Evolving Game Genres

Middle Aged Gaming

If you want to stay on top of the food chain you need to adapt to survive. In the world of gaming it's no different and, like it or not, that mean some of our favorite franchises have had to get with the times and change things up on occasion. Crian, Phil, and Adam talk about some examples that they feel really exemplify this ability to evolve with the times to provide a better gaming experience.

Adam: Armored Core

With 23 games under its belt, this "build-a-mech" franchise must be doing something right. Like the shark, cockroach, and crocodile before it, however, not too much has changed on the surface. So how has it survived so long? Adam gives us a lecture on how advances in controller technology has allowed this game to not only grow and adapt, but thrive.

Phil: Grand Theft Auto

Starting as a humble top down shooter, this franchise has grown into a monolith of the gaming industry. How did it do that? By becoming half shooter, half RPG, half racer, half life simulator, and 200% awesome (see, that math adds up).

But like the panda, has all that success caused this franchise to become too fat and lazy to reproduce? Phil contemplates this question, and more.

Crian: XCOM

Yet another franchise that crawled out of the ooze way back in the 90's, this tactical squad based game has seen multiple divergent formats in its family tree. Some have worked, but others haven't quite taken root. Crian asks why this may be. What allows some franchises to thrive where others have withered and died?