Much like other mediums such as books, films, and TV shows, the gaming industry is filled with titles that are beloved by critics, but didn't get the sales they so richly deserved. However, it should always be remembered that sales are not a reliable metric of a game's quality. Outside factors such as an oversaturated market or changing consumer expectations can hinder the financial prospects of superb titles.
It can be soul-crushing when a beloved game doesn't move enough units to justify a follow-up. However, sometimes, developers find a way to slip through the cracks and give their titles another chance. With the advent of crowdfunding, publishers no longer have a stranglehold on titles, leading to many unexpected resurgences.
10 Telltale Brought Sam & Max Back Form The LucasArts Sarlacc Pit
Sam & Max Freelance Police was meant to be the sequel to the beloved graphic adventure title Hit the Road and the duo's 3D debut. Unfortunately, LucasArts canceled the game when it was late into production. This news was subject to much scorn and ridicule from gaming press members.
The company then laid off its adventure game staff, many of which formed their own company called Telltale games. When LucasArts' license for Sam & Max expired, Telltale decided to make their own titles and release them in an episodic fashion. All three seasons were praised for their writing, humor, and lively soundtrack.
9 Nights Journey Of Dreams Didn't Reach Its Predecessor's Heights
When transitioning from the Sega Genesis to the Saturn, Sonic Team decided to take a break from the blue blur and focus on a tile focused on flight. Takashi Izuka read up on the works of Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud to help craft the wild dreamscape that players would traverse. For years, fans pleaded for a sequel, only to be refused again and again.
However, in 2006, Sonic Team decided to bring the flying jester to Nintendo's Wii. The sequel, Journey of Dreams, was subjected to more mixed reviews for its sappy story and woeful platforming sections.
8 Bubsy The Bobcat's Return Was A Clunker
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After years of subpar side-scrolling titles, Bubsy's disastrous 3D outing seemed to have snuffed out the remainder of this bobcat's nine lives. The game's tank controls, low poly backgrounds, and wonky camera all showed how far behind the furry mascot was compared to Mario and Crash.
However, Black Forest games decided to surprise everyone by announcing that Bubsy would return in a brand-new title called The Woolies Strike Back. Unfortunately, gamers and the press were more than a little confused and annoyed by the prospect of a new game with this loquacious mascot. The resulting title was subsequently panned by gaming critics.
7 Yu Suzuki Squandered His Chance With Shenmue III
The first two Shenmue entries were considered landmark titles that helped pioneer the sandbox genre. They boasted a level of immersion and detail few titles could match. Unfortunately, the games didn't sell nearly enough to justify their exorbitant budgets. For years, it seemed as if Ryu's quest had come to a premature end.
Thankfully, with the power of crowdfunding, Shenmue III finally became a reality. Unfortunately, the resulting title felt like a game that had been dug up from a time capsule, and it made no substantial progress in the series' main plot line.
6 Players Can Finally Unearth The Secret Of Monkey Island
When LucasArts abandoned the graphic adventure genre, it seemed to be the end of any further voyages to the fabled Monkey Island. 2001's Escape from Monkey Island marked the last proper adventure developed by the company that helped kickstart this genre's renaissance. Fortunately, former LucasArts members formed Telltale Games, who helped helm a fifth installment – Tales of Monkey Island.
Despite the game's cliffhanger ending, Walking Dead's success seemed to put the kibosh on further adventures with Guybrush Threepwood. That was until Disney, and Ron Gilbert teamed up for Return to Monkey Island in 2022.
5 Crash Bandicoot Spun Back Into The Medium
After a succession of critical flops and canceled projects, it looked as if the orange marsupial's days were numbered. Crash Mind Over Mutant marked the Bandicoot's final foray into the console gaming space for years. It wasn't until E3 2016 that Sony announced its intention to partner up with Activision to remaster the original PlayStation 1 trilogy.
Crash Bandicoot N-Sane Trilogy was a critical and commercial success that reminded players how Naughty Dog became a household name. It wasn't long before Toys for Bob announced a proper sequel in the form of Crash 4.
4 Wasteland Finally Received A True Successor
The original Wasteland was very much the spiritual predecessor to the Fallout series. Ecstatic over the success of The Bard's Tale, EA commissioned another RPG by Interplay productions. The team led by Brian Fargo drew inspiration from the films The Road Warrior and The Terminator. Despite the game's success, EA decided to produce the intended sequel in-house rather than with the original team.
The resulting title, Fountain of Dreams, was panned by critics and fans alike. It wasn't until 2014 that inXile Entertainment would develop a true sequel to the game. Developed by many key members of the original team, Wasteland 2 was released to positive reviews.
3 Crowdfunding And Microsoft Made Possible The Sequel To Psychonauts
The original Psychonauts was intended to be an Xbox exclusive, but a change in management caused the game to be dropped from their lineup. Fortunately, Double Fine found a replacement publisher in the form of Majesco, who was desperate enough for a hit to take a chance on Tim Schafer's esoteric platformer.
The resulting title became the gaming poster boy of "critical darling; commercial flop." Fortunately, the unexpected success of Broken Age gave Schafer the idea to use crowdfunding to fund the sequel. After Microsoft signed on as a publisher, Psychonauts 2 was released to rave reviews.
2 Samus Returned In Two Solid Metroid Sidescrollers
For almost two decades, Metroid Fusion would be the last mission that intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran completed. The following years would see the phenomenal Metroid Prime trilogy and some crushing disappointments in the form of Other M and Federation Force.
However, in 2004, a proper 2D entry was announced in the form of Metroid Dread. It was speculated that the title would make its way onto the Nintendo DS. Sadly, years passed with nary a screenshot or gameplay footage of this potential return. Fortunately, MercuryStream would revitalize the series with the 3DS remake of Metroid II before delivering players the feeling of dread on the Nintendo Switch.
1 Half-Life Alyx Made The Series Rise And Shine
Half-Life 2 Episode 2 left fans with a cliffhanger that would never be resolved. While the idea of releasing the next installment in separate pieces was meant to accelerate the process, it only provided more fuel to the long-running joke of Valve not being able to count to three.
However, in 2019, Valve announced that the series would re-emerge with the power of VR. Half-Life Alyx was a prequel/sequel that put players in control of the eponymous resistor who fought alongside Gordon Freeman in their battle against the Combine. Valve also made the reluctant decision to retcon the cliffhanger at the end of the previous game.