Playing Sequals Before Their Predecessors

[Fappy]

I recently was talking with some friends about Mass Effect and learned that one of them had completed ME2 without ever playing ME1. To top it all off he blazed through the game on casual in 14 hours. This left me speechless. In my opinion Mass Effect is not a franchise that leaves room for skipping ahead. Not only do you miss important setting establishment and huge plot points but nothing will surprise you in ME2!

Spoiler

The Protheans are the Collectors!? Fancy that... wait... who are the Protheans again?

This literally blew my mind. Have you or anyone you've met done this? Are there any other games that you simply cannot skip over like this? Discuss!

 

[Henrik Persson]

Well, Mass Effect is a special case, since you can use a save from ME1 in ME2. For most games it's really no big deal. There are a few games I'd definetly do chronologically such as KOTOR and Gothic, but usually it's no biggie.

 

[DividedUnity]

I played God of war 3 and had never played through the first two at all. I dont feel i missed out on anything.

 

[Pimppeter2]

le snip!

You should check this out [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/326.182033-Pimppeter2-and-Domble-present-The-Knuckleduster-Mass-Effect-2]


Other than that, I really usually don't do that.

 

[Bonkekook]

I've done it on occasion, but it winds up ruining the predecessor for me, so I try to avoid it. While FF isn't a true sequel series, I bought XIII and haven't played it because I'm going through the old ones as we speak.

 

[Wolfram23]

Let's see, FEAR 2 w/o playing FEAR 1. Fallout 3 w/o playing either 1 or 2. God of War 3 without playing the first 2. Assassin's Creed 2 with only playing the first at a friend's for an hour. Uncharted 2 having only played a couple hours at a friends of the first. Killzone 2 which I didn't like and never played the first. Oh for sure MW2, only other CoD game I've played was WaW Nazi Zombies. Umm... probably some others. I've never felt I missed out on anything except perhaps slight points in God of War that were alluded to in GoW3, but I got the gist of it. Generally as well, from my observations, sequels tend to be better in most respects. I almost wish I hadn't played BioShock 1 so that 2 would have been all the more amazing and new (since the gameplay far outstripped the first)

 

[Cherry Cola]

I played God of war 3 and had never played through the first two at all. I dont feel i missed out on anything.

Except two superior titles.

[sub]Fnar fnar[/sub]

OT: I played the Just Cause 2 demo and I haven't even played the first Just Cause.

That counts... right?

 

[Lord Mountbatten Reborn]

I played Deus Ex: Invisible War before the original, and as a result actually am one of the rare people who like both games.

Of course, I consider the original to be the best, but with nothing to compare it to, the sequel became good in my eyes.

I'd recommend playing that way.

I also played the KotOR sequel before the original, but luckily at the time was too young and stupid to cotton on to the big twist.

 

[Kingjackl]

These days, thanks to the glory of Wikipedia, it's easy to skip an entry in a series. I skipped Half-Life 1, Metal Gear Solid 1 and 2, Fallout 1 and 2 and Metroid Prime 1 and 2, but I still found a way to enjoy the games I played without feeling lost.

 

[Scabadus]

I forced myself to play through STALKER: Clear Sky before I played Call of Prypiat. I believe that pretty much sums up my feelings on this issue.

For those who havn't played it, the final hour or so of Clear Sky consist of enemies throwing magical homing one-hit-kill grenades that always (litterally always) land directly between your legs. It is not fun.

 

[Ultress]

Usually on series like Persona or Dragon Quest where it may help to have played to predecessors but if is a story heavy series then I will hit the previous entries.

 

[Mehall]

If ever I make a game, there will be a "2" at the end of it, and from about half way through, things will be introduced that seem like they should be obvious if you played an earlier game. Except there will be no earlier game.

 

[zakski]

I forced myself to play through STALKER: Clear Sky before I played Call of Prypiat. I believe that pretty much sums up my feelings on this issue.

For those who havn't played it, the whole of Clear Sky consists of enemies throwing magical homing one-hit-kill grenades that always (litterally always) land directly between your legs. It is not fun.

fixed for greater truth

 

[Scabadus]

I forced myself to play through STALKER: Clear Sky before I played Call of Prypiat. I believe that pretty much sums up my feelings on this issue.

For those who havn't played it, the whole of Clear Sky consists of enemies throwing magical homing one-hit-kill grenades that always (litterally always) land directly between your legs. It is not fun.

fixed for greater truth

Well be fair sometimes in the earlier parts they fire magical homing bullets that take two hits to kill you and always burry themselves into your forhead.

 

[ShotgunSmoke]

Completed Saints Row 2, haven't touched Saints Row. Probably ain't going to, seeing as it's not on PC.

Currently playing Assassins Creed 2. I have played AC1 only for 3 hours or so. I read the plot summary of AC1, so I'm not confused or anything.

 

[nicholaxxx]

MGS4, it was the first MGS I could find, so I bought it, played it, then played the other 3, the first one is currently my favorite

 

[Hothcliff]

Half life 2 and Ratchet & Clank Future: Crack in Time