No Right Answer: Most Improved Video Game Franchise

[Gregory Wollf]

I think ACII was the best in the series. ACI was good, but I will argue that ACII vastly improved several features that needed improving from ACI.

1. An interesting main character that had personality, style, and far more interesting reasons to go kill people (Ezio vs Altiar). Basically, better story telling.

2. Better pacing. ACI lagged on and on with needing to systematically gather evidence the same way every time, grab all towers, help all citizens being harassed, and when the zone was clear, go kill the target and get a long monologue, rinse and repeat. ACII by contrast sped things up and had more options with mission achievements that made you feel like you had accomplished something meaningful and did not drag the game down.

3. Better climbing mechanics. Altiar was a stiff old man with lead arms compared to Ezio.

4. Swimming

5. Even better graphics

6. A more interesting setting

7. Better and more exciting Assassination options... as opposed to the "chase the bad guy while avoiding his buddies to hidden blade him when you get close enough." (although there was plenty of that in ACII as well)

8. Better logic puzzles and level design

9. Better Desmond

10. Better (but obviously still not perfect) AI.

 

[inidu]

The other PoP games are either kinda sucky (SoT)

And, with that one parenthetical, all your credibility is gone.

SoT is one of the best games ever made.

 

[Mylinkay Asdara]

How do you throw being able to play Desmond at your final attempt at a point? That's the loss right there. Not to mention, as much as an improvement as the series had in the progression from AC1 to AC2, Brotherhood, and Revelations - the bottom falls out severely in AC3 in terms of the main character and the "making sense" factor. Sure Naval battles almost save it... but no. Most improved argument you could have won before AC3, out the window.

 

[Kae]

Kinda funny that Assassin's Creed started as Co-op Prince of Persia spin-off, it would have been interesting but I guess Assassin's Creed is good enough, though Assassin's Creed evolved from PoP's mechanics so...

 

[sageoftruth]

Is it just me, or did they both just make the same argument 4 times in a row?

 

[Waddles]

Assassin's Creed got steadily worse and worse over the series, not better.

I would have thought the Elder Scrolls would have been a shoe-in for this

 

[Incomer]

Hmm SoT had somewhat odd combat. It wasn't bad but it wasn't brilliant either. Other then that the game is just amazing (though I might be the only one on earth who probably enjoyed warrior withing a little bit more... though it felt like very different game I wasn't crying when I parted my ways with the childish prince that is untill I got him back in the 3rd game with dagger in sword hand ).
I adored the 2008 prince. The costume he wore was ridiculous but once got over it you had the most wonderful world of that year in front of you. I don't get the hate about the ending. I mean you spent the whole time with the girl it would be rather weird to just end it one boss fight earlier wouldn't it?

AC1 had the best story because there was some mystery to the future part of games. Ezio was more likeable but you didn't want to play as Desmond and that got only worse with time. AC3 was good I liked Connor and the story had a lot of well done parts if you don't mind son-father relationships.

 

[GojiraGamer]

So that's two content creators on The Escapist I've watched that mentioned the 2008 Prince of Persia. One disliked and the other hated it. I for one loved it.

 

[GojiraGamer]

1. Prince of persia vs Assasins Creed?
Isnt thats like competing with itsself? Assasins creed is a Price of Persia Spinoff.
2. I loved Altair and hated Ezio. you are ocmpletely wrong.
3. Naval battles were not pretty fantastic. they were pretty much the worst part.
4. Saying Prince of Persia improved is saying it was ever good.....
5. Time travel was quite terrible invention and kinda messed up the franchise.

Now if you want a franchise that really improved would be, say, Europa Universalis, Elder Scrolls, Grand Theft Auto (if we forget 4 exists), Homeworld, Hitman (if we ignore the lastest one, see the pattern here?)

1. Assassin's Creed isn't a Prince of Persia spinoff. While the prototype for the first Assassin's Creed was a co-op Prince of Persia game, Ubisoft decided to make it into a brand new franchise.
2. That's an opinion. Not a fact. They're talking opinions.
3. Really? If they were that bad, why does one of the best and most beloved installments have them as a central mechanic?
4. It was good. Really good. The Sands of Time is one of the most beloved games of the 5th console generation, while the 2008 reboot was regarded as one of the most beautiful titles of the 6th generation.
5. The time travel worked perfectly. It added in a unique game mechanic, made the deathtraps and bottomless pits a lot more tolerable, and created a great central element to the plot.