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1.gta4
2.gta4
3.gta4
4.gta4
5.gta4
6.gta4
7.gta4
8.gta4
9.gta4
10.gta4
Mw 2 rates as a disappointment for me.
H e r e
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Top Ten Most Disappointing Games Of 2009
Written by MarkyX | December 15, 2009
2009 is almost gone, and, looking back, there has been numerous key moments in the gaming industry: Capcom has managed to revive the fighting genre single handily with “Street Fighter 4.” The Wii has been receiving titles that are actually marketed towards gamers with doubledigit ages. And Star Wars fans have been drooling at the many developer walkthrough videos for the upcoming Star Wars MMO by Bioware. To say the least, in term of gaming, things are looking good.
With that being said, this doesn’t necessary the gaming industry did a perfect job this year. While sale records have been broken, there have been a few games released that received a ton of hype but failed to fufill their promises. The rules for this year’s list remain the same as last year: Any game that I was personally hyped about and didn’t meet my expectations is a candidate for this list. Because I only have a Wii, 360, and my PC, don’t expect anything from the handheld consoles or the Playstation 3.
10. Madworld
MadWorld
I know it’s very strange to label “Madworld” as disappointing game when I’ve given the game a favorable review, there’s a logically reason behind this.
“Madworld” was developed by Platinum Games, but they didn’t always go by that name. A few years ago, they were called Clover Studios and worked under Capcom, many artistically unique games were released by them, such as “Okami” and “Vietiful Joe.” It was one of their games in particular that had me hyped about “Madworld,” “God Hand.”
“God Hand” was a visually poor beat’em up that didn’t receive great reviews. It was released on the Playstation 2, and it was the last game created under the Clover Studios name. While the mainstream public didn’t bite, those of us who wanted to challenge ourselves and enjoyed punching people in the face got one hell of a game. I won’t list the features, but you can search on Youtube to see how the game works. It might be a good idea to do so, and then compare it to videos of “Madworld.” You might see a resemeblence.
And this is where the disappointment comes in. I liked “God Hand” and when I saw “Madworld,” I was hoping for a next-gen upgrade to the underrated game. Instead what we received was a dumbed down version of it. “Madworld” is still a great game, and you should try it if you haven’t done so, but considering this game from the same guys who made “God Hand,” I was disappointed with this one.
9. Street Fighter 4
Street Fighter 4
As stated before, this year is when Capcom finally released “Street Fighter 4” and made the fighting genre popular once again. While it doesn’t have a huge following like the original “Street Fighter 2,” there we plenty of fans infesting the Xbox Live and Playstation Network servers. Unfortunately, they all used Ken or another Shoto character.
Just like last year with “Mario Kart Wii,” I’ve always wanted to play fighting games online against other people from around the world. However this doesn’t mean much when everyone uses the same characters. Add to the fact that the balance between the characters is somewhat skewed, and you have a rather disappointing title that doesn’t meet the expectations.
Let’s also not forget the incredibly hyped, but useless focus attacks and the idiotic addition of Ultra moves. I never thought I would see the day where a fighting game rewards you for getting your ass kicked. “SF4” is by no means a terrible game, as this is the best fighting game currently out there, but compared to the competition, it’s not really saying much.
8. Empire: Total War
Empire: Total War
I’ve given “Empire: Total War” a favorable review many months back., and to me, it was (and still is) definately one of the better strategy games out there. The problem with the game is that, despite all the efforts to make it look and play well, it still suffers from many of the same problems from past “Total War” games.
For starters is the A.I. Creative Assembly, the developers behind “Empire: Total War,” promised that they had a sole programmer focusing on A.I. Even they knew that in the past the A.I. was pretty damn hopeless, which is something you can’t ignore if you plan on creating a single player centric game. When the game was released, it was hard to know that they assigned a programmer to the A.I. since it was barely an improvement. As mentioned in my review, the A.I. had trouble with pathfinding, made predictable useless tactics, and the diplomacy was nowhere near “Civilization” standards.
