Sequelitis cured

[Cranyx]

In any form of media, there is a feeling that sequels are often just ploys to exploit the success of the original, however this is not always true.

Whether it be Books, movies, or games what are some series where the sequel is genuinely as good as if not better than the original?

I'll start by saying Empire Strikes Back is better than A New Hope.

 

[nima55]

saints row 2 was by far a better game than the first one

 

[CM156_v1legacy]

In any form of media, there is a feeling that sequels are often just ploys to exploit the success of the original, however this is not always true.

Whether it be Books, movies, or games what are some series where the sequel is genuinely as good as if not better than the original?

I'll start by saying Empire Strikes Back is better than A New Hope.

The second Jurrasic Park book was, in my mind, better than the first. Both were great, and are in my top 20 books, but the second one was even better.

 

[ankensam]

its only if the sequels are cash ins that they become bad hence why jurassic park 3 was shit and jurassic park 4 will be shit

 

[starwarsgeek]

Super Mario Bros. 3 > Super Mario Bros. > Donkey Kong
(After that, it gets blurry).

 

[josemlopes]

For me it falls in two major points for it to be a true sequel:

1- It was thought about way before the first game success
2- It is genuinily better then the first game in a lot of areas (like nima55 said, Saints Row 2)

 

[TheKruzdawg]

Dark Knight was better than Batman Begins.
Last Crusade was better than Temple of Doom and IMO better than Raiders.
Bourne Supremacy (the book) was better than Bourne Identity (book).
Assassin's Creed 2 was better than Assassin's Creed.

That's about all I can think of at this hour and from looking around my room.

 

[Mariena]

saints row 2 was by far a better game than the first one

Really? I found SR2 to be pretty awful, never played the first. I can't even begin to imagine how bad the first one must have been..

Did it have even worse driving and worse framerates?

And a few to add to the list:

Baldur's Gate 2
Mass Effect 2
Diablo 2
ArmA 2

 

[The Thinker]

'Scuse my ignorance, internet, but I must know this: is Team Fortress 2 better than Team Fortress 1?

Hmm... Kung fu Panda 2 was as good as the original.

[small]Stop looking at me like that.[/small]

 

[koroem]

Transformers Dark of the Moon was better than Transformers Revenge of the Fallen.

 

[neonsword13-ops]

Red Dead Redmption and inFAMOUS 2.

 

[Xangi]

The Academy Series and the Alex Benedict novels by Jack McDevitt are all really damn good. Actually, in my opinion, they actually got BETTER as they went on. Also, DOOM 2 was at least as good as DOOM, I thought Fallout 2 was great, Just Cause 2 is better than Just Cause 1, Penumbra: Black Plague is better than Overture (but both are badass), The STALKER games got better as well (not factoring in mods), GalCiv2 is better than Galciv1... I could go on.

So I will, IN LIST FORM
(list of sequels that are better than the originals in my opinion)

-GTA3
-Postal 2
-TF2
-Alien Shooter 2 & Zombie Shooter 2
-Half Life 2
-Metroid Prime series (Special case, all are 10s in my book)
-RE4
-Mario Galaxy 2
-Monster Hunter 2 (& Freedom 2+Unite)
-TimeSplitters 2 & FP
-Pikmin 2
-Diablo 2
-Civilization 4 & 5 (never played 2 or 3)
-AOE3
-Quake 3

etc.

I forgot why I started typing this, so I hope you had fun reading it.

 

[AGrey]

Warcraft 2

Arguably Starcraft 2, but that's debatable

 

[Magnesium360]

Well to be completely honest Bioshock 2 was significantly better tha- I'm kidding! I'm kidding! Don't hurt me!

Seriously though, I felt Assassin's Creed 2 was a lot better than the first game. The controls were tighter and the combat flowed better, overall a more polished product.

 

[Someone lost on TVTropes]

I can only think of a couple to be honest

For Movies:

-The Godfather: Part 2
-Aliens (many may disagree on this one though)
-The Road Warrior (unlike most though, I love the original as well)
-The Dark Knight
-Kill Bill Vol. 2 (I think most people to consider them to be one whole film though)
-Evil Dead 2
-Goldfinger (only Bond film that really feels perfect)
-Toy Story 3 (tough choice on this one, all three are really good)
-Spiderman 2 (Sam Raimi seems to be really good at sequels)
-Terminator 2 (and so does James Cameron)

I think I'm in the minority though when it comes to Star Wars. As much as I love Empire, I enjoy the original more so nowadays.
[sub]All of the above is my opinion as well.[/sub]

 

[AvsJoe]

An argument could be made for the Evil Dead sequels, but that's because all three are very different movies. The first was pure, 100-proof low-budget horror at its finest. The second was still horror, but a TON of humour was added, making it a very solid low-budget horror-comedy. The third got a full studio backing and real money to work with, but the movie forgot its horror roots; Army of Darkness was pure, 100-proof comedy. My favourite of the three is the final one, which is the least loved of the three but it's still a quality film. Now, within the Evil Dead fandom, that's like saying Jedi was the best of the Star Wars films and people with my opinion are heretics, but my point is that all three are damn good films that cater to different people. Despite all three being in the same film franchise with the same star (Bruce Campbell) and director (Sam Raimi), comparing the three and judging which is better is like comparing apples, eagles, and fire trucks.

In any form of media, there is a feeling that sequels are often just ploys to exploit the success of the original, however this is not always true.

Whether it be Books, movies, or games what are some series where the sequel is genuinely as good as if not better than the original?

I'll start by saying Empire Strikes Back is better than A New Hope.

The second Jurrasic Park book was, in my mind, better than the first. Both were great, and are in my top 20 books, but the second one was even better.

I enjoyed the first one a lot more than the second. The first book sits in my top 3, the second probably wouldn't even make my top 50.

 

[SD-Fiend]

every generation of pokemon after red and green

 

[zehydra]

every generation of pokemon after red and green

No, my good sir, I think you got it backwards, they got worse with every step after Gold/Silver

 

[DracoSuave]

Star.

Control.

2.

*campers* were very *happy* with that *game*