Sequels that overshadow their source material are a rare occurrence, but when it does happen, it’s worth noting. If you ask any gamer or movie buff, they’d probably tell you the inverse occurs much more often, leaving fans that were once faithful to first releases staring down an IP they no longer recognize.

A successful follow-up to a flop can keep a franchise from an early grave, while a stellar sequel to an equally impressive debut title can cement an IP’s place in media history.

According to critics from various outlets, these video game sequels steal the limelight from their predecessors. Whether the first was a bust or a blockbuster, the commercial and critical success of these follow-ups still play a significant role in the franchise’s longevity. Using aggregated critic scores from Metacritic, we’ve compiled a list of video game franchises with sequels superior to the first installments. Metacritic assigns scores ranging from 1 to 100 — the former reserved for gaming’s worst, and the latter, the medium’s very best.

Portal 2

If you had access to electricity in the late 2000s, then you’re likely familiar with the brutalist architecture and puzzle-laden test chambers of Aperture Labs. The popular puzzle hit, first released in 2007 as part of Valve’s The Orange Box, got a worthy successor in 2011. The first Portal was already a smash, securing a Metacritic score of 90. However, Portal 2 managed to top its antecedent with a Metacritic score of 95 thanks to slicker visuals, a more substantive story, and truly excellent writing.

As someone who had a plush Wheatley hanging from their rearview mirror in the early 2010s, Portal will always hold a place in my heart.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Revolver, the first in the Red Dead series, landed in 2004 to mixed reviews. After Rockstar Games acquired the rights, however, things changed. In 2010, the open-world adventure Red Dead Redemption immersed players in an unforgiving turn-of-the-century town alongside gruff outlaw John Marston. The game captivated would-be cowboys, its Metacritic score of 95 a dramatic jump from that of its predecessor.

Somehow, the franchise kicked it up a notch with the 2018 masterpiece Red Dead Redemption 2. The heartwrenching Western introduces players to beloved antihero Arthur Morgan as well as a younger Marston, all while offering captivating side quests, gratifying character development, exceptional voice acting, cinematic cutscenes, devastating deaths, and a no-skips soundtrack with an exclusive Willie Nelson track. Red Dead Redemption 2 holds an eye-popping Metacritic score of 97, and is currently No. 9 on Metacritic’s Best Games of All Time list.

Nowadays, I’d reckon more people know the name “Arthur Morgan” than “John Marston.”

Half-Life 2

Like Portal, Half-Life is the brainchild of the folks at Valve. The franchise’s first installment dropped on November 19, 1998, earning a Metacritic score of 96. Half-Life 2 was released on Valve-owned digital game distribution platform Steam in 2004. While the sequel also sits with a 96, gamers inside and outside the industry near-universally name the second installment as superior. The critical darling swept awards season, earning 39 Game of the Year awards. Now, more than 20 years later, the game frequently appears on many a “Best Games of all Time” list.

Also, can we collectively address the fact that Steam’s been around for over two decades?! Wild.

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Baldur’s Gate 3

High fantasy role-playing game Baldur’s Gate landed on Dungeons & Dragons fans’ PCs in 1998. The tabletop adaptation breathed new life into story-rich, narrative-driven RPGs and holds a Metacritic score of 91. Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn followed not long after, beating its predecessor with a Metacritic score of 95.

It was Baldur’s Gate 3, however, that propelled the franchise to the forefront of awards shows. The game launched on August 3, 2023, and earned a Metacritic score of 96.

Admittedly, I’d never even touched a D20 (digital or otherwise) until my friends urged me to hop into Baldur’s Gate 3. Nearly 1,000 hours and a commemorative tattoo later, my gray matter has been irreparably changed — and no, not by an illithid.

Borderlands 2

The first Borderlands game was released to audiences in 2009 and earned an aggregated Metacritic score of 84. Borderlands 2 dropped four years later, and its score of 89 backs up most fans’ belief that the second installment is the series at its best.

Those impressive scores didn’t carry over to the recent movie adaptation, though. Eli Roth’s big-screen Borderlands adaptation released last summer to abysmal reviews, Razzie recommendations, and a Metacritic score of 26.

The fourth Borderlands is dropping soon, but fans have to get past Pitchford’s cost-related commentary first.

Dark Souls II

The first Dark Souls entry launched on October 4, 2011, introducing players to what’s now known as one of the most challenging — and rewarding — video games ever made. The first garnered a Metacritic score of 89, but the follow-up from 2014, Dark Souls II, sits with a Metacritic 91 and a Metacritic Must-Play distinction. Adrenaline-pumping battles with some seriously persistent enemies, a vast open world available to explore, unbelievable visuals, and nonstop action from start to finish? Sold.

