Some video game franchises have been around for decades and shaped countless childhoods. These stories had a simple premise and grew even more ambitious in succeeding entries, and some of them kept growing and growing towards greater heights.
Growth and innovation are all needed, especially in a time when gamers have specific expectations for certain franchises. Developers are throwing ideas left and right for games to go in unique directions, and some are deserving of recognition.
As we enter a new year of gaming, it is worth taking a look back at all the shining examples of iconic game franchises that only got better.
8
Uncharted
Are You Ready to Seek Your Fortune?
The Uncharted series is a good example of continuous growth in a video game franchise. Naughty Dog left the Jak and Daxter series behind in pursuit of other forms of greatness, and it is safe to say they struck gold with Nathan Drake’s adventures. It was a simple platforming shooter where you can run-and-gun or take down assailants quietly to reach the next chapter.
My experience with the first game was unique, to say the least, especially having knowledge of where the series went. It was short, simple, and intense, but Naughty Dog did not hold back in Among Thieves. Many would argue that this was the best entry in Uncharted, but A Thief’s End will always be my favorite.
All of the sequels managed to get louder, grander, and even crazier with the set pieces, as seen in Drake’s Deception, but it is still the same Uncharted we all knew and loved. The gunplay is much smoother and the addition of the grapple hook for traversal and combat is the cherry on top. The fourth one had clear influences from The Last of Us, and the developers went all out with the visuals and action set pieces to give this treasure-hunting series a well-earned sendoff.
7
Dark Souls
Pain Is Only Temporary
FromSoftware has shaped the gaming community by releasing iconic games like the Dark Souls franchise. Hidetaka Miyazaki was a firm believer that the pain and struggle we experienced in his games were necessary for growth and even self-improvement, and I hate to admit it, he was right.
There is no shortage of powerful bosses in the trilogy, and defeating them always felt so satisfying. However, the games were not just about beating a boss or surviving a tough-as-nails fight, but an experience that made me realize that nothing is impossible with a little bit of commitment and determination.
Demon’s Souls was a good starting point, and then Miyazaki began the Dark Souls franchise with everything he learned. With each entry, the sequels were noticeably smoother with the controls and polished in general. Things that seem clunky have been greatly improved in the succeeding entries, like the ability to customize loadouts and sorting through inventory, which was made much easier.
While the difficulty is still at an all-time high, replaying through these games is something I wouldn’t trade for anything.
6
Devil May Cry
Hand-and-Slash Demons
I grew up during the hack-and-slash era of gaming, and I spent a lot of time spamming button combinations in every Devil May Cry game. This was my respite after getting my butt handed to me in the Dark Souls games, but there is more to this franchise than just slicing and dicing some demons. The story follows Dante, a unique being half-human and half-demon, to avenge his mother’s death.
The origins of this character are somewhat similar to Blade, the vampire hunter, which was an easy sell for me. The combat is the main selling point of this video game franchise, and I was invested right out of the gate. The future entries never strayed too far from the formula, but Capcom found ways to innovate the combat mechanics to make them more stylish and brutal.
I have lived for the fast-paced combat sections in the Devil May Cry series, and replaying all of them in a row made me realize how far the developers have come. The hack-and-slash formula didn’t need to change, but there were areas that improved, such as the better graphics paired with a good story and fluid combat mechanics.
After a few more sequels, the complicated family of Dante kept growing, and the franchise achieved greater heights. Devil May Cry 5 was the last entry, and it improved upon everything the series was renowned for. From combat to visuals and storytelling, it was the complete package.
5
God of War
No Gods are Safe from Kratos
Most of us have already met the Ghost of Sparta during the Greek Saga, where he painted Greece in red with the blood of the gods. The first God of War was released in 2005 for the PlayStation 2, and it was a weird time for gaming. There was nothing about this video game franchise that would work today, especially since the first few games were all about killing and killing and then more killing.
I didn’t have much nostalgia for the Greek Saga, especially since Kratos was killing for revenge, and I got back in with the Norse Saga when the themes hit close to home. Change is possible, and anyone who is willing to put in the extra work can earn it, like how Kratos proudly embraced fatherhood and godhood a second time. It was a treat to start Kratos’ journey from scratch, and his growth as a character should be studied.
Some fans believed Santa Monica Studios had had its fill with Kratos and had properly retired the God of War, but the soft reboot featuring a new pantheon and setting was the perfect way to reinvent the saga. From the traditional fixed camera and hack-and-slash gameplay, the developers gave the fans a modern twist with a much more relatable story.
