The Most Improved Video Game Sequels - Part Two

Too often we see video game sequels that don't quite live up to their predecessors... but we already have an article series dedicated to those games. Instead, let's take a look at those video game sequels that not only live up to their predecessors but greatly surpass them in quality. It's time to bring back The Most Improved Video Game Sequels (you can read part one here) to check out these sensational sequels that delivered and did so in a deliciously delightful manner.

Grand Theft Auto III (PS2)

We begin this second edition of The Most Improved Video Game Sequels with a franchise that is synonymous with open world gaming. It's Grand Theft Auto, and its third iteration was a marked improvement over its predecessors, not just upping the presentation values considerably, but ushering in open-world gaming's immense popularity. It's the type of popularity that continues to this day, and saw many developers attempt to dethrone GTA at its own game with titles like True Crime, Saints Row, among countless others. Grand Theft Auto III took its series from the now-rudimentary top-down overhead cities of the first two games and revolutionized the gaming world with an open 3D metropolis in Liberty City to explore and wreak havoc in. Though future games in the series would further refine the foundations and fundamentals in world-building and gameplay that Grand Theft Auto III introduced, there's no doubt how much greater GTA III is as a game and cultural phenomenon when compared to its predecessors.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)

The original Uncharted was a remarkable romp that introduced the world to the charming, quick-witted master of quips, treasure hunter Nathan Drake in an adventure that felt like a cross between the globe-trotting adventures of Indiana Jones and the gameplay of Tomb Raider. However, the game suffered from some gameplay issues that make repeated play-throughs a bit of a slog, such as a seemingly never-ending supply of bullet sponge enemies to contend with and poorly conceived vehicle segments. Don't get me wrong, though--Uncharted: Drake's Fortune was an excellent game. It's just that its sequel, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, took the formula and foundation that its predecessor laid down and improved on it to such a delightful degree. Everything was bigger and better--the story had greater stakes, the set pieces were lavish and jaw-dropping, the pacing was phenomenal, and the addition of multiplayer was a fantastic one. Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is considered one of the best games of its generation for good reason. It's an action-packed romp reminiscent of an entertaining interactive motion picture.

Monster Hunter: World (PS4, XB1, PC)

The Monster Hunter series long languished as a series with not too many revolutionary changes to its formula due to being stuck on weaker hardware. (That's not to say the games weren't still highly enjoyable, though.) The series also struggled to reel in heavy amounts of players outside of its native home of Japan. All this changed with the release of Monster Hunter: World, offering a game on powerful enough hardware to eliminate the need for the disconnected areas and lands that were found in previous games, and the loading times that came with them. The titular monsters in the game were smarter and more vicious, thanks to the greater processing power of the platforms World was put on. Multiplayer was less of a hassle to get together with friends and randoms alike to go out on the hunt with. Not related to the improved technology provided by the game's targeted hardware platforms but an improvement all the same, the tutorials were more intelligently designed, allowing more players than ever before to have a greater "jumping in" point to the Monster Hunter series. While other games in the series were evolutions of the series to various degrees, Monster Hunter: World was a complete and welcome revolution.

Luigi's Mansion 3 (NSW)

The first Luigi's Mansion was a short and sweet diversion, but it was more of tech demo turned game to show off Nintendo's then-newest platform, the GameCube. The much awaited sequel, Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon, then arrived on the Nintendo 3DS many "moons" later, and it offered more mansions and more hours to the adventure. However, its mission-based structure haunted a good deal of players. Luigi's Mansion 3 for the Nintendo Switch not only improved upon both games (one mansion but with plenty of floors to explore without feeling disconnected in a mission format, a lengthy journey, and insane production values), but it's one of the Switch system's greatest games in general. Smarter puzzles, better bosses, ingenious floor designs that keep players continually guessing what is going to come next, and clever co-op and multiplayer made for a sequel in Luigi's Mansion 3 that wasn't just good--it was scary good.

