18 Worst Video Game Sequels Ever, Ranked

As a gaming enthusiast with a penchant for continuations, I’m diving into exploring what I consider to be the most disappointing video game sequels that have ever been crafted.

Our list contrasts sequels with their original counterparts, allowing you to find games from series you appreciate. However, some titles might disappoint as they underperformed in various aspects compared to their franchise. It’s important to note that these aren’t necessarily bad games, but their unique decisions have weakened the overall franchise. This raises a question: why change something that works well?

18) New Tales from the Borderlands

Although New Tales from the Borderlands doesn’t continue Rhys’ storyline exactly, it occurs within the same universe. I’ve decided to include it on my list, but towards the bottom, despite the fact that it falls short compared to other games in the series. I had a blast playing Tales from the Borderlands. It was one of the most amusing and hilarious games I’ve ever experienced. However, aside from the visual style, there’s nothing about this game that feels distinctly Borderlands. The pace is sluggish, the writing lacks depth, and the characters are underdeveloped. It’s unfortunate that New Tales from the Borderlands strays so far from the quality of Telltale’s original games, leaning more towards a poor film adaptation’s inspiration.

17) Just Cause 4

In the face of widespread devastation and disorder, Just Cause 4 fell short in providing excitement and unpredictability. The main issue lay in the omission of base liberations, a key gameplay element in the franchise. Missions are monotonous, and the narrative remains as predictable as ever. Admittedly, it boasts impressive visuals and might appeal to those new to the series. However, considering its cartoonish nature, it’s ironic that Just Cause 4 tries too hard to be serious, given that you can soar through landscapes like a flying squirrel with Rico’s grappling hook. Contrary to expectations, this installment offers less complex gameplay in terms of Rico’s tools, shooting mechanics, and enemy AI compared to Just Cause 3.

16) The Walking Dead: A New Frontier

I’m really into Telltale Games’ The Walking Dead series, and I’ve played every single one of them. However, I found “A New Frontier” to be a bit lackluster because it didn’t contribute much to the overall story, and its characters were dull and forgettable. Even though the focus was on keeping your team alive (and let’s not get started on the scripted deaths), I couldn’t muster any interest in any of the new characters except for Clementine. Unfortunately, “A New Frontier” dropped the ball by introducing a new protagonist so late in the game, and Javier didn’t win me over. In fact, he missed the mark completely, leaving me disappointed that they deviated from following Clem’s storyline.

15) Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II

Hellblade II serves as a stunning example of style over substance in gaming. Despite its visual brilliance, the sequel falls short due to the absence of an engaging narrative and gameplay that matches it. The original game’s portrayal of mental illness was captivating, but in the sequel, this aspect appears to have lost its impact. Instead of focusing on the story, the game overemphasizes generic combat and puzzles, which become repetitive and serve more as filler content rather than integral parts of the narrative. The challenges faced by Senua are geared more towards the player’s experience—contrasting with the intended focus on her character—with excessive handholding throughout the brief storyline.

14) Resident Evil 6

In comparison to earlier games in the renowned Resident Evil survival horror series, some players might find Resident Evil 6 amusing. However, it’s been referred to as the ‘Michael Bay’ of Resident Evil due to its lack of scare factor and excessive repetition that makes it challenging to enjoy unless you’re engaging in co-op play. Personally, I think RE6 is the weakest game in the series, but for action enthusiasts who simply want non-stop shooting and kicking zombies, it’s a strong choice. Fortunately, Resident Evil VII: Biohazard brought the franchise back to its horror roots by offering the scariest installment with a first-person perspective, which is the polar opposite of what RE6 offered.

13) Driver 2

Initially, Driver, launched in 1999, was groundbreaking for its open-world, free-roam gameplay. However, its sequel failed to uphold or expand on the polish and innovation of the original, instead delivering a noticeable decline in quality, particularly in graphics and gameplay. Despite being deemed too powerful for the PS1, Driver 2 was remarkably advanced for its time. Unfortunately, it was marred by awkward controls and inconsistent driving mechanics, making it an unpleasant experience to play. The frustration intensifies when pursued by police, who drive with an unprecedented level of recklessness and disregard for the rules of the road.

12) Dying Light 2

In Dying Light 2, you’ll find numerous paths to explore, similar to playing Baldur’s Gate or Mass Effect. However, unlike its predecessor, it falls short in many aspects. The initial game captivated me with its seamless parkour, immersive environment, and engaging combat. One of the most exhilarating experiences was the adrenaline rush of making it back to base at night while being pursued. Unfortunately, the wide-ranging narrative isn’t necessarily a strength; quantity doesn’t always trump quality, much like in The Crew. The storyline is simple, and the writing leaves much to be desired. The developers seemed to have crammed too many elements into the game, resulting in a less refined experience. At its core, this game shines best when it comes to parkour.

11) Dead Space 3

In simpler terms, the original Dead Space games were praised for their chilling atmosphere and immersive storylines. However, the third installment seems to prioritize microtransactions over narrative depth. Instead of focusing on fear and tension, it leans more towards action-packed gameplay which can be quite generic and uninteresting. Sadly, the sound design and enemy layout in Dead Space 3 are not as effective as they were in the earlier games, making it less terrifying than its predecessors. As a result, many found it disappointingly barebones for being the third game in the series. Characters in this game also felt underdeveloped despite the conclusion of the second game being quite strong.

10) The Crew 2

I thoroughly enjoyed investing countless hours into The Crew, making me excited to delve into its sequel. However, my enthusiasm was dampened by the decision to make online play a constant element. While the game offers a multitude of vehicles, landscapes, and tracks, what truly captivated me in The Crew was its narrative and exploration, aspects that seemed lacking in the sequel. Consequently, I found myself feeling uninterested, almost overwhelmed by the abundance of choices. Despite having many appealing features, it failed to meet the high standards expected from a racing game, making The Crew 2 feel simplistic compared to other games and prompting me to abandon it quite quickly.

