Even if a franchise has been going strong for decades and has a dedicated fanbase, just one game can destroy the whole legacy. Forgiveness is possible, but a bad game more times than not does irreparable damage to a series' reputation.
No one likes to spend $60 just to receive some disappointment. The ten franchises below all went through some dark times just because of one bad release. Some have since rebounded, while others are still floundering in obscurity. Hopefully they are remembered by history more for the great games rather than the bad ones that wasted fans' time.
10 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater (Tony Hawk's Proving Ground)
Fans of the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater franchise all have their different favorite entries. Some prefer the old school titles on the PS1 and PS2, while others are into the open ended area presented in Tony Hawk's Project 8. However, most agree that the ninth entry, Tony Hawk's Proving Ground, marked the end of a streak of fine games. The changes made to the fundamental formula ruined the once fluid gameplay. Fortunately, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 returned to the franchise's glory days.
9 Metroid (Metroid: Other M)
Metroid Prime did a wonderful job translating the classic franchise's formula to the 3D space. After this trilogy finished, Team Ninja took the reins and came out with Other M, which was lambasted for several reasons. In addition to the mix between third-person movement and first-person shooting, the attempt at a more involved narrative and deeper characterization of Samus was also met with jeers. Here's hoping Metroid Prime 4 lives up to the Prime name.
8 Duke Nukem (Duke Nukem Forever)
Duke Nukem 3D is one of the most celebrated first-person shooters of the 90s. The sequel, Duke Nukem Forever was in development for more than a decade and even saw cancellation before Gearbox Software, developer of Borderlands, salvaged it. The finished product did not feel like a game that was cooking for more than ten years. It loses the sense of exploration of the older Duke Nukem title and the humor feels outdated in 2012. Is it possible for the character to see a proper return?
7 Mass Effect (Mass Effect: Andromeda)
The Mass Effect trilogy is a triumphant gaming achievement. Mass Effect: Andromeda was clearly trying to start up another series of connected titles, but this plan was thrown out after its poor reception. In addition to the more open-ended areas seeing disapproval, a bevy of technical issues also bogged down the experience. A re-release of the classic trilogy is seeking to restore good faith among fans, and a new chapter in the saga is also in development.
6 Dead Space (Dead Space 3)
The original Dead Space is a horror experience on par with venturing through Resident Evil's Spencer Mansion for the first time. The sequel similarly scares the tar out of players.
The third game adds co-op and more action-oriented gameplay, but it did not find the success of a game like Resident Evil 4 or 5. Some reviews were kind, but many fans did not take kindly to the change. Some people never want to shoot from cover in Dead Space.
5 James Bond (007 Legends)
James Bond starred in a steady stream of games of varying quality across the original PlayStation and N64 up until the PS3 and Xbox 360. 007 Legends let fans down so hard, to the point of being the last game for the character for almost a decade. The premise of playing through some of Bond's most iconic missions was appealing, but the gameplay and narrative connecting them all was uninspired. If any developer can bring the character back to gaming the way he was meant to, it is Hitman developer IO Interactive.
4 Dino Crisis (Dino Crisis 3)
The first Dino Crisis is basically a Resident Evil clone with dinosaurs, which makes sense considering Shinji Mikami directed it. The sequel gave the franchise a more distinct identity by taking focusing more on action. The third game stopped any further development in its tracks. The fixed camera angles in the Xbox exclusive were a particular point of criticism. The change in setting also made it barely feel like a Dino Crisis game. Fans are clamoring for a remake of the original game, which might be just what the series needs.
3 Red Faction (Red Faction: Armageddon)
Red Faction's defining feature are the impressive destructible environments. The open-world game Red Faction: Guerrilla fully took advantage of this feature to an extent even few modern games are able to replicate.
For some reason, Red Faction: Armageddon decided to pull things back for a linear game taking place largely beneath Mars' surface. All the series has to do come back strong is create another open-world game with similar amounts of destruction to Guerrilla.
2 Tomb Raider (Angel Of Darkness)
The Tomb Raider franchise was a monster on the original PlayStation. This momentum vanished into thin air after Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness released in 2003 for PS2 and PC. Lackluster controls mixed with technical issues was a recipe for disaster. It took three years for Lara Croft to come back strong with Tomb Raider: Legend. With the recent rebooted trilogy having recently finished, we wonder what is next for the legendary gaming character.
1 Metal Gear (Metal Gear Survive)
Even though Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain is clearly unfinished, it is still one of the finest stealth-action games of the generation. After Hideo Kojima left publisher Konami, the company decided to continue the franchise with Metal Gear Survive, a zombie-survival game literally nobody wanted. Even ignoring its status as a Metal Gear game, the gameplay loop is repetitive and boring. In recent years rumors of a Metal Gear Solid remake have been swirling around, which could help get the bad taste of Metal Gear Survive out of fans' mouths.