Most games have contracted LMS, better known as Let's Make Sequels! where everything is premeditated to become some sort of giant series. Understandable to want to make a successful series... but that doesn't excuse the poor story-telling, pacing, or just poor stories in general (see Gears of War and Assassin's Creed where you never learn anything and "cliff-hangers" cling to the idea that saying , not explaining anything, and stretching it out over the course of a generally brief $60 game = good suspenseful storytelling + some multi-player). This is usually forgiven because theres a focus of user-made content and/or theres multi-player...

There also seems to be more focus on evil vs good even though it may not be interesting or deep and is just there to say their game is longer than it actually is because you can play it again plus a generally insignificant decision.

'Open-World' RPGs also have the current preoccupation that a huge world automatically immerses the player... which makes it okay to make the whole world empty and same looking (also called the Bethseda Syndrome).

Theres also the popular idea of throwing in a bunch of genres into one package and then not doing any of them all that well. The jack of all trades game makes for a MEDIOCRE game. Diversity is cool, but you gotta do at least one of them well...

Also, remakes and "sequels to games that no one wants revived because they'll get raped *COUGH*OBLIVION WITH GUNS*COUGH*".