9 Video Game Franchises That Never Beat Their First Instalment

1. Deus Ex

The original Deus Ex was a groundbreaking RPG. The sort of game where, with every step, you could see alternate pathways you might have taken with a different character build, different dialogue options or mission conclusions that you couldn't wait to try out next time.

From here on out though, while still a heartily recommendable IP through and through, it felt like various developers tried their hand at making the "Deus Ex experience" work for increasingly larger audiences.

Direct sequel Invisible War was dragged by fans for things like universal ammo across all guns, and drastically reducing your options on-mission, Human Revolution largely hit its mark but came with outsourced boss fights that actually broke the game on depending how you played.

2016's Mankind Divided, despite being the most promising of them all, was dogged by unlocking the same upgrades you had one game prior, a microtransaction-filled multiplayer mode and a story that cut to credits, right when the pace was finally picking up.

Again, all playable enough, but that original spark was impossible to replicate.