Part of what helps to give a distinctive identity to a game series or franchise is primarily the genre of gaming that sticks to. For example, if someone asks you to explain Call of Duty, you’ll immediately say “first person shooter game” because all Call of Duty games stick to the same genre. However, genres are a big part of the franchise’s identity, but that doesn’t mean that the franchise genre is static.
Over time, some franchises could change to either a similar or substantially different genre than the previous one, whether due to experimentation in the developer part or a market pressure.
Again, we’re not just talking about spinoffs. The core identity of the franchise’s mainline series may move into a completely different genre and become the norm for the future.
Sometimes this will benefit the longevity of the franchise and will keep it up as the market climate changes. Other… not that much. Here are some examples of both scenarios.
10
Banjo Kazooie
Collect the angles to the vehicle builder
Given that they appeared on the Nintendo 64 during the golden age of Collection a Tone platformers, it is not particularly surprising that the original Banjo Kazooie dulogies chose the same framework.
Both games followed a similar format as Super Mario 64, with key collectibles scattered across a handful of large maps, but all of these collectibles were present at the same time rather than instanced like Mario’s stars.
Following Banjo-Toie, I didn’t count the stupid spinoff games in Game Boy Advance, so I didn’t see bears and birds again for eight years. When they finally returned with Banjo Kazoo: Nuts and Bolts, it was a rather different framework.
No more platforms or crossing under your own power. It was now about building and customizing complex vehicles. The levels were still large and intended to be explored, but Ziggy was split into instance issues rather than available on the map.
I actually liked Nuts & Bolts as a vehicle building game, but if it wasn’t called “Banjo-Kazooie”, I’d probably be better off receiving it.
9
fall out
From traditional RPGs to first-person action RPGs
The first two games in the Fallout series were a hardcore, traditional RPG experience. Everything was seen from top-down positions, combat was taken in turn based on character statistics, and the general gameplay was similar to controlling characters in tabletop games.
The game was originally released exclusively for home computers, so it didn’t have to be simplified or accessible for the console. That changed in Fallout 3.
Under Bethesda’s banner, Fallout 3 shifted focus from outstanding role-playing to something a little more active, such as hybrid first-person shooter games and action RPGs. The core of the original game’s system was still present in the form of character statistics, but decided through perks and special systems, but combat was a real-time event where you could point and shoot a gun at a funny person.
However, Fallout 3 held some of its legacy in the form of VAT, allowing you to pause combat and aim directly at enemy body parts, and calculate your success rate based on distance, skill, etc.
Like many others, I was still a kid when the original Fallout was released, but I didn’t even know that the franchise would exist until Fallout 3.
8
Like a Yakuza/Dragon
Action Blower to Turn-Based RPGs
The majority of the Yakuza franchise games and spin-offs are action blowers with sandbox elements. You get the free reins of big towns and cities, the punks stop you on the street, and you quickly introduce their jaws to the curb.
This is combined with a variety of side activities around the map, such as side quests and mini-games. This norm has changed, following the series’ protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, with things still unchanged with the release of the Yakuza, like Dragon and its new protagonist Ichiban Kasuga.
Compared to Kiryu, in order to have a variety of outlooks and better meshes on the world of Kasuga, the game’s core loop has switched to a turn-based RPG with characters’ parties, swappable classes and even exaggerated attacks rather than normal heat moving.
This continued like Dragon: Infinite Wealth, accompanied by a change in the official title of the franchise. There are still mini-games and side quests, but the rewards from both are more RPG-centric, like weapons and resources.
The franchise still has action-blocker games, but it is currently reserved exclusively for spinoffs. It was a very strange change, but it became a welcome one, especially for people like me who rode Yakuza 0.
7
Rayman
Minigame collection from platformers (and back)
All three games in the original Rayman trilogy were traditional action platformers that started in 2D and then moved to 3D in Rayman 2. They were simple and linear games. Start at the start of the level, shoot a fist and grab the grappling hook until you reach the end of the level. But something strange happened in 2006. Something called a ravid.
Rayman Lebing Gravid was originally a spinoff from the Main Rayman series, shifting focus to a collection of mini-games that pitted Rayman against screaming bunny creatures.
Apparently, the game was so out of control that Ravid began to become the face of Rayman’s own series, and Rayman himself was eventually phased out in 2009.
Leiman was left at Limbo for two more years, but Ravid only filled the space he once occupied and returned to the platform with Leiman Origins in 2011 and Leiman Legends in 2013.
Speaking as someone who loved Rayman growing up, it’s still a bit frustrating that Ravid effectively steals the series from under him. Perhaps that’s why it was kind of satisfying to see Rayman leave the deep edge of Captain Rayserhawk.
6
resident evil
Puzzle action for third person and first person shooter games
Given the widespread use of guns throughout the Resident Evil series, it’s easy to forget that gunplay hasn’t always been a central mechanic. Yes, the original Resident Evil featured a gun, but I would hesitate to call it “The Shooter.”
The central conceit of the original Resident Evil trilogy was problem solving and enemy evasion. Despite boss battles, you would generally be better off running past the zombies and saving ammunition. The meat of the gameplay was to track clues and solve puzzles between rooms.
