Biggest Disappointment of 2010

[Slothy]

A lot less people played FF14 than FF13, including myself. So I can't give a judgement on the former.

Indeed. I avoid MMO's for the most part. They're not something that interests me, especially given under normal circumstances you have to pay to play them each month. Just can't bring myself to do it, even for the one's that I find mildly interesting.

[kotora]

I genuinely am befuddled by people who are more disappointed with FFXIII than XIV.

because not many people cared about 14 to begin with

[Bolivar]

@Rase - I'll agree it's reasonable to say the CodBlOps campaign is a disappointment, but don't you think you should at least substantiate why you don't like the multiplayer a bit? That's kinda the heart of the game these days and you say next to nothing on it. Opinion invalid!

@kotora - LOL at "the disasters of 2008 and 2009." You make it sound like there's been not one, but two gaming apocalypses which we can never recover from. Tell me, do you get any pleasure out of life anymore?

I'll even go so far as to say it wasn't even the visual feast some think it is. The level of visual quality I saw was something I'd expect from a launch title with a mediocre art team to be honest.

C'mon, man... I'm with you on it being a disappointment, but really, do we need to post screenshots for this one? The game's certainly not Crysis and it doesn't even compare to the Uncharteds/God of Wars/Killzones on PS3, but I can't think of a single multiplatform game out (yet) that looks better than it.

My list:

1) MAG - yes it was on my top 11 of 2011, and it was great, but still a disappointment. Like I said in the other thread, the community ruined the game because Zipper never really gave any instructions on how to use the command interface, they essentially had to put up videos on the Playstation Blog after release explaining it and even those don't answer many of the basic questions we all had on it during the BETA. Also, the game is just not great to look at. Non-smoothe gameplay ruined it for a lot of people that probably would have had more fun and possibly took the reigns of command better.

2) Final Fantasy XIII - also on my list. I enjoyed the game a lot and am beginning to see the allure of replaying it as I move on to different experiences. But it lacked so many of the basic RPG features that I really wish would stay in the genre.

3) The ending of God of War III

4) Myself for not picking up White Knight Chronicles and Valkyria Chronicles II at launch and not giving a couple extra bucks to the publisher/developers. Really loving these games, it's amazing to be playing two incredibly awesome RPG's at the same time, one on a console and online and one on a handheld.

[Del Murder]

I would say FFXIV though I didn't play it. It was disappointing enough to make me not want to play it when I originally was very hyped up for it, let's put it that way.

Of games I did play I will have to go with The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. Just a very meh entry into the series. I really hope this is the last cartoonish style of Zelda because I'm getting sick of it (though Toon Link in SSB Brawl kicks ass).

[Shoeberto]

Originally was gonna say FFXIII, but Other M was a MUCH bigger let-down. So many things wrong with it when it had so much potential. I was extremely disappointed.

[Jessweeee♪]

FFXIV might have been mine, but in all honesty between financial shortcomings and my reluctance to buy PC games at launch I never considered it a 2010 game xD

[Slothy]

I'll even go so far as to say it wasn't even the visual feast some think it is. The level of visual quality I saw was something I'd expect from a launch title with a mediocre art team to be honest.

C'mon, man... I'm with you on it being a disappointment, but really, do we need to post screenshots for this one? The game's certainly not Crysis and it doesn't even compare to the Uncharteds/God of Wars/Killzones on PS3, but I can't think of a single multiplatform game out (yet) that looks better than it.

Sorry Bolivar, but I can only take so many flat textures, half-assed lighting and other effects, and ugly art direction from any next-gen title, let alone one that took that long and that much money to make from a company practically known for making great looking games. Frankly, if you look at something other than the skybox for more than five seconds the game stops looking very impressive.

I can think of plenty of better looking multi-platform titles frankly. Any of the recent COD titles, Assassin's Creed games, or the likes of Red Dead and even GTA IV impressed me more for what they managed to accomplish visually.

[G13]

I thought XIII was great. Much better than what I was expecting.

[Del Murder]

I didn't think it was great, but it was good, and fun, and that's all I was expecting. So it didn't disappoint me.

[Shiny]

Nothing. I wasn't disappointed with FF13 because I knew it would be crap.

[Jessweeee♪]

I thought XIII was great. Much better than what I was expecting.

FFXIII might just be my favorite in the series. Aside from joking around though, I do understand why it wasn't so well received by others. Though I think they are a little silly for being disappointed. There were no surpises. I got hyped up because I knew I was going to like it, but for those same reasons it should have been an obvious "pass" for those who wouldn't. That's the nice thing about JRPGs, with a couple of reviews, interviews, and a handful of screenshots, it's easy to figure out what you should expect. Except of course for the types that prefer not to read up on a game before purchase, or borrow on a whim.

[Raistlin]

I'm going to have to say FFXIII (although note that I did not play many games this year). Not because I had high hopes, as my expectations were very low. But because while playing the game itself, it got my hopes up, and then dashed them horribly.

Through the first 8 chapters, the linearity and poor design of some aspects (upgrading system, anyone?) were grating, but I was pleasantly surprised by an engaging and interesting battle system and in-depth character development. Then the end of chapter 9 came, which was stupid. And then I had to watch the last 4 chapters of the most horrifyingly terrible storytelling in any game I've ever played. Chapters 10 and 13 were almost self-parodying with how bad they were. Very, very disappointing.

[Slothy]

Though I think they are a little silly for being disappointed. There were no surpises. I got hyped up because I knew I was going to like it, but for those same reasons it should have been an obvious "pass" for those who wouldn't. That's the nice thing about JRPGs, with a couple of reviews, interviews, and a handful of screenshots, it's easy to figure out what you should expect. Except of course for the types that prefer not to read up on a game before purchase, or borrow on a whim.

Thing is though, on paper there wasn't anything about FFXIII that seemed inherently bad, and even when reviews came out, they were overall positive about the changes even if they were less impressed with the game than previous iterations of the series. About the only things I knew for sure going in were that it was really linear, and had no towns or NPC's to visit. Beyond that, I really had no way of knowing the story, characters, pacing, or battle system would end up being the utter train wreck they were.

[kotora]

You can't take reviews from the big sites serious anymore these days. Any console game with enough hype has their 8s and 9s guaranteed. Then again reviewers would get their asses fired if they dared to criticize the games published by their biggest advertisers.

[Levian]

I genuinely am befuddled by people who are more disappointed with FFXIII than XIV.

It's not really a question of what game is crappier, just which one we are more disappointed with.

• Final Fantasy XIII was announced at E3 in 2006
• Final Fantasy XIV was announced at E3 in 2009

= 3 years longer worth of anticipation has been built up for XIII

• Final Fantasy XIII has sold 5.75 million copies
• Final Fantasy XIV has shipped 0.63 million copies.

= 5.1 million more people have an opinion about XIII, lack of consideration for XIV might be because they simply haven't played it.


Final Fantasy XIV is online.
= It's constantly going to change, it's going to get better. (hopefully!)


I'm in category 2 anyway. I haven't played FFXIV.