Sequels That Are Better Than the First Game

[Pike]

What are some sequels that are better than the first game?

I'm going to start out with Sonic the Hedgehog 2.

Also Pokemon Gold/Silver. Come at me bros!

[Laddy]

Baldur's Gate II.

Everyone play it. Now.

[The Man]

in b4 Assassin's Creed II

I'm going to go out on a limb and say Yoshi's Island. Not a popular opinion but I believe its gameplay is even better than SMW's, and it's one of the most beautiful games ever released for the SNES.

[Jowy]

I had more fun with Mass Effect 2 than the first.

[The Man]

Also, Suikoden II. (duh)

[Skyblade]

Master of Orion 2
Megaman Battle Network 3
Rune Factory 3

[Hollycat]

Megaman Battle Network 3


I love you.

[FFIX Choco Boy]

If Final Fantasy 3 is better than 2, but worse than 1, does it count?

Also, Kingdom Hearts, Dark Cloud, Golden Sun... Ugh, I don't have time to put them all down.

[Quindiana Jones]

Mirror's Edge 2.

I wish. :(

[blackmage_nuke]

Monkey Island II

[Skyblade]

If Final Fantasy 3 is better than 2, but worse than 1, does it count?

Also, Kingdom Hearts, Dark Cloud, Golden Sun... Ugh, I don't have time to put them all down.

Golden Sun doesn't count. It's not really a "sequel". It's the second half to what was originally designed and intended to be a single game. It only became two games because of technical constraints.

[FFIX Choco Boy]

There is a Golden Sun: Dark Dawn as well.

[Araciel]

Jumping Flash! 2

[Skyblade]

There is a Golden Sun: Dark Dawn as well.

Which, while a good game, is not superior to the original.

[Sephex]

Mega Man 2.

[Futan]

Half-Life 2. :3

[Skyblade]

Do series count? Megaman X is an improved sequel to Megaman. The fact that both X and the Original are an entire series of games is irrelevant.

[Hollycat]

THis is going to be a very long thread. In terms of video games, sequels are usually better. Not always, but usually.

Especially on handheld series.

[krissy]

uncharted

[Iceglow]

Resident Evil 2 and 3 are both better than 1. Dino Crisis 2 is way superior to Dino Crisis 1 or 3 for that matter (need more Dino Crisis that actually plays like Dino Crisis 2 imho), Colony Wars Vengeance and Red Sun are better than the original Colony Wars, The Ace Combat series gets progressively better with each incarnation tbh. Assassins Creed 2 is better than 1 (though I enjoy playing both immensely)

[Red Mage Coffman]

Well... Dissida Duodecim. Disgaea 2, 3, and 4. Final Fantasy 13-2. Kingdom Hearts 2. Dragon Ball Z: Legacy of Goku 2. Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 3. Pokemon Black 2. Star Ocean: The Second Departure. Final Fantasy X-2 (Yes, I like it better. Please don't kill me.) Super Mario Bros 3. Chrono Cross. Spyro 2, Riptos Rage.

Yeah this list could go on forever...

[Shoeberto]

uncharted
Absolutely. The first one was really good. The second was fucking mind-blowing. I love Naughty Dog.

[Denmark]

IN MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION AND LIKELY MORE FOR NOSTALGIC REASONS THAN ANYTHING ELSE

The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past > Zelda II: The Adventure of Link > The Legend of Zelda (2-D Zelda doesn't get compared to 3-D Zelda; apples to oranges)
Banjo-Tooie > Banjo-Kazooie (but both are fucking amazing games; this is where the nostalgia thing comes in)
Mega Man II > Mega Man (and then the series went downhill when they added sliding in III)
Kirby's Adventure > Kirby's Dream Land (no contest here)
The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask > The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time (see note about BT and BK)
Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island > Super Mario World (yes these are the same series; dealwithit.gif)
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest > Donkey Kong Country (Squitter)
Pokemon Gold/Silver > Pokemon Red/Blue (Totodile)
Super Smash Bros. Melee > Super Smash Bros.

there might be more. but 2 reasons Final Fantasy series doesn't count: 1) apart from like x-2 and xiii-2 none of the games in the series are actual sequels (and I can't comment on x-2 or 13-2 being better or worse) and 2) the original is the best in the series anyway :colbert:

[Bolivar]

This generation is full of sequels that got right what the first one awkwardly tried to do before stumbling in the HD generation. Of course we have Assassin's Creed, Mass Effect and Uncharted but I'd also throw in Bad Company and Resistance. I've heard some say Left 4 Dead 2 was what the first should have been, and I would say Pacific Rift's much more colorful and varied landscapes was a more inviting, if not as mechanically sound, game as MotorStorm.

I don't want to say Shining Force, because the first one is overall more structured and tighter, but Shining Force II is such an epic, sprawling journey that it deserves a mention as often as possible.

I've heard say Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2 cleaned up a lot of the overwhelming sloppiness of Tactics Advance.

I think Final Fantasy II was ahead of its time as an NES game.

[Skyblade]

I don't want to say Shining Force, because the first one is overall more structured and tighter, but Shining Force II is such an epic, sprawling journey that it deserves a mention as often as possible.

I've heard say Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2 cleaned up a lot of the overwhelming sloppiness of Tactics Advance.

I think Final Fantasy II was ahead of its time as an NES game.

The two are very different, and I don't really think either is "better", they're both dang good games. Depending on what you're looking for, SF2 can definitely be better.

