In the world of video games, there’s no such thing as a dead franchise. Money talks and nostalgia is a great marketing tool, so if we wait long enough, a once-forgotten franchise will surely come back from the dead. Heck, it’s 2019, and we’re finally getting Shenmue III! Yet, some titles stay dormant longer than others and we here at TheGamer are tired of waiting for some, so we’ve made a list.
Here are ten video games sequels we wish we got.
10 Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic III
OK, so technically, we got something of a sequel to the critically acclaimed Knights of the Old Republic, but we want a numbered entry — not an MMO with a similar name like The Old Republic. That’s because the original two titles (developed by BioWare and Obsidian respectively) are some of the best Star Wars games ever made.
Admittedly, the first title outshines the second, following a soldier with amnesia, as he learns the ways of the force amid a destructive war, the game really stands out for its twist that still leaves our mouth agape every time we play.
Still, with a focus on story, character building, and choice, both Knights of the Old Republic I and II stand out as incredible experiences in the galaxy far, far away.
9 Shadow of The Colossus II
Team Ico cemented themselves as a legendary studio in the days of the PlayStation 2, and Shadow of The Colossus is the crown jewel of their small library.
The game is short on story, but that doesn’t mean it’s not full of emotion and keeps players invested as they slay “Colosi” in an attempt to bring their significant other back from the grave. Essentially working as a collection of boss battles with some somber moments traveling between, the game’s pacing is amazing, while the experience feels grand and epic.
On top of all that, we know how the game plays on modern consoles with an amazing PlayStation 4 remake in 2018, so a sequel wouldn’t feel dated at all.
8 Sonic Adventure III
Sonic Adventure has a soft spot in a lot of our hearts. Sure, on a technical standpoint, both titles have aged like a banana in a heatwave, but there’s something charming of the last two mainline Sonic titles on a Sega console.
In reality, we’ve gotten a few spiritual sequels with Sonic Heroes taking the mantle of the true successor, but we’d love to see another game in the franchise that had intersecting stories like the original Adventure.
With that in mind, quality has been an issue with the Blue Blur in recent years, so maybe it’s best we didn’t get another one.
7 Star Wars: Republic Commando II
The fact that EA has only managed to churn out two big Star Wars games since 2013—when they revealed an exclusive licensing deal with Disney—is a shame, but that’s probably not why we haven’t gotten another Republic Commando game following its release back in 2005. In fact, there was a sequel planned, but it was scrapped sometime during development.
Still, the original title is something that should get any Star Wars fan salivating. Playing as the leader of Delta Squad, an elite team of Clones during the climax of Star Wars Episode II: Attack of The Clones, players have to take a more tactical approach as they guide their team through an assortment of levels.
It’s a real shame we never got a sequel to this title because it did everything right, and in the modern day, it’s multiplayer could be something special.
6 Okami II
There aren’t many games that take the “Zelda Formula” and are remembered for being on par with Nintendo’s legendary franchise, yet that’s exactly what Capcom’s Okami (developed by Clover Studios) did.
In this title, players take control of Amaterasu, the Shinto wolf goddess of the sun as she restores life to the land with her celestial brush, which plays a big role in the game. With puzzles and combat focused on painting, this game relies less on the typical “find an item and solve a puzzle” method Link’s adventures have made us accustomed to, yet it does have that 3D Legend of Zelda flavor we know and love.
Gameplay aside, the visuals are stunning with cell shaded graphics and bright vibrant colors and the music is fantastic too boot. This game is the complete package, and there’s a reason Capcom has remastered it on four consoles and PC since it’s original release on the PlayStation 2 in 2006 and the Wii in 2008.
5 Jet Set Radio III
Jet Set Radio, or Jet Grind Radio depending on where you live, is a unique game that’s been imitated but never duplicated. Sega’s stylish Dreamcast title took players to a dystopian Japan where police aggression is pretty common. Still, you jump into the roller blades of one graffiti artist who’s willing to risk it all to tag the city.
Mix that with a pair of soundtracks that are some of the best music has to offer and you have a series that absolutely needs a sequel.
4 Super Mario RPG II
Super Mario RPG was a lot of gamer’s first RPG experience. Developed by the brilliant minds at Squaresoft, Nintendo’s mascot treaded unfamiliar waters with a story drive turn-based combat focused game that introduced some active controls to keep younger players interested. Unfortunately, Nintendo and Squaresoft had a falling out by the time the Nintendo 64 rolled around, and we never got a sequel. Instead, players were treated to two franchises in Mario and Luigi and Paper Mario which captured the essence of the classic SNES game. But they’re not really the same.
Now, Nintendo and Square Enix look to be on good terms again, and the Big N is a little more open to letting other studios handle their major IPs, so there’s a chance we could see this game one day.
3 Brutal Legend II
It’s hard to believe that Brutal Legend is 10 years old, but it’s even harder to believe it never got a sequel. Developed by the legendary Tim Schafer with voice acting by Jack Black, this rock n’ roll inspired video game blended music, action, adventure, and strategy for an unforgettable experience last generation.
While we don’t know if getting the band back together would be too expensive, we’d love to see double fine take another swing at the franchise, because it was great while it lasted.
2 Team Fortress 3
Team Fortress 1 and 2 are fantastic titles that dominated the world of online gaming for years. Not only that, but the second title in particular still has an incredibly dedicated following with a healthy community. Unfortunately, Valve has issues with threequels, and they’ve focused more on the Stream storefront than game development, so the odds of us getting this game are low, but with more competition from Epic — who’ve been leveraging Fortnite on their new online game service — maybe now is the time for Gabe Newell to brush off his company’s old IPs to give steam a fighting chance.
1 Half-Life 3
Obviously, the third entry in Valve’s acclaimed series would be number one considering we’ve never gotten a true conclusion to Gordon Freeman’s story. In reality, there’s no way Half-Life 3 would ever live up to fan expectations — but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t try.
The first two games in the series were groundbreaking for their time. Before these titles, players never experienced such a large, detailed world mixed with fantastic controls and intelligent puzzles. We don’t think the conclusion to the saga will be able to be as groundbreaking, but it could wrap up a story we’ve been invested in for two decades.
