Videogame Series You're a Total Slut For

[OL]

So, just talking about it in the Recent Purchases topic, figured I'd start a topic for this all on its own. As the title says, talk about what series you're kind of a slut for.
Now, keep in mind this isn't about "favorite" series necessarily. We all have favorites, obviously, but oftentimes they remain favorites because they never seem to fail us. So, for example, I won't be mentioning Ratchet & Clank, because not once have I had mixed emotions about any of its releases; it's a favorite because it really has been great every single time.
No, a "slut" series would be one that may sometimes falter, may burn the hell out of us at certain points, but we still just can't help but to buy into it every time. So, y'know, probably something with excess of four releases (because otherwise, how would you even know?).

For me, as mentioned in the recent purchase topic, I'm totally this way for the Assassin's Creed series. It wasn't always like that; I played the first game when it initially came out, and though I liked it a bit, it didn't really grab me like it does now. It was only years later, when I finally tried out AC2 that I got hooked. It was around the time AC: Revelations came out, so it was four games in at that point. The original game was a bit "blah," but then I played through the entire Ezio trilogy for the first time back-to-back and absolutely fell in love. So of course I was hyped as hell for Assassin's Creed III when that was announced... and when I finally played it, I ended up pretty goddamn disappointed. It's not an awful game; it has a lot of quality floating around in it, and introduces some great gameplay ideas. But it has the absolute worst protagonist in the entire series, and a storyline that utterly fails to live up to the potential of the game's American Revolution setting. Despite some great ideas, it felt like such an ugly misstep.
And yet, I still happily showed up for the next game (Black Flag), which turned out to be amazing. Then two games were announced for the next year: Rogue and Unity. Played Rogue first and loved it (grossly underappreciated game, that one), but Unity was another misstep, like ACIII. The story failed to utilize the French Revolution setting in any particularly compelling way, the characters were mostly a bit bland (although nowhere near as terrible as Connor from ACIII), and the gameplay felt oddly wooden, with a totally revamped battle system (which was faaaaar less fun than previous games) and parkour that felt clunkier and looked sillier than it ever had been before. Not the worst of games, and it does have some merit regardless of anything, but it'll never be a favorite. Not by a long shot.
And yet, I still remain undeterred by the series. Just got Syndicate and it's great so far, fixing almost everything that wasn't so great in the last one, so the series has roped me back in. And even back when I played Watch_Dogs for the first time, I got interested to do so in the first place because I'd heard about certain intriguing connections it has to the Assassin's Creed games (though I ended up loving that game for other reasons entirely).
I think it's just because the series has so much potential... there are so many places it can go, so many things it might one day do, that just the idea of these possibilities keeps me hanging around. Even if one particular entry is a bit of a stinker, there's always the potential for the next one to be amazing, with a new setting, new characters, and new gameplay features to distinguish itself from the rest. It's always changing, always evolving. So yeah, I'll keep buying into it, just like the little slut I am.

So, any others? It could be a cohesive series, or it could even just be a certain genre or type of game, or a company. Anything goes, so long as you just can't quit it, regardless of the bad ones.

[Henry Spencer]

Metal Gear. I've played every single on by this point, including all of the spin offs and used to think it was the most consistent series in gaming (this was just after MGS3 released and at that time, it kinda was, for me). Since the release of MGS3 the series has seen many ups and downs. The lowest low for me was MGS4 since it was and still is, the most disappointing game sequel I ever played. It's probably next to Shenmue 2 and MGS2 as my most anticipated game sequel ever. It didn't turn me off the series though and I kept playing all of the entries after including Rising and Peace Walker both of which felt very different from earlier Metal Gear games. At this point I realised the feel of the earlier Metal Gear games was long gone (as in, the Metal Gear 2, MGS1, MGS2, Metal Gear AC!D series style of Metal Gear). The series just branched out and Ground Zeroes and MGSV were another sort of kind of game experience, but still I kept playing and enjoying the series despite the missteps and flaws the games had after MGS3's release (which, to me, is honestly the last true Metal Gear package that had everything satisfying from the series in it). What keeps me coming back? Well, it's the wacky, larger than life characters, the themes the games tackles even if it sometimes fails, especially in later entries, the convoluted storylines, the industrial/electronic and dark soundtracks, the amazing art direction, the fun stealth/action gameplay (sometimes which even lacks the brilliant boss battles which is a bigger factor in some games more than others) and just the sandbox gameplay in every game in the series, just the amount of stuff you can do with the arsenal each game outfits you with is just fun to play around with whether they be cardboard boxes, the CODEC, C4 detonations, taking enemies hostage and ways of disposing of them, silenced pistols, stealth camouflage, mags with nude girls to distract guards, fulton system, plasma rifles or just mess around with dumb guards; it's just a part of the charm that keeps me coming back.

