10 Most Influential Video Game Sequels Of All Time
The games that changed the game.
The dreaded sequel. You need to retain all the elements of the original that everybody liked, but somehow build upon the ideas you’ve already created; a perfect marriage required to be another success.
None more so than the video game industry is this apparent, where your loyal followers will pour hours, days, sometimes even weeks into your content, discounting the amount of money they may spend on purchasing the game and its subsequent additional content.
Some games remain the same year after year - bar the odd graphics upgrade (FIFA for example) - and still top the charts, whereas other sequels will completely misjudge what was appealing, delivering a thoroughly underwhelming followup (like Resident Evil 5).
Away from the relatively uninspired and the frankly misguided, we are occasionally treated to something else entirely: Games that not only improve on their predecessors, but completely reinvent the wheel with bold and imaginative choices.
There's a clear passion and level of understanding when it comes to what made the predecessor so appealing, and above all else, these developers had the foresight to predict how entire genres might look in the future.
10. Resident Evil 4
The Resident Evil series dates back to 1996 with the release of the original game. It became the pioneer of survival horror, in particular with the use of zombies as the key antagonists which would influence many games, TV series and films throughout the early 2000’s.
Believing their original concept of a fixed camera and 'tank' controls had grown outdated, creators Capcom decided to completely redesign the core gameplay for 2005's Resident Evil 4. Players took control of Leon Kennedy, one of the leads from Resident Evil 2, who was now working for the government and sent on a mission to rescue the U.S President’s daughter from a dangerous cult.
The horror was stripped away in favour of action orientated set pieces and zombies were replaced by fast-moving infected villagers, who relentlessly chased the player through desolate villages. The camera now followed over Leon's shoulder, and utilised a mixture of third and first-person elements, which would become a staple of the genre moving forwards.
15 years on and Resident Evil 4 is widely considered to be one the best games ever made, with its influence still being felt today on titles such as Gears of War and The Last of US.