As some of you know , I have been contracted by Que Publishing to write the 2006 Gamer's Almanac. Great news for me, bad news for my family as I'll be lokced to my desk for the next 3 months. Anyway, I had an idea for an essay that I figured I'd toss out there to get some creative juices flowing. I want to discuss some of the great gaming disappointments - games that you either had very high hopes for or that were high profile that ended up being huge letdowns. (NCAA 2005 is one for me that still sold well despite its tendency to suck) Doesn't have to be sports games, just in general.
I have my own list in my head (Axis and Allies, Master of Orion 3, Star Wars Force Commander, Braveheart, etc.)
You guys have any that spring to mind?
Your most disappointing games
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Bill_Abner
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Your most disappointing games
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PadresFan104
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dbdynsty25
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Because it's freakin' badass. I love it...they took a damn good first game and expanded on it 10 fold. It's a worthy sequal in my opinion.PadresFan104 wrote:Empire Earth II - I have no idea why that game is getting such high praise from the media.
As for my biggest disappointments:
1. World Series 2k1 (DC)
2. NCAA Football 2005 (XBox)
1. Triple Play 99
2. Spy vs Spy Sega Master System
3. Fable
4. Final Fantasy VIII
5. NBA Live 1995-2003
2. Spy vs Spy Sega Master System
3. Fable
4. Final Fantasy VIII
5. NBA Live 1995-2003
Last edited by EDiddy on Thu May 12, 2005 9:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him."
World Series 2k2 -- because I was in the minority and thought WSB2k1 was brilliant. Fortunately I got to see the series from WOW continue with the fine Home Run Kings on Gamecube, even if for only one season.
Madden -- ever since Tiburon got ahold of the game.
ESPN NHL 2k5 -- again, I've been disappointed since the developer switch.
Madden -- ever since Tiburon got ahold of the game.
ESPN NHL 2k5 -- again, I've been disappointed since the developer switch.
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pk500
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In no order, except for the very end:
Gran Turismo 4 (PS2) -- No online, no damage model, same dopey AI. What the hell did Polyphony Digital do during the three years of development other than graphics work?
NHL 2005 (multiple) -- A hugely improved series, evidenced by NHL 2004, fell back into the Dark Ice Ages with this piece of sh*t.
Driver 2 (multiple) -- As Al said, a great series was destroyed.
Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2) -- Was this a movie or a video game? Cutscene hell.
Sports Car GT (PSX) -- I really looked forward to the PSX version of this game, and it had about five tracks, 10 cars and a horsesh*t driving model.
World Series Baseball 2K1 (DC) -- Gorgeous graphics, but a baseball game in which you can't control your fielders?
Brute Force (Xbox) -- Supposed equal to Halo? Hah! What a joke.
Rainbow Six Black Arrow (Xbox) -- This game brought nothing new to the RS franchise except for some hectic online modes that really weren't in the true spirit of the series. It was Unreal Championship meets RS.
Sega GT (DC) -- Despite Sega's promises, this game didn't come anywher close to Gran Turismo. Mediocre graphics, decent driving model, HORRIBLE course design.
Crazy Taxi 3 High Roller (Xbox) -- Why was this game even made? The original was brilliant. The sequel was pretty fun and introduced some cool new stuff. The third edition was a lukewarm rehash with slowdown despite being on the Xbox.
Jet Set Radio Future (Xbox) -- A dumbed-down version of the brilliant Jet Grind Radio of the Dreamcast. If you never played JGR, then Jet Set was decent. If you played JGR, then Jet Set was worthless.
Top Spin (Xbox) -- A game that had so much promise was ruined by the inability to save during a match in offline play and the heavy, heavy overeliance on trick shots in online play.
Medal of Honor Rising Sun (multiple) -- Final proof that even the mighty EA can't stretch a game engine that was five years old past the breaking point. What a horrid game.
SSX Tricky (multiple) -- EA Big took the SSX series away from its racing roots to emphasize tricks during the extreme sports game craze, and the results were lousy. Thankfully, SSX 3 returned the series to its racing-based arcadish prominence.
Tony Hawk Underground (multiple) -- Proof that the Tony Hawk series has become the Tomb Raider of extreme sports games. What a stupid concept.