The shift in tone and gameplay might have rattled a few cages, but it was necessary for a one-dimensional character to keep up with more story games nowadays. Kratos was no longer the bloodthirsty antihero, and I can proudly say that I shed tears right before the credits rolled in Ragnarok.
4
Marvel’s Spider-Man
Swing Around the Big Apple
The superhero genre is the next goldmine for the gaming industry, and Sony had a good thing going with Spider-Man. Insomniac Games is no stranger to developing great games, but its original take on this iconic superhero was amazing, spectacular, and every other adjective that describes the webhead.
Fans immediately fell in love with the setting of a somewhat mature Peter Parker and a strong coterie of villains in the first game. The developers pulled pages from the comics and other source materials to bring one of the best interpretations of the character. The story was a highlight, followed closely by the traversal and combat mechanics.
All three Spider-Man games share the same city, but the side activities have been improved in some areas. Playing as Peter and Miles in their respective games felt different in the main sequel, but in a good way. Despite sharing most of the same powers, Insomniac Games did its best to make each hero unique through combat and abilities. It is worth mentioning that in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, each hero has unique dialogue for specific side missions.
Insomniac Games went above and beyond with a spinoff title featuring Miles Morales and went all out on the full sequel. After getting the platinum for all three games in a row, I can say the improvement was there, but I’d argue the story in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 was much weaker. There is no denying that it improved in every other way.
3
Mario Kart
Some of Us Grew Up With this Game Franchise
Who doesn’t love a fun racing game fit for the whole family? Nintendo has capitalized on the strength of the Mario franchise and utilized it for this very genre. Growing up with the Nintendo DS, one of my fondest memories was playing Mario Kart. It was a different time for gaming when things were much simpler, and all that mattered in this video game franchise was winning or losing.
Taking turns with other family members, I would have to sit and wait for them to finish each race. Flash forward to the Nintendo Switch era, and everyone and their grandmother has played Mario Kart 8 Deluxe at least once.
No more waiting for one friend to play before you, especially since you can compete with them using one separate Joy-Con. The core gameplay has improved but is fairly familiar from previous iterations.
Amidst the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, Mario Kart World was an excellent launch title and is arguably one of the best racing games from last year. Each new entry adds new characters, gameplay mechanics, tracks, and then some. Playing through earlier entries to where the franchise is today is a good example of continuous improvement.
2
Batman: Arkham
Rifting Through the Multiverse
Another superhero entry on this list of improving video game franchises, but hear me out; the Batman games revolutionized the genre. There is no denying that the Dark Knight is one of the more popular heroes of DC, but what drew me to this series is the combat and the much darker take on this corner of the DC universe. I grew up with the Nolan trilogy, but Matt Reeves’ The Batman is a personal favorite.
Replaying these games again and again felt like it was the closest thing we fans can get to the world of Batman. Another feature that drew me into it was solving crimes like a detective, where you follow clues and eventually stumble upon some evildoers at night. Performing stealth takedowns always feels satisfying. However, the Dark Knight isn’t afraid to take the gloves off and fight most of his rogues’ gallery in a straight fight.
Another part that got better was the open-world structure, especially in entries where Gotham City is my playground. I remembered driving through town with the Batmobile, and finding all of Riddler’s collectibles while taking on crime as a core memory. These improvements were necessary and made me feel like Batman.
With each new entry, the story got grander and bigger, and the same can be said of the visuals and graphics. Batman: Arkham Asylum ran so succeeding entries could fly, and Rocksteady Studios had the perfect foundation, and all they did was polish and throw in some extra improvements along the way.
1
Grand Theft Auto
One of THE Best Video Game Franchises of All Time
What started as a simple top-down game has become an immersive open-world experience; the Grand Theft Auto series is a video game franchise that can’t stop improving. My first experience with this franchise was during the good old PSP days, and I thought gaming had peaked then. Little did I know where Rockstar Games would go next.
As a kid with no regard for the rules, I spent most of my time in GTA San Andreas exploring Los Santos and boosting cars. Growing up made me understand that this franchise isn’t just about freedom, but all entries are packed with great stories. GTA V is 13 years old, but it looks even more stunning on a PS5 Pro that it could pass as a current-gen game.
While the world waits for GTA 6, taking a look back at how far this video game franchise has come is a testament to innovation and Rockstar Games’ commitment to improvement.
