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| The Ten on Our Death Row |
Here at Joystick Division, we have pieced together a list of the ten franchises that deserve the ax the most. Sadly, most of the titles on the list will be around for decades. But that doesn't mean it isn't important to mark them as worthy of a death sentence.
Hopefully you enjoy it. If your favorite series is on the list, don't feel bad -- many of the games that should be killed are very loved, but it really is for the best.
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Years Active: 10
Halo: Reach looks beautiful. The new additions to the gameplay look fast and fun, while the new storyline and deeper multiplayer may make it the best Halo game to date. But that doesn't mean the series should continue into the future.
The fanboyism and hype surrounding the games is annoying to the whole gaming community -- even those that are excited for the latest titles. Also, they are becoming increasingly unoriginal, with ODST's mediocre show proving that outside the main trilogy, there aren't many resources that we care to mine.
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9. Lost Planet
Years Active: 4
Lost Planet gets a lot of lip service pre-release. Especially considering the declining reviews. The games just aren't that good -- the money and talent that is being utilized could, and should, be used to make far better games.
It's not that the games are horrible. They really aren't; they are just shockingly okay. You would think with such a huge budget and with the full support of Capcom something would come from them, but it simply doesn't seem to be happening. And sometimes it's best to cut your losses. This would be one of those times. Make an awesome new Resident Evil game or something.
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8. Metal Gear Solid
Years Active: 22
Wait, don't leave yet. Hear this one out. It is purely out of respect. The Metal Gear Solid franchise is one of the finest in the world, full of tons of innovation, fantastic characters, and entertaining stories.
And it would be brilliant if Guns of the Patriots could be the franchise's sweeping opus. Think about that: one of the best-reviewed games of all time would define the series in a way that no other swan's song has. It would be a primo example of quitting while you're ahead, going out with a bang, and cementing yourself as one of the legendary video game stories without petering out into nothingness. Kojima has wanted to be done with the series for years, and he should get his way.
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7. The Sims
Years Active: 10
The Sims is another franchise that should die, but not before the next one comes out. The Sims Medieval looks totally badass, something that may force me to purchase a Sims title for this first time in 8 years.
But, like Halo, let it rest. The huge Sims expansion pack craze is well over, and thank God, but there is still a massive group of people that think these games are actually interesting. And they may well be, but let's give it a rest and move on to something a little more interesting -- a little different.
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6. Kane & Lynch
Years Active: 3
These games are pretty much shitty, and will likely only get shittier. Finger-torturing controls, a lack of polish and uninspired design are the biggest perpetrators in these broken, boring pieces of near-nothingness.
The premise always had mammoth potential, but when the wad's finally blown, there isn't much cause for celebration. The second and most recent entry, Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days is one of the worst games we've ever played, and that is saying quite a lot. The world would be a better place if someone gave K&L two in the back of the head.
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5. Final Fantasy
Years Active: 23
Seriously, we need to be done with Final Fantasy. It has been out for ages and is becoming perpetually underwhelming with each release. Do you know anyone who was truly satisfied with Final Fantasy XIII? We don't. Square Enix needs to do everyone a favor, and pull the plug on this one.
It is hugely beloved, yes. But that is part of the problem. The Final Fantasy games are now riding on the popularity of the earlier, far superior titles. And the fanbase is just as loaded with fanboys as it always has been. The earlier games deserve to be treated better than this. Death with Dignity, anyone?
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4. Sonic The Hedgehog
Years Active: 19
Sonic has become the LOL version of the old guard franchises. Unlike Metroid, Super Mario, and The Legend of Zelda, Sonic The Hedgehog has hit the skids of late. And what do you expect? He's just a fast, blue hedgehog. That can only be capitalized on so much.
And no one is buying the charm anymore. In the last game, they gave him a fucking sword and it couldn't do much -- the game averaged in the mid 50s by reviewers, making it one of the worst games in the franchise. If a sword can't give your players a vote of confidence, nothing can. Sonic has also become a werewolf, been given an evil twin and had his older games re-released time and again when the developers realized that they had no fresh ideas for the speedy rodent. Time to get the shotgun and take this one out behind the shed.
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3. Guitar Hero
Years Active: 5
Guitar Hero is a money vacuum. The same game gets released every other month it seems, with a healthy price tag and a new setlist. It has spawned a huge new genre, with followers like Rock Band getting filthy rich off the success.
And it is for good reason: the games are addictive and enjoyable. But the gaming world is oversaturated with these games, and it is getting to the point of ridiculous. News sites have entries daily (including this one) and there's a lot of hubub over nothing really. And go out and play a real guitar -- that will get you chicks.
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2. Madden NFL
Years Active: 22
It isn't that Madden NFL has had waning quality recently -- quite the opposite. The games are strong, much better than the games of old, and there is a lot of fun to be had inside the digital sidelines.
But the licensing rights to the NFL teams, stadiums, and players has essentially blocked other devs from making games. Namely, 2K. The 2K games were amazing -- definitely the strongest football games around -- but EA swooped in an scooped up the rights to the affiliation, rendering 2K totally limited. And All-Pro 2K8, while not totally bad, didn't have any feeling of realism, which is what we are looking for in our sports games. C'mon EA, a little healthy competition is good, and you've got the market cornered.
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1. Tony Hawk
Years Active: 11
This franchise has probably seen the most diverse success of any franchise in histroy. Tony Hawk's: Pro Skater series is one of the greatest, most acclaimed franchises of all time. They were seriously awesome games that catapulted extreme sports games to the forefront of sports games.
And everything that has happened since Pro Skater 4 has been unimpressive. It's dipped into Jackass territory with the Tony Hawk's Underground games, "returned to its roots" a couple times, and introduced one of the least successful peripherals since R.O.B. the Robot with Tony Hawk: Ride. The future game, directed at kids, will invariably be weak, but it's full steam ahead for the Tony Hawk team. Don't expect these to see another bright day -- just expect to see them a lot.
Honorable Mentions: Pokemon, World of Warcraft, Harvest Moon, Mortal Kombat, Soul Calibur
Tags: Franchises, Top Ten
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