7 Video Game Sequels That Caught Us by Surprise

Sometimes, a sequel is so much better than the original that it leaves your jaw on the floor, in awe of how much better the game is in every regard. That’s the only way to describe these seven video game sequels that caught us by surprise.

Borderlands 2

When it comes to sizable leaps in quality from one game to another, few exemplify how to do it like Borderlands 2.

Upon its release, the first Borderlands was met with generally positive reviews. However, the consensus was that it didn’t do enough to stand out from the pack of similar first-person RPGs, only barely setting itself apart with its sense of humor and wealth of guns to choose from.

Fast forward to the release of Borderlands 2 though, and almost all of these issues were addressed in abundance.

Throwing subtlety out the window, the game dove headfirst into the comedy and writing that were trying to peak through in the original game. Characters’ personalities were given more room to breathe in all of their outlandish glory, and the world of Pandora was able to shine as a haven for foul language, outlandish jokes and utter insanity.

That’s to say nothing of the gameplay. Whereas the original had fairly standard first person shooter action, the second game offered an infinitely more diverse array of options for dispatching foes.

Thousands of guns were at players’ disposal; each character had skills and abilities that made each one’s playthrough feel diverse; and the bosses thrown at players put twists on the usual approach of “sprint toward an enemy and fire until they’re dead.”

Needless to say, people were much more pleased with Borderlands 2 than the original. It was and continues to be heaped with praise, and is regarded as the entry that came out of nowhere to put the franchise on the map.

NieR: Automata

To be fair, people didn’t expect NieR: Automata to be as good as it was for a number of reasons.

A pseudo-sequel to the 2010 action RPG NieR, Automata came out of left field when it was announced. While NieR had a decent cult following, it wasn’t received all that well upon release and hadn’t left much room for a sequel.

Not only that, but the games’ creator, Yoko Taro, was known for being a fairly eccentric creator, utilizing odd and off the beaten path approaches to game design that either worked well or fell flat among players.

And yet, when NieR: Automata was released, players new and old to the series were happily surprised to find that NieR: Automata was about everything they could have wanted from a sequel.

The gameplay was fast, frantic and addictive thanks to the help of character action game developers Platinum Games. Players could dive into brawls with mechanical enemies and execute a number of different combos, keeping the combat fresh and entertaining even dozens of hours into the experience.

The story, meanwhile, was one of Yoko Taro’s best, utilizing his stranger ideas in a way that helped the game overall instead of holding it back.

It still wasn’t for everyone, and many critics were still mixed upon the game’s initial release. In the years since though, it has gained a reputation as an exemplary title not only for fans of the series, but for those looking for a one of a kind gaming experience.

Uncharted 2

To be fair, most people were expecting Uncharted 2 to be good; they just weren’t expecting it to be as good as it was.

Following the release of Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, players had established some pretty reasonable expectations of the Uncharted series moving forward. The games would take them to a certain location, give them a treasure to find, and throw some waves of enemies at them to overcome through cover-based, third-person combat.

And yet, upon getting their hands on Uncharted 2, that all changed.

The sequel saw every aspect of the first game refined and improved. Instead of remaining in one or two identical locations, players were whisked away to several different locales in a globe-spanning hunt for an ancient jewel.

The gameplay was littered with memorable set pieces like fighting enemies on a moving train, and alongside the usual cover-based combat, there were now special enemies and bosses to overcome through more varied and unique approaches.

This was all topped off with a story that was told with the kind of grace and care that would later become Naughty Dog’s staple, establishing Nathan Drake and his comrades as fixtures in the pantheon of memorable video game characters.

Even with later entries further refining the series’ design formula, Uncharted 2 still stands as one of the series’ best entries, and a sequel whose quality is still a happy surprise for those who weren’t expecting it.

Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Given how long the Wolfenstein name has been around for, it takes quite a bit for one of its most recent entries to surprise players at this point. Fortunately, that’s exactly what Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus did when it released in October of 2017.

Following the promising release of The New Order in 2014, fans were expecting more of the same from The New Colossus. After all, while it hadn’t been perfect, the game had solid shooting and a decent amount of effort put into its story.

Come the release of The New Colossus though, they were happily surprised to find the game’s developer MachineGames had worked to improve on most every aspect of the title.

Gunplay was tighter, with a wider array of options for how to mow down Nazi enemies; the variety of gameplay and set pieces was far greater than before; and the story was honed and amped up to the point of being able to provide over-the-top B-movie fare and legitimately heart-felt drama hand in hand.

The end result was a new high point for the Wolfenstein series, and a sequel that most could agree came out of left field in the best way possible.

Resident Evil 4

Let’s be frank: Anyone who says they were expecting just how much Resident Evil 4 would differ from previous entries in the series is a bold-faced liar.

Following three entries which stuck to a firmly survival horror mold, Resident Evil 4 was expected to be more of the same by fans. There would be zombies to shoot, puzzles to solve and a slow, creeping pace that would keep players trapped in a state of constant dread and anticipation.

While the first two parts were mostly correct, the last part was nowhere to be found. Instead, the game went in an entirely new direction, applying a healthy dose of action to most every part of the game’s design.

The player and enemies moved much faster and more fluidly than before. Moments of slow, mounting pressure were replaced with adrenaline-inducing struggles against giant and outlandish monstrosities, with a healthy helping of smaller minions littered about for good measure.

Even the game’s set pieces felt more akin to those found in an action game or movie, with the player dodging boulders and diving through trap-infested areas to get to safety.

It was a vastly different experience to what people expected, and yet it was also one which they couldn’t deny was amazing. It’s no surprise, then, that Resident Evil 4 has gone on to be heralded as one of the best entries in the series, and that it has shaped each entry that followed it in irreparable ways.

Monster Hunter: World

Monster Hunter has always had its fair share of success, but few could have predicted how big of a phenomenon Monster Hunter: World would be.

Leading up to its Jan. 2018 release, fans and critics familiar with the series had fairly tempered expectations. While the game had made some sizable improvements and adjustments to the series’ gameplay loop and character classes, it would likely see the usual limited support from western audiences and rabid support by the Japanese market most other entries had in the past.

And yet, upon release, the game managed to see far more support than expected. Where other entries had seen only a modest number of buyers and players in the west, World saw itself become one of the most popular games of the year, heralded and played by an audience on par with that found in Japan.

This was far from some random occurrence though. The game’s aforementioned improvements, in tandem with the online capabilities of the title, helped refine and perfect the title’s gameplay loop, capitalizing on and perfecting the design introduced in earlier entries.

The end result is a game that became more than a sequel, breaching the barrier of entry into becoming a worldwide phenomenon and giving gamers worldwide a title they’ll be playing for years to come.

The Witcher 3

As good as The Witcher game series may be, it would be a stretch to say everyone knew how big The Witcher 3 would be prior to its launch.

True, the game received a decent amount of coverage and hype from outlets in the months leading up to its release. For the most part though, everyone expected it to be a simple continuation of the entries that had come before, satisfying those who had given the previous two games a chance.

Upon release, people were shocked to find that it was not only the best entry in the series, but one of the best open world RPGs to be released in recent memory.

The world was brimming with adventure and opportunities to explore its far corners. The writing enthralled and captivated players for hours on end, and the characters drew them in with their earnest development and motivations.

In the years since, The Witcher 3 has remained a touchstone of its respective genres, all while maintaining that feeling of being a masterpiece that came out of left field.

---