The first-person shooter genre is known for its sequels. Series like Halo, Call of Duty, and Battlefield regularly have new games coming out. And it'll probably be a long time before all three series stop releasing new instalments. Naturally, not every FPS can become a series or even have sequels. This is understandable, but it is a shame when great games never get a follow-up.
Whether it was because of sales or things going on behind the scenes, there are a bunch of wonderful first-person shooters that were never allowed to have a second game. Here are a few of the greatest examples. As live service titles don't always need or intend to have sequels, they aren't included.
5 Singularity (2010)
Nobody would call Singularity the most polished or technologically impressive game, even back in 2010. However, that doesn't diminish everything the title does well, which is quite a lot. It is an over-the-top sci-fi FPS game involving time manipulation. You accomplish that manipulation with the help of a powerful device called the TMD. With it, you have several different time-based powers, such as quickly aging an enemy or slowing people down. On top of that, you have a variety of guns to take down both humans and monsters.
While the gameplay is certainly the title's best asset, the story is interesting, too. As it's about time travel, things can often get complex, and you may be able to find some gaps in logic. Plus, the dialogue is less-than-stellar. Still, overall, the game presents some great ideas that could've been built on in a sequel.
4 Bulletstorm (2011)
Few shooters in recent memory are as creative as Bulletstorm, especially when it comes to combat. The game doesn't just want you to kill people - it wants you to do it with style. You're actively rewarded for taking out enemies in unique and creative ways. For instance, instead of simply shooting someone in the head, perhaps you decide to flick them up in the air and juggle them with your bullets.
If the game also had a compelling story and a more interesting set of characters, it could've been one of the best FPS games of the 2010s. Even without those things, though, it is still a fun title, and a sequel designed on more impressive hardware could've really been something. It isn't out of the realm of possibility that the world could see something resembling a Bulletstorm 2, as the original development studio owns the IP.
3 Clive Barker's Undying (2001)
There are plenty of wonderful first-person horror games out there. Not many of them are pure shooters, though, which is what helps Clive Barker's Undying standout. It has a lot of horror elements, such as creepy monsters and atmospheric environments, but you're also able to blow the beasts away with weapons and spells. The latter's inclusion in the game makes it feel a bit like the Bioshock games, as you shoot your weapon with one hand and fire out special attacks with the other.
Another way this title distinguishes itself from similar games is the inclusion of acclaimed horror writer Clive Barker. He's known for writing many well-regarded novels and screenplays. For this game, he wrote a story about a paranormal activity expert called Patrick Galloway, who travels to an estate to investigate the strange things happening there. Barker was involved in another game years later called Clive Barker's Jericho, but, unfortunately, there was no sequel to Undying.
2 Black (2006)
Black doesn't exactly excel when it comes to its title, as the name is neither informative nor exciting. Yet, it does not represent the quality of the overall game. After all, Black is one of the most action-packed first-person shooters of all time. There is a story to the game that revolves around a black ops agent being interrogated. But it's really just to give you an excuse to go to different places and blast everyone in sight.
This suits Black, as the game's best feature is its smooth and satisfying gunplay, which is enhanced by great sound design. The graphics and destructible environment elements were good for the time, too. It would've been interesting to see what the developers could've done if they'd made a sequel a few years later using the technology provided by newer systems. They did make a spiritual successor in Bodycount, but that title wasn't as innovative.
1 Star Wars: Republic Commando (2005)
Sometimes things are ahead of their time, and they don't get the proper respect they deserve upon release. This is the case for Star Wars: Republic Commando. The title is very different from most Star Wars games, as it doesn't revolve around Jedi or Sith. Instead, you play as the leader of a squad that's a part of the Galactic Clone Army. This is perhaps why the game went a little under the radar when it originally launched.
These days, Star Wars seems to excel most when it isn't all about force users, as proven by the popularity of The Mandalorian and Andor. So, a Republic Commando title might do a lot better in the current gaming landscape. It would struggle to be better, though, as Republic Commando is one of the best Star Wars games ever due to its compelling tactical gameplay and strong storytelling. In fairness, it did get a sort of sequel in the form of a mobile game, but it wasn't a true follow-up.