The Prequel Problem

[Cu-Neo]

A good prequel that comes to my mind would be Dragon quest 3 and Deus Ex human revolution the things that happen in that game are the foundation for the world you see in Deus ex 1

 

[RageBurner]

True, Dragon Quest 3 is a very good example.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

Most of the good examples have been mentioned already, I feel. In a lot of ways, making prequels (good prequels), is just as challenging as making good sequels, I feel. A list of bad prequels would be much easier, and far more volumous haha.

I'd say even more.

A sequel being mediocre or bad wouldn't have much of an impact on the previous entries in any franchises. I mean you could act as if Halo never had any story after the events of 3.

As for prequels if it completely ruins the lore and story it will retroactively affect the previously released entries set chronologically after.

Unless you make your series in a way that every entries are self contained stories with slight references to other.

I'd also dare saying that sometimes when you hint some lore about the past of a world it would kill the "mystique" if it was fully shown (which is why I'm against a Seven Hours War Half-Life spinoff).

 

[usenet]

No love for the Street Fighter Alpha series?! Great trilogy from Capcom at their best, and is explicitly a prequel to Street Fighter 2. Not sure if this really counts though, it's a whole lot easier to make a good prequel for a series with very loose preexisting lore (sorry to all the street fighter story fanatics out there )

And the music... sniffles... the music!!!

 

[RageBurner]

Ah, right! I like Alpha more than any game that either preceeds or follows it, actually. The only issue I have is that with Alpha 3 specifically the music is terrible. I'd rather they re-used the tracks from Alpha 1 and 2 for existing characters and kept the new music for the newcomers only, and even then, I'd have preferred remixes from Super Turbo for those.

 

[Another Iori]

Simple question: Can you name a good prequel?

I was listening to a podcast recently where the presenter asked the above to his co-host, who couldn't answer. I thought "Well, that's ridiculous! Surely, there must be some prequel, across any media, that's generally thought of as being high-quality – or maybe even superior to the original!" But... I couldn't! Whether it's Star Wars: The Phantom Menace or Rise of the Planet of the Apes, prequels seem to be universally considered terrible. So I want your opinion. Are there any prequels that you like? And I mean actually like, not just think they're OK. When replying, please adhere to the following:

Rules

1. Your answer must be a legitimate prequel – a predecessor to an existing property released after the original, but taking place before. For the purposes of this thread, Star Wars: Episode I is a prequel, Casino Royale is not.
2. Your answer cannot be an "interquel" – a story set between two other stories, released after both. For the purposes of this thread, the Ace Attorney Investigations games are not prequels.
3. I've put this thread in the general forum, because I'm interested in prequels across any medium – video games, movies, books, comics, TV shows, etc. Any piece of media you mention, as long as it doesn't conflict with rules #1 and #2, counts.
4. Try to think of examples off the top of your head, without doing any research. I want to hear about the prequels you like.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts, because good lord – I can't name even a single example. There must be at least one... right?

'The Woman Called Mine Fujiko' (Precursor of the original series).

5 April 2012–28 June 2012, 'The Woman Called Mine Fujiko' (It is a television series of 13 episodes)

Successors to this series:
21 June 2014, 'Lupin the Third Jigen's Gravestone' (Cinematographic work of 50 minutes).

4 February 2017, 'Lupin the Third Goemon's Blood Spray' (Cinematographic work of 53 minutes).

31 May 2019, 'Lupin the Third Mine Fujiko's Lie' (Cinematographic work of 57 minutes).

Upcoming in 2025:
'Lupin the Third the Movie' (Provisional title).

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

No love for the Street Fighter Alpha series?! Great trilogy from Capcom at their best, and is explicitly a prequel to Street Fighter 2. Not sure if this really counts though, it's a whole lot easier to make a good prequel for a series with very loose preexisting lore (sorry to all the street fighter story fanatics out there )

And the music... sniffles... the music!!!

What I liked about Alpha was mostly bringing back Street Fighter 1 characters as well as linking it more to the Final Fight series.

 

[ThirdEidolon]

Arkham Origins was pretty solid, in hindsight, so was Peacewalker and Snake Eater.

Post automatically merged: Dec 11, 2024

Steins;Gate 0 takes place after 98% of the original, but technically takes place during thanks to time travel, so count that if you like.

I recently watched a foreign film and its sequel The Platform 1 and 2; and the second, minus the last literal minute takes place entirely before the first, but is framed in such a way you don't even know that fact until about halfway through the film. Both movies have a serious flaw in not answering many questions, but they were entirely worth watching

And I've got a freebe for some of you, Warframe 1999 is coming out soon and looks promising

All my other answers were given already

0 takes place concurrently. It's not really a prequel. It's only a prequel to the end of the first game because it reveals how Operation Skuld formed.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

Arkham Origins was pretty solid, in hindsight

I actually liked the game but it was still inferior to City.

Haven't played Knight yet.

I forgot but did I mention that one?

I think you can technically play this as your first Ys game but you'll miss a ton of reference towards the first two games (and Memories of Celceta to a lesser extent since this was made before the remake of Ys IV).

