http://casualtygamer.com/2008/07/the-top-10-sequels-that-need-to-hurry-up/
Sequels are an interesting aspect of the gaming industry. Lately, it seems, the public has been subjected to a barrage of nothing but sequels; Metal Gear Solid 4, Grand Theft Auto IV, Soul Calibur IV, Call of Duty 4, Halo 3, and the list goes on and on. Let’s not forget the list of games soon to be released: Resistance 2, God of War 3, Final Fantasy XIII, Fable II, Fallout 3, Far Cry 2…you get my point yet?
I don’t blame the developers, though; I blame the consumers (including myself) who continue to buy into the trend of rehashed products with spruced-up graphics. I mean, why spend $50-60 on a game you don’t know about when you could just fork over that cash for a sequel that you know will be about as good as its predecessor?
Still…there are those rare occasions where a sequel is absolutely necessary, in such cases where a developer wants to tell an epic, grand story that would take far too long for one game. In this list, I will count down my top 10 most anticipated sequels that need to hurry the hell up.
Please note that some or all of the featured images may not be official pictures for their respective sequel.
#10: Killzone 2
The highly-anticipated and greatly debated Killzone 2 first received public attention back at E3 of 2006 when an extremely impressive video was shown and labeled as in-game footage. The controversy over this footage was blown entirely out of proportion, and whether or not that footage was truly in-game, or if it was, as many suspected, just pre-rendered graphics, it doesn’t matter anymore.
At the recent E3, Guerilla Games unveiled new, REAL gameplay footage showcasing one of the various new levels. And rest assured, this new footage looks just as good - if not better - than the earlier video.
#9: Duke Nukem Forever
This game has been in development for 10 freaking years. How long are people going to have to wait to get their hands on it? This is arguably one of THE most anticipated sequels right now, but I’ll be damned if I put it any higher on the list because I’m simply disgusted with how long it’s taking. Too Human took this long but at least it has an official release date now. Want to know what it says as the release date for Duke Nukem Forever? “When it’s done.” Yeah, that’s for damn sure.
#8: Beyond Good & Evil 2
The cult classic and niche adventure game Beyond Good & Evil received relatively low publicity and attention in part due to the unfortunate release at the same time as Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, two excellent games in their own right. Despite the average sales, Beyond Good & Evil earned a strong following and received generally high reviews across the board, enough to warrant a sequel first teased at Ubidays 2008.
#7: Max Payne 3
To reiterate my statement in the opening paragraphs, this image specifically may or may not be the official poster/title for the Max Payne sequel. All speculations point to this simply being a fan-made image in support of the third game.
The original Max Payne remains, to this day, one of the most cinematic stories in a video game. The brilliant film-noir style taken by the game, the namesake’s stoic and torn struggle to solve the murder of his family, and the definitive game to utilize the bullet-time mechanic.
Max Payne’s story is a tragic and sad tale, one that is soon to hit the silver screen with Mark Wahlberg playing our hero (thankfully, not being directed by Uwe Boll). With any luck, the hoped-for success of this movie will spark Take-Two Interactive to hurry along with Max Payne 3.
#6: Kingdom Hearts 3
The bonus ending available following the completion of Kingdom Hearts II teased at a much darker, gritty, more violent Kingdom Hearts to come - one where every soldier wields a keyblade, and looks as if Disney’s touch is no where in sight (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31SBHPYaVes).
The charming appeal that was the first game quickly grew on even the most manly, hardcore gamers. No one could deny the game’s beauty, but what’s more is that it was also a pretty satisfying experience overall. Quick, tactical combat, engaging story, and of course, iconic characters. What more could you ask for in an RPG?
#5: BioShock 2
Hey, 2k Games. Would you kindly hurry up with BioShock 2? I know the game’s only been out for less than a year, but seeing as how the first was spiritually adapted from the previous System Shock 2, how hard could it be to bring out the second game?
I know, I know. I’m being picky. It’s just that the first one was such a gratifying experience to play through that I personally can’t wait to get back to Rapture - assuming that’s where the second game will take place - and save me some Little Sisters…What, you killed them? You bastards!
#4: Mass Effect 2
Awarded the best RPG of 2007 by several sources (although personally, that award goes to Persona 3) Mass Effect was undoubtedly a tremendous achievement in the RPG genre. It combined the mechanics of Third-Person shooters with standard turn-based gameplay to provide a seamless yet tactical battle system that was quick to learn and easy to master, but extremely fulfilling.
Possibly my only complaint with the game is that Bioware’s formula for story telling seems to be getting redundant (if you’ve played their earlier RPGs, namely KOTOR or Jade Empire, you’ll see the irrefutable similarities in Mass Effect). However, one could argue, “If you’ve got something that works, why change it?” Can’t argue with that. It’s already been confirmed that Mass Effect 2 is in development. So now we wait.
#3: Starcraft II
Arguably the best RTS ever (fans of Civilization will certainly debate that), Starcraft provided one of the most casually accessible combat mechanics for anyone to pick up and learn how to play, yet at the same time remained infinitely detailed and intricate that the most hardcore gamer could do as they please. Watch any Korean Starcraft tournament and you’ll see exactly what I mean.
Starcraft II teased a trailer several months ago with a Terran Marine in a space port of some kind, uttering the oh-so-true words, “It’s about time.” Well it definitely will be about time once this game hits store shelves.
#2: Portal 2
One of 2007’s greatest achievements and one of the most unique games ever made, Portal took home the Game Developer’s Conference Game of the Year award, among many more from varied sources. Rightly deserved, this simple and short, yet brilliant puzzle shooter captured the hearts of many for its unique blend of gravity-based puzzle solving, first-person shooting mechanics, portal technology, and the two stars of the game: the Companion Cube and the irreplaceable GLaDOS.
The infinitely-knowledgeable AI GLaDOS (voiced by Ellen McClain) provides the only voice work for the game, as well as lending her talents throughout the entire Orange Box, being the only actor featured in every game of that compilation. Her portrayal of GLaDOS is one for the history books, and without a doubt she will go down as one of the most memorable video game characters ever.
Portal 2 was “officially” announced back in February, but knowing Valve, they won’t just touch up and vomit out a sequel like I briefly referenced at the beginning of the article. Just know that when Portal 2 does come out, it’s going to be a whole other ball game. Remember what they did when they made the jump from Half-Life to Half-Life 2? Which brings me to my number 1 sequel…
#1: Half-Life 2: Episode Three
Ah, yes. Gordon Freeman’s last adventure in the episodic Half-Life 2. This franchise is easily a landmark in the FPS genre, and if revolutionary were to ever be used to describe a game, it would most certainly be awarded to the Half-Life series. Far too often that term is used to describe many other games that simply “improve” upon previous content.
But the brains up at Valve studios don’t just improve, they completely reinvent. Look what they did with the Gravity Gun in Half-Life 2, and especially with Portal. The story of the Half-Life saga is also one of intrigue and tragedy. An unlikely hero found in Gordon Freeman turns out to be mankind’s only hope, but as it has been alluded to several times through all current games, the G-Man and his “employers” have bigger plans for “The Free Man,” as the Vortigaunts put it.
Exactly what those plans are remain a mystery, and will continue to remain unknown until this sequel FINALLY hits a release date and finds a new home on my computer.
thats a pretty good list
tag:"reviews only matter for the real hardcore gamer"
