10 Game Franchises That May Never Top Their Original

There are gaming franchises that have existed for as long as we can remember, and thanks to their consistency, breakout success, or die-hard fans, they have become ever-present in the industry.

However, despite some of them always popping up every few years with a new entry, there are some franchises that have never been able to one-up their original game.

These developers have spent forever chasing their tail to try and capture the lightning in the bottle of their first creation, but try as they might, they have always come up short.

But is it due to incompetence, or just because their original title was just too good? Well, we aim to list some prime examples right now.

10 F.E.A.R.

We begin with a terrifying FPS series that burst onto the scene with some of the most impressive shooter gameplay on the market. But sadly, after a powerful start, never quite managed to build on that strong foundation.

F.E.A.R. is a psychological horror series that gives you all the bullets you could want to take down all the terrifying baddies that lurk in the shadows. But, despite this, due to the intelligence of the enemies in this game, you’d still find yourself on edge and petrified to move.

This was due to the game’s AI, which was far ahead of its time. Enemies will flush you out of your position, flank you, use the environment to their advantage, and so much more. Making it feel like you are up against a team of veteran special ops forces in each level.

It’s a brilliant game, and despite games like Project Origin being decent, alongside some impressive DLC, nothing can quite match the original.

9 Jak and Daxter

While a lot of people really enjoyed Jak’s angst-filled years in Jak II: Renegade and beyond. Not even mirroring the massively popular GTA blueprint could help Naughty Dog match the brilliance of their first title in the series.

Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is a triumph in platforming design. Not only is this game a vibrant, fun, and refined platforming romp, but it’s also one of the first examples of an open-world game on console, which back in 2001 was no mean feat.

The game was packed with fun mini-games, clever puzzles, memorable moments, and, of course, lots of one-liners courtesy of Daxter.

The series would add vehicles, guns, and more mature themes to try and grow with their audience, but in the end, the most traditional attempt at a mascot platformer the series ever offered still remains the cream of the crop.

8 Dragon Age

Perhaps a little controversial as the Dragon Age series has produced some incredible games since it’s first outing. Inquisition has its loyal fans, and to a lesser extent, so does Dragon Age 2. But, at least until Dragon Age: The Veilguard finally releases, we rank Dragon Age: Origins at the top of the pile.

This is down to the outstandingly deep combat systems, the wealth of amazing characters, and the fact that players can make genuinely meaningful choices throughout.

Essentially, it’s an RPG that really emphasizes role-playing. Sure, it’s a little dated visually if you go back and play now, but even considering this, it’s still the best DA game at the time of writing. But fingers crossed that Veilguard can change that.

7 Dead Space

Regarding horror game design, there are only two game series’ I feel have truly crafted flawless horror experiences. Silent Hill is one, and Dead Space is the other. Silent Hill obviously has a sequel that everyone regards as the best in the series. But for Dead Space, it was the first attempt that still remains a sparkling example of horror excellence.

The first title was a masterpiece that focused on traditional survival horror mechanics, expert visual and audio design to create a terrifying atmosphere. Not to mention, you had the first inclusion of the ‘Shoot the limbs’ mechanic that felt like a revelation.

Don’t get us wrong — Dead Space 2 was a good sequel, but it felt more like a game that relied on set pieces and bombastic action to succeed, which was a departure from the brilliance of the first time. And, well, the less we say about the third game and how EA ruined the trilogy, the better.

6 Dark Souls

This is perhaps the one I’ll get the most heat for, but I’ll die on this hill, as I feel that despite two very competent sequels, neither of Dark Souls’ follow-up entries were able to match the first for quality.

For Dark Souls 2, this was simply because Miyazaki wasn’t involved in the project, and thus, it felt like a crude imitation of a Souls game at times without him at the helm.

But as for DS3, this was a much closer attempt to usurp the champ, but in the end, nothing quite compares to the intricate and interconnected world design of DS1. The progression, the lore, the list of bosses, that view overlooking Anor Londo.

It’s an example of an original game that, despite being followed by back-to-back Game of the Year contenders, is simply too much of an important and iconic game ever to be topped.

