A game may come up short of the original vision, but that doesn’t mean it’s without merit. Sometimes, developers simply don’t have the time or resources to fulfill their ambitions. This results in various bits of cut content. While fans lament not being able to play those lost levels, they can still appreciate what they get.
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An unfinished game may boast enough good qualities to offset its shortcomings. Some developers cover the holes so well that audiences may not even notice the missing content. That’s a credit to both the solid foundation and the passionate creatives at the center.
5Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 2 - The Sith Lords
The folks at Obsidian have a reputation for unfinished masterpieces, and their most notorious work is thisStar Warstitle. Brought on to follow BioWare’s defining hit, the developers had 14 to 16 months to makeKnights of the Old Republic 2. That’s evident in the reused assets and familiar environments. In addition, the game cut a bunch of narrative content, much of which involved the villains. That said,the core role-playing was more involving than the previous entry, bolstered by arguably the most thoughtful writing in all ofStar Wars. Fans recognized that greatness and took matters into their own hands.
Since its release,KOTOR 2has seena slew of modsrestoring its content. When a wall pops up, the devotees find a way around it. For example, they may move quests from an unfinished planet onto others. There’s still stuff on the cutting room floor, but the main game is now far more cohesive and conclusive. This letsKOTOR 2cement its place among the bestStar Warsgames ever.
4Spyro 2: Ripto’s Rage
The sequel toSpyro the Dragonimproves on its predecessor in every conceivable way. It boasts tighter controls,creative platforming, more engaging levels, and stronger characterization. As good as it is, though, it was originally even bigger. The clues lie in the structure.
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Spyro 2spreads its levels across three hub areas: Summer Forest, Autumn Plains, and Winter Tundra. This lineup leaves out Spring, hinting at the original plan of having four hubs. This is even more likely given the following game goes all the way with this theme, taking fans through Sunrise Spring, Midday, Evening Lake, and Midnight Mountain. Insomniac likely couldn’t fulfill that plan for the second entry due to the short turnaround. They only had a year. Again, though, they made sure to polish the content to a tee. To this day, some consider it the bestSpyrogame.
3Sly 2: Band Of Thieves
In the same way, the secondSly Coopergame is a massive step up from the debut title.Sly 2fine-tunes the graceful stealth platforming and puts it toward a more well-realized concept. Players complete various setup missions,which build naturally toward a climactic heist. They do so within multi-layered hub areas across the globe. These range from Paris streets to Indian palaces to Prague castles to the Canadian wilderness. Each task has a purpose, and seeing them all come together is immensely satisfying. That’s partly thanks to the different flavors brought by the exotic locales. That said, the course originally had a larger palette.
The Evolution of Sly–a behind-the-scenes video inSly 3–reveals that the second entry had a Monaco level. The place showcases the same personality as the other hubs. However, it’s unclear how this area would have fit into the story, which is tight enough without it. In fact, most see it as the best in theSlyseries, so maybe Monaco’s loss was the players' gain.
2Final Fantasy 15
Final Fantasy 15started asFinal Fantasy Versus 13. Though tied to the divisiveFinal Fantasy 13, it promised an exciting direction for the series going forward. Sadly, it languished in development hell for a decade and went through several creatives along the way. How miraculous that it finally released in a playable state, let alone an enjoyable one. In lieu of turn-based combat, fans indulge in real-time action across a sizable sandbox. They travel this sandbox in what essentially amounts to a road trip with four friends. These guys take on quests at the various gas stations and rest stops before camping. They then sleep under the stars and enjoy a myriad of meals for stat buffs. The formula is solid, but it’s also rudimentary. That’s especially the case giventhey could drive through the whole sandbox in a few minutes. Something’s clearly off.
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It’s no surprise that the developers made compromises. Fans can easily find footage of numerous biomes absent from the final product. On top of that, the game abandons its open world about two-thirds of the story. The heroes then navigate smaller, hallway-based areas for the remaining chapters.Stack on a heap of DLC, anime, and even a CG-animated film, andFF15becomes the most piecemeal title in the series. Even after consuming all of this extra material, players still don’t get the full picture.
1Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep
This prequel has a respectable lineup of Disney worlds for anyKingdom Heartstitle. It’s more impressive consideringBirth by Sleepwas originally a PSP game. Not only do these areas have more dimension than those in358/2 Days(the series' previous portable entry), but they contain a separate story for each of the three protagonists. Unbelievably, Square Enix planned yet another.
The developers initially wanted a level based onThe Jungle Book. Footage shows theBBSheroes exploring King Louie’s palace. However, this movie’s plot is thin at best, so who knows how it would have factored into the characters' journeys? Apparently, the creators didn’t know, either, sincenone of the subsequent games have gone nearit.
