A sequel is the natural means of evolution in a game series. A way to take what was good about the original and then build on that solid foundation to produce something that is both familiar, but completely different.
That’s always the aim, but in some cases, developers knock it out of the park with their first game to such an extent that they can never quite reach the lofty heights they reached first time out.
There are loads of timeless originals that have remained the best in class despite series trying to top them for many years after, and we want to take some time to honor these original titles that still stand tall as the finest games their respective franchises have to offer.
9 Rayman
Timeless, Whimsical Fun
Rayman
Platformer
Released September 1, 1995 ESRB e Developer(s) Ubisoft, Digital Eclipse, Ludimedia Publisher(s) Ubisoft, Sony Computer Entertainment Engine UbiArt Framework Franchise Rayman Platform(s) PC, PS1, Sega Saturn, Nintendo DS, Nintendo Game Boy Color, Atari Jaguar, Mobile How Long To Beat 10 Hours Powered by
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This is one that I tossed and turned with, as Rayman Revolutions was incredible, and Rayman Legends is a modern masterpiece in its own right. But, by a whisker, I would say that Rayman’s debut still stands as the most unique, eye-catching, and wonderful game on the roster.
It’s a game that has an art style that captures the whimsy and experimental nature of the PSX era. The platforming is simple but refined, making each vibrant level you explore a joy. Plus, the soundtrack is phenomenal as well.
However, what I love most is that this game is probably the most deceptively difficult game you’ll ever come across, and gets immensely tricky in the later levels, meaning it’s a game that separates the casuals from the platforming purists.
If you think Legends or Revolutions tops this one, I get it, but for me, the original is timeless, and that’s why it wins the day.
8 Max Payne
Slo-Mo Action
Max Payne
Third-Person Shooter
OpenCritic Reviews
Released July 23, 2001 ESRB M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Violence Developer(s) Remedy Entertainment Publisher(s) Gathering of Developers Engine MaxFX Franchise Max Payne Platform(s) PC, PS2, Xbox (Original), Nintendo Game Boy Advance, Android, iOS Powered by
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While there are a lot of games that have produced amazing games post-original but have never quite been able to top them, Max Payne is more of a story along the lines of a great series that couldn’t take the next logical step after a great opening title.
The first game was revolutionary thanks to its bullet time feature, which allowed you to channel your inner Neo from the Matrix, dive around dodging bullets, and pump goons full of lead.
Not to mention, it’s the one time comic-book panel storytelling has ever felt unique and not just a lazy storytelling device.
Sadly, Max Payne 2 couldn’t quite deliver the same level of Noir grit, and Rockstar’s attempt was pretty poor in all honesty for the third. So, for that reason, the original remains the best in class, despite being a conceptually brilliant relic dying for an upgrade.
7 Jak & Daxter
The Dynamic Duo In Effect
Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Platformer Action Adventure
Released December 4, 2001 ESRB E10+ For Everyone 10+ // Fantasy Violence Developer(s) Naughty Dog Publisher(s) Sony Computer Entertainment Engine Kinetica Franchise Jak and Daxter PS5 Release Date December 10, 2024 Platform(s) PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PS Vita How Long To Beat 10 Hours Metascore 90 PS Plus Availability Premium Powered by
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While people have a lot of love for the more mature GTA clone in the series, I’m definitely of the mindset that The Precursor’s Legacy is the best of the bunch where this dynamic duo is concerned.
As a pure mascot platforming adventure, no other entry in the series comes to matching the original’s amazing world design, which was technically one of the first open-worlds to grace the PS2.
Plus, the mini-games, vehicle sections, and unique puzzles to get each Power Cell are phenomenally designed.
I will concede that the combat is severely lacking by comparison to later games, but aside from this, the original sits top of the pile, and remains one of the finest mascot platformers of all time.
6 Life is Strange
The Butterfly Effect
Life is Strange
Adventure
OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg:81/100 Critics Rec:76%
Released January 30, 2015 ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs and Alcohol Developer(s) Dontnod Entertainment Publisher(s) Square Enix Engine unreal engine 3, unreal engine 4 Franchise Life is Strange Platform(s) Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One How Long To Beat 15 Hours PS Plus Availability Extra & Premium OpenCritic Rating Strong Powered by
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Despite many spin-offs and entries since this breakout debut hit, the original Life is Strange title remains the strongest entry when it comes to storytelling, and choices matter gameplay.
This game was not only a breath of fresh air at the time, helping to usher in a new wave of narrative-driven stories with player agency at the forefront of design, but it also offered a gripping story that tackled a variety of tough topics.
With themes of suicide, grief, loss, and teen drama, there’s a lot to wrap your head around here, but it’s enjoyable from first second to last.
Plus, this is the game that establishes the connection between Chloe and Max, and ever since, the series has tried and failed to recreate that romantic chemistry between characters.
It may be a sign of the times, as there definitely isn’t the same hunger for games like this anymore. But, within that particular boom, Life is Strange was a trailblazer.
5 Dead Space
Survival Horror Royalty
Dead Space
Survival Horror
Released October 14, 2008 ESRB M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language Developer(s) Visceral Games Publisher(s) Electronic Arts Engine Frostbite Franchise Dead Space Platform(s) PC, PS3, Xbox 360 How Long To Beat 11 Hours X|S Optimized No File Size Xbox Series 6 GB (December 2023) Metascore 89 Powered by
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This will come down to a matter of preference, but here is the measuring stick that has helped me decide on this one.
