Even if a franchise has been going strong for decades and has a dedicated fanbase, just one game can destroy the whole legacy. Forgiveness is possible, but a bad game more times than not does irreparable damage to a series' reputation.
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No one likes to spend $60 just to receive some disappointment. The ten franchises below all went through some dark times just because of one bad release. Some have since rebounded, while others are still floundering in obscurity. Hopefully they are remembered by history more for the great games rather than the bad ones that wasted fans' time.
10Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater (Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground)
Fans of theTony Hawk’s Pro Skaterfranchise all have their different favorite entries. Some prefer the old school titles on the PS1 and PS2, while others are into the open ended area presented inTony Hawk’s Project 8. However, most agree that the ninth entry,Tony Hawk’s Proving Ground, marked the end of a streak of fine games. The changes made to the fundamental formula ruined the once fluid gameplay. Fortunately,Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2returned to the franchise’s glory days.
9Metroid (Metroid: Other M)
Metroid Primedid a wonderful job translating the classic franchise’s formula to the 3D space. After this trilogy finished, Team Ninja took the reins and came out withOther M, which was lambasted for several reasons. In addition to the mix between third-person movement and first-person shooting, the attempt at a more involved narrative anddeeper characterization of Samuswas also met with jeers. Here’s hopingMetroid Prime 4lives up to thePrimename.
8Duke Nukem (Duke Nukem Forever)
Duke Nukem 3Dis one of the most celebrated first-person shooters of the 90s. The sequel,Duke Nukem Foreverwas in development for more than a decade and even saw cancellation before Gearbox Software, developer ofBorderlands, salvaged it. The finished product did not feel like a game that was cooking for more than ten years. It loses the sense of exploration of the olderDuke Nukemtitle and the humor feels outdated in 2012.Is it possible for the character to see a proper return?
7Mass Effect (Mass Effect: Andromeda)
TheMass Effecttrilogy is a triumphant gaming achievement.Mass Effect: Andromedawas clearly trying to start up another series of connected titles, but this plan was thrown out after its poor reception. In addition to the more open-ended areas seeing disapproval, a bevy of technical issues also bogged down the experience.A re-release of the classic trilogy is seeking to restore good faith among fans,and a new chapter in the saga is also in development.
The originalDead Spaceis a horror experience on par with venturing throughResident Evil’sSpencer Mansion for the first time. The sequel similarly scares the tar out of players.
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The third game adds co-op and more action-oriented gameplay, but it did not find the success of a game likeResident Evil 4or5. Some reviews were kind, but many fans did not take kindly to the change. Some people never want to shoot from cover inDead Space.
5James Bond (007 Legends)
James Bondstarred in asteady stream of games of varying qualityacross the original PlayStation and N64 up until the PS3 and Xbox 360.007 Legendslet fans down so hard, to the point of being the last game for the character for almost a decade. The premise of playing through some of Bond’s most iconic missions was appealing, but the gameplay and narrative connecting them all was uninspired. If any developer can bring the character back to gaming the way he was meant to, it isHitmandeveloper IO Interactive.
4Dino Crisis (Dino Crisis 3)
The firstDino Crisisis basically aResident Evilclone with dinosaurs, which makes sense considering Shinji Mikami directed it. The sequel gave the franchise a more distinct identity by taking focusing more on action. The third game stopped any further development in its tracks. The fixed camera angles in the Xbox exclusive were a particular point of criticism. The change in setting also made it barely feel like aDino Crisisgame. Fans are clamoring for a remake of the original game, which might be just what the series needs.
3Red Faction (Red Faction: Armageddon)
Red Faction’sdefining feature are the impressive destructible environments. The open-world gameRed Faction: Guerrillafully took advantage of this feature to an extent even few modern games are able to replicate.
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For some reason,Red Faction: Armageddondecided to pull things back for a linear game taking place largely beneath Mars' surface. All the series has to do come back strong is create another open-world game with similar amounts of destruction toGuerrilla.
2Tomb Raider (Angel Of Darkness)
TheTomb Raiderfranchise was a monster on the originalPlayStation. This momentum vanished into thin air afterTomb Raider: The Angel of Darknessreleased in 2003 for PS2 and PC. Lackluster controls mixed with technical issues was a recipe for disaster. It took three years forLara Croft to come back strong withTomb Raider: Legend. With the recent rebooted trilogy having recently finished, we wonder what is next for the legendary gaming character.
1Metal Gear (Metal Gear Survive)
Even thoughMetal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Painis clearly unfinished, it is still one of the finest stealth-action games of the generation.After Hideo Kojimaleft publisher Konami,the company decided to continue the franchise withMetal Gear Survive, a zombie-survival game literally nobody wanted. Even ignoring its status as aMetal Geargame, the gameplay loop is repetitive and boring. In recent years rumors of aMetal Gear Solidremake have been swirling around, which could help get the bad taste ofMetal Gear Surviveout of fans' mouths.
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