5 Video Games That Were Robbed Of A Sequel

Just like the latest summer blockbusters, popular video games are guaranteed to produce sequels, but unlike Hollywood franchises, these games tend to improve with each instalment. While this rule certainly isn't set in stone, ideas introduced in the original games are often expanded upon with improved graphics and advanced mechanics. Except for when the series in question contains the words "Call" and "Duty." It's frustrating that tired franchises pump out the same product year after year when high caliber games are often overlooked by consumers, never receiving the sequels they deserve. The majority of games featured on this list may have set new benchmarks in the industry, but they were robbed of a chance to explore this potential further in a sequel. Join us, then, as we explore 5 games that deserve sequels.While the likelihood that this will actually set any of these follow-ups in motion is basically zero, it's always good to vent, right 5) Limbo (2010) One of the core principles of gaming is that death must be avoided at all costs. How many divorces have been caused by loved ones who distract a gamer at a critical moment, causing their character to plunge to their death? Limbo wowed Xbox 360 gamers back in 2010, inviting players to explore an eerie afterlife where death was crucial to successful navigation of the increasingly difficult puzzles thrown their way. The monochrome visuals and dark subject matter resonated with players and critics alike, elevating this small indie game into one of the Live Arcade's biggest success stories. Developers Playdead are currently working on a game called Inside that has been described as a spiritual sequel to Limbo, but will this satiate fans of the original? The appeal of Limbo lay partly in the mystery that enshrouded the game world itself. Was the main character really dead or simply dreaming? A sequel would have to carefully navigate this central issue without making it seem too forced, but for those who felt the original game was too short, Limbo 2 would be welcomed with open arms. 4) Primal Rage (1994) 2D fighting games were all the 'rage' back in the 1990's, but while many like Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat live on to this day, cult favourite Primal Rage fell by the wayside, remembered only by hardcore fans of the genre. In a marketplace crowded by generic fighting games, Primal Rage offered something a little bit different in the form of giant ape and dinosaur gods battling over the fate of mankind, because... video games. Despite raising considerable controversy with its Mortal Kombat style fatalities, Primal Rage became popular enough to inspire a number of tie-in products, including toys, comics and even a novel that continued the story once the proposed sequel was canceled mid development. I don't know about you, but any game that allowed players to eat human worshippers while beating the crap out of a giant urinating ape monster is more than worthy of a sequel in my book. 3) Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy (2004) Stories featuring secret agents with untapped psychic powers are a dime a dozen in science fiction, but Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy revolutionized the genre with... a similarly generic story. However, what did elevate Psi-Ops above its competitors was the game's inventive use of psychic abilities. Why kill with the guns made available when you could use telekinesis or pyrokinesis to destroy your enemies in sickeningly cruel and inventive ways? Things improved even more once you gained the ability to control the minds of others, forcing your opponents to commit suicide in the cruellest, sickest ways imaginable. Fortunately, this potentially controversial element of Psi-Ops was not the reason why a sequel was never developed. Even the most twisted kids would have a hard job making people kill themselves. No, the reason why a Psi-Ops 2 was never created remains a mystery, which is odd considering that the developers themselves even finished the game with a 'to be continued...' STOP TOYING WITH OUR EMOTIONS! 2) Planescape Torment (1999) If popular enough, role playing games can develop a devoted following that leads to never-ending franchises, regardless of the games quality. How else can you explain the fact that Final Fantasy XIII sold more than five copies? Unfortunately, this was not the case for Planescape Torment, a game many critics heralded as the best of the year upon its release. The story of The Nameless One, an amnesiac immortal who can't even remember his own name, doesn't hold much commercial appeal and failed to sell, despite developing a cult following in the years that followed its release. Those who did discover Planescape Torment didn't regret investing hours and hours in this unique story driven game and still pine for a sequel to this very day. A spiritual successor known as Torment: Tides of Numenera is currently in development thanks to funds from Kickstarter, but this won't be good enough for fans who want to see some of the games most memorable characters continue their story. Hopefully, the developers working on this new game will be inspired by off-the-wall characters such as Morte, a cynical floating skull and Fall-From-Grace, a chaste succubus who runs a brothel. Super Mario RPG this ain't! 1) Shadow Of The Colossus (2005) The unique combination of puzzle solving and action within Ico blew critics away upon its release in 2001, so many were initially disappointed when the developers opted to work on a different game for their follow-up. Gamers had nothing to worry about, though, as Shadow of the Colossus took everything that made Ico special and somehow improved it with a whole new slant. So, what's all the fuss about? Like many of the best games out there, the premise of Shadow of the Colossus sounds surprisingly simplistic. The story follows a boy who must traverse a barren landscape on horseback and defeat sixteen giant mystical beings known as colossi. With few other characters or quests to speak of, the gameplay revolves almost solely around finding ways to take down each of the colossi by finding their individual weak spots. The ethereal graphics and soundtrack alone won a host of industry awards, but there's more to the game than that. Shadow of the Colossus is one of those rare gaming experiences that can truly be considered as art. While it is understandable that developers may be reluctant to replicate such a unique experience, anyone who's actually played the game would do anything for another chance to enter this incredible world. Even kill... The Kickstarter campaign for a Shadow of the Colossus sequel starts here!