some meandering SeasonalRot and CharacterDerailment. Season 4 by comparison introduced compelling new characters, a spectacular villain who was retroactively [[HeWasRightThereAllAlong there all along]] and managed to give greater depth to a lot of the characters particularly Max with her scene with the BigBad in episode 4 being considered the absolute high point of not only the season but by far one of the greatest moments in the series as a whole.
197* ''Series/KamenRiderZiO'' is this to previously ''Franchise/KamenRider'' anniversary series ''Series/KamenRiderDecade''. ''Decade'' was heavily criticized for using [[AlternateSelf alternate versions]] played by different actors of the Riders it was paying tribute towards and having a plot that was incredibly incoherent and borderline nonexistant at times. ''Zi-O'' has... a coherent plot and brings back actual characters from each of the previous Rider series. Even if it's not without its own share of problems, it's definitely an improvement.
198* ''Franchise/PowerRangers'':
199** ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' suffered a lot in Seasons 1 and 2 with stagnant characterization, lack of plot, and a LOT of filler. Season 3, however, had a continuing plot all the way through and a significant amount of setup for ''Series/PowerRangersZeo'', which itself improved even more with greater characterization for the non-Tommy Rangers and numerous status quo changes.
200** ''Series/PowerRangersTurbo'' divided fans a ''lot''. Both the movie and TV season were based on a comedic Sentai and were themed after cars, which was considered a downgrade compared to the more mystical and animalistic themes of seasons past. That season also had a number of ReplacementScrappy characters for those viewers had come to love in previous seasons. Zordon and Alpha were changed out for Dimetria, who only spoke to the Rangers in questions for the first half while being a boring Zordon-expy in the second half, and Alpha 6, who talked almost exclusively using "hip slang." Rita, Zedd, and the Machine Empire were also changed out for Divatox, who constantly whined and was not very threatening at all. But the biggest change was changing out all the Rangers (Rocky in the movie, the others halfway through the season) with brand new people, only two of which had any build up. To make matters worse, the new cast almost immediately slotted into the roles of the old Rangers, as if they had been a part of the show the entire time. However, its successor season, ''Series/PowerRangersInSpace'', drove the franchise to new heights. The story became fully serial. All of the Rangers had heavy character development. The villains were (save for one returning villain from ''Turbo'') great. The addition of a spaceship and the Battilizer were genuinely cool. And the season finale had a massive invasion involving every ally and villain from across the franchise at that point. Virtually every season thereafter would always becompared to ''In Space'' from then on.
201** While nowhere near as bad as other seasons ''Series/PowerRangersLightspeedRescue'' was considered SoOkayItsAverage, a stumble after the well-received ''In Space'' and ''Lost Galaxy'' seasons previous. Then ''Series/PowerRangersTimeForce'' aired and it became one of the most well-loved seasons in the franchise. The cast was well-loved and had relationships unique from other seasons. The villains were back to US-exclusive ones and were loved. The story and plot had a lot of great twists and turns thanks to the time travel concept and changing the future.
202** ''Series/PowerRangersWildForce'' and ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaStorm'' had their fanbases, but they had a large hatedom after the lauded ''Time Force''. ''Wild Force'' had shaky acting (even for ''Power Rangers'') and a contentious arc involving Animus, while ''Ninja Storm'' was hated for its non-threatening villains and an emphasis on comedy. ''Series/PowerRangersDinoThunder'' brought back Tommy Oliver from ''Mighty Morphin'' to be the team's mentor, the show had a much better balance between action and comedy, and the core Rangers had excellent chemistry with each other, allowing for natural character development. There were also a lot of celebratory and fan-favorite episodes, one of which celebrated the entire franchise up to that point, another poked fun at how wacky the source material Sentai can get, and another had Tommy face his first three powersets during a mental test.
203** After the divisive ''Series/PowerRangersMysticForce'', which seemed to focus more on the side characters and the Red Ranger instead of the rest of the team, and the loathed ''Series/PowerRangersOperationOverdrive'', which is often considered the worst season of the show, ''Series/PowerRangersJungleFury'' was considered a return to form and ''Series/PowerRangersRPM'' was considered one of the best seasons of the show to this day.
204** Once Creator/{{Saban|Brands}} regained the license, they hit the ground flopping instead of running, with the mediocre ''Series/PowerRangersSamurai'' that tended to hinge too closely to the original Sentai without accounting for cultural settings of UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} vs. UsefulNotes/{{America}} as well as a late season shakeup that was completely botched. Then, they made ''Series/PowerRangersMegaforce'' which was supposed to be a big celebration of the franchise but resulted in two different Sentai smushed together and practically every wrong decision regarding the anniversary aspect being made. Saban then brought back one of the showrunners from the old days for ''Series/PowerRangersDinoCharge''. ''Dino Charge'' had a heavy emphasis on plot and characterization, an entertaining original villain, lots of original fight scenes, and a setting that, despite its dinosaur theme, wasn't slavish with trying to copy ''Mighty Morphin''. Sadly, that existed only for its first half.
205** The second half of ''Dino Charge'' stumbled heavily, with an emphasis on filler and a truly bewirldering season finale. ''Series/PowerRangersNinjaSteel'' was seen as SoOkItsAverage to a tee, offering nothing truly good or truly bad, being almost entirely forgettable. Once Creator/{{Hasbro}} brought the franchise, their first series ''Series/PowerRangersBeastMorphers'' was warmly welcomed by fans. The cast had great chemistry, the development was great, there were some natural callbacks to previous seasons, and the second half involved crossovers with ''RPM'', ''Dino Charge'', ''Mighty Morphin'', and even ''Series/SpaceSheriffGavan'', with fans calling the season a better celebrating than ''Super Megaforce'' was.
206* Among the ''Franchise/StarWars'' Creator/DisneyPlus spin-off shows while the first two seasons of ''Series/TheMandalorian'' are well-liked whilst ''Series/TheBookOfBobaFett'' and ''Series/ObiWanKenobi'' have their positives despite being far more maligned, ''Series/{{Andor}}'' has gotten the highest critical acclaim. The fourth spin-off’s nuanced and convention defying take on the universe have quickly made it a fan-favourite with showrunner Tony Gilroy getting CreatorWorship. Such was ''Andor'''s immense reception for being high-brow that ''Mandalorian'' Season 3 and to lesser extent ''Series/{{Ahsoka}}'' had a hard time following in its wake.
207* Morgan Spurlock's documentary series ''30 Days'' can be considered this to Spurlock's earlier documentary ''Film/SuperSizeMe''. Like ''Super Size Me'', each episode explored a social or political issue via a 30-day experiment with a different lifestyle, but it lacked the former film's {{Anvilicious}} nature and questionable scientific methods, since it was about honestly examining people's reactions to dabbling in different ways of life. It helped that most episodes featured a volunteer participant living out the experiment (rather than Spurlock himself), meaning that it came off as much less preachy than many people perceived ''Super Size Me'' to be.
208* ''Series/YoungSheldon'': Reception for this show is miles more positive than ''Series/TheBigBangTheory''. Due to the differences in formatting and jokes (dramedy angle, plots based on family, single-camera {{Mockumentary}} style), it's seen as more accessible to viewers that either have never heard of ''Big Bang'' (thus making it easier to get into) or don't care for it and its comedy style.
209[[/folder]]
210
211[[folder:Music]]
212* In the vast, musically varied catalog of the late Music/DavidBowie, ''Music/HunkyDory'' and ''[[Music/{{Outside}} 1. Outside]]'' are generally regarded as this in regards to their immediate predecessors.
213** In the case of ''Hunky Dory'', it came on the heels of [[Music/DavidBowie1967 an unsympathetically produced, cheesy first pop album]], [[Music/SpaceOddity an oft-overlooked second folk rock album]], and [[Music/TheManWhoSoldTheWorld a third]] that, while a decent example of early HeavyMetal, is not really seen as the best representation of what Bowie was capable of. ''Hunky Dory'', meanwhile, is typically regarded as the first truly excellent Bowie album, demonstrating the man's songwriting prowess in a way previous efforts couldn't express.
214** As for ''1. Outside'', it was the first to be unanimously regarded as a strong album since ''Music/ScaryMonstersAndSuperCreeps'' 15 years prior; 1983's ''Music/LetsDance'' is generally seen as a good pop-rock album, but is by no means considered his best, ''Music/{{Tonight}}'' and the original version of ''Music/NeverLetMeDown'' are more often than not seen as dull and overproduced, the two albums with Tin Machine were outright despised in their time (though have since become VindicatedByHistory), ''Music/BlackTieWhiteNoise'' was and still is [[BrokenBase hugely divisive]] in terms of its quality, and ''Music/TheBuddhaOfSuburbia'' was so badly overlooked that it was outright taken out of print until 2007. Knowing that, the sheer amount of acclaim and recognition that ''1. Outside'' got blindsided the music scene, who had generally felt until then that Bowie had lost his touch as an artist. While his next two albums would also be fairly divisive, it's generally agreed upon that ''1. Outside'' (if not ''Black Tie White Noise'') was the point where Bowie finally got back on his feet and came out swinging.
215* 1969's ''Empty Sky'' was a fairly competent, psychedelia-infuenced debut album, but it barely hinted at [[Music/EltonJohn Elton John's]] talents, save for the ballad "Skyline Pigeon", which Elton would re-record as a B-side in 1973. Elton's 1970 SelfTitledAlbum with "Your Song", "Take Me To The Pilot" and "Border Song" would be Elton's BreakthroughHit album.
216* This actually happens quite a bit with the classical composers. For example, listen to the first piano sonatas of [[Music/FryderykChopin Chopin]], [[Music/AlexanderScriabin Scriabin]], ''Prokofiev.'' They don't really have the "je ne sais quoi" you expect from those composers, do they? Now listen to their second piano sonatas and suddenly, all is well with the universe.
217* Music/KellyClarkson's first album ''Thankful'', made just off of her winning ''Series/AmericanIdol'', was a modest hit. Its success was credited to the popularity of the show more than to her. Her second album ''Breakaway'', featuring such hits as "Behind These Hazel Eyes", "Walk Away", "Since U Been Gone" and the title track, was ''huge'' and established her firmly as a pop star.
218* Similar to the Music/{{Radiohead}} and Music/VanMorrison examples, Music/JethroTull and Music/{{Rush|Band}} have parallel origins: Their first albums, ''This Was'' and ''Music/{{Rush|Album}}'' respectively, were basically just rip-offs of Music/{{Cream}} and Music/LedZeppelin, again, respectively, then their second albums, ''Stand Up'' and ''Music/FlyByNight'' were considered improvements, their third albums ''Benefit'' and ''Music/CaressOfSteel'' received mixed reviews(though more so in the latter case), and their fourth albums, ''[[Music/AqualungJethroTullAlbum Aqualung]]'' and ''Music/TwentyOneTwelve'' are considered their breakouts, establishing them as legends of ProgressiveRock.
219* Music/VanMorrison's first album, ''Blowin' Your Mind'', was a compilation of earlier singles, including the BlackSheepHit "Brown-Eyed Girl", and was disowned by Morrison. His second album, ''Music/AstralWeeks'', is usually regarded as his best.
220* Music/{{Radiohead}} got a significantly more sophisticated sound with ''Music/TheBends'' than they had in [[Music/PabloHoney their debut]], which was criticized as overly derivative of Music/{{Nirvana}}. Even more so with ''Music/OKComputer''. Their sound has continued to evolve, but that one's generally considered their best.
221* It's generally accepted that Music/{{Blur}}'s debut ''Leisure'' has its moments, but is overall a rather patchy late-"baggy" era album. Without the benefit of hindsight, there's nothing to indicate that three years later they'd be one of Britain's biggest bands of the mid-90s with the iconic Britpop release ''Parklife''. (The change in direction- and improvement- started with ''Modern Life is Rubbish'', but that wasn't a major success on its first release).
222* The Slits. Though their early work was never ''officially'' released, an appearance in ''The Punk Rock Movie'', various high profile gigs supporting Music/TheClash and Music/TheSexPistols, and a Peel Session (which is more than many of their peers ever got around to doing) firmly established them as a shambolic but enthusiastic Punk band, most notable for being one of the very few all women line ups of the time. When they eventually recorded an ''official'' first album, 1979's Cut, they'd learned how to play their instruments and veered wildly off into Dub and Funk territories. It was a landmark release in Post-Punk history, but was such a radical shift in style and playing ability it prompted accusations of hiring session musicians and never actually playing on the record.
223* Music/CollinRaye's first two albums were relatively safe, unremarkable mainstream country of the early 1990s; while most of the singles were fairly successful on the charts, none had a lasting impact other than "Love, Me". But his third album, ''Extremes'', won critical acclaim and commercial success thanks to better-written, career-defining songs such as "That's My Story", "My Kind of Girl", and especially "Little Rock", all of which shaped the sound he would carry for the rest of TheNineties.
224* Very few people rated Music/{{Eurythmics}}' first album ''In The Garden'' - it was largely ignored at the time, spawned no hits, and although still in print, nevertheless remains pretty obscure today. Their second album ''Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)'', on the other hand...
225* Even as far back as the mid-1980s, Music/FaithNoMore showed an amazingly promising, interesting and unique sound brought down by inconsistent songwriting, lack of direction, and a "singer" by the name of Chuck Mosley who was little more than a Music/WesleyWillis-esque novelty act that could only take the material so far. With ''The Real Thing'' the band's sound and vision became much more cohesive and realized, and they jackpotted on [[Music/MikePatton a replacement you might have heard a few glowing things about]] (and who brought in his luggage the eclectic influences of [[Music/MrBungle his previous band]]). Oh and there's also the thing where it had a hit song and sold a lot of copies. And then came the next album...
226* Who would have thought that one of the '80s' many interchangeable {{Glam|Rock}}/HeavyMetal bands that couldn't get arrested would later become [[Music/{{Pantera}} one of the pioneers of the '90s post-thrash sound]]?
