Summary
Games featuring an open world to explore have become more common as technology advances, as shown byRed Dead Redemption 2andBatman: Arkham Knightbecoming iconic games. However, not everyopen-world gameexplodes like a firework for everyone to witness its glory, with some fading into obscurity.
From RPGs to action-adventure titles, developers have created high-quality and fun open worlds that give gamers good experiences butcould have done even better with a sequel.They either didn’t get as many sales as expected or didn’t stay in the spotlight as long as other games have.
Mixing gothic and Lovecraftian horror,Grim Dawnwas meant to be the spiritual successor to theDiablogames afterDiablo 3disappointed players at launch. Crate Entertainment delivereda similar isometric hack-and-slash RPG. However,Grim Dawnis more open-ended than theDiablogames, with side quests to accept and massive maps to explore alongside the linear story.
Grim Dawnproved to be a successful indie game, with multiple DLCs, but still found itself overshadowed by Blizzard’s franchise.Diablo 4would seemingly take inspiration from this more open-ended approach with their new take on Sanctuary. WithDiablo 4being a smash hit, Crate Entertainment could see another success as Blizzard proved that the genre is still alive and well.
Instead ofBatmanorStar Wars,LEGO City Undercoverallowed players to roam the titular LEGO cCity alongside an original story and characters. It didn’t have to rely on famous characters to deliver a fun LEGO experience that even had unique gameplay mechanics when playing as the main character, Chase McCain.
Despite mostly strong reviews that praised the game for its humor and gameplay,LEGO City Undercoverdid not sell as well as some licensed LEGO games, as it was initiallyan exclusive for the Nintendo Wii U. A sequel would allow the team at Traveller’s Tales to expand on LEGO City, creating a bigger open world that can feel like LEGOGrand Theft Autofor more players to explore.
As Dr. Jonathan Reid, players were able to freely roam London in 1918 amid a Spanish Flu epidemic to help patients and other civilians with their problems inVampyr. However, as the title suggests,Jonathan is also a vampire, and the player is given the freedom to feed on or help anyone he comes across. Feeding on NPCs grants Jonathan the most power, but also permanently removes that NPC from the narrative.
Whether it is a direct sequel toVampyror a new story in the same universe, the idea of roaming freely as a vampire could be expanded with more abilities, different locations or time periods, and even room to explore more kinds of consequences caused by player choices. Dontnod Entertainment improved on theirLife Is Strangegames with sequels, so they could probably do the same withVampyr.
Sleeping Dogswas preemptively written off when it came out as a wannabeGrand Theft Autoset in Hong Kong. While it does feature multiple similarities toGrand Theft Auto, it expandedthe open-world crime dramagenre beforeGrand Theft Auto 5came out. It has more gameplay elements: gathering experience, getting upgrades, and even melee martial arts combat.
Over the years since it came out,Sleeping Dogshas since become a cult favorite, with dedicated fans still wishing for a sequel. There were plans for a sequel featuring a new protagonist and a whole new region of China to explore, but Square Enix canceled the game due to the disappointing sales of the first entry.
Rather than charging in guns blazing like in somany other World War 2 games,The Saboteurhas the player roaming through Nazi-occupied Paris and its countryside as a car mechanic turned resistance fighter. Driving, free-running, and fighting in the 1940s allowedThe Saboteurto stand out from most open-world games at the time and even now.
Unfortunately, it was simply a case of a game falling under the radar, causing it to have disappointing sales. The idea ofThe Saboteurcould have allowed sequels in other war-torn areas in World War 2, such as North Africa, Italy, Russia, Poland, Greece, or Australia, just to name a few, but it never caught on enough at the time.
The idea of playing as a shark is not new, butManeatertakes it a step further by making an RPG inwhich players freely roam the oceanhunting humans and other aquatic predators to evolve into a superpowered animal. It was successful enough to warrant a DLC expansion and a cult following that appreciated the over-the-top style of the game.
The map inManeaterwas already filled to the brim with gags, side quests, and Easter Eggs that showed love and care put in by its developers. With a budget increase, a sequel could take things even further with new kinds of sharks, other predators to play as, and even bigger oceanic maps to explore.
Not only didDays Gonesuffer from an arduous development cycle, but it did not sell as well as expected. During a time when post-apocalyptic zombie games were everywhere withThe Last Of Us,State Of Decay, and more,Days Gonewas quickly forgotten, even though it provided a unique experience, from motorcycle mechanics, breakable weapons a laBreath Of The Wild, and embracing RPG elements.
Days Gonealready presenteda polished open-world zombie game, but a sequel had the potential to start a new franchise for Sony. It could have added more customization to Deacon St. John, brought the story to a new open-world area, and made the zombies even scarier than they already were.
Avalanche Games made the wise choice of makingMad Maxa tribute to all the films in the franchise. It mixed combat akin to theBatman: Arkhamgames with a heavy emphasis on vehicular gameplay totraverse a massive punk-inspired apocalypse. Other elements fromAssassin’s CreedandFar Crymade appearances as well, which made it feel mimetic, but never stopped it from being fun and addictive.
The developers at Avalanche Games have gone on to more successful titles, but a sequel toMad Maxcould do for it whatBatman: Arkham Citydid for Rocksteady afterBatman: Arkham Asylum. Max could have new upgrades with even more abilities for his car and could explore even more of the Wasteland now thatFuriosa: A Mad Max Sagaintroduced new locations in the universe.
