10 Single Player Games That DIDN'T Need a Sequel

10 Single Player Games That Didn’t Need a Sequel

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at single player games that didn't need a sequel, but got one anyway. To be crystal clear, we’re not saying all of these sequels are bad, just that they weren’t fully necessary. While a few of our picks do have multiplayer modes, they’re still mostly known for their single player experiences.

“Watch Dogs” (2014)

Ubisoft has tried to build franchises out of most of its releases, so it isn’t really surprising that “Watch Dogs” turned into one. But in our opinion, it didn’t really deserve it. It was perfectly serviceable as an open world action adventure game. But outside of a focus on hacking, it didn’t bring much new to the table. And the lead character, Aiden Pierce, wasn’t all that interesting and had his story wrapped up. Still, since it sold well enough, Ubisoft greenlit a sequel. Even though it arguably wasn’t needed, it did turn out to be better in pretty much every aspect, including in the main character, Marcus Holloway. Of course, the next game, “Legion” was worse and now we’re getting a live-action movie, which…why is that happening again?

“Witchaven” (1995)

If you’re drawing a blank at the name “Witchaven,” don’t feel too bad. It’s essentially a fantasy-themed “Doom” clone that was released in the mid-90s. While its visuals and gore were praised, pretty much everyone agreed that its gameplay, the most important aspect, fell short and grew pretty dull. Strong sales caused a sequel to go into development, which ended up tarnishing the bit of acclaim the first had managed to acquire. “Witchaven II: Blood Vengeance” was rushed out the door the following year and panned for sluggish controls and poor enemy AI. It wasn’t needed in general, and certainly not so quickly after the first. Though, it didn’t help that it launched around the same time as “Duke Nukem 3D” and “Quake.”

“Tales of Symphonia” (2003)

Within the larger “Tales” series, most games are standalone titles that feature similar elements, but are disconnected. However, “Tales of Symphonia” was such a strong entry that Bandai Namco decided to release a sequel a few years later. And it served as proof that the studio shouldn’t have switched things up. 2008’s “Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World” paled in comparison to its predecessor in every category except for visuals. Most of the original characters were recast, and only served as side characters that leveled up at certain story points rather than through combat. The explorable Field Map was changed to a menu where you selected locations you wanted to go, which was less interesting. Even in things it did well, it didn’t do anything new or noteworthy, making it a sequel that didn’t really need to exist.

“Deadly Premonition” (2010)

The first “Deadly Premonition” should have been a one-shot case of absurdly weird survival horror. It became a cult classic because of the many elements that, normally, would’ve turned players away. So when a sequel was released ten years later, the only question going through our heads was, “Why?” This wasn’t a game built to keep going, and the sequel only made that more clear. It featured a smaller cast of characters, and while this murder mystery was still enjoyably strange, there was no way it was going to recapture what made the first special. It seemed like an attempt to dredge up an oddly specific IP. And its stunningly bad performance issues didn’t help.

“Super Meat Boy” (2010)

It says a lot that “Super Meat Boy” is still celebrated today as a strange, challenging platformer where its sequel, released ten years later, has already been mostly forgotten. Not only did the original have a TON of levels, but it helped lead the charge for tough-as-nails indie platformers that dominated the 2010s. There’s only so much you could do with a sequel to a game like this, yet Team Meat still tried with “Super Meat Boy Forever.” Unlike others on our list, the problem here was changing too much. Namely, randomly generated levels with an auto-run mechanic, which isn’t exactly what players wanted. A sequel needs to be balanced with enough familiar and new, but “Forever’s” gameplay wasn’t nearly as satisfying as conquering the gauntlets of the first game.

“Prototype” (2009)

Radical Entertainment’s “Prototype” had some pretty interesting gameplay, giving players the ability to absorb others and shapeshift into them. This type of dangerous power also paired well with lead character Alex Mercer, an amnesiac trying to uncover his dark past. While the game did end with some sequel bait, we’d argue that wasn’t needed if said sequel wasn’t going to deliver. “Prototype 2” is still a decent game, but it only made minor changes to gameplay. However, it made major changes to the story, namely a switch in protagonist, that most felt was a lot weaker. Where the similar “Infamous” series, which began around the same time, evolved for the better from game to game, “Prototype 2” felt like a sequel just for the sake of one.

“Hotline Miami” (2012)

Sometimes, a game can just be an action-packed, bloody-good, adrenaline shot to the senses, and you can leave it at that without any further exploration. “Hotline Miami” is one of those games. Or at least it should’ve been. While “Hotline Miami 2” is still fun, it suffered from going too big, both in its world and in its story. Did we really need to delve deeper into the first game’s lore? Or to expand greatly on level size, so that we get shot from off-screen enemies? No, to both. The first game was a perfectly sized, perfect length top-down shooter. And even though it was hugely successful for an indie game, we think the developers’ time would have been better spent creating something new.

“The Last of Us” (2013)

To be honest, I’m incredibly conflicted about putting this one on the list. “The Last of Us Part II” is still a remarkable game, with stunning visuals, performances, and yes, even story. But, was it needed? Arguably, not really. You see, the first game is a near perfect experience, and the ambiguity of that final scene makes it one of the best video game endings of all time. I have to admit that further exploring the story makes that ending a little less special. Additionally, the sequel’s gameplay, while fine-tuned, didn’t bring that much unique to necessitate it. However, even if it isn’t as good as the first, there’s still a lot that works well here. So while it is a sequel we didn’t need, part of me is still glad we got one.

“Final Fantasy X” (2001)

Like the “Tales” series, most games in “Final Fantasy” are disconnected in terms of plot and setting. But some of them do get direct sequels, like “Final Fantasy X.” Since that game was a massive hit, Square Enix released a follow-up two years later. And even though “X-2” isn’t bad, there wasn’t really anything left over that we felt needed to be followed up on. It’s another that felt like a sequel just for the sake of one, loaded up with mini-games and needless fluff. The game itself also didn’t really take itself seriously, with a lighthearted tone and story that left far less of an impression than its predecessor.

“Star Wars: The Force Unleashed” (2008)

Before it was de-canonized, “The Force Unleashed” was an interesting side story in the overall “Star Wars” lore. Gameplay was simple but fun, though the protagonist, Starkiller, was a unique and deep character to play as. Even though the story wrapped up, it sold so well that a sequel was greenlit immediately. If it seemed unnecessary at the time of announcement, that became abundantly clear when the game was released. The playtime was disappointingly short, with not enough story to fill a full game. A few tweaks to gameplay were added, but definitely not enough to justify the game’s existence. Unsurprisingly, word spread fast and the game sold below expectations.

What’s a single player game you believe shouldn’t have gotten a sequel? Share your thoughts in the comments!