Long-running franchises regularly risk obsolescence, but titles like Stardew Valley and God of War show how to keep things fresh.
The modern gaming landscape is one dominated by long-running franchises.whether it call of duty Release a new game every year or leak early grand theft auto 6 gameplay take full control of the conversation, the popularity of such revolutionary series has made them some of the most financially successful media properties in existence. Problems are overcome by a spiritual successor.
A spiritual successor is a game designed to recapture and grow the elements that make the game popular. These games are usually designed by fans of the original series, and sometimes the fresh elements introduced make what was great in the original series even better. Mid-Autumn Moonof spiritual heir, stardew valleyitself has become a phenomenon that has begun to appear spiritual successor to titles like lightyear frontier, continues to evolve and grow our cozy farming simulator to new heights. This rapid evolution of the concept is one of the spiritual successor’s greatest advantages, and also where the sequel suffers the most.
As the franchise ages and releases more games, it’s almost certain that fans will become less responsive. Halo Infiniteof Initial high ratings Decline in just one yearAnd while expectations for the next work are increasing, assassin’s creed became many series Shortages and Controversial Development ChoicesThey’re not the only series to see a decline in popularity, but both demonstrate the obvious pitfalls of long-running franchises: having to try new things while meeting fan expectations.
Developers have long had to walk a fine line between making the next installment of the game feel fresh while not pushing gameplay so far as to alienate longtime fans. Sequels can become interchangeable if not properly balanced. FIFA The game is better than the 13 that came after. Without the opportunity for true innovation and change, the series can become obsolete, leaving behind the fresh feeling that made it popular in the first place.
Where spiritual successors succeed is their ability to take concepts from fan-favorite games and run them in whatever direction they please.There is probably no better example than this undertale, spiritual successor to mother A series that has surpassed the original enough to parody Mona Lisa characters delta rune It was sold for more than 200,000. undertaleof Success comes from creator Toby Fox earthbound as an inspiration.If undertale instead of mother 4, It would likely never have achieved the success it does today, nor would it have been known for its innovative and unique designs.
Although difficult, the developers are able to perfectly match the spiritual successor and sequel. 2018 god of war Considered a major turning point for the series, it was a huge success, so some people worry. God of War: Ragnarok can withstand it. The game manages to completely reframe and rebuild the hack-and-slash franchise into a deeper and more complex narrative while retaining the brutal nature of Kratos’ Godslayer’s past. god of war It’s the rare case when a developer takes the chance to do something new and thrive with near-universal support.
Developers cannot be expected to jeopardize a major series by making drastic changes from game to game — god of warof After all, success is the exception that proves the rule. Still, if we can see the sequel grow over time with small improvements and changes, the spiritual successor will have the freedom to create something completely new while capturing everything that made the original game so enjoyable. can be provided to developers.