Saved At The Last Second
Hard to believe that there was a time where these epic franchises were close to fizzling out, yet thanks to these spectacular entries, they’ve been given a second chance to redefine themselves and rise above their mediocre past to greater heights.
#5: “Doom†(2016)
Like “Wolfenstein,†“Doom†was a major player in the history of first-person shooters, as it was extremely popular and wickedly controversial due to its graphic violence and Satanic concepts. With “Doom 3,†some fans were upset due to the more horror-based direction the game went. And an unreleased 4th iteration, which looked like a generic military shooter; likely would have killed the series had it been released. Enter “Doom†2016, which not only implemented insane amounts of fast-paced action for the hardcore fans, but which brought new life to the series, with a 67% first week sales increase over 3. Now that’s how you return from Hell.
#4: “Assassin’s Creed Origins†(2017)
2014’s “Assassin’s Creed Unity†nearly killed the series, thanks to a rushed launch that was filled with bugs and performance issues. It hurt the public’s trust in the series so badly that it affected the sales of its following title: “Assassin’s Creed Syndicate†despite positive reviews. This prompted Ubisoft to give the series a break for a year to revaluate the franchise. After that break was ove; Origin’s brought the series back to prominence. Taking cues from The Witcher 3, Origins went in an Action RPG direction, complete dialogue trees, a revamped combat system, and stunning visuals. And because of that, Origins double Syndicate’s sales within its first two weeks, meaning that Assassin’s Creed was back.
#3: “Tomb Raider†(2013)
Lara Croft is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in gaming history, but unfortunately for her (and the brand), she had become a bit of a mummified figure in recent years. In 2013, however, Lara emerged from her own tomb with “Tomb Raider,†a rebooted entry in the franchise which saw huge amounts of praise for its gameplay and graphics, especially the extensive overhaul which Lara herself received. The sales reflected this newfound love, as the game was an instant success and has since become the highest-selling “Tomb Raider†title.
#2: “Fire Emblem Awakening†(2013)
Hardcore “Fire Emblem†fans can say whatever they want about “Awakening,†but the fact of the matter is, the “Fire Emblem†series would literally be dead without it. At a time when the future of the series was in jeopardy, Intelligent Systems completely knocked it out of the park with “Awakening,†not only giving players a fantastic game, but also providing the series with its highest sales numbers ever and even increasing sales of the 3DS itself. Now considered one of the best 3DS games of all time, “Fire Emblem Awakening†was a Hail Mary that totally worked.
#1: “Resident Evil 7: Biohazard†(2017)
The “Resident Evil†games of yore are often considered to be some of the most influential and scariest games of all time. Then the series became a bit of a meme, what with the globe-trotting Bond adventures and boulder punching. After the… mixed response to the Michael Bay-esque sixth installment, fans were clamoring for a return to form, and with “Biohazard,†that’s exactly that they got. It was scary, it was brutal, and it was “Resident Evil.†While it may not have sold as well as the previous two entries, “Resident Evil†is back in our hearts. Welcome to the family, “7.â€
Be sure to check out the video below to see our picks for the Top 10 Video Game Franchises with the Best Lore.
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