Back then this game was literally a prequel to Zelda 1 which still managed to not conflict with the previous two entries.

I still wish they made a prequel to Minish Cap set after Skyward Sword.

 

[Antilocal123]

Super Lesbian Animal RPG The Prequel: Electric Boogaloo

 

[RanmyakuIchi's icon RanmyakuIchi RanmyakuIchi]

Super Lesbian Animal RPG The Prequel: Electric Boogaloo

Already up and bumping threads, I see

 

[ATenderLad]

I didn't care for this thread, if only because the rules meant some prequels invalidated other valid prequels, like how only Skyward Sword counts for Zelda....not an impediment to discussion entirely, but it bugged me!

Also, why do you keep necroposting, you unfeeling monster?

 

[Yousef]

I’m disappointed Ran’s thread about dead franchises hasn’t been necrobumped yet. For shame.

 

[zacharinolongpants]

I saw some good examples of good prequels in here. However it often feels frustrating because I'd like to see how things develop where they left off. For example, I heard the prequel DLC expansion for Xenoblade 2 is good, but I was just so much more interested in seeing the world would reconcile some drastic changes that happen near the end as opposed to going backwards and seeing a set up i already know all the payoffs for.

 

[Antilocal123]

I’m disappointed Ran’s thread about dead franchises hasn’t been necrobumped yet. For shame.

Why haven't you bumped it?!

 

[RanmyakuIchi's icon RanmyakuIchi RanmyakuIchi]

Why haven't you bumped it?!

I won't lower myself to your level!

Also, I hadn't really thought about it...

 

[ATenderLad]

I saw some good examples of good prequels in here. However it often feels frustrating because I'd like to see how things develop where they left off. For example, I heard the prequel DLC expansion for Xenoblade 2 is good, but I was just so much more interested in seeing the world would reconcile some drastic changes that happen near the end as opposed to going backwards and seeing a set up i already know all the payoffs for.

That reminds me of Star Trek in the 90's/early 00's, Deep Space 9 ended with most of the major governing bodies in known space having new management. What did that mean going forward?....who cares, it's time for endless prequels!

 

[zacharinolongpants]

That reminds me of Star Trek in the 90's/early 00's, Deep Space 9 ended with most of the major governing bodies in known space having new management. What did that mean going forward?....who cares, it's time for endless prequels!

Funny you brought that up. I'm halfway through the first season of DA9. Never saw it before and I freaking love it. I don't know anything post DS9 but it sucks there are no follow ups. It would be a daunting task seeing how even this early on there are so many dense relationships and politics brewing lol.

 

[Antilocal123]

I won't lower myself to your level!

Also, I hadn't really thought about it...

What level?! People barely post I'm just tryna have some fun

Love you tho Pookie < 3

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

I didn't care for this thread, if only because the rules meant some prequels invalidated other valid prequels, like how only Skyward Sword counts for Zelda....not an impediment to discussion entirely, but it bugged me!

Technically ALTTP was a prequel back when it came out, same with OoT until Wind Waker was the first major game to advance the timeline (then went sideway for TP).

That reminds me of Star Trek in the 90's/early 00's, Deep Space 9 ended with most of the major governing bodies in known space having new management. What did that mean going forward?....who cares, it's time for endless prequels!

Voyager was the furthest right?

I still liked Enterprise to show how Starfleet was created.

 

[ATenderLad]

Funny you brought that up. I'm halfway through the first season of DA9. Never saw it before and I freaking love it. I don't know anything post DS9 but it sucks there are no follow ups. It would be a daunting task seeing how even this early on there are so many dense relationships and politics brewing lol.

It's so good, definitely my favorite. It does suck that, barring books and comics, there's no *real* follow-up to the series, Picard technically follows it chronologically but they don't touch on it beyond a few references. Part of that's the dense story like you said, though it's also Avery Brooks retiring and having no interest in the series after he finished. (Which, too bad, but I respect it!)

(There's a proper Star Trek thread though, so I'll stop being off-topic now!)

@Ikaruga Voyager did technically take place after Deep Space 9, but they were in a remote part of space until about the final episode, and we never actually get to see them arrive back home on Earth. (No one was very happy with that. It's still probably not the worst series finale they ever had - TOS went out on a truly wretched note - but it definitely sucked not to see them arrive home after 7 years of voyaging!)

 

[GardeniaSky's icon GardeniaSky GardeniaSky]

Skyward Sword was good and I'm tired of pretending it's not.

 

[RageBurner]

Prequels can feel like a cop out. Unless there is good reason to investigate the past, I don't care for them.

An example of a past period that merits this is the interstice between Mega Man X and Mega Man Zero.

 

[RanmyakuIchi's icon RanmyakuIchi RanmyakuIchi]

Devil May Cry 3 is often considered the point the franchise really started coming out on it's own, and introduced and/or expanded on things lore-wise that would become defining for the series moving forward, such as Dante and Vergil's relationship pre Nelo Angelo.

 

[Deleted member 420614]

Resident Evil 0
Batman: Arkham Origins
Yakuza 0
Halo reach a Direct prequel to the first game
Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII


honestly there are good prequel´s out there more than I named but compare to sequels they are very few.