Goemon also counts. The series has been through numerous changes both aesthetically and gameplay wise over the years but it's just the charm and the humour that always brings me back. It also puts an entirely new spin on the legendary thief, Goemon, casting him in a more comedic light who is the leader of rag tag of goofballs. A shame the series is dead now, but there's just so many games in the series to play that I'm still catching up to this day. I started really getting into the series on the N64 with Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon duology and the two games on there were just plain awesome. The first was very much like a 3D Zelda done by Konami (as in, it's fucking awesome and weird) and the sequel was a 2.5D side scrolling platformer which similarly great. Then I played the SNES release via the Wii eShop, The Legend of the Mystical Ninja, which was an absolutely beautiful sprite based Action game which let you explore Feudal era Japan from which Goemon was from. Unlike the real Goemon though, he isn't stealing from rich Feudal lords but rather saving Japan from invading aliens who resemble Westerners and smashing evil robots into tiny pieces with the giant mecha, Impact (who has his own theme music). I've also tried at numerous times to complete the NES entries in the series, but find them so hard nowadays, I just suck at them and for that reason am not a big fan of the NES entries. They just pissed me off too much, lol. I have also played through the Konami Game Boy 3 Collection which included "Ganbare Goemon: Sarawareta Ebisumaru!" in English, but that was such a long time ago (when I owned a Game Boy and played that, Tetris, Wario, Link's Awakening and Mega Man on it when I was around 5 y.o.) that I barely remember it. Still, the series is eternally awesome, actually been thinking of playing some more games in the series next with the PSX entries to see what I make of them. Getting back into Konami games again thanks to Suikoden 3 being so awesome. Just remembering all of these Konami series: God, I used to love Konami so much.

[Monkei]

1) Resident Evil
One thing for me would be Resident Evil. I mean, I'm not an ultra-dirty "please treat me like shit, spit on my face, sell me Operation Raccoon City" kind of slut, but I'm definitely a slut for the main entries, or the ones that don't deviate too much from the RE core gameplay. This year I bought Resident Evil 6, despite the negative critical response, and I played through all of its campaigns, even though it really felt like the chore the reviews promised. I also bought the PS3 version of Code: Veronica X, which was as lazy a port as you can imagine, and highly overpriced in addition to that. That totally makes me Capcom's whore. Also bought the RE 4 port, which wasn't truly HD either and equally overpriced. I still enjoyed the hell out of replaying those games. Revelations had the dumbest plot twists of all REs I've played so far, with characters getting dramatic death scenes, only to reappear later in the game with a few scratches. Still finished it and will buy Revelations 2. And the 0 remaster of course.
I just really like these games. I like the universe they're set in, the cheesyness, the monsters, the characters and how it's a different constellation of them in every game, the sound it makes when you pick up/use a herb, I don't know. At least that's my attempt at putting my finger on what exactly makes me keep playing these games. I can't even tell for sure.

2) Double Fine
I'm an absolute slut for Double Fine. A far worse one than for RE. While they don't really tend to disappoint too much at all, not all of their games are as fun and polished and special as their best ones. Costume Quest 2 for example is a nice little game, but nothing outstanding and not even made by Schafer. I bought it just because it's a Double Fine game. Same goes for The Cave. I just totally dig Schafer's rebellious anti-big-publishers attitude and I love his humour, of which you usually find a lot in most Double Fine games. Creativity is another huge plus, just think of Stacking. Liked that a lot. Brütal Legend <3. Broken Age <3. I want them to have my money, I want to support whatever they're doing. I'll buy everything they put out (on the system I own), in hopes they'll one day get funding for Psychonauts 2. Really looking forward to Day of the Tentacle Remastered and Headlander. One final proof for my Double Fine sluttyness: I bought Escape Goat 2 because it was "presented by" Double Fine. That's right, it's not even a Double Fine game.


@OL Doesn't buying/playing/liking Q-Force/Full Frontal Assault make you a Ratchet & Clank slut in denial? :p Haven't played it, but general perception seems to be rather mixed to negative. I played everything Ratchet & Clank I could get on PS3, but dodged that one.

[AnimeGamer183]

ok ok... my panties disintegrate for anything and all things Xeno series

Xenogears
Xenosaga Ep I-III
Xenoblade Chronicles
Xenoblade Chronicles X

I feel like at different times I had different lists of what I unconditionally had to have. Like in the past it was Final Fantasy, Suikoden, some things that have fallen from grace and others that simply dont exist anymore. Xeno seems to have kept constant through the years, and thats a rare trait these days. As of right now I would also put Legend of Heroes on that list too.

[OL]

^^So that's a favorite series of yours, but not necessarily what the topic is calling for, since you love it every time.
The topic is more about series that might burn you or disappoint the hell out of you here and there, but the good outweighs it all and you still feel compelled to tune in every time a new one arrives.
Final Fantasy maybe? I was actually expecting that to get mentioned a lot.

