Summary
- True Crime and Mercenaries are examples of open-world series with only two solid entries, leaving fans wanting more.
- Deadly Premonition took an unorthodox approach to game design, offering unique gameplay mechanics and storytelling.
- Prototype and Middle-earth are open-world series that ended after two games, each bringing a distinct experience to players.
Open-world video games are ostensibly the "complete" experience, where there is a whole world of infinite possibilities for players to discover. However, this is clearly not the case with so many series spawning sequel after sequel. However, some of the most memorable, genre-defining series got in, dropped two solid entries, and dipped either because of studio closures, licensing issues, or plain old bad luck.
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Whether they ended on a high note or left fans begging for more, these two-game open-world series all earned their place in the hall of what-could-have-beens. From superpowered rampages to immersive westerns and forgotten cult hits, these are the best open-world franchises that told their story in just two parts, and did so better than some ongoing sagas ever could.
5 True Crime (Streets Of LA And New York City)
Two Crimes, Two Cities, Cases Closed
True Crime: Streets Of LA
- Released
- November 4, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Genre(s)
- Action
True Crime was Activision’s answer to open-world crime sims: gritty, clunky, and ambitious. Streets of LA dropped players into a sprawling recreation of Los Angeles as rogue cop Nick Kang, blending driving, shooting, and hand-to-hand combat into a chaotic sandbox that leaned heavily on cinematic flair and a little of that early-2000s edgelord attitude.
True Crime: New York City followed with a darker tone and a new protagonist, but technical issues and lukewarm reception killed any hope for a trilogy. While most true crime tales end on a bleak note, there is something of a happy ending for the series. Sleeping Dogs, while a spiritual sequel that didn't get its own follow-up, took on many of the strengths of the series while branching out on its own.
4 Deadly Premonition (And A Blessing In Disguise)
Peek Cult Classic Open World Eccentricity
Deadly Premonition
- Released
- February 23, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Given how much time and money are needed to create open-world games, the studios making them tend to play it safe. That wasn't the case for Deadly Premonition, which took an unorthodox approach to game design, to say the least. Deadly Premonition presents a story and world reminiscent of Twin Peaks, with strange and novel gameplay (such as a hygiene meter) at the expense of graphical realism.
A decade later, Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise served as both a prequel and a sequel, splitting gameplay between two timelines. In the past, players once again controlled a younger Agent York as he navigated the open-world town of Le Carré, Louisiana, via skateboard. Anything is possible, especially when it comes to this eccentric series. But while there could someday be a third, given the reception of Blessing In Disguise, that kind of future seems as unlikely as the world and people of the series itself.
3 Mercenaries (Playground Of Destruction And World In Flames)
Payback Is Just Business
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction
- Released
- January 11, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Open-World, Action
Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction hit the scene in 2005, long before open-world games were ubiquitous, with one promise: if it's visible, it can be blown up. Set in a fictionalized North Korea on the brink of war, players choose from three distinct mercs to wreak havoc with, take contracts, and play every faction against the other. The chaotic sandbox destruction and tactical freedom made it a cult classic.
Mercenaries 2: World in Flames dialed up the chaos with fuel raids, airstrikes, and full-scale anarchy across a fictionalized Venezuela. Unfortunately, bugs, questionable tone, and a few half-baked ideas marred the sequel’s legacy. Pandemic Studios shut down soon after, and Mercenaries 3, sadly, was never more realized than concept art.
2 Prototype (And Prototype 2)
The Virus Finally Ran Its Course
Prototype
- Released
- June 9, 2009
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Action, Open-World
What began life as an Incredible Hulk game set in New York took on a life of its own (or at least some kind of life form) when Prototype unleashed Alex Mercer into an open world teeming with chaos, conspiracy, and body horror. With its blend of parkour movement, shapeshifting abilities, and explosive combat, the first game delivered an open-world power fantasy unlike anything else in the late 2000s.
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Prototype 2 shifted focus to a new protagonist and improved combat and traversal, but the series never made it past that second chapter, with some fans feeling as though the senseless aggression, while cathartic, left the story a little burnt out. As such, Prototype lived up to its namesake and was left behind by its creators for new horizons.
1 Middle-earth (Shadow Of War And Shadow Of Mordor)
Two Games To Bind Them All
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
- Released
- September 30, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
For a franchise with as much lore as The Lord of the Rings, it’s a little tragic that Monolith’s Middle-earth games never got a third installment. Shadow of Mordor introduced players to the (Warner Bros. Original character) Talion and his ghostly partner Celebrimbor, fusing the pair’s quest for revenge into a blend of Assassin’s Creed-style traversal, Arkham-like combat, and the now-iconic Nemesis System, which made enemies personal.
Shadow of War expanded on the formula with sieges, stronghold management, and even more orc drama, though it stumbled with lootboxes at launch. Sadly, there was no third game in the Middle-earth series, even though there was so much potential left in terms of story and gameplay potential. The series isn't the only thing that Warner Bros. Left behind, as their controversially patented game mechanic was never dusted off for another series, which is a tragedy considering how many superhero licences the publishers have owned with all their rogue galleries.
Honorable Mention: Metal Gear Solid 5
Metal Gear Solid 5: Ground Zeroes
- Released
- March 18, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Violence, Strong Language
- Genre(s)
- Stealth
The Metal Gear series began long before the infiltration of Camp Omega and V "came to," and technically, the last game in the series was Survive. However, the stealth epic only tread softly into the open world format with Ground Zeroes and concluded that mission with The Phantom Pain. That's at least according to those fans who consider Survive something of an "official asset flip" and a poor follow-up to MGS5 following director Hideo Kojima's departure from Konami.
The "V" saga arguably began earlier with Peace Walker, but MGS5 in both its parts feels distinctly its own, even if some fans feel the story was cut an act or two too short. Either way, the series is unlikely to see any new titles, not least an open-world game.
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