What are some of the best games that never received a sequel?
If you are an oldschool gamer like me, you probably remember many awesome games from back in the day that never received a sequel. In this article we will be looking at some examples of awesome games that should definitely get a follow up, or even games that did have a sequel but we still want more.
15. L.A. Noire - 2011
Starting off our list in grand style we have L.A. Noire, by Rockstar Games, the game that revolutionized the mystery adventure genre with complex mechanics that were never seen before.
L.A. Noire is well known for its impressive facial expression system. Every character was motion capture in order to make the facial expressions feel as realistic as possible. Therefore you, as the detective, can not only analyse the information that you uncover, but also the very faces of the people that you interact with and interrogate.
It’s been a long time since players have been asking for a sequel to L.A. Noire, and perhaps Rockstar will finally come to their sentences and deliver on this.
Fun Factor Score: 80/100
The game that revolutionized the mystery genre
14. Spore - 2008
Back when it first came out, Spore was such a unique game that captivated all of us who played it. It had a unique approach to the simulation genre, being an evolution simulator where you create and manage your own species through the various stages of evolution.
The wide variety of gameplay styles is one of the best aspects of Spore. Every stage of evolution is basically a completely new game with new mechanics and challenges waiting for you and your species. You can let your creativity go loose when creating your little guys, with endless combinations of body parts available.
Spore is still a blast to play today and a sequel would be met with a lot of hype from the gaming community for sure, as this is a game that holds a place in our hearts.
Fun Factor Score: 80/100
Give wings to your craziest creativity in this evolution simulator
13. Gunstar Heroes - 1993
If you were a SEGA kid back in the 90s, chances are that you felt jealous of your friends that owned a SNES sometimes. While the Nintendo consoles really had an amazing catalogue, SEGA Genesis had absolute gems such as Gunstar Heroes.
If someone ever asks you what a Sega Genesis game is like, just show them this game. It has colorful graphics, over the top action, lots of explosions and crazy enemy designs that move all sorts of weirdly using skeleton based animations. Gunstar Heroes is a great run and gun game that is only matched by other classics such as Metal Slug.
It would be great to see this franchise make a return, especially now that SEGA games are released on the Nintendo Switch.
Fun Factor Score: 80/100
SEGA at its best with jawdropping intense action and lots of explosions
12. Wild Guns - 1994
Wild Guns is one the craziest and most fun hidden gems out of the SNES catalogue. This game has you playing as cowboys that must defeat all sorts of weird robots without much context or explanation.
Well, we don’t need any explanation because we are here for the action. And the action in this game is amazing. This game is really hard and all the way from the first stage you are met with a lot of challenge, however it never feels unfair when you die. Enemy designs are so unique and captivating here, with all sorts of western robots to fight against and boss fights that each have their own mechanics that you have to figure out while dodging a barrage of bullets.
With a remaster on Steam and a niche of passionate fans, it is about time that we receive a sequel to Wild Guns.
Fun Factor Score: 85/100
It’s cowboys versus robots in this amazing SNES hidden gem
11. Vagrant Story - 2000
Back in the 90s and early 2000s, Square was releasing one banger after the other, with absolute classics like the Final Fantasy games, Chrono Trigger and Secret of Mana. Out of the company’s impressive catalogue, a game that didn’t receive as much mainstream attention was Vagrant Story, a cult classic and personal favorite of mine.
Vagrant Story has a unique aesthetic to it, with beautiful character designs, long and dark corridors inside stone castles, and low poly 3D graphics that only become more charming as time goes on. On top of that, the combat system presented here is very unique, with a blend between turn based and action combat in which you can freely move around the battlefield while waiting for you action bar to fill up, then you can momentarily stop time and select your next action. Every move here has a limited range, attacks have different properties depending on the type of weapon and enemies have specific weak spots and resistances, making it a very in depth and complex combat system.
There is still a lot to be explored in the world of Vagrant Story and it would be so cool to see all of these characters come back with next gen graphics in a sequel.
Fun Factor Score: 85/100
A golden era JRPG with unforgettable aesthetics and a unique combat system
10. Final Fantasy Tactics - 1997
Another great example of just how good Square is at making RPGs is Final Fantasy Tactics, a classic tactic RPG for the PlayStation 1 that has a legion of fans all around the world, myself included.