Dead Space as a series sets its stall out as a survival horror game at its core, and by that metric, the original is by far the best survival horror of the trilogy.
The second game was much more action and set-piece heavy, and the less we say about the co-op-focused third, the better. But the original put on a clinic in horror design, offering chilling ambience, claustrophobic environments, and a palpable eerie feeling at every turn.
The remake now stands as the optimal way to experience this original outing, but the framework of the original remains very much intact. So, if you haven’t checked it out yet,. I would urge you to check it out, and shoot for the limbs!
4 Deus Ex
Play Your Way
Deus Ex
Action RPG FPS Stealth
Released June 23, 2000 ESRB M For Mature 17+ // Blood, Violence Developer(s) Ion Storm Publisher(s) Eidos Interactive Engine Unreal Engine 1 Multiplayer Local Multiplayer Franchise Deus Ex Number of Players 1 Steam Deck Compatibility Playable PC Release Date June 23, 2000 Platform(s) PlayStation 2, PC How Long To Beat 23 Hours Metascore 90 How Long To Beat (Completionist Runs) 39 hours Powered by
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Immersive sims are a pretty niche genre, mainly due to the fact that they are so damn hard to make, and even harder to make well. So, when you consider that Deus Ex is still considered the ultimate blueprint for immersive sim design, it’s very hard to look past this one as the best in the series.
Human Revolution and Mankind Evolved decided to maneuver to a more action-focused and modern framework with some light immersive sim features, but the original is an out-and-out espionage sandbox with near infinite paths of progression.
Via different augments, multiple points of entry, various events you can trigger, and much more, you can alter the scenario of each mission and complete your task in a multitude of unique ways, meaning one person’s playthrough is rarely like another.
It’s a game that drops you in the deep end and asks you to use your big ol’ brain to swim, and for me, that brave and bold game design is exactly why Deus Ex is still unmatched.
3 Dragon Age
The Best Origin Story
Dragon Age
RPG
Released November 3, 2009 ESRB M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Language, Partial Nudity, Sexual Content Developer(s) BioWare Publisher(s) Electronic Arts Engine Eclipse Engine Cross-Platform Play n/a Cross Save n/a Franchise Dragon Age Steam Deck Compatibility no Platform(s) Xbox 360, PS3, PC, macOS X|S Optimized no Powered by
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Dragon Age as a series has been chasing its tail for many years, and in my opinion, the solution to all their problems has been right under their nose the entire time.
The series has pivoted to a more modern action RPG formula that has felt like an attempt to go where the money is. However, the reason why fans fell in love with this series in the first place was the deep RPG systems found in Origins.
Origins is a CRPG at its core, and there was a deeper sense of tactical planning at play here, which made combat a blast. But you also had the quintessentially Bioware brilliance when it came to storylines, character relationships, and player decisions that altered the fate of your party.
Every game thereafter has felt like a departure from what made Dragon Age great, and with Veilguard failing to give the fans what they wanted once again, it’s hard to see Dragon Age ever returning to the heights of the original.
2 Dark Souls
Don't Go Hollow
Dark Souls
Action RPG
OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg:84/100 Critics Rec:88%
Released September 22, 2011 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Violence Developer(s) From Software Publisher(s) Namco Bandai Engine Havok Multiplayer Online Multiplayer Cross-Platform Play No, Dark Souls 3 is not cross-platform between PS4 and PC Cross Save Dark Souls always save your game data using steam cloud Franchise Dark Souls Steam Deck Compatibility yes PC Release Date August 24, 2012 Platform(s) PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Switch, PC How Long To Beat 100 hours X|S Optimized no OpenCritic Rating Mighty Wiki
Fextralife Wiki
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If we take all other Soulsborne titles out of the equation and just consider the Dark Souls trilogy in a vacuum, I don’t think there can be any debate that the original Dark Souls was the strongest of the bunch.
This is primarily down to the integrated world design and the expert framing used by Miyazaki, allowing you to see exactly where you can go off in the distance at any point on your journey.
However, it’s also due to the wealth of amazing bosses on offer, the challenging areas that pull no punches, and the fact that this title took the framework of Demon’s Souls and made a more accessible, yet uncompromisingly difficult experience.
Dark Souls 3 definitely runs this one due to the sheer visual excellence and how well it wraps up the trilogy. But, regardless, the original Dark Souls is the Soulsborne genre catalyst for a reason.
1 Bioshock
A Man Chooses…
BioShock
FPS
Released August 21, 2007 ESRB m Developer(s) Irrational Games Publisher(s) 2K Games Engine havok, unreal engine 2.5, unreal engine 3, vengeance engine Franchise BioShock Platform(s) PC, PS3, Xbox 360 How Long To Beat 12 Hours Metascore 96 PS Plus Availability Premium (Remastered) Powered by
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Ken Levine is a genius, that much is clear. But little did he know that this genius would be an albatross around his neck, following him around ever after.
The world of Rapture was one that captured the hearts and minds of gamers everywhere, immersing them in this fantastical world of idealism, chaos, and genetic splicing.
But alongside a killer setting, the game also offered tight gunplay, deep lore, RPG elements, and one of the most memorable plot twists in gaming history. Basically, as far as blockbuster games go, Bioshock is right up there.
So, Ken Levine was left with a hill to climb to top this masterpiece, and despite some grandiose attempts, they have never quite managed it.
Bioshock 2 is an underrated gem, and Infinite is great in its own right. But, in truth, it would take one of the greatest games of all time to top the original Bioshock. But if anyone can do it, it’s Ken Levine.