Yakuza 2/Yakuza Kiwami 2

North American fans first met Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima in beat-’em-up RPG Yakuza when it landed on PlayStation 2 in 2006. The game earned a Metacritic rating of 75. Its sequel, Yakuza 2, dropped stateside about two years later and holds a Metacritic score of 77. The first game takes players around the in-game city of Kamurocho, where they can utilize unorthodox strategies to save citizens, aid in offbeat quests, play hilarious minigames, and avoid the omnipresent Goro Majima.

In the 20 years since it first debuted in the States, Yakuza‘s cult following gave way to updates and offshoots. In 2017 and 2018, remakes of the first two games dropped — now titled Yakuza Kiwami and Yakuza Kiwami 2 — which have Metacritic scores of 80 and 85, respectively.

Give me a complete Yakuza minigame collection and I’ll put up pre-awards circuit “For Your Consideration” signage myself.

Titanfall 2

The first Titanfall was released on March 11, 2014, and currently sits with an 86. Titanfall 2, which launched on October 28, 2016, nabbed an impressive 89. While both titles were gorgeous, action-packed adventures, the second in the series offered improved shooting, fleshed-out multiplayer capabilities, extensive customization options, intricate environments, and precise platforming.

Mass Effect 2

The first Mass Effect was released in November 2007 to a Metacritic score of 91, which is already remarkable for a brand-new IP. Mass Effect 2, which arrived in January 2010, took an already remarkable world and upped the ante in just about every way — stellar writing, the ability to forge meaningful relationships with Normandy crewmates (romantic or platonic), character customization, slick weaponry, new environments, and so much more. The sci-fi drama earned a Metacritic score of 96.

Mass Effect 2 is listed as a Metacritic Must-Play title, and is No. 24 on Metacritic’s all-timers list.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

This tenured franchise has been a hit since the first game, Super Smash Bros., dropped onto Nintendo 64 consoles on April 26, 1999. The introduction to the fighting game series snagged a Metacritic score of 79, but it really found its footing with Super Smash Bros. Melee for the Nintendo GameCube. Released on December 3, 2001, the second Smash Bros. secured a Metacritic score of 92. The series’ continued success eventually led to Brawl for Nintendo Wii and Ultimate for Nintendo Switch, both of which have a Metacritic score of 93.

Silent Hill 2

Silent Hill crept onto OG PlayStation consoles on February 24, 1999, earning a Metacritic score of 86. The follow-up to the scary shooter, Silent Hill 2, landed on PlayStation 2 on September 25, 2001, earning a Metacritic score of 89. Like some other franchises here, its success eventually led to the development of remakes. Silent Hill 2, which was released last October, sits with a Metacritic score of 86.

A new film adaptation titled Return to Silent Hill is arriving in early 2026, so let’s hope it fares better with fans than its 2006 and 2012 interpretations, which have Metacritic scores of 31 and 16, respectively. Woof.

Dead Space 2

Extraterrestrial-laden sci-fi horror Dead Space launched on October 13, 2008, and holds a Metacritic score of 89. Dead Space 2, which arrived a few years later in 2011, landed with a Metacritic rating of 90. The series’ cult following helped pave the way for recent remakes, too, with the 2023 remake of the first Dead Space holding an 89. The first iteration was scary enough; the 2023 release’s striking graphics, high-octane combat, and hair-raising audio make this one hit even harder than it did back in the day.

Resident Evil 2

The very first Resident Evil was released in 1996 and earned an aggregated critic score of 91. Two years later, Resident Evil 2 arrived on the PlayStation to a Metacritic score of 89.

If you’re familiar with the Resident Evil IP, you know the sequels didn’t stop there. While Resident Evil 3: Nemesis shipped in 1999 to a Metacritic 91, the IP’s magnum opus, Resident Evil 4, released in 2005 for GameCube and PlayStation 2 to a near-perfect 96. Its 2023 remake garnered a score of 93, making it the franchise’s highest-rated remake.

StarCraft II

Real-time strategy franchise StarCraft was seemingly inescapable in the aughts, but the series really brought it with StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. The first entry dropped on family computers on March 31, 1998, and earned a Metacritic score of 88. The follow-up hit digital and brick-and-mortar retailers in Summer 2010, earning a Metacritic rating of 93.

RTS games aren’t for everyone, but if you’re feeling froggy, StarCraft sure is a good place to start.

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

The Witcher has long been more than a TV series. On October 30, 2007, the first game was released with a Metacritic score of 81, and frankly, it was only up from there. The following entry garnered an 88, and the third Witcher, a 92. There is, in fact, a fourth in the works from devs at CD Projekt Red, which will shift from Geralt’s perspective to that of his daughter, Ciri. Some naysayers are (vocally) apprehensive about the change, but fans and critics agree that the franchise has only gotten better with age. Let’s not cancel the party before the invites go out!

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