Cracking the Chronological Code: Why Gaming Prequels Often Cast the Best Spells
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Jeff dives into why video game prequels, unlike their cinematic counterparts, often manage to be brilliant, expanding beloved worlds and characters rather than just rehashing old ground. From Batman's early brawls to the Red Dead Redemption 2's epic last ride, he explores how these chronological rewinds cast proper magic on their franchises.
Alright, curious gamers and digital wanderers! This week, I've been deep-diving into the annals of gaming history, prompted by a rather excellent list I stumbled upon: IGN South Africa's 'The 10 Best Video Game Prequels.' You can check out their original rundown right here if you fancy a peek.
Now, you know how movie prequels can often feel like someone tried to un-bake a cake – messy, disappointing, and usually ends with more questions than answers (*cough* *Hannibal Rising* *cough*). Like accidentally reversing a summoning spell, only to get a slightly bewildered imp instead of a mighty demon. But in the world of games? Sometimes, just sometimes, they manage to conjure up some real magic, deepening the lore and making us fall even harder for the characters and worlds we already adore. Fair dinkum, some of 'em are even better than the originals! So, let's peel back the layers and explore why these chronological rewind buttons actually pushed their franchises forward.
### **10. Batman: Arkham Origins – The Bat's Early Brawls** First up, a bit of a contentious one for some, is *Batman: Arkham Origins*. Reckon WB Games Montreal had their work cut out for them, stepping into Rocksteady’s massive Bat-boots after *Arkham City*. It was Christmas, Batman was a rookie (well, 'Year Two,' anyway), and Black Mask had a hit out on him for 50 mil. Standard Tuesday in Gotham, eh? But what *Origins* really nailed was giving us a younger, grittier Bats and, more importantly, *that* first proper dance with the Joker. Before he was the unhinged chaos god we know, he was just… emerging. And seeing the foundations of their twisted relationship, how Joker truly *introduced* himself to Gotham's caped crusader? That’s not just a prequel; it's a critical character study. It might've felt like a stop-gap at the time, but it built out the lore, introduced the TN-1 drug that became Titan (remember those monstrous baddies in *Asylum*? Yeah, *Origins* laid the groundwork!), and cemented the early dynamics. It was more than a filler episode; it was a foundational text.
### **9. God of War: Chains of Olympus – Handheld Hate-Fueled Havoc** Next, we spin the Blades of Chaos back to the PSP era with *God of War: Chains of Olympus*. Now, getting a full-blown *God of War* experience on a handheld back in 2008 felt like some kind of dark sorcery. Ready at Dawn didn't just shrink it; they somehow squeezed Kratos's full, rage-fueled narrative into that tiny device. We're talking epic scale, proper lore-building for Kratos's eternal beef with the Olympians, and visuals that made your PSP screen feel like it was lying to you about its resolution. It proved that a prequel, even on a 'smaller' platform, could carry the weight of a franchise's foundational story, making you understand Kratos's journey to full-blown god-slaying misanthropy even better. Plus, swinging those blades with such satisfying heft on a PSP? Absolute wizardry, mate.
### **8. Super Mario World 2: Yoshi’s Island – Baby Steps, Big Leaps** Ah, *Yoshi’s Island*. Nintendo, bless their hearts, aren't exactly known for their rigorous chronological canon, but *Yoshi’s Island* decided to dive headfirst into Baby Mario's origin story. And thank goodness it did! While the premise of Yoshis rescuing an infant plumber is cute, the true magic here was Nintendo's pivot. With the 3D revolution looming, they crafted a 'gentle and relaxing' 2D platformer that encouraged exploration. No more pesky time limits! Yoshi's flutter jump alone changed how we approached platforming, giving us a surprising amount of aerial control. And the hand-drawn art style? Simply iconic. It felt like a loving farewell to an era, a culmination of everything Nintendo had mastered in 2D. A charming origin story, yes, but a technical and artistic triumph first and foremost.
### **7. Divinity: Original Sin – The RPG Reset Button** Now, *Divinity: Original Sin* might not be the *very* earliest point in the *Divinity* timeline (that'd be the quirky *Dragon Commander*), but it's the game that truly matters as a prequel. Taking us a millennium before *Divine Divinity*, it laid the groundwork for Larian Studios' high-fantasy world, Rivellon. But forget the lore for a sec – the real story here is how *Original Sin* rescued the *Divinity* series from cult status and set Larian on the path to becoming an RPG powerhouse (hello, *Baldur's Gate 3*!). Its elemental turn-based combat system was pure genius, letting you combine spells and effects in delightfully destructive ways. Freeze some blood, then electrify it? Yes please! It wasn't just a prequel; it was a tactical sandbox that redefined Larian's approach to RPGs, paving the way for *Original Sin 2* and, well, everything that followed. A true industry shifter, that one.
### **6. Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening – Getting His Mojo Back** After *Devil May Cry 2* felt like Dante had left his personality in a ditch somewhere, *DMC 3: Dante’s Awakening* was the much-needed blast from the past. Set years before the original, it brought back the arrogant, cool-as-ice Dante we all fell for. More than that, it even retconned Vergil's early life, bringing him back into the fold as Dante’s twin rival. This game had one job: fix Dante’s sullied reputation. And fair dinkum, it did it with style. Not only did it right the character wrongs, but it also became the true narrative foundation for later DMC games, clearing up plot holes and explaining motivations. Oh, and it was wickedly difficult – Capcom even made the Japanese hard mode the *normal* mode for us! But the real kicker was the introduction of combat styles – Swordmaster, Gunslinger, Trickster, Royal Guard. It wasn't just about chaining combos anymore; it was about *how* you chained them. This prequel didn’t just resurrect Dante; it innovated the very combat system that defines the series.
