15 Awesome Video Games That Deserve A Sequel

Rockstar Games is known for unveiling massive franchises, and many fans are upset Bully didn't become one of them. Released in 2006, the acclaimed game follows Jimmy Hopkins's quest to eradicate bullying in his high school. A sequel was in development, but it blew over after 18 months. In 2016, an enhanced version of the game titled Bully: Anniversary Edition was released on mobile phones to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Recently, Bully has been referenced in Red Dead Redemption 2 and GTA Online.

After seven years in development, L.A. Noire became a landmark game when it dropped in spring 2011. From its use of MotionScan technology to its gripping storytelling, L.A. Noire managed to ship 5 million copies worldwide. In 2017, the game was re-released for the Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 4 with some visual upgrades. When it comes to a possible sequel, Rockstar Games has L.A. Noire 2 in the back-burner for now.

Heavily inspired by Grand Theft Auto, 2003's The Simpsons: Hit & Run was a complete 180-degree turnaround from The Simpsons: Road Rage, which was criticized for being a Crazy Taxi rip-off. With 3 million copies sold, the game was beloved by Simpsons fans around the world. A sequel was canceled when EA gained the rights to The Simpsons Game. The people behind The Simpsons: Hit & Run hope for a remake to pique people's interest for a sequel. In an interview with LADbible, game producer Vlad Ceraldi said: I could see it on multiple different types of platforms as a remake or remaster. It would have to take the parties who are in charge of the property to want that to happen and someone out there to decide that they were going to go out and do it. But absolutely, it would be fun to explore those characters and that universe again, that work again.

Giving the iconic Super Mario franchise an RPG makeover delivered one of the most beloved RPGs of all time. As the final Square Enix game on the Super Nintendo in North America, Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars has been on numerous "greatest games of all time" lists. While future RPGs Paper Mario and Mario & Luigi would go on to be successful franchises, many players continued wanting a direct sequel to the SNES game. If a sequel happens, however, don't expect Legend of the Seven Stars co-director Yoshihiko Maekawa to be part of it. In an interview with Kotaku, Maekawa stated: Actually, I don't feel like I want to return to that world and use those characters in another game. I feel like I was able to accomplish what I wanted to with that world and those characters and the gameplay ideas that came out of those, and now I mostly feel like I want to make something different.

Executive produced by PlayStation icon Shuhei Yoshida, The Legend of Dragoon was one of the first games developed by SIE Japan Studio (Ape Escape, Knack). While the RPG had stiff competition from Final Fantasy IX, which was released a few weeks later in North America, the game was a financial success. A sequel was in the works, but the project simply fell apart. In a 2012 interview with the official PlayStation Blog, Yoshida said, "LOD2 was put into preproduction after I left the Japan Studio, but was eventually canceled for some unknown reason, and the team members moved on to different projects." SIE Japan Studio's schedule slowed down over the years, which means they could revisit The Legend of Dragoon again for a possible sequel.

The Left 4 Dead series had players facing off against a slew of zombies. While there was a single-player mode, more people found themselves teaming up with folks online. Years after their release, the first two games still have a decent player base online. Rumors of Left 4 Dead 3 have been all over the internet, which forced Valve to set things straight earlier this year. In a statement to IGN, the company said, "We did briefly explore some Left 4 Dead next gen opportunities a few years ago. But we are absolutely not working on anything L4D-related now, and haven’t for years." Bill from Left 4 Dead was included as DLC for Dead by Daylight.

Inspired by Jurassic Park and Resident Evil, the Dino Crisis series was another slam-dunk for Capcom in the survival horror world. Following 2003's Dino Crisis 3, Capcom went silent about a possible sequel. Several people have discussed a potential sequel, including Dino Crisis creator Shinji Mikami. While Mikami is no longer employed by Capcom, he hopes to eventually revisit the franchise. In late 2019, Capcom filed a trademark for Dino Crisis, so a new game could be in the works.

Released in 2005, Star Wars: Republic Commando revolved around Delta Squad's missions during the Clone Wars. LucasArts saw something big and decided to greenlight a sequel before working on the 2005 game. Unfortunately, the sequel was scrapped, but Republic Commandos became part of Star Wars canon with appearances in The Clone Wars animated series. 2017's Star Wars Battlefront II saw Republic Commandos make their return to video games as part of the Cooperation Update. While EA has some Star Wars projects down the line, a proper follow-up to Star Wars: Republic Commando may be within reach.