Finally, the most disappointing game I can remember in the last eight years:
Sled Storm (PS2) -- The original Sled Storm on the PSX remains as probably my favorite arcade racing game of all time. Lord, I put a ridiculous number of hours into this arcade snowmobile racer/tricks game, both single- and multi-player. Then EA Big got its mitts on the follow-up for next-gen systems and absolutely ruined the game. The emphasis went to "big" everything, putting heavy focus on tricks in ridiculous cosmic environments instead of furious racing on real Alpine tracks.
Take care,
PK
Gran Turismo 4 (PS2) -- No online, no damage model, same dopey AI. What the hell did Polyphony Digital do during the three years of development other than graphics work?
NHL 2005 (multiple) -- A hugely improved series, evidenced by NHL 2004, fell back into the Dark Ice Ages with this piece of sh*t.
Driver 2 (multiple) -- As Al said, a great series was destroyed.
Metal Gear Solid 2 (PS2) -- Was this a movie or a video game? Cutscene hell.
Sports Car GT (PSX) -- I really looked forward to the PSX version of this game, and it had about five tracks, 10 cars and a horsesh*t driving model.
World Series Baseball 2K1 (DC) -- Gorgeous graphics, but a baseball game in which you can't control your fielders?
Brute Force (Xbox) -- Supposed equal to Halo? Hah! What a joke.
Rainbow Six Black Arrow (Xbox) -- This game brought nothing new to the RS franchise except for some hectic online modes that really weren't in the true spirit of the series. It was Unreal Championship meets RS.
Sega GT (DC) -- Despite Sega's promises, this game didn't come anywher close to Gran Turismo. Mediocre graphics, decent driving model, HORRIBLE course design.
Crazy Taxi 3 High Roller (Xbox) -- Why was this game even made? The original was brilliant. The sequel was pretty fun and introduced some cool new stuff. The third edition was a lukewarm rehash with slowdown despite being on the Xbox.
Jet Set Radio Future (Xbox) -- A dumbed-down version of the brilliant Jet Grind Radio of the Dreamcast. If you never played JGR, then Jet Set was decent. If you played JGR, then Jet Set was worthless.
Top Spin (Xbox) -- A game that had so much promise was ruined by the inability to save during a match in offline play and the heavy, heavy overeliance on trick shots in online play.
Medal of Honor Rising Sun (multiple) -- Final proof that even the mighty EA can't stretch a game engine that was five years old past the breaking point. What a horrid game.
SSX Tricky (multiple) -- EA Big took the SSX series away from its racing roots to emphasize tricks during the extreme sports game craze, and the results were lousy. Thankfully, SSX 3 returned the series to its racing-based arcadish prominence.
Tony Hawk Underground (multiple) -- Proof that the Tony Hawk series has become the Tomb Raider of extreme sports games. What a stupid concept.
Finally, the most disappointing game I can remember in the last eight years:
Sled Storm (PS2) -- The original Sled Storm on the PSX remains as probably my favorite arcade racing game of all time. Lord, I put a ridiculous number of hours into this arcade snowmobile racer/tricks game, both single- and multi-player. Then EA Big got its mitts on the follow-up for next-gen systems and absolutely ruined the game. The emphasis went to "big" everything, putting heavy focus on tricks in ridiculous cosmic environments instead of furious racing on real Alpine tracks.
Take care,
PK
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"First on the throttle, last on the brakes." - @MotoGP Twitter signature
XBL Gamertag: pk4425
A couple of games that were not actually horrible games, but were big disappointments to me and both made by the same studio:
Deus Ex: Invisible Storm
Thief Dark Shadows
Neither lived up to the games that came before it. Thief basically invented the 'First Person Sneaker' and Thief 2 was a good game also. But TDS was mediocre and the blame had little to do with it being developed for consoles as well as PC. Perhaps the series was reaching the end, but I think the writing was less than stellar and the game was simply too long in development so that by the time it came out it was old news.
Deus Ex the sequel was just way too much like a shopping list. Everyone you talked to asked you to do something. The first game was great fun and had a great plot. This game was just one task after another and got confusing real fast. And the technology was flawed on the PC.
NCAA Football 2001 psx was a very weak follow-up to NCAA 2000 psx. In fact, like NCAA 2005, it was pretty much broken. The running game was too easy, for starters. Because of all the top programmers working on Madden for the PS2, Tiburon shipped this game to an outside developer and it showed. It was the NCAA football game I played the least. I think it was way more disappointing than NCAA 2005.
Football Pro 99 - need I say any more??
