Considering I’m an extremely selective buyer, I haven’t purchased that many video games that didn’t live up to expectations,but the exceptions are quite notable.
I tend to be fairly informed about the interactive medium, comparing opinions and detailing developers' promises about the projects I’m interested in, so I always reduce my chances of disappointment, even though I never drop them to zero.
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Those times when I’ve erred in judgment have mostly been due toworks that haven’t been able to deliver as projected, even though this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re bad.
A product that doesn’t fulfill its hype can range from a good experience to a total disaster, as I invite you to confirm through this list often games with the most wasted potential.
10Dante’s Inferno
A Forgettable Second Half
Dante’s Inferno
When I playedDante’s Infernoas a young man on the Xbox 360, motivated by the inability to continueGod of Warafter temporarily abandoning my relationship with PlayStation, it truly blew my mind.
However, having played it again recently, I realize I was influenced by Kratos' absence and my desire to find a replacement, asit’s a competent hack-and-slash in the first half and a complete waste of time in the second.
The combat goes from being satisfying to completely ceasing to evolve, the bosses lose the creativity of their ideas and settings, the story takes twists that don’t live up to the initial construction, and all the mechanics like platforming or spirit absolution become repetitive or frustrating.
Had it maintained its initial level, perhaps we’d be talking about a generational piece, but that’s not the case.Dante’s Infernohas an impressive identity and many good foundations, butit falls just short of glory by playing it safe after being quite daring.
Arkane At Its Worst
Clarifying from the outset that a twisted part of me truly enjoyedRedfall, it’s undeniablyArkane Studios' worst work in its history, and probably the only one that isn’t directly exceptional.
The game features vestiges of the developer’s best, such as its art direction, scenery, and narrative,but the game is technically broken and conceptually more than fragmented.
Even if we ignore the omnipresence of bugs, the story is inconsequential, it’s impossible to connect with the characters, the weapons don’t generate any feeling, there’s very little enemy variety, the missions are extremely repetitive, the scrolling isn’t enjoyable…
If I were to go on and discuss everythingRedfalldoes wrong, I’d have to change the article entirely and dedicate it only to it.I still think it’s a decent title,but considering the kind of adventures that spiritually preceded it,it’s disappointing.
8Wolfenstein: Youngblood
Great Concept, Terrible Execution
Wolfenstein: Youngblood
I’m a fan of lost causes, and the truth is, I tend to be pretty easy-going when it comes to analyzing games personally, but withWolfenstein: Youngblood, I find it challenging to make an exception.
I went into the game knowing everything that was being said about it, seeing its scores in reviews from around the world, though I don’t think even the lowest of ratings would have prepared me forseeing so many promising ideas executed in the worst possible way.
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The first 20 minutes allowed me to see some light, making me believe that the influence of Arkane Studios combined with the talent ofMachineGameswould cook up something perhaps too experimental for the average player, but it was just an illusion;the game is as bad as they say it is.
I like the protagonists and the combination of genres too, but everything from the gunplay to the enemies, mission structure, level system, and the story itself is inexplicable, so I choose to believeWolfenstein: Youngbloodis the product of a collective delusion and not the latest game in the series.
A Walking Simulator With Extra Steps
I really likecatsand unusual games, soStraywas a sure buy for me from the moment it was announced, but I think it dropped the ball on the gameplay too heavily.
If I think about its narrative, characters, and, above all, its setting, I truly believe we’re looking at a great indie game. However,if I think about its mechanics,it offers absolutely nothing relevant to the experience or the message.
It’s a game that wanders between being a hyper-charged walking simulator, an adventure title, and a puzzler, never quite settling on one of these genres andforcibly combining them to introduce a gameplay variety that never satisfies.
Despite having won so many awards,Strayis a dissonance I don’t think I’ll ever understand. Giving it an interactive component on par with its story and artistic direction would have been transcendental,but it remained just a good game.
6Quantum Break
More Ideas Than Necessary
Quantum Break
AfterRemedy Entertainmentwowed us all withAlan Wake, moving on toQuantum Breakwas overwhelming for not particularly pleasant reasons, albeit it’s still great.
Graphically and conceptually, it was a considerable step forward, featuring impeccable cinematography and gameplay far more complex than its spiritual predecessor, but the overall feel of the game never quite gels.
Clearly,Sam Lakeis an extraordinary creative brimming with fascinating ideas,yetQuantum Breakcarries the weight of so many at once(powers,time travel, shooting, bosses, miniseries, massive amounts of explanation via documents, etc.)that it doesn’t excel at any of them.
It laid the groundwork for the company’s future projects, so it served its purpose. However,to achieve that goal,the game had to sacrifice its own quality, falling far short of what it could have been.
