5 games that should have been released at a different time

Like that one kid at your school who slicked his hair back and wore a black leather jacket every day, some games are born in the wrong generation. Whether it's because technology or the audience wasn't ready for them, we've got some titles that would have been better off had they appeared at a different time.

5. The Order: 1886

There are three certainties in my life: death, taxes, and I'll never shut up about The Order: 1886. Set in an alternate history, mixing steampunk with werewolves, vampires, and the Arthurian round table, it really had it all when it came to worldbuilding, and felt to me at the time as fresh as Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 felt earlier this year. The Order: 1886 was not to be lauded by fans and critics when it launched, though, as it was stocked full of QTEs and barely had a six-hour campaign. Those factors would have been looked upon much more favourably if The Order: 1886 released within the last five years or so. Not only would technological improvements have allowed the game to look as good as it did and have more content, but in the 2020s we've overcome the cliche of every game needing to offer 100+ hours of content, and have grown to appreciate smaller, focused experiences. A shame that the studio was shut down and we'll never get to see the IP revived.

4. Marvel's Midnight Suns

Marvel's Midnight Suns didn't even release that long ago, but it already feels like a flop that's a decade old thanks to how quickly Firaxis kicked it under the fridge like a bit of ice you can't be bothered cleaning up. A Marvel game used to be considered pure gold thanks to the likes of Marvel's Spider-Man, but then Marvel's Avengers went and ruined the fun for everyone, killing the hype for the vastly underrated Guardians of the Galaxy game and Midnight Suns. If you were to try Midnight Suns again, put it at a 2026 release. We've all seen how successful turn-based combat can be now, and you can pitch it as Marvel meets Baldur's Gate III and Clair Obscur. Job done. 1 billion copies sold.

3. Assassin's Creed Shadows

Not too long ago, people didn't really care if a video game character had a different skin colour to them. Now a very loud crowd cares all too much about DEI, woke, and such, and so I would send Assassin's Creed Shadows back in time. Yasuke might still have been controversial, but if we released the game in 2016 as the grand return of Assassin's Creed, I think it would be received much better. People won't have the fatigue they do with the franchise now, the RPG formula would feel fresh, and everyone could get excited about the feudal Japan setting not arriving far too late.

2. Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines

The reception of the sequel should show you just how much people yearn for a vampiric, in-depth RPG. At a time where most RPGs set off to the stars or flick spells in the air, Vampire: The Masquerade was gritty, and took place in a world that looked similar to our own. If you push the original RPG to now, you might have had something that is considered more of an actual classic than a cult classic. There's a lot of charm in the OG game, but I think with modern systems it really would have taken off in a way it couldn't back in 2004.

1. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II

Pure power fantasy. That's what was on offer in Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. I wouldn't change that game for the world, but I would make us wait a lot longer to see the sequel. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II feels like a rushed game. Sure, it's mildly prettier and adds another lightsaber to your arsenal, but apart from that it's really a pale comparison to the original. Star Wars: The Force Unleashed II should have been made when fans were really starting to feel that yearning for the original. When Starkiller's return would have felt like even more of an impossibility, and when the writers had time to come up with something better than a half-baked clone story.