Most Improved Sequels of All Time?

• Diablo 2.  The original was an okay game, but the sequel was so good that a decade later people are still playing it.  

" @MrJared said:  

Street Fighter II is an obvious one, if not THE most improved sequel of all time. Most folks don't even realize it was actually a sequel ... Capcom is probably glad for that. All joking aside, SF2 took a somewhat successful yet obscure fighting game and completely revolutionized fighting games, changed the landscape of arcades forever and become an early system seller for the SNES. No one could have possibly of seen this coming. 
 

It's a good thing that Capcom surpass that game with Street Fighter III. I consider that game to be the most improve sequel of all time, and still the best in the series. "

My pick is Zone of the Enders 2: The second Runner. It was heads over heels better than the first one, and was epic in every way.

Jehuty FTW 

C--->C++

Bad Boys 2

Call of Duty 4 to any of the previous.   I would have to put Resident Evil 4 in there as second runner up.

"I find the lack of Killzone 2 posts here disturbing! "

Definitely not mass effect 2 because the first one was great, assassins creed 2 maybe because the first one kinda sucked.

" Left 4 Dead 2. The first one kind of made me feel bored quickly and thanks to clever modes like realism and Scavenger. I really had a pure blast with that game. "

It's so odd, I liked MGS1 more than MGS2 despite the fact that I played them this year. I don't know what it is. I don't hate Raiden or anything, and I liked the gameplay, but lots of the story just didn't resonate with me. Maybe I just don't appreciate gameplay as much as much as most people do.
 
I just finished MGS3 and the ending was so beautiful, and I felt really disappointed with the ending of MGS2.

GTA2---->GTA3

"Super Smash Bros. Brawl was a vast improvement over its predecessor. "

Red Faction and Red Faction 2 were meh... Guerrilla was very good.

" killzone to killzone 2. That was pritty substantial just cause killzone 1 sucked and 2 was really good hell it got nominated for goty last year so i think thats a big improvment. "

Hm...I guess Marvel vs Capcom to Marvel vs. Capcom 2. Capcom vs. SNK 2 was better then the first. The Army of Two sequel seems to be getting more positive buzz then the first. Then there's System Shock 2. There's a lot if you think about it.

Wave Race 64 to Wave Race: Blue Storm 

" @Snail said:

"Super Smash Bros. Brawl was a vast improvement over its predecessor. "

Morrowind---->Oblivion "

" @K0rN said:

" @Snail said:

"Super Smash Bros. Brawl was a vast improvement over its predecessor. "

Morrowind---->Oblivion "

... Someone hand me my ebony staff of bludgeoning. Now. "

"@K0rN said:

" @Snail said:

"Super Smash Bros. Brawl was a vast improvement over its predecessor. "

Morrowind---->Oblivion "

... Someone hand me my ebony staff of bludgeoning. Now. "

Its shocking that the two that come to mind...have been within the last three months of themselves. 
 
First is Assassin's Creed 2. I liked the first one, but the second surpassed it amazingly. The problem is, since Mass Effect 2 came out, I haven't even thought about AC2. That's how amazing Mass Effect 2 is. Its...incredible what they did. I still don't quite have the words and I've already completed it twice. They improved in every way possible and then some. Over and over again BioWare proves that they can go above and beyond in ways inconceivable at the time.

The jump from Silent Hill to Silent Hill 2 is probably the biggest leap that comes to my mind, followed closely by the jump between Zone of the Enders and Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner.

" @GeneralMojo_786 said:

"I find the lack of Killzone 2 posts here disturbing! "

True. The graphics, core and multiplayer gameplay are seriously overhauled.  But Killzone 1 had better story and characters. You could also choose which character to play as after meeting them, each having their own skills. I miss that. "

Yo, Burnout Revenge --> Burnout Paradise... 
 
Keep in mind, I loved Revenge, but oh my god.... Paradise took it to the next level.  

