4) System Shock 2
There are some games whose sequels are so well-received that the original can be all but forgotten about. System Shock 2 is just such a game. Though the original System Shock is considered very influential, particularly in terms of its gameplay design and its 3D engine, its sequel is held up as a much superior product.
The second instalment’s success probably had something to do with Ken Levine and Irrational Games (of BioShock fame) co-creating it. Retrospectively, it’s easy to look back at System Shock 2 and see where BioShock‘s influence came from, but even at the time of its release it was considered a huge success.
System Shock 2 took home seven Game Of The Year prizes, citing its engaging story, role-playing elements and horror atmosphere as something to unanimously applaud. The first System Shock may have left its mark on the world, but the sequel took it a step further by influencing a whole genre of video games.
Despite only selling around 58,000 copies (just over a third of what System Shock sold), the game is still considered a landmark in the FPS genre nearly 15 years after its release.
When a sequel can outshine the original despite poor sales, you know you have something that can transcend mere commercial success and stand the test of time as a truly astonishing achievement.