Best and worst sequels

[blacon]

What are your favorite sequels in gaming? And by this I mean a sequel that was perhaps better than the original game, or added something new that really improved the gameplay. And what are your least favorite?

Good:
Assassins Creed 2 - probably the best sequel I've played. Improved so much on the first game.

Metal Gear Solid 4 - I loved the old MGS games and dreaded the camera change in MGS4, but it really added to the gameplay.



Bad:
Resident Evil 4 - Although I love Resi 4 and 5, I do prefer the old games and wish they never changed.

Final Fantasy X-2 - This game sabotaged everything I loved about FFX. Hated with a passion.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Doom2. Basically just Doom with a shotgun variant and some more monsters and levels, and no level map, but it worked.

Also, Exile 3 had much better gameplay than Exile 2, which was a bit too primitive to get into.

 

[gmergurl]

Good:
Kingdom Hearts 2 - I loved everything except the missing dodge-roll ability. They took everything good about the first KH and expanded and improved it.

Devil May Cry 3 - ... I guess it's technically a prequel I don't play a whole lot of sequels so you'll have to excuse me. I love everything about it <3.

Bad:
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep - *readies flame sheild* I know, I know, I loved the story too, especially the three story lines, but the gameplay itself ticks me off. I've only been able to beat Tera's story... because it was on easy! That is bad.... just bad, given this could just be me.

FFX-2: I'll agree, though it seems to be a guilty pleasure of mine if nothing else.

Army of Two: The 40th Day - If you'd played this I don't need to explain... if you haven't, don't bother.

 

[blacon]

I'd also include Half-Life 2 but don't want to get quote-spammed.

I was thinking the same thing

Although fans will argue that the gravity gun really did change the game mechanics a lot, so I wouldn't say it's a terrible sequel.

 

[Lieju]

Pokemon Gold and Silver, and Resident Evil 2.

Both the original pokemon generation and the first Resident evil suffered from the limitations of technology; their successors perfected the formula.

Re4 is good, but I don't know how much it counts as a sequel, since it's whole gameplay and really the plot as well had little to do with the games before it.

 

[PurkinjeFiber]

Good:
Half-Life 2 / Episodes - This game, as well as the episodes, took first-person story-telling to an entirely new level, and for the better. I consider these games to some of the best games ever made, but they also comprise one of the best sequels ever.
StarCraft 2 - Everything but the graphics were improved upon tremendously compared to the StarCraft 1. From an artistic standpoint, I think the graphics for SC1 were more distinct and fun to watch as a spectators' point of view. Everything else, Blizzard nailed it. Can't wait for Heart of the Swarm!

Bad:
Haven't played too many bad sequels. I'd count Final Fantasy Tactics Advance in this category, even though it wasn't a direct sequel. The original FF Tactics was a masterpiece for its time, but the game on GBA just didn't do it for me -- the stupid battle rules was a huge turn-off for me.

 

[ronald1840]

Great Improvments in every way, great sequels;

- Uncharted 2
- Super Mario Galaxy 2

Not bad sequels but not as good as the first

- Bioshock 2
- Final Fantasy Tactics Advance 2

 

[Fidelias]

Good:
Halo ODST, probably my favorite Halo game of all time.

Bad:
The Force Unleashed 2 - Oh god, was it horrible. I got through it once, which took 4 hours on my first try. NO GAME THAT YOU PAY 60 BUCKS FOR SHOULD BE ABLE TO BE BEATEN IN AN AFTERNOON, PERIOD!!!! The story was crap "JEDI CLONES HERPDERPDER!!!", the characters were crap, and the gameplay was WAY too easy, and I love Star Wars! There really aren't many Star Wars games, books, or movies that I dislike, unless they REALLY screw something up.

 

[Wayneguard]

Good:

Resident Evil --> Resident Evil 2

Bad:

Disciples 2 --> Disciples 3