Activision has published some of the biggest series in gaming, and have undeniably altered gaming culture along the way. We’re taking a look at the best and most influential Activision published series which we can be thankful for.
Say what you will about Activision’s modern business model, the publisher has hosted a plethora of beloved and memorable titles – as well as some which really sucked, though those won’t make this list.
Guitar Hero
Guitar Hero is somewhat of a wildcard on this list, but the series’ popularity and enjoyable gameplay can’t be denied. The Guitar Hero series rode the Rhythm game trend when it first arrived on PlayStation 2 in 2005, being praised for its catchy combination of popular music and rhythm play, and undefeated replayability.
Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock is said to be the first game to ever surpass one-billion dollars in sales, marking Guitar Hero’s prominence as a household name as a lot of families found the game enjoyable.
Legends of Rock featured one of Guitar Hero’s best song lists and is unrivaled from the series’ other entries, and released after Activision announced it had acquired Guitar Hero developer RedOctane – marking a good starting point for the publisher moving forward with (at the time) the best selling game of all time, but meaning that the likely only way from there was down sales-wise.
Activision’s decision to become the parent company of RedOctane gave us the Guitar Hero titles we remember today and provided the Guitar Hero developers with a lot more resources and exposure as a known name.
Later entries in the series, such as Guitar Hero World Tour, didn’t dwindle in quality, despite never reaching the almost impossible standard of success set by Legends of Rock.
While competing with RockBand, Guitar Hero steadily remained popular over similar Guitar rhythm games until its sales starting dropping in 2009, calling for its long hiatus in 2011.
Despite the latest entry Guitar Hero Live lacking in some areas and taking a bold step away from the rest of the series by adding a ‘Live’ element, in which songs are performed to a concert/festival audience which reacts according to how accurately the player performs, the series still sits fondly in the hearts of a lot of gamers as one of the more memorable rhythm games in the west.
Prototype
Prototype may not be the series everyone thinks of immediately following the name Activision, but it undoubtedly offered something unique.
The first entry in the series is set in Manhattan, following Alex Mercer, a shapeshifter with no recollection of his past as the city is being taken over by Blacklight, a virus which creates monsters – monsters which the player must defeat in some entertaining combat fuelled by bloodshed.
The Prototype series is remembered for its fun and fast-paced gameplay, as both entries are games which empower the player and feed them an exciting gameplay experience within its combat.
Prototype is also remembered for its fast, freeing movement as you soar across the city with a sense of urgency.
Prototype 2 is much more atmospheric and moves away from Manhattan, also shifting for a focus on evolution as the protagonist develops abilities and becomes more superhuman along the way, gaining new dashes and movement abilities.
Call of Duty
Call of Duty doesn’t need much of an introduction, and although fan opinions have divided as the series developed, particularly in the last six years with a general drop in perceived quality and fan approval with titles like Ghosts, Infinite Warfare, and Advanced Warfare, then a redemption with Black Ops 4 and WW2.
Despite this fluctuation, Call of Duty still sells big every year and has a few entries which are some of the most well-rounded first-person shooters ever.
Titles such as Modern Warfare 2 held a powerful campaign, near flawless multiplayer (minus the balancing mess that was the noob tube) and a fun spec ops mode to top it all off.
Other entries like Black Ops, Black Ops 2, Modern Warfare, and World at War are also amazing titles with great multiplayer, the arrival and peak of Zombies from Nacht Der Untoten to Mob of the Dead, memorable campaign characters like Viktor Reznov, and maps such as Terminal, Favela, Nuketown and more which are also great examples of chaotic and brilliant FPS battlefields.
Call of Duty is, for better or worse, the pinnacle of Activision’s success as a publisher, with its name so closely associated with the Call of Duty franchise and title screen.
Call of Duty paved the way for many other online multiplayer first-person shooters, making the bold decision to drop its campaign mode entirely as of late, selling only an online and (in the case of Black ops 4) zombies spin-off mode which has carved out a niche for itself that continues to get DLC content in the season pass.
As for the series today, Activision is feeling confident about their next Call of Duty title coming later this year which will be published by Infinity Ward.
Wherever Call of Duty goes next, fans can be thankful for some of the titles mentioned here.
Tony Hawk
Games based on other media or on celebrities have a history of falling short in one way or another, but the Tony Hawk skateboarding games were arguably only good publicity for the talented skater, despite a shortfall in recent years.
From the Pro Skater series to the Underground games, players must usually achieve the highest score they can by combining a variety of different tricks performed correctly in order to increase their score – a simple yet encouraging formula that left players repeatedly trying to best themselves.
These tricks also add to the special meter in some games, which allow for the execution of special tricks worth a lot more than regular tricks.
Arcade mode was featured in the original Pro Skater games, and above the high score challenge element, players were asked to collect items and perform tasks as well.
Those hoping for a remaster or remake of the game may be disheartened since as of 2018, Tony Hawk is no longer working with Activision, confirmed by his comments made on Twitter in response to fans asking for a remake/remaster.
Skylanders
The Skylanders series was a really weird direction for the so-called Spyro games to take, but a successful one.
It’s somewhat gimmicky amiibo like figurines were and still are popular as collectible DLC particularly for children.
Swapping out characters to use unique skills or just play as fun creatures is understandably a fun process, albeit an expensive one if you want to experience as many characters as possible and explore every nook and cranny of these worlds.
The games carved out a niche among children and fans of collectibles, but Skylanders games also provided a fun and simple 3D platformer experience for those looking for one.
Many children will grow up and recall these games fondly, and some players which tried the original or fell in love with the series might too.
Skylanders isn’t everyone’s first pick for a memorable or special Activision title, especially the older and/or hardcore crowd. However, for younger folks or those that just enjoy this style of gameplay, the Vicarious Visions developed games were actually quite fantastic.
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