The Most Overrated Games that Aren't

[Evonisia]

Obligatory "overrated is stupid" comment.

But for me it's BioShock. All I can say is that something being pretentious doesn't stop the story from being as well crafted. The reason being pretentious was such a negative for BioShock Infinite is because that story was insultingly reliant on fan interpretation rather than being able to stand up on its own two legs, making the "look how special I am!" attitude grating. BioShock has a solid atmosphere, well crafted story and the gunplay isn't great but it's not awful and the intenseness of the gameplay means I can't nod off mid-game.

Also agree with Skyrim.

It's really stupid too because when it first came out, almost EVERYONE was singing its praises. Talking about how great it was for RPing and how much it improved Oblivion's/Morrowind's combat and etc.

And then after a while, everyone just started to hate it.

Anything that is immensely popular and at the same time is considered good gets a backlash. See those three games from 2013 that everyone gushed over BioShock Infinite, The Last of Us and Grand Theft Auto V. Skyrim is no exception.

Honestly the thing that I dislike so much about the Halo franchise is that it's an exclusive to Microsoft console - and purely to sell more Xboxes. I mean really do you think that PC gamers wouldn't love it if the franchise was ported? I know I would

*Shakes fist at sky*

It would certainly explain the attitude of "Halo: CE was the only good one!", though that might also be because Halo 2 was delayed for a few years and was a Vista exclusive.

 

[StriderShinryu]

While there are some valid complaints about Spec Ops, I can't stand people who obviously played the game because they heard it's a deconstruction and then say "it's obvious what will happen in the phosperous scene", the whole point is that someone who hasn't heard of the game won't expect the outcome, don't act like some know it all pricks.

I agree that this is an extremely important point, and it can be tied to a variety of complaints about something being overrated, whether it be about specific details or just quality level in general. As soon as something gets praised and talked about, much of that mystique is gone along with much of context of why the game may have been so enjoyable in the first place. As soon as you go into a game expecting "the best game evar!!!1!" you're instantly going to enjoy it less and that's even more so if you go into it knowing all of the "secrets" the game has up it's sleeve. It's like going to a magic show knowing all of the tricks the magician is going to do and how they do them. You might still enjoy the spectacle but your experience is skewed before you even walk in the door.

 

[Gladion]

Even disregarding the whole trying-to-make-me-feel-guilty-about-a-scripted-event aspect, I still had problems with That Scene.

You weren't supposed to feel guilty because of a scripted sequence. You were supposed to feel guilty about buying a military shooter game for your personal enjoyment.

I mean, the driving point struck me as pretty infantile. "What's that you say game, mindlessly blowing people away from a position of remote invulnerability is kind of fucked up? Gosh, thank god I have you to tell me that game, never would have figured it out otherwise. It's not like I realised that while playing CoD4, or hell, while watching actual gun-cam footage."

Insightful, cutting commentary it is not.

That is correct. Murdering people is bad, and the game acknowledges that. Let's not forget that pretty much every other game of its genre does not. But that wasn't the point of the scene. See above.

Also, the behaviour of his comrades makes no sense. In the flashbacks it shows them watching as he talks into the silent, broken radio and giving each other WTF looks. Why are they still following this guy?! He's clearly gone loopy. Military chain of command does not require a soldier to obey a raving nutcase who hears voices.

That is true, as well. In this case, credibility and realism were sacrificed to drive home a point. Something I personally don't enjoy myself, but it's really not that difficult to understand.

What's more, why does nobody even think to just retreat and ask for orders when they find themselves echanging fire with "friendly" troops? At first I assumed the sandstorms were blocking communication, but at one point Walker mentions the possibility of calling for evac, so they evidently have a method of communication, yet nobody ever thinks to use it.

They do call in for help on the radio tower, but its evident nobody is going to come. Because you came to play a military shooter and save the day all by yourself.

You know, the game really isn't very subtle about this, but for all your condescendence, it appears that you didn't understand that aspect at all.

