10 Video Game Sequels That DRASTICALLY Missed The Point
5. Quake 4
WhatCulture Gaming previously did a list on the 10 Best No. 4's in Gaming History. In the introduction, it was joked that the only way Quake 4 would have made the list was if the title was changed to "10 Sequels That Learned Absolutely Nothing From The Prequel".
One self-fulfilling prophecy later, here we are!
As to how Quake 4 made its way onto this particular list, it's pretty straightforward. After iD made Quake 3 - one of the best multiplayer games of all time - they farmed development of the sequel over to Raven Software. Raven inexplicably decided to shift the focus back to single-player, resulting in an aggressively average FPS that has almost completely slipped from public memory.
The only reason people remember Quake 4 nowadays is because of the scene the above image is taken from, where your character is turned into a cyborg monstrosity while fully conscious. It's a brutal, visceral moment, made all the more remarkable by the ten hours of utter mundanity surrounding it.
Beyond this one moment, Quake 4 offers nothing of note throughout the duration of its campaign, and its very existence feels like a pointed reply to those of us who complained about Quake 3's lack of a traditional single-player campaign. Be careful what you wish for.