When the Xbox debuted in 2001, it was a smash hit thanks to Halo. The brand would not be where it is today without Halo on Xbox and Gears of War on Xbox 360. What about all of the games in-between? Other exclusive series have certainly been popular on Xbox other than those two but then there are also a lot that never got a second chance. 

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Microsoft is all about acquiring brands for their Xbox family right now. Maybe they can help breathe new life into dormant titles that have been left behind by time that were both first, and third-party-related — there is always hope.

10 Metal Wolf Chaos

This was at first an Xbox exclusive in Japan only when it launched in 2004. What was strange about this was the fact that the entire game was in English, including the voice acting. Decades later it finally came to the West proper in 2019 via the PS4, Xbox One, and PC. This was an early FromSoftware title that is often regarded as a so bad it’s good type of game. In this whole period, it never got a sequel. 

9 Phantom Dust

Phantom Dust released in 2005 as an Xbox exclusive in North America. It was a niche but loved card-battling RPG. After years of wait, Microsoft surprised fans at E3 2014 with a tease of a sequel.

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However, complications arose during development so it was canceled. In its stead was a free-to-play remastered version of the original which launched in 2017 on Xbox One and PC. 

8 Jade Empire

BioWare made a big name for itself with Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on the original Xbox. Some fans may have been content with getting sequel after sequel for that game. Unfortunately for them, BioWare decided to branch off and create its own rich RPG world in 2005 with Jade Empire.

While it has received some updates in the past decade, like ports to mobile devices, as well as being made available on Xbox One via backwards compatibility, it never got a sequel. 

7 Infinite Undiscovery

This was an Xbox 360 exclusive that launched in 2008. It was a joint collaboration between Square Enix as the publisher and tri-Ace as the developer. That company is known most for the Star Ocean series and this game shares many similarities like with the action RPG combat. It never got a sequel on the Xbox 360 or beyond despite decent praise, but it can at least still be played via Xbox One backwards compatibility. 

6 Lost Odyssey

Before Square Enix made the jump to the Xbox 360, Microsoft’s biggest RPG supporter of the console was Mistwalker. This company was started by Hironobu Sakaguchi who helped create Final Fantasy before leaving Square Enix.

Some exclusive Xbox titles of theirs include this game as well as Blue Dragon. While Lost Odyssey never got a sequel following its 2008 North American launch, it can still be played via Xbox One backwards compatibility.

5 Operation Darkness

This game is one of the lowest-ranked in Metacritic history on Xbox 360 with a 46. It released in 2008 in North America and was published by Atlus. It’s a tactical RPG set during World War II except with fantastical trappings like using magic and fighting monsters like zombies and werewolves. The idea was cool but the execution was lackluster making it a no-go for a sequel. 

4 Too Human

Too Human was planned as a trilogy from the start when it launched in 2008. It has one of the most infamous cliffhangers of all time that will probably never get resolved. The reason why it never got finish probably has something to do with the fact that the developer, Silicon Knights, got into some hot water via some lawsuits which is a story all to itself. At the very least it’s free to get and play on Xbox One via backwards compatibility. 

3 1 vs. 100

1 vs. 100 was one of the most unique gaming experiences of all time. It was frankly ahead of its time when console connectivity was blossoming but still fairly young. There were two seasons in 2009 which lasted thirteen weeks apiece. Players would log in at a set time to play the game live for the chance of winning real prizes. It was more exciting than the show it was based on, was popular, but not enough for a third season and or a sequel.  

2 Ryse: Son Of Rome

This was an Xbox One launch game in 2013. It wasn’t reviewed poorly but it also didn’t light the world on fire. In 2014 it would get ported to the PC but beyond that, there was no sequel.

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Crytek, the developer, hinted around the possibility of one, but due to a discrepancy between who owned the rights, them or Microsoft, a deal was never settled and all plans for a sequel fell off the window. 

1 D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die

Not only did D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die not get a sequel, it was never finished. The game debuted in 2014 on Xbox One as an exclusive. There were two episodes released with more planned. However, other than helping with a PC port in 2015, Microsoft backed away from publishing any more episodes. It’s a shame too since this was designed by Swery, known most for the bizarre fan favorite, Deadly Premonition. 

NEXT: The Best Exclusives On The Original Xbox, Ranked