@OL Doesn't buying/playing/liking Q-Force/Full Frontal Assault make you a Ratchet & Clank slut in denial? :p Haven't played it, but general perception seems to be rather mixed to negative. I played everything Ratchet & Clank I could get on PS3, but dodged that one.

Nah, not at all. Full Frontal Assault was cool. It is basically just a tower defense game, granted, but a lack of ingenuity in its concept doesn't automatically make it bad. I still haven't finished it entirely yet, but it still plays like good old classic Ratchet & Clank, and still has the same personality that makes the series so fun and lovable. And for something that was only like 20 bucks at launch, I can't really find much fault with it.

[AnimeGamer183]

Ah, so like a guilty pleasure? Hmmm yeah, maybe FF at this point, im sure there are plenty of people that would say Sonic. Maybe even Tales, I have bought the last 4 games that have come out...

[Axm]

Uncharted.
I've got the platinum trophy for all of them including Golden Abyss on Vita and that game was just decent. Really love that series. And getting the collection soon and will platinum them all over again.

[Thief]

I don't know if this really counts, but I'll say it anyway. Basically anything made directly from Sega's Sonic Team from the Sega Saturn/Dreamcast/Gamecube/PS2/Xbox era. I fucking love that shit -- the awesome cheesy vocal R&B songs, the over-the-top attempts to be "hip", bright colors, broken gameplay. It's like my favorite thing ever. Top of the tier is Burning Rangers vocal tracks and "This is my Happiness" from Space Channel 5 Part 2 (I know it's not Sonic Team but it's the same vein of greatness). It's the best.

Also, ditto from Henry about Goemon. I plan to play every game in that series at some point. I just love the characters, the world, the music, the platforming (when it's good -- although I still play it when it's bad). To this day, the only RPG i've ever beaten that was exclusively, and entirely, in Japanese was a Goemon game. I don't know what's wrong with me and this series. "GORGEOUS MY STAGE~!!!"

[Himuro]

Final Fantasy.

I pay attention to each new game even though I haven't bought one since FF13. I plan on going through the ones released 13 eventually.

Even despite my apprehension towards the series, it still brings chills and it always brings me back because of the memories involved.

[south carmain]

For some reason when a game has multiple bad entries even if it's one of my favourite franchises I have no problems dropping it then proceed to slander it online.

Though in the sense where I am a good consumer willing to buy worthless bullshit that I have no real use for (or pay in advance like a sucker) I guess Yakuza and Shenmue fit those definitions since I wanted to preorder Yakuza 5 and buy the avatars and themes but couldn't due to them not making them available on the EU store. As for shenmue I contributed to the kickstarter which is something I really wouldn't do for anything else making me at least easy if not a complete slut.

[myshtuff]

I don't know if this really counts, but I'll say it anyway. Basically anything made directly from Sega's Sonic Team from the Sega Saturn/Dreamcast/Gamecube/PS2/Xbox era. I fucking love that shit -- the awesome cheesy vocal R&B songs, the over-the-top attempts to be "hip", bright colors, broken gameplay. It's like my favorite thing ever. Top of the tier is Burning Rangers vocal tracks and "This is my Happiness" from Space Channel 5 Part 2 (I know it's not Sonic Team but it's the same vein of greatness). It's the best.

Also, ditto from Henry about Goemon. I plan to play every game in that series at some point. I just love the characters, the world, the music, the platforming (when it's good -- although I still play it when it's bad). To this day, the only RPG i've ever beaten that was exclusively, and entirely, in Japanese was a Goemon game. I don't know what's wrong with me and this series. "GORGEOUS MY STAGE~!!!"

Oh man I get what you mean. I was playing Outrun 2006 on xbox the other day. Talk about cheesy music and ridiculous visuals.

[Perfect_Chaos]

Theres this one series that no ones really heard of called shenmue that im a slut for. I mean panties off at hello kind of slut. i once imported the second installment just to later buy the second one again on Xbox. i even paid to help with development for the third one twice...FUCKIN TWICE!!! but i highly doubt it would be any of yalls things. most never heard of it

[AnimeGamer183]

Its not a series, but Nintendo Exclusive stuff. past few gens I have bought Nintendos console for less than 10 games on each, Cube Wii and Wii U. Im a whore for Zelda, no doubt, thats usually reason enough to buy a console. Or even when I bought the black Wii, I have like 3 games for it.

Fuck it, im really just a whore for JRPGs, I admit it OL. I spend alot in order to enjoy them. *goes back to the corner to which I earn my funds for gaming*

[Riku Rose]

I would put Final Fantasy but every entry is so different and made by different teams that it seems like a cheat answer.

I will say Kingdom Hearts though, I've played and beat every spin off and main game in the series. Even though something like Coded has you go to the same worlds as previous games and play the same stories I still happily played through it.

[mrslig100]

Oddworld obviously.
I have literally only played my first zelda game this year and I have fallen in love with the series.
Fallout series.
And there was a game on the dreamcast called shenmue that was alright I suppose.