Ever since video games boomed in the 1980s, franchises have been quite common. Along with adding more to a game’s lore, sequels and spinoffs are also necessary for improving upon the playability with the latest graphics and gaming engines.
While the low-quality originals are undeniable classics in their own right, some sequels have really raised the stakes by surpassing even their predecessors. In some cases, it is the shift from 2D to 3D that adds more to the environment designs and character details. In other cases, a shift in the gaming platforms can also enhance the aesthetics of the game.
God Of War 3
The original two God of War games were revolutionary for their time, going down as some of the best PlayStation 2 titles. However, it is with God of War III that the franchise upped its game with more realistic character designs and intensely interactive boss battles. The fights with Gaia and Cronos are splendid in particular.
The bearded Kratos has been the aggressive hero of the series and it is with the third installment that his visual design starts getting better. This time, his muscles don’t seem exaggerated but more human, complete with veins and sweat.
Grand Theft Auto III
Much like its predecessor, GTA 2 had a top-down 2D perspective. There were still possibilities for open-world gameplay which only got boosted further with GTA III and the multiple Grand Theft Auto sequels and spin-off games. The graphics of GTA III have obviously not aged well in comparison to the subsequent games but it marked a huge and influential shift in the franchise.
With Grand Theft Auto 2 being designed for the original PlayStation and Game Boy Color, the hardware allowed limited graphics. But GTA III shone in the open-world format with it being designed for the PlayStation 2. Players could experience faster car speeds, weather mechanics, and lens flares. Today, the game is an undisputed classic with its brutish and reckless gameplay.
Street Fighter IV
It was more than a decade since Street Fighter IV followed the third chapter. Obviously, technology had advanced in this time and the franchise decided to change with the times. Instead of the arcade-style 2D graphics, the game acquired a 3D look that paved the way for future installments such as Street Fighter V.
Many games have made the jump from 2D to 3D over the years but still, Street Fighter IV stands out from other fighting games for its balance of tones. The background environment and character designs acquire more detail but not to the extent where the characters look unrecognizable. In fact, it only adds more life to Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, and other characters from the Street Fighter games.
Metal Gear Solid 2
Solid Snake is arguably one of the best Hideo Kojima video game characters. Part of his influential legacy comes from his roughened-up look, complete with his headband, long hair, and eyepatch. However, in the first Metal Gear Solid, the graphic capabilities were so low that Snake gets some sort of boxy “melted” face with little to no facial details.
Compare that to Metal Gear Solid 2 and gamers get a more defined and human-looking Snake. His frowning expressions and agile fighting moves make for a great combo which will only get better with future restorations of the game as well as the sequels.
Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets
All of the Harry Potter movies have received their own video game adaptations, starting with Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone. The PlayStation title is notorious for its disproportionate character designs, especially that of Hagrid who later became the subject of a viral meme.
As for Chamber of Secrets, the PlayStation 2 sequel does massively improve in terms of graphics. For starters, the characters don’t look as horrendous as PS1 Hagrid. The free-flight mechanism triggered with magic brooms is another notable highlight of the game.
Fallout 3
As is evident from Fallout’s title, the game franchise is set in a post-apocalyptic reality. And it is this dystopian nuclear nature that comes out perfectly in the third game that not only introduces a 3D open-world dimension but also a significant continuation of its predecessor.
The second game was set in the same reality but the main character is trapped in a claustrophobic vault. In Fallout 3, the player finally steps out of the vault only to find a muddy wasteland outside that is heavily entertaining and immersive to explore.
Doom 3
Doom II continues to be a timeless classic for its iconic blurry graphics, movability in 3D environments, and of course, the reckless bloodshed. When the first-person shooter received a new-age sequel in 2004, a stylistic and narrative departure could be noted. Even though the aim was still to load weapons and kill enemies, Doom 3 followed a more horror-like approach akin to the Resident Evil games.
With the gaming engine making good use of darkness and shadows in the underground lab settings, it could be quite a scary experience for some as undead creatures can prop up from anywhere.
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption came out in 2010, a unique Western with enough natural environments to explore. The cinematic nature of its storyline was furthered with the sequel that was released in 2018. While the first one was already realistic enough, the second chapter strove for such extreme attention to detail that it got a tad bit too realistic for gamers.
Be it the open landscapes, the horse-riding mechanisms, or just the gritty facial expressions of the lead characters, games like Red Dead Redemption 2 have paved the way for viewing video games as an art form.
The Sims 2
The first of the Sims games was obviously a trendsetter for similar world-building games. But it was The Sims 2 that helped in making its world even more user-friendly.
Not only was the graphic quality improved but players could also zoom in on the characters and their settings. The new 3D graphics engine allowed players to obtain 360-degree views of the game instead of the fixed 2D isometric viewpoint of the first game. Another interesting point of detail was making the children more realistic as they inherit their parents’ genetic features in the game.
Max Payne 3
Max Payne 2 stands out in its own right but falls prey to the 2000s graphic cliches, adding a “blocky” nature to the characters’ bodies. Max Payne 3 massively builds upon its predecessor with grittier character designs and improved gun play.
The titular protagonist looks older and the graphics do make him look weary with age and time. The way his and other characters’ muscles and veins look is commendable, a far cry from the more simplistic designs from the previous two installments.
