The Most Disappointing Games of 2019
It’s COGconnected’s Game of the Year awards, and we’re taking a look back at some of the games that, well, just didn’t meet up to our lofty expectations in 2019. Some tried but just fell short of greatness, some left us wanting more, and a few just fizzled completely. Check out our nominees first, and then read below to see how they ranked!
12. Death Stranding
It might come as a bit of a surprise to see Hideo Kojima’s long awaited recent title on this list — after all, many people loved it. In fact, our own reviewer, Paul Sullivan, gave it high praise for its masterful storytelling and original online elements. But still, there’s no denying this was a polarizing title that certainly left some fans disappointed, especially after waiting so long for another title from the legendary creator of the Metal Gear Solid franchise. Monotonous delivery-boy gameplay and a pretty out-there concept earned Death Stranding mixed reviews at launch, and there’s no doubt that this is one title that will continue to divide fans for years to come.
11. Code Vein
This long-awaited (and delayed) mix of Dark Souls and Anime was by no means a disaster, as our reviewer Stephanie Sung pointed out in her review of the game earlier this year. But the delays perhaps signified a title that struggled in development, as evidenced by a slow-paced, bland story and equally lackluster game world. Code Vein was disappointing because it actually had some good ideas but the finished product unfortunately let us down.
10. Metro Exodus
Metro Exodus, from developers 4A Games, had a lot of people waiting for its release, partly because of those breathtaking pre-release visuals that seemed to promise a gorgeous and realistic open-world adventure like no other before. But, while the game at launch was admittedly beautiful to look at, it left many a bit underwhelmed in other crucial ways. For one, it was buggy as hell and pretty janky. The dialogue and music sounded rough, and overall the game just didn’t have the AAA polish we expected. Put it together and this was a pretty big let-down.
9. Super Mario Maker 2
This is a tough one. Undoubtedly, this Switch follow-up to Super Mario Maker offers a ton of possibilities for creativity, with a set of level-making tools to fuel the imagination of even the most ambitious designers. But honestly, it’s really just more of the same, and if you were looking for a bold new twist, this wasn’t it. Plus, without the stylus, actually using those awesome tools was way harder this time around. But in the end a game like this is, just like its predecessor, only as good as the people who use it — and in the case of Super Mario Maker 2, the community just didn’t seem to be there, resulting in some hit-or-miss creations.