Why do sequels drop things that are good?

[Not G. Ivingname]

I was playing GTA when I was caught by the cops, and thrown out of the police station with my guns gone and $100 dollars poorer, and I remembered back to Vice city. In that game, when caught, your lawyer is heard making a funny trial quip that explained how you got out of genecide against every single person with hat that had to have the military called. It was funny, and didn't ever get in the way. Why did they drop that? It's not like they don't have the money, this is the series who's budget has reached 9 digits, a few lines can't cost that much more. What other things have the sequels dropped good things for no reason?

 

[Penguinness]

Legends of Wrestlemania dropped being able to create a female wrestler, yet kept in all the female clothes (which are on all the other games).

 

[Dango]

Because people complain too much. People always want a game to be exactly what they prefer, rather than what the creator envisioned, which is why we keep ending up with crappy generic shooters that do nothing new (I'm looking at you, Battlefield Bad Company 2).

 

[Yostbeef]

Legends of Wrestlemania dropped being able to create a female wrestler, yet kept in all the female clothes (which are on all the other games).

Hey that might of actually made the game,you know good.

 

[Swifteye]

Dynasty warriors is so famous in my book for doing this espsecially in 6. They completely change the fighting system and field design and we have less fields to travel in and for the first real time less weapons to choose from and a third of them being copys of the other. 6 empires would have been a much better game if it did with the field music option for everything else. Bring back old stuff shine them a little there dozens of field designs. Bring back the combo system and let it become modable. There a seemingly limitless amount of combo combos. But no it wasn't meant to be.

 

[The Random One]

For your particular example, I'd say that the funny lawyer quips no longer fit the HORRIBLY REALISTIC GLOOMY WORLD OF DECAY that GTA now takes place. Or maybe it only works if there's a funny lawyer character and Nico doesn't look like he would know any. CJ wouldn't either so he doesn't get it either.

For a more general answer, some of the resons good things are dropped are:

- Devs want to push the gameplay into some new direction and the old thing just ruins it.
- The new thing the sequel is going to do clashes (or just doesn't work as well) with the old thing.
- The old thing wasn't a 'thing' per se, but rather an outcome of the game's general design. The sequel is designed based only on the surface appeareance of the first game, so the thing no longer appears.
- The old thing was improved, but the new old thing changed so much during development it no longer resembles the old thing.
- The old thing is intrisically rooted to an aspect of the original game that's being abandoned for the sequel.
- The old thing hasn't aged well.
- Playtesters didn't like the old thing.

Etc., etc. Sometimes it's a good thing, sometimes it's not. At any rate, you can only cross a river once.

Now if you excuse me, I need to create a band called The Old Thing.

 

[The Scythian]

Infamous 2 took away Cole's badass appearance, making him look like some sort of male model.

Battlefront 2 took away the best maps from Battlefront 1 (Rhen Var, Bespin, etc.).

 

[Wayneguard]

Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven removed the ability to sheath your sword and Podracer Revenge removed the quality >_>

OH and Hitman: Blood Money dropped the cool rain-splashing-on-ground effect from Contracts. That effect does so much to add to the immersion and atmosphere. I honestly have no idea why it was not put into Blood Money.

 

[Lynxan]

In the end it comes down to what you want and what others want.

Take for example there's that Mortal Kombat clip that a director would like to take it along that is a rather sharp departure from where it was in the 90s. Some hate it because it's not showing the mysticism of the games and changes the history of a few established caricatures. Others are saying that this is the breath of life that it's needed for a long time.

Who's right? Who knows since they both have points.

 

[soren7550]

Mass Effect 2 messed up the Level Up system and replaced the elevators and their conversations with annoyingly long loading screens.

Pretty much this, but I'd also tack on reducing the # of planets you can land on, getting rid of the loot, reducing the level cap, changing the ammo system, etc.

Still love it though.

 

[Mr Thin]

Fable II had less tattoos than Fable I. And less choice in where to place them.

Why the hell would they do that? Were tattoos negatively received or something?

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

For your particular example, I'd say that the funny lawyer quips no longer fit the HORRIBLY REALISTIC GLOOMY WORLD OF DECAY that GTA now takes place.

Maybe I should of just put that as an example, where did the wacky fun go? I am pretty sure nobody would of minded not having to feed our cousin cheese burgers if it means the game wasn't trying to be so serios.

 

[CheckD3]

Because they hate the players and want to make room for new exciting things

I don't play enough franchises to know much, I play Pokemone, Sly Cooper, Fallout 3 (never played 1 or 2...will let ya know when New Vegas rolls around) and a few other minor ones. Nothing has really pissed me off that much thankfully...though I probably just jinxed it now...please don't fuck us NV please

 

[The_Graff]

its because the game devs appear to hate us gamers. even if they don't the executives calling the shots certainly do.

 

[Spazztic]

HeXen II: OH GOD 3D NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I know it was a vast improvement at the time, but NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[veloper]

HeXen II: OH GOD 3D NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

I know it was a vast improvement at the time, but NOOOOOOOOOOOOO

??
Hexen1 was also 3d, of the primitive MCGA sort.
Low res 2d sprites in a low res 3d environment.

If you have to pick one thing from H2, why not mention the slow pace of the action instead?

 

[Ghost1800]

Mass Effect 2 messed up the Level Up system and replaced the elevators and their conversations with annoyingly long loading screens.

Pretty much this, but I'd also tack on reducing the # of planets you can land on, getting rid of the loot, reducing the level cap, changing the ammo system, etc.

Still love it though.

Ya, didn't realize how much I actually liked the Mako until they took it out and gave us "put flags on a map... in space!"

 

[Awake-]

Mass Effect 2 messed up the Level Up system and replaced the elevators and their conversations with annoyingly long loading screens.

What? The elevators were annoying, and the conversations happened rarely. Even if it did happen it only consists of three to five lines. The elevator was much more longer than the long screens in Mass Effect 2. Which if you think is long you are either very impatient or playing on a bad PC.

 

[Silver Patriot]

Battlefront 2 took away the best maps from Battlefront 1 (Rhen Var, Bespin, etc.).

I loved Bespin too. It was my favorite. I remember one time I actually was able to defeat Darth Vader by pushing him off the edge. It was epic. Only reason this game doesn't make my shit list for that is that I LOVE what they added.

I will always have hope for B3.