Is this the year of uncreative sequels?

With last year being filled with much improved iterations of games that were pretty good, but not perfect. (Uncharted 2, Killzone 2, Mass Effect 2, Assassins Creed II, Gears 2, Left 4 Dead 2, etc.) is this the year where all the developers release games simply for the sake of releasing them? 
 
Ghost recon, looks like Ghost Recon but with more invisiblity and Gears 3, looks like more gears. Reach hasn't changed anything major about the Halo formula and the new rhythm games, Guitar Hero; Warriors or Rock and Rock Band III have done little more than introduce another instrument. Call of Duty: Black Ops isn't even as much of a jump as WAW was to Call of Duty 4 from what we have seen, and Super Mario Galaxy 2, although wonderful, simply took further advantage of the gravity concepts of SMG.  Skyward Sword is also just another 3D Zelda with enhanced controls, which personally terrifies me because Im still unable to enjoy a non game boy based Zelda. (At least you don't have to be a wolf this time.)
 
Im not upset by any of this (Except for the Zelda thing), more of a good game is a great thing, but is it just me or, are alot of major titles this yea simply minor remixes of what we already have?

It's just economics. Play it safe in a recession.

I thought last year was the year of uncreative sequels, though they were still good (them being the exact same as the first game in their series). 
And very few games are coming out this year anyway, so next year is gonna be even "worse" :P

I like sequels, so I don't care.  
There are lots of new IPs, so there.
 
And sequels will always bring new things to the table, it's not as if they're the exact same game as their predecessor with the story changed or something.  Improvements are made in each one (can't vouch for the rhythm games, though).

I got that feeling from Nintendo.  At this point I don't know what is left for them to remake if Kirby and Kid Icarus and Donkey Kong are getting games.

I think it's just the time frame of the current gen that we have.  Right now this gen of console's is so old, all of these developers have their IP that blew us away with their first iteration.  Now they can only do so much to improve them on this same generation of consoles.  Sure they could try and think up some brand new shit to release or whatever, but releasing their next version of their current IP is easier, and probably more profitable to do.

" I got that feeling from Nintendo.  At this point I don't know what is left for them to remake if Kirby and Kid Icarus and Donkey Kong are getting games. "

Gears of War 2 was not last year

Considering there is new hardware coming out for all 3 companies I don't think so at all.

None of the those games you mentioned were really innovative with the formula they created in the first game... Left for Dead 2? they added a few things but it's the same game. Same with Gears and Assassins Creed 2. Mass Effect added ALOT of stuff, so that gets a pass, i'd say Killzone 2 and Uncharted 2 are the only games which are a bit harder to recognise from the originals. 
 
The new Zelda is changing a whole lot more than those did. On top of that you get Littlebigplanet changing loads, metal gear rising totally changing it's stealth system (even if its a spin off). It's not like it's the most creative looking year, but last year was the epitomy of 'playing it safe'.

" I got that feeling from Nintendo.  At this point I don't know what is left for them to remake if Kirby and Kid Icarus and Donkey Kong are getting games. "

• Star Fox (arguably being remade on the 3DS)
• Mother/Earthbound
• F-Zero
• Ice Climber
• Balloon Fight

You are right that there are many major titles implementing minor things, but I believe it's due to the focus on the new technology.
It seems like the developers are focusing more on implementing 3D and the new motion devices, rather than launching new ip's.
 
I'm definitely not to upset either, especially when some of the minor remixes are well done; such as the multiplayer in Assassins Creed Brotherhood, the motion plus in Skyward Sword, and the added complexity to rhythm games like Rock Band 3.

" @Mikemcn: I feel like Gears of War 2, Halo: Reach, and Rock Band 3 have made a lot more changes than what you suggest. I haven't seen enough of Ghost Recon, but neither has anyone. You are judging this stuff too early. Gears of War 2 introduces four player co-op and a lot more (new story-telling method, mechs, water-based levels etc.), but we've only seen a short video. Halo: Reach is making a ton of changes and upgrades to the multiplayer and single player along with Firefight, and Rock Band 3's new guitar and keyboard are something completely new that can be considered game-changers for the music genre. At least Jeff seems to think highly of it based on his impressions with the new guitar. "

" I got that feeling from Nintendo.  At this point I don't know what is left for them to remake if Kirby and Kid Icarus and Donkey Kong are getting games. "

" @tooPrime said:

" I got that feeling from Nintendo.  At this point I don't know what is left for them to remake if Kirby and Kid Icarus and Donkey Kong are getting games. "

What's left for them? What an idiot. "

What a constructive comment...  I'm just saying Nintendo is pushing out the same crap as always, and they rather bring back Kid Icarus than make up something new.  To the other guy: Do you really want a Balloon Fight or an Ice Climbers sequel?  

Even thought they brought a ton of shit back, they still have more shit in their untapped reboot backlog than the other guys have in their entirety. So that comment is completely asinine.