Red Steel 2 (Wii)

The original Red Steel succeeded commercially on the Wii by virtue of being the first revealed third party game for the system, but unfortunately, the beautiful screenshots that led the game's marketing charge weren't exactly the most honest. And doubly unfortunate was that the overall game lacked precision, polish, and just wasn't that enjoyable to play. The promise of proper motion-controlled swordplay in Red Steel was unfulfilled, but its sequel, which completely retooled and reworked the franchise, would finally make good on the promise. Red Steel 2 was a remarkably stellar and solid first-person shooter with swordplay elements that made players feel like an honest to goodness bad-ass in a way that the original Red Steel promised but failed to live up towards. The cel-shaded art style was a major improvement over the original's muddy mess, and it worked well with the Wii's obviously weak (when compared to its competitors) hardware. Red Steel 2 may have had any potential for success destroyed by its predecessor and due to its requirement for the Wii MotionPlus accessory, but that doesn't stop it from being a terrific and quite improved sequel.

Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PS1)

We conclude with the second Naughty Dog title to appear on this volume of Most Improved Video Game Sequels, Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back. This game was bigger and better than the original Crash Bandicoot in pretty much every way. The first improvement was the refined difficulty, while still challenging, it was nowhere near as punishing as the original. Levels offered multiple paths to explore, rather than being as linear in their design like the game's predecessor. The graphics were also more astounding, offering greater visual effects such as the ability to see character and object reflections in ice. Perhaps the only lacking quality, and one that remained equal to the original Crash Bandicoot, was Crash 2's boring and basic boss battles, which did less than challenge most players. Still, with the second game in the Crash Bandicoot trilogy, it was more than Cortex who struck back; it was Naughty Dog as well.

The Top Games of the Seventh Generation

In one week the second console of the eighth generation will launch. Now that most of the noteworthy games of this past generation have already released, SuperPhillip Central would like to take the time to make mention of the top games released on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii home gaming consoles. The type of game that makes our list must have one or both of these requirements: 1) It was influential, ground-breaking, or revolutionary, and 2) It was one of the best games released this generation. If for some reason you disagree with a game on this list or wish to add some of your own suggestions for games to add, please leave us a comment below.

Super Mario Galaxy (Wii)

While not very influential or really revolutionary, Super Mario Galaxy sent the Super Mario universe into the stars, full of planetoids both large and small to fully traverse every inch of. Super Mario Galaxy was a highly creative game with some genre-defining level design, bombastic soundtrack, and great visuals for Wii standards. Though we prefer Super Mario Galaxy 2 to the original, there's no doubt that Super Mario Galaxy had most of its players seeing stars and loving every second of it.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (Multi)

Call of Duty was a relatively successful series for Activision prior to the fourth installment of the series. Then, like a grenade, the popularity of the series suddenly boomed. Past Call of Duty games focused on World War II scenarios, but Call of Duty 4 set its ironsights towards a much more modern era of combat. It was Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare that started the insane popularity of the Call of Duty brand that has made hardcore and casual players enjoy playing together for an entire generation now.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PS3)

The original Uncharted was a fun but flawed action-adventure game featuring a very charismatic main character, Nathan Drake. However, it wasn't until Naughty Dog's second attempt at the series that not only presented a tremendous action-packed, adrenaline-filled roller coaster of a ride, but it gave players the feeling of playing a genuine Hollywood blockbuster. The train sequence to this day is still one of the greatest gameplay sequences of this generation, and Uncharted 2 delivered moment after moment of pure gaming ecstasy.

The Last of Us (PS3)

The second title on this list from Naughty Dog released this past year. It featured two totally different characters coming together for one cause-- survival. Using a captivating and compelling story-driven campaign, full of hostile humans, infected poor souls, and cannibals, Joel and Ellie were in for the fight of their lives. Utilizing stealth and third-person action, a proper gameplay balance was achieved, making The Last of Us one of the tensest games to come out this past generation, and one of the most excellent.

Grand Theft Auto V (PS3, 360)

Looking back, we were swept up in the hype of Grand Theft Auto IV, and in retrospect, that game disappointed us. That was why we were weary of being interested by its sequel, a trip back to San Andreas (though in a completely different form). Liberty City was claustrophobic compared to the vast expanses of San Andreas, offering Los Santos and the boondocks of Blaine County, cementing Grand Theft Auto V's game world as our favorite open world destination of this generation. Grand Theft Auto V offered more methods of fun and less realism, something that made us grow a distaste for GTA IV. Earning $1 billion in such a short time span is no easy task, but Grand Theft Auto V is a game that definitely deserved those dollars.

