10 Video Games Series That Have Jumped The Shark

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Okay, so as a gamer, I’ve seen this happen so many times, but it’s called ‘jumping the shark.’ Basically, it’s when a show or game completely loses its way and does something so ridiculous, so out of character, that you know it’s never going to be good again. The term actually comes from the TV show Happy Days. There was this one episode where The Fonz, yeah the Fonz, water-skied and jumped over a shark. Seriously! It was just… a moment where everyone watching knew things had gone way too far.

Like any long-running series, video games have their high points and low points. Even the best games can stumble, losing their way with a tone-deaf entry, a poorly handled character, or moments that break immersion. Sometimes a game just loses its focus, both in terms of story and quality.

We’ll be taking a look at some video game series that have changed a lot over time, and not necessarily for the better.

Spoilers for some of the games below.

10. Assassin’s Creed

Revenge is Cold and Boring

Everyone has a different opinion on when the Assassin’s Creed series started to decline, but for me, it’s definitely with Assassin’s Creed Shadows. The game feels lifeless, telling a very dull revenge story, and it’s made even worse by switching back and forth between two different characters.

As a fan, I think the game really lost its way when you play as Yasuke. The music during combat—this weird mix of hip-hop and traditional Japanese sounds—just felt…off. It honestly made me wonder what they were even trying to achieve with it, and who they thought would enjoy it. It upset a lot of people, and it just reinforced that Ubisoft maybe shouldn’t be handling stories that need such a sensitive touch.

Yasuke is portrayed with over-the-top strength, smashing through obstacles and towering over other characters. This makes him feel less like a compelling hero and more like an absurd caricature, a far cry from the character and quality the series originally had.

9. Far Cry

Pets Gone Wild

I’ve been a fan of the Far Cry series for a long time, and I remember when it first came out, it was super grounded and serious. It definitely got a little more intense with games like Far Cry 3, and I especially loved how good Far Cry 5 was. But starting with Primal and continuing in Far Cry 5, they started adding animal companions, which was fun, but by the time Far Cry 6 came around, it just didn’t feel believable anymore. It’s hard to take the serious story they were trying to tell when you’re running around with all these crazy animal buddies!

The game now features quirky animal companions – like an alligator in a shirt, a panther, and a robotic dog – but it’s lost the serious, isolating atmosphere of earlier installments. It’s become more of a lighthearted, open-world experience focused on over-the-top features, and unfortunately, doesn’t make good use of its talented villain, played by Giancarlo Esposito.

8. Silent Hill

Not My Silent Hill

It might be surprising, considering Silent Hill F has done pretty well, but it doesn’t really feel like a classic Silent Hill game. While you get a little of that lonely, terrifying feeling of being lost in a strange town, other parts of the game unfortunately break that immersion.

Okay, so for me, the game totally went downhill when I got the Beast Arm. Seriously, it’s this over-the-top weapon that makes you look like some kind of monster, and it’s just awful to use. The controls are clunky, and it completely killed any tension or scares the game had left. It just felt…silly after that.

The game feels disjointed. The series usually grounds its main character in reality, then explores the supernatural around them. Imagine if, in Silent Hill 2, you could become Pyramid Head and freely attack enemies with his massive sword. It would lose its impact, right? That’s what Silent Hill F does, and it ultimately feels different from the games we know and love.

7. Dynasty Warriors

Just Be Yourself

I’ve been a fan of Dynasty Warriors for ages, and honestly, they’ve been doing pretty much the same thing for about 25 years. While I usually welcome changes, Dynasty Warriors 9 went open world in 2019, and it just didn’t work. It felt like the series lost what made it special after that.

Although Dynasty Warriors saw a resurgence with last year’s Dynasty Warriors: Origins, even that game missed what makes the series enjoyable. The biggest change was a drastic reduction in playable characters – instead of a large roster, players are limited to just one, and unfortunately, that character isn’t very compelling or well-developed.

He’s essentially the video game equivalent of watching paint dry – just like playing Dynasty Warriors endlessly. While you sometimes get to control famous generals, most of the time you’re stuck playing a completely unremarkable character who feels disconnected from everything happening around them, like they aren’t even part of the story.

Even with all its flaws, it seems like everyone in the story is overly interested in him, which is fine. However, I think this series has lost its way and really needs a fresh start. Perhaps a game like Dynasty Warriors set in Rome could be a good direction. We need new concepts, but still maintain what made the original enjoyable.

6. The Legend of Zelda

Link Doesn’t Feel Like Link Anymore

The Legend of Zelda is a hugely popular series that has evolved over many years. However, Tears of the Kingdom felt different from other games in the franchise, and not in a good way. The biggest issue was the building system – while adding building is fine, the game seemed to require players to focus on building, almost like they were playing a different game entirely, instead of enjoying the Zelda experience.

