10 Great Game Franchises Nobody Remembers

While some game series, like Grand Theft Auto and The Legend of Zelda, enjoy lasting popularity for many years, others eventually fade away and are no longer developed or played.

Many beloved game franchises have unfortunately disappeared over the years, often due to falling sales or the companies that made them going out of business. It’s always disappointing when a great series is forgotten, like what happened with games such as TimeSplitters and Medal of Honor, which were once very popular.

Medal of Honor Used to Be Better Than Call Of Duty

Many gamers still fondly remember the Medal of Honor series, but it seems to have faded from public awareness. The last traditional console game came out in 2012, and the most recent release, a 2020 VR title called Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond, didn’t live up to the standards set by previous installments.

The Medal of Honor series was once considered superior to Call of Duty in terms of storytelling and overall quality, particularly with games like Medal of Honor: Rising Sun and Medal of Honor: Frontline. While traditionally set in World War II, the series moved to the 2001 Afghanistan invasion in 2010, a change that ultimately made it more difficult to stand out among other shooting games.

Bionic Commando Failed to Make a Comeback

Bionic Commando was a groundbreaking 2D platformer because it did away with jumping. Instead, players used a grappling hook arm to swing and climb, creating a unique way to move through levels. Though there haven’t been many games in the series since its debut in 1987, Bionic Commando is remembered for its inventive gameplay and memorable hero.

Spencer, the main character, is mostly remembered for two things: being in the unusual 2009 remake of Bionic Commando – where his robotic arm was surprisingly revealed to be his deceased wife – and consistently appearing as a popular, grappling-focused fighter in the Marvel vs. Capcom games. The series really needs a proper comeback that celebrates its original, creative ideas, instead of focusing on its more outlandish story developments.

TimeSplitters Deserves Masterpiece Status

This series, once famous for its wacky humor and time-traveling adventures, has largely been forgotten. Released over three games between 2000 and 2005, it allowed players to journey through history – from the 1930s to the far future – and was well-known for its creative map editor and memorable, eccentric characters.

The TimeSplitters series was once hugely popular with a dedicated fanbase, but it lost momentum after Future Perfect. Fans have been hoping for a new installment to recapture the fun of the original games. Although a sequel was planned around 2009, it was ultimately canceled because the developers didn’t believe there was enough interest.

Manhunt Used to Be One of the Most Controversial Video Games Ever

The game Manhunt is notorious in gaming history, famous for being so disturbing that it was prohibited in numerous countries. It plunges players into a bleak and depressing world, controlling a character named James Earl Cash. After narrowly escaping execution, Cash is compelled to commit murder by an unseen director who is filming a gruesome snuff film.

Rockstar created the game Manhunt, which shares the same universe as the Grand Theft Auto series, even referencing its location, Carcer City. A sequel came out in 2007, but there hasn’t been much news about another installment since then. Despite fading from public attention, Manhunt remains one of the…

Driver Was Once the Ultimate Driving Game

The Driver series was once known for creating some of the most exciting racing games ever made. It offered fast-paced chases and challenging missions that took inspiration from classic car chase movies. A standout title was Driver ’76, which allowed players to explore a detailed city and experience the atmosphere of 1970s America.

First released in 1999, the game Driver was celebrated for its unique city settings and how realistically cars handled. However, after several sequels, it lost popularity and struggled to stay relevant. Now, fans look back on it as a groundbreaking series that paved the way for today’s urban driving games, though it was eventually surpassed by franchises like Grand Theft Auto.

Two Worlds Was a Victim of Unfortunate Timing

The Two Worlds series has two games. The first heavily uses old-fashioned, medieval-style dialogue – many conversations with characters begin with phrases like “me’thinks m’lord.” The second game, however, attempted to be more realistic and perhaps overdid it.

Fans of the original game were unlucky because Two Worlds came out shortly after The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and around the same time as the Oblivion Game of the Year edition. This meant Two Worlds didn’t get much attention, which was a shame. Many RPG fans actually thought Two Worlds was better than Oblivion in some ways, offering a world with fewer loading screens and more variety.

Amped Was One of the Best Snowboarding Games Ever

Snowboarding games used to offer different experiences. The SSX series focused on realistic action, while the Amped games were more lighthearted and funny. The best of the Amped games was Amped 3, where players used special snowboarding abilities to protect the mountains.

The Amped snowboarding series released three well-received games between 2001 and 2005, but then faded away. It’s remembered for its realistic and engaging freeride gameplay, and it left a void in snowboarding games that hasn’t been filled since. Amped stood out with its cool style, large mountains to explore, complex tricks, and emphasis on enjoying the ride and improving your skills.

Tenchu Is a FromSoftware Series With a Cult Following

The game revolutionized action games with its focus on stealth when it first launched on PlayStation in 1998. It put players in the role of a ninja, challenging them to move unseen across Japanese rooftops, eliminate enemies quietly, and avoid being discovered in a richly detailed, atmospheric setting.

The Tenchu series had several installments, with the last one, Tenchu: Shadow Assassins, appearing on the PSP in 2009. Interestingly, the franchise was originally created by FromSoftware, the studio now best known for popular titles like Dark Souls and Elden Ring.

Red Faction Was an Incredibly Fun Sandbox Series

This game was groundbreaking for letting players dramatically change the environment during battles – destroying buildings and reshaping the landscape felt new and exciting. The story took place on Mars and centered around a rebellion of workers fighting against a powerful, controlling corporation.

Red Faction stood out from other shooting games by letting players creatively destroy environments – collapsing tunnels or demolishing enemy bases to gain an advantage. These innovative ideas were ahead of their time and, with today’s gaming technology, could be even more impressive. Despite building a dedicated fanbase, the series was unfortunately discontinued.

Mercenaries Is a Forgotten Franchise That Needs to Come Back

Released in 2005, Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction was a groundbreaking game. It arrived when open-world games were still new and delivered exactly what players expected: a chance to run wild in a devastated North Korea. The main goal was simple: find all 52 members of the Song offensive and prevent the conflict from escalating globally.

The second Mercenaries game really brought the world to life, setting the action in a vibrant Venezuela. Players could once again play as any of the three main characters, along with their familiar contact. The story revolves around a betrayal and a fight to stop a military takeover. It’s filled with ridiculously memorable characters and groups, and you have the freedom to cause massive explosions whenever you want.

2026-01-25 20:18