The passion that fans have for video games can’t be stated enough, withthe sheer level of love that people have for their favorite titlesseeming almost limitless. Of course, this also means that there’s a similar level of intense hate that players don’t hide for video games that have irked them in some way or the other.
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What really makes a video game interesting is when it splits its fanbase down the middle, leading to endless arguments about whether a game is great, underrated, overrated, or pure trash. This dichotomy is interesting to watch, with the reaction to some truly divisive video games being quite interesting simply because of how passionate fans are about their reaction to these games.
6Cyberpunk 2077
The launch ofCyberpunk 2077is one of the most infamous moments in video game history. The marketing push for this game was off the charts, and players were hyped to the moon and back about this game and what it could achieve. However, a litany of glitches and unfulfilled promises led to immense fan backlash that was rightfully deserved.
However, CD Projekt Red never gave up on this title and released a wealth of bug fixes to take care of the glitches before adding new content in subsequent patches as well. While there are still many players who are hurt by the game’s lies, others have forgivenCyberpunk 2077and have gone so far as to label it asone of the best modern RPGs that fans can check out.
5The Last Of Us Part 2
The Last of Usis a game that took the world by storm when it was released, showing just how cinematic and emotional a video game story can really be. Given how excellent the quality of this title was, it’s easy to see whyThe Last of Us Part 2was hyped to the moon and back.
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The sequel upped the ante in almost every department, witheverything from the graphics to the gameplay improved exponentially. However, the story itself was seen as a step back from the first game in the eyes of many. People felt that the message of pacifism was somewhat saturated by just how satisfying it was to kill enemies in the game, and this clash of tones led to fans having mixed feelings about how impactful this narrative really was.
4Fallout 4
Bethesda’s takeover of theFalloutseries elicited a mixed reception from hardcore fans ofthe two CRPGs that came beforewhenFallout 3was released. However, for the most part, many players loved the shift to 3D and how it allowed theFalloutseries to evolve, despite its narrative faults. The same can’t be said forFallout 4, which is easily one of Bethesda’s most divisive games.
In an attempt to appeal to the console crowd,Fallout 4ended up simplifying a lot of its mechanics to a fault. The improvements made to the gameplay were still celebrated by many, but many people questioned if the game could even be called a proper RPG at this point because of how streamlined the title became.
3Batman: Arkham Knight
Rocksteady is no stranger to criticism, but the negative fan reaction toSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguehas been fairly universal. This has been a shocking development for a studio that was known for pioneering the new wave of quality superhero games that did justice to the IP ofBatman.
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Arkham Knightis a game that deserves a ton of praise for pushing the limits of theArkhamgames, allowing players to explore a truly massive open world. The Batmobile was a new inclusion that fans could mess around with, but some people felt like the game forced vehicular combat way too much in the title. This is the biggest reason why fans were split down the middle when it came toArkham Knight, and it didn’t help that the PC release of this game was a downright mess upon launch that people still bring up even now!
2Dark Souls 2
Themassive success ofDark Soulsprompted FromSoftware to develop a sequel that they wanted to be bigger and better in every way. However, the fact that Miyazaki wasn’t returning to work on the sequel sent alarm bells ringing in the minds of many fans.
It turned out that this concern wasn’t misplaced in the slightest, withDark Souls 2feeling like a downgrade in many ways compared to the legendary first title. That being said, fans still love the game for its unique narrative and how it takes some admirable risks with the formula, even if the vast majority of them didn’t pay off in the eyes of many.
1Death Stranding
A new Kojima game was a great prospect that fans simply couldn’t wait for, especially after the unceremonious manner in which Konami let go of this industry legend.The promos forDeath Strandingwere extremely weird, and fans didn’t know what this game was all about. So, when it was finally revealed that this title was essentially a walking simulator with some action-heavy moments, fans didn’t know what to feel.
Initially, the reception to this title was fairly mixed, with many fans lamenting the simplistic and weird gameplay of this series that was unlike any other open-world game out there. Over time, more and more players have warmed up to this odd game, although there are some still people who can’t stop criticizing the game for what they feel is a janky and unrefined gameplay loop.