Deus Ex: Invisible Storm
Thief Dark Shadows
Neither lived up to the games that came before it. Thief basically invented the 'First Person Sneaker' and Thief 2 was a good game also. But TDS was mediocre and the blame had little to do with it being developed for consoles as well as PC. Perhaps the series was reaching the end, but I think the writing was less than stellar and the game was simply too long in development so that by the time it came out it was old news.
Deus Ex the sequel was just way too much like a shopping list. Everyone you talked to asked you to do something. The first game was great fun and had a great plot. This game was just one task after another and got confusing real fast. And the technology was flawed on the PC.
NCAA Football 2001 psx was a very weak follow-up to NCAA 2000 psx. In fact, like NCAA 2005, it was pretty much broken. The running game was too easy, for starters. Because of all the top programmers working on Madden for the PS2, Tiburon shipped this game to an outside developer and it showed. It was the NCAA football game I played the least. I think it was way more disappointing than NCAA 2005.
Football Pro 99 - need I say any more??
Wow! Great thread. I was just talking about this at dinner tonight. Weird.
Here is my list...not necessarily in order...
1. Halo 2 single player - Even though I was not that excited for it, I was very dissapointed.
2. The first EA PGA golf game for PS1
3. The Madden that never was...what was it, '96? (for ps1)
4. Trickstyle for Dreamcast
5. Mario Kart - Double Dash
6. Top Spin Tennis
7. Toe Jam & Earl 2
8. WSB 2K1
9. Mario Sunshine - Very good, but really dissapointing in its own way
I can think of some more in a littel bit...
Here is my list...not necessarily in order...
1. Halo 2 single player - Even though I was not that excited for it, I was very dissapointed.
2. The first EA PGA golf game for PS1
3. The Madden that never was...what was it, '96? (for ps1)
4. Trickstyle for Dreamcast
5. Mario Kart - Double Dash
6. Top Spin Tennis
7. Toe Jam & Earl 2
8. WSB 2K1
9. Mario Sunshine - Very good, but really dissapointing in its own way
I can think of some more in a littel bit...
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The FPS football series -- symbolized everything that was wrong with PC gaming at the end of the 90s
World Series Baseball 2k1 -- how can you have Web Gems without fielding?
Syphon Filter 2 -- boring sequel of one of the most exciting PSX games.
Every Tomb Raider after the first two -- the second game had some cool level design and was hard as hell. The third and subsequent games just grave robbed.
Resident Evil 0 (GC) -- Must. Turn. Faster. Lousy. Controls.
Full Spectrum Warrior -- if only the real Iraqi insurgents were as brain dead as the AI in this game.
Gran Turismo 4 -- Bumper cars with better tracks.
World Series Baseball 2k1 -- how can you have Web Gems without fielding?
Syphon Filter 2 -- boring sequel of one of the most exciting PSX games.
Every Tomb Raider after the first two -- the second game had some cool level design and was hard as hell. The third and subsequent games just grave robbed.
Resident Evil 0 (GC) -- Must. Turn. Faster. Lousy. Controls.
Full Spectrum Warrior -- if only the real Iraqi insurgents were as brain dead as the AI in this game.
Gran Turismo 4 -- Bumper cars with better tracks.
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Danimal
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Fable - Waited that long for what I got..yeech
College Hoops 2005 - put me in the too many freezes category.
Axis & Allies - apparently it is impossible to translate this game to a PC
Temple of elemental Evil.
College Hoops 2005 - put me in the too many freezes category.
Axis & Allies - apparently it is impossible to translate this game to a PC
Temple of elemental Evil.
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davet010
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Just a few
Championship Manager 05 (though it was so late, I should have known something was wrong)
Locomotion (I know, I'll remake Transport Tycoon 10 yrs later, and put LESS in it)
NCAA 05 (played 04 to death, this was an unwelcome surprise)
Champ Manager 4 (so flawed, the real patch was actually sold as Champ Man 03/04..which to be fair, was excellent)
Championship Manager 05 (though it was so late, I should have known something was wrong)
Locomotion (I know, I'll remake Transport Tycoon 10 yrs later, and put LESS in it)
NCAA 05 (played 04 to death, this was an unwelcome surprise)
Champ Manager 4 (so flawed, the real patch was actually sold as Champ Man 03/04..which to be fair, was excellent)
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WillHunting
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Metal Gear Solid 2 <- turned me off the series entirely. While 3 was good, Splinter Cell showed me that playing stealth games in an overhead view is retarded.