9) Dino Crisis 3

Initially offering chilling survival horror, transitioning into all-out action, and ultimately leaving players bewildered; Dino Crisis 3 boasted impressive visuals but fell short on coherence, as its gameplay and narrative choices were questionable. Blending science fiction with dinosaurs, DC3 presented underdeveloped characters that lacked depth and were uninteresting. The poor camera system inexplicably heightened the challenge of completing DC3, as the combination of jetpack mechanics with fixed-camera angles produced a disconcerting and irritating gaming experience.

8) Dead Rising 4

The distinctive feature of Dead Rising as a zombie game lies in its time constraint. This aspect elevated the tension, giving a more profound feel to an otherwise humorous and enjoyable action-adventure game. In Dead Rising 4, the character Frank West underwent significant transformation; his once cheerful, sarcastic persona was replaced by an arrogant demeanor. Unlike earlier installments, which allowed for open-world exploration and running through zombie mobs, Dead Rising 4 followed a more structured, linear path that lacked challenge and offered limited entertainment. To witness the true ending of this sequel, additional payment was required as the base game’s conclusion fell short in quality.

7) Penumbra: Requiem

The Penumbra series was fantastic up until its third installment. This is where Frictional Games really shone, especially with the release of Requiem. Black Plague stood out among them for its incredible atmosphere, chilling and unforgettable moments, intriguing storyline, clever level and puzzle design, and exceptional voice acting that really brought the narrative to life. However, Requiem fell short in comparison to the first two games. It was dull, repetitive, and easily forgettable as it shifted to a puzzle-platformer format, losing its horror roots. If you haven’t already, I would strongly suggest playing Overture and Black Plague over Amnesia titles. But I’d advise against giving Requiem a try.

6) Condemned 2: Bloodshot

Condemned: Criminal Origins” is one of the most terrifying and well-known horror games on Xbox. Its sequel, however, strays too far from sanity with its bleak exploration. The ominous and gritty ambiance from the original game was absent in “Bloodshot“, replaced by cumbersome and slow combat that seemed largely ineffective against numerous irritating enemy types. The storyline became so convoluted that “Bloodshot” failed to capture the essence of Criminal Origins, feeling more like a different game altogether. The investigative aspects lacked complexity, and despite introducing more intricate mechanics, the combat was frustrating. The lesson here is that simplicity often yields better results.

5) Watch Dogs: Legion

In contrast to previous Watch Dogs titles like Legion, what fell short was the absence of compelling characters and an engaging narrative that draws players in deeply. The allure of exploration and immersive environment in earlier games took a backseat to the storyline, but in this installment, they sacrificed what made Watch Dogs enjoyable – its narrative. While newcomers might find Legion entertaining, it’s a letdown as the third game in the series due to the poor decision to replace the protagonist with a recruitment system that failed to resonate. As I didn’t feel connected to any characters, I also lost interest in playing.

4) Mafia III

As a gamer, diving into the gritty world of Mafia III was an enticing prospect with its captivating narrative and visually stunning environment. However, my experience was marred by numerous technical hiccups and performance issues, causing frequent crashes that made gameplay frustrating. Moreover, the repetitive nature of the gameplay turned it into a challenging title to fully enjoy. The open-world setting felt more like a detour rather than an enhancement, offering minimal entertainment value compared to its linear counterparts. The missions seemed to repeat ad infinitum, offering little variety in gameplay. Frankly, the gameplay was disappointingly rudimentary, with generic gunfights and stealth sequences dominating most of the quests, leaving me yearning for more depth and originality from the franchise.

3) Payday 3

The thrilling unpredictability that made “Payday 2” incredibly enjoyable was notably absent in the third installment. Instead of a challenge, it offered very little, both in terms of the game itself and its DLCs. Unfortunately, “Payday 3” turned out to be a dissatisfying sequel, much like how “The Crew” necessitates online play. The leveling system is as rudimentary as the AI, making it feel like the developers were primarily after cash with this release. Initially intended as a live-service game, the shift in focus might be why “Payday 3” fell short, as there was little innovation to keep the content engaging for players.

2) Overwatch 2

The initial promise of a campaign mode and a break for Overwatch players from continuous multiplayer fell flat when it arrived. What started as a full-priced game turned into a free-to-play version riddled with microtransactions, essentially offering the same game over and over again. Although more people can now play Overwatch due to the release of the sequel, the switch from 6v6 to 5v5 was a significant letdown, and playing the original game disc only launches the sequel. With the same heroes and maps as the first game, albeit slightly modified by Blizzard, this sequel is widely regarded as one of the most disappointing in video game history.

1) Devil May Cry 2

As a devoted fan, I must confess that despite its intriguing title, my experience with DMC2 was less than satisfying. Compared to the depth and complexity of earlier installments in the series, this game feels surprisingly shallow. The focus on gunplay, rather than the intricate combos and stylish combat that make Devil May Cry unique, left me longing for more.

It’s baffling how a sequel could fall so short of its predecessor in almost every aspect. Playing through Devil May Cry 2 felt like a laborious task, with clumsy melee mechanics and an unpredictable lock-on system that often left me frustrated. But what truly tested my patience were the enemies – they seemed to have been designed to simply absorb damage instead of offering a challenge.

Given the high standards set by previous games in the series, it’s hard for me to understand how Devil May Cry managed to survive as a franchise after Devil May Cry 2.

2025-07-20 00:13