10 More Video Game Sequels That Completely Missed The Point

Catching lightning in a bottle is near impossible, so doing it twice is, shockingly, twice as hard. That's why video game developers often fumble the landing when making sequels to their beloved products.

To be fair to them, producing a sequel is tough. A good video game follow-up needs to re-capture what made the original title work while making sure it's not more of the same. Games like Tears of the Kingdom, Silent Hill 2, Arkham City, and Mass Effect 2 are great examples of pulling it off, but many others struggle.

It's all well and good to make a decent game, but if your sequel forgets what gamers loved about the original, you might as well not bother. Imagine if a Legend of Zelda sequel turned into an FPS or if GTA had you playing as a straight-laced cop - the thought is maddening.

Tragically, the following games fell victim to this. They completely missed the point, and while many of them are still incredibly enjoyable, they nevertheless failed to realise why gamers wanted them in the first place.

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Check out the original article here for even more examples.

The criminally underrated Mirror's Edge is a game that scratches the itch of players who love free running in titles like Assassin's Creed or Prince of Persia but don't want all the other stuff. It is a fast-paced, tightly packed game that turns you into a parkour master. However, while the sequel (or, technically, prequel) is similarly thrilling, it misses a major part of its predecessor's charm. 

Mirror's Edge Catalyst puts you back in the shoes of the expert "Runner" Faith Connors. It fleshes out the world much more than its predecessor, but that becomes a sticking point as it switches the title to an open-world experience. 

Open-world games are brilliant, but part of Mirror's Edge's charm is the slick level design catered towards quick-paced problem-solving and speed. The switch to an open world strips this back, as those well-designed paths the player gets led down are less present. 

Catalyst is far from being a bad game. It's a blast to play and will leave Mirror's Edge fans perfectly satisfied. Still, it's desperately missing that compact linear design that made the original so addicting.