Final Fantasy VII <- all the hype, all the praise, yet this game is boring, characters are dull, and I tried to finish it TWICE only to be bored out of my mind half way through disc 1.
Fable <- got it for $20 new on release day and still felt ripped off. What a terrible game.
Mechassault 2: Lonewolf <- boring game, by the numbers type gameplay = yawn.
Final Fantasy VII <- all the hype, all the praise, yet this game is boring, characters are dull, and I tried to finish it TWICE only to be bored out of my mind half way through disc 1.
Fable <- got it for $20 new on release day and still felt ripped off. What a terrible game.
Mechassault 2: Lonewolf <- boring game, by the numbers type gameplay = yawn.
Fable. Total Disappointment
Max Payne 2 - I was just getting into it and it was over.
Deus Ex: Invisible War. Letdown.
Halo 2 - Don't get me wrong I loved this game, but was still disappointed:
It had the Metal Gear Solid 2 character bait and switch; harldy any time on earth despite the previews, no ending, almost same story: fight the convenant, then the flood appear.
Max Payne 2 - I was just getting into it and it was over.
Deus Ex: Invisible War. Letdown.
Halo 2 - Don't get me wrong I loved this game, but was still disappointed:
It had the Metal Gear Solid 2 character bait and switch; harldy any time on earth despite the previews, no ending, almost same story: fight the convenant, then the flood appear.
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Bill_Abner
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Wow guys, great stuff and it certainly put my brain into the way back machine. How could I possibly forget about FPS Football 99? So much potential, but so bad that Sierra recalled it. Anyone remember the game Outpost? That would might qualify, too. What was the name of the Star Wars strategy game from the late 90s? Anyone remember? That was a total disaster and started the trend of really bad Star Wars games.
My own list includes: NHL 2005, FPS: 99, Daikatana, Master of Orion 3, Axis and Allies, Contract JACK, The Matrix, WSB 2001, Braveheart, and Force Commander. As much as I want to put NCAA 2005 in with this group it wasn't nearly as horrid as the other sports games on this list. I'll have to do some research into the Driver series; I've heard Driver 2 mentioned elsewhere. That might have to make the list.
My own list includes: NHL 2005, FPS: 99, Daikatana, Master of Orion 3, Axis and Allies, Contract JACK, The Matrix, WSB 2001, Braveheart, and Force Commander. As much as I want to put NCAA 2005 in with this group it wasn't nearly as horrid as the other sports games on this list. I'll have to do some research into the Driver series; I've heard Driver 2 mentioned elsewhere. That might have to make the list.
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Fifa 2000
- basically where it all started to go terribly wrong for the Fifa series, what a p.o.s. game...
Metal Gear Solid 2
- I loved MGS 1 on the PSX, MGS2's story was just horrible with hours of cutscenes that were so bad they made you laugh out loud (e.g. Otacon and his confession of sleeping with his step-mom while you've got your sniper rifle out). Raiden sucked ass too.
GT4
- I (somewhat ashamed) admit that I have played this one quite a bit because I do find the driving (not racing) engine to be so much fun, and the graphics are yummy, but still, like PK said - what the f%&* have polyphony been doing these past few years.
Doom 3
- don't get me wrong, this is an excellent game but I guess I had unrealistic expectations and perhaps misplaced expectations
This is Football/WTS
- back when WE was import-only, this was the soccer gaming community's great hope for non-Fifa footy action. It blew chunks.
NBA Street V3
- so underwhelming and what's up with the camera angles...
- basically where it all started to go terribly wrong for the Fifa series, what a p.o.s. game...
Metal Gear Solid 2
- I loved MGS 1 on the PSX, MGS2's story was just horrible with hours of cutscenes that were so bad they made you laugh out loud (e.g. Otacon and his confession of sleeping with his step-mom while you've got your sniper rifle out). Raiden sucked ass too.
GT4
- I (somewhat ashamed) admit that I have played this one quite a bit because I do find the driving (not racing) engine to be so much fun, and the graphics are yummy, but still, like PK said - what the f%&* have polyphony been doing these past few years.
Doom 3
- don't get me wrong, this is an excellent game but I guess I had unrealistic expectations and perhaps misplaced expectations
This is Football/WTS
- back when WE was import-only, this was the soccer gaming community's great hope for non-Fifa footy action. It blew chunks.
NBA Street V3
- so underwhelming and what's up with the camera angles...