The game relies way too much on constantly using its systems to progress or discover anything interesting, and while Nintendo clearly put a lot of effort into how these systems work, it feels excessive. Instead of the classic Zelda experience of exploring detailed dungeons, we’re stuck with tasks like building a boat from basic materials. It quickly stopped feeling like a Zelda game and started to resemble a survival game with Link as the main character.

The next Zelda game should return to its classic style while also building on everything that made the original games so great. It needs to feel like a natural progression of the series we’ve loved for decades on Nintendo consoles.

5. Gears of War

The Cool Kids Suck

The first four Gears of War games consistently delivered a strong experience, but Gears 5 felt like a departure. While the beginning wasn’t bad, the game lost its Gears feel once you started playing as Kait. The introduction of an open world and side quests felt unnecessary and disrupted the core experience. It was a jarring change, like mixing something completely out of place with something you enjoy – it just didn’t work and ruined the flavor.

The game focuses more on new characters, but unfortunately, they don’t measure up to the series’ established favorites. Kait’s team feels awkward and forced, and JD becomes largely absent from the story after the first half, with minimal impact on the plot.

Kait’s part of the game loses all the dark, intense atmosphere that made the series so compelling. It also feels unbelievable that she’s simply allowed to abandon her post during a war to handle personal problems. It’s a major departure from what fans expect, and honestly, it feels like a low point. Hopefully, the upcoming ‘Gears of War: E Day’ will bring back the gritty, action-packed experience we know and love.

4. Call of Duty

War Is Stupid

The original Call of Duty games were gritty and realistic World War II dramas, aiming for a similar feel to Band of Brothers. But the series has changed a lot! Now, you’re fighting battles with characters like Jon Snow in space, and even seeing Homelander take on Nicki Minaj. It’s become over-the-top and action-packed, much like the Fast and Furious movies.

This series has become so over-the-top and absurd that it’s hard to enjoy it as a serious story. It feels like a huge, silly action movie, but one you play instead of watch. It’s gone way too far with its outlandishness. While I, and others who like more realistic action, might not be thrilled, it clearly isn’t deterring the millions of fans who eagerly buy it every year.

3. Saints Row

Tarnishing the Name

The Saints Row series began as a simple imitation of Grand Theft Auto, but gradually transformed into something wildly unique and self-assured. It’s a tricky situation when a series has built its reputation on outlandishness – how do you then go too far? Surprisingly, Saints Row (2022) attempted to solve this by removing the over-the-top elements. This new game didn’t even bother with those tropes, opting for a different approach entirely.

Instead of something good, they made a really bad and illogical reboot where holy figures are ‘fixed’ by people who casually talk about being dangerous. Honestly, it makes me miss even the most ridiculous moments from the original, like parachuting onto a rooftop with Kanye West playing loudly.

The game missed the mark on what made the original series enjoyable. It relied on bad attempts at modern humor, presented a bland version of the characters, and lacked the diverse and exciting missions that fans loved for so long.

2. Batman: Arkham

Lost in Gotham

Many consider Batman: Arkham City a masterpiece, but the quality of the series declined sharply afterward. Batman: Arkham Knight was a turning point – fans had eagerly anticipated using the Batmobile, but the game ultimately featured it too much and wasn’t as good as they’d hoped.

Batman: Arkham Knight relies heavily on the Batmobile, and unfortunately, it’s overused. The game replaces the memorable boss battles from previous installments with sequences focused on the Batmobile, including a particularly frustrating and illogical fight against the Arkham Knight that feels like a turning point for the worse.

You’ll face him in an underground tunnel, where he’s somehow gotten a massive drill – seemingly just to fight you.

The Batmobile has had many ridiculous moments, but the one that really sticks out is paired with the return of Deathstroke. Instead of a rematch that builds on the fantastic boss fight from Batman: Arkham Origins, he predictably shows up driving a tank.

1. Dragon Age: The Veilguard

How to Kill a Franchise

While Dragon Age: The Veilguard might be an okay game by itself, it doesn’t feel like a true Dragon Age experience. The previous games weren’t perfect, but they consistently maintained a dark, serious, and mature tone. The Veilguard abandons that completely, feeling more like a lighthearted Marvel movie with cheesy one-liners in combat and uninspired dialogue, a far cry from the depth of the original trilogy.

The problems really become clear when the villains are shown. Unlike previous games with scary and compelling antagonists, these villains are ridiculously exaggerated, like characters from a children’s TV show, and have very little personality. Most fans and critics considered the series to be finished after this game came out.

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2025-10-22 18:13