TheRPGlandscape is dominated by long-running franchises, but something great occasionally comes and goes without ever getting a single sequel. While not every game needs a follow-up, more than a few one-offs have gas left in the tank. Then or now, picking up where these games left off could be the start of some great franchises.
Many titles that never turned into proper franchises still featured a follow-up or spin-off.Blue Dragonreceived a DS entry, for example, andChrono Crosscounts as a full-fledgedChrono Triggerfollow-up, even if it’s not theChrono Trigger 2that some fans would have liked. For the purposes of this list, only RPGs that were truly one-and-done will be counted, but there’s still more than enough to consider.
10Resonance Of Fate Has Combat Like No Other
Complicated Battles Worth Revisiting
Resonance of Fatewould likely have an uphill battle to a sequel, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t deserving of one. Like a lot of one-and-done RPGs,Resonance of Fatereleased on Xbox 360 and PS3, but it shouldn’t be confused with any other game of the era.A creative, complex battle system set it apart from competitors, and tightening the presentation of its steampunk story could lead to a strong successor.
Resonance of Fatereceived a remaster from its developer tri-Ace in 2018, but without the involvement of the original publisher, SEGA. Although a sequel might likewise struggle to attract publishing support, it would certainly be nice to have.
9Anachronox Has More Stories To Tell
All That Cut Content Should See The Light Of Day
AnAnachronoxfranchise would be a very long shot now, but under different circumstances, it could have been a great one.Anachronoxoffered an interesting fusion of JRPG design sensibilities and Western PC games of the late 90s, theoretically appealing to fans of bothFinal Fantasy 7andDeus Ex.It suffered even rougher delays than thelong-gestatingDeus Ex, however, and by the time of its release in 2001, the interest just wasn’t there.
Extreme cuts toAnachronox’s content during production left an obvious blueprint for a sequel, but the subsequent closure of developer Ion Storm certainly didn’t help matters. Perhaps it’s been long enough to resurrect theAnachronoxIP in a more welcoming climate, although I won’t be counting on it.
8Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Is Primed For More Success
All The Momentum Is In Place
As the freshest game on this list, it’s only natural thatClair Obscur: Expedition 33hasn’t yet received a sequel, but it’s certainly deserving of one. Inviting frequent comparisons to JRPG juggernauts likeFinal Fantasy,Clair Obscurmade its mark with a memorable story, fun battle mechanics, and a refreshing look at a French fantasy setting that stood out from other RPGs.
Although adirect sequel toClair Obscurwould be possible, it’s also perfectly poised to set up an anthology franchise in the vein ofFinal Fantasy.Regardless of what direction developer Sandfall Interactive takes with its next game, there will be plenty of fans ready and waiting to play it.
7Arcanum: Of Steamworks And Magick Obscura Is A CRPG Classic
A Game That Deserves Its Own Baldur’s Gate 3
Iconic computer RPGs likeFalloutandBaldur’s Gateleft a long legacy of sequels, butArcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscuramight be the best game of the scene that never managed to do the same. Developed by Troika Games, a studio founded by keyFalloutdesigners,Arcanumtook many ofFallout’s strengths to a setting that mixed magic with the Industrial Revolution.
Despite generating more sales than Troika’s later cult classic,Vampire: The Masquerade—Bloodlines,Arcanumhasn’t had the samequestionable luck in getting a sequelin development. With the massive success ofBaldur’s Gate 3, there’s a lot of attention on the CRPG market again, so it’s not too late to bringArcanumback to the table.
6Lost Odyssey’s Writing Is Still First-Class
Xbox Could Have Its Own RPG Flagship Franchise
Hironobu Sakaguchi’sFinal Fantasycertainly wore out theFinalin its title, but the same can’t be said for all of his other projects. One Sakaguchi game that deserves a revisit isLost Odyssey, an Xbox 360 RPG that he wrote alongside novelist Kiyoshi Shigematsu.