Wii Sports (Wii)

Many criticize the Wii as a system that people simply played for this next game and put in their closets. However, if that were the case, then how does one explain the fact that the Wii sold the most software this past generation? Regardless, Wii Sports was a game that easily portrayed its brand of fun. It was simple to show someone swinging the Wii Remote like a tennis racket, and this led to boatloads of cash for Nintendo. Wii Sports may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it not only brought more people into our hobby (which isn't a bad thing, people), it became so popular that even Nintendo's competition wanted in on that Wii user base. (Editor's Note: Wii Fit could also be added to this list.)

LittleBigPlanet (PS3)

Creation in video games wasn't something new that LittleBigPlanet brought to the industry. No, the level of customization that LittleBigPlanet possessed was what was something new and exciting. The ability to create incredibly detailed 2 1/2D levels and objects, customizing every facet to the finest detail, and hopping online with some buds to play other crafter's creations were all novel concepts at the time for PlayStation 3 owners. We know we've spent hundreds of hours tinkering and messing around with the tools and options that were readily available and accessible to us.

Minecraft (Multi)

An independent game developer success story, Minecraft was a game with a somewhat simple premise: you went around a randomly generated map, chipping away blocks for materials, while trying to keep your hunger and health levels up. The creative mode was where the true fun began, allowing players to fly and move to and fro without worry of such trivial things like health and hunger. Proficient players could build some incredible, jaw-dropping creations with their expertise. The novelty and popularity of Minecraft made it a cinch to include it on this list.

Dark Souls (Multi)

Demon's Souls introduced the hard-as-nails risk/reward gameplay to players, but Dark Souls, the game's spiritual successor, turned the difficulty and entertainment levels all the way up to 11. The main gameplay concept that brought over two million players to purchase the game was its incredible challenge. The strict penalty for death forced players to be much more careful with their planning and strategies towards dungeons, enemies, and bosses. Every experience was a tense as the last, and with the quality of Dark Souls, there's no wonder why we've made a special spot for it on our list.

The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)

While not the grandest Legend of Zelda game to exist, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword finally realized the potential of motion controls on Wii for an action-adventure game. Controlling Link's sword through careful movements of the Wii Remote Plus made you feel like you were an extension of the green clad hero. Each item in the game had its own motion controlled movement to utilize to create some engaging gameplay. The dungeons were well designed, boss battles were actually challenging for once, and the soundtrack was one of the series's best. ...What's that, Fi? No, we didn't mention you for a reason.

Rayman Origins (Multi)

If you're looking for pure platforming bliss, look no further than the uber-colorful Rayman Origins. Don't let its cute and whimsical exterior fool you-- Rayman Origins is as tough a platformer as they come. The game allowed up to four players to explore the game's masterfully designed areas, searching for Lums, swinging across chasms, running along walls, riding Moskitos, and jumping off the heads of enemies. With dozens upon dozens of challenging levels, a gorgeous hand drawn art style (using the then-new Ubi Art engine), and an eccentric soundtrack, Rayman Origins is a must-play for platformer fans-- heck, just fans of genuine fun in general.

Batman: Arkham Asylum (Multi)

Become the Dark Knight in one of the first truly sensational licensed superhero games, Batman: Arkham Asylum. The game contained a terrific combo-based combat system, letting players feel every punch and kick that the caped crusader unleashed on foes. Both Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill returned to their roles as Batman and Joker respectively, making many Animated Series fans like us gush with delight. Set up like a Metroid game in some regards, earning new gadgets allowed Batman access to new areas. Perhaps if there's one thing that Rocksteady got wrong with Arkham City, it's that the boss fights were rather weak, specifically the final confrontation with the Joker. Still, even with any flaws, Batman: Arkham Asylum flies much higher than most other superhero games.

BioShock (Multi)

Few times has a demo sold us on a game. Actually, usually they do quite the opposite. Regardless, with BioShock the demo absolutely made us run to our local store and pick the game up. The opening just oozed with atmosphere, but don't worry-- BioShock wasn't all style and no substance. The game had an impressive mix of first-person shooter action, RPG elements, and a morality system that altered the experience. Rapture, as a setting for the game, continues to astound and amaze us-- It's such a marvelously mysterious place. If you're thinking about checking out this spiritual successor to System Shock, would you kindly try it out?