Although mentioned in my review, I didn’t go into great detail about the multiplayer in “E:TW” and the reason I didn’t is because when I got my copy of the game, barely anyone was actually playing it. All I simply said was “good netcode, it works, and has ranked play.” Now, it’s been a few months, and the game has had a bit of sucess, and those things still didn’t change, and I was heavily into online play. However, there was a time where I just decided to stop because of one simple reason: There was no balance. Just like previous “Total War” games, there are plenty of cheese tactics and ways to nearly kill the entire army without much effort on your part. The “Total War” franchise has never been known to be balanced, hence the lack of competitive play around it. Again, much like the A.I., I was hoping to see some big changes.
7. League of Legends
League of Legends
“DOTA” has been slowly getting more mainstream attention ever since the announcement of “League of Legends” and “Heroes of Newerth.” From a business standpoint, it makes sense: DOTA, despite being a custom map for the aging WC3 engine, has over a million players from around the world. It has proven to be successful formula without risking anyone’s pocket. So why not make a commericial product out of it?
Riot Games decided to do just that, using folks from the earlier versions of the “DOTA” map before Icefrog took over. They hyped many features about the game, such as making it more newb friendly yet keeping the depth of the “DOTA” map, making the game much more gank oriented instead of a farmfest, and games that would be played in 30 minutes.
In some areas, they did succeed, but they also failed on many fronts. The game was released far too early, with only one game mode and one map. They even introduced a microtransaction model, giving advantage to those who are willing fork out extra cash. Despite the 40 champion roster, you’ll only see a select few heroes due to their champion “cycling” and the need to unlock them.
Fortunately, they are improving the game with each patch, slowly making the pacing much faster and champion tiers closer together. However, considering the game is free meaning no player needs to hold accountability and you need to constantly unlock to even play well, it’s not hard to see why this would be labelled as a disappointing game by yours truly with all the hype around it.
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6. Prototype
Prototype
For some reason, we’ve been seeing plenty of freeform games with characters that have supernatural abilities. With the failure of “Fracture” and the launch of the PS3’s exclusive “inFamous,” one game in the genre was released in June by Activision called “Prototype.”
Like any game released under the Activison label, there were plenty of in-game trailers demostrating the features of the games. While sandbox games arer far from new, the idea that you can reak havoc on one of the most iconic cities in the world using supernatural powers instead of AK-47s was a very welcome change. With all the videos displaying the raw nature of anarchny and destruction, which for some reason appeals to gamers, it was a game that was destined to become a big seller.
Half a million copies later and the game is barely talked about anymore, and with good reason. It wasn’t a bad game, but it certaintely was one of the dullest and repeatitive games released so far in the year. The combat barely had any depth whatsoever, the type of enemies you’ve encountered could be counted on one hand, the lame storyline was shoved in your face with horrible twists, and the controls were along the lines of a fat kid in a candy store with caffiene injected in his viens. Throw in a game length no longer than a weekend, with no replayability, and you have one disappointing game.
5. Section 8
Section 8
When I first saw the debut trailers of “Section 8,” two things stuck out for me: Guys in sci-fi armor using jet packs, and Timegate Studios.
Timegate Studios is a game developer that has been involved in some mainstream games such as the “F.E.A.R.” expansion packs. Although I wasn’t a big fan of “F.E.A.R.,” Timegate Studios has a place on my PC for their underrated RTS series, “Kohan.”
So when I heard Timegate was behind this latest original shooter, I was curious to see what they will do with the FPS genre. What got me more interested was the use of jetpacks, since they reminded me of the times of old when “Tribes” was a ridicilously popular game. When I read previews, I got a little hooked; it was going to have class customization, a “spawn anywhere” feature, and “Battlefield”-type control point system with unique side missions during online play. It looked promising. That is, until I actually played it.
Sure, class customization and many of other elements they were boasting about did work. However, Timegate decided to add a few silly features such as a lock-on system that completely ruined the game and the jetpack that barely played a role in combat. Add bugs, weak weapon damage, whacked out vehicle balance, and an online community that is on the flatline to the mix, and you have a game that is severely disappointing.
4. Bionic Commando
Bionic Commando
When released in the arcades and then to the original NES, “Bionic Commando” was well received by both critics and gamers alike. It was a platformer/shooter, similar to the lines of “Contra” and “Super Mario Bros.” What made the game unique is you did your platforming not by jumping, but by using your bionic arm to swing across the level. At the time, this is was not only an innovative and original idea, but it was a very fun game.
