Video Game Franchises With Ridiculously Complicated Lore and Timelines.

Drakenier does this for the fuck of it.
Nier is a sequel to a joke ending to Drakengard 1, but Drakengard 2 isn't a sequel to Drakengard 1, instead it's a sequel to events that are identical to D1, it's just not a sequel to those events. Also it isn't canon.

Drakengard 3 is a prequel, but none of the endings lead to Drakengard, instead there's a book which is the prequel to Drakengard 1.
Nier automata itself isn't a direct sequel to Nier 1, it's the sequel to a stage show which was released only in Japan. Also it makes references to Drakengard 1 and mentions a character from Drakengard 3.

Also Drakengard 3 explains that Drakengard 2 may be canon, but only through alternative timelines. Also Drakengard 2 gets a small mention in automata.

There's also an audio drama which explains the start of Nier 1. Also a short story links both Nier games while detailing important information for automata.

Basically, the series is a clusterfuck and I have pieces of paper on string to make sense of it.

 

Let me think....I'm thinking, I'm thinking, I'm thinking....

Castlevania has a kinda shitty timeline that is complicated for no good reason considering how much story is there.
Metal Gear has a timeline that needed a database to catalogue it all.
Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter are both way too confusing as well.
Tomb Raider maybe.
Probably most fighting games actually.
Warcraft.

 

Hitman- it's a glorious mess starting with Contracts getting slightly contradicted by Blood Money, ICA getting fully wiped out 3 separate times, Providence from new games retconning the 5 Fathers from the first game and a whole bunch of other retcons unlocked with serum that restores memories erased earlier with another serum made by the same company, along with the 2 movies and mobile games.

Heroes of Might and Magic- how do you complicate the plot even more when you have your characters constantly saved by divine intervention, constantly getting resurrected and returning as undead/ demons? Time travel and alternate realities.

 

The Legend of Heroes. THe timeline isn't "complicated" in the sense of being confusing tho, but the lore is ridiculously extensive and because all the existing games are withing the same continuity so it covers a lot of developments that explroe all sorts of sociopolitical themes.

 

I think the Resident Evil continuity is pretty shitty tbh. It needs a reboot.

 

The number one is obviously Metal Gear Solid. Imagine trying to somehow make all the Dragonball content out there be canon. I know that's a franchise and not a game series but it's a funny thought...

 

I think Metal Gear has a relatively linear timeline but it just has so many random elements and dates that are referenced that it essentially takes up 100 years worth of data. Plus they really did just forget about Oilix

 

I can remember playing Railroad Tycoon2 Platinum. Some scenarios were futuristic like in 2020 and even beyond. Some maps were called Europe after the flood or America, after the flood. This complicated things as some places went under water.