6. Shenmue 3
Im sure mentioning this game will bring a wave of nostalgia and sadness to many a reader. Shenmue was meant to be an on-going series with 16 chapters (not 16 games, mind you), but without the release of Shenmue 3, the series stalled at 2 games, leaving gamers eager to know what came next. Shenmue was also another, truly ambitious series, with the first game being the most expensive of its time at its release, having a budget of $47 million. The series was known for its detailed open world and simulation elements, in which the player would live life in a fully realized city, complete with a day and night cycle, weather effects and NPCs which lived their lives on schedules. To be honest, I never played the original two games, and seeing as how theyre Dreamcast titles, I wonder if I ever will. That being said, I understand how devastating it was for the games fans when the third was cancelled, and looking back at some of the games elements, it seems as if the first two were quite influential. The use of QTEs, interactive environments and adventure gameplay seems incredibly similar to modern titles like Heavy Rain and The Walking Dead, both of which were well received and the later turned out to be quite popular. Even if the series never manages to reach its rightful conclusion, it has at least managed to leave a mark upon the industry.