Everybody has at least one dream sequel, be it to a childhood favourite game or a title that didn’t quite meet its grand potential. This got us pondering which potential prospects we’d be willing to kill for, but not really, as getting banged and being unable to play them would be a terribly cruel irony… Chris | Fable 4 It's been a long time since we've had a proper Fable game (not counting the ill-fated Fable Legends) and the abrupt closure of franchise developer Lionhead Studios could mean that isn’t set to change anytime soon. Rare are probably the company best suited to take the reins if Microsoft decide to resuscitate the quintessentially British RPG (if it was up to me they’d have already started), though rumours suggest that Forza Horizon dev Playground Games may have received the honour instead. The series has always had its darker moments, though you could rely on a more jovial side quest or NPC encounter to provide some comic relief thereafter. This juxtaposition of humour and despair has always resulted in an unrivalled fun factor as you progress through engaging stories not without a sense of urgency. Whoever might develop Fable 4, maintaining this structure is a must. Myriad events could have unfolded throughout the history of Albion, from the inception of the Heroes' Guild right through to the start of the industrial revolution, which presents opportunity to breathe exciting new forms of life into the region for the next sequel and beyond. James | Mass Effect Zero While Andromeda left plenty to be desired when it was unlovingly thrown up for our delectation last year, there'll always be a place in my heart for the Mass Effect series. It’s a franchise that, unfortunately, no longer holds special status for many, due to the controversy started with Mass Effect 3’s lacklustre ending and perpetuated by the entirety of Andromeda. That’s why all of that should be left where it is, keenly sidestepping any need for narrative continuity by heading back to the era of the Genophage and humans' first contact. We may have had glimpses of the old world through DLC here and a flashback there, but the ME universe is begging for further exploration (as long as we don't have to scan any planets this time). I’d even be welcoming of new genres, as lore is held above gameplay when it comes to Mass Effect. Perhaps something more focused and less fixated on, say, the fate of an entire galaxy, making a strong statement and creating even more compelling characters that we can genuinely care about. There’s a universe of interesting directions for the series to venture out in - at the very least a whole spin-off for Dr. Mordin Solus' stunning singing career. We. Were. Robbed. Liam | Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 4 If there’s one series I’d like to see revived it has to be Rogue Squadron, probably the greatest set of Star Wars games out there (sorry, KOTOR fans). Sure, there were some odd moments, such as the first game’s Death Star trench run that bizarrely featured corners (we had to wait for Rogue Leader to get a proper homage) and the clunky ground combat found in Rebel Strike was pretty naff, but, for the most part, these games were the best way to relive the films’ most iconic dogfights. They were also great at filling in the gaps between these famous battles with some excellent original missions, such as defending Rebel transports on their way to set up a new base on Hoth, or stealing the Imperial shuttle that Luke, Han and Leia used to sneak onto Endor. Developer Factor 5 even dabbled in some very cool “What if?” scenarios, allowing you to thwart the Rebel’s attack on the Death Star and then turn the tables by crushing their base on Yavin 4. Basically, these games were a helluva lot of fun, and the series’ continued absence from the world of gaming is a travesty. Rob | ChuChu Rocket! 2 When Sam first sent over the sequel-you’d-love-to-see memo, I felt upwards of mildly flabbergasted. How could I possibly pick just one game? Especially since I’ve been playing video games for 25-odd years now! I’d absolutely love to see sequels to Shadow of Memories, Black, Sega Bass Fishing, International Superstar Soccer and many, many others. Push them to one side, though, folks, ‘cause there’s a certain puzzle game that I’d love to see get the Frankenstein treatment. ChuChu Rocket! was the Sega Dreamcast’s online pioneer, throwing down the gauntlet for anyone with dial-up internet at the turn of the Willenium. Containing a simple premise, ChuChu tasked you with using directional tiles to navigate mice into a rocket, before giant cats could eat them. Yep, you read that right. The single player side of things was great - set boards that went heavy on puzzle solving, where experimentation and logic were required to send those mice home - but it was the multiplayer that really stole the show. I never got to experience the online stuff, as I didn’t own a Dreamcast until years after its demise, but I did fall truly-madly-deeply in lust with ChuChu’s local counterpart. Placing your directional tiles at the right mark could either lead mice into your rocket, or cats into your associates, thus harnessing the most heartwarming of local multiplayer attributes: stitching up your friends. Creating a robust sequel would barely task Sega at all in the modern world and, as such, could probably make a metric brie-bounty in dollars back. Hear thy cries Dame Sega: resurrect fair ChuChu! What unannounced sequel do you need in your life? Let us know in the comments below.
If you're curious what we think about Warner Bros.' rumoured Harry Potter RPG, check out last week's edition of Team Talk. Leave a Reply. |
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