Five adventure game sequels that outshine their predecessors

It’s not often that a sequel outshines the original. Sometimes they are better but rarely do they OUTSHINE their predecessors. From my viewpoint, this is very much the case in adventure games. It probably has something to do with the novelty of being introduced to the characters for the first time. Kind of like a good first date. It’s exciting, right? When you capture that first-date magic and then expand upon it the next time, then you have something. In this article I’m breaking down five adventure game sequels that didn't just step out of their predecessors’ shadow, they redefined the expectations for their respective series. 

Here’s my criteria:

1: The first game had to have been a great game, or at least a popular one. I mean, it’s easy to outshine a bad game, right? 

2: The sequel has to be a direct successor. This helps cut down on the possibility that improvements are largely due to technological advancements.

3: I have to have played the games. This seems obvious considering the fact that this is an opinion piece, but…you know…the internet.

Let’s go!!

Monkey Island 2: LeChuck’s Revenge

The Secret of Monkey Island was known for its humor, starring a kid who falls ass-backwards into funny scenarios. A great recipe for laughs. LeChuck's Revenge matched the comedy but also built on who and what Guybrush Threepwood was. Guybrush wasn't just a pirate wannabe anymore; he was a full-fledged hero (just ask him) with a slicker wardrobe and even more hilarious one-liners. But it wasn’t just Guybrush whose character became more interesting. LeChuck, the ghost-pirate-turned-zombie-turned-whatever-the-heck-he-was villain, was now even more menacing, with a deeper vendetta against Guybrush.

Visually, the sequel didn’t just rest on the first game’s laurels. With improved graphics and even more vibrant environments, every island and ship overflowed with detail, making exploration even more fun than The Secret of Monkey Island. Want scurvy? Go to Scabb Island. Want some booty? Well…depending on what kind of booty you’re looking for, you might find it on Booty Island.

Finally…THE MUSIC. The music and sound design in LeChuck's Revenge were in a league of their own. The soundtrack was as catchy as ever, but it went beyond the charming melodies of SOMI. LeChuck’s Revenge added a plate full of richer soundscapes that immersed players deeper in the environment.

Did I say “finally” earlier? Scratch that. I’ve got one more: The ending was great! FIGHT ME.

The Legend of Kyrandia: Book Two – Hand of Fate

Let me sum up really quickly and then expand on it: The first of three “books” of Kyrandia was an adventure genre sinner very much of its era. Like many other games back then, it suffered from the age-old genre afflictions of unwinnable scenarios, screw-you mazes and excessive backtracking. You could play almost the whole game without knowing you were supposed to hold onto a flower – which if you know Kyrandia, you know it’s not as simple as just letting inventory sit in your trousers until needed. You had to make choices as to what to hold onto, and damn that flower!

I know that was harsh, but so was the ending. On a happier note, the game was also beautiful and charming in between its frustations, and Book Two: Hand of Fate took things up a notch all around. Not only were the graphics and music enhanced, but the writing was vastly improved and the sequel was simply developed better.  It was so much more cohesive, with less walking around. There were some tricky puzzles but they were well balanced and felt like they suited the situation better. The characters were much wittier and more fun to interact with, and the spellcasting really enhanced the game’s overall enjoyability.

With the important improvements made after the first game, Hand of Fate still holds up extremely well, and definitely remains the series’ peak that even the third and final game was unable to reach.

Riven

Playing Myst was like viewing an art exhibit without any frame of reference as to what the artist was going for. You knew it was unique and beautiful…but what was it? Myst dropped you into something strange and unfamiliar, then expected you to figure out what that something was and how to win. No hand holding. Not even a nudge. You had to just stumble around and gradually piece together what the heck was going on… but first you had to solve a puzzle and didn’t really know why. 

Its sequel, Riven, mixed characters and plots together masterfully. The narrative depth in Riven drew you into the universe in a way that Myst just didn’t. There was more on the line. You had to save Catherine, and it truly felt like solving “just one more puzzle” would help reopen the Star Fissure. Who knew paper hieroglyphs and rotating domes could suck you in so completely?

