Gears of War
The Gears games are some of the most influential ones in the past nine years. Love them or hate them, there’s no denying that the crew at Epic got the formula of ridiculous meathead gore and satisfying combat just right. Who can deny the appeal of dueling with chainsaws or riding a giant dinosaur that has missiles strapped to its arms? But at the same time, the series has blown its load after Gears 3 released in 2011 and wrapped up the Human/Locust War. Gears of War Judgment has shown us the series didn’t know where to go after 3, and despite the extensive backstory of the world, it isn’t interesting enough to warrant another game. Time to shut that chainsaw down.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog at this point has found a routine so formulaic, even CBS wouldn’t pick it up for a procedural drama. Sega shows a bit of gameplay, fans love it, the game comes out, and people all of a sudden give it more shit than the makeshift trash can inside the monkey exhibit. While some of the handheld games are passable at best, the series as a whole is just a consistent car wreck after car wreck and needs to be put out of its misery.
God of War
God of War was hot shit back in 2005, and for good reason. Fun combat, brutal takedowns, gorgeous environments, and a nice, gory take on Greek mythology. Over time, though, the series lost its way. The handheld games are fun, Ascension… not so much. With the news that Sony Santa Monica is working on another one, it’s time to let the Ghost of Sparta go. Any attempts to humanize Kratos fall flat when you remember that he literally wrecked all of Olympus just to settle a pissing contest with his dad. Unless they focus on a new protagonist and a new mythology, God of War has completed its tour of duty.
Killzone
Killzone as a series was sort of doomed from the start. The original game, branded as a “Halo killer” by the press, didn’t meet the massive mountains of hype that had built it up. The sequel became infamous for its graphics during the initial E3 trailer in 2005, even though it released to wide acclaim and sales. The series has always been in that grey area where the games are perfectly functional and sometimes fun, while at the same time just sort of being there. It’s the Hell on Wheels of video games. Guerrilla Studios should focus their attention on a new IP and let the curtain fall on Killzone with Shadow Fall.
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