227* Imagine if, tomorrow, Tiffany released an award-winning, angsty, introspective, multi-platinum-selling album that would become one of the defining albums of the decade it was released in. Got that picture in your head? Good, because that is exactly what happened in 1995, when a Canadian TeenIdol by the name of Music/AlanisMorissette [[NewSoundAlbum switched]] from cheesy bubblegum pop to chick rock and released ''Music/JaggedLittlePill''. There's a reason why nobody mentions [[OldShame the first two albums]] in her discography.
228* Music/KatyPerry was just an unpopular pop wannabe with ''One of the Boys'' (with the exceptions of "Thinking of You", "Hot n Cold" and "Waking Up in Vegas"). But then she released "California Gurls". Catchy, sexy, but nothing special. But then the song "Teenage Dream" came. And the whole album came. It changed her music career forever, with a string of #1 hits it gained a legion of fans. ''Prism'', the next album, managed to be alright with critics, getting a 61 on Metacritic.
229* Music/KillswitchEngage's first titular album mostly went unnoticed. Their second album ''Alive or Just Breathing'', however, achieved cult success. Then front man Jesse Leech was replaced with baritone singer Howard Jones, and the rest was history.
230* ''[[Music/MadonnaAlbum Madonna]]'' (1983) was SoOkayItsAverage. For a debut it's not bad, but it received mostly mixed reviews at the time. The follow-up, ''Music/LikeAVirgin'' (1984), changed Music/{{Madonna}} into a superstar.
231* Music/TheMoodyBlues' debut, ''The Magnificent Moodies'', is generally considered forgettable at best, but their follow-up with new addition Justin Hayward, ''Music/DaysOfFuturePassed'', is considered one of the best albums of the late 60s, and laid the template for ProgressiveRock.
232* Music/MotleyCrue's debut album, ''Too Fast for Love'', was a decent glam metal album, held back by inexperience on behalf of the band and rather inept management. Their next album was expected to be more solid, but when ''Shout at the Devil'' was released it blew said expectations out of the water. This happened again later, twice. After Vince Neil killed Hanoi Rocks drummer Razzle in a car crash and served a jail term, no one expected much out of the Crue, but ''Girls Girls Girls'' ended up being a great album. Unfortunately, the band's well-publicized substance abuse problems made the tour complete crap, and between Tommy Lee and Creator/HeatherLocklear's marriage, Nikki Sixx's near-fatal heroin overdose, Mick Mars' struggle with alcoholism and ankylosing spondylitis, and Vince Neil effectively leaving the band for a time, they were dismissed as washed-up former stars. Then, they released ''Dr. Feelgood''. In just over a month they were number one on the charts. ''Dr. Feelgood'' is still considered their best album by critics and fans alike.
233* [[Music/WolfgangAmadeusMozart Mozart]] wrote his first few symphonies when he was eight and nine years old. Now granted, [[ChildProdigy writing symphonies at age eight is very impressive]]... but you still don't hear those symphonies performed in the concert hall very often, especially compared to his last two.
234* ''Music/{{Naked}}'', the eighth and final Music/TalkingHeads album, is seen as this, coming after the much-despised ''Music/TrueStories'' (itself the only Talking Heads album to near-consistently receive middling to negative reviews).
235* Music/{{Nirvana}}'s ''Music/{{Nevermind|Album}}''. The band's first album ''Music/{{Bleach|Album}}'' is a muddy sounding and sporadically brilliant album (compare "Blew", "Negative Creep" and "About a Girl" with the less distinguished songs like "Big Cheese", "Swap Meet" and "Downer"). Few people at the time saw any reason why Nirvana were any more promising than other UsefulNotes/{{Seattle}} bands like Music/{{Mudhoney}}, TAD, and Mother Love Bone.
236* There's nothing particularly bad about the first three albums by Music/{{Queen|Band}} -- at their worst, they're SoOkayItsAverage -- but their fourth album, ''Music/ANightAtTheOpera'' is regarded as one of the best albums they ever produced and widely seen as one of the best albums of TheSeventies. (Magazine/RollingStone ranked it at #231 in their top 500 albums.) Their later album ''Music/TheWorks'' was also a great improvement on its predecessor -- although this has more to do with the fact that the predecessor in question, 1982's ''Music/HotSpace'', barring the Music/DavidBowie collaboration "Under Pressure", is [[BrokenBase a point of contention within the fandom and among critics]].
237* Music/NewOrder's first album ''Music/{{Movement}}'' has its fans, but it was their [[NewSoundAlbum more synth-based]] second album ''Music/PowerCorruptionAndLies'' (and the non-LP singles issued around the same time) that established them as something more than the rump of Music/JoyDivision.
238* Some people might wonder why Music/PyotrIlyichTchaikovsky's three symphonies are numbered 4, 5, and 6. That's because his ''first'' three symphonies aren't nearly as good and are usually ignored.
239* [[Music/SergeiRachmaninoff Rachmaninoff]]'s first symphony was a complete critical failure and flopped so hard on its first (and only, during Rachmaninoff's lifetime) performance in 1897 that it almost destroyed Rachmaninoff's career, launching him into a severe depression during which he composed almost no music for over three years. When he finally started composing again in 1900, he started with his Second Piano Concerto, which is now one of the most famous pieces of music in the entire repertoire. He also wrote a second symphony in 1906-1907 which met much greater success than his first.
240* Music/SimpleMinds' first album is... Well, let's just say that "Simple Minds play ThreeChordsAndTheTruth" is at best a ''flawed'' proposition. Had they not made ''[[CultClassic Reel to Real Cacophony]]'' but a year later, it's doubtful that any but the most devoted punk fan would have had the slightest recollection of them.
241* The first three Music/{{REM}} albums released after drummer Bill Berry quit the group, ''Music/{{Up|REMAlbum}}'', ''Music/{{Reveal}}'' and ''Music/AroundTheSun'', are often considered the band's AudienceAlienatingEra. ''Up'' and ''Reveal'', while generally regarded as some of the band's weaker material, at least have their share of fans, while not even the band themselves liked ''Around the Sun''. Their disappointment with that album led them to take extra time and care into crafting its follow-up, the much harder-rocking ''Music/{{Accelerate}}'', which debuted at #2 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and is often thought of as the best album of the post-Berry era.
242* ''Music/TheScore'' (1996) by Music/TheFugees was a bestseller which met with more critical acclaim than their poorly received debut album "Blunted On Reality" (1994). Even the band themselves saw this record as a failure, because of all the ExecutiveMeddling.
243* Most of Music/ScottWalker's 70s albums were uninspired, contractually obligated covers albums. 1984's ''Climate of Hunter'' was only relatively well-received, but in retrospect it was a dry run for a loose avant-garde trilogy of critically acclaimed albums released across three different decades: ''Tilt'' (1995), ''The Drift'' (2006) and ''Bish Bosch'' (2012).
244* Music/ShaniaTwain's first album was mostly-forgettable and mostly-forgotten mainstream country of the early 1990s. Her second and third albums, ''The Woman in Me'' and ''Come On Over'', are two of the best-selling country albums of all time by a female artist, and both were loaded with extremely popular singles.
245* Music/TheSmashingPumpkins's first album ''Gish'' was a weird mashup of pre-grunge, post-80s Hard rock, and shoegaze. By comparison, ''Music/SiameseDream'' is considered on par with ''Music/{{Nevermind|Album}}'' when it comes to 90s alternative.
246* Music/{{Slint}}'s debut album, ''Tweez'' (1989), was a decent if unremarkable PostHardcore album. Their followup album, ''Music/{{Spiderland}}'' (1991) kickstarted [[PostRock two whole]] [[MathRock genres]] and is a landmark in underground music.
247* Music/{{Supertramp}} had two badly received albums before ditching almost all band members, and the result, ''Crime of the Century'', marked their critical and commercial breakthrough.
248* After the release of their first album, Music/TalkTalk was dismissed as a cheap Music/DuranDuran knock-off band. With each successive album, however, their sound matured and they ventured into more experimental territory, eventually dropping the New Wave genre completely and becoming an influential PostRock vanguard, culminating with their final album, 1991's critically adored ''Laughing Stock''.
249* Music/TearsForFears' debut album ''Music/TheHurting'' (1983) received some good reviews, had a few of its songs released as minor hit singles, and got the band noticed. Their follow-up album, ''Music/SongsFromTheBigChair'' (1985), went all the way to number one in the U.S. and had several hit singles that are still played regularly on the radio to this day.
250* Music/ToriAmos' original band, Y Kant Tori Read?, paled in comparison to her first solo album, ''Little Earthquakes''.
251* Similarly, Icelandic pop-rock band The Sugarcubes, while well-regarded by critics, were quickly eclipsed by the solo career of their frontwoman, Music/{{Bjork}} (especially starting with ''Post'', her sophomore effort).
252* [[Music/{{Kesha}} Ke$ha]] hasn't really been known for thought-provoking lyrics. However, her second full album, ''Warrior'', was praised by critics for being a bit more edgy and meaningful than her recent efforts, giving the album a 71 on Metacritic.
253* Music/{{Wilco}}'s first album, ''A.M.'', which was meant to be radio-friendly and sounded similar to predecessor band Music/UncleTupelo, did not sell very well and received SoOkayItsAverage reviews from critics. For ''Being There'', the band decided to ignore the radio, write a double album, and include songs that stretched outside their comfort zone. The result, ''Being There'', sold in much better numbers than ''A.M.'', received positive feedback from critics, and is considered by fans to be the moment where they [[GrowingTheBeard grew the beard]].
254* Music/AlterBridge is widely seen as this to Music/{{Creed|band}}, since the newer band is basically the older one with a different singer. Also an example within an example: although their debut ''One Day Remains'' still had the taint of its members' association with Creed, ''Blackbird'' was widely seen as a much stronger effort, with Alter Bridge finding its own new identity.
255* Music/NewKidsOnTheBlock's second album ''Hangin' Tough'' (1988) fared far better commercially and critically than their 1986 self-titled debut. On the debut, producer and songwriter Maurice Starr tried to have NKOTB appeal to black and white audiences by carefully curating their sound and image and choreographing their every onstage move. Starr realised his mistakes, and made ''Hangin' Tough'' a more collaborate effort (particularly regarding the choreography) and having everyone play to their strengths.
256* Music/{{Eminem}}'s ''Revival'' became a social media punchbag in 2017 and 2018, an abrasively produced PopRap album at a time when the style was outdated, coming off the back of seven years of increasingly poppy music that suggested he'd internalised his {{Glurge}}y crossover aesthetic -- seen by fans as a betrayal of the sarcastic, SubvertedKidsShow rap which had made him famous. Major music outlets began running articles begging him to retire. Em's followup was ''Kamikaze'' which, while not getting a universally positive reaction due to being [[TakeThatCritics about the criticism of]] ''Revival'', was called a massive improvement on ''Revival'' within hours of its release, with better rapping, funnier jokes, tons of rage, only a couple of well-deployed pop hooks (courtesy of Music/JessieReyez, Mario Resto (the older brother of Eminem's session keyboardist Luis Resto) and a [[https://www.thefader.com/2018/08/31/bon-iver-justin-vernon-eminem-fall reluctant]] Music/BonIver), and songs combining modern TrapMusic elements with the playful, classical-inflected SignatureStyle of the old Slim.
257* Aaron Fraser-Nash's series of A.I related song tend to be rather so-so, with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tav8EISUhYk Cursed Woody Sings A Song]] being noted for its UncannyValley feel due to inconsistent usage of A.I visuals combined with clips from ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'' using a filter, the character A.I voices sounding rather off and for being overly edgy by having Woody decide to kill all of his friends [[BeingTorturedMakesYouEvil over a hypothetical situation where he ends up tortured by Sid]]. The sequel [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgTHyvKlUJ8 Cursed Buzz Lightyear Sings A Song]] fully embraces the A.I imagery, has far better lyrics that feel and sound more natural, and reveals that [[spoiler:Buzz had actually been poisoning Woody with rabies and using {{Gaslighting}} and manipulation to make Woody snap and attempt to kill everyone]], re-contextualizing the events of the previous video to better justify Woody's sudden change in character.
258[[/folder]]
259
260[[folder:Pinball]]
261* The first pinball machine themed on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', made by Creator/DataEast and [[Pinball/TheSimpsonsDataEast sharing the same name as the show]], is widely considered a competent but unremarkable table, with simplistic rules that have nothing to do with the show, a tendency to lose the ball even when playing well, and a sparse sound package with minimalistic quotes or clips taken from the show. 13 years later, Creator/{{Stern}} released ''Pinball/TheSimpsonsPinballParty'', with a complex set of rules deeply integrated with the show, more things to do on the machine with nothing aimed at the drain, and extensive voice work from the actors recorded just for the machine. ''The Simpsons Pinball Party'' is considered by pinball fans to be one of Stern's greatest pinball machines, if not one of the greatest pinball machines ever made.
262[[/folder]]
263
264[[folder:Software]]
265* Platform/MicrosoftWindows has a rather colorful history of this.
266** Windows ME was torn apart by critics and fans alike due to its low security, lack of stability, and being incompatible with legacy software; these issues caused [[PeripheryDemographic home users to use the professionally-oriented Windows 2000]], jumping ship to Platform/MacOS, or staying with Windows 98. Two years later, Microsoft released Windows XP, which addressed most of these issues. Windows XP ended up becoming a smash hit, becoming so successful that it was the longest-supported Windows version of all time (with support lasting until 2014), and ''still'' has over half of the market share in some countries despite its age.
267** After the extremely successful XP came Windows Vista, which was widely chided for its high price, fairly demanding hardware requirements, security issues, and being pre-installed on many computers that could barely run the system, giving it a reputation for being slow and a battery drainer. Three years later, Microsoft would come out with Windows 7, which addressed most of these complaints while keeping the well-received Aero interface. Windows 7 remains the fastest-selling operating system in history (reaching a 4% market share in ''three weeks'', a mark that Vista only passed in seven months) and is generally considered to be the best version of Windows even to this day.
