I get it, I get it. It feels like all we ever get are sequels from games that have overstayed their welcome with one too many releases, but hear me out.
There are so many great games that publishers never took a chance on again due to underperforming sales, developer drama, or a myriad of other reasons that will probably never come to light. Games that had unique game mechanics or worlds that players only got to dip their pinky toes in before they ended—some even had cliffhangers!
Recently though, we’ve had sequels for Alan Wake and Psychonauts, which have been critically praised and there’s even a Jet Set Radio sequel in the works! This is wonderful and something we should be doing more of, but there are a couple of these games that I have been waiting years for some sort of news and yet, nothing. Radio silence.
So today, we’re going to take a look at the games that deserve sequels and maybe give them a little bit of traction in that direction. Here are the top ten games that need another chance.
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg
Billy Hatcher and the Giant Egg is a strange game. Billy and friends go around hatching eggs to defeat crows. Eggs can hatch and offer special abilities based on the creature in order to defeat enemies or progress through the world.
I loved the creature-hatching mechanic and the multiplayer was always silly fun. I think this obscure GameCube title still has a few golden eggs waiting to be hatched, so where is the long-awaited sequel all of us Billy Hatcher fans have been waiting for?
Bulletstorm
Bulletstorm had one of the most unique gameplay premises for an FPS game. The idea was to score points with style using weapons and the leash mechanic to make the most of the environmental opportunities around the player.
The story was a little crude and dull but with some spit and polish, any number of characters and story can be improved. The meat and potatoes was that gameplay, and I think there’s a lot more that developer People Can Fly can achieve here.
LA Noire
LA Noire was a weird game. Set in 1940s Los Angeles, the game follows Cole Phelps as he makes his way through the ranks of his Police Department solving crimes and taking names. The noire vibes, 1940s music, and gritty detective and interrogation work made this a unique experience for gamers that’s not really offered anywhere else.
While Cole’s story may have ended, I feel like this franchise could have more to offer—I mean Cole wasn’t the only police officer to ever exist, right?
Fracture
I bet almost none of you remember Fracture. This 2008 bargain bin release may look like a generic science fiction action shooter with space marines and energy beams; however, that doesn’t mean it should be completely overlooked!
Fracture’s shtick was that its weapons allowed the player to terraform the environment, which let them reach places they couldn’t before, create an impromptu cover, or cause a bad guy to have a very bad day. It’s incredibly unique for a shooter, and I can only imagine what could be done today with these ideas.
Singularity
Yeah, hitting everyone with another long-forgotten gem of the 7th generation. Singularity was, for all intents and purposes, a BioShock clone, but the unique powers and Communist Russia undertones make it stand out on its own. This came out during the time when devs and publishers were trying to cram multiplayer into every single game but don’t let that fool you.
I’m sure today a new Singularity project wouldn’t be foolish enough to add multiplayer and that means more development resources could be used on crafting a really well-designed singleplayer. Singularity deserves one more shot at going toe to toe with BioShock’s legacy.
Battlefield: Bad Company 2
Battlefield has had countless releases over the last 15 years—many of which weren’t fantastic at launch. But rarely, have any of them had such a stellar multiplayer and singleplayer, like the Bad Company games. This sub-group of the Battlefield games starred a ragtag group of soldiers who were doing their best to survive against foreign and domestic enemies with only a handful of bullets and whatever quips left their lips.
This one ended on a cliffhanger that I was sure would be answered by the time I graduated high school. Well, I’ve long since graduated grad school, and, as far as I know, Russia is still invading Alaska. I would like some answers, and an opportunity to free Bad Company from military service.
Sunset Overdrive
Sunset Overdrive was the most underrated game of the 8th generation, and I’ll fight anyone who says otherwise. The gameplay was buttery smooth with an array of weapons so creative, it would make Ratchet and Clank blush.
The story was an action comedy revolving around corporate greed and zombies with tons of early 2010s pop culture references. The world is zany, the characters wacky, and the gameplay fast and fun. I think it got a bad shake because it was an Xbox One exclusive but that shouldn’t mean it’s left forgotten. Sunset Overdrive deserves a sequel and it deserves it soon.
Bloodborne
The only thing more highly anticipated in FromSoft circles besides Elden Ring DLC is any news for a Bloodborne 2. Bloodborne is many people’s favorite souls game, and one of the more difficult games in their catalog with some of the most legendary boss encounters—Orphan of Kos still sends me into a sweat. The setting is gorgeously gothic and fully lives up to the vibes it puts down.
How is it that Dark Souls was able to have a full trilogy but Bloodborne can’t even get a remaster? Putting on my speculation cap, I feel like there must be some sort of disagreement between Bandai, FromSoft, and Sony, but who knows. Maybe it’s already in the works, and we just don’t know it, yet.
Vanquish
Vanquish may not have the most interesting or even creative story, but it did leave off on a cliffhanger, and the gunplay really should be allowed to evolve. The unique action moments that the Augmented Suit lets players experience as they slide around levels in slow motion while fighting giant robots in space are just the perfect level of intense and ridiculous.
Platinum Games are geniuses at adrenaline-pumping combat and being able to see what they can do with Vanquish over a decade later would be a treat.
Half-Life 2: Episode 2
Of course, Half-Life is here. It wouldn’t be a list of sequels that never happened without it. While Half-Life has continued on in other forms such as Half-Life: Alyx, the main story that began all the way back in 1998 was left on a massive cliffhanger in 2007.
It felt like Episode 2 really increased the stakes, and it gave us one of the most heart-wrenching cliffhangers in gaming history. Valve how can you just stomp on our hearts like this? We just want to know what happens at this point. Release a novelization or something, please! I’ll settle for a couple doodles and some captions. Anything at this point.
The Game Campaign 