The lead-up to the release of a highly anticipated game is always exciting. From interviews, trailers, and gameplay demos, we can generally spot whether or not an upcoming video game will be great. Sadly, we’re not always on the money. Sometimes a highly anticipated game turns out to be a colossal dud.
Recently, Redditor xRezzko asked what the most disappointing games people have played which we thought would be an absolute banger. Here are some of the most popular answers.
We Happy Few
At first glance, We Happy Few looks like a beautiful action-adventure survival take on a dystopian society. The opening moments assure you that this game will meet the hype. Then, sadly, the rest of the game happens.
Despite its promise, We Happy Few falls short of meeting its expectations. All of the best moments from the trailers feel like they were made specifically for the trailers. The game’s actual substance feels shallow and repetitive.
Anthem
The team at BioWare aimed to make the “Bob Dylan” of video games with Anthem. On paper, it sounds like a surefire hit—a looter-shooter with BioWare’s storytelling pedigree and the ability to fly around in a giant mech suit.
Despite everything, Anthem proves that flying around like an overpowered Iron Man isn’t always fun. The game launched buggy, incomplete, and honestly pretty boring. Since its release, BioWare has been looking to rebuild its reputation as a premiere developer in the industry.
Jump Force
You’d think a fighting game that features the most popular characters in anime and manga would be a smash hit. But, unfortunately, you thought wrong when it comes to Jump Force.
Upon release, the game was met with mixed reviews at best. Critics and fans complained that the game felt unfished, broken, and rough around the edges. The servers for Jump Force have since gone offline.
Brink
A common theme here is games with infinite potential that release unfinished. While that’s certainly the case for Bethesda‘s Brink, there’s more than meets the eye.
Part of the issue with Brink’s launch is a failure to understand what the game actually was. Many viewed it as a tactical version of Team Fortress 2 with parkour elements. Unfortunately, it didn’t come close to those expectations.
No Man’s Sky
This indie game had all the potential in the world. The ability to traverse thousands upon thousands of randomly generated planets across the galaxy was too enticing to pass up. We could live out our childhood fantasies of exploring the cosmos and the final frontier.
Then we booted up the game and realized there really wasn’t much of a point to anything.
While No Man’s Sky has since exceeded our high expectations thanks to tremendous post-launch support, it was a gigantic dud upon release that upset many people. In addition, the game shipped with a severe lack of depth. Thankfully, these issues have since been addressed.
Battlefield 2042
The Battlefield franchise was once a tentpole for the FPS genre. Since then, it’s stumbled due to a variety of reasons. Yet every game in the series since Battlefield 2 has had at least some redeeming qualities. That is, until Battlefield 2042.
This is the game EA decided to focus on over the Star Wars: Battlefront franchise, which was recovering from its own rocky start. The result is an absolute disaster of a game that has resulted in a gigantic shift in how the Battlefield series is approached in future releases.
Fable 3
The Fable franchise is notorious for not being the hype. Still, the first two games were enjoyable action RPGs, even if they didn’t revolutionize the genre.
With Fable 3, a steady foundation has been laid to build upon. Yet things steer off course, including a third act that’s unlike anything the series has seen before. Between this disappointing finale and a lackluster story, Fable 3 left a pretty bad taste in people’s mouths.
Marvel’s Avengers
Who wouldn’t want to join the Avengers? The action beat ’em up featured a unique story and drew inspiration from comic books rather than the MCU. In addition, it provides a fresh, new take on the Avengers superhero team.
Yet Marvel’s Avengers couldn’t shake off its issues to become the live service game fans wanted to play until the end. Some questionable design decisions and tuning issues for the sake of artificial difficulty helped lead to its downfall.
Mass Effect Andromeda
After the conclusion of the Mass Effect trilogy, fans were excited at the premise of a new adventure with new characters in a new galaxy. Instead, we got a broken, complicated, and unpolished mess.
Even if the bugs were ironed out, there’s a lack of star power in Andromeda’s voice cast. The original games were a who’s who of premier voice acting. Meanwhile, Andromeda felt like a made-for-TV spin-off that’s better left unfinished.
Dying Light 2
The original Dying Light is a unique and enjoyable take on the zombie genre. Dying Light 2 is an ambitious sequel that was delayed long before eventually released.
As you’d expect from an ambitious game filled with development issues, there’s zero chance it meets the expectations. Instead, the game feels like a gigantic step down in every conceivable way.
Resident Evil 3 Remake
The Resident Evil 2 Remake is one of the better remakes you can play today. It takes the heart and soul of the original and expands upon it. A true labor of love, the remake enhances the original and becomes the definitive way to play the game.
Conversely, Resident Evil 3 Remake feels like a cheap cash-in. It gets a fresh coat of paint but lacks the depth that made the prior remake so beloved.
Cyberpunk 2077
There’s a good game to be found within Cyberpunk 2077, especially after post-launch updates and fixes. That said, there’s no way this is the advertised game.
CD PROJEKT RED delivered an incredible experience with The Witcher franchise. The promise of a living, breathing cyberpunk world was a true dream for many RPG fans. Sadly, despite the game being enjoyable, it couldn’t meet its lofty expectations.
There’s nothing wrong with a good game, but Cyberpunk promised something unforgettable.
