I Love Stupid Video Game Titles

Only video games can get away with these naming concepts

PC screenshot taken by the author.

Just look at that. Look at that big dumb “II” next to an Arabic numeral “4.” This is the height of branding ridiculousness, and it isn’t a one-off, oh no — there are dozens of video games with equally silly names, all defying standard numbering and marketing conventions in ways that would make other businesses blush.

I love it when video games throw all titling and numbering logic out of the window all for the sake of “the brand.” In the case of Samurai Warriors 4-II, Koei already had a formula that worked but decided to go for this weird sequel number anyway. Many of the mainline Warriors games get two expansions: an “Xtreme Legends” entry with more story, and an “Empires” spin-off that focuses on a strategy layer.

For Samurai Warriors 4, instead of rolling out the Xtreme Legends title, they decided to slap a II on there and make another video game with a brand-new set of campaign missions. It wasn’t the “true” sequel to SW4, (that delightful experience came out last year), but it was a sequel…and so a beautiful title was born.

Koei probably wouldn’t have tried this if not for the proud stupid game name pioneers that came before them. Square Enix proudly made Final Fantasy X-2 years ago on the PlayStation 2, and their…