Best Prequel Games

Some of the best games leave questions unanswered. Their stories conclude, and the player wants more — of the world, the characters, and the tales that have played out before them.

Rather than deliver this in the form of a sequel, some developers choose to shine a light on what happened before the events of their stories, giving players more context to the actions they have performed and making the first entries that much more powerful and complex.

Here are the best prequel games of all time.

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7 Batman: Arkham Origins

Metacritic Score: 74

Rocksteady's incredible Arkham series followed Batman's vigilante justice across Gotham, with each game growing in scale and shining more of a light on the hero's relationship with the Joker. Arkham Origins, produced by WB Games Montreal, gives a different studio a chance to shed some light on the strange dependency that the Joker feels for Batman — and the reasons that Batman is so doomed when fighting against his greatest villain.

Seeing Batman at the start of his career makes every mistake feel natural and makes his progression feel meaningful. Plus, the Joker's cruel plot perfectly sets up his appearance in Arkham Asylum.

6 Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel

Metacritic Score: 75

After the explosive hit that was Borderlands 2, Gearbox had a big job to follow up on the critically acclaimed looter-shooter. Choosing to set the next game before the events of Borderlands 2, fans were given the origin story of the villain from that story: Handsome Jack.

Giving the most infamous character from the previous title such a massive starring role in the Pre-Sequel meant that players could understand what led to him becoming the owner of Hyperion and how he came to wear his iconic mask. Add on more of the same fast-paced and aggressive shooting the series is known for, and players fell for this prequel just as hard as any other game in the franchise.

5 Yakuza 0

Metacritic Score: 85

A prequel to the first game in the series, Yakuza 0 innovated on the combat systems of the previous Yakuza games, letting players swap between fighting styles on the fly to chain together elaborate attacks. The game makes storylines and mission chains into interesting plots.

It develops on nearly everything that makes the later games amazing while letting fans see the origins of Kazuma Kiryu and Goro Majima as they try to make their names in Japan. The open world is filled with side activities and businesses that the player can purchase and indulge in, making the feeling of establishing themselves become a focus of the game that separates it from the rest of the series.

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4 Halo: Reach

Metacritic Score: 91

The final game in the Halo series to be developed by Bungie, and a direct prequel to the first game in the series, Halo: Reach is often commended as one of the best games on the Xbox 360. The campaign features dogfights, new weapons and a story set defending a planet to the last breath — and it can even be played co-op.

With a moving story, an expansive multiplayer, and a level editor, Reach expands on the previous entries in almost every way, while staying true to the first game's style and everything Halo fans loved.

3 Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Metacritic Score: 91

The third Metal Gear Solid title is set in 1964, 31 years before the original title, and sees Naked Snake infiltrating the USSR in the middle of the Cold War. Using the same intricate stealth systems from the previous games (but dialed up to eleven), Snake Eater builds on the Metal Gear formula in a whole host of ways.

Snake has to eat to maintain his stamina, his clothing determines how well camouflaged he will be, and his injuries are maintained and have unique effects based on where and what they are. All of this is wrapped up in an exciting story that provides detail about the legacy of the Big Boss title, and it's rounded out by an incredible soundtrack. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is rightly lauded as one of the best games of all time.

2 Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island

Metacritic Score: 91

Despite being a Mario game, Yoshi's Island deviates from the Nintendo norm by making the players into Yoshi themselves. This game established the green dinosaur as a hero in their own right, giving them new abilities like the flutter jump, eggs to throw, and a tongue that can grab enemies to seal them away in more eggs.

Yoshi's adventure is largely concerned with the title character, Mario, who is only a helpless baby in this game. When Yoshi gets hit, Mario will fall away from them, and the player will have to scrabble to save the platforming hero before it is too late. With tight controls, a vibrant crayon-style, and a playful attitude towards the Nintendo mascot, Yoshi's Island is the best prequel story that Mario could ask for.

1 Red Dead Redemption 2

Metacritic Score: 97

Unsurprisingly, Rockstar's magnum opus, Red Dead Redemption 2, takes the crown as the best prequel game of all time. After fans explored John Marston's story in the original Red Dead Redemption, many were left with questions about the connections between the bitter rivals and whatever happened to Dutch Van Der Linde's gang that had brought them all together.

With stronger characterization, the game injects more context into the already powerful narrative of the first game, giving players more time and more compassion for Dutch, Javier, Bill, and everyone else. New characters, especially Arthur Morgan himself, are lovingly crafted into real people who feel and doubt and hurt. The Old West never felt so new.

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