The majority of video game sequels tend to not overpass the predecessors. The original games lay the foundation and are the most likely to leave the best experience. That being said, sequels are often very disappointing. Though I've created a list of video game sequels which are, in my opinion, way better than the original.
Half-Life 2
This is actually a pretty tough decision, because the original Half-Life was an industry changer back then, but so was Half-Life 2. The original did in fact lay the foundation, but the sequel took advantage of it, adding tons and tons of improvements. The graphics isn't the only thing that makes this decision viable - the gameplay and story development has a bigger standpoint that anything else. Half-Life 2 amazed the world with such a unique story based FPS and it exceeded the original for sure.
Assassin's Creed II
I think it's pretty safe to say Assassin's Creed II exceeded over its predecessor. Though it was a release which freed the minds of the new generation gamers, the original still frustrated people with its flunky combat and main protagonist who was a little bit too self-indulging. Of course, then AC II came in and changed all of the previous mistakes that have been made, including the combat system, protagonist as well as some other features which enhanced the experience and made it a better game overall.
Mass Effect 2
The original Mass Effect was awesome and it should surely take a lot to exceed it, though in my opinion, the sequel did surpass it. Maybe it's different for others, but Mass Effect 2 felt more in-depth that the original. It may only be my taste, or I might be right. When you're playing ME2, you feel like you're in a Sci-Fi movie. There was no need to rush - gather a team, upgrade your weapons and your ship and do everything at your own pace. Though there are some other points to address, I will be keeping it short and just stating that it did surpass the original, as well as Mass Effect 3.
Batman: Arkham City
Batman: Arkham Asylum was like a game without flaws: awesome combat mechanics, great voice acting and design as well as an intriguing variety of super-villains. So how do you top a game which seems to have everything that there needs to be? Well, it's actually simple - make it open-world. Everything was already good, but they opened up the world in the sequel, which lead to it surpassing the predecessor.
The list wouldn't be complete without this game. The Witcher 3 is one of my most favorite games of all time and it is certainly among the top games in over a decade. The Witcher 2 had a lot to offer, though it is absolutely no match to the the sequel. The story, the atmosphere, the gameplay - everything was topped, in my opinion. A lot of it had to do with the open-world RPG formula. The voice acting is also greatly improved, in my opinion.
Thank you for reading and share your thoughts!