I don’t even want to talk about the story of this game, because it has so many plot twists, deceit and surprising events that you have to experience it for yourself. When it comes to the art direction, you couldn’t ask for more, the game looks and sounds perfect for what it is. The tactic combat system here is a staple of the genre, and it is really cool to recruit and train your troops, changing them into all sorts of different characters and trying to make the perfect squad for the next mission.
As a child, this game really left an impression on me, and with the current renaissance of popularity of the JRPG genre, a sequel to FF Tactics would be awesome.
Fun Factor Score: 85/100
A beautiful tale that shows just how great tactical RPGs can truly be
9. Grim Fandango - 1998
Grim Fandango was developed by LucasArts and totally revolutionized the 3D adventure genre with its captivating visuals, great jokes and unparalleled creativity.
The art design of Grim Fandango won many awards, and it’s easy to see why. Not only the game looks and sounds greats, but the dialogues are very well written and the voice acting is an absolute blast to listen. The story follows agent Manny, a worker at the Department of Death, as he solves many problems and tries to save the soul of a pure hearted woman.
A remaster of Grim Fandango was released on Steam, so go play it right now if you like adventure games, and let’s pray to Santa Muerte that a sequel is released at some point in the future.
Fun Factor Score: 85/100
Peak comedy and investigation in this bizarre adventure game
8. Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 - 2016
Dragon Ball Xenoverse and Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2 were huge when they came out, and a lot of people still play the second game, which constantly releases new content and DLCs. Here you can create your own character inside the Dragon Ball universe and learn all of the signature moves from the show, putting together your own arsenal of flying punches and ki blasts.
The Xenoverse games are the closest we have ever come to fulfilling our childhood dreams of being a Dragon Ball character, and we can relive moments from the anime in the game, fighting as a time patroller in order to keep historical events of the franchise as they are supposed to be. The combat here is as fast paced as you can imagine, with many complex mechanics and an endless variety of moves to choose from.
It is great that Xenoverse 2 still receives regular updates, however some problems are simply not fixable in the game, namely the netcode and some engine limitations, meaning that Xenoverse 3 would be a very welcome addition to the franchise and a must buy to any Dragon Ball fan.
Fun Factor Score: 85/100
Make your childhood wish of launching Kamehameha waves come true
7. Bushido Blade 2 - 1998
Bushido Blade is a game that left me speechless when I first played it. This fighting game published by Square for the PlayStation 1 has a very unique approach that presents slow paced combat, incredibly high damage and stance based mechanics.
Forget everything you know about fighting games when you are playing Bushido Blade. This is truly a game of chess where every move makes a difference, because every hit can be fatal. If you get hit in the arm you can’t use it anymore, making your attacks less effective, and if you get hit in the leg you’ll be crippled and unable to move fast. However, if you do get hit in a vital area, you are done for.
The Bushido Blade franchise counts with two games, and while some recent releases have tried to replicate its feeling, namely Hellish Quart, no game has ever come close to the level of impact and intensity that Bushido Blade had.
Fun Factor Score: 85/100
Every move is fatal in the most unique and impactful sword fighting game ever made
6. Bloodborne - 2015
From Software’s darkest child, Bloodborne, a Lovecraftian souls like game that captivated a huge fanbase all over the world due to its amazing aesthetics and satisfactory combat mechanics that feel great to pull off.
Even among the From Software catalogue, which is notorious because many people think the games are really hard, Bloodborne is remarked as the toughest, with a fast paced combat system where every mistake is a death sentence. This game takes a lot of aspects from cosmic horror and Lovecraftian literature, with some insane enemy designs that are truly scary and make you feel tense while traveling through the misty streets of the game.
Fans have been begging for a Bloodborne sequel for years now, but there are no news about Bloodborne 2 yet.
Fun Factor Score: 85/100
The darkest souls like game for all the Lovecraft fans out there
5. DC Universe Online - 2011
A superhero MMORPG in the top 5? Yes, deal with it. DC Universe Online is one of the best games ever created by Daybreak, allowing you to fulfill your childhood dreams of being a superhero, or even a supervillain, and fighting alongside your favorite characters from the comics.
This game has one of the best customization systems in MMORPGs, allowing you to create unique characters with incredible movesets that combine superpowers, gadgets, weapons and martial arts. The combat system is really well thought, binding many functions to two buttons through a combo system. It is also a great game for completionists, with collectibles scattered all around the maps, which is great because it feels fantastic to fly around Gotham City.
