The release of a sequel to one of our favourite games can be nerve-racking, with a mixture of anticipation of it being fantastic and fear that it might not live up to expectations. With follow-ups such as Hollow Knight: Silksong and Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines hopefully released this year, this is a good moment to consider which are the best sequels of all time.
Batman: Arkham City Gave Us a Huge Map
The Batman Arkham series by Rocksteady began with 2009’s Batman: Arkham Asylum, but it was the Arkham City sequel in 2011 that pushed this superhero series onto many people’s lists of their favourite game franchises. Batman has been locked up in Gotham City’s super-prison and needs to stop an evil scheme devised by a prison warden.
Among the notable improvements from Arkham Asylum is the fact that the game map is five times bigger, while the Caped Crusader has new skills that allow him to take on a huge range of the most iconic villains. It was launched after a massive marketing campaign and quickly gained a reputation as one of the best video games ever made.
Halo 2 Made Multiplayer Games Popular
It’s easy to overlook how huge the original Halo was. Released in 2001 by Microsoft Game Studios, Halo: Combat Evolved was one of the games that helped launch the Xbox and that meant that the sequel was eagerly awaited. Halo 2 finally came out in 2004 and was warmly welcomed by fans, with the improvement in multiplayer mode particularly notable.
Halo arguably introduced the Xbox to the world and brought countless gamers together due to the improvements made in online matchmaking and game modes available. This innovation (identifying well-loved features and honing them for the player) is what leads to a solid sequel, and is a common tactic used in iGaming to attract and retain new customers. The stream of new features and welcome bonuses can seem daunting, but taking the time to learn how to get started can lead to a whole new genre for gamers to explore. Games like Money Train 2 and Wild Chapo 2 by Relax Gaming are great examples of what to look out for in terms of interesting mechanics and features.
Assassin’s Creed II Brought in a Better Story
The original Assassin’s Creed released by Ubisoft in 2007 was a hit, but with this sequel, the franchise became a classic. The developers used an updated version of the Anvil game engine this time, and the result was a game that almost everyone seemed to love. With over nine million units sold in the first six months, this quickly became one of the most successful games ever made.
Improvements included an in-game database and a better health system, but it was the enhanced story that really captured the imagination of players around the planet. With the franchise continuing to improve after Assassin’s Creed II, it’s no longer the best game in the series. However, there’s no doubt that it did a fantastic job of moving the series to a new level and introducing many new fans to the age-old conflict between the templars and the assassins.
Some Other Sequels Worth Checking Out
The history of gaming is littered with many other sequels that were vastly superior to the original. From Uncharted II: Among Thieves to Silent Hill 2 and Borderlands 2, there are plenty of choices if you want to find a game that took a great idea and made it even better the second time around.
