Killer New Features.

[Ranorak]

Did you ever encounter a game who was rendered completely unplayable by a feature introduced in their sequel?

Let me give you an example, ever since I've played GTA San Andreas, I cannot touch GTA Vice City any more due to it's aweful camera controls.

Do you have any games you are unable (or rather discouraged) from playing because the sequel improved the game so much, that the previous instalment just feels broken?

 

[shrekfan246]

As heretical as everyone else around here will say I am for it, Diablo II. And many other isometric ARPGs, but since Diablo III is the catalyst, it's the most relevant for this thread.

Specifically, because I love the combat and skill systems of D3 and just can't get into the old-school "Extra 2% damage on [Ability/Spell]" skill trees and the boring vanilla melee swing auto-attacks. Also non-stacking potions.

I'd love for Diablo III to have the inventory Tetris of D2, and I gorram well hope they're going to fix the loot system with the overhaul they're saying they're doing, but as it stands the base gameplay is just so much more fun to me that I have too difficult a time getting into the previous Diablo games.

 

[Zhukov]

The Mass Effect series.

ME2's combat made ME1's look like a clunky, unpolished mess.

Then ME3's combat came along and made ME2's look static and bare.

The previous games don't really have anything that compares to hurling a cluster grenade, charging in to detonate it, dropping a nova to scatter the survivors then cleaning up with shotgun blasts and biotic falcon punches.

 

[Maximum Bert]

Not in a sequel I have seen many that have improved in the sequel making the original obsolete such as Soul Calibur over SoulEdge/Blade and DOA2 over DOA are two big ones that spring to mind as having vast improvements in the sequel.

I did find Fur Fighters unplayable though as it was made before FPS controls were standard (note I know its not a FPS but it controls similar) which means that in this game movement is on the right analog stick and aiming is on the left which is completely reversed to how I have played for years (played this game much later than its initial release) and consequently made it pretty much unplayable for me. There is an alternate control scheme but its crap imo and no you cant freely change the controls.

 

[TheEvilCheese]

The Mass Effect series.

ME2's combat made ME1's look like a clunky, unpolished mess.

Then ME3's combat came along and made ME2's look static and bare.

The previous games don't really have anything that compares to hurling a cluster grenade, charging in to detonate it, dropping a nova to scatter the survivors then cleaning up with shotgun blasts and biotic falcon punches.

I'm in two minds about this, I've just finished a run of Mass Effect as a Vanguard and going into two I feel severely neutered. My options in combat seem a lot more limited by class (in no small part thanks to the limited ammo) and I'm not given access to any shield-stripping powers without getting the bonus power later on. That's more than made up for by the sheer fun of bouncing about with the biotic charge and setting enemies on fire with my shotgun, but I still miss the ability to shoot my pistol more than 24 times, especially on higher difficulties. While the combat it miles better overall, I would have preferred an overheat system again for non-heavy weapons.

I love the combat of Mass Effect 3 (played dozens of hours of the multiplayer last summer) but I've yet to play the single player, as I didn't own the trilogy on one platform until now and wanted to do a full run.

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OT: I can't touch fallout 3, despite loving the game. The way New Vegas expanded on the combat as well as the speech / barter challenges (and added all those appropriate checks for other skills as well) really makes me miss it when I try to play 3; I'm sitting there going "But why can't I do that? In New Vegas that would be an option".