To create hype for the upcoming next-gen, GRIN Studios created a remake of the original classic called “Bionic Commando Rearmed.” With new graphics, smoother controls, a new co-op mode, and the most kickass 8-bit remix soundtrack, it was a very well done game. Veterans of old school gaming loved it, including myself, and this proved that GRIN understood the “Bionic Commando” franchise, right?
Wrong. Shorty after the game was released, GRIN Studios had to close their doors. Simply titled “Bionic Commando,” to say the game was a disaster would be an understatement.
For starters, the focus on a heavy narrative that is influenced by “Metal Gear Solid” didn’t work out so well. Nathan Spencer comes across as an emo twenty-something and every sentence he spoke involved a swear word or five, and not in the entertaining way like “Madworld.” It doesn’t help that his character design comes across as a wannabe white rapper infused with a toaster designed by James Cameron. Add to the predictable plot twists and you have a cringeworthy experience.
The game itself isn’t much better than the plot. Despite the trailers of Spencer swinging from one area to another in an open environment, the game is extremely linear. Go out of bounds and the “radiation zones” will kill you instantly. It doesn’t help that sometimes these areas aren’t always marked, so you would constantly get yourself killed without much of a warning.
Although flawed, the only thing making this game a somewhat enjoyable experience was the swinging mechanic. It was fun to watch and took some time to pull off correctly. Add the multiplayer CTF and flagrunners become a true testament of skill. However, this doesn’t make the game as groundbreaking as it should have been and despite the promises made, “Bionic Commando” failed to execute properly.
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3. Fight Night Round 4
Fight Night Round 4
I consider myself to be a casual boxing fan. I definately know about the greats such as Ali, Sugar Ray, and Tyson. Out of sheer boredom, I’ve watched numerous documentaries about them, with the most recent being “Tyson.” And, when I go to a bar to watch boxing, it is mainly mainstream popular boxers like Mayweather.
I’m certainly no expert, but that didn’t stop me from pointing out that “Fight Night Round 3” was a terrible game. I knew that boxers didn’t move like robots and flash KO couldn’t be done at will. Much like other EA Chicago games, it was all flash with no substance.
So, when the first trailers of “Round 4” appeared, the first thing they talked about how “Round 3” was terrible. They made all these promises about how “Round 4” would be a realistic boxing experience, that timing and reflexes were going to be key features of a good player, and you need to outsmart your opponent. Add Iron Mike to the cast list and it sounded like it would be an incredible boxing game.
After many months of patience, the game is finally released and I popped it in the 360. A few hours later, I was pretty pissed off.
The first major problem is they decided to make the game exclusively use the analog stick. It is a great concept on paper, until you realize the game can’t detect your motions very well. Uppercuts become body blows and jabs become hooks. Fortunatly, someone smartened up, and after many months, they decided to go back to the button formula via a patch. A noteworthy change, but then you realize the game just feels slow and clucky since the boxers have a hard time keeping up with your commands.
As for realism, it doesn’t exist here. You are able to throw hundreds of punches around and skip around the ring without losing much stamina. Boxers can withstand dozens of hooks and uppercuts without losing much health. Spinners, body spammers, and other pet names are dominant exploits in online play. Recently they tried to fix this in another so-called “game changing” patch, but it didn’t seem to do much as the experience as been mostly the same.
Single player mode isn’t that much fun either as the A.I. seems to read your move before you even do it and falls into a boring pattern. The “higher” difficulties just give more punching power to the CPU, so they can only hit you a few times to stun you while you have to put in more effort.
The sad thing is despite all these failures, this is one of the best boxing games out there. This genre has yet to receive a realistic boxing game, and with the way EA performed with “Round 4,” I highly doubt we will see anything good coming from them in the future.
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2
The first “Modern Warfare” showed the world that Infinity Ward doesn’t have to stick to World War II to make a good game. The single player was actually enjoyable, a feat on its own since a FPS mixed in with a modern setting is often a recipe for diaster. But the heart of “MW” was multiplayer, which contained the unique XP based perk setting, and kill streak rewards. It was surprisingly more balanced than other games, since almost anything can kill you instantly or close to that and campers were not welcomed. It was a game of aggression and reflexes.
