Category: Features

There are those games out there which rightfully deserve a sequel. They delighted us, entertained us and still give us countless nostalgic rushes.

Sadly, the odds of these games ever getting a sequel are few and far between – for whatever reason that may be.

Enslaved (2010)

Chance-O-Meter 2/5

Enslaved: Odyssey To The West received a great all-round critical reception, but hardly anyone bought the damn game. And that’s a real shame.

Enslaved is a hidden gem of a game, one which will probably never be appreciated for the hard work and effort that has clearly gone into it. Following the main character Monkey, a tough, hot-headed, acrobatic genius, the player is taken on a journey with a really interesting storyline; this isn’t the usual ‘skip the scenes’ job. The characters and plot are really involving and without spoiling anything, the development between Monkey and Trip throughout the game is expertly executed.

Ninja Theory said they always planned for Enslaved to be two games, however, even they couldn’t anticipate the poor sales the game ultimately achieved. Come on, that ending needs expanding for sure. Maybe one day…

MediEvil (1998)

Chance-O-Meter 1/5

Ok, so MediEvil already had a sequel right? That doesn’t mean a third game shouldn’t happen. The first and second games were filled with charm. Players controlled the skeletal, one-eyed, Sir Daniel Fortesque, who couldn’t properly speak himself due to years entombed underground.

The dark, brooding atmosphere of the games really made them their own: combined with witty humour, yet having dark undertones within. The weapons were a particular highlight, with Dan in the second game wielding anything from a Magic Sword and Shield, to a Gatling Gun. The PSP outing titled: MediEvil: Resurrection, was a remake of the first game, and sadly not a new adventure for the loveable fella.

Hopefully Sony one day will see the error of their ways and produce a third game. With Call of Duty games coming out every year now however, who among the gaming mass really wants to play as this worn-out skeleton anymore – other than the cult following?

Hogs of War (2000)

Chance-O-Meter 1/5

Although Hogs of War was never given the top rankings among gaming critics, it wasn’t long before it became a classic in the eyes of those who played it. Rik Mayall even lent his voice!

The turn-based style that was clearly inspired from the Worms series of games meant that Hogs of Wars was essentially Worms with hogs – with perhaps more humour. Players had a team of hogs loaded with numerous strategic weapons for them to utilise. This ranged from Sniper Rifles, to Grenades, to Cattle Prods. The system – which saw your hogs promoted through the ranks – only made it even more painful when they fell in battle.

What makes it even worse is that a sequel to the game was confirmed to be in the making by Atari. Unfortunately, the game was quietly cancelled as far as everyone knows. Does that mean the chance of us ever seeing a revival is even slimmer? Pray it not.

World of Goo (2008)

Chance-O-Meter 2.5/5

World of Goo was produced by only two people, but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the finest modern puzzle games conceived so far. With catchy music, brilliant design and lovely visuals, World of Goo took the world by storm.

The aim of the game is simple on the surface, but fiendish later on – something all good puzzle games should do. The idea was to get the Goo Balls to the end of the stage – by linking Goo Balls to other Goo Balls. The player could go about this in pretty much anyway they wanted, creating all sorts of weird shapes in the process of getting the cute black guys up the pipe.

So why is a sequel needed? Because everyone wants more levels, more music and more humorous plot scenes to take place. 2D Boy could even go about adding some new modes to the game, like online co-op for example. The first one was such a surprise hit for the duo, they’d be mad not to do another, surely?

Sequels Galore

So there you have it, four games that need sequels, (new IPs are always welcome as well). I’m aware that there are many more games out there that desperately need sequels, but this was my personal pick – what would yours be?

In today’s modern era we’re stricken with political events and issues throughout our ever-changing world. Everywhere we’re reminded of current elections, political scandals and opinionated viewpoints, whether you asked for them or not. Recent trailer releases of games like Far Cry 5 and Call of Duty WWII invoke infamous global wars and familiar cult-like criminals, all while in the heat of dangerous threats making worldwide headlines against international powers and leaders.

New national Presidents, like the U.S.’s Trump, making waves across news stations and the non-stop reports of political voting fraud have seemed to increase the awareness of everyday civilians on political scandals; with commotion equal to that of the Watergate Scandal of the Nixon years. But are video games expanding their ideas to politically corrupt leaders because of current relations in politics? Hardly. In truth, video games have been handing out corrupt villains acting as political leaders throughout the decades of the entertainment medium, regardless of what happens in real world politics.

Take the Metal Gear franchise for instance. Since the original release on the NES back in 1987, creator Hideo Kojima has been increasing the fictional, but relatable, story to an unreal amount of authenticism. With its own downloadable database explaining all aspects of the long and elaborately detailed timeline, Kojima created a war-riddled world filled with corrupt governments and factions in every release throughout the series. Enhanced “super” soldiers genetically controlled by the powerful and dreadful opposing government, gun launders strategically playing off of all sides of war, and diabolical plans to have complete control over the world and its inhabitants, these are just a few examples of corrupt leaders and their actions making an appearance well before this modern era.

Other series with corrupt governments and politicians range from Assassin’s Creed to Grand Theft Auto, and even to earlier Fallout titles, all with their own view of twisted leadership and questionable decision-making. The Final Fantasy series has also featured many overpowering governments and political forces, quick to make use of the land’s resources, the game’s mystical power “magi” and even civilians populating the fantasy worlds. Many game developers use these ideas based on what we see in the real world, to a somewhat smaller degree, but the use of video games allows us to dive into a more surreal corrupted environment; to play the hero that dissolves the overthrowing government.

Because, at the core of gaming, that’s primarily what the average gamer seeks: to be the hero. It’s easy to place a character into an intense atmosphere, where a powerful force ravages the lands and towns, giving the innocent lives no chance for a happy life. We’ve created an average villain in corrupt political leaders, soaked in by what surrounds us in the everyday norm. No, scandalous leaders are nothing short of being yet another predictable antagonist for gamers alike; it has become something we’re accustomed to seeing in our everyday gaming library, and that’s quite alright. For the sake of humanity, let’s hope these audacious stories do not become any closer to reality than what they’ve already predicted.