Because of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, prequels tend get a bad rap. No, that movie certainly wasn’t the first instance of a prequel, but it is often the go to answer as to why they stink more often than not. That said, there are exceptions. And these ten prequel games aren’t just good. They are works of art. 

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There are a couple of series this list tried to avoid. Castlevania and The Legend of Zelda play around with the timeline a lot. so calling one of their many installments a prequel above a sequel is weird. But other than that, there are no stipulations, so let’s see what games knew how to rewind the clock best. 

10 Yakuza 0 (85)

Yakuza 0 was the game that got everyone onboard the Yakuza train. Fans knew how good the series was up to this point, but that’s because they dedicated themselves to each new release. While it wasn’t impossible for a newbie to jump into Yakuza 4, for example, as their first game, it wouldn’t have had the same pull as someone who had followed the games for years.

But creating a prequel was the perfect opening for newcomers, and it paid off in spades for the franchise. Stylish, 80s spades. 

9 Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (86)

It was kind of weird at the time that the second game in this series was a prequel. However, unbeknownst to players, it was a devious scheme to shock and awe players with one of the games final revelations.

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The Sith Lord from the first game turns out to be the player character from this. Now that is a twist! With the subtitle, one could have probably guessed this game’s surprise and darker direction, but hey, it mostly worked. 

8 Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag (88)

Yes, technically Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag is the best rated prequel in this franchise even though Assassin’s Creed Origins goes further back. This took place before the third game, so like Knights of the Old Republic, it was weird to get a prequel as the next game.

It wasn’t for any story related revelations, but more about setting the game in an era where pirates ruled the seas. As Assassin’s Creed III’s best mechanic was the sailing, crafting a sequel/prequel all about that was a genius idea. 

7 Deus Ex: Human Revolution (90)

Deus Ex: Human Revolution is almost more like a reboot than a prequel. The last game was in 2003 compared to this 2011 release. It was a long time for fans to wait, especially since the reception of it (a game titled Invisible War) was not stellar.

Thanks to the developers reinventing the wheel while while still emphasizing that cyberpunk feel, this was a hit. The black and gold aesthetic also made it stand out. The only real issue with it were the boss battles, but as there were so few, it didn’t effect most scores. 

6 God of War: Chains of Olympus (91)

Yes, believe it or not, but a PSP game is making it on this list. God of War: Chains of Olympus was everything that made the console games great. The gameplay and even the graphics weren’t hindered by the portable’s capabilities.

It fit incredibly well even though the analog nub didn’t feel as comfortable as a real stick. That’s the biggest issue, which really isn’t the fault of the game. 

5 Halo: Reach (91)

Halo: Reach was the last game in the series that Bungie worked on before handing the keys over to 343 Industries and started their work on Destiny. It was a fitting end for them, taking the series back to its roots, literally, with a game centered on other Spartans before the fall.

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Even though players knew how it was going to end, it was still an incredible journey. It may secretly be the best game in the franchise. 

4 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (95)

Actually both this and Vice City got 95s for their original PS2 releases. This isn’t as much of a prequel compared to the 80s motif of Vice City, but setting San Andreas in an LA like city during the great hip hop boom of the 90s was a killer idea.

Plus, all of the extra little RPG elements like building strength in stats like swimming was a nice additional bonus to causing mayhem in another open-world playground. And CJ is still the best protagonist in the series. 

3 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (95)

Half of the games in this series are prequels. There are the Solid Snake games and then there are those like this that focus on his father, Big Boss.

The Phantom Pain is the penultimate entry in this series for many reasons. One, it explains everything leading up to the first Metal Gear thus ending the prequel arc. Two, it was Hideo Kojima’s last game before leaving Konami. Even though it wasn’t completely finished, it was still one heck of an emotional ending. 

2 Metroid Prime (97)

How could the Metroid formula work as a first-person shooter? It seemed impossible to keep the same exploration style while creating an energetic shooting experience. Making it into a prequel was also risky, but Retro Studios figured out a way and it now remains one of the best reviewed entries in the series.

The gunplay felt precise and even the Morph Ball felt good. Jumping was a bit finicky and the camera hasn’t held up as much, but hopefully the rumored HD collection can fix that stuff and bring gamers the classic they remember. 

1 Red Dead Redemption 2 (97)

Fans had to wait eight years before they could once again saddle up into the Western frontier of Red Dead Redemption, but it wasn’t the game they were expecting. A prequel seemed crazy, and early trailers made the new protagonist, Arthur, seem like a real cretin. How could he ever live up to John?

Well, turns out he’s a more intricate character than trailers revealed to be true. Not only that, but his entire crew was like getting to know a family. It was an epic, touching, and beautiful story. 

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