Will ever get another great franchise?

[King Darkness]

One thing that contemporary cinema has been much more successful with than in the 80's is superhero movies. Sure, there are some duds, but no one is going to argue that even the duds are better than most of the stuff from the 80's with the exception of Superman.

Hero movies are indeed much better than before, due in large part to advances in special effects. But they aren't exactly original ideas, just adaptations of characters that have been around for decades.

 

[TheObsoleteMan]

I agree about Riddick, Matrix and RE.

I think the thing that's missing from the sci-fi and horror movies today is a great character. Where is the next Freddy, Jason, Alien, Predator, ect. that's new and original? I think that's why Harry Potter, Pirates and a few others have succeeded.

Riddick was a fantastic character with a lot of potential, and then they decided it would be a good idea to put him in a big Star Trek movie and completely squandered what should have become the next Snake Plissken.

 

[Batty]

Riddick was a fantastic character with a lot of potential, and then they decided it would be a good idea to put him in a big Star Trek movie and completely squandered what should have become the next Snake Plissken.

Yep. I actually think the video game was way better than the movie.

 

[Patient Zero]

Yeah, I guess the 80's were something of a golden age of greatness. I feel old

Terminato.....Half robot....Half tomato....100% killing machine!

:bborg

 

[plasmid303]

The movie industry may have it hard these days as far as serious original content goes, but I think video games has it much worse. Price of entry is many times the price of a movie ticket, and franchises are really choking the crap out of this relatively young medium.

Really? Franchises are what brings in the money and keeps the fans happy. Not only do we live in an era in which gamers are happy to see the next iteration of Resident Evil, Halo, or Metal Gear Solid, we're being constantly surprised with original IP titles like Bioshock, God of War, LittleBigPlanet, Mass Effect Dead Space, etc etc.

Also, old franchises are seeing a renaissance in games like Street Fighter, Prince of Persia, and Fallout. Games like these are rooted in old school legacy but are infused with modern design sensibilities.

And if you're tired of the big budget, franchise stuff, you should pay attention to the indie game scene on the Playstation Network and Xbox Live Arcade. Braid, Flower, PixelJunk Eden, The Dishwasher...etc etc.

I'm sorry to have brought the topic more off topic, but I whole heartedly disagree with you. And my thoughts above can somewhat be applied to the movie industry.

Ideas don't simply run out.

 

[Wor-Gar]

After reading Plasmid's post, I feel old and out-of-touch.

 

[plasmid303]

Speaking of old greats like Terminator and Aliens, James Cameron has Avatar up his sleeve. That could be the start of something great.

 

[Something Sexy]

One word: Avatar.

 

[Something Sexy]

Speaking of old greats like Terminator and Aliens, James Cameron has Avatar up his sleeve. That could be the start of something great.

BWhaha that was awesome, we posted that at the exact same time.

 

[KBA]

Really? Franchises are what brings in the money and keeps the fans happy. Not only do we live in an era in which gamers are happy to see the next iteration of Resident Evil, Halo, or Metal Gear Solid, we're being constantly surprised with original IP titles like Bioshock, God of War, LittleBigPlanet, Mass Effect Dead Space, etc etc.

Also, old franchises are seeing a renaissance in games like Street Fighter, Prince of Persia, and Fallout. Games like these are rooted in old school legacy but are infused with modern design sensibilities.

And if you're tired of the big budget, franchise stuff, you should pay attention to the indie game scene on the Playstation Network and Xbox Live Arcade. Braid, Flower, PixelJunk Eden, The Dishwasher...etc etc.

I'm sorry to have brought the topic more off topic, but I whole heartedly disagree with you. And my thoughts above can somewhat be applied to the movie industry.

Ideas don't simply run out.

Sure, maybe I worded things wrong - The bastardization of original intellectual properties is what is choking the video game industry. Halo came out and was pretty fresh. Then we've got 2 more games that are pretty much more of the same. It's the whole idea that a lot of studios are gravitating toward: finding a smoking hot idea, and chaining it to a milking machine. Don't get me wrong, I love innovative sequels, but do we really need having every idea become a trilogy? You mentioned some great IPs like Bioshock. But do you think the announced sequel to Bioshock will even hold a candle to the pure original experience? Personally I'd rather play another original experience like Shadow of the Collosus, than the next installment in the series. And amazing original ideas are becoming harder to find IMO.

 

[Patient Zero]

I never heard of AVATAR, so I Imdb'd it. Sounds cool.

Spoiler

In a distant future, humanity discovers the planet 'Alpha Centauri B-4', and for those scientists and astronauts who've traversed the gulf between neighboring suns and arrived on its alien soil know it as 'Pandora'. A world filled with an incredible diversity of beautiful and deadly ammonia-breathing lifeforms. Its also a world that harbors treasures and resources almost beyond price. But just as the original Pandora's Box wrought devastation on those who would use it for their own gain, so too this world may destroy not just the Pandorans home, but ours as well.

Avatar is the story of a wounded ex-marine, thrust unwillingly into an effort to settle and exploit an exotic planet rich in bio-diversity, who eventually crosses over to lead the indigenous race in a battle for survival.

 

[Something Sexy]

Sure, maybe I worded things wrong - The bastardization of original intellectual properties is what is choking the video game industry. Halo came out and was pretty fresh. Then we've got 2 more games that are pretty much more of the same. It's the whole idea that a lot of studios are gravitating toward: finding a smoking hot idea, and chaining it to a milking machine. Don't get me wrong, I love innovative sequels, but do we really need having every series become a trilogy? You mentioned some great IPs like Bioshock. But do you think the announced sequel to Bioshock will even hold a candle to the pure original experience? Personally I'd rather play another original experience like Shadow of the Collosus, than the next installment in the series. And amazing original ideas are becoming harder to find IMO.

Most of the time you are correct but sometimes the sequels are amazing, especially when they are years later. I LOVE the first and second Fallout but after playing Fallout 3, I don't think I could go back. Although that is interesting because I go back to Morrowind more than I play Oblivion again.

 

[DarkArtist81]

I wish that there were more original ideas on film these days, I miss the 80's. Aliens, Terminator, Predator, Jason, Freddy, Hellraiser, Highlander... so many good ones.

We just need more stuff like that. I was watching Highlander a few days ago thinking about how crazy that movie was... and how bad we need a movie like it today.

 

[King Darkness]

How the hell did this turn into a video game thread?

I feel the same way Wor-Gar

 

[Starkiller]

 

[Patient Zero]

Comon people, nothing could ever be as great as the 80's! EVER!

 

[Something Sexy]

Yea well the 90s brought us Starship Troopers, a GREAT franchise right there. (I only bring this up because I am watching it right now).

 

[KBA]

Most of the time you are correct but sometimes the sequels are amazing, especially when they are years later. I LOVE the first and second Fallout but after playing Fallout 3, I don't think I could go back. Although that is interesting because I go back to Morrowind more than I play Oblivion again.

That's an amazing example of a series reinventing itself. I'm 100% for that. But games like Gears of War 2 (and the inevitable third)? It's just more of the same, and millions and millions of dollars spent on more of the same. Plasmid mentioned some awesome indy stuff, but that's the thing, it's a shame I have to gravitate towards low budget, extremely short, but amazing experiences like Braid because Big Money Studios only rehash great ideas.

 

[KBA]

How the hell did this turn into a video game thread?

I feel the same way Wor-Gar

Sorry King, rant over

 

[King Darkness]

Yea well the 90s brought us Starship Troopers, a GREAT franchise right there.

Seriously? A GREAT movie franchise?

Leave this thread and never return!