LikeSkies of Arcadia,Lost Odysseyis another oddball platform release, as the PS3 sold much better than the Xbox 360 in Japan and received far more JRPGs as a result. Nonetheless, the game sold well, andits emotionally complex story more than makes up for the limitations of gameplaythat didn’t always innovate. A sequel could build on these narrative strengths while updating the gameplay, resulting in the possibility of another Sakaguchi classic.
5The Last Story Is A Wii Standout
Xenoblade Shouldn’t Be The Only Franchise
Sakaguchi games without sequels are somewhat common, and another major title in the category isThe Last Story.As one of three Wii RPGs that received a major localization push thanks to the fan campaign Operation Rainfall,The Last Storymade its way to the West alongsideXenoblade ChroniclesandPandora’s Tower.While the game received strong reviews and sold well, it didn’t luck intoXenoblade’s franchise-starting star power.
The Last Story’s narrative doesn’t stand out quite as much asLost Odyssey’s, but it still sets a solid foundation for follow-ups. Its history on Nintendo platforms might bode better for the marginal chance at a continuation, as the Switch 2 will likely be a strong destination for RPGs releasing in the near future.
4The Legend Of Dragoon Could Have Rivaled Final Fantasy
A Big Push That Never Continued
The Legend of Dragoonwas Sony’s internal answer toFinal Fantasy, and as such, it should have been primed to kickstart a long-running franchise of its own. Upon release, however, the comparisons toFinal Fantasywere generally unfavorable, resulting in a solid reception that just couldn’t compare in terms of excitement.
Viewing it in its own right, however,The Legend of Dragoonwas great at the essentials that could lay a franchise foundation. While the combat and progression can drag, a fascinating world begs for further exploration, and a new game wouldn’t have to suffer from miscellaneous problems like its rough translation and uneven voice acting. There’s a wonderful series inThe Legend of Dragoonjust waiting to happen, even if the one game we got didn’t do everything right.
3Live A Live Has Endless Potential
More Anthologies, Please
If any game should be easy to create a great sequel to, it’sLive A Live. As an anthology featuring wildly different scenarios and inspirations,Live A Livespans everything from a prehistoric caveman adventure to a gunslinging Western. While the original game was never released in the West, a modern remake finally made its way to international markets.
The original game sold poorly, but the remake shows that Square Enix clearly believes in the title’s merits, and there’s never been a better time for a follow-up. The remake uses the HD-2D style popularized byOctopath Traveler, which would make it possible to develop at a more manageable scale than a massive 3D RPG.
2Fantasian: Neo Dimension Is Sakaguchi At His Best
Final Fantasy’s Creator Has Set Up Another World Of Possibility
If any Sakaguchi one-off has a real shot at turning into a franchise, it’sFantasian: Neo Dimension, his most recent effort. Debuting as an Apple Arcade exclusive,Fantasianfinally reached a wider audiencewith a recent port to major console platforms and PC.
WhileLost OdysseyandThe Last Storyattempted to move forward with the presentation of the times,Fantasianis deliberately old-school, delivering a charming handcrafted world that’s reminiscent of PS1 RPGs with pre-rendered backgrounds. It’s also one of his most well-received creations, and should Sakaguchi release another RPG in the near future, it’s entirely possible that it will pick up theFantasianmantle.
1Skies Of Arcadia Did Everything Right
A Great Game On All Levels
The PlayStation 2 was the number one destination for most early 2000s JRPGs, butSkies of Arcadiashowed up on the more unexpected platforms. Debuting on the SEGA Dreamcast and reappearing on the GameCube with a newLegendssubtitle,Skies of Arcadianever gained the market presence that its biggest competitors did.
Over time, however,Skies of Arcadiahas earned and maintained a spot as a stone-cold cult classic.Its sky pirate concept is immediately fun, and with a strong story, likable characters, and fun combat to back it up, there’s no reason that aSkies of ArcadiaRPGfranchise should be out of the discussion.