### **5. Halo: Reach – A Noble Sacrifice** After a decade of Master Chief, Bungie decided to rewind the clock for their final *Halo* hurrah with *Halo: Reach*. This prequel takes us to the doomed planet Reach, weeks before *Combat Evolved*, casting us as Noble Team. And honestly, the absence of Master Chief felt… liberating. We got to see different Spartans, each with their own quirks, on a desperate mission to protect the very data (Cortana!) that kicks off the entire *Halo* saga. It’s a beautifully bittersweet tale, a perfect send-off for Bungie, and a poignant 'closing the circle' moment for the *Halo* story. Noble Team’s last stand, their sacrifice to ensure the universe *might* have a fighting chance, is legendary. It’s *Halo’s* *Rogue One* moment, before *Star Wars* even thought of it. A fantastic final level, and a prequel that imbues the original game with so much more weight and meaning.
### **4. Yakuza 0 – Kiryu and Majima's Awkward Adolescence** *Yakuza* has been massive in Japan for ages, but it was *Yakuza 0* that truly broke through in the West. This prequel, set nearly two decades before the first game, is the perfect jumping-on point for newcomers, and a glorious trip down memory lane for veterans. It tells the absolutely bonkers story of a vacant lot sparking a city-wide turf war – just another Tuesday in Kamurocho, right? But the real joy, mate, is seeing younger versions of Kiryu and Majima. Kiryu, not yet the stoic Dragon of Dojima, is a hot-headed lad. And Majima? Before he was the one-eyed, Joker-esque 'Mad Dog,' he was a cool, collected club manager. Their evolving personalities, their journey towards becoming the legends we know, forms the narrative backbone. It's an engrossing crime drama, but it's the character evolution this prequel delivers that makes it an absolute must-play.
### **3. Deus Ex: Human Revolution – Augmentation's Ethical Quandary** Alright, some purists might argue *Deus Ex: Human Revolution* watered down the original's freeform nature a bit. But look, even if it was a tad more streamlined, *Human Revolution* earned its place among the greats by diving deep into the series' transhuman themes. You play as Adam Jensen, forcibly augmented after a disaster, thrust into a world grappling with the cultural and ethical implications of human augmentation. "I never asked for this," indeed. The core conspiracy is classic *Deus Ex*, but it's the philosophical questions it poses that truly elevate it. Every character has a take on the 'augmented vs. natural' divide, and despite some slightly clunky metaphors, it makes salient points about unchecked, capitalism-fueled science. The original *Deus Ex* felt like sci-fi prophecy, but *Human Revolution* took those themes and made them feel uncomfortably, compellingly real. A truly captivating cyberpunk dystopia, building on the original's ideas in a profound way.
### **2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater – The Boss's Last Kiss** Hideo Kojima, the ultimate prankster, followed up the Raiden-centric *MGS2* with another curveball: *Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater*, a prequel starring Naked Snake – the man who becomes Big Boss, the series' ultimate villain. Who knew this would become arguably the most *important* game in the entire saga? It revolutionized stealth by pushing Snake out into vast, open jungles, a massive departure from previous games' corridors. The adaptive camouflage system was genius, making stealth a dynamic puzzle. Everything, from boss fights to infiltration, felt fresh and experimental. But the real magic is in the story. *Snake Eater* reveals the origins of the Patriots, the shadowy antagonists pulling the strings, and the tragic genesis of Big Boss himself. His face-off with The Boss, his mentor, changes everything we thought we knew about the franchise's biggest villain. Naked Snake's journey from spy to tragic figure, betrayed by his country, sets the stage for every *Metal Gear* game that follows. A narrative masterstroke, fair dinkum.
### **1. Red Dead Redemption 2 – The Wild West's Last Gasps** How do you follow a masterpiece? If you're Rockstar, you just make another bloody masterpiece. *Red Dead Redemption 2* isn't just one of the most breathtaking open worlds ever crafted; it's a living, breathing testament to insane attention to detail. Arthur Morgan's fluctuating weight, animal carcasses decomposing in real-time, even the horses' *ahem* anatomy reacting to temperature – it's a bit much sometimes, but it creates an unparalleled sense of immersion. But the technical wizardry pales in comparison to the sheer emotional gut-punch of its story. Arthur Morgan isn't just a criminal; he's a man made redundant by a rapidly industrializing America. Roger Clark’s performance is staggering, portraying a character full of confidence and vulnerability as his world, his gang, and his own body betray him. It’s a sprawling narrative about the downfall of a chosen family, perfectly setting the stage for John Marston's journey in the original game. *Red Dead Redemption 2* does everything a prequel should: it improves on gameplay, it enriches the world's mythos, and it delivers a human story that resonates deeply. It doesn't just fill in gaps; it carves out a whole new, essential chapter. Bloody brilliant.
And there you have it, mates – a journey through time to uncover why some gaming prequels aren't just good, but downright legendary. They're not just rehashing; they're revealing. They're not just filling gaps; they're forging new paths. What do you reckon? Any absolute stunners I missed, or perhaps a prequel that personally blew your mind? Let us know in the comments below, yeah?
Tags: Gaming Lore, Prequels, Game Design, Narrative, Franchise Evolution
Original article: IGN South Africa