Most Disappointing Video Game Sequels

There was basically no way that Duke Nukem Forever worked out.Duke Nukem ForeverThe game could not be anything but a disappointment. A fifteen-year development cycle forced the team to rebuild it multiple times. Still, the game could not compete with newer titles.When the game finally released in 2011, gaming standards had changed. Childish jokes and weak gameplay lacked distinction; players saw only boredom.

The Mass Effect series remains one of the biggest RPG franchises recently. The original trilogy dominated the last console generation.Mass EffectMass Effect is one of the biggest RPG franchises in recent memory.the original trilogy the original trilogy dominated the last generation of consoles.Despite some errors, the first three games show a new evolution in role-playing adventures.Despite a few missteps in gameplay and storytelling, the first three games are remembered as a new evolution in role-playing adventures.

The much anticipated follow-up, Mass Effect: Andromeda, came out in 2017.Mass Effect: AndromedaMass Effect: Andromeda launched in 2017. It became the first franchise game on PS4/Xbox One.Fans were very excited before the game dropped. A lack of new alien species, a stale plot, and tons of bugs created an experience far from epic. EA has since put the series on hold.A lack of new alien species to encounter, a stale plot, and a huge amount of bugs lead to an experience that's anything but epic. The game was so disappointing that EA has since put the series on an indefinite hold.EA put the series on an indefinite hold..

Resident Evil 6Resident Evil 6 tried to expand on what made the series great, but it ended up with too much fluff.The 2013 game featured a wide range of characters and separate storylines, giving it little direction. Everything felt overly complicated.There is little survival horror in Resident Evil 6. The game looked more like a generic shooter.With over 30 unlockable weapons, ammo is rarely scarce. Enemies felt like temporary delays, not monsters.The plot lines feature few genuinely scary moments. The game challenges players' patience more than their skills.The plot lines feature few genuinely scary moments, and challenge players' patience more than their abilities.

Bomberman: Act Zero Bomberman: Act Zero is the perfect example of what a sequel should avoid.Departing from what the series was known for, the 2006 game featured a generic cyborg fighting in an apocalyptic future.Previous puzzle games had a light tone. This new installment was a darker, more adult-oriented experience. This new installment was a darker, more adult-oriented experience. The repetitive stages look almost the same. A lack of basic features, like a save function, earned the game only criticism.The repetitive stages look almost identical to one another.A lack of basic features—such as a save function—caused the game to receive nothing but criticism.

In the '90s and early 2000s, Banjo-Kazooie and its sequel set a new standard for platformers.Banjo-Kazooie Banjo-Kazooie and its immediate sequel established a new standard for platformers.Rare announced they were making a new Xbox 360 entry. Excitement quickly grew.However, 2008's Nuts & Bolts is not a classic platformer.Nuts & BoltsNuts & Bolts is a hybrid between a racer and a collection/building game. It differs from other series titles.Nuts & Bolts is sort of hybrid between a racer and collection/building game. This departure caught most fans off-guard. Most were confused about why the Banjo name was on a title unrelated to the franchise.BanjoBanjo name had been tacked onto a title that seemingly had nothing to do with the franchise.

Driv3r was released in 2004 for the Xbox and PlayStation 2.Xbox and PlayStation2Driv3rDriv3r is the third installment in the highly praised Driver series.DriverThe series created open worlds matching blockbuster hits like Grand Theft Auto.Grand Theft Auto. Driv3r meant to surpass Grand Theft Auto's popularity.GTADriv3r took sandbox games to a new level, but the final product failed. It featured dated gameplay and an uninteresting story that went nowhere. The game also seemed unfinished. Many thought it rushed the release.

When a sequel ignores what made the original game great, fans expect a bad letdown.Fans do not want too much change in a sequel, even if reimaginings feel new.The sequel should continue from its predecessor. Pac-Man 2: The New Adventures, creators swapped out the high octane maze action for a point-and-click adventure. Players click aimlessly around a slow world, guiding Pac-Man through tasks. Fans did not want all addictive elements removed just because the 1994 game was for consoles.