5 Sonic the Hedgehog

This one will depend on whether you consider Sonic Mania a ‘new game’. But, as I see it more as a lovingly made remaster or remake, this entry feels right to include. Sonic as a series is probably the best example of a gaming franchise living off of past successes and the love of a dedicated fan base.

Whether we point at Sonic the Hedgehog 06 or Sonic Boom, the key takeaway is that the Sonic fanbase has endured many brutal massacres of their beloved blue hedgehog.

But, in SEGA’s defense, many decades ago, they gave themselves a near-impossible act to follow, as the retro Sonic titles still offer some of the most fluid, fun, arcade-style platforming gameplay to ever grace our screens.

And since then, Team Sonic has been trying to create a title that allows players to go fast in an equally satisfying way, to no avail. There have been some popular exceptions, like Sonic Adventures 2, and Sonic Frontiers, but all in all, nothing has quite topped the OG.

4 The Last of Us

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This will feel like a bit of a strange entry, as The Last of Us is a series with only two mainline entries. However, I feel it’s worthwhile to mention this one, as I feel that, no matter what Naughty Dog comes up with should they decide to make another Last of Us title, nothing will come close to rivaling the original.

To be fair, the sequel improves on the visuals, gameplay, and finer details, but with a game such as this, narrative is king.

The Last of Us Part Two offered a gritty, powerful story for sure, but due to some controversial plot decisions, and a lack of gripping character dynamics and relationships like Joel and Ellie in the first game, the second title really struggled to reach the lofty heights of the original.

It’s perhaps the first gaming series to break through to mainstream media and showcase that games have as much emotional storytelling power as movies and TV.

Which, in a nutshell, shows how hard of an act to follow the first game was, and will be moving forward.

3 Deus Ex

It’s hard to believe that, after all these years, Deus Ex is probably still the most impressive and complete immersive sim on the market.

The first game puts you in the shoes of JC Denton, and across various missions, you are given the reigns to explore, navigate each challenge as you see fit, and play your own way in what is one of the most emergent gaming experiences you’ll likely ever witness.

Ever since this breakout title, the Deus Ex series has never quite managed to create a game quite as open-ended and refined. The production value and core gameplay mechanics have naturally improved with the times as we have been placed in the shoes of Adam Jensen.

But due to player choice that feels more like an illusion than an actual thoughtful inclusion, and more of a focus on gunplay and action, fans of the series are still waiting for a modern Deus Ex immersive sim that marks a return to form for the franchise.

2 Pokémon

Regarding long-running and successful gaming franchises, only Mario can compete with the Pokémon series. Pokémon have been around since the days of the Game Boy Color, and while there have been some popular entries since those halcyon days, many would argue that none have been able to match Pokémon Red and Blue for their brilliance and cultural impact.

Pokémon Red and Blue allowed us to explore Kanto, one of the most popular regions in the series, and introduced us to the original 151 Pokemon, which still have a very special place in every Pokémon fan’s heart.

Since then, the series has returned to Kanto several times courtesy of Fire Red and Leaf Green, as well as Let’s Go, Pikachu and Eevee, showing the fan’s unwavering love for the original Pokémon adventure.

Pokémon as a series has come a long way since then, but without Red and Blue, we probably wouldn’t have this industry stalwart today.

1 Bioshock

Lastly, we have the game that is probably the first series on everyone’s lips when considering originals that will likely forever remain the best in the franchise.

Despite Bioshock 2’s cult success and Bioshock Infinite’simpressive showcase of FPS action, nothing quite compares to our first trip to Rapture, a ruined underwater utopia that offered us everything we could have wanted.

The game’s writing, lore, atmosphere, world-building, and setting are all out of this world, immediately immersing you in this enthralling experience. But then you also have the larger-than-life characters and the unique FPS gameplay featuring Rapture’s iconic plasmids.

And of course, you have the twist that made us question our own objectivism as a collective of gamers.

Bioshock is the finest example of an unfollowable masterpiece, and still stands today as one of the bucket list games that gamers need to play. So if you haven’t, would you kindly go play this one.