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10 Underrated Franchises That Need A Reboot

From Prophet of AI


It's no secret that Nintendo likes to keep its cards close to its vest when it comes to projects that are early in development. However, the big N made a very surprising reveal at the very end of its E3 2019 Direct by showing some teaser footage for a sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild . The footage shows Link and Zelda exploring a dungeon below Hyrule Castle and the pair run into a reanimated corpse that could be a familiar old foe... There's still no word on when this title will arrive, but the trailer did a great job sparking discussion and hype for the ti


These spectacular showcases will be excellent outlets for both major console manufacturers to sell their upcoming new hardware, with Microsoft and Sony likely to announce tons of new games, reveal some stunning next-generation gameplay , and unveil some groundbreaking new entries in their most iconic franchises. For many, the latter of these prospects is without question the most exciting, especially as new consoles mean more expansive ways of tackling some of gaming's most important


On Sony's original PlayStation, there were no better platformers than the Crash Bandicoot trilogy. All three games gave everything one desires from the genre: challenge, beautiful art, and rewarding secrets. The next generation wasn't as kind to the mascot, and he was nearly silent on the PS3 and Xbox


Silent Hill 2 from 2001 stands as one of the greatest horror games ever made and pushed the medium forward with its nuanced story about guilt, trauma, and lust. The next entry was a worthy successor, though the series never again reached the second game's artistic heights. Things looked up in 2014 when Silent Hills was announced through the enigmatic demo P.T. The title, a collaboration between Hideo Kojima and Guillermo del Toro, was tragically canceled by Konami due to their drastic business restructuring. It doesn't look like a proper Silent Hill follow up will come anytime soon. At least Kojima moved on to release Death Stranding , one of the year's most unique AAA tit


After the success of P.T. inspired psychological thriller Layers of Fear in 2016, horror game extraordinaire Bloober Team followed it up with the cyberpunk-themed psychological thriller, Observer for PC, PS4, Xbox One , and Nintendo Switch earlier this year. It's next game, Observer: System Redux is effectively a next-generation port, taking the original game and updating it with enhanced visuals and gameplay, as well as brand new story content . Observer: System Redux is coming to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in the fourth quarter of 2


An easy contender for Microsoft's biggest Adventure game DLC for 2020, Halo: Infinite , returned to E3 this past summer and received a featured spot at the very end of its annual press conference. The new cinematic footage was more story-centric than the prior year's atmospheric tease and revealed an unnamed UNSC pilot discovering Master Chief floating in space. After reviving the iconic hero, a mysterious yellow lightning strikes the USNC Pelican, prompting Master Chief to grab a gun and jump out of the ship. For fans wanting more, Microsoft is essentially putting Halo Infinite back on ice until E3 2020 ahead of its holiday 2020 launch on Project Scarlett. We'll be ready for the next update whenever it arrives over the sum


While the story itself isn't breaking any new ground, the world that Bug Fables takes place in is incredibly charming. The three characters grow on you as the game progresses, and while the dialogue isn't exactly hilarious, it's amusing, well-written, full of bug-related puns, and walks the fine line between straight-laced fantasy and fourth-wall-breaking humor. It takes a little while for the plot to get rolling, but once it picks up, it becomes an excellent throwback to RPG narratives of the 16 and 32-bit


Lionhead Studio's Fable was the Xbox's flagship RPG franchise. While infamous for Peter Molyneux's grand unfulfilled technological promises, it still managed to please legions of Microsoft fans for years throughout the company's first two consoles. Sadly, the company closed in 2016 , leaving an upcoming title in the series canceled. The franchise's future is currently up in the air, though Phil Spencer has hinted at a possible comeback several times in recent years. Whatever happens, it probably won't involve Molyn


From the brilliant minds at Bloober Team, developer of Layers of Fear 2, Blair Witch , and the previously mentioned Observer: System Redux comes a new original next-generation psychological horror, The Medium . Haunted by a vision of a child's murder, players control Marianne, a medium that's living between two different worlds: the real world and the spirit world, and must find answers in an abandoned hotel resort. For the creation of The Medium 's soundtrack, Bloober Team has chosen to collaborate with Silent Hill composer Akira Yamaoka in an effort to reflect the game’s theme of duality. The Medium will release on Xbox Series X and PC in Holiday 2