268** Windows 8, while not outright hated like ME or Vista, was a [[BrokenBase very polarizing]] iteration of Windows due to its numerous UI changes, the new Metro apps, and [[ToughActToFollow coming off the heels of the much-beloved Windows 7]] (which it removed several features from). Soon after, Microsoft released Windows 8.1 to address its detractors' complaints. While still not considered as good as 7, it's near-universally considered to be an improvement over 8 for expanding functionality and tweaking the user interface to be more desktop-friendly.
269[[/folder]]
270
271[[folder:Sports]]
272* UsefulNotes/AssociationFootball: The first three [[UsefulNotes/TheWorldCup World Cup]]s were mostly small affairs, with little press coverage outside their host nations, suffering from poor planning and political meddling, and as such received [[OldShame such bashing]] from FIFA. It was the fourth event, held in Brazil in 1950, after UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, where the World Cup began to be recognized as a true sporting event and draw a huge worldwide press coverage beyond the host country.
273* The revival of the Usefulnotes/OlympicGames in 1896 was a success, but the next two, done simultaneously with a world's fair, did not earn that much attention or notice. Then came the 1906 Intercalated Games that returned to Greece and attracted more public attention and interested athletes (though the IOC no longer considers them official Olympics), the 1908 Games that in spite of the world's fair brought in huge crowds, and finally by 1912 the Olympics were cemented as a big deal for the whole world of sports.
274[[/folder]]
275
276[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
277* Most of Matt Ward's 5th edition codexes are rather ''divisive'' among ''TabletopGame/Warhammer40000'' fans. The Space Marines codex has some divisive fluff. The Blood Angels Codex has several GameBreaker elements, while the Grey Knights codex has ''both''. The reaction to the news that Ward would be writing the 5th Edition Necrons codex was... less than stellar. But when the codex was released, it turned out that Necrons Codex was mechanically well balanced, and while it did introduce several massive retcons to the existing Necrons fluff, most fans agree that those changes were long overdue and rescued Necrons from being a GenericDoomsdayVillain.
278* ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'': The original Kamigawa sets from 2004-05 weren't well received, due in large part to having unintuitive game mechanics and weak cards, although the block would later become VindicatedByHistory for its feaudal Japan-styled setting and some cards becoming useful in formats such as Modern and Legacy. Still, Wizards understandably wrote the plane of Kamigawa off as a failure, to the point that, when the time came to revisit it years later, they briefly considered simply creating a new Japanese-themed plane to replace it [[note]]Which had been done before, with Innistrad replacing Ulgrotha as the GothicHorror plane, and Eldraine replacing Lorwyn/Shadowmoor as the Grimm Fairytale plane[[/note]]. Instead, they took advantage of the fact that the Kamigawa block was set over 1200 years prior to the current point in the game's timeline to reimagine it as a technologically advanced plane, which more directly paralleled modern Japan and which shamelessly aped common Anime, Manga and Tokusatsu tropes, while honoring the past sets with saga enchantments depicting major events from that block, and the plane's new theme would be a confict between tradition and progress. The pitch was good enough that the team felt it was worth the risk, and the resulting set, ''Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty'', was a smash success and quickly deemed one of ''Magic'''s best ever sets, in the process giving hope to revisiting planes also previously deemed unsalvagable. The fact that the set's story contains one of the game's biggest [[WhamEpisode Wham Episodes]] [[note]]The Phyrexians successfully [[TheAssimilator compleating a planeswalker]], something not even Yawgmoth managed to do[[/note]] was just icing on the cake.
279[[/folder]]
280
281[[folder:Video Games]]
282* ''[[VideoGame/{{Two}} 2]]'' is, according to WordOfGod, better than its predecessor ''VideoGame/{{Crazd}}'' And it shows with the more polished gameplay and aesthetics, the latter of which feel more cohesive and charming despite still being [[LineBoil erra]][[StylisticSuck tic]].
283* ''VideoGame/AceCombat''. The localization of ''[[VideoGame/AceCombat3Electrosphere Electrosphere]]'' had its [[{{Macekre}} entire plot surgically removed]]. ''[[VideoGame/AceCombat04ShatteredSkies Shattered Skies]]'' fared better, and had a better plot to begin with, but its strength was in the delivery. ''[[VideoGame/AceCombat5TheUnsungWar The Unsung War]]'' brought everything together with sympathetic characters, a clever plot, and the astounding, epic presentation the series is known for, which continued on to ''[[VideoGame/AceCombatZeroTheBelkanWar The Belkan War]]'', except bigger. ''[[VideoGame/AceCombat6FiresOfLiberation Fires of Liberation]]'', however, took a step back with a textbook, straightforward plot, and a cast consisting of only supporting characters, none of whom get much individual screen time or, indeed, even matter until the very end. But then came ''[[VideoGame/AceCombat7SkiesUnknown Skies Unknown]]'', which is considered [[WinBackTheCrowd a return to form]] for the franchise.
284* While ''VideoGame/AdvanceWars'' was decent, it was plagued with [[ArtificialStupidity idiotic AI]], [[NotPlayingFairWithResources balancing issues]], absurdly unbalanced [=COs=], and [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard unfair difficulty]] that outright required [[AIBreaker abusing the stupid AI]] to finish the game. ''Advance Wars 2: Black Hole Rising'' is seen as the best entry in the series bar none for correcting ''every single one'' of these issues as well as adding new units and properties, allowing the player to choose which missions to play, and vastly refining the CO Power system.
285* ''VideoGame/AdvancedVariableGeo'' is a [[SelfCensoredRelease clean remake]] of a Platform/PC98 [[HGame eroge]] that was little more than a waitress porn knockoff of ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII''. The cast of characters was expanded and the storyline fleshed out to compensate for the toned-down sexual content.
286* The first ''VideoGame/{{Age of Empires|I}}'' game, while stood out, was released to generally lukewarm reviews. The second game was released with critical acclaim and is considered one of the greatest RTS games ever, with its legacy still enduring after more than two ''decades''.
287* After ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderAngelOfDarkness Angel of Darkness]]'' and the last game or two before that (along with the [[VideoGameMoviesSuck second movie]]) many considered the ''Franchise/TombRaider'' franchise beyond saving, especially after its developer, Creator/CoreDesign, was stripped from the rights to the title. But a change to another developer brought the series back again with ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderLegend Legend]]'' which went on to be the fastest selling (note, not highest selling) game in the series so far and got high critical acclaim. Depending on your feelings about many of the changes in ''Legend'' this can also extend to ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderAnniversary Anniversary]]'' and/or ''[[VideoGame/TombRaiderUnderworld Underworld]]''. The ''[[VideoGame/TombRaider2013 2013 reboot]]'' also won back those who felt ''Underworld'' failed to deliver.
288* The first ''VideoGame/ArcTheLad'' is a fairly average SRPG: The battle system is fast-paced but flawed, while its characters are likeable but severely underdeveloped; and to top it off, the game is criminally short. The sequel, on the other hand, has a much more detailed (and [[DarkerAndEdgier darker]]) plot, more characters with more interplay amongst themselves, a relatively revised battle system and a longer campaign. As for the first, fans usually recommend it on the grounds of "well, it's the first in the series, and the second one is a direct sequel."
289* While the earlier ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'' games had their own fandom, the games had really problematic graphics, confusing storylines, and [[SomeDexterityRequired really, really laggy controls]]. It wasn't until Master of Arena that the arena system even came in, and until the 3 series that the graphics and controls received good reviews.
290* ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'':
291** ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedI'' had really good LeParkour gameplay and the beginnings of an interesting AncientConspiracy story, but was burdened with boring characters and levels, padding, and repetitive side quests and assassinations. ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII'' had a likable main character, levels that were memorable, and missions that were actually fun.
292** After the ''terrible'' reception ending of ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIII'' received, along complains about boring setting and bland characters, ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedIVBlackFlag'' decided to go in completely different direction. Since the only thing that ''didn't'' caught any flak in ''III'' were the ship sections, ''Black Flag'' is build entirely around that. And what could be better than delivering a pirate game that takes a step back from the increasingly convoluted AncientConspiracy and focuses on engaging gameplay and spoofing just how silly the whole Assassins vs. Templars plot became during the last few add-ons. The game is so refreshing some players even consider it was a missed opportunity for Ubisoft to launch a new franchise, dedicated to piracy.
293* ''VideoGame/AstonishiaStory'' was an RPG originally made for [=PCs=] in the mid-1990s and remained exclusively a Korean property until 2006, when the game was remade for the [[Platform/PlayStationPortable PSP]] and distributed worldwide. The port hadn't aged well at all, and the lackluster localization effort by Creator/{{Ubisoft}} didn't help. Three years later, ''Astonishia Story 2'' (titled ''VideoGame/CrimsonGemSaga'' in non-Asian countries) was released to a much warmer reception, with tighter character development, a retooled battle and skill system that emphasizes {{combination attack}}s, much less ForcedLevelGrinding, and a better translation by the team at Creator/{{Atlus}}.
294* ''[[VideoGame/BackyardSports Backyard Basketball]]'' on the [[Platform/PlayStation2 [=PS2=]]] improved on everything ''Backyard Basketball'' on the PC, released two years earlier, had. There were no glitches, the game never freezes, there are [[UsefulNotes/NationalBasketballAssociation NBA]] teams, and there are 9 more playable characters (while removing 1). There are even unlockable powerups!
295* ''VideoGame/{{Blinx}}'' was a decent 3D Platformer that was heavily criticized because of it's [[NintendoHard insane difficulty]] and janky gameplay mechanics. ''Blinx 2: Masters of Time and Space'' heavily dials back the difficulty and fixes most of the issues with the gameplay, and is generally better received as a result.
296* ''VideoGame/BloodyRoar'' was an obscure, poorly balanced mess of a game, with overly simple but awkward controls, poor AI, and a wannabe SNKBoss, thus the only appeal of the game was its relative simplicity and novelty, and possible pandering to furries ([[{{Stripperific}} or Alice]]). ''Bloody Roar 2'', however, was an excellent improvement, fixing the system into something much less cumbersome and easy to play. The Story mode was introduced, alongside the game's back story improving tenfold, and the AI was also dramatically improved.
297* ''VideoGame/{{Bombshell}}'' was an unimpressive and mediocre shooter that was remembered for its remarkably bad trailer. Its prequel, ''VideoGame/IonFury'', is considerably better-regarded, ditching the top-down look in favor of being a {{Retraux}} GenreThrowback to Build Engine shooters, and doing an excellent job of it.
298* ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' was relatively well received and had fun gameplay, but the storyline was non-existent [[note]]unless you read the box on the left side of the screen where you accepted missions, but this wasn't voiced and you weren't told that it's anything but filler[[/note]], the characters weren't all that developed, and it tended towards RealIsBrown. ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'' addressed basically all the weaknesses; the storyline was much more complex, the characters (both the PC and [=NPCs=]) were much more developed, and the settings were far more varied. In general, the production values were ratcheted up in every way, though at the same time the second game also marked an increase in meme and pop culture humor that [[BrokenBase drove a wedge into the fanbase.]]
299* ''Franchise/{{Castlevania}}'':
300** ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaTheAdventure The Adventure]]'' had unresponsive controls, FakeDifficulty in losing whip power after only ''one'' hit and extremely slow gameplay. Sub-weapons and such were absent, and hearts, normally used for sub-weapon power, restored energy. ''[[VideoGame/CastlevaniaIIBelmontsRevenge Belmont's Revenge]]'' rectified this in many ways, with only losing whip power if you die or get hit by the snake tower's fireballs. Christopher Belmont still moves slowly, but nowhere near as slow as his first adventure. The much more responsive controls, a non-linear level select format, like in ''Franchise/MegaMan'', even better music and a password system were welcome additions. The sub-weapon system reappeared, albeit it's only limited to the Cross (or Axe in the non-Japanese versions) and the Holy Water.
301* ''[[VideoGame/FreeSpace Conflict FreeSpace: The Great War]]'' was a fun space combat simulation game with a nice game engine and a solid storyline, but it wasn't outstanding in any field. The sequel, ''VideoGame/FreeSpace2'', was darker, with a far more gripping and surprising storyline, vastly-improved combat, visuals that still impress today, and a jaw-dropping and somewhat ambiguous ending that has provoked debate ever since. ''[=FreeSpace=] 2'' was such an awesome space-combat game it killed the genre stone dead by making every other game in the genre redundant... a problem that was exacerbated by it being an AcclaimedFlop.
302* ''[[VideoGame/{{Contra}} Contra 4]]'' came after four consecutive installments that sat poorly with fans of the series (two lame [[Platform/PlayStation [=PS1=]]] releases and two so-so Platform/{{PS2}} releases) and whipped the series back into what it should be.
303* ''Crazy Cars'', one of Creator/TitusSoftware's earliest games, had hideously ugly graphics and boring course design. ''Crazy Cars II'' had much cleaner graphics, but the roads remained strangely empty and the controls were annoyingly hard to use. ''Crazy Cars III'' made its predecessors look like an ObviousBeta in comparison.
304* ''VideoGame/CrusaderKings'': The original game, while it had its fans, was definitely a flawed game, with a TroubledProduction and quite a lot of bugs. ''Crusader Kings II'', on the other hand, has received by far the smoothest launch of any Creator/ParadoxInteractive game to date, and received almost universal acclaim from the fans. Expansions like ''Sword of Islam'', ''Legacy of Rome'' and ''The Old Gods'' have only served to make it even better.
305* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsArena'' wasn't bad for its time, featuring things like day/night cycles, seasons (with changing weather), holidays, and an advanced lighting engine, but despite having a rather large world, there wasn't anything particularly interesting to see or do, with a fairly generic setting and a clichéd plot (evil chancellor usurps emperor, have to collect 8 magic staff pieces to beat him). Then along came ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIDaggerfall Daggerfall]]'', which expanded the world (both in size and in richness) by several orders of magnitude, and added tons of things to do (dozens of factions to join! Vampirism! Lycanthropy! [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking Real estate!]]), one of the most detailed character creators seen in a CRPG, and a well-written plot with twists and political intrigue galore (as well as [[ObviousBeta bugs and glitches galore]]). And then ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' happened, picking all the good bits of Daggerfall and multiplying them ten-folds. It also included WideOpenSandbox that filled the world with dozens of things to do and places to walk to, rather than just making it huge, while excellent mod support allowed the somewhat dodgy game to survive for years thanks to modders support and secure Bethesda's position in the industry.
306* ''VideoGame/{{Darius}} Gaiden'' is widely regarded as a massive improvement over ''Darius II''. It ditches the AwesomeButImpractical multi-screen layout in favor of a single-monitor setup, making it much more palatable for players and more economic for arcade operators. Power-down penalties have been made more lenient, so that the player won't be rendered helpless just from one death in the last few zones, and the player gets much more powerful weapons to play with, not only being able to get the wave shot as early as the second zone but also being able to upgrade to an ''extremely'' powerful mixed wave shot by the end of the game. The graphics and level variety have been greatly improved, boasting some of the best 2D visual effects of the game's time and an excellent selection of challenging, but fair bosses. It also introduces a SmartBomb mechanic into the series, giving the player an out against difficult-to-dodge attacks in addition to the series-standard DeflectorShields. The end result is a package that not only saved ''Darius'' from a reputation of questionable design decisions, but one of the most critically-acclaimed [[HorizontalScrollingShooter side-scrolling shmups]] of TheNineties.
307* By many accounts, the second ''VideoGame/DarkCloud'' (''VideoGame/DarkChronicle'' overseas) is an immense improvement over the original. One area is the fact that the weapon system was fixed. In both games, [[BreakableWeapons weapons break if you use them too much without repairing them]]. In the second game you could fix broken weapons, but in the first, they'd be gone forever. Several other things were fixed as well.
308* ''VideoGame/DementiumTheWard'', although enjoyable, had a number of flaws. The most known one being that [[CheckpointStarvation when you die, you go ALL the way back to the beginning of the chapter]]. ''Dementium II'' had numerous improvements, like an omnipresent minimap, the ability to crouch and jump, the ability to save up health-restoring items, more fluid controls, and more balanced and varied levels.
309* ''Videogame/DevilMayCry2'' was widely considered a disappointment. ''Videogame/DevilMayCry3DantesAwakening'' managed to WinBackTheCrowd by being closer to the original game in tone and gameplay.
310* Games based on ''Franchise/DragonBall'':
311** ''VideoGame/DragonballZTheLegacyOfGoku'' for the Platform/GameBoyAdvance was, for lack of a more inventive word, terrible. The combat controls are stiff, the plot is [[ContinuityLockout impenetrable to all but the most seasoned DBZ fans]], and the game is way too short (beatable in about 6-8 hours, ending after Goku's battle with Frieza). Its sequel, ''Legacy of Goku II'', corrected almost all of these flaws, as well as giving the player the ability to control characters other than Goku. And then, the relatively few flaws and lack of depth found in ''Legacy of Goku II'' were completely gone in ''Buu's Fury'', which added an expanded range of special moves, such RPG basics as equipment and shops, and the ability to ''block''.
312** ''VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokai'' was generally considered a playable-if-nothing-special fighting game that captured some of the essences of the series, but also was criticized for the blocky graphics, simplistic combat, and tedious method for unlocking extras. ''Budokai 2'' did improve several things (namely the graphics), but it wasn't until ''Budokai 3'' where Creator/{{Dimps}} truly started to step things up. ''Budokai 3'' was not only a much better ''DBZ'' game than its predecessors, but it was quite popular with gamers in general, due to vastly improved fighting mechanics, more individualized physical combos for each character, greater variety in special moves (which you could do on the fly), gorgeous cel-shaded graphics, unlocking extras being made much easier and much less tedious, a single-player campaign titled ''Dragon Universe'' that gave the game near-infinite replay value, the inclusion of Beam Struggles and the actual ability to fly into or from the air, and a roster that not only spans throughout the entirety of the main ''DBZ'' story, but also from the original ''Dragon Ball'', the Broly and Cooler movies, and some of ''GT'' as well.
313** ''VideoGame/DragonBallZBudokaiTenkaichi'' had a creative enough idea for a fighting engine, but it didn't really work that well; CameraScrew was a recurring problem and the whole thing felt a bit unwieldy. The second game tightened up the fighting mechanics a lot, expanded the roster, restored the popular ''Dragon Universe'' campaign-style, and added more options... and then the third, after tightening them up a little more, proceeded to make basically every character ever associated with the series playable, while adding in a big pile of quirky "recreate the series" elements. It's a close race between those two games and ''Budokai 3'' for the title of "best ''Dragon Ball'' game."
314** ''[[VideoGame/DragonballZBudokaiTenkaichi Ultimate Tenkaichi]]'' and ''Battle of Z'' had good ideas (faithful recreation of the anime's aesthetics and custom characters in the former, four-on-four team combat in the latter) that were poorly executed. While made by a different developer, Dimps's ''VideoGame/DragonBallXenoverse'' is a marked improvement over those games, with improved combat, a new story that puts a twist on the ''DBZ'' mythos, and expanded character customization. It's also an improvement over ''VideoGame/DragonBallOnline'', of which this game has many similarities to.
315* While the original ''VideoGame/{{Dragon Quest|I}}'' scores points for innovation, it's aged terribly compared to the first installments of ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'' and ''VideoGame/PhantasyStar''. ''VideoGame/DragonQuestII'' fares worse since it can't even play the innovation card. ''VideoGame/DragonQuestIII'' on the other hand takes the basic job class system and expands on upon it. It also most likely contains the UrExample of the MonsterArena and building a new town. The Platform/GameBoyColor [[VideoGameRemake remake]] is even better, adding a new job class, a BonusDungeon, a redone localization, and a whole lot more.
316* ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors 1'' and ''2'' were bashed by reviews and many gamers alike, but from the third game onwards, the line was well-received for a while. After a while the series ended up being mocked by reviewers (but still maintains a base of hardcore fans) [[ItsTheSameNowItSucks because it remains a similar game in every incarnation]]. It's also agreed that ''Dynasty Warriors 7'' was a vast improvement over the previous installment (which was certainly a step back from the other games).
317* ''VideoGame/WarriorsOrochi'' had a surprisingly improved third game. While it stays true to the ''Warriors'' formula of "kill as many bad guys as possible", it also added a level editor, cooperative and online play, a single overarching story arc in place of the usual faction-based approach, and a ginormous cast of characters from the series' history.[[note]]A total of 132 characters from both sides as of ''Dynasty Warriors 7'' and ''VideoGame/SamuraiWarriors 3'', along with guest appearances from other famous Creator/{{Tecmo}} and Creator/{{Koei}} games such as ''VideoGame/NinjaGaiden'', ''VideoGame/DeadOrAlive'', and ''VideoGame/BladestormTheHundredYearsWar''.[[/note]]
318* ''VideoGame/EarthBoundBeginnings'' (Known as ''Mother'' in Japan): Despite its interesting story and quirky take on the RPG genre, was a [[ForcedLevelGrinding total grindfest]] due to having a lack of direction with its gameplay, on top of some insane [[SchizophrenicDifficulty spikes in difficulty]] at times (such as in [[TheVeryDefinitelyFinalDungeon Mt. Itoi]]). Its sequel, ''[[VideoGame/EarthBound1994 EarthBound]]'', fixed many of the problems the original had; RandomEncounters were replaced with PreexistingEncounters, making it so that they can be more easily avoidable, the difficulty was eased up, the gameplay was more straightforward, and the story overall [[DenserAndWackier took itself much less seriously]] ([[CerebusRollercoaster for the most part]]).
319* ''Fallen Enchantress'', the second game in the ''Elemental'' series, was a deliberate attempt by Stardock to fix the numerous problems that plagued its predecessor, ''VideoGame/ElementalWarOfMagic'' -- namely the busted A.I. opponents (who could [[AttackAttackAttack do nothing but attack]]) and the mountains of other bugs. It still lacks an online multiplayer component, but the overall reception to ''Fallen Enchantress'' has been much better than ''War of Magic''. It was done again with ''Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes'', which added new stories and factions.
320* ''50 Cent Bulletproof'' was trashed for all the bugs and bad gameplay. (The Platform/{{PSP}} version was by a different developer and fared slightly better.) ''VideoGame/FiftyCentBloodOnTheSand'' received above-average scores due to great control based on established shooter conventions, and a story that's praised as hilariously SoBadItsGood.
321* The original ''VideoGame/FightersHistory'' was an average fighting game, [[OvershadowedByControversy only really known to most people]] for the fact it got its creators sued by Capcom for being [[FollowTheLeader so thoroughly derivative]] of ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' and the resulting ruling over whether gameplay mechanics were copyrightable. Its Platform/NeoGeo sequel ''Fighter's History Dynamite'' was considered an improvement for its overhauled fighting system that allowed for more creative and elaborate {{combos}}, toning down the [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard cheating habits of the A.I. opponent]] and being a generally smoother and better-playing game, enough to earn it a cult following still playing it in tournaments as of 2019.
322* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy'':
323** Due to the ''Final Fantasy'' franchise and its BrokenBase, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' received a lot of venom for fans for its [[NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom linearity]]. Then came ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII2'', a game that not only ''doesn't'' feel like a narrow corridor, but has side-quests more evenly spread throughout the adventure as opposed to collected in one specific portion of the game, like the original had.
324** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyAllTheBravest'' is usually regarded as the absolute nadir of the entire franchise, and a microcosm of everything terrible about mobile gaming in general. By comparison, ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyRecordKeeper'', its SpiritualSuccessor, is generally seen as a pretty solid mobile game.
325** The original 1.0 release of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'' had horrendously unoptimized graphics [[note]]They looked nice, but unless you had a high-end PC, your framerates would suffer gravely[[/note]], unintuitive controls and user interface, and a grind to rival that of the worst free-to-play MMO. So abysmal was its failure that it nearly tanked Creator/SquareEnix, got the lead developer fired, and was deemed a lost cause by the new lead developer. The relaunch and continuation of the game's narrative, subtitled ''A Realm Reborn'', was practically a different game altogether, and was better in nearly every way imaginable: graphics that looked good and ran well on even a mid-tier PC, and controls so streamlined that it is possible to play even on a gamepad, helped to ensure the game would not only bring Square back from the brink but become a fixture of the MMO scene for years to come.
326** While ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsAdvance'' wasn't a bad game overall, it was met with a mixed reception by the fans due to the overall tone being LighterAndSofter compared to ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTactics''; ''Tactics'' was about war and betrayal while ''Advance'' deals with a group of adolescents that use escapism to avoid life's problems while the main protagonist tries to get them to face reality. The overall difficulty was also broken beyond recognition thanks to many of a GameBreaker (stealing abilities without having to learn them the normal way and making attacks so accurate that instant death skills made battles a joke, for example). The law system was widely hated due to how restrictive it made battles, even with the ability to [[LoopholeAbuse manipulate said laws]]. ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyTacticsA2'' addresses all of the problems of the previous game and deals them out in a nice package; the story is treated as just an adventure to have a good time on with some darker themes mixed in, the Game Breakers were nerfed (while some do still exist, they aren't as easy to abuse as they were before), and the law system was simplified and made less punishing for those who break the rules.
327** ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy2015'' was a tepidly-received sequel to the original ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasy'' and its direct sequel ''Duodecim'' as it was an arcade game ported to home consoles. Instead of a dedicated story mode, it had a limited number of cutscenes unlocked using the ingame battle currency, and its gameplay was criticized as too focused on player-vs-player online play, with single-player mode quickly becoming repetitive and character customization too limited. 2017's ''VideoGame/DissidiaFinalFantasyOperaOmnia'', despite being a gachapon spinoff, became much more popular by revamping the Brave - Hit Points battle system into a turn-based model and reintegrating the story mode into gameplay progression with a continuation of the ''Dissidia'' plotline and cutscenes highlighting many characters in the series, even ones from older or more obscure titles. Although it still has points of contention (not least being a gachapon game), it's still going strong while the game it was meant to promote stopped updating in 2020.
328* The first ''VideoGame/FinalFight'' was what it was. ''Final Fight 2'' was a MissionPackSequel with somewhat more well-worked graphics, {{Suspiciously Similar Substitute}}s for Guy and Cody, even more of an ExcusePlot than the original[[note]]suddenly Mad Gear is an international gang, [[CutLexLuthorACheck and one would think that they'd do more than ferry mooks around countries to inconvenience the heroes looking for Guy's in-laws, like invest the money that would take into actually effective defenses]][[/note]] and repetitive BGM. ''Final Fight 3'', on the other hand, massively expands upon the combat formula, with running and {{Dash Attack}}s, an elaborate grappling system, the ability to perform {{Limit Break}}s, and divergent routes adding replayability. The problem is that [[ItsEasySoItSucks the revamped combat made the game so much easier, many fans didn't like it]], and it came out very late into the Platform/{{SNES}}'s useful life.
329* The first ''VideoGame/{{Frogger}}'' game from Creator/{{Hasbro}}, ''Frogger: He's Back!'', received a mixed-to-negative response from critics due to the game's [[NintendoHard high level of difficulty]], which can largely be chalked up to the gameplay being an awkward mix of the original arcade game's rules (three lives, OneHitPointWonder, [[CheckpointStarvation no checkpoints]]) imposed onto a puzzle platformer (the frogs the player has to collect are scattered in maze-like levels, filled with [[EverythingTryingToKillYou all sorts of deadly hazards]]). Also owing to the difficulty was the game's realistic JumpPhysics controls and occasional bouts of EventObscuringCamera. The sequel ''Frogger 2: Swampy's Revenge'', developed by Creator/BlitzGames (the first game was made by [[Creator/SonyComputerEntertainment SCE Cambridge]]), retooled the gameplay into a more conventional platformer (the maze-like levels are now streamlined into a linear direction so players no longer have to search for the frogs) and [[SequelDifficultyDrop toned down the game's difficulty]] (the frogs now act as checkpoints, and lives are easier to obtain). The game also had better controls, a better camera, and added collectible coins, which unlocked more characters and multiplayer modes. The result was ''Frogger 2'' being much more positively received by reviewers.
