15 Video Game Sequels That Totally Defined Their Franchises

12. Dark Souls

The game that enamoured FromSoftware's *ahem* 'unique' combat to millions, and the one that it felt like everyone unanimously checked out back at the start of the current console generation thanks to their being nothing new worth writing home about. Even Youtube mastermind PewDiePie got in on the action, streaming this out as his first 'Souls game ahead of the release of the second, and it's true; the first Dark Souls is by far and away the tightest and most rewarding of the lot. Where Demon's Souls featured some restrictive health regeneration elements alongside a world and bosses that were more a chore to get through and Dark Souls II's world and presentation just felt a bit lacking, the first still has everything spot on. Sure there are areas like Blighttown that turn the frame-rate into single digits and there are some sections where the developers just straight-up wanted to kill you for the sake of reminding you what you're playing, but every 'Souls fan can attest, this middle-child of the three is the one every gamer should attempt at least once.