The games industry has certainly seen its share of massively hyped projects over its decades-long existence. As is the case when it comes to accelerating hype with other forms of art and/or entertainment, major letdowns are almost an inevitability, as various games fail to meet the sky-high expectations of some hopeful gamers.
Even some of the most bombastic, flashy, and well-crafted projects tend to fall at least a bit short of the lofty heights and grand visions of dedicated fans. Still, thanks to things like fan feedback, immense resources, and practiced developers taking the reigns, there are plenty of examples of studios stepping up to the plate and delivering an experience as great - or even greater than promised.
Let's take a look at 5 examples of gaming letdowns that didn't quite deliver, in addition to 5 that truly lived up to their hype.
10 Lived Up To Hype: Super Mario Odyssey
There was quite a whirlwind of hype surrounding Nintendo's first major 3D Mario title since 2010's Super Mario Galaxy 2 - Wii U's tamer Super Mario 3D World notwithstanding. And it would have been a tall order indeed to both match the high expectations of fans as well as top that epic virtual adventure that shone so brightly on Wii 7 years earlier.
But the Japanese game giants delivered with yet another stellar Mario platformer in emphatic fashion. We got a myriad of expansive, colorful open worlds - including the lively New Donk City - along with tons of collectibles, awesome powerups, and exciting gameplay that felt both familiar and new. We even got a neat nod to the classic Mario titles, with some innovative, trippy retro-style 2D platforming sections. Odyssey was very much the Galaxy eclipsing adventure fans were hoping for.
9 Didn't: Sea Of Thieves
While this open-world swash-buckling journey from Rare has since been further refined and fleshed out, Sea of Thieves was, and still partly is, a pretty average experience that can feel as empty as the vast seas that surround you.
Though the concept of co-op play centered around sailing and scouring for riches is a neat one, the actual experience falls a bit short from the epic aspirations and expectations a huge pirate-themed adventure like this promised. This was particularly a letdown from Rare, given their solid track record in the gaming days of yore, and their long drought in-between new titles which was building towards this interesting looking project.
8 Lived Up To Hype: Overwatch
Blizzard Entertainment, developers of renowned gaming phenoms such as World of Warcraft, Diablo, and Starcraft, can be their own worst enemy when it comes to delivering on hype. There seems to be an ever-growing avalanche of expectation partially brought upon by this major studio's own track record of quality.
Word of this game had certainly caught the attention of MOBA, FPS, and Blizzard fans as a whole. This hype had particularly become immense following the recent cancelation of their project, Titan, from which a few concepts were brought into Overwatch. Fast-forward to the present, and this addictive, dynamic shooter has built a massive online community, and has even birthed its own eSports league.
7 Didn't: Fallout 76
While the Bethesda Fallout series has always been particularly grindy and almost overwhelmingly expansive, there was a certain charm, depth, and overall organic feel to the WRPG epics that were Fallout 3 and 4. This online multiplayer odyssey promised to be bigger, better, and more in-depth of a project than the more limiting solo-based games that preceded it.
However, the end result felt more like a rushed, buggy, and empty shell of these experiences. The post-apocalyptic wastelands within somehow felt even more lifeless, barren, and uninspired than ever, as did many of the game's quests.
6 Lived Up To Hype: Final Fantasy X
Square Enix (then Squaresoft) had a difficult task on their hands in attempting to top what many gamers still claim to be the best RPG of all-time, Final Fantasy VII. While both VIII and IX had proven stellar games in their own right, they still didn't quite match that memorable epic starring the hero Cloud. And with the promising new tech of the PS2 set to blow gamers away, the hype machine was in full swing for this PS2 debut of the renowned FF series.
But the studio certainly delivered, providing new, lavish settings, a gripping narrative, interesting characters, and arguably one of the most enjoyable battle systems in RPGs. We even got a minigame known as "Blitzball," which basically proved fun enough to be a standalone game.
5 Didn't: Spore
Game designer Will Wright was (and still largely is) a gaming force unto himself, and had been riding high before the launch of the anticipated PC strategy sim, Spore. After all, having produced many hit Sims titles full of enjoyment, this interesting planetary god game was sure to be excellent, right? Well... not so much.
Rather than emphasize building and development aspects and fleshing out these areas, Spore takes a bizarre "Jack-of-all-trades" approach while not quite excelling with any of them. Though it's certainly a creative undertaking with its own unique appeals, Spore makes for an overall convoluted experience that feels segmented and confusing, and at the same time, a bit too simplistic.
4 Lived Up To Hype: Gears 5
There had been what you might call some "cautious optimism" coming into the long-awaited launch of Gears 5. Sure, you had the awesome shooters and grand successes of the original Gears trilogy, though you also had the uncertainty of The Coalition taking the reins from Epic for the Xbox One projects, in addition to the recent dud that was Judgment.
Regardless, the developers truly revved this beloved series into full gear with its 5th mainline entry. The game offered a palette of both familiar and new multiplayer modes rife with excitement. Gears 5 also offered one of the most captivating campaign modes ever, introducing open worlds and the inclusion of a customizable robot companion. The aesthetics even managed to top the high standards set by prior entries, showcasing some of the smoothest and sleekest visuals in home console gaming.
3 Didn't: Resident Evil 6
This 6th iteration of this iconic survival horror from Capcom certainly has some fans that might cry foul here, especially those that favor the action-based traits of Resident Evil. Yet, at least for the purists who appreciated the more nuanced horror and puzzle elements of older renditions, Resident Evil 6 tended to fall flat.
RE6 emphasizes more of a basic action-shooter style, which is suitable enough. Yet, Resident Evil 4 did this style far better, and this sequel only barely resembles its Playstation predecessors aside from the inclusion of zombies. Thankfully, Capcom would get the series back on track with the dynamic, horrifying romp of RE7, as well as the polished RE2 remake.
2 Lived Up To Hype: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
We're just about always dealing with some gargantuan, nuclear levels of hype when it comes to Star Wars-branded media, with enough firepower to destroy an entire planet. Even with the series more mixed reception of late, there's a certain expectation and sky-high imagination from fans when it comes to this space-fantasy epic.
Despite some recent questionable offerings in the gaming realm, in particular, Respawn Entertainment and EA shot for the moon and hit their mark with this immersive, enjoyable Star Wars adventure. The game delivers on the narrative, cinematic, and gameplay front, featuring some thrilling action and satisfying lightsaber combat during its 20-hour odyssey.
1 Didn't: Duke Nukem Forever
This zany FPS was somewhat set up to fail, given the towering expectations of its iconic predecessor, and the endless wait that led many to believe this long-awaited sequel would never be released. The appropriately titled Duke Nukem Forever seemed to take an eternity to come out, and just didn't match the building hype of countless years of development purgatory.
The game's lengthy development cycle essentially meant this game was going to feel dated out of the gate, compared to the original Duke Nukem which was hugely innovative for its time, helping to pioneer an entire genre. This just felt like a slightly slicker rehash of an old formula, complete with even lamer humor and basic gameplay.