Games That Didn't Live Up to Hype

You expected a game.Fifteen years went into making it.It should have offered something new. AfterDuke Nukem 3Ddropped, people felt the next game would be more over the top. It never happened. It became the reference for delayed games. When it finally announced after fifteen years, no one believed it. Everyone thought this game was cursed; developers went there to die.

Then, after a publisher selection, it wasannounced at PAX 2010.The line for a demo took four hours.It was actually happening.The game arrived, and it faced heavy criticism.

The game arrived toface heavy criticism.Controls felt clunky. Loading times were long. The game design was dated. The map design was linear. This game chased first-person shooter trends instead of making something new. You got a disappointing game. Could it meet fifteen years of expectations?

The Elder Scrolls OnlineThe series brought usMorrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim, each game surpassed the last. Now, we got that treatment in a massive multiplayer online format. The hype left the station the second the game was announced.

But the game came out buggy.It lacked the depth people expected. Developers like Bethseda did not reallydo multiplayer and had little experience with it. The launch had many technical issues. It might make money, but it was not theWoW-killer we anticipated.

With a massively-multiplayer "shared world," it was supposed to be the MMO shooter. It featured an open world. Some RPG elements. A whole universe that shaped the game's existence for players.

But the grind. When an MMO lets players exploit the game just to reach a level for content, developers might change their progression plan. Forget a story campaign. Multiplayer chat lacked cohesion.

Despite all that, Destiny has made a lot of money.It was seriously overhyped. Bungie will push this new IP forward regardless of whether the gameplay meets expectations.

Every Assassin's Creedgame carries much hype.Unity was no different. This was the French Revolution! A new era! This creates hype in the series: new things to climb, new breathtaking sights, and new historical figures to kill.

A weak story, a second-screen app needed for unlocks, and many graphics problems led to mixed reviews forAssassin's Creed: Unity. Ubisoft planned no app for the next game. But adding clunky gameplay made the franchise seem like it ran out of steam for the first time.

The game was aggressively hyped as the killer title for new consoles.Watch DogsIt showed videos where random encounters sparked incredible, improvised action. This would make hacking cool forever; it would give us the modern-day.Assassin's CreedWe looked for.

It started going wrong even before launch. First, there were the delays.These delays felt bad. For a launch title on a new platform, this was concerning., which was disconcerting. Then, after launch, it quickly went bad. Bugs rendered the game unplayable...

The story was uninspired. The lead character was boring. The campaign did not justify the play time. Many other parts were fun, and sales remained strong., but after the excitement faded, people shrugged about Watch Dogs., but after the excitement faded, people shrugged about Watch Dogs.Watch Dogs.

A battle against a unified Korea on American soil offered an intriguing setup. This game showed the signs of a unique, politically charged shooter examining Kim Jong-un's regime.

Many games send Americans to far-off, exotic places with high-tech gear to fight anyone. What if we fought a guerrilla war at home? Fighting an occupying force locally seemed interesting.Billboards forHomeland, using an iconic image of a man blindfolded by the Korean flag stuck in everyone's minds. This signaled an unexpected success.

Reviews, however, were split.People were polarized.. Many praised the story and atmosphere. Some said the opposite. The campaign was short; this left many feeling unsatisfied. The game mechanics mostly matched any other first-person shooter. The hype promised something unique, but the game delivered something else.HomefrontFelt like all the others.

HazeWas supposed to bethe topHalo-killer. Ubisoft aimed for the top FPS spot. They bet heavily on Free Radical Design for this Apocalypse Now-inspired franchise opener.Apocalypse NowThey hired Korn to make a song for the game.for the game.

It was not aHalo-killer. It killed nothing but the desire to play Haze.Haze. Critics found it shallow and uninspired. It died quietly. You and everyone else probably forgot it existed until now.

Lairlooked gorgeous in development, wowing viewers with beautiful visuals. Factor 5 developed Lair, which had a strong LucasArts background. Sony pushed hard for this game as the first to show off the PS3's power.Lair, which had a strong LucasArts background. Sony pushed hard for this game as the first to show off the PS3's power.

But the actual game failed. The play could not match the visuals.The play could not match the visuals.The control scheme was disappointing. Playing the game became frustrating, so you lost before fighting any battle. This game should have been a PS3 must-own title; instead, it ended up discounted.

RiptideRiptide acted as a fix for Dead Island, promising to patch the first game's bugs and add new content. It was not an exact sequel; it was more of aDead Island 1.5This allowed issues to be fixed within the story's continuation. Good. Everyone agreed.

ButRiptideRiptide failed to fix the technical problemsThe gameplay improved in some areas. However, new problems appeared that made this game frustrating.These issues turned the game into a frustrating experience.

Aliens versus Predator. Colonial Marines. Three playable species, each with unique abilities, and two beloved IPs.AlienandPredatorMashing these together seemed like a sure hit. This game was set to succeed.

People were immediately let down.The Marines were dull. The Aliens proved hard to play. The Predator offered interest but lacked features. The game was incomplete and rightly rejected.Marines felt dull. Aliens proved hard to play. The Predator offered features but lacked depth. The game felt half-finished; it earned its rejection.

This game concept had people saying, "Duh, yes, ofcourse!"A simple idea. Build aTony Hawkgame, but add a skateboard controller. Though development cost money, people were more willing to buy a single game accessory during theRock BandRock Band era.

The issue is that this accessory must function. In a game likeTony Hawk: RideTony Hawk: Rideusing your handsinstead of standing on it would work better. The concept is fine, but the faulty accessory ruined the game. Next time, Tony.Instead of standing on the object, the action needed more function. A fine idea, but the weak side sunk this game. Try again next time, Tony.

To put it mildly.The poster's promise did not happen.Daikatana

Daikatana was released and received poor reviews. The gameplay felt clunky, and the map design lacked substance. After production delays, other games had already surpassed their engines.The original game helped create the survival horror genre, so fans wanted a newAlone In the DarkThe hype built up nervously because the game developed alongside the filmadaptation by the disliked Uwe Boll.

Eidos then delayed the game and decided to rebuild everything from scratch.When it finally worked, the game was fun and smart, but technical flaws hamperedAlone In the Dark.When it worked, the game met expectations. The issue is it did not work that much. It was a financial success, so they might get another chance.Titanfallthe despised Uwe BollThe game got delayed. Eidos reworked everything from the start.

When it worked, the game felt fun and smart.buttechnical flawshobbledAlone In the Dark.When it worked, it met expectations. The issue was it didn't work enough. The game made money, so they might try again.

Titanfall is a good gameThe hype machine promised this would be the ultimate game.Destiny.Forget about it.Titanfall.Titanfall crushed it with its mechanized feet.

While.Destiny.Destiny was overhyped. Titanfall gave it a run for its money. It was not the 'throw away any other shooter' game promised. The campaign lacked substance, the AI was weak, and multiplayer needed solid community features, which Titanfall lacked.Titanfall.Titanfall gave it a run for its money. It is not the end-all 'throw away any other shooter' game that was promised. The campaign was thin, the AI was lackluster. For multiplayer, you need solid community features, which Titanfall did not provide.Titanfall.Titanfall's gameplay was fun. Its wallrunning mechanics were novel and fun. Still, the game felt like it had more planned. It never reached the necessary level to meet expectations.

People eagerly awaited a reboot of this influential series.The first game.was original. It set in a morally gray universe and introduced Dark Engine, which the great System Shock 2 used effectively.System Shock 2.The next game, Thief: The Dark Project, built on the promise of a true stealth game. Excitement peaked when the first new addition in ten years was announced.Thief: The Dark Project.The release disappointed. Bad voice acting and poor map layouts led to poor ratings. The AI was also weak; the game made you feel restricted, despite allowing player choice.

The release left much to be desired. Bad voice acting and poor map layouts caused dismal ratings. The AI was sub-par; the game made you feel restricted, even though you should have played as you wanted.

Rockstar took time making an online version ofGrand Theft Auto.. So.Realtime Worlds., founded by a developer of GTA.GTA.and also had.Crackdown.basically decided to do it themselves.

The.review embargo.was a bad sign. They forced reviewers to wait a week after release to review the game.after.release to review the game. Then the developer faced financial trouble. Only six weeks after APB: All Points Bulletin released, the company filed for bankruptcy and closed its Boulder, CO office.APB: All Points Bulletin. APB: All Points Bulletinthe company filed for bankruptcy and closed its Boulder, CO office.

The hype was on.Bionic Commando., a classic 2D action adventure arcade game, got an updated 3D version. Nostalgia fueled this excitement when a new version was announced.

The reality was much more disappointing. Gameplay lacked fun despite praise for an unpredictable storyline. Even more disappointing, sales were very low. The game sold only 27,000 units in its first month. Capcom, usually strong, had its first flop of the high-definition era on what seemed certain.more disappointing., sales were excruciatingly low. The game sold a mere 27,000 units in its first month.27,000 unitsEven adding a zero, the release remains disappointing. Capcom had its first flop of the high-definition era on what seemed certain.

Richard Marcinko is the first commanding officer of SEAL Team Six and the writer of the famous war novel Rogue Warrior.writer of the famous war novel Rogue WarriorRogue Warrior..Marcinko uses a gruff style, over-the-top inventive cursing, and an eye for authentic military maneuvers., he built a strong brand selling novels.

