Sometimes a game series might just need a prequel if the plot has more to tell or take place entirely in a new setting. Not only that, but at times there's even an opportunity to throw in some new gameplay mechanics to spice things up a bit. Two examples of great prequels that come to mind are Devil May Cry 3 and Metal Gear Solid 3, in which both contributed to the character development of their existing stories while adding superb gameplay mechanics. Since then, we've been getting lots of prequels that've been either hits or misses.
Resident Evil 0 (Capcom)
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| Full of twists and surprises, but mostly leeches... |
Kicking things off is Resident Evil 0, which takes place right before the first Resident Evil. The plot centers on the origin and spread of the infamous T-virus onto the rural town of Raccoon City. Also, it focuses on S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team, who were dispatched to investigate the Arklay Mountains before the arrival of the all-star Alpha Team. Resident Evil 0 introduced some interesting gameplay elements such as the "partner zapping" mechanic and the ability to drop items anywhere and pick them up later. It did well despite being only released for the Nintendo GameCube back in 2002, however it did get an HD remaster a while back, meaning that you can play this gem in a higher resolution with better textures. Just make sure you don't have any phobias against leeches...
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Edios)
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| He didn't ask for this, but we sure did. |
Taking place 25 years before the classic Deus Ex, Human Revolution follows the story of Adam Jensen, head security chief of Sarif Industries, a world-leading cybernetics firm. After a terrorist ambush killed his girlfriend and left him near-dead, Jensen must track down the people who wronged him, this time cybernetically enhanced to kick serious ass while also stumbling upon many political conspiracies. Human Revolution re-introduces the open-ended nature of its predecessors with multiple ways of infiltrating an area and disposing of its enemies. Despite the crappy boss fights, the gameplay is engaging and the option of having more than one way to deal with a situation allowed for some neat experimentation.
Yoshi's Island (Nintendo)
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A classic that still plays well
by today's standards.
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Didn't see this one coming? Yoshi's Island is pretty much a prequel to the Mario series and sees the titular Yoshi on a quest to reunite a toddler version of Mario, who's been separated from his brother Luigi by Baby Bowser's forces. Yoshi's Island was renounced for its use of colorful and hand-drawn visuals back in the day. Not only that but the platforming as Yoshi was sweet, despite Baby Mario's constant nagging, and the puzzles were interesting too. While it doesn't do much in terms of story (C'mon, it's a Mario game, they're mostly light on the story), Yoshi's Island was a nice spin on the series.
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening (Capcom)
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Harder, better, and faster than the disappointing
DMC2.
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Not only Devil May Cry 2 stared a much more serious Dante but was the last game story-wise despite the series only having two games. 2005's Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening ditched all that and went straight to the beginning with a younger, more energetic Dante. Devil May Cry 3 delves deeper into Dante's lineage and introduces new characters, including one of gaming best villains, Vergil, Dante's twin brother. Not only that, but the gameplay got a significant set-up from DMC2's and features four new "styles" Dante can choose from which changes the way he controls. Tough-as-nails bosses, mesmerizing action sequences, and a rocking soundtrack makes Devil May Cry 3 easily among the best examples of a prequel done right.
Child of Eden (Q Entertainment)
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| Vibrancy and stellar looks are part of the journey. |
The prequel to the all-time Dreamcast classic, Child of Eden take place before and during the of events of Rez. This time around, the goal is to save "Project Lumi" from an unknown virus that been infected inside the web. Like its predecessor, Child of Eden is a little thin on the plot, but manages to still engage you with some flashy and vibrant visuals and an engaging soundtrack courtesy of Genki Rockets. It's an on-rail journey that has you creating musical effects to destroy enemies. While it's not for everyone, Child of Eden is a stellar game with a mesmerizing presentation and surprisingly tight gameplay, should you invest in it.
The House of the Dead: Overkill (Sega)
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| Gorier, cruder, and humorous. |
The House of the Dead: Overkill is the prequel to Sega's cult zombie on-rail shooter series, The House of the Dead. Set seven years prior to the first The House of the Dead, Overkill centers on a young, inexperienced Agent G, joined by foul-mouthed detective Isaac Washington. Together, they must uncover the truth behind the mysterious disappearances occurring in a small town in Louisiana. While it doesn't reinvent the series by much, Overkill is still a blast to play using the Wiimote controls and the writing is easily the best in the series (if you don't mind some F-bombs here and there and the constant toilet humor). We haven't gotten anything in the series since the 2012 remaster of Overkill for the PS3, though if the recently released The House of the Dead 5 on arcades is anything to go by, then there's a chance that Sega might bring back the series for the current gen.
Halo: Reach (Bungie)
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| Reach holds up surprisingly well. |
I remember religiously playing Halo: Reach back when it debuted in 2010. A prequel to the very first Halo game, Reach focuses on a group of UNSC Spartans called "Noble Team" instead of the legendary Master Chief. As "Noble Six", the new recruit of the team, you'll be joining on the squad on a journey to combat the on-going Covenant forces and ensures humanity's victory. Reach succeeds on telling a gripping story with great characters and best of all, revamping the gameplay. The new armor ability system allows you to choose from a range of power-ups such as invincibility, camouflage, sprint, and so on to tackle enemies. Additionally, Reach was the last game to be developed by series developer Bungie, before 343 Industries taking over the helm. While I'm absolutely in love with the original Halo, I still hold Reach in high regards due to it's memorable experience.
Yakuza 0 (Sega)
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Yakuza 0 is one big adventure that
you shouldn't miss.
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Arguably one of the best prequels ever made, Yakuza 0 travels way back in the 1980's and stars younger incarnations of series veterans Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima. Kiryu is still learning the ropes of becoming a yakuza while Majima is atoning for his past mistakes by managing a local nightclub. Things turn for the worse for the two when they're caught up in a dispute between raging yakuza families. As a prequel, Yakuza 0 does a terrific job of expanding the lore of its world and further developing its characters. Additionally, it introduces new gameplay mechanics such as three "styles" systems that change the way how Kiryu and Majima control. Better yet, you can also manage a cabaret club, play RC pocket cars, disco dancing, among others. The presentation also captures the essence of the lavish and colorful economy of 80's Japan and it looks so good. With all that's been said, it's no surprise why Yakuza 0 was my game of the year for 2017.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Nintendo)
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Swing, Tilt, and flick the Wiimote till the battery runs
out.
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Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (Kojima Productions)
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| Prequels don't get better than this. |
The prequel to end all prequels. You guessed it, it's the legendary Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater. Travelling all the way back to the 60's during the Cold War, Snake Eater stars Metal Gear antagonist Big Boss, known as during that time as Naked Snake. He is sent by the U.S. government to assassinate his former mentor and friend, The Boss, who defected to the Soviet Union. Along the way, Snake will meet up with familiar faces as well as new ones to prevent a nuclear war as well as complete his morally questionable mission. Gameplay gets a significant revamp from Metal Gear Solid 2. Since Snake will be most spending his time outdoors, he'll need to change his clothes often to fit his surroundings and constantly eat to maintain his stamina, which is what the camouflage and stamina systems are for, respectively. Additionally, there's also a "hand-to-hand" combat system to neutralize nearby enemies. Without a doubt, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is a terrific example of a prequel done right as it expands to its already rich lore while adding some creative gameplay mechanics.
That's all for this time. There were definitely lots of great prequels, especially such as the likes of some mentioned above but there's also a chance that I missed a few, so feel free to share-out some of your favorite prequels in the comments below. Until next time.
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