Sometimes the first sequel to a game can be weird. For example,Zelda 2: The Adventure of Linkhad a top-down world map like the first game, but battles and dungeons were in 2D, plus Link could level up. WhileThe Legend of Zeldaseriescould be called RPG-adjacent games, Link has never leveled up as traditionally asZelda 2: The Adventure of Linkagain.
The only exceptions are spinoffs likeHyrule Warriors. Nintendo course-corrected that ship for better or worse on the NES. These other major franchises did change things up for the better, though, and kept at it. Some in small ways, others with drastic shifts, so let’s get into it.
Dragon Age: Originswas the first game in the series, and even though it was released on consoles, it was designed with old-school PC RPG fans in mind. Players created their character, including their class, race, and the location where they wanted to start. They could talk to NPCs, get quests, and shape their world as they saw fit. Combat was similar to MMOs, as characters used autobattle to attack enemies.
Players could use a menu system to issue various commands for the party, which added to the strategy of battle. It was a good first entry, but starting in the second game, simply titledDragon Age 2, combat was switched to action. It was more comfortable for console players this way while still keeping the character creator, class system, and dynamic choices. Twosequels later,Dragon Ageis still an action RPG series.
Many may not know this, butDynasty Warriorsdid not start as a series of action RPGs. The first entry was on the PS1 only, and it was a fighting game with characters familiar to the franchise now, like Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.Dynasty Warriors 2, for the PS2, is where things changed, and it was probably a smart decision.
After all, thePS1 and the market overall were already flooded with fighting gamesin the 90s, so it didn’t make sense to add another franchise to the mix even if it did have a unique setting. Beyond their games, Omega Force also branched out to create Musou games for other franchises likePersona 5,The Legend of Zelda, andFire Emblem, so the decision to pivot was a wise one.
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacywas the first game in the series, which was released as a PS2 exclusive. It wasNaughty Dog’s follow-upto theirCrash Bandicootseries, which expanded their platforming skills. Instead of levels, players could explore open-world areas segmented off into different zones. It was a solid early platformer, and fans could never have predicted where the sequel went.
Jak 2was the follow-up on PS2, which turned the game intoGrand Theft AutomeetsRatchet & Clank. Jak was no longer a silent protagonist and instead sported an edgier tone. He could equip and upgrade guns and steal flying cars in a futuristic city. The gunplay and drivable vehicles are what the sequels stuck with, from dune buggies to planes, but platforming was still present, too.
The firstRatchet & Clankon the PS2 stood out because Ratchet could fire an alarming amount of wacky guns like the Morph-o-Ray, which turned enemies into chickens. It was fine, the way it was, but its PS2 sequel,Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, took things to a new level.
Defeating enemies would gain Ratchet EXP, which would eventually level up his health and evolve his weapons. This small inclusion of RPG elements changed the series forever into an unforgettableRPG platformer hybrid. The series has not gone back since, save for a few spinoffs.Ratchet & Clankwas even remade in 2016 to tie into the film adaptation, which did include the RPG elements.
TheYakuzaseriesis interesting because the changes came more gradually. The first game was a PS2 title that featured brawling action with the protagonist, Kazuma. The first six main games, and the prequelYakuza 0, were all brawlers that got more RPG elements as the series went along. After a decade of the same concept, including spinoffs, a dramatic shift happened for the seventh mainline entry calledYakuza: Like a Dragon.
Kazuma was replaced with a new protagonist, Ichiban, and the battles shifted to turn-based combat. Not only that, Ichiban and his fellow party members could change classes like classicDragon Questgames, which Ichiban professed his love for in the game. Thanks toYakuza: Like a Dragon’ssuccess, Sega announced that spinoffs would retain the action gameplay while the mainlineYakuzagames would now only focus on turn-based combat. So far, there has only been one turn-based sequel,Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, but it’s a good start to something fresh.
