5 Video Game Sequels That Never Deserved the Hate

Whenever a game makes a huge impression, the first thought is often how fast we can get a sequel, and that’s from both the studios and the fans. Over the years, there have been a host of sequels that have been well received and even over-delivered, but there have also been a bevy of sequels that drew criticism, hate, and backlash for any number of reasons. That’s why we are highlighting 5 video game sequels that never deserved that hate, and we are starting with one of the biggest RPG franchises ever.

5. Final Fantasy XIII-2

Out of the many Final Fantasy releases over the years, Final Fantasy XIII is by far the most polarizing, and despite some great elements, several decisions drew backlash from fans. Ironically, the game would then become the first trilogy within the series, but for this entry, we are focusing on Final Fantasy XIII-2, as it received both hate and overall disinterest due to the game it was following, and yet neither of those was deserved.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 looked to address many of the criticisms of the original game, and in many ways it succeeded. The world was more open for exploration, and moving across the timeline provided fresh locations and angles on the story. Even the combat was better than XIII, and that game’s combat was one of its biggest strengths. Despite all of the headway it made, the fallout from the first game caused many to miss out on this game completely or write it off as disappointing without ever even seeing what it had to offer.

4. DmC: Devil May Cry

Speaking of writing things off, enter 2013’s DmC: Devil May Cry. The game was developed by Ninja Theory and was a complete reboot of the franchise, which meant the previous games and the old Dante were now out of the picture. The backlash was felt from the very first trailer, and despite mostly positive scores critically, audience reception was another thing entirely.

Those who jumped in with the new Dante would discover some truly frenetic combat that was absurdly fun, especially with the addition of being able to mix in demonic powers with angelic ones and all updates to weapons and levels. The story was fun too, but even with a thoroughly enjoyable game on their hands, the backlash to the initial change never gave the game a real shot, and Capcom would later return to the original version.

3. Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

There’s a bit of a theme forming here, as after a major shift or decision by a franchise or publisher, the next game seems to pay the price. That was also true of 2015’s Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate, which introduced fans to the twin Assassins Evie and Jacob Frye. Unfortunately for both of them, they were following one of the most widely panned games in the franchise in Assassin’s Creed Unity.

Unity suffered extensive problems at launch, and while most of them would be fixed down the line, it severely damaged the launch of Syndicate. The franchise’s reputation wouldn’t be fixed until Assassin’s Creed Origins‘ fresh relaunch, but those who played Syndicate discovered a compelling storyline through the streets of London that felt like the franchise’s take on organized crime, and the close-quarters combat got a welcome upgrade from Unity. If there were to be another remaster down the line, Syndicate would be a prime candidate.

2. Dragon Age 2

The Dragon Age series got things started with the renowned Dragon Age: Origins, so you can understand why the hype was incredibly high for Dragon Age 2. Upon release, though, the sequel seemed to garner a more divisive reaction, with many criticisms towards the game’s overall approach and limited scope compared to the original.

Over the years, many of those flaws have revealed themselves to actually be strengths, and there’s a reason that so many of the characters from Dragon Age 2 have continued to make appearances in later games and other media. Dragon Age’s more narrow scope kept much of the adventure within the city walls, but that allowed fans to really get to know the citizens of the city and understand what they were fighting for and against. The combat was faster and more thrilling moment to moment, and the lead character Hawke was a major upgrade from the original. All those and more are reasons why Dragon Age 2 didn’t deserve all the hate.

1. Batman: Arkham Origins

The Arkham series is rightly heralded as one of the best superhero franchises of all time, but many times those referring to the Arkham games will only reference three out of the four. That’s a shame, because the game they leave out most often is one of the series’ best, and that would be Batman: Arkham Origins.

Arkham Origins was released in 2013 and already had a few things going against it. First, it was a prequel, and second, it wasn’t developed by Rocksteady. Those who jumped in though would find that this was a more Detective-oriented Batman experience, and some of the boss encounters throughout the game were easily in the top echelon for the series. It was one of the stronger stories as well, and there’s nothing quite like fighting through Christmastime in Gotham either.

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