Folks were thrilled with Marcinko's plan to bringRogue WarriorPeople wanted to see the books translated into a playable game. Many prepared to see the next.Rainbow Six.

The game itself wasjust another military shooter.. Expletives in the game did not seem to fit when spoken. The campaign ended fast. Development clearly spared money on testing, like many cash-in games; it was buggy.Rainbow Sixlaughed off the challenge.

Fuelreceived hypeis an open-world racing gamethat would blow your mind. Go anywhere, race anything in aMad Maxpost-apocalyptic world! Tornadoes and sandstorms will come around; the world looks awesome and huge.

But the AI let the player win easily, and the racing mechanics were sloppy.Fuelregistered as a huge disappointment quickly.

If people praise your first game's snowy world, do not put your sequel in a tropical world.The shift was too jarring for gamers.The first game had a unique setting. People expected more of that in the second game, hopefully with better mechanics and moregameplay.gameplay in the game.

They avoided a total change to a new planet that felt nothing like the first one. Design and interface problems made many gamers smash their controllers.

AFinal FantasyFinal Fantasy MMO? The franchise has a devoted fanbase. They like deep lore, and they enjoy interacting, even though all previousFinal Fantasygames were single-player.Final Fantasy OnlinePeople demanded it. Square Enix decided it was time and made it happen.

This had the look of something great. But theentire thing came out poorly.Square Enix admitted it damaged the brand.and hurt one of gaming's oldest franchises.It damaged one of the most respected franchises in gaming.

Advent Risingwas meant to beMass EffectbeforeMass Effect, an epic sci-fi adventure game kicking off a planned trilogy. It was the first game by GlyphX Studios.first game by GlyphX Studios, but its publisher, Majesco, had a strong history.

Bugs and a bad targeting system ruined the game. Sequels were quickly canceled.sequelsCritics panned the game.The critics panned the game.Critics did not test enough because they rushed to market.

Crackdownwas awesome. Everyone loved Crackdown.Crackdown.Jump onto skyscrapers. Land hard and send people flying. Lay waste to gangs in a futuristic open-world city as a superhuman Agent. The second game would be even better, building on the first's promise, right?

Crackdown 2: Swap gangs for mutants and a civilian revolt against the Agency gives you the same game. People wanted more.Crackdownover againthey could have just done thatOr we could have all saved time making DLC for the original.

With Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom PainGround ZeroesHideo Kojima used Ground Zeroes to ease players into new mechanics. The fervent fanbase finally saw Kojima's grand vision after a long wait.less than othersHideo Kojima used Ground Zeroes to ease players into new mechanics. After a long wait, the fervent fanbase finally saw Kojima's grand vision.

Graphics looked amazing. Mechanics felt immersive, and the open world offered replay value. But this was not a complete game.This game lasted only a few hours.Some critics disliked this, but fewer people did.Pac-ManEveryone agreed this did not feel like a complete game.

Atari ported Pac-Man to the 2600 to cash in on arcade success.For the 2600. This seemed like a sure thing: If you avoided the arcade or wanted kids home, you played the game right there. This was a slam dunk business move.Pac-Man

Technical flaws sent gamers back to arcades. Flickering lights hurt eyes, and sluggish controls made the home Pac-Man version unable to match the arcade version.Stack up to its arcade counterpart.simply could notGetting people excited.Atari's quick attempt to cash in failed hard.

Peter Molyneux is famous for getting people excited about games he could not make.Black & WhiteHe dealt with this hype by promoting Black & White and the original Fable.Fablethe originalFable IIwe all wantedAnything!Fable II could make you marry anyone. You and everyone around you age! The world will be vast and open, and you can do anything!FableFable II

The game came out, and it was okay. People found it linear. While the family/relationships mechanic was interesting, the mechanics felt like parts of a different game in the Fable universe. It was not the RPG to end all RPGs.universe. It was not the RPG that ended all RPGs.Dark Souls II didn't live up to the hype.

This game did not live up to the hype.Dark Soulsits predecessors Dark Souls and Demon's Souls were just too good.Demon's SoulsDemon's SoulsJust isn't enough.Sometimes, more of the same is not enough..Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher's Bay

A beautiful setting, interesting ideas, and innovative mechanics suggested greatness. Many who remembered Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher's Bay wanted another successful first-person stealth action game.Inreally wanted to see another successful first-person stealth action game.Dishonoredrather than restrict game testers' ability toDishonored said magical abilities and equipment could combine in unique ways. They said testers should not be restricted from breaking the game during testing; they redesigned maps to include that play. So they said.literally break the game during the testing phase, they redesigned maps to incorporate that sort of play. So they said.

The game released. Gameplay, which many loved, worked fine. The story, a supposed grand tale of intrigue in a Victorian steampunk city, felt boring and hard to access. Overall,Dishonored is completely forgettable..