Making games is no small feat. For those completely ignorant of how the process works, these digital experiences can seem like pure magic. However, they don't just pop out of a hat at the snap of a finger like a bunny. No, thousands upon thousands of hours from teams sometimes reaching hundreds of people work together to deliver the games millions of people love and adore. With this in mind, it feels like a gift whenever one game does come out.
Throughout the medium's history, dozens upon dozens of titles never got a sequel, no matter how badly they deserved one. Sometimes, they were never meant to continue. Other, more unfortunate times, they were supposed to have a second part, before it was cancelled for one reason or another. On a couple of occasions, development even started on the project before it was axed. The following list will look at games from the 2000s that never spawned a follow-up, for a whole range of reasons.
10 Alien Hominid
The Behemoth has been doing alright for themselves since their popular flash game Alien Hominid showed up on Newgrounds. Castle Crashers has become popular enough to earn itself a re-release on the PS4 and Switch more than ten years after its debut, and their most recent game, Pit People, has received similar praise.
Still, their original PS2 classic Alien Hominid, a fleshed-out version of their flash game, is a favorite among many. It has a shocking amount of depth and replay value for a run-and-gun shooter, thanks to the plethora of bonus content. Hominid has made appearances in games since, but the alien needs to star in one again soon.
9 Prey
Yes, a game called Prey came out recently, but it has nothing to do with the cult classic Xbox 360 title. Players take control of Tommy, a Native American veteran who is abducted by aliens and must fight his way through the ship in order to save his girlfriend and escape.
A direct sequel was in development and planned to significantly expand upon the lore, but was cancelled. What a loss to the fans, especially as the work was already underway.
8 Cold Winter
Cold Winter is a lesser-known PlayStation 2 exclusive by Swordfish Studios. It's one of the best looking shooters on the console, featuring extremely graphic dismemberment and the ability to interact with objects in the environment.
The shining star of the piece was its story, a spy thriller involving a diabolical conspiracy intent on saving the human race by eliminating most of its population. The game is virtually unknown these days, which explains why it never got a sequel. Still, it's worth dusting off the PS2 to play.
7 Gun
Gun came out before the whole gaming Western thing was perfected with Red Dead Redemption, but it came pretty close itself.
With the advancements in technology and innovations brought by games like RDR2, it would be great to see the characters come back for a new story. Heck, maybe Arthur Morgan would even have a rival on his hands?
6 Bully
Bully stands in contrast to Rockstar game's typical ultra violence and profanity-laden humor. At the same time, the developer's identity and commitment to perfection is all over it.
While the studio has never churned out a disappointing game, it has been disappointing fans every day it doesn't announce a sequel to this classic. Recently, supposed leaks have suggested that Bully 2 actually is going to be announced soon, but there's been no official word on that.
5 Shadow Of The Colossus
In Shadow of the Colossus, the objective is about the only thing that's clear. Everything else is murky, mysterious, and sometimes scary.
Are these monsters evil? Why did the ending play out the way it did? These questions are left purposefully open, but a sequel that more thoroughly explored the world would be welcomed with open arms. Especially as the game's profile has really been raised of late by the remaster.
4 TimeShift
Saber Interactive has been seeing some good times recently, spurred on by the success of World War Z. Before that, they had worked on the Halo remasters and several licensed games. Even prior to those, they made TimeShift, an inventive FPS built around a fleshed-out time control mechanic.
Gamers didn't latch onto the idea as much as they should have, leading the game to become a cult classic instead of a smash hit. Given the company's recent success, perhaps a sequel could be in order soon?
3 Brutal Legend
Double Fine's creativity is only bound by their budget and technology. Brutal Legend mixes an action-adventure game with real-time strategy elements all within a heavy metal aesthetic, featuring voice acting from iconic singers and musicians.
The studio wanted to do a follow up, but poor sales prevented the project from moving forward.
2 Ico
Ico was a 2001 PS2 exclusive. The minimalist design and ambiguous storytelling was unlike anything gamers had seen before, and certainly could not be found on a Nintendo or Microsoft console.
While Shadow of the Colossus is a spiritual successor with several connections to the game, no direct sequel featuring the same characters is in sight. There were never plans to make one, and the lead designer probably doesn't want to do it, but the two protagonists are so endearing it makes fans want a continuation.
1 Alan Wake
Remedy made a name for itself with Max Payne and its sequel. Their next project was Alan Wake, a psychological thriller that did away with the flashy gunplay of their prior series and traded it for bone chilling suspense.
The game was followed up by an expansion, but a true sequel never materialized. Recently, the publishing rights for the property reverted back to Remedy, making the sequel a possibility once more. Considering how recently this news came, fans would still wait years for a sequel if it was announced today.