However, the sentence was clear to the wall when Resident Evil 4 rolled over and blew everyone’s socks away. It’s time for Resident Evil to put a little more energy behind that bullet. From that point on, whether it’s a third party of 5 or 6, a remake of 7 and Village, or first-person, traditional guns have become the order of the day.
Resident Evil still has a significant proportion of puzzle solved, especially in the 7 and village, but you are more clearly encouraged to protect yourself.
5
Warcraft
RTS to MMORPG
The original three-part Warcraft games trilogy, starting with 1994 Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, focuses on real-time strategy. You build your base, direct your army, and you defeat the front door of other men.
There is a reason why Warcraft 3 is still considered one of the crucial examples of the RTS genre. This is probably the same reason as the only reason you’d get a remaster. But in 2004, Blizzard changed the franchise’s face, actually hitting a game-changing hand forever.
In 2004, the original World of Warcraft Mmorph was released. How do you know that it was a game changer? For over 20 years, the World of Warcraft expansion is because there is no new Warcraft games at all.
The enormous world, deep character construction, and of course, social elements solidify WoW as an authoritative MMO, and seeks to monkey its success in the years that follow. The legacy of Warcraft 3 continues through similar RTS games and pseudo spinoffs like Dota.
4
Castlevania
Linear platformers to unique genres
From nearly a decade from 1986, Castlevania has released several traditional side crawl platformers. The original NES Castlevania, in particular, established many of the franchise norms, from difficult platforms to using Hart as ammunition for some reason.
Technically, this continued until after the prologue of the symphony of the night, when things began to become more free.
The prologue of Symphony of the Night is actually the recreation of the final boss of Rondo of Blood in 1993. That’s why he plays as Richter in the old school side crawl segment.
But once you switch to Alucard, that’s when a new framework becomes clear: free platform exploration of the game and RPG-like progression. There was no real name for this kind of game at the time, but in the next few years, we needed a mantle that we all know and love today, and shared it with Metroidvania.
Since then, there have been several Castlevania games that have returned to their old linear format, but the major releases kept things open-ended.
3
Dynasty warrior
Fighting game for Musou
When thinking about dynasty warriors, your understandable tendency is to quickly associate it with the genre of Musou. The dynasty warriors invented the Musou Game, but in the end, one powerful combatant is pitted against the wave of recruitment to fight for the territory.
But what you may not know is that the franchise doesn’t start like that. The original Dynasty Warriors, released for the PlayStation 1 in 1997, is actually a rather traditional one-on-one fighting game, with a similar vibe to titles like Tekken and Soulcalibur.
Starting with Dynasty Warriors 2 in 2000, the franchise has moved to the one-on-one Musou format we know and love today. Interestingly, our Western game was known as Dynasty Warriors 2. In fact, in contrast to the original game’s title Just Sangokumusou, it was actually a spinoff game called Shin Sangokumusou.
As this was a game that established the franchise’s long-term identity, Koei Tecmo considers it to be the first “true” dynasty warrior game. The company celebrated the 20th anniversary of the 2020 franchise, despite the release of the game technically three years ago. I’m bothered by that, but I would lie if I said I didn’t prefer the Musou format over one-on-one fighter.
2
Jak & Daxter
Third Person Shooting Game from Platformer
Jak & Daxter: Precusor Legacy was one of the previous titles on the PS2, and was close enough to release what most PS2 owners played, not the title they released. When development began in 1999, it was still popular with collectible Ato Platformers like Super Mario 64, which gave developers the vibe that was aiming for.
The battle was quick and light, with much more emphasis on bouncing, using power-ups, and discovering collectibles. We never saw Jak again for several years.
Jak II in 2003 decided that the best thing to do was literally grow the whiskers in a phorically manner. The game is generally dark and has a more serious tone. There’s still platforms and close combat, but there’s more emphasis on gunplay in third-person shooters via Jak’s new Morph Gun.
Jak also received Dark Jak, a very powerful evil alter ego, as everyone was doing it in the mid-2000s. Gun and conversion capabilities lasted on the Jak 3, and Light Jak was also introduced. Personally, I think he’s cooler than the Dark Jack.
1
God of war
Hack and slash into action RPG
The original God of War in 2005 was about one thing and one thing. It’s a brilliant violence. It was a classic hack and slash game similar to Devil May Cry, but not somewhat complicated, and similar to solving and platforming puzzles.
Both the gameplay and the story reflect this high octane pursuit of this ultra-violence. There were a few numerical elements, such as upgrading the meter, but in general, I won just mash the button.
Following 2013’s God of War: Ascension, the series has been dormant for a while, then returned in 2018 with a more calmer intellectual outlook. The game still focused on action brawl combat, but also had a much more emphasis on character construction.
The various gear fragments have their own statistics and effects, allowing resources to be collected to incrementalize resources, and the story tone was generally a bit quieter.
Some speculate that this soft reboot is an attempt to mature Kratos along with the fanbase. I think Sony just wanted to show off his old IP a bit. Hey, why not both?
