Why do we hate the third installment so much?

[Ironbat92]

Title says it all. I never really understood why a lot of people seem to despise the third installment of a trilogy so much. From Spider-Man 3, to the Dark Knight Rises, to Mass Effect 3, audiences really seem to think that no matter what happens, the third installment of something a lot. Maybe I'm just starting to notice this or I haven't thought of a reason why, I just want to know why a lot of people seem to hate the third installment of something, weather it's the final installment or the next installment of a series.
Edit: Just wanted to make a quick clarification, I'm just using The Dark Knight Rises, Spider-Man 3, and ME 3 as examples. I don't think they're bad, although I admit I could of used better examples .

 

[DoPo]

I think they hate it because it actually sucks. Well a lot of times that's the case, actually - strong start with the first product, second one may be better or worse usually not by much but just noticeable and finally the third product would either get the series back on track (if the second one was weak) or break it. It's a common pattern.

I can't actually speak for Spider Man 3 and dark Knight Rises - I never watched any of them. I didn't even hear people complain. But you're wrong if you think people decry Mass Effect 3 - the actual feelings people have expressed are that the game itself is good - at least not way worse or way better than the other two. It's the ending that people take an issue with. I don't need to go into it - it has been explained to death.

 

[Keoul]

But spider man was pretty bad...

Spoiler: Spider man 3

That says it all for spiderman, seriously why is that scene even there...

As for Dark Knight Rises I thought it was a decent movie, sans the weird voice for Bane which made him sound like a stuffy gentleman and a few plot holes it was decent. Not great and certainly not the best end to the trilogy but decent.

Mass effect 3 is strange to talk about, it wasn't a bad game per say, it was actually pretty good (ignoring the ending). But the thing is it was hyped to hell and back and full of dlc and other money-grubbing features that caused a lot of community outcry. So basically it was a pretty good game, but was put in a bad light for the community because of a few crappy and useless features, oh and a poorly made ending (which has been fixed now, though that just goes to show how bad it was, they needed a whole new dlc to fix that up).

 

[Windcaler]

Im not sure what your basing that on. ME3 generally wasnt hated because it was the third installment in a series it was hated because Bioware falsely advertised their product and then treated the community rather poorly when they called them on it. Dark knight rises was disliked because Dark knight was so much better but also because it started out with Burce wayne having to relearn to be batman and then the movie repeating it. I cant speak about Spider man 3, I never saw that.

From my point of view its most often the second in a trilogy that has the problems. Xenosaga 2 and ME 2 being good examples. In both games they were started in such a way as to have no clear ending or beginning. They were setting up for the next part by adding in some lore and character development but that also hampered the final products. Non-trilogy series dont tend to suffer from the same problem though because the second sequel becomes a chance to improve on the first one and be its own game (exactly what a sequel should be).

 

[Kopikatsu]

The first installment of a trilogy focuses on world building and introducing you to everything, so it's exciting. The second installment focuses on refinement with supplementary information to strengthen the world and lore. The third installment is just kind of putzing around. It's rarely enjoyable because the entire movie/game is just building up to a single climax while holding little charm of it's own.

 

[thesilentman]

I call it coincidence. Some of my favorite games are the third installment (Morrowind and Mario 3) of a series. If you really want a justification, I guess that it has to do with the makers running out of steam and creative energy at that time.

 

[Thunderous Cacophony]

I think that generally the problem is that the third one is where the series falls apart because they don't have any exciting story left. Usually, we see:

-Game/Movie 1, where the universe and characters are introduced. Generally has a bit of sloppiness, but that's forgiven because it's a new property and you can see exciting potential, and its also lean enough that the experience isn't ruined. Example: Assassin's Creed 1, where you have only a few weapons and techniques, but everything is fast-paced.

-Game/Movie 2, where everything is bigger, better, faster. The people making it know what they are doing, they have the chance to take the skeleton of the first game/movie and add all the little bits that seem good, and they have the funding to do so, which leads to what is usually the best X in the series. Usually people also take this time to do the "Hero refusing the call" archetype, which leads to problems later on. Example: The Dark Knight, where you see great character development, a good sense of Batman using darkness/brutality and high-tech gadgets, and some phenomenal acting because they don't have to do any establishing work anymore. Also, Assassin's Creed 2 (by which I mean the Ezio games in general) where you have some variety in tools and they introduced new concepts like the Assassin recruits.

-Game/Movie 3, where everything falls apart. Thematically, because most trilogies use the second part to have the hero abandon then recommit themselves to the goal, there's nothing to do but either faff about or retread the same ground (See: Dark Knight Rises, where there is not one but two separate "rebecoming Batman" moments). In case of games, it's even worse. People expect to see new things added, but the developers already put most of their good ideas into the second game, which means there is nothing to do but add bloat. This leads to stuff like Assassin Creed 3's Homestead nonsense, where you have to micromanage an economy, keep showing up to do unfun little side quests and minigames in the hopes of unlocking some helpful tool, and occasionally dropping everything to go protect a trade caravan, rather than play Assassin's Creed (i.e. assassinate people).