Just like FFTA cleaned up a lot of the stumbling around due to inexperience with tactical games that was FFT. *Runs away*

I can't really judge FFII, except in the one feature that caused me to put it down and never think about picking it up again. It has some of the worst gameplay in the series.

[Bolivar]

I'm tempted, but who among us could question Skyblade's insight when it comes to classic SRPGs?

Not I, so I'll save my response for more appropriate threads... :|

[Kossage]

Well, a few great sequels I can think of are the following:

Age of Empires 2
Arkham City
Fallout 2
TIE Fighter
Trine 2
Turrican 2
The Witcher 2

[Flaming Ice]

. Final Fantasy X-2 (Yes, I like it better. Please don't kill me.


:|

[Crop]

TimeSplitters 2

[krissy]

Well, a few great sequels I can think of are the following:


Turrican 2


YEAHHHH

A500 Turrican II - Intro - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvha_2hAzq0)

[Polnareff]

Shining Force III beats the living hell out of all other Shining Force games to me. :jess:

I think the answer to this question besides that is......any sequel that isn't Devil May Cry 2, FFX-2, or Bioshock 2.

[Balzac]

Bioshock 2 was a terrible game. I'm going to have to say Borderlands 2.

[Karifean]

Final Fantasy XIII-2
LittleBigPlanet 2
All subsequent Tekken games
Crash Bandicoot 2
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2
and, if it counts, Worms Armageddon

Yeah, I played the PlayStation a lot.

[Polnareff]

Bioshock 2 was a terrible game. I'm going to have to say Borderlands 2.

God dammit, I love you. :jess:

[Elpizo]

Doom II.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's awakening. (Yeah, I think it's better than "A Link to the Past". Sacrilege, I know.)

[Skyblade]

Doom II.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's awakening. (Yeah, I think it's better than "A Link to the Past". Sacrilege, I know.)

Oracle of Ages > Link's Awakening

[CimminyCricket]

Disgaea 2 brought a level of difficulty that not even Disgaea 1 had. I thought it was an overall improvement.

[Bolivar]

Shining Force III beats the living hell out of all other Shining Force games to me. :jess:


hahaha didn't you pm me with pics when you were about to crack into it. Man, i'm so JEALOUS!!! I gotta get to this piece soon...

People bringing up Super Smash Brothers Melee in another thread... I'd disagree in every way possible, but I respect the opinion nonetheless.

I thought Modern Warfare 2 had a far better campaign than the original and the multiplayer was an incredible, but logical progression to what was an amazing, but easy game.

I would also say Tactics Ogre... Ogre Battle Episode V March of the Black Queen was such an original title, but the sequel had so much more refinement and went harder on the story.

[Elpizo]

Doom II.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's awakening. (Yeah, I think it's better than "A Link to the Past". Sacrilege, I know.)

Oracle of Ages > Link's Awakening
Oracle of Seasons > Oracle of Ages :)

[Loony BoB]

Final Fantasy XIII-2
Uncharted 2
Warcraft 2
Doom II
Dune II
etc.

Sequels are almost always better. *shrug* This thread would be better served if it asked which sequels were rubbish. But only just... because sequels are often rubbish, too. Maybe it would be better served asking which sequels were exactly as good as the original.

[Wolf Kanno]

Metal Gear 2:Solid Snake is head and shoulder's better than the original Metal Gear and it set up the MGS formula as well for gameplay. MGS1 is better than MG2, and MGS3 is the best entry in the series IMHO.

Mega Man 2 is way better than MM1 and well, most of the MM series. I'll second that MMX is a better sequel series over MM though.

Devil May Cry 3 is still the best DMC entry. DMC4 had some potential but committed a cardinal sin and is banished for it.

Star Ocean 2 is still better than SO1 or well the rest of the series.

All of the sequels to Persona 1 are head and shoulders better than the first game.

Shin Megami Tensei is a better spiritual sequel series to the original Megami Tensei series.

Lufia 2 is still better than Lufia 1, as well as most of it's sequels...

All of the Breath of Fire sequels are better than the first game.

Amplitude is better than Frequency

DDR MAX 2 is better than DDR Max 1

Also inb4 SFII is better than Street Fighter.

[Skyblade]

Also inb4 SFII is better than Street Fighter.

Well, I think everyone has to admit, Shining Force II is better than Street Fighter. By far.

[Bolivar]

Like, far far.

[Heath]

Doom II.
The Legend of Zelda: Link's awakening. (Yeah, I think it's better than "A Link to the Past". Sacrilege, I know.)

Link's Awakening is bloody marvellous.

Most of the ones that jumped to my mind have already been mentioned: Pokemon Gold/Silver, Age of Empires 2, Half Life 2, Sonic 2 (though Sonic 3 & Knuckles was even better) and Warcraft II.

[Jinx]

Shadow Hearts: Covenant

[Heath]

Shadow Hearts: Covenant

I don't know - I'm really torn as to whether to agree. I think there were things that I liked about SH:C more than the original (I think the gameplay was generally better, likewise for the music and graphics) but I think in terms of the story I preferred the original. Don't get me wrong, there's not a lot between them for my money. However, I think they're both good but in different ways and I'd probably rank them about level. Having said that, I really should replay SH:C at some point - especially given that I've had the Japan battle music (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrUgUxAF_us) stuck in my head for the past week and I've no idea why.

[Del Murder]

Aren't most sequels better than the first game? It's harder to pick out earlier games that are better.

[Mirage]

Donkey Kong Country 2
Zone of the Enders 2
Assassin's Creed 2

[escobert]

Diablo 2 > Diablo 1