330* The first ''GG VideoGame/{{Aleste}}'' is not too shabby, but it feels relatively barebones and the stages seem to drag on, and the FinalBoss is [[AntiClimaxBoss a pushover]]; you get the impression that the developers were being overly cautious about the Game Gear's hardware. You can set the difficulty to Special to make enemies release "revenge bullets" upon defeat, but it feels like [[FakeDifficulty artificial difficulty]] that doesn't really flesh out the game. ''GG Aleste II: Lance Bird'' is significantly beefed up, featuring a faster pace and more intense firefights with enemy waves and bosses, reducing the amount of time that the player is doing nothing besides hold down the 1 button.
331* The first two ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' games were mild successes that garnered mixed reviews due to somewhat dodgy gameplay and older style graphics. The only real reason why they attracted much attention was because of [[NoSuchThingAsBadPublicity the controversy that they caused]] -- which had been largely whipped by the developers for exactly this reason. With the jump to 3D in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'', the game garnered near-universal acclaim, kicked up a firestorm of controversy and changed the entire industry with its WideOpenSandbox gameplay.
332* The ''VideoGame/GundamVsSeries'' went through {{Sequelitis}} (''AEUG vs Titans'' and ''Gundam vs Zeta Gundam'', which were little more than ''Fed vs Zeon'' with new machines) before swinging back around into this trope's territory with the ''Alliance vs ZAFT'' games (which refined the game engine by speeding things up, making melee more viable, and adding in new tricks like boost dashing and shield defense) and the ''Gundam vs Gundam'' games (which continued the refinements while bringing in mecha from the Gundam franchise's 30-year history rather than focusing on just a single show at a time).
333* ''VideoGame/SaintsRow1'' was your stereotypical WideOpenSandbox, released to faint praise for having a solid, fun game, but still being a shameless ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto GTA]]'' clone. Only one thing really changed between its release and its sequel--''GTA'' decided it wanted to be taken seriously, and we got ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIV GTA IV]]''. ''VideoGame/SaintsRow2'' went the other way--the main character became an over-the-top HeroicComedicSociopath and the game took RefugeInAudacity. Critics loved it, as did players. Then ''[[VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird The Third]]'' pushed it even further. Although some people bash it for being outright strange, a lot of players enjoyed it for the pure insanity and strangeness they gave you to play around with in an open world, in a more stark contrast to ''GTA'' which is serious in nature.
334* ''VideoGame/HarvestMoonFranticFarming'' is a Surprisingly Improved Sequel to the confusing and disappointing earlier ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon'' PuzzleGame, ''Puzzle de Harvest Moon''.
335* ''VideoGame/DeusEx'' fans, following the [[ContestedSequel lukewarm reception]] to ''VideoGame/DeusExInvisibleWar'', were rightfully skeptical that ''[[VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution Human Revolution]]'' could live up to the original, with the long time frame and the closure of Ion Storm with a new development team taking over. It's an almost unanimous opinion that the original game will never be matched, but many agree that ''Human Revolution'' is the worthy followup that ''Invisible War'' wasn't.
336* The original ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptunia'' had an interesting concept -- the whole series is a metaphor for the MediaNotes/ConsoleWars -- but was critically panned for its awkward pace, SchizophrenicDifficulty, and frustrating game mechanics, including the inability to sell old equipment or even use items during battle as in most [=RPGs=]. Creator/IdeaFactory and Creator/CompileHeart took these criticisms to heart with ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaMk2'', reworking the game almost from the ground up with a new battle system, ItemCrafting, and better implementations of some of the systems used in the first game (such as quests and the "Shares" system). While [[CriticalDissonance still not a critical hit]], some reviewers who hated the first game were pleased with the improvements in ''mk2'', saying that ''mk2'' actually came close to being a "good" or even "great" game. The first game was also given a pseudo-UpdatedRerelease (technically both the original and the remake take place in separate universes) with gameplay based on ''VideoGame/HyperdimensionNeptuniaVictory'' that is widely considered to be the superior version.
337* The first ''VideoGame/TimeSplitters'' was an average, plotless, mildly quirky FetchQuest game. The series really took off to its cult status at the [[VideoGame/TimeSplitters2 second installment]]; a [[RuleOfFun fun]], [[RuleOfCool badass]], and most importantly ''[[RuleOfFunny HILARIOUS]]'' SpiritualSuccessor ''and'' AffectionateParody of the behemoth that was ''[[VideoGame/GoldenEye1997 GoldenEye]]'' in its day, courtesy of Rare veterans. Think of everything that made ''[=GoldenEye=]'' good, add monkeys and zombies with guns, and you're not even close to the utter craziness this series embodies. Then, the [[VideoGame/TimeSplittersFuturePerfect third game]] has a much stronger, inter-connected storyline that culminated in the reveal of the [[BigBad series villain]]. Whilst not quite as fast-paced and insane as the previous entry and with a weaker multi-player, the faults of both games balance each other out and they're often considered on par with each other, with which is better depending largely on [[BrokenBase one's personal preferences]] (most fans do consider them both great games however).
338* The first ''VideoGame/InitialDArcadeStage'' had a poorly done multiplayer mode which, among other problems, required the second player to insert his/her coin(s) within 9 seconds of the first player, and had no incentive whatsoever to play a head-to-head battle over just playing Time Attack mode. ''Initial D Arcade Stage Ver.2'' significantly improved the multiplayer mode.
339* ''VideoGame/JustCause'' was a WideOpenSandbox game with a few nice ideas (like giving you a parachute you can use at almost any time) some beautiful vistas, and a gargantuan open world to explore, but had clumsy controls, kind of boring characters, the world was fairly bland and repetitive, and it was definitely not something you'd want to pay full price for. ''Just Cause 2'', however, vastly improves your ability to use the grappling hook in conjunction with the parachute, all but allowing you to ''fly'' around the landscape, and has tons of things for you to blow up whenever you want, literally ''thousands'' of collectibles, and a much more interesting and varied world, making it a solid A-list title. It's worth noting that the first ''Just Cause'' was Avalanche Studios' first ever release, and they obviously spent a lot of time learning from their mistakes for the sequel.
340* Even the most staunch defenders of the franchise will find it difficult to deny that the very first ''VideoGame/JustDance'' was practically the epitome of UsefulNotes/{{Shovelware}}, with barebones gameplay and extremely dodgy motion detection. Then the sequel came around and fixed all of the flaws of the original while adding in a boatload of new features (most notably DLC and Duet dances). Each sequel from then on has generally been regarded as an improvement over the previous installment.
341* The original ''VideoGame/{{Killzone}}'' was a heavily hyped [=PS2=] shooter that ended up falling quite short of expectations, though it wasn't bad at all, just mediocre. ''Killzone 2'', on the other hand, has been well received by both critics and gamers, and "lived up to the hype".
342* ''VideoGame/TheKingOfFighters'':
343** ''The King of Fighters '94'' was a very good game with awesome music, but TheComputerIsACheatingBastard and the controls are tough to get used to. '''95'' had some improvements, but the A.I. is even worse. ''The King of Fighters '96'' is widely considered the point where everything really took off.
344** ''KOF 2001'' is not well-regarded, being the point at which the Striker feature became outright broken, having rather low-quality music by the series' standards and its newcomers (especially K9999, which got on [[CreatorsPest SNK's own shitlist]] for [[CaptainErsatz his unoriginality]]) being mostly on the "miss" side of the hit-or-miss reception starting from '''99''. Then we got ''KOF 2002'', which got the gameplay back to basics, brought back many fan-favorites (such as [[BreakoutVillain Rugal]]), and is overall much better-regarded. Its UpdatedRerelease ''Unlimited Match'' is even more well-received for bringing back a few who missed out on the vanilla version (and K9999's MorePopularReplacement Nameless), having some very high-quality tracks both new and remixed, and its 2020 PC PolishedPort having incredibly sophisticated online.
345** ''KOF XIII'' made up for ''KOF XII'''s [[ObviousBeta deficiencies]] in a major way, keeping the high-definition visuals and bringing back some of the fan-favorite characters that were left out of ''XII'', as well as a tutorial mode and a story mode that chronicles the final events of the Tales of Ash Saga.
346* ''VideoGame/{{Knack}}'' was a divisive game when it launched with the Platform/PlayStation4, seen largely as a mediocre showcase for the new console and an inferior successor to Mark Cerny's previous work with the ''VideoGame/CrashBandicoot'' series. Despite the odds, it sold well enough to warrant a sequel four years later. ''Knack II'' smoothed out the previous game's difficulty and made it more forgiving, and gave Knack greater variety in combat options, resulting in a more enjoyable experience overall.
347* ''VideoGame/LegoIsland 2'' is mostly a ContestedSequel, but the most common opinion on it is that it was killed by long load times, dull and lifeless voice acting, poor animation, glitchy physics, low replay value, and [[GuideDangIt poorly explained]] mini-games. ''Lego Island Xtreme Stunts'' on the other hand fixes nearly all of these problems, mostly by adding far more replay value, shortening the load times, explaining the minigames better, and having far fewer glitches.
348* ''VideoGame/LufiaAndTheFortressOfDoom'' was a bog-standard RPG. ''VideoGame/LufiaIIRiseOfTheSinistrals'' added puzzles, a more compelling storyline, one of the first randomized bonus dungeons, fun-to-use and not-too-rare random drops that give you special abilities... and created one of the best SNES-era [=RPGs=]. Had the developers not run out of budget or time for a couple of towers late in the game (the only puzzle-free dungeons), it would be perfection.
349* ''VideoGame/LuminousArc'' for the DS was a ClicheStorm of an SRPG with a particularly {{Narm}}ish voice acting in ''every. Single. Chapter''. The next game, ''VideoGame/LuminousArc2'' moves the story to another world with a better plot, vastly improved voice acting, and a more streamlined user interface. The fact that they added a fast forward button, as well as bringing in MultipleEndings (which are ''further'' expanded in ''VideoGame/LuminousArc3'') helps a lot.
350* ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiPartnersInTime'' isn't considered a bad game, but it's viewed as bit of a step down from its [[VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiSuperstarSaga predecessor]], with criticism aimed towards the [[NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom more linear gameplay]], sluggish pacing, and not really utilizing its premise all that much. In contrast, ''VideoGame/MarioAndLuigiBowsersInsideStory'' has a far more engaging story, balanced difficulty, and expanded gameplay.
351* ''VideoGame/MechWarrior'' 1 for PC in 1989 was underwhelming at best. It was a polygon-based mech combat simulator, but calling it 'primitive' would've been somewhat generous. Mech models barely resembled their parent designs, gameplay was a slog, and the non-combat elements were underdeveloped or absent. ''Mechwarrior 2'', on the other hand, blew all expectations out of the water with impressive graphics (especially for 1995), much better sound, actual ''music'' playing during missions, voice samples, more complex and interesting missions, ''two'' full campaigns, a kill-the-bots free play mode, multiplayer, and the much-beloved Mechlab where players could MinMax 'Mechs to their heart's delight. There was a reason it became a KillerApp for PC in the early Pentium era.
352* ''Franchise/MegaMan'':
353** The [[VideoGame/MegaMan1 very first game in the series]], while certainly decent, was riddled with sketchy controls and FakeDifficulty aplenty, making it an ultimately forgettable experience. Naturally, sales more or less floundered, to the point that Creator/{{Capcom}} demanded that the dev team make [[VideoGame/MegaMan2 the sequel]] in their spare time, as they didn't think it worth the investiture otherwise. When said sequel finally released, it fixed nearly all of the problems with its predecessor, featuring tighter controls, much more polished level design, a far more memorable cast of Robot Masters, and one of the best soundtracks on the NES. ''Mega Man 2'' is to this day considered to be one of the best games in the NES library, cementing the Blue Bomber as a gaming icon on par with [[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]] and [[Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog Sonic]]. Even today, ''2'' serves as the benchmark against which all future installments in the [[VideoGame/MegaManClassic Classic series]] are measured.
354** ''VideoGame/MegaManII'' on the Game Boy was developed by a different team than the well-received ''VideoGame/MegaManDrWilysRevenge'', and it showed in its low difficulty, subpar stage design, and cacophonous music that sounded nothing like the NES games' original tunes. ''VideoGame/MegaManIII'' saw the return of the developers from ''Dr. Wily's Revenge'', and the improvements over ''II'' were apparent from the get-go with improved stage design, a return of the series's challenging difficulty, and faithfully recreated music from the NES games.
355** ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' had a nearly universally despised [[{{VideoGame/MegaManX7}} seventh game]] (an unusual instance in the extremely [[BrokenBase divided fanbase]] that ''Mega Man'' has); but the [[{{VideoGame/MegaManX8}} eighth game]] is considered a vast improvement.
356** ''VideoGame/MegaManBattleNetwork'' had shades of ObviousBeta as Capcom was still experimenting with fine-tuning the battle system. The second game refined many mechanics on top of better writing, such that it, with the third game, would be fondly remembered as the best of the ''Battle Network'' series. The fifth game is this to the fourth by virtue of ''actually having a plot'', while the sixth game does this to the fifth with even better writing and mechanics.
357** ''VideoGame/MegaManStarForce''[='s=] second game was hard to take even for the people who liked the first one, but the third game made up for it in incredibly unexpected ways, to a degree that some consider it the best in the entirety of the ''Battle Network/Star Force'' continuity.
