Sometimes, a sequel is neither desired nor deserved. Perhaps the first game was poorly made, or didn?t do anything new or noteworthy for its genre. Perhaps the developers of a franchise have been milking it dry to the point that everyone?s hoping and praying they?ll actually try something different for a change (and they never do). Or maybe, just maybe, the first title ended in a way that didn?t exactly allow for sequels.
The games on this list are not those sequels. They?re the ones we?re all waiting for. The beloved franchises and characters we can?t get enough of, the games we desperately want to keep playing, the stories we want to see continued.
[heading]Half-Life 2 Episode 3[/heading]
You really shouldn?t be all that surprised to see this one make the list- particularly given how long we?ve been waiting for it. At the moment, we know very little. The last episode of Half Life 2 ended on a cliffhanger, with Eli dead and the question of how the hell Gordon could possibly take on a monstrosity that can literally paralyze him with its mind. There was also mention of a ship known as the Borealis ? an Aperture Science Vessel whose power source could very well spell the end of the Combine.
There?s one other thing we know for certain ? Valve doesn?t do things in half measures. When Episode 3 finally does release, it will have been well worth the wait
[heading]Dragon Age 3:[/heading]
While Dragon Age 2 was noteworthy for its excellent characterization, it was still incredibly lacking in, well?most other departments. There were game breaking glitches at launch (which weren?t fixed for months ? I remember my rogue being completely unplayable due to the Isabella Glitch), the map designers checked out halfway through and began copypasting everything, and none of the choices Hawke made felt as meaningful or far-reaching as those made by the Warden.
Bioware knew they messed up, though. They turned to the fans, and asked them ?What do you want to see in a sequel?? And the fans responded. Now, that sequel?s little more than a year away. There are certainly quite a few detractors after the lackluster performance of the second installment, but there?s no reason we can?t hope, right?
[heading]Bioshock Infinite: [/heading]
Bioshock was an awesome game, and the perfect spiritual successor to System Shock. The Dystopian, 1950s, underwater steampunk city of Rapture still remains one of the most memorable set pieces in gaming. Irrational games wisely understood that you can have too much of a good thing, however- and opted after Bioshock 2 that they could finally put Rapture to rest.
So they could replace it with something even better- a literal ?city in the sky,? constructed to be the perfect symbol of American patriotism. It?ll replace the dark, claustrophobic, madman-filled corridors of Rapture with the bright, sunlit, civil-war wracked streets of Columbia. Oh, and apparently space and time are being torn apart, as well.
Sounds like good fun, doesn?t it?
[heading]Resident Evil 6: [/heading]
I?ll be honest- I?m usually fairly indifferent to the Resident Evil series, but what I?ve heard about RE6 thus far has left me feeling intrigued. It takes the conflict to a global scale, introduces a plethora of new (and, to be honest, fairly interesting characters), and brings two series regulars (Leon Kennedy and Chris Redfield) together for the first time. Couple that with the new mechanics they?ve showcased for the game, it means that, while RE6 might be a bit light on the ?survival? side of survival horror, it should still be a ton of fun.
[heading]Assassin?s Creed 3: [/heading]
George Washington is a Templar. You?re an assassin blazing a trail through the American frontier during the Civil War. It?s going to be an almost overwhelming change from previous installments of Assassin?s Creed, where you primarily stuck to Europe and the Middle East. I?m very, very interested in seeing where they go with the game from here ? they haven?t let us down yet, after all.
[heading]Halo 4: [/heading]
I had mixed feelings when I first heard about Halo 4, as it was my understanding that the Chief?s story had been told. There was nothing else to say. He was adrift in space, and maybe he might appear in a later game set in the Halo universe. After reading up on the game a little bit, well?let?s just say I?ve had a change of heart. The new weapons look awesome, the story looks reasonably intriguing, and the idea that the covenant races aren?t necessarily enemies anymore is definitely a refreshing change.
Here?s hoping 343 Studios mixes things up enough to make Halo 4 a worthwhile addition to the series – though I don?t think we?ve much to worry about.
This list is far from complete- there are countless other titles out there that are either deserving of sequels, or have sequels on the way. Are there any games you?ve got on your wishlist that didn?t show up here? Give us a shout in the comments below!