The future of Video Game sequels

[Blade]

As some of you know, I've been looking forward to Mass Effect 2 for months now. I loved the first game. It was the most wonderful coincidence when, the day after I finished the first game, the sequel was announced. So obviously I've been keeping an eye on it's development. The game is made by Bioware, a very innovative games studio who have spent the last 10 years or so changing the rules of RPG games and furthering the popularity of storyline-driven games. But now, they're trying to evolve the idea of the traditional video game sequel.

Take a look at this:

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In Mass Effect 2 you'll be able to import your save game of the first ME from your 360 hard drive. The choices you made in the first game change the world you play in in the sequel. The sequel doesn't just have a few new characters and a new storyline, like most video game sequels. They've made it in a way of books and films, the sequel is a direct sequel, following the cliff hanger of the first game where you characters choices in the first game actually matter. It's not just another game in the series... It's a sequel.

The potential and possibilities are endless for this. It doesn't take a genius to work out how this could evolve. In the future, playing a game and its sequel will be like playing one long game, with a bit of waiting in the middle. It'll just flow into one long story or game. I know some people think this might not work, but if it makes Mass Effect 2 even slightly more enjoyable as a game and as an experience, then I'll consider it a success as very developers are willing to evolve games and push limits like this.

So is this the future of video game sequels? Assuming that Bioware pulled it off properly, will we be seeing developers implement this idea into future sequels?

 

[Dagger Dias]

In the future, playing a game and its sequel will be like playing one long game, with a bit of waiting in the middle. It'll just flow into one long story or game.

It's a pretty cool concept and I've seen it done in a similar way before. I remember how Arc the Lad 1 and Arc the Lad 2 were essentially one LONG game because you could import everything from Arc 1 into Arc 2 such as secret characters, items, and making anyone from Arc 1 who appears in Arc 2 be on the level they were in your saved data in Arc 1. I really enjoyed that system and it made Arc 2 even more awesome.

So is this the future of video game sequels? Assuming that Bioware pulled it off properly, will we be seeing developers implement this idea into future sequels?

I honestly think it could be. It would make sequels far more likely to do well and people would be able to (in a sense) keep enjoying a continuation of the same game. An issue later on of course would be.... When does it end? Is there going to be a 3rd one? A 4th one? A prequal where you can alter things from the first game, which would then alter any that take place after it? It's fascinating because the possibilities really are endless and I'm really interested in seeing how this trend can continue if it becomes more of a hit than it already appears to be.

 

[Mr. TM]

It is a neat concept. Video games can be short, and its always great to be able to keep going.

If this idea does work, I would love to see it be used in sports games. Buying every years NHL game was fun, but it would be really fun to import your player and his stats to the next year.

Another game would be Fable. Short game and all, but having your character be able to move along to Fable 2 would have been fun, even after The Lost Chapters expanded the game.

That does bring up another point, are the sequels sequels, or are they just expansions?