Ghost Recon Future Soldier actually looks a lot different from Advanced Warfighter
 
Gears 2 was in 2008 and Gears 3 is in 2011
 
And besides, they are sequels, the reason they exist is because the first games did well, so it's obvious the sequels will be more of the same, just hopefully better

" @ryanwho said:

" @tooPrime said:

" I got that feeling from Nintendo.  At this point I don't know what is left for them to remake if Kirby and Kid Icarus and Donkey Kong are getting games. "

What's left for them? What an idiot. "

 

What a constructive comment...  I'm just saying Nintendo is pushing out the same crap as always, and they rather bring back Kid Icarus than make up something new.  To the other guy: Do you really want a Balloon Fight or an Ice Climbers sequel?  

"

There's always tons of sequels but some feel better to me than others.  Little Big Planet 2 seems to be making huge strides in every way, that could be huge.  Twisted Metal hasn't been touched upon for so long I'm expecting big things from it.
 
However some other stuff just feels like cash-ins, like the new Goldeneye...
 
The best bet for everyone & the industry itself would probably be for people to start ignoring the names of games and the characters within.  Does Gears of War 3 look like a game you'd buy if it wasn't called Gears of War 3?  the new Zelda?  Kirby Epic Yarn?  inFamous 2?

" well, other than the idea that being uncreative isn't always the worst option, i'd say yeah, this year had plenty of uncreative sequels.   Except Kirby. Kirby is an example of an extremely creative sequel. "

" @tooPrime said:

" @ryanwho said:

" @tooPrime said:

" I got that feeling from Nintendo.  At this point I don't know what is left for them to remake if Kirby and Kid Icarus and Donkey Kong are getting games. "

What's left for them? What an idiot. "

 

What a constructive comment...  I'm just saying Nintendo is pushing out the same crap as always, and they rather bring back Kid Icarus than make up something new.  To the other guy: Do you really want a Balloon Fight or an Ice Climbers sequel?  

"

Okay so you're having a hard time with this. This Kid Icarus reboot is nothing like Kid Icarus. Its a completely new kind of game unlike previous Icarus games starring Kid Icarus. Kirby is a game unlike previous Kirby's that happens to have Kirby. This isn't rocket science but you seem to be fooled easily. Let me know if you need it broken down even further. "

" @ryanwho said:

" @tooPrime said:

" I got that feeling from Nintendo.  At this point I don't know what is left for them to remake if Kirby and Kid Icarus and Donkey Kong are getting games. "

What's left for them? What an idiot. "

 

What a constructive comment...  I'm just saying Nintendo is pushing out the same crap as always, and they rather bring back Kid Icarus than make up something new.  To the other guy: Do you really want a Balloon Fight or an Ice Climbers sequel?  

"

Wait, what about that new Kirby game, or the Kid Icarus thing? Or all those 3DS games that have no business being in 3D?

People said this was the year of sequels, last year...and the year before that...and the year before that!

" @masterherocard said:

" well, other than the idea that being uncreative isn't always the worst option, i'd say yeah, this year had plenty of uncreative sequels.   Except Kirby. Kirby is an example of an extremely creative sequel. "

Remaking your entire franchise in yarn is certainly creative. 
 
@ryanwho said:

" @tooPrime said:

" @ryanwho said:

" @tooPrime said:

" I got that feeling from Nintendo.  At this point I don't know what is left for them to remake if Kirby and Kid Icarus and Donkey Kong are getting games. "

What's left for them? What an idiot. "

 

What a constructive comment...  I'm just saying Nintendo is pushing out the same crap as always, and they rather bring back Kid Icarus than make up something new.  To the other guy: Do you really want a Balloon Fight or an Ice Climbers sequel?  

"

Okay so you're having a hard time with this. This Kid Icarus reboot is nothing like Kid Icarus. Its a completely new kind of game unlike previous Icarus games starring Kid Icarus. Kirby is a game unlike previous Kirby's that happens to have Kirby. This isn't rocket science but you seem to be fooled easily. Let me know if you need it broken down even further. "

Im afraid I need it broken down further......  don't see the huge difference, I suppose Kid Icarus is different because the last game was a 2d platformer wasn't it? But it sorta has to be different after all that time. "

sony/microsoft fanboys are worried about nintendo comming back with good old mascots

" I got that feeling from Nintendo.  At this point I don't know what is left for them to remake if Kirby and Kid Icarus and Donkey Kong are getting games. "

" @tooPrime said:

" I got that feeling from Nintendo.  At this point I don't know what is left for them to remake if Kirby and Kid Icarus and Donkey Kong are getting games. "

Pikmin!!! "

I thought that was last year. 
 
Or the year before that. 
 
Or the year before that.   
 
Or the year before that.  
 
Or the year before that.  

Mafia 2 looks to add a great deal of improvements over its successor at least. Dead Rising 2 aswell with it's weapon creation tools and multiplayer options.

Oh man, I would love a new F-zero game.