It's not unusual to be reflective at the end of the year. As the IGN team looks back, we realize just how many games we would've loved to see, but didn't, in 2008. We all have games that we adored playing years ago, and there are plenty of franchises that we'd love to see resurrected. So, we came up with a list of games that we think deserve to come back. In fact, in some cases we demand it.

Read up on our list, and feel free to suggest the franchises that you want resurrected in the comments below.

Master of Orion

Okay, first of all, erase the memory of Master of Orion III from your minds. That game is a scar upon the turn-based strategy bliss that was Master of Orion and Master of Orion II. As a nascent, space-faring race you must reach for the stars, colonizing planets in distant systems. The research system tied heavily into the ship design system, and that itself had a prominent role in combat. Wars were often evolutionary struggles, as you continually researched weapons and countermeasures to adapt to new developments. Alliances with other races could be forged and broken, and to keep the pressure on there were multiple routes to victory, including finding and conquering the legendary planet of Orion. While Stardock has done its best in creating a Master of Orion-like experience with its Galactic Civilizations II games, we would love to see a proper sequel with all the bells and whistles that we've come to expect.



Road Rash

Road Rash 2 seems to stick out in most gamers' minds -- the 1992 Genesis version that allowed two-player split-screen. Though the frame rate was sort of a mess, there was no denying the thrill of launching off hills, smashing rival bikers with chains and getting the timing just right to steal weapons from others. The game's visceral appeal and, at the time, engaging presentation has never really been matched throughout the rest of the series' iterations. There were some real less-than-impressive sequels, including the middling Road Rash 64 released in 1999 and Jailbreak for the GBA, but nothing's managed to capture our attention like the series' early entries.



Planescape: Torment

RPGs such as Planescape: Torment just don't seem to get made anymore, especially ones with its style of presentation. As part of the turn of the century explosion of Infinity Engine-based Black Isle games, Torment represents some of the best writing and characterization seen in gaming. Perhaps that's why it never rocketed to massive popularity; gamers just didn't want to sit there and engage in deep, philosophical conversations with NPCs. Yet with such a unique and beautifully constructed setting, an unrelentingly wicked sense of humor and powerful personalities, it's really a shame we haven't seen a follow-up.



Syndicate

Syndicate was one of the first of the truly ruthless games, and by that we mean that it featured an extraordinary amount of violence for its time. Its premise was one of the dystopian future variety -- powerful megacorporations waged war upon one another using cyborg agents. These agents, armed with weapons like guns, lasers, bombs, and flamethrowers, then wreaked havoc upon the game's cityscapes, gunning down civilians and opponents alike. You could even use brainwashing abilities to turn innocent pedestrians into puppets, to be used as cannon fodder. Yet there was more than just combat, as you had to balance taxation to generate funds, as well as manage research and development of new weapons and upgrades. In the end, it made for a bloody great time.



Kid Icarus

Nintendo's Kid Icarus, about an angel named Pit on a quest to restore order to the heavens, remains one of our favorite classic franchises. The original, developed by the same team that created Metroid, features fun platforming challenges, a compelling character upgrade system, and most of all, stages so satisfyingly difficult you'll want to pull your hair out. And, just like Metroid, Icarus is "primed" for a comeback, a full 3D makeover, and new WIi controls for flying and shooting arrows. All Nintendo need do is look to the cancelled Capcom GCN project Dead Phoenix, about a winged hero, for inspiration.



Vagrant Story

One of the more unique Square role-playing games of the PlayStation era, Vagrant Story might not have had the brand recognition of something like Final Fantasy, but it still proved to be a fantastic title that actually sold quite well. The game combined a thrilling storyline with intricate battle mechanics and plenty of dungeon crawling, and unlike some of the other games on this list, it's never had a proper sequel that builds on the gameplay elements or universe. Though plenty has been done with the world of Ivalice in which Vagrant Story is set, it'd be great to see a reimagining of the game, a full-on sequel, or -- at the very least -- a rerelease with updated graphics and a new interface.



Star Control

With a title like Star Control: Famous Battles of the Ur-Quan Conflict, Volume IV, you had your first hint that this was a special game, and it was. With its colorful universe and superb combat system, Star Control and its sequel burrowed a place in many gamers' hearts. Based on Spacewar!, one of the earliest computer games ever made, Star Control let you participate in an interstellar war where you commanded a starship. What made the game great was the design system, which let you customize your starship's components. Star Control II introduced space exploration, as you had to explore alien worlds as well as interact with a wide range of alien species. Star Control let you feel like you were exploring an incredible galaxy full of both danger and wonder.



Chrono Trigger

Yes, we know that Chrono Trigger had a sequel. It was called Chrono Cross and was released in 2000 in the United States for the PlayStation, a platform the folks here at IGN liked very much. But going back to the franchise progenitor on the Super NES (if you can really call two games a franchise) and you've got to be wondering about an all-new entry. This is particularly true since the recent release of Chrono Trigger on DS reminded everyone why the brand is so highly lauded in the first place, and is surely something most gamers out there would love to see. Yet, we've heard of no definite plans to build on one of the most celebrated RPG names out there, hence its inclusion on this list.



Wing Commander

Though it vies with TIE Fighter for the title of king of all space sims, Wing Commander was a different beast. Wing Commander was an epic space opera in every conceivable way; it featured memorable characters, a desperate war for survival, and a cinematic presentation that was well above the norms for its time. It also introduced a rich universe with plenty of storytelling possibilities, as evident by the fact that it spawned numerous sequels and even a disastrous movie. Meanwhile, the bitmapped visuals made Wing Commander the Crysis of its day. Toss in the fact that this was one of the first games that really made rich use of sound, and it was the killer app that helped launch Creative's Soundblaster audio cards. We'd love to see a modern-day Wing Commander, and given that EA still has a thing for live-action cutscenes (just check out Red Alert 3), we'd love to see Mark Hamill back on the small screen once again.



Star Wars: TIE Fighter

TIE Fighter is a game that, 14 years after its release, still generates universal acclaim and plenty of fond memories from gamers everywhere. It's arguably the essential space sim, the pinnacle of a genre that dominated the industry in its early years. The gameplay mechanics were a perfect blend of simulation and action, and it made you feel like you were taking part in a massive space battle not unlike those seen in the original Star Wars movie trilogy. And this was a game that offered a unique perspective, letting you play as a loyal member of the Imperial Navy, looking to establish peace and order through a war-torn galaxy. The game never veered from that view, and it actually made you proud when you moved up the ranks of the Emperor's most trusted agents. If we could beg George Lucas to bring back TIE Fighter, believe us, we would.



Which franchise would you like to see resurrected? Feel free to add your wish list to the comments field below.