Myst had some good puzzles, but Cyan improved in the puzzle development between the first game and Riven. The sequel’s puzzles felt like they meshed better with the story and world, whereas oftentimes in Myst I felt like the puzzles were just thrown in as obstacles, rather than as a way to direct you through a cohesive game. 

Riven was – and still is – simply put, an intricate and mentally stimulating game! The only downfall at the time of its release was its worst-designed puzzle: the massive number of CD swaps, which thankfully isn’t a problem anymore. 

Black Mirror 2

When you think of Black Mirror, you better not be thinking of the Netflix anthology series. I mean, the TV show is fine but we’re talking about the classic adventure game series. 

Black Mirror wasn’t known for its great storyline, but Black Mirror 2 began to fix that – perhaps because of a developer change from Future Games to Cranberry Productions. While the first game set up a gothic horror atmosphere, its sequel added plot twists and richer character backstories. The new protagonist, Darren, was developed so much more than Samuel Gordon. You got to know Darren personally through gameplay, rather than just WATCHING Samuel get to know his family's past. And with new twists that allowed players to learn more about his connection to the family as well, it still had that first-game-in-the-series feel to it.

The visuals also took a huge leap forward in Black Mirror 2, as the environments were more detailed and the animations smoother. It also scored big points in the atmosphere department. It built on the moody and chilling vibe of the original but added a layer of suspense and intensity. The sound design and musical score were top-notch, enhancing every scene and location. Oh, and there were more scenes and locations to explore. 

In all, Black Mirror 2 was a bigger production overall, and in an eerie horror game, the small things added up to… well, an even eerier horror game. 

Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is in my opinion one of the best movies ever. The Last Crusade THE GAME (adventure version, not to be confused with the more action-oriented game of the same name) had a great story, but we'd seen it in the movie, and it didn’t add anything new to the story. The Fate of Atlantis gave us something new. That’s a huge bonus, but the stakes also felt higher: You were racing to find the legendary lost city of Atlantis and possibly save the world. The storyline immersed you in the legend, making every choice feel like it was leading to some ancient secret – secrets that held real power.

The Fate of Atlantis introduced us to Sophia Hapgood, a no-nonsense, psychic ex-archaeologist who kind of stole the show. With her headstrong personality and Indy’s charm, the duo gave us banter that kept us wanting to read all the dialogue options. Their dynamic was better than with any sidekick Indy had before, providing depth and humor that kept us going. 

Then there’s the three paths that FOA offered: Wits, Team and Fists, each of them well worth trying out. Long story short is that the Wits path is puzzle-oriented, the Team path involves working much more closely with Sophia, and the Fists are….well, you know. You punch your way through. Each path offers its own unique experience. 

The graphics and sound were the biggest improvements. In The Fate of Atlantis, we were gifted with art and music that elevated the experience, something we didn’t get in The Last Crusade. The vibrant 2D graphics were full of nostalgic charm, capturing the aura of ruins and busy markets vividly, while the soundtrack provided strong melodies that echoed Indiana’s fearlessness. The designers visualized and orchestrated Indy’s adventure and made us feel like it was OUR adventure

The Last Crusade had its moments of glory, but The Fate of Atlantis went beyond a simple movie adaptation and gave us an experience.

That’s five that I played, but there are so many more! Check out more in this deeper dive video: 

But let’s not stop there. I’ve not played the first two games of every series, especially the early adventures, so here is a list of sequels deemed better than their predecessors that were chosen by genre fans on our Discord: 

Police Quest II: The Vengeance
The Journeyman Project 2: Buried in Time
Star Trek: Judgment Rites
King’s Quest II: Romancing the Throne
Discworld II: Missing Presumed…!?
Phantasmagoria: A Puzzle of Flesh
Les Manley in: Lost in L.A.
Runaway 2: The Dream of the Turtle
Quest for Glory II: Trial By Fire
Little Big Adventure 2 (aka Twinsen's Odyssey)
Leisure Suit Larry Goes Looking for Love (in Several Wrong Places)

Sequels sometimes get a bad rap, but these titles show that with the right blend of improvements and respect for the original, magic can truly happen. 

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