Evolve
Evolve is the wildcard of this list since it’s the one included game that actually didn’t make a great first impression when it launched back in 2015. While Evolve helped to usher in the concept of one-versus-many asymmetrical multiplayer and featured some pretty tight gameplay along with a unique sci-fi setting, its reliance on paid microtransaction DLC and its lack of initial gameplay variety led to an overtly critical reception.
A reception from which the game never fully recovered.
Despite developer Turtle Rock’s continued dedication to Evolve and even a massive free-to-play relaunch in mid 2016, continued support for the game officially ended just a few months later. While the chances of Evolve ever getting a proper sequel are slim, it would be a shame for such a unique premise to be killed off after only one game, especially now that Turtle Rock and publisher 2K Games have a much better grasp of what not to do.
With the lessons that Turtle Rock and 2K no doubt learned, an Evolve sequel could easily become the game that fans wanted in the original. Sadly, that dream will likely never be made into a reality, leaving Evolve as little more than a pertinent lesson of how an excellent concept can be dragged down by an aggressive business model and poor communication.