5Elden Ring Nightreign
Decent as a Roguelike, Decent as a Soulsborne
Elden Ring Nightreign
Fextralife Wiki
Elden Ring Nightreign’s mere announcement left me cold, surpassed only by the confidence I had in FromSoftware to experiment in a safe context with new mechanics and approaches.
Unfortunately,their attempt to combine roguelike mechanics with battle royale elements within Soulsborne gameplay never convinced me, not even considering its spectacular new bosses.
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Without a greater variety of weapons, repeating immeasurable amounts ofElden Ringcontent, lacking the ability to break the game’s power scale, and with the tedium of having toreplay everythingwhenever you want to see something authentically unique to the game,it’s a 30-hour run that’s more frustrating than enjoyable.
There was a lot of potential, and I still have faith they’ve learned enough to ensureThe Duskbloodsdoesn’t repeat its same mistakes, thoughElden Ring Nightreignwon’t change my perspective no matter how many updates it receives.
4Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
An Unnecessary Sequel
Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number
AfterHotline Miamibecame a powerful treatise on gamers' relationship with violence in video games, the very idea ofHotline Miami 2: Wrong Numberstrikes me as problematic.
The first game does a perfect job of conveying its intended message, so a sequel would have to fulfill the impossible task of establishing something already established perfectly. Therefore,it not only futilely insists on the same point,but it does so by contradicting itself.
The game has more weapons, levels, bosses, content, dialogue, cinematics… In other words, it has more of what its predecessor criticized, without doing so satirically or acknowledging the irony of its own existence.
It’s still a lot of fun, with an extraordinary soundtrack and an engaging in-game story, butconsidering whatHotline Miamiis and what it represents for the medium,it’s a thoroughly wasted opportunity.
3Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
A Half-Built Road
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
Coming from someone whose brain chemistry was altered byDeus Ex: Human Revolution, believe me when I say that rarely in my life have I seen such wasted potential as that ofMankind Divided.
If you look at the gameplay, setting, level design, and atmosphere,we’re probably talking about the most outstanding title in the IP, with a satisfying and functional structure that makes you feel like you’re about to experience the journey of your life.
The story takes its time moving forward, slowly establishing the tone and allowing you to absorb the themes it addresses at your own pace. Then, when you least expect it,it all ends so abruptly that you’re never given the chance to extract the true value of its proposal.
You don’t fully explore all the gameplay possibilities, no character experiences proper closure, the story is completely unfinished, and we never receive a real antagonist becausethe game finishes 20 hours before it should have.
Deus Ex: Mankind Dividedis unequivocally the product of troubled development, released hastily and prematurely. It could have been an iconic successor and a magnificent closing for Adam Jensen, and instead,it ended up being a half-baked product.
2Mirror’s Edge Catalyst
Fun but Insubstantial
Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst
While many people had issues with the linear and contained nature ofMirror’s Edge, I found it essential to its unforgettable campaign. Regardless, Electronic Arts listened and releasedMirror’s Edge Catalyst, so I had to give in.
The idea of being able to roam freely thanks to its unbeatable parkour mechanics was, I admit, excellent, and I feel I appreciate the title more than most. Yet, I can’t help but thinkit’s light-years away from its full potential.
While the parkour remains as glorious as ever, the setting doesn’t match its quality in the same way, presenting linear levels that mostly relyon ceilings that don’t allow for expression through movement,which I loved from Faith’s original run.
Everything besides thecore gameplayis irrelevant: the story is even blander than the first game’s, the ability to interact with the environment doesn’t improve at all, and overall,it feels like it’s justMirror’s Edgeagain,but with a longer corridor.
It’s a shame, becauseMirror’s Edge Catalystis promising at its core, though none of the accompanying elements add anything substantial to truly sustain a compelling design.
1Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain
The Epitome of Untapped Potential
Metal Gear Solid 5 The Phantom Pain
Being the irredeemable fan that I am ofMetal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain, which I love to defend and will never hesitate to praise as a tremendous game,I can’t ignore everything it could have been but wasn’t.
Theopen worldis striking but lacks meaning, the stealth is immaculate but lacks risk, the story is daring but lacks coherence, the missions are spectacular but lack variety, the bosses are innovative but lack charisma…For every success,there’s a failure,and masterpieces don’t work that way.
I’ve always decided to focus on the positives because, ultimately,it’s the franchise’s best game in terms of gameplay,graphics,and feel, and I think that’s what allows me to viewHideo Kojima’s latest entry in the IP as a positive.
Leaving aside the above, if the game truly capitalized on everything it wanted to do and didn’t have a “but” forevery single thing, it would be difficult to find arguments against declaring it the bestMetal Gear Solid.
Nevertheless, the “what ifs” don’t exist, and the truth is thatthe real phantom pain is thinking about the conclusion to the franchise we could have enjoyed ifKonamiand Kojima had never clashed.
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