The original Perfect DarkPerfect Dark was one of the first great FPS titles made for consoles. Like GoldenEye, Rare made it, and it achieved big sales and critical praise. People praised its innovative design, many weapons, and great enemy AI.GoldenEye Before Perfect Dark, Rare made the game, which found huge commercial and critical success. The game earned praise for its innovative design, wide weapon array, and excellent enemy AI.innovative design, wide array of weapons, and excellent enemy AI.

In 2002, Microsoft bought Rare and stated they would create a Perfect Dark prequel for the Xbox 360 launch. Hopes for the new game were high due to the new console generation.Perfect DarkThe Perfect Dark prequel served as an Xbox 360 launch title. Hopes were high because of the new console generation, but the game disappointed most fans and critics in 2005.

Compared to other 360 launch titles like Call of Duty 2, the game was visually weak. Its gameplay was not as revolutionary as its predecessor. Technology impressive in 2000 failed to impress people five years later.Call of Duty 2 and Condemned: Criminal Origins), the game was visually unimpressive, and the gameplay was far less revolutionary than its predecessor. Technology that was super impressive in 2000 failed to wow people five years (and two console generations) later.

The Ninja Gaiden series has incredibly hard gameplay and complex combat.Leading up to Ninja Gaiden 3's 2012 release, many worried developers would cut these elements for a streamlined game targeting mainstream players.When the game shipped, fans' fears proved true. Developers removed depth to reduce challenge in combat. The messy plot and confusing ending worsened things; the game disappointed nearly everyone.

Almost every entry in the Killzone franchise has been widely acclaimed.But the 2013 PS4 launch titlethe 2013 PS4 launch title was not well received. was not well received. The game's dull story and gameplay shift made much of the criticism for Killzone: Shadow Fall.This happened in the installments. Many fans felt this was a tech demo showing off the new console's graphics, not a full experience. Some enjoyment exists, but the game lacks the polish of earlier titles.

Devil May Cry 2The game succeeded in sales.However, the game was not what many customers expected.The 2004 follow-up was much less challenging than the first title, removing a major part of what made Devil May Cry.This stripped away what made Devil May Cry so popular.Devil May Cry was so popular..Limited weapon choices gave fewer strategies for fighting enemies and bosses. Dante also feels less sure of himself; his personality seems lost in the sequel.

Dragon Age IIIt had big shoes to fill. Its predecessor earned high praise for its tactical elements and complex combat system. For some reason, the sequel...The 2010 sequel discarded these features for simpler gameplay. It lacked character customization and an open world to explore, making it inferior to Dragon Age: Origins.to Dragon Age: Origins in almost every way.

Released in 2010, Splinter Cell: ConvictionSplinter Cell: ConvictionUbisoft tried to update the classic Splinter Cell experience.Splinter Cellfor modern audiences.This involved a major gameplay change, dumbing down the mechanics.This frustrated long-time fans. Stealth and strategic thinking, which made past games unique, were gone. The story could have come from a later season of 24.24.Conviction Required less skill and added a mechanic that automatically killed enemies for the player.

The first two Uncharted gamesare remembered as amazingly innovative.The original game showed the PS3's power with impressive graphics. The sequel fine-tuned what made the first game cool. The third game felt like b-roll cut from the previous two.

The opening ofUncharted 2is unforgettable. Drake wakes up on a train that goes off a mountain, climbing between cars to avoid falling. This high-tension sequence sets the tone for a great, cross-country adventure. Unlike this, the 2011 Uncharted 3...Uncharted 3starts with a bar fight in a generic London pub. This difference shows the third game's declining quality. It is not bad, but it feels needless.

It is hard tooverstatehow influential Halo: Combat EvolvedHalo: Combat Evolved when itwas first released. It launched the Xbox console and created a billion-dollar franchise for Microsoft. Shooter fans expected the sequel, but...Halo 2whenHalo 2eventually hit stores in 2004; players wereThe cliffhanger ending and missing features bewildered me.

AThe development cycle proved protracted and messy.leftHalo 2Bungie, the game's developer, underestimated the time and manpower needed to createtheir vision, and the final productended up half as long. The team discarded whole ideas and started over to release a product on time.