Top Ten PlayStation 3 Exclusives

This past Sunday SuperPhillip Central listed our favorite ten Xbox 360 exclusives. (Yes, yes. Get your "The Xbox 360 HAS ten worthwhile exclusives?!" comments out of the way here and now.) To cap off the work week we are now going to list what we consider the ten best PlayStation 3 exclusives, whether first or third party. The PS3 is without a doubt our favorite HD system of this past generation. It was actually quite difficult to come up with an order and list of games that we could agree on. Nonetheless, we have arrived at a finalized list of terrific PlayStation 3 exclusives so far. Obviously the PS3 isn't leaving the marketplace any time soon and it will get future classics like new titles such as Gran Turismo 6, The Last of Us, and Puppeteer, to name a few. Regardless, here's what we like most of the PS3's wide range of exclusive games that are currently out.

10) God of War III

God of War III launched in 2010 with lots of fanfare. It was the final game in the original story of the God of War trilogy with Kratos and the Titans climbing up Mount Olympus to finally take down Zeus once and for all. The game contained the same combo-based combat that fans of the series have grown accustomed to, and while some might yearn for something different, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. The added power of the PlayStation 3 made for some incredibly awesome action scenes, such as the battle with Poseidon early in the game (expect a detailed description of this fight in a later edition of Best Boss Battles in Gaming History) or pursuing the swift Hermes in an elaborate platforming chase segment. God of War III might not be the best in the trilogy (we rank God of War I and II higher), but it certainly is an epic conclusion to Kratos' saga.

9) inFAMOUS 2

inFAMOUS 2 took Cole MacGrath to a higher level with even more electrifying open world sandbox gameplay, parkour-like platforming, and high-powered superhero (or villain) antics. Everything was bigger and arguably better than the game's predecessor. The addition of user-generated content made for some strong replay-ability within Sucker Punch's open world setting. Perhaps our only gripes with the game comes from the weaker pacing inFAMOUS 2 struggles with as well as a less-than-optimal camera for melee combat. Nonetheless, these problems don't ruin the game. It's with inFAMOUS 2 that our expectations for the PlayStation 4's inFAMOUS: Second Son are so high. Whether or not Sucker Punch can live up to them is an answer we won't get for another six months or so.

8) PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale

When this next game was first announced, many dismissed it as simply another Super Smash Bros. clone. SuperPhillip Central leaned towards that line of thinking, but actually trying out PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale for ourselves, the two series are different enough to both have a place in the marketplace. Rather than knocking opponents out of the arena or making them lose their health to score K.O.s, Battle Royale had  Supers that were earned through connecting attacks on opponents. Unleashing a Super and making contact with it meant you scored a point. The roster was full of both familiar first and third party characters such as Uncharted's Nathan Drake, God of War's Kratos, Ratchet and Clank, Sly Cooper, and even Ape Escape's Spike. Earning points to gain levels for each character meant you were always unlocking something new, whether it be victory themes, backgrounds, poses, and alternate costumes. PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale may be a Smash Bros. clone, but it's a really good one. Note: We know that this game is also on Vita, but console-wise it's exclusive to the PS3.

7) Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Much like God of War III was the end of a trilogy, Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time marked the end of the Future trilogy, containing Tools of Destruction, Quest for Booty, and this game. A Crack in Time began with Ratchet and Clank being separated from one another. However, Clank wasn't totally defenseless as he had a special time scepter that could not only attack foes, but it could be used on time pads to create holograms of Clank's past maneuvers. This cool trick was used to solve many of the game's brain busters. A Crack in Time also featured space exploration, albeit on a level plane, where Ratchet could explore optional moons and compete in combat. We look fondly back at Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time as it really was the last honestly excellent Ratchet & Clank game.

6) Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots

Once again enter the shoes of Solid Snake-- well, an older version at least-- as he once again goes on a mission to save the world as we know it. Well, as we WILL know it, as this game takes place in a not-so-distant future. Anyway, the traditional stealth-action gameplay consisting of moving around enemy-infested areas without being spotted and utilizing close quarters combat to take out those who wish to intercept you was all present and accounted for with this much anticipated sequel. New features included the Psyche Meter, which could make it quite difficult to aim if Snake was seriously stressed out, as well as the CamoSuit that allowed Snake to blend in with his surroundings a la the camouflage in Snake Eater. Metal Gear Solid veterans would even get to revisit an old haunt in fantastic fashion with Guns of the Patriots. While we'll always have a soft spot for the original MGS and MGS3 as our favorites, Metal Gear Solid 4 is still a worthy installment in the popular stealth-action series.

5) Killzone 2 

We are all familiar with the rather infamous tech demo that was shown to onlookers at E3 2005. While the final game did not look as lovely or as graphically intense, what PlayStation 3 owners got to enjoy was still an incredibly fast and fluid first-person shooter with tons of fierce weaponry and vehicles to mow down the Helghast forces with sensational efficiency. Many members of the press and gamers too seem to always be fascinated with first-person shooters. Not just this, but they're always looking for that so-called "Halo-killer." Killzone 2 was not that, but the game did make it known that it was the premier first-person shooter on the PlayStation 3. We eagerly anticipate more news on the PlayStation 4's Killzone: Shadow Fall, even though we definitely show symptoms of FPS fatigue. That just shows how remarkable a franchise Killzone is.

4) Journey

We hate to speak in overly emotional terms, as we're freaking talking about video games here and not the Mona Lisa. However, Journey evoked such interesting feelings from us, such as wonder and awe. Exploring a giant sandy wonderland made us feel so minuscule in comparison. The game allowed for multiplayer, but the catch was that you could not voice chat or communicate greatly with your online partner. Despite not knowing the anonymous helpers that were assisting us in our adventure across the desert, we found ourselves getting a bit of an attachment to each and every one and a sense of companionship. Journey would later come in retail form alongside thatgamecompany's other PlayStation Store projects, Fl0w and Flower in a $29.99 collection. There's a reason we picked Journey as the PS3 Game of 2012 at our end of year awards show, and these are but some of the reasons why.

3) Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch

Level-5 and famed animation studio Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke) teamed up to create one of the most beautiful games we've ever witnessed. We don't say this with a lot of hyperbole either. Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a glorious-looking game. It not only looks nice but it absolutely plays like a dream. Players took the role of Oliver, a peppy 13 year-old boy who recently lost his mother. No sooner than it seemed that this incident occurred that a stuffed animal came to life and transported the two to another world. There the true fun began with traditional RPG activities such as exploring monster-filled dungeons, initiating battles with Oliver or one of his many Familiars, and visiting towns to converse with the locals. When one says that the JRPG is in a state of decline, we confidently scoff and point them to such games like Ni no Kuni and Xenoblade Chronicles.

2) LittleBigPlanet 2

Listed as our favorite new I.P. of the past generation, LittleBigPlanet didn't really come into its own until the superior sequel, LittleBigPlanet 2. Not only did the sequel have much more in the way of creator options (you didn't even need to make platforming levels if you didn't want to), but it allowed players to take their progress and levels from the original LittleBigPlanet and import them into the sequel. The levels already pre-made by Media Molecule were insanely clever and inspired us to try to do even better. We've lost so many hundreds of hours concocting our own creations-- more than we care to admit, really, but when you have a game that is as compelling as LittleBigPlanet 2, you learn to live wit hit.

1) Uncharted 2: Among Thieves

Metacritic's most critically acclaimed game of 2009, the year of its release, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is the pinnacle of the PlayStation 3 platform. While the original Uncharted was an intense thrill ride, Uncharted 2 came along and made everything more astounding and amazing. From taking cover while a tank bombards you with shelling to running atop a speeding train while a helicopter targets you, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves is certainly not lacking in the thrills department. The game didn't stop with the single-player campaign. Naughty Dog implemented two multiplayer functions: one for up to three players to play cooperatively and one for competitive play, so long after you completed the campaign you could log even more hours into Uncharted 2. "Masterpiece" is a word that is thrown around so casually these days, but we think we're safe in giving that title to Uncharted 2: Among Thieves.

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Did we leave out one of your favorite exclusives for the PlayStation 3? Set us straight in the comments section below.