Mido
Version 1
Most well-acclaimed series have one title that stands above the others as the quintessential experience for its series. It hit's the right notes and its positives define for most fans what the series should be. Through its own excellence, the title enhances the legacy of both its series and itself. While certainly a boon in that of itself, the legacy of the individual game can also act in a manner detrimental to its series. Sometimes developers struggle to continue on the momentum established by its series "crown jewel" and falter with succeeding games, potentially leaving space for a shadow that looms over the rest of the series and damaging the overall series legacy in some respects. At least for me, I see this with two of my favorite series: Ace Attorney and Star Fox, the latter of which I think has one of the most infamous examples of this idea in the form of Star Fox 64 (and for once I'll respond to my own thread).
Stealing some thunder from @Castle, I think he stated well the historical state of the Star Fox series after its most iconic title's release (Disclaimer: his words may or may not have broken my poor, little heart):
The series has struggled to find any sort of strong groove since the late 1990s. Adventures, while a good game it its own right, was far too derivative from the series formula for many to consider it a proper Star Fox game. Assault proved to be a step in the right direction, but whether it was its linear story structure, gameplay variety, or its somewhat concerning controls for some fans, the game failed to be the mover and shaker the series needed. Strangely, Command was the title some fans (mostly among some critics) considered the true return to form for the series. The Arwing was the sole focus of the gameplay (among variations of it) and elements of other games (notable among them the cancelled Star Fox 2). However, concerns related to the overwrought narrative, repetitive gameplay, and the DS's overall limitations doomed this title as well. As far as Zero is concerned, it demonstrates best the potency of the shadow left behind by 64. Ultimately, Star Fox has shown itself to be among the most prominent examples of the aforementioned idea (Starlink has given me some level of hope at least. ).
As far as Ace Attorney is concerned, it deals with the issue of its "best days" in arguably a lesser capacity than that of Star Fox. Yet for many series fans, the series has struggled to escape the shadow of its original trilogy (those three games have seen releases and rereleases that make Skyrim look like a boy among men). The other titles (at least in the main series), in contrast to Star Fox, don't have issues related to debates on whether _____ is a Star Fox/Ace Attorney game on the grounds of gameplay as the series has largely kept with its formula. Rather, the series has hit a roadblock relating to its story direction with fans mostly being on the same page related to the original trilogy before splitting apart in the series' second main series trilogy with AA4 and AA5 doing much of the damage by way of creating a split fanbase. In a way, the original trilogy represents stability for the series that has not been present arguably since AA4 which is why Capcom seems to milk it so much. Having said all of this, here is the question of the day:
1. Which game series do you find struggling/have struggled to escape the shadow of its best work? Why do you think this to be the case?
Stealing some thunder from @Castle, I think he stated well the historical state of the Star Fox series after its most iconic title's release (Disclaimer: his words may or may not have broken my poor, little heart):
I'll second StarFox. Ninty never really did know what to do with this franchise.
The series has struggled to find any sort of strong groove since the late 1990s. Adventures, while a good game it its own right, was far too derivative from the series formula for many to consider it a proper Star Fox game. Assault proved to be a step in the right direction, but whether it was its linear story structure, gameplay variety, or its somewhat concerning controls for some fans, the game failed to be the mover and shaker the series needed. Strangely, Command was the title some fans (mostly among some critics) considered the true return to form for the series. The Arwing was the sole focus of the gameplay (among variations of it) and elements of other games (notable among them the cancelled Star Fox 2). However, concerns related to the overwrought narrative, repetitive gameplay, and the DS's overall limitations doomed this title as well. As far as Zero is concerned, it demonstrates best the potency of the shadow left behind by 64. Ultimately, Star Fox has shown itself to be among the most prominent examples of the aforementioned idea (Starlink has given me some level of hope at least. ).
As far as Ace Attorney is concerned, it deals with the issue of its "best days" in arguably a lesser capacity than that of Star Fox. Yet for many series fans, the series has struggled to escape the shadow of its original trilogy (those three games have seen releases and rereleases that make Skyrim look like a boy among men). The other titles (at least in the main series), in contrast to Star Fox, don't have issues related to debates on whether _____ is a Star Fox/Ace Attorney game on the grounds of gameplay as the series has largely kept with its formula. Rather, the series has hit a roadblock relating to its story direction with fans mostly being on the same page related to the original trilogy before splitting apart in the series' second main series trilogy with AA4 and AA5 doing much of the damage by way of creating a split fanbase. In a way, the original trilogy represents stability for the series that has not been present arguably since AA4 which is why Capcom seems to milk it so much. Having said all of this, here is the question of the day:
1. Which game series do you find struggling/have struggled to escape the shadow of its best work? Why do you think this to be the case?