![]() Metroid II was interesting, but compared to the original (and Super Metroid a few years later) it turned out something of a sprawling, unfocused mess. The Metroid series, unfortunately, has always had trouble with second chapters. What video game sequels lack in invention they make up for with refinement, resulting in a superior experience for players. Sequels therefore offer game creators a chance to revisit the processes, to improve the balance of their play mechanics, to smooth over the elements that didn't work the first time around. Games are systemic in nature, and first works rarely manage to line up all those systems to operate in harmony. They're large, singular constructs built of many moving parts, often by entire teams of people. Games, on the other hand, work on another kind of rhythm. Amidst all these distractions, few musical artists can produce a follow-up that hits with the same impact as their freshman effort. Suddenly, the time they used to spend creating new material becomes crowded out by the need to sustain their published work. They tour, they hit the talk circuit, and they generally devote their entire existence to making sure the album climbs the charts and stays there. But once the record hits, their work suddenly becomes about supporting and promoting that release. Musicians tend to develop material for years before they finally have the chance to properly record and release their works on a debut record. You can pin this down, for the most part, to the fundamental differences to the creative processes that drive each medium. Sophomore albums slump video game sequels soar. In video games, however, the opposite usually holds true. It's an undeniable phenomenon in the music industry, as second albums by an artist rarely turn out as well as the first. People who follow music have undoubtedly heard the phrase "the difficult second album" tossed around at some point. Some content, such as this article, has been migrated to VG247 for posterity after USgamer's closure - but it has not been edited or further vetted by the VG247 team. This article first appeared on USgamer, a partner publication of VG247. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |