#5 Gunstar Heroes
Okay, maybe I’m a bit biased with this list because there’s just so many great video games I remember playing over the years that I really wish would make a return such as Gunstar Heroes. This is such a fantastic run-and-gun video game where players fight off a slew of enemies and boss fights in an attempt to save civilization from an evil organization.
An interesting aspect of the game was how players could swap out different power-ups in order to create a unique weapon. There were a few power-ups that players could mix and match resulting in rapid fire, long-range missiles or a heavier hitting short ranged attack.
The game launched in 1993 by developers Treasure and published under Sega. Players could go through the game on the Sega Genesis and needless to say, the game was a mega hit. In 2005 the franchise had finally received a sequel for the Game Boy Advanced called Gunstar Super Heroes and while there were a few changes to the gameplay mechanics, fans still thoroughly enjoyed the game.
Luckily gamers can still enjoy the original title on various platforms such as Steam where the game is currently only $0.99. If you have yet to try the game then definitely throw down a dollar and give Gunstar Heroes a download.
#4 Parasite Eve
Square Enix has had a few video game titles over the years that done well but there are definitely some Square Enix franchises that fans are hoping to be revived. Parasite Eve is one of those great survival horror titles that played out like an action RPG. Within Parasite Eve players take on the role of a young female police officer.
Aya Brea was a police officer in New York City who had to fight off a creature that was attempting to destroy the human race. This was an interesting survival horror title with combat being almost turn-based where players had to select a hostile enemy to attack rather than freely attacking.
Since its initial release in 1998, the series spawned two sequels, Parasite Eve II in 1999 along with The 3rd Birthday in 2010. While the game franchise has been shelved, there was an easter egg for the franchise within a Final Fantasy VII Remake teaser, but it doesn’t appear the developers are pursuing a new installment or reboot anytime soon.
#3 Bloody Roar
I’ve spent countless hours playing Bloody Roar with friends over the years. This was a fighting game series developed by Hudson Soft and Eighting. The game was similar to other basic fighting titles over the years such as Tekken but the biggest difference was that cast of characters could transform into different creatures. Throughout the match, players could gain the ability to morph into a sub-human that would be mixed with different animals such as a tiger, mole, rabbit, fox, and an elephant.
Over the years more characters were included into the rooster with there being a total of five video game installments. The last installment was Bloody Roar 4 which came out exclusively on the PlayStation 2. This fourth installment didn’t receive poor reviews but after Hudson Soft was acquired by Konami, the series has not seen a new installment.
Likewise, Konami as of late hasn’t really done much with their various franchises. Every so often there will be a post online with fans rallying up to the thought of a new Bloody Roar title but right now it doesn’t appear Konami has any interest in their Bloody Roar franchise.
#2 TimeSplitters
TimeSplitters is an FPS that was created by Free Radical Designs. The series was a more lighthearted cartoonish video game filled with futuristic weaponry and time travel that allowed players to fight in a wide range of maps. Overall, the video games from the series were just a blast to play.
Only three titles were released in the franchise with the last being TimeSplitters: Future Perfect which came out in 2005. This was actually a hit among both fans and critics so it was a bit odd to see how much time has passed since we have received a new video game release.
There have been statements and cancellations in the past for a TimeSplitters 4 though years have passed and this game never came to fruition. With that said, this reboot may actually happen after all as Koch Media had acquired the rights to the TimeSplitters IP in August of 2018.
So far the only news regarding TimeSplitters was the IP being acquired but this could likely mean that a new title is coming in the near future.
#1 Dino Crisis
Capcom has a strong following with their Dino Crisis video game franchise. The video game series came out in 1999 for the PlayStation, Dreamcast and PC platforms. Essentially, this game was Resident Evil but with dinosaurs and other monsters. Overall the game series was a hit where it spanned a total of three main installments among a couple spinoff titles.
Unfortunately, the third main installment seemed to have been the last. Dino Crisis 3 came out in 2013 where reviews were a bit mixed. Despite the less than spectacular reviews, the game series was still highly beloved.
We’re actually a bit surprised that Dino Crisis hasn’t received a reboot or new installment. There have been talks in the past with rumors suggesting that developers may bring out a new video game but so far nothing has been confirmed.
Bonus
Sunset Riders
We don’t see too many video games set in the old west in today’s latest generation of consoles. However, one title I fondly remember playing on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System was Sunset Riders. I was horrible at it but I easily sunk countless hours trying to get farther. This is a Konami owned title so I’m not holding my breath for a new installment, but if you haven’t played the game then you’re missing out.
Sunset Riders was a side-scrolling run and gun style video game where players take the role of a bounty hunter having to track and take out wanted criminals. The game launched in the early 1990s for the arcade, Sega Genesis, and Super Nintendo Entertainment System, all of which featured cooperative multiplayer.
Again, much like several of these video game titles on this list, there was a positive reception regarding the title though for whatever reason we never saw the franchise continue on.
