In the modern day video game market trilogies are becoming a standard for all franchises to adhere to. When one game, usually story based, is successful it spawn a sequel which leads up to the trilogy. While I like many other gamers enjoy the movement of a three part act (nine with each game in three) I’m having an increasingly difficult time to stay interested until the third and final act.
The Uncharted series is one of those franchises that lost me. I remember Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune being one of my first rentals for my PS3 and Uncharted 2: Among Thieves one of my favourite story-based games of 2009. Yet when the release date for Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception came about I didn’t head out to buy it or rent it. It wasn’t because of the reviews, they were all glowing, it was my interest to try something new instead of treading familiar waters.
I only purchase about five games each year and every game I buy is purchased with the hope it will bring me a new experience. I do play many games from swapping/borrowing or playing somewhere else, but my disposable income is always used with my criteria in mind. My love for Uncharted is still there, but in memory. I felt that my time was better spent in the land of Skyrim then back in the shoes of Nathan Drake.
Uncharted isn’t the only series for this to happen to me however. Gears of War, Assassin’s Creed, Motorstorm and Mass Effect are other games that have grabbed and consequently lost my attention.
I’ll admit that this philosophy is back-and-forth with my actual purchasing habits. There are several games that do hold my interest over a span of three or more titles. Ratchet and Clank and God of War being a few examples. There are even some franchises such as Battlefront and Jak and Daxter that I would like to see more of. I can’t say my feelings aren’t without conflict.
In the end, I feel that if a game won’t bring me a drastically new sense of fun then I will likely pass it. Games like LA Noire are making me remain interested in gaming over the stretches of shovelware and publisher cashing ins. New IPs rarely doesn’t excite me, even if the subject matter is new to my eyes. Maybe this explains why E3 disappointed me so much this year.
Are you keeping up with all of the threequels? Any games you wish would quit, continue or return? Let us know below.
