Summary
Most video game sequels like to expand, grow, or enhance what came before. Bigger and bolder is the way. Usually, after all, a sequel is made because the first game was a success, at least commercially speaking. But not all video game sequels take this approach.
There are some video game sequels that remove content, home in on what worked, tweak mechanics and physics, and sometimes even more. There are video game sequels that completely reinvent what the game is, changing genres, and introducing new ways to play. In some cases, video game sequels take the mechanics of the prior game(s) and simplify them, for one reason or another.
AfterAssassin’s Creed: OdysseyandAssassin’s Creed: Valhallapushed the series further into RPG and epic, long from gaming territory,Assassin’s Creed: Miragecame along and simplified things again.
Initially conceived as DLC, Mirage returned the series to its shorter length, with fetch quests, and mechanics from the earlier games. It emphasized stealth over the RPG mechanics, streamlined the combat and the side activities, and focused more on the elements of the earlier games that players liked most.
Here isour review of Assassin’s Creed: Mirage
7Splinter Cell: Conviction
Splinter Cellwas seen by many to be a hardcore, serious, stealth series. It was astealth gamethat put the gameplay first, and highlighted accuracy and realism. As opposed to its main competitor at the time,Metal Gear Solid.
To modernize the mechanics and overall experience, Splinter Cell: Conviction simplified things, and took inspiration from the gritty action movies of the time. It sped up the movement, added more action, and it maintained the classic, Tom Clancy-style storytelling in the process.
The firstMass Effectgame is anepic, space-opera, role-playing game.Mass Effect 2toned down some of the role-playing elements and bolstered the action mechanics. Then,Mass Effect 3toned down the RPG elements even more and focused even more on the action.
Not only that, but Mass Effect 3 streamlined and sped up the space mining side activities. Scanning and panning across planets was instead reduced to simply pointing and clicking. Mechanically speaking, Mass Effect 3 is the most simplified of the series because of its focus on action over other activities.
ThePokemongames have never been the most complicated games to play, mechanically speaking, primarily because they’re targeted at a younger audience. However, after the success ofPokemon Go, the capture mechanics of that game were translated over to the main console games inPokemon Let’s Go.
Although the motion controls were optional, they, and a reliance on timing, replaced accuracy and strategy. Additionally, random encounters were now visible on the world map, instead of coming as a surprise to you. This all made for a more accessible experience (apart from motion controls limiting less ably bodied individuals from playing it), but it did result in a reduced challenge, and simpler mechanics.
4Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Vegas
TheRainbow Sixseries was known for its demanding difficulty and hard to master shooting mechanics. It was a hardcore, first-person shooter that strove for realism. But, Rainbow Six: Vegas made a few changes to help modernize and simplify the series going forward.
Health regeneration was introduced, making it easier to survive combat, modernized controls and a cover system simplified the shooting and allowed greater accessibility, and checkpoints were introduced, reducing the challenge and risk of death. Rainbow Six: Vegas simplified many of the past mechanics, making for a better, more accessible, easier game.
Fighting gamescan be tough to get into for those not familiar with the genre. Especially now that many of them have esports and competitive online components. The earlierStreet Fightergames were very inviting because of their straightforward controls and focus, butStreet Fighter 5was not.
Street Fighter 5 relied on skill and mastery of its controls and mechanics.Street Fighter 6didn’t necessarily move away from this but provided new players with a way in. There were new accessibility features, and they doubled down on new content and mechanics to appeal to even more gamers.
Here isour review of Street Fighter 6
The first twoThe Witchergames featured a lot of menus, a plethora of information and lore, and they were overall a dense, overwhelming experience for the uninitiated.The Witcher 3: Wild Huntstreamlined the introduction of various mechanics and systems, making for a better, more enjoyable experience.
Combat was given a lot of focus, with more accessible controls. Potions and crafting were easier to understand thanks to better menus and explanations. A handy index and codex even madethe storyand the characters more engaging and accessible for the unfamiliar.
The Legend of Zeldais one of the most renowned and acclaimed gaming series of all time. But some of its games were not as widely acclaimed as others.Skyward Swordwas a more linear experience, and because it was on the Nintendo Wii, it relied heavily on motion controls. Those motion controls were often a frustration more than fun, with accuracy and reliability issues. Plus, they were sometimes difficult to use and get used to.
Breath of the Wildwas the next mainline console launch, and it addressed almost all these mechanics. It was less linear thanks to a vast open world of possibilities, and its combat was now not reliant on motion controls, opting for a more traditional and accessible button-mashed based combat system. Although motion controls were still featured as an optional method of input, it was also less challenging thanks to simpler puzzles and dungeons. New abilities that eased the solving of said puzzles in comparison to the games that came before it.