 

[laggyteabag]

Mass Effect 3. Was it the ending that we wanted? No of course not, but I enjoyed every single part of that game, even the ending, and I would be damned if I said that the combat wasn't the best that the series has had so far. I still love the Mass Effect games, and I just don't see how the ending completely ruined the entire franchise for some people.

Halo. In an age of modern military shooters with chest high walls and ADS, it always amazed me that Halo, a game that for all intents and purposes is a modern arena shooter, can still be one of the most popular mainstream game franchises. Of course the new game has ADS for whatever reason, but at least the new spartan abilities will make up for it with the extra mobility. Still don't think that ADS has any place at all in Halo, though.

 

[EHKOS]

While there are some valid complaints about Spec Ops, I can't stand people who obviously played the game because they heard it's a deconstruction and then say "it's obvious what will happen in the phosperous scene", the whole point is that someone who hasn't heard of the game won't expect the outcome, don't act like some know it all pricks.

My problem with that is simply the giant heat signature. Unless I somehow forgot to eject RF: Armageddon and jammed Spec Ops in on top of it, I could tell there was something off.

 

[Fox12]

Snip.

What I came to say. The criticisms thrown at this title frankly baffle me. Most of the characters were more interesting and complex then people remember, and there's a strong narrative and character arc driving the plot of the game. I played it again recently, and was surprised by how much depth there was to the game, and how much I'd forgotten. The plot isn't really nonsensical if you pay attention, and none of the character ters are emo except for Vincent (and the cast makes fun of him for it). Sephiroth, in particular, is very well done. I think the issue is the over exposure and franchise milking that occurred in later years, but no one seems to remember what the original game was like. I don't know where this imaginary hype is, because I don't see it.

 

[Hero of Lime]

A chance to rant about a game that I feel gets too much hate? Time to roll out my obligatory choice!

Well, I would not say it's overrated, but a game that I feel gets too much hate is Pokemon Black and White. One of the major complaints I hear is that the game is too "linear." News Flash! ALL THE POKEMON GAMES ARE PRETTY LINEAR!

"You just go around the region in a big circle!" they say. X and Y did the exact same thing, and no one complained. Just because you could do a gym or two in a different order in say, Red and Blue for example, does make it a huge, open world, non linear adventure. Plus, the Black and White post lets you do a lot of stuff in a non linear fashion. But again, a lot of people seem to miss that.

Let's not forget the hate the new Black and White Pokemon get. They aren't all great of course, but I feel like Gamefreak genuinely tried to make a fresh batch of new Pokemon, only to have a lot of people hate them all just because of the likes of Trubbish and Vanilite.

I just hope more people give the game another shot, and hopefully enjoy it more. Luckily, the hate has died a bit in recent times, so I hope it will get more fans in the next few years.

 

[Casual Shinji]

While there are some valid complaints about Spec Ops, I can't stand people who obviously played the game because they heard it's a deconstruction and then say "it's obvious what will happen in the phosperous scene", the whole point is that someone who hasn't heard of the game won't expect the outcome, don't act like some know it all pricks.

Except that that just makes it a twist for the sake of a twist. Sure, if you didn't know it was coming and assumed all those white dots were "enemies" you might get a shock, but if you did have prior knowledge, or you replayed it, that scequence becomes utterly meaningless. It holds no power beyond the initial surprise shock.

 

[Danbo Jambo]

The Witcher. Most the criticisms I come across are usually some vague "it's trying too hard to be grim-dark", as if it actually means something. That or "it's misogynistic/sexist" because of the 'sex cards'.
I found the world rich and varied, different play-styles, plenty of exploring and thinking, lots of stuff to get immersed in, and the game changing decisions aren't shitty black and white moral choices. The choices are the best I've ever seen in a game.

This^

It's also far more true to reality than some realize, and those criticizing it are unfamiliar with the world, area & era it's based on.

TW2 is a stunning game.