"Hitman 2. Soo much better than the first one!"

• Dark Cloud 2
• Grand Theft Auto III
• Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
• Super Mario Bros. 3
• Call of Duty 4
• Sonic The Hedgehog 3
• Tony Hawk Pro Skater 2
• Tecmo Super Bowl
• Super Metroid
• Diablo II

" I can't believe I forgot Grand Theft Auto III. That is probably the best example I can think of. "

" Super Smash Bros. to Super Smash Bros. Melee was a big jump for the series. "

" Jak and Daxter--->Jak 2 "

" Super Smash Bros. to Super Smash Bros. Melee was a big jump for the series. "

Resident Evil 2, fo' sho.

Killzone 2. First one was balls

If Rock Band counts as a sequel to Guitar Hero 2 (or Guitar Hero Rocks the 80's), then that is my answer, hands down.
 
If not, then Diablo to Diablo 2.

Too lazy to think back so here are some recent ones.
 
Mass Effect 2
Assassin's Creed 2
Fable 2

I agree with many on the list, so I'll go with something new.  Final Fantasy IV and VI (2, 3 on the SNES), because of the dramatic quality increase in storyline between 1, 2, and 3 in the US.

Onimusha 2?  The first Onimusha was abysmally short.  The second was a great story, still my favorite in that series.

\ 
Leisure Suit Larry 2 took the humor of the first game, and fixed just about every unreasonable game mechanic involved in Land of the Lounge Lizards while still maintaining the Leisure Suit Larry charm (which the series still had at that point).  It also took the game from a narrowly focused area to all sorts of different locations.  A runner-up in the old-school adventure category would be the progressive bumps made in the King's Quest series, up until Mask of the Betrayer, which pretty much blew donkey chunks. 
 
Duke Nukem 3D took a bland platforming hero and made him a gaming icon.  By transforming the world to 3D, adding heaps of cheesy personality, and pixellated strippers, 3D Realms and Apogee made a classic sequel.   Of course, props need to go to Grand Theft Auto III for doing much the same with their overhead games. 
 
Twisted Metal 2 refined the gameplay of the first game, added quality characters and storylines, and threw in a couple of pounds of insanity for good measure.  Unfortunately, the rest of the PS1 outings didn't fare so well, but happily, Twisted Metal Black brought us back to everything wonderful in Twisted Metal 2... and then some. 
 
Street Fighter 2 is an obvious and great choice, but several fighting games really got their feet on the ground with their second outings.  Tekken 2, Mortal Kombat 2, and Dead or Alive 2 all made huge improvements over their predecessors. 
 
Diablo 2 took a great premise and ran with it.  And oh, boy, did it hook me for years.  I'm still not entirely sure I'm over my hack-and-slash addiction, as Torchlight is sucking away many, many hours of my life. 

I thought Fable 2 and Gears of War 2 were both exceptionally worse than their predecessors. 
 
 
On the actual topic, I'll agree with SMB3. I have to also put Pokemon Gold And Silver since they're not only the lengthiest pokemon games with extended badges but were the only titles in the series that introduced a part of the world that referenced what happened in the games before them.

Yup, Street Fighter 2 or Grand Theft Auto 3.  Both those games blew people away, especially Street Fighter 2 when no one even though about it being a sequel.

Pursuit Force: Extreme Justice was just amazing.

jak 2... modern warfare?... uncharted 2

Left 4 Dead 2 imo. I liked the concept for L4D but after playing the demo I just couldn't get into it, however, I could barely put down the demo for L4D2. Shooting feels more satisfying, I like the characters a lot more (minus one Rochelle) and the finales are a lot more varied. I bought L4D the original at xmas and just can not get into it, I have played it like 3 times and kinda regret getting it even if it was cheap. 

Prince of persia: warrior within. 
though some people don't agree, you can't say they fixed a lot.

Half-Life 2: Episode Two. It's much better then Episode One which was quite a good game in its own right.