358* The fangame ''VideoGame/MegaManADayInTheLimelight'' had a really clever idea (take ''VideoGame/MegaMan2'' and let you play as the Robot Masters from the first game), but it wasn't well-executed at all; the Robot Masters were either too similar or too weak, the level design was either barely-changed from the first game or just incredibly tedious, and the design was overall shoddy. ''A Day in the Limelight 2'' (Robot Masters from ''2'', levels from ''3'') fixed all these problems, making the Robot Masters all distinct and playable in their own right, allowing you to switch between them, and heavily reworking the levels to accommodate their abilities or just add some polish. It's generally seen as having delivered on the promise of the original, and in some ways even improved on ''VideoGame/MegaMan3''.
359* ''VideoGame/MetalGear'':
360** ''VideoGame/MetalGearAcid'' was ambitious, but very unrefined, with potentially broken gameplay. ''VideoGame/MetalGearAcid2'' sharpened the graphics, tidied up the engine, made the story more coherent, and added a lot of depth and spontaneity to the gameplay. ''AC!D 2'' also played to the fans of the first by bringing back what many would acknowledge as the first game's best moment - as the final boss of that game comes back (and, in a masterful bit of foreshadowing, you ''run on top of it'' without noticing unless you ''really'' paid attention), only tightened and with a potentially nasty time limit to make it harder.
361** Later in the series, ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPortableOps'' was a competently made game that showed great potential with its army building mechanics. However, the controls suffered on the PSP, the story (despite a great villain) felt more like a side-story, and the army building mechanic showed potential, but didn't quite live up to it with a lack of variety and frustrating issues. Then came ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolidPeaceWalker''. Under Kojima's direction (unlike ''Portable Ops''), ''Peace Walker'''s controls were more refined, its story felt more connected to the overall picture (particularly with Big Boss' CharacterDevelopment) and the potential that ''Portable Ops'' showed with its army building mechanics were ''thoroughly'' lived up to, with an entire, constantly-growing, base of operations, a variety of options that expanded over the course of the entire game, and with the frustrating features simplified or removed. All that along with being the biggest ''Metal Gear'' game ever made at the time, meant it blew ''Portable Ops'' away.
362* After the pinnacle of the ''VideoGame/MetalSlug'' series with ''Metal Slug 3'', the series suffered from Creator/{{SNK}}'s bankruptcy and transformation into SNK Playmore. While the gameplay didn't suffer too badly, ''4'' ended up with recycled backgrounds and Tarma and Eri getting replaced with [[ReplacementScrappy two new characters]], and ''5'' was rushed out the door before it was finished, resulting in a game devoid of a story and most of the series' personality (especially JustForFun/{{egregious}} with the FinalBoss, who's a giant winged, a silhouetted demon who [[GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere comes right out of nowhere with no foreshadowing or explanation]]) and a lot more linear than previous games. Not only was ''Metal Slug 6'' released in full and with no recycled backgrounds, but it gave every character unique perks (like Fio starting every life with a heavy machine gun and getting more ammo from pickups, and Tarma having several vehicle-related perks) and includes Ralf and Clark from ''VideoGame/IkariWarriors'' as playable characters. ''6'' is considered by many to be the proper revival of the series.
363* ''VideoGame/MightyGunvolt'' (a {{Retraux}} game released alongside ''VideoGame/AzureStrikerGunvolt'' as a crossover between it and the then-still-in-development ''VideoGame/MightyNo9'') was an interesting curiosity, but also [[ItsShortSoItSucks easy to play through and fully finish in an hour or so]]. The sequel, ''Mighty Gunvolt Burst'', makes better use of its ''Gunvolt''/''Mighty No. 9''/''VideoGame/GalGun'' crossover potential by featuring more playable characters from all three series (via DLC) with their own unique play styles, as well as offering numerous attack configurations for each character.
364* ''Anime/MobileSuitGundam'' did not have a pleasant entry to the world of [=3D PS2=] gaming. ''Journey to Jaburo'' was aimed fully at the fanboys with loads of FMV and well-done audio, but horrible in-game graphics and controls combined with lackluster melee combat ruined the game even for many fans of the series, and worried fans were concerned that the series would be abandoned or left as schlock. ''Federation vs Zeon'' managed to make a surprisingly good [=VirtualOn=] knockoff with a worthwhile campaign mode and decent replay value. ''Zeonic Front'' actually made an enjoyable squad-based tactics game with actually memorable original characters and strategy, and ''Encounters in Space'' was likewise playable even for those that weren't already into the series.
365* ''VideoGame/MotorToonGrandPrix'' had a lot of promise for a MascotRacer, such as the incorporation of realistic driving elements like working suspensions and slipstream, but it was brought down by a lack of content and a wonky physics engine. The sequel made the physics a lot better and added plenty of new content such as tracks, secret characters, and mini-games, all while improving the graphics.
366* Compare ''VideoGame/FireEmblem: [[VideoGame/FireEmblemMysteryOfTheEmblem Mystery of the Emblem]]'' to the original ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemShadowDragonAndTheBladeOfLight Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light]]''. While the latter was a good game that helped [[TropeCodifier establish]] an entire [[TurnBasedStrategy genre]] it was plagued with a terrible inventory system, staves didn't give EXP, and some classes couldn't promote despite their promoted versions existing (Armor knight/general and Hunter/horseman for example). Then the former comes and fixes most of the gameplay flaws as well as much needed character and story development and wraps it up with a more streamlined version of ''Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light''.
367* While the original ''VideoGame/{{MUSECA}}'' is a decent game, it suffers from some needlessly complex mechanics pertaining to Graficas that are not easily understood, especially by [[AmericansHateTingle players in US arcades]] as many of them don't speak Japanese well. ''MÚSECA 1 + 1/2'' rectifies this by making Grafica mechanics more simple (you only need to worry about one stat and one of five elements, and their unlocked effects if any don't affect your score or [[InterfaceScrew mess with the interface]]), making it easier to unlock Grafica (instead of a sequence of objectives or a random pull, just find the Grafica in the Mission mode list and use Graficas with high enough attack power to complete the mission), and finally, making Grafica ''completely optional'' (there's a "simple" mode where you just play songs for a score like in other music games, charts are unlocked simply by purchasing them from the song list, and even if you decide to use a Grafica all it does is decorate the interface and gain EXP for leveling up).
368* For all the praise ''VideoGame/NieR'' gets for its story, cast, and interesting gameplay ideas, most people agree the actual gameplay is serviceable at best and outright obnoxious at worst. ''VideoGame/NierAutomata'' improved on almost all regards in the gameplay department thanks to the involvement of Creator/PlatinumGames and maintains the fantastic narrative and cast that the first game was known for, making it Creator/YokoTaro's most critically acclaimed work to date by a wide margin, such that the remake of the original ''[=NieR=]'' borrowed heavily from the gameplay of ''Automata'' to its emmense benefit.
369* While ''Naruto: Ninja Destiny'' was not very well received due to the lack of content outside of story, single player, arcade and multiplayer modes, a small roster, very short story mode, very little replay value, muddy graphics and poor gameplay mechanics, the sequel, ''Naruto Shippuden: Ninja Destiny 2'' fixed all the problems the first game had, by having over 30 playable characters (including all the characters from the first game), more replay value, a longer story (complete with an exploration element, RPG style encounters and even side quests where you can unlock characters), better graphics, improved gameplay mechanics and tons of extra modes, like a dungeon crawler mode and even an endless survival mode. Due to all of the improved changes, the game was rather well-received by many.
370* While it's a little muddy as to what exactly ''VideoGame/{{DJMAX}} Respect'' is a sequel to (''SUPERBEAT [=XONiC=]''[[note]]the last game that can be [[GaidenGame loosely defined]] as a ''DJMAX'' game; unique take but it features a lot of wonky, outdated mechanics like only one difficulty per button mode, a scoring system that punishes anything short of an All Combo, and different songs being available on different stages[[/note]], ''DJMAX RAY''[[note]]the last game to carry the ''DJMAX'' name; decent gameplay but notoriously unoptimized and known for tons of {{Microtransactions}}[[/note]], ''DJMAX Portable 3''[[note]]the last game to use traditional ''DJMAX'' gameplay; interesting new remix modes but removal of most traditional button modes, lots of grinding for unlocks, limited songlist, and horrendously draining on the PSP's battery[[/note]]), many agree that it surpasses all of them in quality, due to the expansive songlist that ''continues to grow'' thanks to DLC updates and the return and refinement of traditional ''DJMAX Portable'' gameplay (4-, 5-, 6-, and 8-button modes, and scoring that is now more focused on accuracy than [[UnstableEquilibrium building a huge combo]]). It also shows that good {{Rhythm Game}}s can exist on traditional consoles without needing expensive peripherals that are only used for specific games to be enjoyable (although it hasn't stopped makers of arcade-style controllers from designing ''Respect''-specific controllers anyway, for those who still wanna go the extra mile).
371* ''VideoGame/NESRemix'' is a decent MinigameGame that had a somewhat undercooked selection of classic NES games--genuine classics like ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros1'' and ''VideoGame/DonkeyKong'' feature prominently, while Nintendo's early sports titles (''Baseball'', ''Tennis'', ''Golf'', etc.) are included almost as an afterthought. However, the game was successful enough to spawn a sequel in ''NES Remix 2'', which features a higher-quality selection of games (including ''VideoGame/KirbysAdventure'', ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros2'' and ''VideoGame/SuperMarioBros3''), more creative remix stages, and the ability to view replays of other players' best times.
372* ''VideoGame/NickelodeonKartRacers'':
373** The original game was criticized for a lack of online multiplayer, the scant amount of Nicktoons represented (''WesternAnimation/{{Rugrats}}'', ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'', ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'', and ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'', which somehow results in only 12 playable characters), no voice acting whatsoever, and uninspired gameplay. The sequel, ''Nickelodeon Kart Racers 2: Grand Prix'', while still not getting spectacularly high marks from critics and retaining some of the original game's flaws such as no voice acting, is still considered a massive improvement over the first game. Among the improvements in ''[=NKR2GP=]'' are online multiplayer, new modes, and a good deal more playable characters from 12 Nicktoons[[note]]The aforementioned four, as well as ''WesternAnimation/TheLoudHouse'', ''WesternAnimation/TheRenAndStimpyShow'', ''WesternAnimation/RockosModernLife'', ''WesternAnimation/{{Catdog}}'', ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom'', ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', and ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra''[[/note]] [[MyFriendsAndZoidberg and JoJo Siwa]], plus many others through the [[AssistCharacter Pit Crew mechanic]].
374** ''Slime Speedway'' improves on ''Grand Prix'' in every conceivable way, with more characters and tracks, an expanded kart/bike customization system, far more content across the board and full voice acting for the entire cast.
375* While ''Tecmo Cup Soccer Game'' introduced a fair hybrid between soccer and RPG, the game is still a [[ExcusePlot loose]] [[CulturalTranslation adaptation]] of ''Manga/CaptainTsubasa'' with rather clunky menu systems and controls. Then comes ''Captain Tsubasa Vol.II: Super Striker'', the sequel that makes huge improvements. It fixed all problems with the menus, has better interfaces, has a faster pace, has [[AlternateUniverse its own interpretation of the series' plot]], and is satisfyingly challenging.
376* The ''VideoGame/{{Onechanbara}}'' series was known for cheap not so good or mediocre games that were like a weird cross between ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' and ''VideoGame/DynastyWarriors'' until ''Z: Kagura'' came out and became more [=DMC=]-like[=/=]Bayonetta-esque. While not perfect, it had two new characters, better level design (previous games were full of padding in stages), bosses that put up a fight, and an enemy variety other than just zombies. ''Z2: Chaos'' took it even further with four playable characters that you could switch on the fly at any time and new power-ups that were useful.
377* ''VideoGame/{{Outpost}}'' was a turn-based colony management game that was well-hyped before its release, but it turned out to just be [[RecycledINSPACE Simcity IN SPACE!]] Not only that, but it also had several bugs and was basically unfinished. ''VideoGame/Outpost2'' on the other hand, took some of the key plot elements from the first, and made it into an enjoyably complex real-time strategy game with a heavy focus on colony management. The story (which ignored the first in almost every conceivable fashion) was very detailed and interesting, becoming a tale told from the point of view of two factions, both trying to survive and avoid extinction. The inclusion of the story in the form of a novella, along with all the well-researched science (the game leans heavily towards hard science fiction), makes the game more enjoyable than one would expect from its predecessor.
378* ''VideoGame/PaperMario'':
379** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioColorSplash'', while not without its own flaws, was considered to be an improvement over the poorly received previous installment ''VideoGame/PaperMarioStickerStar'' and fixed a number of (albeit not all of) ''Sticker Star'''s problems. It's far from being considered better than the [[VideoGame/PaperMario64 first]] [[VideoGame/PaperMarioTheThousandYearDoor three]] [[VideoGame/SuperPaperMario games]], however.
380** ''VideoGame/PaperMarioTheOrigamiKing'' would go on to be even better received than both the [[{{Sequelitis}} hated]] ''Sticker Star'' and ContestedSequel ''Color Splash'', due to the game being regarded as having finally found an identity for the post-''Super Paper Mario'' games with more intuitive, practical, and (most importantly) ''fun'' PuzzleBoss gameplay, doing away with the gimmicky Things that made most battles a pushover, many more interesting and likable characters, and a more compelling story than the fairly thin plots of the previous two games.
381* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarIII'' was an ambitious sequel in terms of its narrative scope, but is by-and-large considered a major downgrade from ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarII'' when it came to gameplay, and the game's setting seemed completely divorced from the mythos built up over the previous games (at least at first). ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarIV'', conversely, is a direct continuation from ''II'', both in narrative and in gameplay, with the game's battle mechanics expanding upon those from ''II'' while the story, played out in manga-style cutscenes, build up to an amazing climax.
382* ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarUniverse'' did a lot of things well, including a fully-featured single-player campaign, and an expansive character creation system. Unfortunately, it also stumbled in many respects: the gameplay was criticized for being stale and boring, the single-player campaign had a fairly laughable story, and the international localizations were [[BadExportForYou missing content from the Japanese version]]. It would not be until the move to the Playstation Portable, with ''Phantasy Star Portable'', that the series GrowingTheBeard: what the series lost in online multiplayer, it made up for in improved narratives and fine-tuned mechanics which would serve as inspiration for ''VideoGame/PhantasyStarOnline2''.
383* ''VideoGame/RecordOfAgarestWar'', another Creator/IdeaFactory[=/=]Creator/CompileHeart series, experienced this with ''Agarest War 2''. The clunky strategy game-type battle system from the original game and [[VideoGame/RecordOfAgarestWarZero its prequel]] was replaced by a new system that while somewhat quirky, is also easy to control and makes the game's difficulty curve [[DifficultySpike look less like the Swiss Alps]]. This is probably also one of the only game series that was improved with the ''addition'' of RandomEncounters, as opposed to having to fight three to eight long strategy battles of random difficulty before reaching a safe spot.
384* ''VideoGame/RedDeadRevolver'' was a regular game at best. ''VideoGame/RedDeadRedemption'' is basically ''Revolver'' plus the ''GTA'' formula, with next generation graphics and a much richer plot.
385* ''VideoGame/RedSteel'' was an ambitious shooter/swordplay launch title for the Platform/{{Wii}} marred by bad swordplay controls and an overall rushed presentation. With the implementation of the Wii [=MotionPlus=] allowing for more precise controls, ''VideoGame/RedSteel2'' is being hailed as what its predecessor should have been and even being regarded as one of the best-looking Wii games.
386* The original ''VideoGame/{{Street Fighter|I}}'' was a broken mess, with bad controls being the one huge problem that brought it down. By [[AscendedGlitch turning the]] GoodBadBugs [[AscendedGlitch into gameplay features]], removing the truly bad bugs, and generally improving the controls, ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' is credited with [[GenrePopularizer popularizing the one-on-one tournament fighter genre]] and becoming a phenomenon.
387* ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'':
388** ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil7Biohazard'' marked the return of the ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' series' horror roots, right after ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil6'' went too far with the over-the-top action.
389** As far as side games go, the little-respected ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilGunSurvivor Gun Survivor]]'' series was mostly known for being insubstantial fluff among its first three installments (''Survivor'', ''Survivor 2'', and the non-''RE'' ''[[VideoGame/DinoCrisis Dino Stalker]]''), but then the fourth and final one, ''Dead Aim'', was praised as surprisingly playable and fun.
390* ''VideoGame/RobotArena 2'', while not a [[CultClassic well-known]] game was a massive improvement over the original game. The sequel had much more customization options in regard to the chassis and weapons you could use, better AI, and an actual physics engine.
391* The first ''[[VideoGame/SengokuSNK Sengoku]]'' game on the Platform/NeoGeo is a sub-par brawler with some cheap enemies, stiff controls, and power-ups that are likely to transform you into a worthless character. The sequel is an improvement, but not by much, and still bears several of the major problems the original game had. It wouldn't be until ''Sengoku 3'' that the series came into its own with multiple unique playable characters, refined combat, and an improved stylized art style.
392* The original ''VideoGame/ShiningForce'', while still a fun Strategy RPG, was riddled with [[GoodBadBugs exploitable bugs]] and poor class balance while having too gradual a difficulty curve. Later entries have not only fixed these problems but also introduced new concepts, such as [[SummonMagic summoning]] and weapon skill levels, to add to the variety of the gameplay.
393* Franchise/{{Hitman}}:
394** ''VideoGame/HitmanCodename47'' featured a good concept but had very twitchy AI, a buggy disguise system, and no ability to save during missions; ''[[VideoGame/Hitman2SilentAssassin Silent Assassin]]'' added the ability to save as well making improvements on the shortfalls of the original, as did each installment afterward.
395** ''VideoGame/HitmanAbsolution'' was met with a polarising response to audience and critics; it did genuinely improve upon mechanics, but the linear gameplay and the broken Instinct meter really left a bad taste in players' mouths. The sequel to it; ''VideoGame/Hitman2016'', was seen as a the series getting back to form, with wide open sandboxes, much more freeform gameplay, and the story is much less prominent.
396* ''VideoGame/SnowRunner'' is a driving simulation game, and a sequel to ''[=Mudrunner=]''. While the original game was well-liked by its' fans, the sequel takes the core gameplay and fleshes it out significantly with new features such as more varying tasks, terrain types and map interactivity.
397* ''VideoGame/SoldnerX: Himmelssturmer'' was a serviceable [[ShootEmUp side-scrolling shoot-em-up]] with excellent visuals, but was mainly held back by its sluggishness and [[ItsShortSoItSucks brevity]]. Its sequel, ''Söldner-X 2: Final Prototype'' improves on both of these aspects while adding more playable ships and weapons, a revamped power-up and combo system (no more [[PoisonMushroom power-down items]]), and assorted challenges and an expansion pack to keep the game fresh even after completion.
398* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'':
399** ''VideoGame/SonicAndTheSecretRings'' and ''VideoGame/SonicUnleashed''. While the games still suffered from significant flaws (with ''Secret Rings'' having a lousy [[{{Waggle}} motion control scheme]] and ''Unleashed'' having [[UnexpectedGameplayChange the Werehog brawler levels]]), they were generally agreed that they weren't as bad as the widely-panned ''VideoGame/ShadowTheHedgehog'' and ''[[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog2006 Sonic '06]]''.
400** ''VideoGame/SonicColors'' managed to be the first Sonic game to actually avoid incorporating (blatantly) gimmicky mechanics into the game, and was praised as the first solid Sonic game in years (and for those who aren't fans of the pre-''Unleashed'' 3D titles, the first 3D Sonic game to make a successful VideoGame3DLeap and be genuinely good).
401** While ''VideoGame/SonicBoom: Fire & Ice'' does have its detractors and isn't considered a great game, many journalists and fans are in agreement that it's certainly a step up from the previous two ''Sonic Boom'' games, ''Shattered Crystal'' and especially ''Rise of Lyric''. It helps that Sega delayed the game from its intended holiday 2015 release to nearly a year later to give the developers more time to work on it and ensure it doesn't suffer the same fate as its predecessors.
402** Sega's first attempt at RevisitingTheRoots with ''VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4'' was heavily panned by the fanbase of the original games as an awful successor to what is still considered the series' best games; and while it wasn't received with as much vitriol from reviewers at the time of release, they later agreed in retrospect that the game was a misfire. Like the ''Skyfall'' example above, ''Sonic 4'' was subsequently ignored by ''VideoGame/SonicMania'', which was not only praised as a proper sequel to the original games by both critics and fans but garnered wide acclaim as the series' first truly exceptional entry in decades. ''Sonic Mania'' was also the first ''Sonic'' game on consoles released after the aforementioned ''Rise of Lyric'', which is considered a top contender alongside ''Sonic 2006'' as the ''worst'' ''Sonic'' game in the series.
403** The general consensus on ''VideoGame/SonicFrontiers'' is that while the game isn’t perfect and has its weak spots, it is considered a step in the right direction for the series after the polarizing reception towards the last two main games by Sonic Team, ''VideoGame/SonicLostWorld'' and ''VideoGame/SonicForces'', owning mainly to its improved writing and more in-depth “open zone” gameplay.
404** As far as [[FanWork fan games]] go: the original ''[[http://info.sonicretro.org/Sonic_Robo_Blast Sonic Robo Blast]]'' was considered a great fan game for its time, being ambitious in its scope, albeit stymied by the primitive GameMaker programs it was made on. By comparison, ''VideoGame/SonicRoboBlast2'' is several major steps up, being a standalone total conversion GameMod of ''VideoGame/{{DOOM}}'' that fans and [[http://www.gamesradar.com/the-coolest-and-weirdest-doom-mods-ever/ critics alike]] claim actually surpasses Sega's official games.
405* Gameplay-wise, the original ''VideoGame/SoundVoltex'' is pretty neat for its time, with its use of analog knobs to bring something new to "falling notes" {{Rhythm Game}}s as well as sound effects that give the impression of mixing the track in a live set. However, its tracklist mostly comprises remixes of existing Music/{{BEMANI}} songs of questionable quality (let's put it this way: [=LamazeP=] of "[=PoPiPo=]" fame [[OldShame personally]] [[http://twitter.com/lamazeP/status/180595072436416512 apologized]] for [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bSlHsVKlZSY his remix of "Second Heaven"]]), SoBadItsGood Music/{{Vocaloid}} songs, and a handful of ''Franchise/TouhouProject'' arranges. ''Sound Voltex II -infinite infection-'' is when the series started to pick up, introducing a lot of new songs at launch that were much better received, many of which are originals, helping to give the series a better sense of identity.
406* ''VideoGame/SpyroEnterTheDragonfly'' was an ObviousBeta that was ChristmasRushed and only had seven levels and very strange design decisions because of it. The following game; ''VideoGame/SpyroAHerosTail'' was a vast improvement, adding in new breaths that had actual use, and was more in line with the quality set by the original Insomniac developed trilogy of games. Many even consider it a case of being VindicatedByHistory, especially given the franchises' later games.
407* ''Spec Ops'' was a middle-of-the-road shooter franchise from the Platform/PlayStation 1 days, perhaps only notable as being one of the first franchises set in the modern-day while World War II was the standard setting for a military FPS. Flash forward about a decade, and the series is revived with ''VideoGame/SpecOpsTheLine'', considered one of the best examples of storytelling in gaming ever.
408* The original ''VideoGame/StarControl'' was a 2D space combat sim with hardly any story elements (at least not [[AllThereInTheManual in the game.]]). ''VideoGame/StarControlII'' kept the good parts (the space combat, aka Super Melee) and added a surprisingly complex and fun story mode.
409* ''VideoGame/{{Stuntman}}'' was a [=PS2=] title that featured realistic handling physics and an interesting twist on the driving genre, but ultimately received meager popularity due to its punishing difficulty. ''Stuntman: Ignition'', released as a console-generation-bridging title ([=PS2=], [=PS3=], and 360) featured a completely overhauled game system that kept the games difficulty nearly-intact but made it ''much'' fairer for the player. Didn't hurt that it was also a much better looking game.
410* ''VideoGame/StyxMasterOfShadows'' wasn't really a ''bad'' game, but it was a generally janky and rather unpolished one with a lot of flaws. ''VideoGame/StyxShardsOfDarkness'' took everything that didn't work in ''Master of Shadows'' and either changed it for the better, or removed it completely. The levels are much bigger, but not divided into four parts, so there's little to no {{Padding}}; the second half of the game isn't [[LevelInReverse the first half backwards]]; the cutscenes and animation looks ''much'' better and less stiff/uncanny; the tone is much more fun and darkly-comical instead of being straight and humourless; and numerous quality-of-life changes and improvements to the way the character handles have been made. Even reviewers who didn't love the game still acknowledge that it's at least better than ''Master of Shadows''.
411* ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWars'':
412** The original game on the Nintendo Platform/GameBoy was clunky, with minimal plot and a ''lot'' of GuideDangIt moments. Each game's taken steps since then, with its first sequel actually using the pilots and storylines from the series in question, and producing Banpresto's first OriginalGeneration batch, featuring Masaki Ando, Bian Zoldark, and Shu Shirakawa.
413** The first ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration'' was fairly clunky compared to the earlier ''SRW'' games on the Platform/GameBoyAdvance, with a pretty basic story and minimal animation and effects. It feels a lot like a side-project Banpresto wasn't ready to commit to (it was, after all, essentially a crossover ''without'' the crossing over). Compare to ''Original Generation 2'', which featured more plots and better animation and effects that nearly match the first ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsAlpha Alpha]]'' game on the [=PS1=].
414** On the localization front for ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsX'', at any rate. While X is not the first SRW to get an English option but not an official release in most Anglophone territories, previous efforts at putting an English option in could best be described as "serviceable". The team Namco Bandai assembled for X, however, was made up of a number of long-time SRW fans, and it really shows; as much as the actual plotting can be kind of bad (as noted above), the quality of the English script is considered a high-water mark for the entire franchise and contributed heavily to X becoming an underground success and growing the English SRW fanbase and bringing lapsed fans back in.
415* The first ''VideoGame/SuperSmashFlash'' was made in four months, and it shows by [[ObviousBeta being practically unplayable by modern standards]] -- with only five moves per character, atrocious hit detection making almost every move a OneHitKill, numerous {{Game Breaking Bug}}s, unfunctional items, only being able to support two players and having the camera always follow Player 1, and a pithy stage roster of eight stages. ''Super Smash Flash 2'', on the other hand, greatly improves on the flaws of its predecessor; with its high quality graphics, more balanced gameplay, and fidelity to [[VideoGame/SuperSmashBros its source material]], it has been widely acclaimed as one of, if not the best ''Super Smash Bros.'' FanGame.
416* The first ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' was not a particularly remarkable game, and was seen as a ''Virtua Fighter'' clone, featuring blocky graphics, cheap music, and boss characters who were direct clones, as well as not many special moves. The home versions did not have any extra modes apart from Versus and Options modes. ''Tekken 2'' addressed all the issues and added a lot more cool characters and many modes.
417* The first game in the ''VideoGame/{{Momodora}}'' series, while made as a tribute to games like ''Franchise/MegaMan'' and ''VideoGame/CaveStory'', had some annoying issues that kept it from being a great game. [[WordOfGod Even rein, the sole dev of the game, agrees]] [[OldShame because it was his first game project.]] Then came along ''Momodora 2'', which fixed most of the issues 1 had and adds an {{Metroidvania}} aspect to the game. The two other games, ''Momodora 3'' and ''Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight'', [[EvenBetterSequel are considered to be even better than 2]].