Even to this day, DC Universe looks great and feels really nice to play, however a sequel with improved physics and combat system would be totally awesome, especially considering that we still don’t have a next gen superhero MMORPG in the market.
Fun Factor Score: 90/100
Fight alongside your favorite DC characters and become a superhero of legend
4. Dragon’s Dogma - 2012
Dragon’s Dogma is a game that I wasn’t aware of for the longest time, until I randomly stumbled upon it while looking for RPGs that had big boss battles, and boy did this game deliver on that. This Capcom gem isn’t very famous here in the West, but it definitely deserves more recognition, because it is such a completely RPG experience.
The world of Dragon’s Dogma feels vast, dangerous and alive, with different creatures appearing depending on the time of the day and danger lurking around every corner. You never know when you are about to be ambushed by a group of goblins or ravaged by a gryphon, which makes the gameplay feel intense from start to finish. This game is really hard and you feel an immense satisfaction upon completing each step of your journey. If that’s not enough for you, well, Dragon’s Dogma counts with a climbing mechanic where you jump on top of enemies in order to reach their weak points or just stab them right in the neck.
There are recent rumors about a Dragon’s Dogma sequel, and I honestly hope they are true because this is a fantastic RPG that more people should play.
Fun Factor Score: 95/100
Travel to distant lands, climb on top of huge monsters and try to survive during dark times
3. Legend of Mana - 1999
This entry on the list is a personal favorite of mine, one of my favorite games of all times and something that marked my childhood: Legend of Mana. Developed and published by Square in its golden era of JRPGs, Legend of Mana follows the gameplay mechanics and aesthetics of the already established Mana games, such as Secret of Mana and Seiken Densetsu 3. These games function similar to the Final Fantasy franchise, meaning that they aren’t necessarily happening in the same timeline, but share a lot of similarities in their worlds.
Legend of Mana has a unique style of progression, where you complete quests in order to gain artifacts that unlock new areas. Each artifact can be obtained in specific quests and unlock specific areas of the game, so every playthrough is completely different depending on which NPCs you decide to help and which quests you do. It has a smooth action combat system, a beautiful soundtrack, and characters that you instantly fall in love with.
This amazing RPG has recently received a remaster, meaning that Square didn’t forget about Legend of Mana, and perhaps we can have hopes of a sequel lurking in the horizon.
Fun Factor Score: 100/100
A deep dive into the fantastic world of Mana where you meet unforgettable characters
2. Shadow of the Colossus - 2005
Shadow of the Colossus is a legendary action-adventure game developed by Team Ico for the PlayStation 2. This game just has a unique vibe to it that no other game has managed to replicated. The world feels so barren and yet intriguing, and the story is told in a subtle way that leaves a lot for interpretation by the player.
In my personal opinion, Shadow of the Colossus is the best game out of the PS2 catalogue, which counts with absolute classics such as Devil May Cry 3 and Resident Evil. The graphics here are so impressive that it looks like it shouldn’t be a PS2 game, and the combat system is unlike anything ever done before. You’ll be struggling to climb on top of colossal creatures, each with their own unique designs and mechanics, while trying to stay alive and bring them down.
The game still remains popular to this day and honestly it is absolutely worth a playthrough, so us fans can only wait for a sequel that continues this amazing adventure and improves on the already impressive qualities of Shadow of the Colossus.
Fun Factor Score: 100/100
Fight against giant creatures in this incredible journey that is unlike any other game
1. Chrono Trigger - 1995
Chrono Trigger is a game that needs no introduction, and it honestly should be of no surprise that it is appearing here at the very top of the list. Developed by Square and originally released for the Super Nintendo back in the 90s, this game was a huge hit and still retains a ridiculously huge fanbase to this day.
It tells the story of Chrono, a boy who gets entangled in all sorts of time traveling adventures by pure chance. The player will visit locations in many different points in time in order to save the world, meeting a variety charming characters that soon will become allies. Not only is the story superb here but the combat system is incredibly dynamic and fun, with the mechanic of creating combos between party members in order to deal powerful attacks. On top of all that, it comes with the expected amazing soundtrack of Square’s JRPGs, and character designs created by the one and only Akira Toriyama, the creator of Dragon Ball, during his prime.
While we did receive an indirect sequel in the form of Chrono Cross, which is a great game on its own, fans are still waiting for a direct sequel to Chrono Trigger, and I am certainly one of them.
Fun Factor Score: 100/100
Travel through time in this JRPG classic with amazing story, mechanics and artwork
