Top 10 Disappointments of "New-Gen" Gaming By Brian Paterson, 5.21.08
Over the past two years, gamers who have doled out the cash for a shiny new Nintendo Wii, Playstation 3 or Xbox 360 have enjoyed a wealth of great titles. Games such as Bioshock, Call of Duty 4, Super Mario Galaxy and Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune have reassured owners that their purchases were not vein, and that the potential for memorable videogame experiences would be ever-present in this generation. However, developers continue to promise titles that will astound in the months (even years) leading up to its release, but end up coming horrendously short. The games on this list, though many still popular with a small contingent, have earned the ire of many throughout the gaming community.
10. Blue Dragon (360)
RPG fans from the Playstation era who longed for a taste of Final Fantasy took great interest in Sakaguchi-san’s Blue Dragon, a title formed under the Mistwalker banner which featured many prominent ex-Squaresoft developers. Blue Dragon promised robust character development, a fluid battle system, stirring music and a memorable story, however, the game’s generic combat, paper-thin characters and a tired narrative doomed this title to the bargain bin from day one. To many, this title was to spark the movement toward the Xbox 360 in Japan; we now see that the impact it has made overseas as well as in the United States is almost non-existent. For the few who did enjoy Blue Dragon, a portable iteration is making its way to the Nintendo DS in the near future. ReelGamers.com recommendation: Persona 3: FES, Eternal Sonata.
9. Hellgate: London (PC)
Oh, what could have been. Hellgate: London, a hack and slash RPG from the original creators of Diablo, dropped onto store shelves during November of 2007, and there it sat…and sat...and sat. The Flagship title featured an interface that would make even the most veteran PC gamers cringe and its engine had about as much stability as a Spears/Federline marriage. Not only did Hellgate: London disappoint ravenous PC gamers looking for an alternative to World of Warcraft, but it charged ten bucks a month while doing it. In addition, Hellgate violated one of the great rules of game development in the HD era: Never tell your story (i.e. cutscenes) through the pages of a book. Frustrated middle-aged men looking for an escape from the dank confines of their mother’s basements and studio apartments would have to look elsewhere. ReelGamers.com recommendation: Titan Quest.
8. Kane and Lynch (360, PS3)
Video game trailers are impressive because they have the ability to trigger an immense amount of interest in a particularly short time; Kane and Lynch was one of these titles. With critically acclaimed games such as Hitman under their belt, Eidos and IO’s offering was a sure bet with action gamers worldwide. Unfortunately for K&L, it, like many other titles on this list, simply could not live up to the initial hype. With characters that literally made gamers want to throw the controller through the screen, a lack of online co-op (take a hint from Army of Two, guys) and a largely broken cover system, Kane and Lynch didn’t stand a chance against other story-driven shooters released in the same year such as Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune and Bioshock. Throw in the fallout from Eidos’ supposed Gamespot “money hat” and you have a recipe for utter failure. ReelGamers.com recommendation: Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, Gears of War.
7. Folklore (PS3)
What’s could be worse than navigating a linear (but quite vibrant) world plagued by stiff loading times, repetitive gameplay and a dull storyline? Doing it twice with two different characters. While the “Catch em all!” factor is present for a short while (the many Folk’s powers can be harnessed as your own), the game’s almost insulting dialogue, disengaging comic book styled cut-scenes and lifeless characters will have you playing other deserving Playstation 3 RPG’s such as…hm…I’ll get back to you soon on that one, guys. Simply put, Folklore is worth a rent at best. ReelGamers.com recommendation: Condemned 2: Bloodshot, Ratchet and Clank.
6. Lair (PS3)
From the creators of Star Wars: Rogue Squadron, Factor 5 sought to extend their success in the flight-combat genre (oft dominated by Namco’s Ace Combat series) with Lair on the Playstation 3. As eager Playstation owners awaited its arrival, many debated concerning the title’s motion control, which forced players to maneuver their dragons entirely by the Sixaxis controller. It was a hell of a gamble by Factor 5, and one they’d regret dearly following its release. While stark defenders of Lair claimed that flying these beasts was an absolute blast, the overwhelming majority demanded Sixaxis be done away with completely. Sony heeded their advice, and although Sixaxis remains a feature of the Dualshock 3, it has not been used as an essential gameplay element ever since. Reelgamers.com recommendation: Ace Combat 6