1998's Banjo-Kazooie warmed the hearts of gamers with its colorful characters, lush soundtrack from Grant Kirkhope, and flawless gameplay. Following Banjo-Kaoozie 2, the franchise jumped to the Xbox with 2008's Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. In 2019, Banjo and Kazooie made their return to Nintendo as DLC for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. While spiritual successor Yooka-Laylee was released in 2017, many fans are hoping for a proper sequel for the bear-and-bird duo. One person who's waiting for a return is Banjo-Kazooie creator Steve Mayles. In a feature in Video Games Chronicle, Mayles said: Could the reaction of fans to Banjo and Kazooie in Smash persuade Microsoft to make another Banjo game? The revival of Spyro and Crash went pretty well after all... I think a fairly safe way to gauge demand for a new game would be a remaster of the original two games. Then if the interest is there perhaps we could see Banjo return in the new no-expense-spared game he and Kazooie deserve.

Square Enix brought something new to the table with 1998's Final Fantasy Tactics. Combining its most popular franchise with tactical gaming proved to be a major success. While the game has seen a spinoff and numerous ports, Final Fantasy Tactics has yet to have a proper sequel. A sequel was in development, but the game's change in art style caused Square Enix to scrap the project. Fans have kept the game alive with various mods, including the inclusion of Final Fantasy VII characters.

Parasite Eve became a surprise hit when it dropped in 1998. Based on the Hideaki Sena book of the same name, the game followed a police officer's mission to stop Eve from wiping out humanity. The game's success led to 1999's Parasite Eve II, which was produced by Resident Evil writer Kenichi Iwao. While The 3rd Birthday was released in 2010, it's considered more of a spinoff than a proper sequel. In early 2019, Square Enix caused a commotion when it filed a trademark for Parasite Eve in Europe. While nothing has been revealed just yet, many people are assuming another entry in the franchise is in the works.

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem freaked players out upon its 2002 arrival. The psychological horror game's most noticeable feature was the sanity effects, which made some players believe their TV or GameCube was busted. For years, developer Silicon Knights wanted to deliver another sequel, but bankruptcy forced it to drop hopes for another game. Nintendo did re-register the Eternal Darkness trademark in 2013, but it's done nothing with it since. With the Nintendo Switch having a bit more horror-based games on its roster, it wouldn't be hard to see an Eternal Darkness sequel down the line.

Brütal Legend combined real-time strategy with an epic metal soundtrack for an electric time. With voice acting from Jack Black, Ozzy Osbourne, and Lemmy Kilmister, the game followed roadie-turned-hero Eddie Riggs and his team's journey to save the world. While working on Psychonauts 2, game designer Tim Schafer stated there's a chance Brütal Legend will make its return. At a press Q&A at E3 2019, Schafer said, "That’s a fun universe, too, that I’d love to [come] back to, but now we’ve been in sequel mode for a few years and it’d be nice to do something new... but never say never." If the game does come back, Schafer will have a huge task in crafting another amazing soundtrack.

Star Wars Episode I: Racer became the biggest-selling sci-fi racing game ever with 3 million copies sold. Released in 1998, the game allowed players to race through various parts of Tatooine. To this day, critics and fans alike consider this one of the most essential Star Wars games worth playing. After the release of the 2002 sequel Star Wars Racer Revenge, racing games were put to the side for shooters and action-adventure games. This didn't stop fans from wanting another racing game set in the Star Wars universe. With the recent HD re-release of Star Wars Episode I: Racer, many people are hoping this can potentially lead to another installment.

Released on the Nintendo 64 in 1999, Jet Force Gemini follows law enforcement team Jet Force Gemini and their quest to protect the galaxy from Mizar. The first-person shooter gained praise for its homage to '80s arcade shooters and sci-fi works, such as Stargate and Aliens. In 2015, the game was featured in the Rare Replay collection on the Xbox One. Over the years, Rare has been revisiting old properties, with Killer Instinct and Battletoads making their big return. Many hope the company can do the same with Jet Force Gemini.