1992's Mega Drive action adventure Landstalker is one of the most beloved games on the console, but we sadly never got a sequel. Titles like Lady Stalker (Super Famicom), Dark Savior (Saturn), Alundra (PlayStation) and Time Stalkers (Dreamcast) all had some degree of crossover, but Landstalker 2 itself never happened – despite plans being laid out by developer Climax Entertainment.
Those plans are outlined in the 1997 fan book called Landstalker: Heart of Diamond. The book – which has just been scanned and preserved online (thanks, VGDensetsu) – not only includes a plot synopsis but also features concept art by Yoshitaka Tamaki, who worked on the original game.
According to the book, the lead character Lyle gains the ability to transform into various animals via a magic wand. The setting would have been Gamul, and Zak, Karla and the Duke of Mercator would all reappear from the first title.
Lyle and his fairy helper Friday are entrusted by the minister of Gamul with a rescue mission to release a woman imprisoned in a diamond. Lyle refuses the assignment but goes after the demon king responsible regardless.
Friday is kidnapped by the Duke of Mercator, and it is eventually revealed that the main antagonist is none other than the minister of Gamul himself – the twist being that the Demon King and the imprisoned woman are of the same species, and the minister appears to have some vendetta against them.
It's a shame that the Landstalker story never continued in another game; it's also a shame that the proposed PSP remake never got finished, either.