This game was a roller coaster of expectation. At first, no one expected this game to even be a thing. No one was asking for Shaq-Fu to make a comeback after its 1993 flop, but once the game was funded and we got to see a trailer we realized this could actually be the game to redeem itself. Shaq himself is known for his great sense of humor, the gameplay looks like over the top fun, and surely modern enhancements, fourth wall breaks, and self-referential jokes would deliver a great experience. What we got, in the end, was a game with a poor hitbox, repetitive and unresponsive gameplay, and a sense of humor still from the 90s complete with homophobic and juvenile jokes. Did we think this would be a serious game? Not at all. Did we think this could make up for its horrible predecessor? Absolutely.
Much like State of Decay 2, Sea of Thieves is another Xbox exclusive gem that we had all been banking would help bring the Xbox back to the top. This game has jaw-droppingly gorgeous water mechanics and graphics, a loveable Pixar-esque feel, and pirates- how could they go wrong? Despite having the makings of a great game, Sea of Thieves launched to be more of a social hub with a game attached rather than a real game. Missions were simple and repetitive, enemies came in essentially two forms, and if you happened to be playing without your friends it was just awful. The game has received some updates and a number of big content additions are on their way but even we here at COGconnected had a blast in the beta, until we discovered the full game was more of the same. Sea of Thieves could redeem itself down the road, but the damage has been done.
Poor CliffyB. Forgoing the explanation of CliffyB’s more wild and belligerent actions this year, CliffyB decided that since Battle Royale games murdered his baby, Lawbreakers, he would fight fire with fire and put out his own Battle Royale game named Radical Heights. It had an 80s punk aesthetic complete with plenty of attitude, however, the studio was in such an incredible rush to capitalize on the Battle Royale fad that they forgot to make a game actually worth playing. Radical Heights touted itself as the latest and greatest in the new, burgeoning genre, however, the released game was – at best – still an alpha. Horrible bugs, flat textures, and every possible problem from a rushed release poured the potential for Radical Heights down the drain, later leading to the closing of the studio.
That’s our list, where there any games that disappointed you that didn’t make the cut? Are there any entries here you think weren’t a letdown in the end? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, or the Comments section below.