The 10 BEST Video Game Duologies

“Dishonored” (2011) & “Dishonored 2” (2016)

If you’ve been itching for some great stealth action games, then why have you not been playing “Dishonored”? They may not have set the world on fire the same way Bethesda’s bigger IPs have, but both games delivered some incredible experiences. You’ll infiltrate imaginative steampunk environments in order to capture or kill those who have betrayed you. The way you dispatch them does affect your game’s difficulty, too. They demand players to be observant in their surroundings and cunning in execution, which you’ll find is a lot easier said than done.

“Psychonauts” (2005) & “Psychonauts 2” (2022)

The first “Psychonauts” was such an underrated gem that it's hard to believe we managed to get a sequel almost twenty years later. Don’t let the absurd artstyle fool you either. “Psychonauts” and its sequel boast some of the most brilliant writing and game design we’ve seen, all of it inspired by the wondrous world of psychology. Not only are there tons of laughs and emotional moments, you may even walk away feeling like you suddenly understand the tricks and traps of the human mind much more than you did before. Just don’t go around diagnosing people like you’re an expert.

“Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor” (2014) & “Middle-earth: Shadow of War” (2016)

Regardless if you’re a “Lord of the Rings” fan, this is a game meant for anyone who loves RPGs, strategy games, open world games, fantasy games, or…you know what, every video game fan in general needs to play this. Really, the Nemesis system is something truly remarkable as it writes and rewrites characters throughout your adventure. Every playthrough between these games feels brand new despite having the same world, assets, set pieces, etc. Fair warning - the “Middle-earth” games are pretty meaty games. So, you might be working on these two for a couple of months.

“Alan Wake” (2010) & “Alan Wake II” (2023)

The best way to describe the “Alan Wake” games is “mind-shattering”, and we don’t mean that the gameplay is going to do that. Overall, these are both third-person shooter horror games. What really draws people in is the mystery behind everything. Both games set up all kinds of strange events with demented creatures stalking and attacking you. We don’t want to say too much about the story itself because it truly is best experienced without knowing too much. So, if you’ve been needing a good scare, these are the games that’ll do it.

“System Shock” (1994) & “System Shock 2” (1999)

Speaking of terrifying games, “System Shock” is a duology that’ll sometimes feel a little too real. The original game (as well as its remake) do an excellent job at immersing you into a world plagued by murderous machines, bent on bringing mankind to its knees. And just when you think the nightmare is over, “System Shock 2” comes in with SHODAN once again to haunt your dreams. Between the gunplay and the writing done by “BioShock” creator Ken Levine, there’s really no good reason to go through life without playing “System Shock”.

“Ghost of Tsushima” (2020) & “Ghost of Yotei” (2025)

Say what you will about PlayStation’s first-party games, but Sucker Punch’s “Ghost” games are truly the best in their class. Though both are similar in their open world format and cinematic storytelling, what differs the two is the way they do combat. Both are insanely fun to play with, too! In “Tsushima”, you’ll learn stances with your katana and acquire various tools to fight Mongolians. In “Yotei”, you’re given a whole arsenal of weapons with a ton of different ways to dispatch foes…with some harder fights to boot. No matter which one you start with, both games are excellent in the ways they let you live out your own samurai/shinobi adventure.

“Super Mario Galaxy” (2007) & “Super Mario Galaxy 2” (2010)

We will forever cherish the other 3D Mario games. However, “Galaxy” was legendary in so many ways between its two installments. For starters, you had some of the most clever level design in Mushroom Kingdom history with the way gravity worked across different planets. Then, you had the beautiful music composed by Koji Kondo and Mahito Yokota using a full symphony orchestra for the first time ever in the “Super Mario” franchise. And to tie it all with a pretty green bow, “Galaxy 2” incorporated Yoshi into the series. Really, what more could you ask for?

“Red Dead Redemption” (2010) & “Red Dead Redemption 2” (2018)

Though we all make fun of the overtly performed animations for menial actions, “Red Dead Redemption” and “Red Dead Redemption 2” are absolutely unforgettable games. In addition to simulating a living and breathing Wild West, “Red Dead Redemption” explores an era that few Westerns ever did across all forms of entertainment. Whereas most movies, TV, and games focus on the Wild West during its prime, these games provide glimpses into the end of the era, the shift where cowboys and outlaws began to fade out of society. This duology has become an interesting capsule of American history, and one that just about everyone needs to experience at least once.

“Half-Life” (1998) & “Half-Life 2” (2004)

Some call it the best game Valve has ever created, and we can see why. From the moment you start the first game, “Half-Life” becomes deeply captivating with its horrifying creatures, voice acting, and level design. On top of that, almost everything reacts to the way you interact with things. The way objects move about, the way enemies will try to avoid incoming fire and take cover – it all feels so quaint given how video games have evolved since then. But when you look at it under the lens of “this came out in 1998” or “this was in 2004”, you’ll find yourself continuously amazed at the visual and technical achievements here. Just keep in mind that we’re still waiting for “Half-Life 3”, and it's likely never going to happen because Valve has three-phobia or something.

“Portal” (2007) & “Portal 2” (2011)

Yep, Valve gets back-to-back entries on this list, and for good reason. For as much as we enjoy “Half-Life”, there are some aspects of both that have not aged all that well. (Looking at you, Xen.) But “Portal” and “Portal 2” might just be the greatest duology in video game history. These are games that will make you think outside of the proverbial box as you mess with spatial distortion and slowly work your way to more complex puzzles with simple mechanics. And just when you think you’ve seen everything “Portal” has to offer, it shows another clever use of those same mechanics, eventually making them work in tandem with each other. And don’t say you don’t have the time for puzzle games - they’re both short and are super satisfying to finish without using a guide.

Which video game duology is your favorite? Let us know down in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to MojoPlays.