Games you never expected to like... but ended up falling in love with...

[Fasckira]

The Sims. In the run up to when it first came out no one really knew what it was but I risked it and pre-ordered. Was quite surprised but Im bored of it now its got so... complicated.

Portal was another one. When I first saw a trailer I was a bit like, "Eh, looks a bit meh" but then when it came with the Orange Box I gave it a try and was won over right away.

 

[striderkiwi]

games i thought i wouldn't like but did hunh, let's see: Bioshock, Black ops, Portal 2, and Dante's Inferno

 

[Kryzantine]

Assassin's Creed 1. I got it as a present along with another game and was like "B'ohkay."
I played it and I was amazed by the immersive gameplay and story.
Also, Far Cry 2. That's the other game I got, but unlike Assassin's Creed, I never really warmed up to it until about 2 years after I got it. And then I LOVED it.

Also, I'm seriously considering buying Just Cause 2 after a demo that I thought was merely OK, but then I played it more often.

I also got a reversal from Mafia 2, which I expected to love, but thought it was pretty above average by the end.

I will say that Just Cause 2 is even more fun than its demo. It can also last you a pretty long while. I'm still finding new things in that game - I haven't completed all the challenges yet. There was this one 3-star challenge which had you piloting a plane down a waterfall near the end, and the look on my friend's face when he saw this was priceless.

Back on topic, I did not think I would like Splinter Cell: Conviction. I have Pandora Tomorrow and Chaos Theory, and could not be bothered to finish either of them; it just wasn't my thing. Conviction was a loving departure from that.

 

[hinataxemnas]

There was one day we went to the store to get some new games. My brother got FFX (which I think is a great game)... and I wanted GTA:Vice City. My sister, however, talked me into getting Kingdom Hearts.

...
...
...
...
...

I have never regretted it.

 

[KelseyKieber]

Black Ops and Crysis 2. |: Also; Portal (before you go "HOW DAREST THOU" it was because from what little I'd seen before it came out, it looked way too short and stupid. Then my brother made me play it and I was like "OMG GLADOS HAVE MY BABIES") and Saints Row 2 and GTA4.

 

[onewheeled]

DJ Hero. When I first heard about it, I thought it looked like a shallow, rushed Guitar Hero spinoff that was only made to earn more money for Activision.

Now it's one of my favorite rhythm game series of all time.

 

[Moon_Called]

Fallout 3.
My brother got some Naruto fighter game from our mum for Christmas one year, and I, a little Narutard at the time, was super excited to play it. So imagine my horror when my brother went out shopping, and came back with Fallout 3, which he'd traded the Naruto game for. I thought the box art looked boring and it's description failed to catch my imagination.
Aaaand then I actually played it. I only actually got to play for an hour - my brother kicked me off shortly after, and then the next day ended up visiting his father over in Nova Scotia for a year. And that entire year I was itching to play Fallout 3 again. I was hooked. I was in freaking withdrawal.
And now the Fallout series is one of my favourites. So that's awesome.

 

[Electric Alpaca]

Gran Turismo 3: A Spec

Back when I was an RPG aficionado the concept of racing cars really did little to excite me. A friend lent me the game (having got two by mistake for gifts) and I promptly realised that what made me attracted to RPGs translated very well to the world of racing and collecting.

I have been a convert ever since, playing GT3 through GT5 and Forza 2 and 3, with Forza 4 undoubtedly joining the fray later in the year.

Magic: The Gathering

Remembering a fondness for the Pokemon TCG back in my school days, I bought this from the XBLA and was pleasantly surprised. I've since purchased 2012 via Steam and have been loving it even more.

Nice segue too; Steam.

I really didn't think I'd like the idea of never owning anything that I purchase, but what with the constant sales and the shining of light upon games that I never would have given a second glance to it has become the main staple in my gaming pursuit.

Not five minutes ago I dropped £30.00 on Civilization V x4 DLC Civs, Nation Red, Mount & Blade + x2 expansions, Defcon, Swords and Soldiers HD and Recettear: An Item Shop's Tale. A conservative estimate being 100 hours of play available to me - enough to see me through to Game Oversaturation Month.

Although I'll undoubtedly get more games in between... the only downside to the platform.

 

[Heartcafe]

Digital Devil Saga from Atlus.
It was everything that I hated at first glance. JRPG styled battle system, repeated environments, bland character design, seeming to look like a grind fest.
BUT I WAS WRONG. Thank god.
Best game I have ever played. It took everything I hated and turned it into something I loved. The story was amazing, the characters were lovable and fleshed out and the gameplay flowed and fit in with everything.
Seriously, biggest surprised in my life. I can't hardly recommend this game enough to anyone who hasn't played it.

 

[rvbnut]

BioShock.

I thought I wouldn't like it just from seeing videos and screenshots.
But once I played it, it was like I had chocolate for the first time. I couldn't get enough of it

 

[Amondren]

Dragon Age 2. I expected it to be total crap but it ended up being solid not as much as the 1st but solid.

 

[F4LL3N]

Enchanted Arm. The first time I played it I thought it was horrible and gave up after 30 minutes. But I tried it again about 6 months later and loved it. It's still one of my favorite games.

 

[CleverCover]

Mass Effect.

Never expected to like a shooter in space, seeing as I'm not good with shooters in general.
Thank God I tried it anyway.

 

[siygen]

lol i got a warning for just for putting up a word that isnt offensive

 

[flamingjimmy]

Fight night round 3, I hate boxing, I think its barbaric, boring, not even a real sport, mostly for stupid people.

But only a couple of goes on fight night round a mate's house and I had to get it. Still think boxing's crap though.

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

Half-Life: Opposing Force.

"What is this", I thought as I first fired the game up. "Another Half-Life, which I found was boring and unexciting hallway hell?"

Fucking wrong, that game blew my expectations and is my favorite Half-Life game (possibly even all-time singleplayer game).

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

lol i got a warning for just for putting up a word that isnt offensive

It's called a low content post rule, which mean's you have put more (and I heavily emphasize the next word with extreme sarcasm) "effort" into a post than a word or video or picture.

I hate that rule.

 

[wakkydude]

Team Fortress 2. I didn't expect to play it at ALL.

 

[Reptiloid]

Call Of Cthulhu: Dark Corners Of The Earth

When a friend told me about it, it just sounded like it would be annoying and frustrating. Buggy, no HUD, no weapon in the first half of the game, complex limb healing.

Got it on Steam recently and just finished it a couple days ago. Now it's in my Top 10 favorites games of all time.

 

[RuralGamer]

snip

That's an awesome song I didn't even know existed; I've yet to properly play it (I used to have the disk copy for my previous PC and bought it off steam months ago for my new one).

OT: KOTOR 1; genuinely I thought "How can it be better if its more primitive?" having played KOTOR 2. I saw my friend play it on Xbox and went "Meh", then a year or so later I got it on PC and dang I was sooo wrong... Xbox just didn't do it credit...