It makes sense that any sequel to a popular video game would want to keep all of the things that made the first one popular while adding a few new features to keep things interesting. Most sequels do this well, going even bigger with their next installments, but not all of them.
On the other hand, some video game sequels have actually removed features from their previous games, whether for narrative reasons, because of time restraints, or in response to fan criticism. Whether it was for better or for worse, these games were released without certain features from their predecessors.
Co-Op Campaign, Transformers: Fall of Cybertron (2012)
Both of High Moon's fantastic, underrated, licensed games with surprisingly strong stories. The first game, War for Cybertron, allowed players to choose between three playable characters in each mission, and the other two could be played by others through online co-op.
The sequel, Fall of Cybertron sadly removed this feature, centering each level on a single playable Transformer. Cutting the co-op allowed the game to better tell its more complex narrative. Thankfully, Fall of Cybertron is such a great game that it more than makes up for the missing multiplayer mode.
Melee Counterattacks, Uncharted 4 (2016)
The Uncharted series has changed up its melee system with each subsequent game to try and fit the flow of the action. After the first game's simple combos, the second and third entries added in features where enemies could counter Nathan's punches, and he could likewise do the same to theirs.
Unfortunately, for the immaculate Uncharted 4, the studio had listened to criticisms of quick time events in the series, and removed counters from the game. The only way to avoid punches in Uncharted 4 was to roll away, dividing some fans. The game did add a feature where AI would team up with players for combos, so it was easy to forgive.
The Soul Cube, DOOM (2016)
DOOM games have always been famous for their large arsenal of devastating weapons. DOOM 3 was a huge departure from the rest of the series, but it introduced a special weapon called the Soul Cube. The cube would charge up and instant kill attack on killing enemies, then return that enemy's health to the player.
The Soul Cube is absent from the series' ludicrously action-packed reboot in 2016 however. The cube can actually be found in DOOM and its sequel as an Easter egg, but cannot be picked up or used as a weapon. Thankfully, the game's other weapons are more than enough.
The Electric Gauntlets, Batman Arkham Knight (2015)
Batman carries a whole host of useful gadgets for fighting crime, and Arkham Knight let players use more of them than ever. One that was noticeably missing however were the electric gauntlets Batman acquires during the overlooked Arkham Origins.
The gauntlets were a fun new addition in Arkham Origins, but just like the game's surprisingly fun multiplayer mode, they were cut completely from the next installment. To add insult to injury, the gauntlets can be found in the GD during the game, with an audio log that implies that the reason they are unavailable is that Batman simply didn't want them anymore.
Starfighters in Ground Battles, Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2005)
The original Star Wars Battlefront featured some maps where players could battle both on the ground and in the sky. Being able to use the fighters both against each other and against the ground forces was an absolute blast.
This was removed from the sequel in favor of a collection of full blown space battles. An assortment of vehicles were still available, but sadly there were no fighter ships in the ground battles. Luckily the space battles were spectacular, and through its fantastic and varied gameplay Star Wars Battlefront 2 is still one of games ever made.
Vehicle Sections, Mass Effect 3 (2012)
Every fan of the Mass Effect trilogy will probably anyone that vehicle sections are not their strong suit. The much maligned Mako in the first game handled horribly, and the Hammerhead in the second game had the durability of a cardboard box.
After numerous complaints about both of these vehicles, vehicle levels were thankfully cut entirely from Mass Effect 3, along with the tedious mining mini game. Vehicles wouldn't be done quite right in the series until Andromeda. Mass Effect 3 may catch a lot of flak, but all players can probably agree that this cut was probably for the best.
The Fantastic Four and X-Men, LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 (2017)
LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 features one of the biggest cast of playable characters in any LEGO game to date, from the most famous of Marvel's lineup to its most obscure. It would be reasonable to assume that most of the characters from the first game would reappear, but the sequel actually removes two of Marvel's biggest superhero teams.
Despite being a big part of the first game both the Fantastic Four and the X-Men were absent from LEGO Marvel 2. None of the mutants or the Four are even referenced in the time-jumping story. At least players could play as Squirrel Girl and Howard the Duck.
A Full Length Story, Star Wars The Force Unleashed 2 (2010)
Star Wars The Force Unleashed is not the best Star Wars game of its generation, but it was still a lot of fun to play and featured some great force powers for players to experiment with. Its sequel actually kept all of these powers except for console specific abilities and gave them to players almost from the beginning, but it cut out another important factor, the runtime.
Force Unleashed 2 drastically shortened the campaign length from its predecessor, and can be beaten in around five to eight hours. The campaign is not bad and the gameplay is still a lot of fun, but after traveling the galaxy in the first game, many players were hoping for more than 5 chapters in the sequel.
Dual Wielding, Halo 4 (2012)
What could be cooler than blasting away at aliens with Halo 2, dual wielding was one of the series' most fun mechanics.
Going guns akimbo in any game is a lot of fun, but Halo's was one of the best implemented, allowing players to individually control two of many of the series' lighter guns. Unfortunately, Halo 4 released without the ability to dual wield, much to the disappointment of fans, and the feature has yet to return.
Single Player, Call of Duty Black Ops 4 (2018)
The several great campaigns in the Call of Duty series, the main focus of the franchise has almost always been the multiplayer or the zombie survival mode.
This is exactly why for Black Ops 4, the developers decided to leave out the campaign entirely, releasing without any sort of story mode at all. Players could still play solo in the zombies mode, but essentially everything else was multiplayer only. The decision angered many fans of the franchise, and each game since has once again included a campaign.