As most video games are part of a wider universe or an existing franchise, few of them end up being better than the original game. All too often, sub-par sequels get phoned in on an annual basis, with many games on this list even falling victim to that method, but every now and then a truly memorable sequel is born out of the mythology of the first.
It takes a great team of self-aware developers to understand what worked about a game and what didn’t, and how to implement those in to a sequel. By developing the gameplay mechanics, introducing new characters, and having a more involving story, these video games were lauded much more than their predecessors by critics.
10 Silent Hill 2
Unsurprisingly, Silent Hill 2, being one of the most groundbreaking survival horror video games to date, has a much better rating on Metacritic than it’s predecessor. The original Silent Hill featured Harry, a protagonist who has been in several of the series’ sequels, yet the game just can’t match the majesty of Silent Hill 2’s storytelling, which remains unrivaled. And for good measure, the game features arguably the most disturbing monsters.
9 Portal 2
While the original Portal was essentially a bonus game that was tacked on to Half-Life 2: Episode 2, that might be selling it short. Portal instantly became a fan favorite, as Chell worked her way through tormenting puzzles. Though there was clearly some sort of backstory, there wasn’t much to chew on. However, as the mechanics of the gameplay in Portal 2 are almost identical to the first entry, it’s the story, the way it heart-sinkingly ties in to the Half-Life series, and the epic finale that had critics rating the sequel so highly.
8 Bioshock: Infinite
As Bioshock: Infinite is now rated higher than the original on Metacritic, it’s easy to forget that Infinite was so polarizing upon release. The twist at the end may have thrown fans for a loop, but buying in to it or not, there is no denying that Irrational Games is great at world building.
The reason why Infinite became so beloved was for the fictional city of Columbia, the city in the sky, and the addition of the Skyline Rail, which a was unique way of travelling through the city and made the gameplay more fun than the original.
7 Batman: Arkham City
Batman: Arkham Asylum was a surprise hit that came out of nowhere, especially as up until that point Batman had a history of terrible games. Arkham Asylum transcended superhero games that came before it with its fighting combo system, detailed environments, and iconic villains. But Rocksteady took it one step further with Arkham City by creating a genuinely authentic open world with hundreds of hours of side missions. Nothing before or after has ever made the player feel more like Batman.
6 Resident Evil 4
No other game sequel changed so vastly from it’s predecessor. Resident Evil 4 traded in the fixed camera angles for a third person perspective, and the success of this game is largely why many other games have adopted this same perspective. The game was also made more terrifying as players were only allowed a limited inventory and had to stand still while shooting.
5 Uncharted 2: Among Thieves
In Nathan Drake’s first outing, it was easy to dismiss it as Sony desperately trying to create a charismatic mascot for the PS3 generation. Its wall climbing and basic puzzle solving levels may have acted as a veil to cover up an average third person shooter, but Uncharted 2: Among Thieves upped the ante in every way, as its puzzle solving was much more complex, featured mesmerizing set-pieces, and the combat was more detailed too.
4 Grand Theft Auto V
Though Grand Theft Auto IV received overwhelming amounts of praise when it was released, most of it was out of excitement for the PS3’s first Grand Theft Auto game. But the game’s mechanics are sloppy and driving cars feels like sliding on butter.
IV was also grounded much more in reality than previous entries, which is the last thing GTA players want. So critics and fans alike were appeased when GTA V dropped with its bombastic return to chaos and sense of freedom.
3 Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped
The first Crash Bandicoot is a classic that introduced the world to the coolest bandicoot with zany villains and fun levels. Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back was more of the same, but now players can double jump, skid, and body slam. But Crash Bandicoot 3: Warped introduced time travel, vehicles, and more interactive levels. Better yet, it was the first time the series had time trials for its levels. Warped remains the ultimate Crash Bandicoot game.
2 Half-Life 2: Episode 2
At this point in time, Valve subverting players’ expectations had become the expectation, and by that logic there’s nothing the developer could possibly do to surprise fans of the series. However, when the developer stopped providing answers about who the G-Man is and started creating more mysteries about the contents of ocean liners, which bled in to the narrative of Portal, fans and critics became enamored with the series all over again. This entry of Half-Life is the best game in the series.
1 Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2
It isn’t a surprise that Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 2 is one of the best rated games on Metacritic for the PlayStation, and it’s even less of a surprise that it is finally getting a remake. This sequel expands on the gameplay of the first Pro Skater tenfold by including one simple trick; the manual. Manuals allow the player to string moves together much more fluidly and lets players create combos as long as the level itself. The sequel also includes the iconic and best levels in the series, School II and Philadelphia.