Feature: The 49 Best Sequel-Less Games Subscribe to this RSS feed

Games 20 to 11

20- Master of Magic (PC)

This PC strategy game was a mixture of everything that made Civilization and Magic: The Gathering great. Players expanded across a high-level strategic map while researching magic, and fought every battle using turn-based tactics. This often unstable game was worth playing despite the crashes.

Master of Magic has never had a sequel and probably never will. There may be similar fantasy games (titles like Age of Wonders come close), but recent attempts to acquire the Master of Magic name have fallen through.

19- M.U.L.E. (Atari, C64, NES, PC)

M.U.L.E. brilliantly transformed basic market economics into an exciting multiplayer turn-based strategy game. Not only did it disguise market forces with fun, M.U.L.E. provided an early elegant multiplayer experience on a console.

M.U.L.E.'s strength wasn't in its graphics or number of weapons, but in its simplicity and the elegant math underlying the play. Space HoRSE is an unofficial and unlicensed remake that demonstrated a simple PC port doesn't really change the underlying game.

18- Vagrant Story (PS)

This classic console role-playing game has influenced countless similar games, offering a cinematic plot the intricacy of which, typical of Square games, nearly defies description. Constant combat, clever crafting and occasional puzzles made for a memorable experience.

The only excuse for the lack of a Vagrant sequel is the supposedly poor sales of the game. This one is ripe for a sequel or remake.

17- Terra Nova: Strike Force Centauri (PC)

Terra Nova gave players Powered Battle Armor to play with in massive outdoor environments and served as a great middle ground between the MechWarrior franchise and the combat from Starship Troopers (the book, not the film). With configurable PBA suits, a superb campaign and random scenarios, Terra Nova is an all-time great.

Almost everyone who played Terra Nova loved it, but not nearly enough people played it. The game vanished from the collective gaming memory, never to score a sequel.

16- Stubbs the Zombie in "Rebel Without a Pulse" (Xbox, PC, Mac)

Created by Wideload Games, a development studio helmed by former members of Halo's development team, Stubbs presented an alternative to the glut of zombie-slaying games, putting you in the shoes of an zombified hero. With the ability to feast on the blood of humans or convert them to your undead army, Stubbs was a unique action game with an amazing style and an awesome soundtrack.

Wideload is currently developing the equally bizarre and fun-sounding "Hail to the Chimp" for GameCock, but we wouldn't be surprised if Stubbs returned from the grave once again.

15- Indigo Prophecy (PS2, Xbox, PC)

This adventure game (that developer Quantic Dream would rather call an interactive film) explores a series of supernatural murders in New York City. Indigo Prophecy held our attention because of its brilliant interface and player decisions that felt meaningful and had an actual impact on the game's outcome

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The future of Indigo Prophecy as a franchise is uncertain, but we'd be happy enough to see similarly sophisticated games from Quantic Dream.

14- SunDog: Frozen Legacy (Apple II, Atari ST)

One of the first and best games to give you a ship to explore, trade with and battle the universe at your leisure. Go 1984!

SunDog was the first game in a planned trilogy, but problems with publishers escalated and left this game a stand-alone classic.

13- Rampart (Amiga, Atari ST, C64, GBA, Genesis, Lynx, NES, Sega, PS2, PSP, PS3 GC, Xbox)

Simple, deep and addictive; every game aspires to that combination, but Rampart embodies brilliant game design. In three stages, players fire cannons from castles at incoming ships and troops, use oddly shaped wall-segments to rebuild fortifications and then place extra cannons. Multiplayer worked the same but with players blasting one another.

Rampart has been ported to nearly every platform, sometimes with minor changes, but we haven't yet seen a sequel or real remake. An updated version with online multiplayer support would be perfect for the new consoles, especially if it captures the feeling of the smooth trackball controls of the classic coin-op version.

12- Planescape: Torment (PC)

An amnesiac tattooed tourist accompanied by Mort, a surly speaking skull, awakens in the city of sigil for an absolutely top-tier RPG storyline.

Between the obscure Planescape license and the need to deal with Interplay (the company that won't quite die), a barrel full of lawyers won't get you another Torment.

11- Nintendogs (DS)

Often copied but not improved upon, Nintendogs brought the joy of training and playing with puppies to the DS touch screen. With the wireless "bark mode" players can even share pooches.

There are lots of versions, but really all the Nintendogs boxes are the same game with different covers and starting puppies. Expect real sequels when new platforms proffer more power.