Basically, the 3rd installment is usually the most hated because it faces the expectations created by the second X, but has little to nothing to contribute other than tying up loose ends.

 

[TrevHead]

Don't you know it's a rule set in stone that the 3rd game has to be the exact opposite to how good the 2nd game was.

Add in the new testiment: In the mega hyped 3rd game. Thou shall milk the fanbase for everything they have.

 

[Eddie the head]

Marrowind is by far the most loved game in the series. And it's the third installment. I just thought I would point that out. There is also Ratchet and Clank 3, Jak 3, Fallout 3 and Farcry 3. To name a few. I don't even think there is a correlation. Although none of those are trilogy's.

 

[BrotherRool]

This is just selection fallacy probably. You're picking up on a pattern purely because there are so many third games out there, that some are bound to bad.

The third Metal Gear game is Metal Gear Solid, one of the most famous and influential games of all time. The third game in the Solid series of Metal Gear is Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater, the least controversial of the whole series and widely beloved by most.

The third Warcraft is one of the best RTS' of all time. The third World of Warcraft expansion (Cataclysm) was the fast selling PC game ever until the newest Diablo.

Final Fantasy III got voted the 8th best game of all time by the Famitsu readership. Final Fantasy III (by which I mean VI) is widely proclaimed by many to be a franchise best.

Grand Theft Auto III (3D) was called a landmark in the gaming industry. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the 3rd 3D GTA game and the third GTA PS2 game and the third GTA in the Grand Theft Auto III series, is the best selling game of all time
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It looks like 3 is a lucky number =D Can anyone think of more to add to this by the way? Videogames are numbered so weirdly

 

[Tom_green_day]

What about films? Mad Max 3, PotC 3, LotR 3 are all amazing films.
Personally, I think 3 films can be awesome. FC3, ME3, Morrowind, Fallout 3 is my favourite game.
You have bad 3s yeah, MW3, BF3, AC Brotherhood (IMO) but you can have bad any number, not only 3s.

 

[Casual Shinji]

Oh you think the third sequel is bad, try the fourth.

 

[Anget Colslaw]

Are you kidding me? In the first three Metal Slug games, the third game is generally considered the best game and this is coming from a guy who liked the second game the most. Also Gears of War 3 was my favorite in the trilogy and added a good amount of new content.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Return of the Jedi is my favorite Star Wars film period.

However, I think that it comes from this: part one is brand new. Never done before and everything is exciting. Flaws are often ignored or flat out not noticed.

Second installment comes along, and it can be a hit or miss. If it's a hit, then the golden stuff from the first thing is taken and refined, while removing the flaws that may or may not have been noticed.
If it's a miss, fans will start to notice the changes and begin to worry about the future of the franchise. Panic will slowly mount, but it won't take hold until the third one.

When the third one arrives, people tend to be tired out. The shiny 'new' feeling is gone, and anything new that is added just feels like padding. "Well, why wasn't this here in the first one? It would have solved everything then." The characters are also becoming boring, or they're changing too much, depending on who you ask. The third installment is looked upon with a much harsher eye and tends to get torn up because of it.
Also, if the second one was already suffering, then fans hold up the third one as proof that their worries were correct. They long for the return to the first one in the series, when things were better, and not this new...thing that has corrupted their beloved franchise.

 

[shrimpcel]

What about Grand Theft Auto III? The game that spawned or solidified the trend of sandbox games that still runs stronger, and in fact stronger, today?

 

[mohit9206]

Title says it all. I never really understood why a lot of people seem to despise the third installment of a trilogy so much. From Spider-Man 3, to the Dark Knight Rises, to Mass Effect 3, audiences really seem to think that no matter what happens, the third installment of something a lot. Maybe I'm just starting to notice this or I haven't thought of a reason why, I just want to know why a lot of people seem to hate the third installment of something, weather it's the final installment or the next installment of a series.

well you missed Assassins Creed 3 and Saints Row 3. well Far Cry 3 is an exception though. its stupid to think people would want to hate the third installment of anything without any reason. its just that by the time a game or movie reaches its third installment most of what the creators want to convey has already been conveyed so there's not much new to show or say. i hated saints row 3 without having played previous installments, i havent yet played Mass effect 3 because its pretty much the same as ME2 which ia really enjoyed. well am going to buy AC3 today and find out for myself why people are not liking it as much as AC2 again which i really enjoyed.
Far cry 3 was awesome. some third installments have really been praised like metal gear 3, etc
so i think if a movie or game recycles too much from first and second without adding much new stuff then people are going to be disappointed.