Summary
- Sequels are crucial in gaming, often surpassing the original titles in quality and mechanics.
- Outstanding sequels, such as Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Call of Duty Black Ops 6, and Tekken 8, were released in 2024.
- Players were impressed by games like Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Zero, Dragon’s Dogma 2, and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown.
While the gaming world loves to see great original titles, you can’t overlook how important sequels are to the industry. After all, most of the biggest games every year tend to be follow-ups to other titles. Plus, unlike movies, the quality of game sequels is a lot more consistent. In fact, it’s rare to see a gaming series where the first entry is the best.
Typically, the original game introduces some of the mechanics and perhaps the story, but all of that is built on and refined in future instalments. Therefore, it’s no surprise that 2024 was filled with a bunch of excellent sequels, from RPGs to fighters to shooters. These are the ones that stand out the most.
This list only contains true sequels, not remakes. The one exception to this is Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth because while it is a remake, it is also a sequel to the 2020 Final Fantasy 7 Remake. This is different from the likes of Silent Hill 2, which is just a remake of a sequel.
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Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Released
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February 29, 2024
- Developer(s)
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Square Enix
- Publisher(s)
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Square Enix
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 4
- ESRB
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T for Teen
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is unusual in that it is both a remake of a sequel and a sequel in itself. This is because the original Final Fantasy 7 is technically a sequel, as it’s the seventh game of the FF series, but Rebirth is also a sequel to the 2020 Final Fantasy 7 Remake. It’s all a little bit confusing, but the important thing is that Rebirth is an incredible RPG.
It continues the retelling of the original FF7 story. In fact, it picks up right where the 2020 Remake left off and revolves around Cloud and his buddies making their way across the planet. The storytelling is very compelling, and it’s made even better by the beautiful cutscenes and brilliant voice-acting.
7
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6
Pretty much every Call of Duty game is divisive to some extent, and the same can be said of Black Ops 6. Yet, the campaign has received more praise than most other campaigns in the series. This is because it does things quite differently from other Call of Duty titles.
There are stealth missions, a horror-like mission, a heist, and more in this story mode. So, there is a great variety to the campaign, and the missions are generally well-designed. The game’s zombie and PvP multiplayer modes also have plenty going for them. All the modes are made better by the title’s solid and satisfying gunplay.
6
Dragon Ball Z: Sparking! Zero
Some people in the West may not know that Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero is a sequel. After all, in that part of the world, there were no other games with ‘Sparking’ in the tile as the Dragon Ball arena fighter series was called Budokai Tenkaichi. Only in Japan was it called the Sparking series.
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However, the odd naming confusion aside, it’s very much an entry in the Budokai Tenkaichi series and an excellent one at that. The visuals are stunning, the fighters are distinct, and the story mode is a compelling re-telling of Dragon Ball Z and Dragon Ball Super. Of course, none of this would matter if the core fighting mechanics were uninteresting. Thankfully, combat is fast, satisfying, and has a surprising amount of depth.
5
Dragon’s Dogma 2
The original Dragon’s Dogma was highly regarded upon release, so people have been waiting for years for a true sequel. Finally, fans got their wish in 2024 with Dragon’s Dogma 2. Thankfully, the game was worth the wait, as it’s a wonderful action RPG featuring thrilling but tricky third-person combat.
The story is set in a different universe than the first title, so it isn’t a direct continuation. However, it is a very captivating narrative revolving around an Arisen, who is fated to slay a certain dragon that roams the land.
4
Tekken 8
- Released
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January 26, 2024
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 5
- ESRB
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t
Tekken is a series that feels like it has been around forever. As a result, you’d think it would be hard to make each new instalment feel different from the last. Yet, Tekken 8 was made using an upgraded engine and was released on more powerful systems than Tekken 7. Therefore, the developers managed to make the new game feel fresh with new mechanics and improved visuals.
At the same time, though, it still feels like a Tekken game. This is certainly felt in the story, which is a continuation of the Tekken 7 narrative and involves Jin Kazama facing off against his father. It’s a well-told tale in what is a fantastic fighting game.
3
Prince Of Persia: The Lost Crown
It is easy to forget that Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown came out in 2024 since it was released very early in the year. However, it’s a 2024 title and a fantastic one at that. It isn’t a direct sequel to the Prince of Persia games that came before. In fact, it’s more of a reboot. Like the other games, it’s an action-adventure title, but unlike many of them, it’s also a 2.5D side-scroller.
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There are also some platforming mechanics, as the protagonist has to slide, jump, and air dash their way over the many obstacles in their path. Thankfully, it feels very smooth to perform those moves. The hero, Sargon, has to do those things because he’s on an important quest to rescue a kidnapped Prince. So, the overall objective is fairly standard for a video game, but the journey there is very enjoyable.
2
Like A Dragon: Infinite Wealth
While Like A Dragon games come out fairly regularly these days, the constant releases haven’t hurt the overall appeal of the series. 2024’s Infinite Wealth is a perfect example of that, as it’s one of the best Like A Dragon games ever.
It follows the adventures of both of the main protagonists of the series: Ichiban Kasuga and Kazuma Kiryu. So, it’s a sequel to both Yakuza: Like a Dragon and Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name. That sounds like a lot to manage, but Infinite Wealth does a great job juggling everything. In the process, it still manages to be outrageous and exciting, like every game in the series.
1
Helldivers 2
Helldivers 2
- Released
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February 8, 2024
- Developer(s)
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Arrowhead Game Studios
- Engine
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bitsquid
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence
The original Helldivers was a good game, but it was nowhere near as popular as Helldivers 2. The sequel truly captured the imagination of fans and became one of the most beloved co-op shooters in recent memory.
In both games, you’re a trooper tasked with fighting a whole bunch of enemies on behalf of Super Earth. The main difference is that the original title was a top-down shooter, while Helldivers 2 is a third-person shooter. It’s one of the most entertaining third-person shooters in recent years, mainly due to how chaotic operations can get once more and more enemies start coming your way.
