Over the last couple of decades, there’s been a discernable cycle of creativity (or lack thereof) in Hollywood. It goes like this:
- Find a director or a screenplay with some degree of originality
- Throw some money at the project and hope it pays off
- If a=yes, make as many clones of said project as the public can stomach
When GOTO 1 is no longer an option, the Hollywood establishment falls back on the tired practice of “remaking” old movies and television shows, often with no respect for the original property. We’re then treated to a few summers of half-baked retreads until something new and bankable comes along.
In some respects, the videogame industry is quite similar. Sequels are easier to make than new concepts, and it’s far safer to fall back on proven formulas than risk it on new ideas. If you’ve got a movie license, then it’s even easier: just smack some tired old game mechanics together and string along the story. Continued...