It seems the entertainment industry at large only swears by sequels these days. From Dune 2 to Gladiator 2, some of the most anticipated movies of 2024 are follow-ups to stories previously told on the silver screen. The gaming sector isn’t much different, as capitalizing on well-known characters and worlds is often a surefire way to success.
Recent sequels like Tears of the Kingdom and God of War: Ragnarök garnered universal acclaim among fans and on websites like Metacritic. Sometimes, however, there is a cog in this well-oiled machine, as sequels do not quite live up to the community’s expectations. Are all these games necessarily bad? While some are low-effort cash grabs, many such games can be judged too hastily. So, let’s look at underappreciated sequels worth revisiting with a fresh outlook.
Watch Dogs 2
Ubisoft clearly missed the mark with the first iteration of the Watch Dogs series. From its generic dystopian open world to its lifeless characters, the game felt as plain as can be upon its release. More egregious, perhaps, everything about Watch Dogs was so absurdly serious as to be aggravating. Taking this criticism to heart, the studio did a complete 180 while developing Watch Dogs 2. Much less uptight than its predecessor, the game’s central protagonist is a witty hacker with a tongue-in-cheek demeanor.
This tonal shift also shows in the satirical approach this sequel takes to tech culture, whose meta remains insightful even now. Navigating through Silicon Valley in the shoes of hacktivist Marc Holloway is even more of a blast thanks to new gameplay features encouraging exploration. Despite its treasure trove of content and clever humor rivaling those of GTA 5, Watch Dogs 2 failed to stick the landing. Still, it deserves praising for fixing the original’s shortcomings while coming into its own as a new start for the franchise.
Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice
Apollo Justice is quite the controversial affair in the Ace Attorney fandom. What this sequel does well, it often does better than the trilogy that came before. At its worst, though, Apollo Justice hits some of the lowest points in the entire series. This strange discrepancy may come from the fact that Shu Takumi, the creator behind Capcom’s courtroom adventures, was seemingly forced to bring back original characters despite wanting to create a soft reboot. Incidentally, many fans didn’t take kindly to the new version of their favorite spiky-haired attorney.
At the peak of his craft in Trials and Tribulations, Phoenix Wright is now a jaded pianist working in a shady bar, for he was disbarred for allegedly forging evidence seven years prior. The transition between the third and fourth installments in the series can be quite jarring. This flawed episode still comes up with great ideas whose darker undertones were bound not to resonate with everyone. At any rate, the recent Apollo Justice trilogy rerelease is the perfect opportunity to revisit this contentious chapter.
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony
Combining the best in battle royale games, detective visual novels, and dating simulators, the first title in the Danganronpa series was a brilliant addition to the adventure genre. One direct sequel, and a string of anime and manga later, the franchise seemed to have come full circle with whatever story it wanted to tell. That is why the third chapter in the saga was received with a fair amount of skepticism. Bringing an entirely new cast of characters was always poised to be a challenge, and many fans did not respond well to protagonists they deemed boring, unlikable, or tropey. Others acknowledged the game’s potential, lamenting its execution.
While imperfect, Danganronpa V3 introduces new gameplay elements worth commending, including tons of fun minigames. New casino games are an entertaining way of making bank, for instance, while giving players a foretaste of the real thing. For those willing to explore more options, platforms like VegasSlotsOnline deliver many more slots and tabletop classics. Players can access tens of thousands of slot demos from both up-and-coming software providers and big hitters. In-depth guidelines and recommendations help newcomers pick the best slots site. First-time users may also grab enticing deposit bonuses, free spins, and welcome deals with just a click.
Are sequels always pitch-perfect? Certainly not. Yet, fans expecting their beloved franchise to go one particular way may be too quick to judge a new entry for the fresh perspective it brings to the table. Despite their weaknesses, therefore, the above sequels deserve another crack at them.