 

[Silvanus]

Never thought about saying a Final Fantasy game, but now you mention it; I'll see your 7 and raise to 10. Unless I'm going senile, 7 still appears in quite a few "best" games lists, either ever or for original PS etc. however I think people generally give more shit to 10 than it deserves, and especially more than they give to 7. For example: I hate when people complain about blitzball in 10, you literally are made to play 1 game in the story; that's it, if you don't like it just ignore it. Also, bear in mind 10 came out about 1 year after the PS2, the graphics/aesthetic are still some of my favourites of the series and it was the last FF game that made me care about pretty much all the primary characters; haven't played the MMO games, 12 I cared about 3/4 characters and 13 is just horrible in every way, in my opinion.

Agreed entirely. I didn't enjoy Blitzball, so I simply didn't play it, and still remember FFX as a stunningly great game. Blitzball is just one of a thousand elements in that game.

FF7 is brilliant too, and I say this as someone who played it very late (only last year). The story's great, the combat's great, it has a deal of depth. Cloud's not broody, exactly, but he is pretty angsty, and does make a point of telling people who much he doesn't care, which felt a little forced... but that's such a minor gripe.


My own choices would probably be Half Life 2, Ocarina of Time, and the Battlefield series. The first two are brought up incredibly often, which has caused others to say they were never that great, or that their popularity just comes from nostalgia. I genuinely think they deserve... maybe 90% of the praise they received.

 

[Casual Shinji]

And what's the difference between that and any twist? Every twist has less impact after the first time. It's like seeing the Sixth Sense and complaining the twist was obvious.

Except that a twist like that reflects on the characters and on the events that predeeded it. So even after the surprise is gone it still holds up as a powerful moment. It's also a twist that hides in plain sight. With Spec-Ops it just seems to be 'Bet you thought this was gonna be like that section in Call of Duty 4, huh? Nope!' And that's it. Once that's out into the open, that moment has nothing to show for itself on repeat playthroughs.

As a matter of fact, the whole game seems designed for the audience to think they're about to play a CoD type game, but then, joke's on them, they're not. And at this point Spec-Ops is now so well know for being a rug-pull that its most powerful concept has been nulified.

 

[Chester Rabbit]

As soon as I saw the title the games that immediately sprung to mind were Bioshock Infinite and Mass Effect 3. I get it I guess... The ending wasn't what you wanted it to be and you felt like you were lied to because your choices throughout the entire series didn't craft something unique;but I will say anyone who was expecting their choices to craft a completely different game must have just not been paying attention at all while playing Mass Effect 2.

And before any of you hostile poster in here who are just lurking around ready to chew someone out for their choices tries to jump on me. Yes I realize that wasn't the only problem some had with the ending.

And Bioshock Infinite. It's a bloody great game and as soon as it was praised you all couldn't wait to start beating its face in and calling it the most overrated piece of crap that is unworthy of the praise. Got to love that violent backlash to positivity.

And yeah I say all of you because I watched the majority of you in here on the escapist do it the weeks following the launch and through the rest of 2013.

 

[Pyrian]

It holds no power beyond the initial surprise shock.

A surprise isn't surprising when it's not a surprise? I'm surprised!

 

[Casual Shinji]

It holds no power beyond the initial surprise shock.

A surprise isn't surprising when it's not a surprise? I'm surprised!

Well, when it's just a surprise and nothing else, then it holds little value, yes. A surprise party minus the party is a surprise, too.

 

[Blackhawk661]

I've got two games that everyone suddenly decided were overrated after a few months of them being awesome.

God, you can't even imagine how much I agree with you. LoU was one of the most engaging experiences I've ever had. Yes, it had it's fair share of faults, but calling it overrated is just plain stupid. The term is childish to begin with. Calling it overrated, because you didn't have the same experience as the others? What makes you so superior to call their feelings invalid?

