The run up to the release of a popular sequel is often a double-edged sword.

Whether a franchise sticks too close to its roots or diverts too far in a new direction, pulling off a great sequel is an incredibly difficult task.

Here are 14 video game sequels on new gen systems that may not necessarily be bad, but definitely didn’t live up to it’s predecessors.

1. Call of Duty: Ghosts

Call of Duty: Ghosts defines what is takes to make a game bland, repetitive and filled with over used, stereotypical, and down right boring ideas.

From its lackluster single player to it’s dull multiplayer, Ghosts continued the franchises downward spiral into bargain bin gaming.

Add to that the expensive season pass and we have ourselves a game that could range anywhere from $60 to well over $100 and it quickly became the laughing stock of next gen launch titles.

2. Forza Motorsport 5

As a sequel to Xbox 360’s Forza 4, however, Forza 5 is a bit of a letdown.

From less tracks to a similar selection of cars, Forza 5 showed us beautiful, next gen graphics and what we were to expect for the next several years.

Luckily it quickly became out performed by the following years Forza Horizon 2 and this years Forza 6. Both of which truly expressed what new generation gaming is all about.

3. Killzone: Shadow Fall

Killzone Shadow Fall was a beautiful game, especially for a launch title.

But with a uninspired story, and lifeless cityscapes, it felt like a useless graphics demo wrapped around last gen gameplay.

Shadow Fall was not a bad game, it just didn’t have that emersion we experienced from it’s sequels.

4. Assassin’s Creed Unity

With a fantastic story that really emphasized the Assassin’s duty for revenge how could it be a disappointment?

Easy. Unity shipped unfinished.

Covered from head to toe in bugs and glitches, Unity’s luxurious presence was completely wiped away when players got stuck in hay bales, or climbed to a ledge unable to move after, or stuck in a wall.

5. Battlefield: Hardline

When we think of Battlefield, we think of large open areas where tanks and jets fly overhead. Battlefield Hardline was not that image.

Hardline functioned really well for what it was: A cops and robbers game filled with numerous new game modes.

But maybe EA should have taken off the “Battlefield” moniker and made it its own title.

6. Dead or Alive 5: Last Round

Dead or Alive 5: Last Round had a lot to live up to following the fourth installment.

Fighting mechanics were sound yet uninspired, graphics were not much better than those found on last gen consoles.

It continued to rely on nearly naked women to sell the title rather than carrying over or making better that which was Dead or Alive 4.

7. Kinect Sports Rivals

A fun game, but it didn’t truly utilize what was at the time considered to be a next generation of player depth on screen through use of Kinect 2.0.

Overall Rivals worked for the most part, but when it didn’t respond via Kinect sensor it just plain didn’t respond.

8. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

The glorified demo that cost a whopping $40 for a physical copy. It was a nightmare of an idea from Konami.

The missions were short, non-adventurous and the game could be finished in less than an hour. Some people managed to finish it in under 10 minutes.

The limited gameplay and price really drown out this sequel to a prequel.

9. LittleBigPlanet 3

Little love was given to LBP3 as it felt as though it was made just for a quick fan service.

Not enough attention was put into LBP3 to garner a sequel at the level it should have been.

Along with a not so smooth launch, LittleBig Planet 3 may be a fun game overall but disappointed as a sequel.

10. inFamous: Second Son

Infamous 1 and 2 introduced us to a character and world we fell in love with. A world unlike anything we’d seen.

But coming just shortly after launch it suffered from what most launch titles suffer from: a lack in substance.

There is nothing that makes this game bad, but rather not quite as full as its original two before it.

11. Singstar Ultimate Party

The original Singstar gave us a reinvention of how singing into a microphone through a game could be actual fun.

Party upped the anti by making it possible for players to sing into their smartphones.

That sounds all and good, but it often didn’t work well enough. Along with that there just wasn’t enough content to make this sequel an important one.

12. Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture

Everybody’s Gone To The Rapture isn’t exactly a sequel. It’s a follow up to PC’s Dearth Esther. A remarkably unique game and completely original from its debut.

Understandably, the creators tried to accomplish the same effects with a new, totally awesome story, and amazing graphics. It didn’t work this time around.

Rapture couldn’t blend it’s dull, non-stop walking with enough story to capture gamers’ minds for longer than a few hours and for its asking price.

13. Planetside 2

Planetside 2 works out perfect… if one buys it for PC. But the PS4 version doesn’t quite live up to par.

It becomes hard to control a game with vast controls designed for a keyboard with several keys and smash it all down into a PS4 controller.

As well, there were a few technical flubs in the game specifically on the PS4 version that made this a disappointment.

14. Batman: Arkham Knight

It’s hard to say this game was a disappointment, right?

Sadly, it too falls into those blurred lines of good but disappointing.

Arkham Asylum and Arkham City were both two of the greatest games of last gen according to critics, so what happened to Arkham Knight?

That’s the question. The answer is: nothing, really.

This game, compared to the first two was just a Batman game that was missing so much heart. But it is in no way a bad game.

(source: gamebolt)