Then comes “Modern Warfare 2.” The single player campaign is less than five hours on a normal settting, and the plot tries to take itself seriously despite the many attempts of constraversy and numerous plotholes. Let’s not forget the game is pretty much exactly the same as last year, where you are forced to go through a maze of buildings and have infinite respawning enemies. The only good points in the single player campaign was when the game forced you to go stealth.
But, the biggest issue of this disappointment is the multiplayer. The first “Modern Warfare” was very close to perfect; the maps were small, provided few places to hide, and had few entry points. What this resulted in is a match that is identical to having a knife fight in a phone booth. There wasn’t room to do much and in order to create that room, you had to shoot some people. It was fast paced and all about being quick on your feet.
In “MW2,” that has changed. Maps are much larger, with way too much cover, making this once aggressive game into a world of campers. This is further enforced by the lousy map design that has openings in nearly every area. You simply can’t move without getting potentially killed in dozens of places, forcing you to simply wait until you find someone who is actually trying to play the game.
To add further insult to injury, the game is extremely dumbed down for the idiot fanbase. Overall weapon damage has been reduced, claymores won’t kill half the time, and grenades are useless. Because Infinity Ward knows very well that their audience can’t play FPS games for shit, they even added the Heartbeast Sensor and Thermal scope since using their sense of sight and sound is too much for them. Death streaks are also added because, just like “Street Fighter 4,” we need some sort of benefit for being terrible at a game.
But why do you care? You probably have this game already because Activision’s Marketing Department told you to get it. The review scores are high, and the game broke sales records, so it must be good, right? I got it simply because I enjoyed the hell out of the first one and was hoping for an enhancement of the experience. Instead we get a game that had to listen to the whiny fanbase.
1. King of Fighters 12
King of Fighters XII
On one side of the fence, there is “Street Fighter.” On the other side, there is “King of Fighters.” I’ve always been on the “King of Fighters” side because I’m an aggressive player, whereas in “Street Fighter” that style is frowned upon. Not to mention I never have to see another Shoto character again, because if a game has 40 characters, I want to fight them all.
And, just like every other “KOF” fan, I would classify “King of Fighters ‘98” as the high point of the series. It had balanced characters, a huge roster, and a great presentation. There is a reason why, on many online arcade emulation sites, “KOF ‘98” is listed as one of the most played.
“KOF12” was supposed to be the next-gen update of the franchise. The sprites were going to be redrawn, the graphics were in HD, and it was going to include an online system. The game’s trailers demostrated beautifully animated fights and backgrounds. So, things were looking good.
Until some things were mentioned by the development team. The roster was limited to 20 characters, making this the shortest roster in the series. There was going to be no storyline mode, so you could skim through the game with anyone you want. Online play was going to be barebones, and not fully featured like “Street Fighter 4.”
After getting my copy, I was finished with the game in ten minutes. I don’t mean with my review, but rather the entire single player game, on the hardest difficulty, on my first try. I shook my head in disbelief as if to ask what the hell happened at SNK.
Then I tried playing online, the netcode made the game unplayable. I have no idea how this is even remotely possible since there are programmers on the web (such as GGPO) who did this for free with other 2D fighting games. Again, who gave the green light to this at SNK?
Not only is this one of the most disappointing games to be released this year, it is also one of the worst. The graphics look awful on a HD screen, especially when you make a direct comparison to “Blazblue,” and the content barely makes it worth an XBLA pricetag, nevermind full retail.
The sad thing is that, as a “KOF” fan, I can see this game doing well if they had put more time into it, such as adding fan favorite Mai to the roster, or making the netcode work. It certainly has the best controls in the fighting genre this year, as you are not forced to purchase a two hundred dollar arcade stick to even play properly.
Despite all this, “KOF12” is a mess that should never been released in its current state. It is also insulting the intelligence of both gamers and “KOF” fans to assume we were going to buy a game with such minimal content. It is the most disappointing game of 2009 and it will be very hard to top this game in years to come.
I only bought one of those games on the list....MW2.
That came out in April 2008, you twit. :PQuote:
Originally Posted by Maplassie
oops. Wrong thread. Erm. ANd year. um stuffQuote:
Originally Posted by Azimuth
LOL. Thanks Tpex. I should have done that.