10 Video Games That Should've NEVER Got Sequels

Should've just left it alone.

By William Vincent /

The gaming industry is a confusing place. Die-hard fans beg developers to create a new instalment for a beloved franchise, yet their cries fall on deaf ears. Come on, Rockstar, is yet another cosmetic addition for GTA Online all you have to offer anymore?

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We all hope that our favourite characters, stories, and online game modes get a chance to return, with a bit of a revamp, in future sequels. While some deserving games get the follow-up fans craved, they can still fall short of the mark. The third instalments for the Dead Space and Banjo-Kazooie were definitely desired, their executions were, to put it nicely, below par.

On the other side of the table, some games had no good reason to return for another chapter. Everything was screaming that a sequel was a bad idea, but developers went ahead and made one anyway to understandable lacklustre results.

This list is a combination of all those games that, in hindsight, really should have been left alone. Sometimes it's best to quit while you're ahead.

10. Crackdown

Sequel: Crackdown 2

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Crackdown was somewhat of a sleeper hit on the Xbox 360. This third-person shooter follows The Agents, a group of superpowered enforcement agents, cracking down on the gangs of Pacific City. Critics praised the game for its good use of the open-world and over-the-top, action-packed gameplay.

Alas, Crackdown 2 didn't land the wacky atmosphere it needed to, recycling Crackdown's original map in an uninspired zombie-apocalypse plot. Saints Row 3, which came out the following year, showed Crackdown how it's done and nailed the silliness of a zany open-world adventure.

Last year, Sumo Digital tried its hand at Crackdown 3, capitalising on Terry Crews leading the forefront. As much as we love "Tear Bear", he couldn't quite save this Xbox exclusive from monotony. I mean really, was anyone asking for Crackdown's return after nine years of development hell? Unfortunately, Crackdown 3 doesn't bring anything new to the table than it did 13 years ago.

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