Inside InnerSpike

[U][SIZE=6]Overall: 7.8[/SIZE][/U]

Is it just me or have A LOT of sequels been coming out lately? (Crysis 2, Starcraft 2, Dragon Age 2, Shogun 2, Dead Space 2, SW:TFU 2, FEAR 3). Regardless, in a sea of sequels you get to see how good a lot of developers really are. Was the first a fluke? Or do they really have the recipe for success? The biggest factor, however, is how well the game evolves. Because no one wants to play the same game over again in a new setting.

[SIZE=5]The ...

[B][U][SIZE=6]Overall: 9.0[/SIZE][/U][/B]


Shogun 2: Total War solidifies that the guys over at Creative Assembly really know how to make a damn good strategy game. And before you think, "Isn't it just like all the other Total Wars?" let me put your mind at ease and say "No, it's better." Each new Total War game evolves the franchise in some shape or form. Either in better diplomatic and macro, better battle controls, better RPG elements, or just plain better ...

[SIZE=5][U][B]Overall Score: 7.6[/B][/U][/SIZE]

With the recent surge in extremely good sequels (Dead Space 2, Mass Effect 2, Starcraft 2) and with how amazing Dragon Age Origins was (I gave it a 9.1), this is disappointing. Maybe I'm missing something here, but it seems like Bioware fired all of it's original developers from Origins and got a whole new cast. Because this hardly resembles the original epic.

[B][SIZE=4]The Good:[/SIZE][/B]
[B]Improved gameplay.[/B] ...

[U][B][SIZE=6]Overall Score: 9.2[/SIZE][/B][/U]

When making a sequel it's important to take what you did good, and evolve it. Then take what you did poorly, and improve it. Mass Effect 2 is the perfect example of this; and so is Dead Space 2. Nearly every serious complaint made about the first one has been either fixed or modified in a way which is so much more pleasurable. Game developers take note: This is how you do a sequel!

[U][SIZE=5]The Good[/SIZE][/U]
[B]Improved ...

I'll be the first to admit that the story of some games have actually broken the experience for me. The story was so bad that the gameplay seemed dull... Now I don't expect everyone to share the same sentiments, but at the very least understand where I'm coming from.

Story seems to be such an elusive aspect to games. Some games do a great job of it (FEAR, Dead Space, Mass Effect) and others just fall flat on their face (Mirror's Edge, Overlord, Bioshock 2). When a game's story is great, ...