I think the thing that happened around LoU and Spec Ops, was that they both received such praise that it just HAD to lure "those people". The ones that say "Well, because it had that issue, it's garbage"

I also want to add Mass Effect 3. When games use plots like "save the universe from this undestroyable threat" players mostly expect endings that answer every question, the meaning of life and so on. I never really thought that Mass Effect will have a perfect ending, and honestly I didn't even care about it. I had such a blast just playing through it, that nothing could've destroyed it. And I was waiting for the sh*ttiest ending of all time - based on all the drama - yet what I got was above average.

 

[PhunkyPhazon]

/Definitely/ agree on Skyrim, as it's one of my absolute favorite games ever (possibly my absolute one, even). I get that the detractors are still a minority, but still, as far as the internet goes it seems to have been getting tons of flak lately (90% of the time it seems to be from long-time fans who stand by Morrowind as the absolute greatest RPG ever which...sorry folks, not seeing it).

The only other game that immediately jumps to my mind is Assassin's Creed 3, except that one I can at least understand where the detractors are coming from, plus I have some big gripes as well. There's hardly any stealth, the mission design is clumsy at best, and a lot of the side-missions are just pure filler. But I loved the setting and the combat and the Aquilla and hunting and (to a lesser extent) the story and the homestead. Basically the positives just outweighed the negatives for me.

 

[Gladion]

Except that that just makes it a twist for the sake of a twist. Sure, if you didn't know it was coming and assumed all those white dots were "enemies" you might get a shock, but if you did have prior knowledge, or you replayed it, that scequence becomes utterly meaningless. It holds no power beyond the initial surprise shock.

And what's the difference between that and any twist? Every twist has less impact after the first time. It's like seeing the Sixth Sense and complaining the twist was obvious.

Feel the need to quote both of you to tell you that the second time I played the game, the scene worked a thousand times better for me. Not quite sure why, but I suspect at least part of it is because I don't think there was supposed to be a twist to begin with. From the start, it was declared that what you're about to do is morally wrong and absolutely horrific, and that notion doesn't get "twisted" in the slightest, it just gets escalated:

Spoiler

First you're murdering armed but unassuming soldiers, then you're murdering soldiers who are just running for their lives and finally you're murdering innocent civilians.

By the time that happens, it's already obvious this wasn't going to be just a normal military shooter, so I fail to see the twist.

 

[Noontide]

I'm not a sports fan by any means but I enjoy a lot of sports games, including Madden despite the fact that I'm not American and don't give two shits about handegg. I understand that it sucks they keep rehashing the same game (though you can make this argument against a lot of series like most Nintendo properties, fighting games, Musou games) but I feel like sports games get undue hate because they're associated with a very casual audience, most of their detractors don't and have never played them.

Halo is great. It gets pooped on by PC gamers and yes it would have been better if it was developed for PC from the beginning but that's the point, they made a really good FPS while under console limitations and it worked.

Skyrim gets a lot of undeserved flak. I've played every Elder Scrolls game and I started with Morrowind and I can still say with confidence that it's Bethesda's best effort. It's the only Bethesda game (with modding capabilities) that I consider playable and enjoyable without actually modding it at all.

 

[RealRT]

Also agree with Skyrim.

It's really stupid too because when it first came out, almost EVERYONE was singing its praises. Talking about how great it was for RPing and how much it improved Oblivion's/Morrowind's combat and etc.

And then after a while, everyone just started to hate it.

The same thing happened with Oblivion too.

 

[Vigormortis]

I was gonna be all snarky and say, "None", since the entire notion, either way, is subjective. But then I realized two things:

1) OP is asking for our OPINIONS, so chiming in with a subjective answer is warranted

2) I'm on The Escapist. The home for droves of posters that love to ***** about quality games that are popular.

As such, I'm just gonna go ahead and list one of the tried-and-true examples of a damn fine game series that routinely saw posters on this forum proclaim it "is terrible and overrated."

Half-Life

For a time, during the 2008 to 2011 era, there was almost never any less than two threads a day titled some variant of "Half-Life sucks, why do you like it?".

Honestly, they were GG thread levels of overly abundant.