5 RPG Series That Peaked With The First Game

Video games differ from most other forms of media because most sequels are better than the original. That’s not always the case, but if a game is successful enough to get a sequel, that usually means the developers get time and money to build on that first game. That’s doubly true with RPGs because devs don’t have to spend as much time setting up the world. They can just jump right into the action, delivering a thrilling experience from the jump. However, just because it’s generally the rule, doesn’t mean there haven’t been a few times when an RPG series peaks with its very first entry.

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Here are five RPG series where everything was downhill after that first game.

5) Chrono

Chrono Trigger is one of the greatest games of all time. The SNES RPG was an instant hit for developer Square, using its time traveling storyline to deliver a compelling story with several different endings. You’d think Square would take that success and pump out a half dozen or more sequels, but that hasn’t happened.

After Chrono Trigger released in 1995, Square followed up with Radical Dreams, which is a Japanese-exclusive text-based game that serves as a side story to the first game. Square finally released a true sequel, Chrono Cross, in 1999. It’s a great game, but failed to live up to the hype of the original. Still, it earned top scores from reviewers and sold plenty of copies. For whatever reason, Square stopped there, and fans are still waiting for the third mainline Chrono game decades later.

4) Fallout

Unlike the Chrono series, there are no shortage of Fallout games. The first two games from Interplay and Black Isle set the stage, but ever since Bethesda has taken over in the mid-2000s, fans have gotten a new Fallout mainline game or spinoff every few years. For the most part, every Fallout game is good, but none of them have topped the 1997 original.

Not only did Fallout perfectly set the stage for the future of its version of the post apocalypse, but the team at Interplay gave players an in-depth world that reacts to every choice they make. It’s equal parts hilarious and moving, mixing in strategic turn-based combat. The closest anything has come to topping it is the New Vegas spin-off, but none of the mainline games have ever gotten close.

3) Golden Sun

The Golden Sun series started off with a bang. Developer Cameloft Software put out the hit RPG on tthe Game Boy Advance, giving the console one of its best-looking games. Toss in a solid story and great combat that mixed fast-paced battles and brain-teasing puzzles, and you had a major hit. It sold over one million copies, and Camelot got to work on the sequel.

The Lost Age is still a solid game, but was nowhere near the hit Nintendo enjoyed with the original. Then, we didn’t hear from the series for eight years. Camelot finally put out the third game, Dawk Dawn, in 2010, but it barely registered. Unfortunately for fans of the series, Camelot was too good at making Mario sports games, and the developers have been stuck working on those ever since.

2) Deus Ex

The original Deus Ex was a revelation for PC players. The first-person shooter let fans loose in its worth, with their imaginations as the only limiter. Developer Ion Storm wanted players to have full control over how they approached each mission, giving them unparralled choice in combat and conversation.

As one of the early immersive sims, Deus Ex set the bar that many developers are still trying to live up to these days. While Invisible War served as a solid sequel and the rebooted series continued the legacy, none of them have been able to top that first game. Granted, that one changed the entire gaming landscape, so it’s almost not fair, but Deus Ex easily makes this list.

1) Dragon Age

Sometimes, it feels like BioWare doesn’t esxactly know what it has in its hands with the Dragon Age series. The saga kicked off with a tactical RPG that rewarded careful and creative planning during battle. It also had one of the best casts of companions in the industry, making the main campaign an absolute blast.

It was almost understandable that BioWare took Dragon Age II toward action-heavy combat. After all, that game was developed under a ridiculous time crunch, making it tough for the developers to do much. However, in the years since, fans have gotten two more mainline Dragon Age games, neither of which have fully gone back to the classic combat that made Origins so beloved.

Plus, the main stories have only gotten worse, and the companions have never lived up to the first group. There are always a few standout companions each game, but Origins‘ cast is, top-to-bottom, the best Dragon Age has ever had. Sadly, with all the issues around The Veilguard, it might be while before we see another Dragon Age game.

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