Game series revamps/facelifts that made a title feel...

[GRColin]

Almost like an entirely new game?

Many game series have undergone facelifts and transformations to become something more modern. Whether it's turning a survival horror franchise into a more action oriented 3rd person shooter like Capcom did to Resident Evil, or having a sexy English Tomb Raider abandoning her guns for some quick hand to hand combat in certain situations. There's also the more obvious revamps that are expected; Ninja Gaiden for example. As it a modern NG release sporting 8 bit graphics and side scrolling action would have any place on the market aside from the XBL Arcade.

For me I'd have to say Resident Evil. It's changed so drastically it barely feels like the same game...But then...Once the story starts rolling you're back in familiar territory again. I don't yet know what to make of the new playstyle. It felt fresh and exciting in RE4 but made me slightly yearn for the familiar. Now, with RE5 just around the corner the freshness introduced is starting to turn into disappointment at the loss of a series that was genuinely creepy and had me on the edge of my seat expecting to jump back at any moment.

What series in your eyes though has become so different from the original it doesn't even feel like the same game? It can be in a positive or negative. I want to hear your thoughts. Are you thinking of a game I didn't mention? Feel free to talk about that one.

 

[Boringman54]

Well, there's the new Golden Axe and possibly the new Bionic Commando (retail version). That's the only ones I can think of.

 

[used44]

I think the recent revival of the Prince of Persia franchise was pretty awesome. I had never played the 2D games before though.

 

[Longo_2_guns]

Crash Bandicoot and Spyro.

Mostly because I refuse to believe that any of the shit piles created post-Naughty Dog/Insomniac are in the same series as the first 3 golden eggs created in my youth.

 

[De-Ting]

Crash Bandicoot and Spyro.

Mostly because I refuse to believe that any of the shit piles created post-Naughty Dog/Insomniac are in the same series as the first 3 golden eggs created in my youth.

 

[Diabolus]

Doom 3. Nothing like old school Doom.

 

[Gus80]

PC gaming peaked with the original Battle Chess. Battle Chess 4000 had nothing on the original...

 

[Cali]

Fallout 3, how could this thread have gone without mentioning this controversial rendition of a once isometrical series? I will admit, the first person aspect didn't really bother me. What really bugged me was just how carelessly the stat system had been implimented. That's Bethesda for ya.

Good call mentioning Doom 3 Diabolus. Now Doom 3 was a game that I could not bring myself to enjoy with it's slow gameplay, cheap horror method, and lack of ass kicking. Let's hope Doom 4 will bring that back.

Deus Ex 2: Invisible War - I admit I haven't played this game before, but damn if it doesn't look watered down compared to it's predeccessors.

Resident Evil 4 - Over the shoulder third person view was a rather new thing in the world of Resident Evil.

 

[JCD]

COD 4, in that it wasn't shit. FFVII for obvious reasons and of course, who could forget Tomb Raider? Legend kicked the series back into being good again.

 

[schimmel]

Fallout 3, how could this thread have gone without mentioning this controversial rendition of a once isometrical series? I will admit, the first person aspect didn't really bother me. What really bugged me was just how carelessly the stat system had been implimented. That's Bethesda for ya.

I actually really liked the stat system in Fallout 3. It was basic; you could have any basic stat go up to 100 and every 25 points it would increase drastically in skill. How is that careless? I enjoyed Fallout 3 more than the first two, but then again that's because when the first two came out I was young and nowadays the controls to the first two kinda bug me. Anyway, good mention with the title, I just didn't agree with your comments.

Oh, and the appalling thing about Bethesda isn't their stats; it's their character models and dialogue.

 

[keepithowitis]

^At least now they actually move when speaking.. I hope I never have to see the Oblivion character animations ever again.

 

[used44]

I thought the dialogue in Fallout 3 was pretty above-average. Way better than Oblivion's, anyway.

 

[acdibble]

Super Paper Mario.

 

[TheZoomZoomKid]

That new Banjo-Kazooie game is very different fromt he first two.

 

[Kijan]

Star Fox Adventures?

 

[acdibble]

That new Banjo-Kazooie game is very different fromt he first two.

Yeah, his face isn't square in the first two...

 

[jivesc00ter]

Star Fox Adventures?

painfully bad and broken at the same time!

 

[used44]

I can't believe we've all forgot Super Mario 64! I've probably put 300+ hours into that game total. Still my favorite 3D platformer. And it brought so much greatness from its 2D predecessors. Pretty impressive.

 

[Master_Craig]

I know some of these games have already been mentioned but here are the games that I think felt like entirely new games despite being part of the franchise. Sorry for the long post. >_<

Resident Evil 4 (NGC) - Everyone has mentioned this... but the new storyline, the new enemies, the new setting, the new combat system/control scheme/over the shoulder camera, lots of ammunition, loads of action? This felt like an entirely new game and I loved it.

Fallout 3 (PS3) - Yeah, this was very controversial. A lot of people wanted it to remain the birds eye view Diablo style camera angle with the turn based combat, but what Bethesda gave us was still really good... if not really Goddamn buggy.

Super Mario 64 (N64) - As used44 said (and I agree) I'm surprised no one mentioned this. Mario in 3D, nothing like the old games yet still totally Mario. Played this when I was nine years old.

Metroid Prime (NGC) - Okay, now I'm surprised no one mentioned this either. Originally a 2D action/adventure game that was pretty much a platformer, Metroid Prime turned into a gorgeous 3D first person shooter with an at first awkward, but then awesome control scheme, will having a great soundtrack, loads of collectables and weapons, and awesome boss fights with many new features such as Samus' visors.

Final Fantasy XII (PS2) - It was a great looking game but for me it just felt very strange how the combat kinda... played out itself. You just, make some commands and stuff and just watch the fight go on. Since every FF game has an entirely new setting/storyline, combine this with the new gameplay and hey, it didn't exactly feel like Final Fantasy.

The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (N64) - I'm surprised no one mentioned this either (at least I think so unless I missed a post). The new 3D setting and storyline, as well as the time traveling mechanics were awesome and for its time the game looked fantastic. It was such a dramatic change from the old school birds eye view camera.

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (PC) - This was a complete change to the original 2D side scrolling adventure game... running around in a 3D environment, using time powers to slow and reverse time, as well as doing some cool moves like big time leaping, running across or up walls, this game had a massive makeover from the original 2D franchise.

Grand Theft Auto 3 (PC) - I originally played the first GTA game on PC when I was ten years old. Six years later (despite already being out already) I played it on PC and it was just so different. Just the change from birds eye view to 3D was incredible, I could actually see what was in front of me when driving!

Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2) - It won't sound like much but... with the new third person camera it honestly felt like an entirely new game. It became so much easier and more fun to play, and stealth became much more intense and the game for me became much more tactical. I loved it.

Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory (PC) - With a new, more realistic graphics engine, a better soundtrack, new moves and animations and gadgets, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, while the third game of the Splinter Cell franchise just felt like an entirely new game. Levels were no longer linear and had multiple path ways, objectives could be completed in more ways than one while there were also optional objectives, stealth was much more flexible and easier to perform, this is what the first and second Splinter Cell games should have been like.

Hitman: Blood Money (PS2) - New moves, new graphics engine, multiple ways to complete missions, acquiring money to upgrade your weapons and general equipment to a new and intense storyline, Hitman: Blood Money didn't really feel like a sequel at all, but an entirely new game. It was wicked.