Franchises That Lived Up To Their Amazing First Game

A new franchise kicking off with an amazing title can be a gift and a curse. While it is ideal for a new IP to hit the ground running with a game that is beloved by fans and critics alike, it can become something of a burden moving forward as future games have the difficlut task of catching lightining in a bottle twice, three times, or even more as fans and critics expect a similar or heightened level of quality in subsequent titles.

Many franchises have struggled to live up to their original releases and faded away, but thankfully, there is a subset of IPs that started with a bang, and instead of letting it define their legacy, used it as a jumping pad for countless superb games that make the franchises on this list cornerstones of their respective genres.

DOOM

First Release – DOOM (1993)

Other Notable Releases:

• DOOM 2: Hell on Earth
• DOOM Eternal
• DOOM: The Dark Ages

The original DOOM is one of the most influential video games of all time, thanks to its fast-paced gameplay, blend of 2D and 3D graphics, and multiplayer deathmatches.

The franchise stuck with the winning formula of DOOM with subsequent releases like the sequel, DOOM 2: Hell on Earth, and 1997’s DOOM 64. The series then went on a hiatus until DOOM 3, which aimed to modernize the franchise by updating the visuals, adding far more storytelling with cutscenes and voice acting, and even leaning into the horror aspect of the series. The game was well received by critics but garnered a mixed reception from fans, some of whom struggled to see it as a DOOM game at all.

For a time after DOOM 3, it looked as though the series might not have another major release. However, a reboot of the franchise was released in 2016 to great critical and commercial success, leading to a sequel, DOOM Eternal, and a prequel, DOOM: The Dark Ages, that changed the fast-paced combat to a slower and more methodical approach.

Crash Bandicoot

First Release – Crash Bandicoot (1996)

Other Notable Releases:

• Crash Bandicoot: Warped
• Crash Team Racing
• Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time

The Crash Bandicoot franchise had a huge weight of expectations on its shoulders before it had even hit stores, as the orange marsupial was being pushed by Sony as PlayStation’s answer to Mario and Sonic, meaning that Naughty Dog, the original game’s developer, had little room for error. Although some aspects of the game have aged poorly, particularly the save mechanic, the game was brilliant for its time and a worthy competitor to Nintendo and Sega’s mascots. Naughty Dog went on to develop Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back, Crash Bandicoot: Warped, and Crash Team Racing, three games that, along with the original, would define the PlayStation 1 era.

The series suffered a notable dip in quality once Naughty Dog ceased developing the franchise’s games, and many thought that the IP had run its course following the underwhelming Crash: Mind Over Mutant. However, the Bandicoot made a comeback with remasters of the original trilogy and Crash Team Racing – which were influential in the sharp rise of remakes and remasters across the gaming industry – along with a brand new adventure, Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, which was released to a very positive reception, showing that the platforming hero can still be a success in the 2020s.

The Legend of Zelda

First Release – The Legend of Zelda (1986)

Other Notable Releases:

• The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time
• The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker
• The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

The original Legend of Zelda game is one of the most important video game releases of all time. The game kick-started one of gaming’s most legendary franchises, it was instrumental in reigniting interest among Western audiences in home consoles following the video game crash of 1983, and it offered a level of freedom that was unprecedented at the time. It may seem hard for younger gamers to believe if they revisit the original Legend of Zelda, but the 1986 release blew audiences away with how they had full control over where they went and when they tackled certain dungeons, in a map that felt far bigger than almost anything else seen at the time.

The Legend of Zelda franchise has gone on to become a cornerstone of the action-adventure genre, with Ocarina of Time, Wind Waker, and Breath of the Wild being regarded as some of the greatest games ever released across any genre.

Halo

First Release – Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)

Other Notable Releases:

• Halo 2
• Halo 3
• Halo: Reach

Bungie was in a similar boat to Naughty Dog with the aforementioned Crash Bandicoot when it came to developing Halo: Combat Evolved, as the launch title for the original Xbox not only had the pressure of selling consoles but also of proving that Microsoft’s system was a worthy competitor to the offerings from Sony and Nintendo.

Thankfully for Microsoft and first-person shooter fans, Halo: Combat Evolved more than met expectations, immediately becoming a must-play FPS game. The Halo franchise has gone on to become one of the biggest names in action gaming, thanks to the numerous superb single-player campaigns the franchise has offered, along with its multiplayer offering that played a huge part in the rise of online gaming as a whole.

God of War

First Release – God of War (2005)

Other Notable Releases:

• God of War 3
• God of War: Chains of Olympus
• God of War (2018)

The first God of War game instantly drew gamers in with its Ancient Greece setting that looked exceptional for the time, the memorable story and boss fights featuring icons of Greek mythology, and the stellar hack and slash gameplay. The rest of the original trilogy didn’t disappoint, and the PSP games were also among some of the best ever released on the handheld console.

The God of War franchise went on hiatus for multiple years after the somewhat underwhelming God of War: Ascension, and some questioned if it would ever return. However, God of War (2018) was announced to a huge buzz, and didn’t disappoint with its modernized hack and slash gameplay, switch from Greek mythology to Norse mythology, and surprisingly emotional storytelling – a winning formula that continued in God of War Ragnarök.

Metroid

First Release – Metroid (1986)

Other Notable Releases:

• Super Metroid
• Metroid Prime
• Metroid Dread

The Metroid franchise will forever be an important and studied video game release, thanks to it being one half of the name Metroidvania – a subgenre of action-adventure games that the Metroid and Castlevania franchises are credited with creating.

The Metroid franchise didn’t settle for just being a pioneer of the Metroidvania subgenre, however, as the franchise has constantly tried to stay at the top of the style of game it created, with titles like Super Metroid, Metroid Dread, and even the 3D Metroid Prime series finding new and exciting ways to improve and innovate the foundations it laid and continues to lay.

Resident Evil

First Release – Resident Evil (1996)

Resident Evil

Released

March 22, 1996

ESRB

Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Language, Violence

Other Notable Releases:

• Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
• Resident Evil 4
• Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

When one thinks of horror video games, the Resident Evil franchise is often the first name that comes to mind. The first game in the franchise is credited with shaping the survival horror genre; Resident Evil 4 stands out for drastically shifting the franchise’s direction into a more action-heavy direction with an over-the-shoulder view, and Resident Evil 7 is notable for taking the franchise to the dark depths of pure horror.

Those three games are perhaps the most noteworthy, but the franchise has had so many superb releases along the way across countless subgenres of horror, and doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon, thanks to the excellent run of form it’s on with remakes and original releases consistently impressing fans and critics.