Games that got sequels after a long time - the good and the bad

[Silly Germans]

Killer Instinct 2 (1996) -> Killer Instinct (2013)
Shadow of the Beast 3 -> Shadow of the Beast (2016)
SiN (1998) -> Sin Episodes: Emergence (2006)

I'm waiting for Franko 2 and nu-Battletoads.

I totally missed that one, SiN (1998) -> Sin Episodes: Emergence (2006). Was it any good ?

 

[Parsifarka]

I'll follow the same strict criteria the OP requests:

The Demon's Forge (1981) -> Hunted: The Demon's Forge (2011)
Choplifter (1982) -> Choplifter HD (2012)
Bionic Commando (1988) -> Bionic Commando (2009)
King's Bounty (1990) -> King's Bounty: The Legend (2008)
Stones of Arnhem (1994) -> Grimoire: Heralds of the Winged Exemplar (2017)
Realms of Arkania: Shadows over Riva (1996) -> Realms of Arkania: Blade of Destiny HD (2013)
Starcraft: Brood War (1998) -> Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty (2010)
King's Quest: Mask of Eternity (1998) -> King's Quest (2015)
Dracula 2: The Last Sanctuary (2000) -> Dracula 3: The Path of the Dragon (2008)
American McGee's Alice (2000) -> Alice: Madness Returns (2011)
Diablo II: Lord of Destruction (2001) -> Diablo III (2012)
Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (2003) -> Max Payne 3 (2012)
Doom 3 (2004) -> Doom (2016)
Thief 3: Deadly Shadows (2004) -> Thi4f (2014)
Syberia II (2004) -> Syberia III (2017)
Disciples II: Gallean's Return (2005) -> Disciples III: Renaissance (2010)
Dungeon Lords (2005) -> Dungeon Lords MMXII (2012)
Quake 4 (2005)/Quake Live (2010) -> Quake Champions (2018)
Broken Sword 4: The Angel of Death (2006) -> Broken Sword 5: The Serpent's Curse (2013)
Amnesia: A Machine for Pigs (2013) -> Amnesia: Rebirth (2020)
Deadly Premonition: Director's Cut (2013) -> Deadly Premonition 2: A Blessing in Disguise (2020)
RAGE (2011) -> RAGE 2 (2019)
Serious Sam 3: BFE (2011) -> Serious Sam 4 (2020)

 

[oddech_wymarlych_swiatow]

Sin Episodes: Emergence (2006). Was it any good ?

Basically it's Half-Life 2 done right. As every Source engine geam still looks great, has great gunplay, I especially like Highrise map.

One of the last PC exclusive fpp shooters that keeps old formula alive, zero console influence.

I'll add:

Kid Icarus (1986) -> Kid Icarus: Uprising (2013)
Balloon Fight (1984) -> Tingle's Balloon Fighht DS (2007 - Ballon Kid from 1990 is more of a spin-off)
NARC (1988) -> NARC (2005)

 

[sser]

Pulling from my recent buys.

Fantasy General (1996) to Fantasy General II (2019)

Desperados 2 (2006) to Desperado 3 (2020) -- this one is actually much longer if like most people you skipped over Desperados 2. Desperados 1 came out in 2001.

If you count X-Com Apocalypse as the last genuine entry (1997) then there's a big gap to XCOM (2012).

Port Royale 3 (2008) to Port Royale 4 (2020) is kinda interesting for being such a wide gap in a series already long in the tooth.

 

[Nifft Batuff]

The epitome of failure:

Thief 1&2 (1998, 2000) -> Thief 3 (2004) -> Thiaf (2014)

 

[Semiurge]

The epitome of failure:

Thief 1&2 (1998, 2000) -> Thief 3 (2004) -> Thiaf (2014)

I don't think you were implying that T3 is crap like Thi4f, but I must still say that imo it's on the same level with the first two. The only things that drag it down are the npc's clunky animations and lifeless appearances. I didn't even mind the city hub. It has a good story, very good ambiance and (mostly) good voice acting.

 

[Morpheus Kitami]

Ubisoft did Zombi (1986) then did ZombiU (2012) for some reason. Considering that the original is very close to a certain 1978 film, you'd think that'd be the last game Ubisoft would want to make into a franchise.

 

[Nifft Batuff]

The epitome of failure:

Thief 1&2 (1998, 2000) -> Thief 3 (2004) -> Thiaf (2014)

I don't think you were implying that T3 is crap like Thi4f, but I must still say that imo it's on the same level with the first two. The only things that drag it down are the npc's clunky animations and lifeless appearances. I didn't even mind the city hub. It has a good story, very good ambiance and (mostly) good voice acting.

Yes, T3 is not crap, although it has some decline respect the original duology, but it is mainly due to technical/quality aspects, its soul is the same of the originals. The real decline is between T3 and Thiaf, where the time gap is also significant. They have completely antithetical souls, even more if we compare the last one with the original duology.

 

[Semiurge]

its soul is the same of the originals.

Here is that soul

 

[Semiurge]

Let's see you hitting those same low notes.