418* ''VideoGame/ThunderForce III'' was a huge improvement over its rather average predecessor ''Thunder Force II'', they got rid of the annoying overhead scrolling stages (which were all that the obscure first ''Thunder Force'' game had to offer), improved the graphics and [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic music]], and made the gameplay a lot better. ''Thunder Force IV'' and ''Thunder Force V'' continued on the tradition of awesomeness and were the peak of the franchise. Unfortunately, {{Sequelitis}} took effect after that.
419* The original ''VideoGame/{{Titanfall}}'' was an online-focused shooter that, although it did feature some interesting and unique mechanics, was deemed by many to be a merely OK shooter with some significant issues. [[VideoGame/Titanfall2 Its sequel]] was much better received, earning high scores from players and critics alike for its short-but-sweet single-player campaign, compelling multiplayer, regular updates, and, to the relief of many, its player-friendly business model. [[AcclaimedFlop Despite not selling well]], the game still has a decent-sized player-base.
420* The original ''VideoGame/ThereIsNoGame'', while a fun experience, was only a few minutes long, provided you knew what you were doing. Its sequel, ''VideoGame/ThereIsNoGameWrongDimension'', however, drastically increases the playtime of the game to a few hours and has a much deeper story than its predecessor, including [[spoiler: Game reminiscing about its lost companion, [=GiGi=], due to the Creator removing them from Game's code... which also consequentially spawned Mr. Glitch, who seeks to wreck havoc in the real world]].
421* While all of Wave's games based on ''Manga/TomorrowsJoe'' are fairly obscure, the Super Famicom one is seen as the best one of them all; not only cutting out the {{Filler}} beat-em-up sections of ''VideoGame/LegendOfSuccessJoe'' and having much better graphics and sound than the first installment, simply ''Success Joe'', but also, after the previous two [[NotHisSled did not]], having the manga's famous ending.
422* The original ''Film/TopGun'' for the NES was very slow-paced and boring, lacked dogfights, [[NintendoHard was extremely hard to land the plane]] (made famous thanks to ''WebVideo/TheAngryVideoGameNerd''), and difficult refueling scenes. The sequel, titled ''Top Gun: The Second Mission'', however, [[ActionizedSequel was much more action-packed]] [[SequelEscalation and fast-paced]], has a much easier landing, no refueling scenes, and dogfight sequences. Not only that, but the game also gave you the ability to [[DoABarrelRoll perform barrel rolls]] to dodge missiles.
423* ''Franchise/TouhouProject'': In-between the standard danmaku games, which have been slowly improving, ZUN has done a bit of experimenting. The concepts he reuses tend to be much better the second time around:
424** ''VideoGame/TouhouYumejikuuPhantasmagoriaOfDimDream'' is, bluntly, terrible, suffering from cheating AI, little plot, ugly graphics, and boring battles. ''VideoGame/TouhouKaeidzukaPhantasmagoriaOfFlowerView'' still isn't great, but is at least reasonably passable. The AI cheats less blatantly, a fairly interesting story, it's fairly pretty, and you're actually dodging your opponent's patterns instead of stage enemies.
425** ''VideoGame/TouhouBunkachouShootTheBullet'' was mostly made for the sake of having a game to go with the fan books release, and it shows. The game is fairly short, has a lot of very similar patterns (Spinning! Streaming! Spinning while streaming!), mostly fairly ugly patterns, an unpolished UI, and is really hard, even by ''Touhou'' standards. ''VideoGame/DoubleSpoilerTouhouBunkachou'' is longer, has more variety, fixed most of ''STB'''s annoying issues, and is reasonably clearable by the average ''Touhou'' player.
426** Then there is the fan game ''VideoGame/KoumajouDensetsu'' -- where the second game has received massive improvements over the first as well as added really well-done voice acting.
427* Among the ''VideoGame/TwistedMetal'' games, ''Twisted Metal III'', ''Twisted Metal 4'', and ''Twisted Metal: Small Brawl'' are generally considered the weakest. ''Twisted Metal: Black'' is seen as better than both ''III'' and ''4'' and is hailed as one of, if not the best game in the series, while ''Twisted Metal: Head-On'' is seen as a major improvement from ''Small Brawl''.
428* ''VideoGame/TwoWorlds II'' fixed everything in the first game while retaining the WhatCouldHaveBeen elements, including [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjt4QpJSBIs an innovative spell system.]] The first game suffered from numerous glitches, missing animations, and extremely cheesy dialogue, and its Platform/Xbox360 port was a [[PortingDisaster disaster]], which turned a buggy but playable game into a trainwreck. The second game is mostly remembered for its HUGE amount of content and a variety of multiplayer modes.
429* The first two ''Manga/WanganMidnight'' arcade games were basically just ''VideoGame/TokyoXtremeRacer'' with ''Wangan Midnight'' characters and stage-based gameplay, with few players remembering or thoroughly enjoying them. ''Wangan Midnight Maximum Tune'', on the other hand, gave ''VideoGame/InitialDArcadeStage'' a run for its money.
430* The original ''VideoGame/{{Warcraft}}'' was an unimaginative RealTimeStrategy with two cosmetically different sides, slow, clunky and unbalanced gameplay, muddy graphics and little backstory. Then came ''Warcraft II'', still with very similar sides (except for mage spells and archer enhancements) but much smoother, more-polished, better-balanced and vastly expanded gameplay, cleaner, more detailed graphics, [[SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic one of the greatest RTS soundtracks ever recorded]], and a fairly well-developed backstory. Along with ''VideoGame/DuneII'', ''VideoGame/WarcraftII'' is considered to be one of the progenitors of the RealTimeStrategy genre. ''VideoGame/WarcraftIII'' has 4 ''very'' different sides and an even richer backstory, the success of which prompted Blizzard to make [[VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft the most successful MMORPG in history]].
431* The general consensus for ''VideoGame/WatchDogs2'' is that it's surprisingly much better than the mediocre [[VideoGame/WatchDogs first game]] in the series. It has a more likable cast of characters, improved controls (especially while driving vehicles), new ways of solving hacking puzzles, and it doesn't take itself [[LighterAndSofter so seriously]].
432* ''VideoGame/WWEVideoGames'' have generally ranged from average to positive reviews, but it reached a nadir with ''WWE 2K20'', which -- as a result of the abrupt departure of longtime development studio Yuke and their [[ChristmasRushed heavily-expedited]] replacement with Visual Concepts -- turned out to be [[ObviousBeta an infamously buggy and unpolished mess]]. The critical thrashing and record-low sales left little to be excited about for the future of WWE games, especially when it was announced that Visual Concepts would be sitting out ''2K21'' in order to focus on the following year. However, they made on their promise, and ''2K22'' was released to vastly improved reception, addressing most major criticisms of the previous entry, including technical stability, graphic fidelity, and overall flow of the gameplay, giving the franchise a much-welcomed second wind.
433* ''VideoGame/YookaLaylee'' was mostly positively received, but, while not without its fans, suffered from obvious issues with polish and was criticized for feeling like a rehash of the ''VideoGame/BanjoKazooie'' games. ''VideoGame/YookaLayleeAndTheImpossibleLair'' not only starts carving out its own niche for the series by going in a side-scroller direction similar to ''VideoGame/DonkeyKongCountry'', but also substantially improves on the controls, level design and all-around polish, earning near-unanimously positive critical acclaim upon release.
434* ''VideoGame/YuGiOhForbiddenMemories'' is usually seen as basically unplayable, with monotonous mechanics, a ridiculous amount of LevelGrinding, and positively obnoxious difficulty, though it sold well due to being the only console ''Franchise/YuGiOh'' game at the time. Its sorta-sequel, ''VideoGame/YuGiOhTheDuelistsOfTheRoses'', cranked down the difficulty quite a bit, reworked the LevelGrinding to be actually satisfying and sensible, and completely overhauled the gameplay to add actual strategy besides "play the strongest monster and hope you can make a fusion."
435* ''VideoGame/ZoneOfTheEnders'' sold well [[JustHereForGodzilla mostly because]] it [[PreviewPiggybacking came with a demo]] for ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid2SonsOfLiberty''. The game itself was decent enough but suffered from repetitive battles, criminal shortness, and [[{{Wangst}} whiny]] and cliched characters, leading to a somewhat mixed reaction. As such, many people who liked the original concept were happy to see the sequel tighten up the controls, give you twice as many options in battle and include a long and interesting plot to follow. They were even more surprised to see whiny and annoying characters in the first game return in style, having [[TookALevelInBadass leveled in badass]] in the intervening time between games.
436[[/folder]]
437
438[[folder:Visual Novels]]
439* The ''VisualNovel/ShallWeDate'' game ''[[VisualNovel/ShallWeDateDestinyNinja2 Destiny Ninja 2]]'' has proved to be far more popular and enduring than the original (now-discontinued) ''Destiny Ninja'' game, due in large part to its [[ActionGirl more kickass]] female protagonist and more diverse and interesting cast of guys.
440* ''VisualNovel/MuvLuvExtra'' plays with this by [[TrollingCreator initially pretending to be an average-to-bad]] [[HGame eroge]], but on its second half it [[GenreShift changes the setting]] and becomes a sci-fi war drama. Its OddlyNamedSequel is widely considered one of the best eroge stories ever.
441[[/folder]]
442
443[[folder:Webcomics]]
444* The 'sillies' that run alongside ''Webcomic/CtrlAltDel'' have fewer panels (so the punchline comes at the end), stylized art (a complete lack of [[OnlySixFaces B^U]]), and a steadily rotating roster of secondary characters including the GrimReaper. On the other hand, they [[ScheduleSlip don't have a set schedule]].
445* Website/PlatypusComix's "2008 Character Strike" series brought some comics that relied heavily on old material, as well as a simplistic ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' parody. These provided a few giggles, but not enough to hide the fact these ranked among the cheapest stories on the website. Then, the Head Executive decided to hire ComicBook/SpiderMan to replace the usual characters, resulting in ''Webcomic/TrueBelievers''. Released a few weeks after Marvel's polarizing ''ComicBook/OneMoreDay'', ''True Believers'' sent Spidey and Mary Jane Watson on a suspenseful, emotionally-driven adventure to prevent Creator/{{Joe|Quesada}} [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Quesadilla]] from forcefully ending their contented and iconic marriage. Peter Paltridge went on to declare this one of the best comics he ever wrote.
446* The Bad Webcomics Wiki [[http://badwebcomicswiki.shoutwiki.com/wiki/The_Wotch:_CHEER took this view]] of ''Webcomic/{{Cheer}}''. The comic it spun out of, ''Webcomic/TheWotch'', received a scathing review for being seen as [[TerribleArtist ugly]], [[AuthorAppeal fetishistic]], [[UnfortunateImplications offensive]], and [[ExcusePlot badly-written]], with special attention being paid to the arc that introduced the characters in ''Cheer!'' for being [[KarmaHoudini among the worst in its run.]] By contrast, the review of ''Cheer!'' was a lot kinder, claiming that the comic was nothing spectacular, but it was better-drawn and better-written, with likable characters and clear attempts to avert or even deconstruct the sexism and perversion of its roots.
447[[/folder]]
448
449[[folder:Western Animation]]
450* The early proto-WesternAnimation/BugsBunny short "Elmer's Candid Camera" was a total disaster, suffering from poor characterization, mediocre gags, and positively abysmal timing and pacing, and as such [[OldShame received such bashing from]] Creator/ChuckJones, the director of the short, in his autobiography. Creator/TexAvery learned from Chuck's mistakes, and promptly remade the cartoon as the first real Bugs Bunny cartoon "WesternAnimation/AWildHare".
451* Book Three: Change of ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' is considered to be a major improvement by fans and critics from the [[BrokenBase fan-polarizing]] Book Two: Spirits.
452* ''Ghouls Rule'', the first ''WesternAnimation/MonsterHigh'' DVD movie isn't ''terrible'', but it suffered from a ''lot'' of writing and plot problems. Its sequel ''13 Wishes'' was a vast improvement in every way and is considered by many fans to be one of the franchise's high points. And while ''Frights, Camera, Action'' was pretty mediocre and had a bad case of TheScrappy, ''Freaky Fusion'' is delightfully weird and introduced several {{Ensemble Dark Horse}}s to the fandom.
453* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is an unbelievable improvement from the previous generations of ''Franchise/MyLittlePony'', especially the third one.
454* ''WesternAnimation/ParadisePD'' is a CreatorDrivenSuccessor of ''WesternAnimation/{{Brickleberry}}'', using similar characters, style and comedy. Even the latter's fans often mention that despite ''Paradise PD'' not being great, it is still much better than its predecessor, with better jokes, characters that are much more likable and a few better songs in the soundtrack.
455* ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerbMissionMarvel'' got a [[BrokenBase mixed]] reaction from fans, while the next hour-long special, ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerbStarWars,'' was much better received. Watching them, one gets the impression that the creators didn't really know what to do with the Marvel properties but are big ''Franchise/StarWars'' fans, given the number of in-jokes and EasterEggs that the latter included.
456* ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'' is considered to be much better both story and characterization-wise than ''WesternAnimation/HeManAndTheMastersOfTheUniverse1983''. It also featured subtly improved animation and character art. Unfortunately, it didn't last as long [[ScrewedByTheMerchandise due to its toy line not selling well]].
457* The general consensus is that ''WesternAnimation/SpongeBobSquarePants'' suffered from SeasonalRot sometime between the first and second movies, starting with either Season 4, 5 or 6, [[BrokenBase depending on who you ask]]. But starting with Season 9 (especially the second half), the series redeemed itself, toning down the overly mean-spirited humor of those seasons, and largely reverting the characters to their pre-Flanderized selves. Some fans consider Seasons 9B and 10, in particular, to rival the first three seasons in quality.
458* Season 5 of ''WesternAnimation/VoltronLegendaryDefender'' is considered to be a major improvement over the filler-heavy season 4, due to revisiting storylines such as Operation Kuron, Pidge's search for her father, Keith's Galra lineage, and Haggar's memories. Lance and Hunk being de-flanderized was also well-received.
459[[/folder]]

Top