When it comes to video games, critics have a big say on how a new release will perform. Great reviews can help a video game sell like crazy while a bad review often means a game will be overlooked by fans and soon end up in the bargain bin. But what happens when the critics get things wrong?
While it’s true they are spot on most of the times they aren’t immune to claiming a game “best of the year” only for fans to discover it’s not really as great as they’ve been told. Likewise, many video games that have received mediocre reviews are actually much better and deserve a second look.
This article aims to set the record straight on many console games that have been either overrated or underrated over the past 30 odd years. From blockbusters like God Of War and Fable III that don’t live up to expectations, to rarely played gems such as 007: The World Is Not Enough and Lost Odyssey, this feature is sure to cause controversy amongst players but will hopefully enlighten your future gaming choices.
30 Most Overrated: God Of War
In the lead up to its release, God Of War was touted by Sony as one of the best beat ’em ups ever created. While there’s no doubting the game has a fantastic combo system and a fair amount of gratuitous violence for those who like a little blood letting, at its core God Of War is nothing more than a simple slash and hack beat ’em up that offers little variety.
It’s your classic button masher disguised with a decent storyline and some impressive graphics.
The camera angles can also be quite annoying, especially during combat, making it hard to see enemies coming. God Of War is a good game, just not a great one as many would have you believe.
29 Worth A Second Look: Mirror’s Edge
Mirror’s Edge is one of the few games on this list that actually got decent reviews from critics but failed to find an audience. Despite winning a number of gaming awards many fans were turned off by the anime style cutscenes, lack of freedom in levels, and limited move set of the main character.
Get past these small flaws and you’ve got a great shooter with an intricate storyline that suits gamers who don’t rely on power-ups and health bonuses to complete complex levels. Mirror’s Edge also includes an awesome soundtrack from Swedish electronic Magnus Birgersson that suits the futuristic feel of the game.
28 Most Overrated: Gran Turismo 5
One of the best selling PS3 titles of all time, Gran Turismo 5 is also a let down when compared to previous games in the series. After first being announced in 2005, the game was delayed over and over until finally getting a release in 2010.
By the time it hit the shelves games like Need For Speed and Blur had stolen the spotlight from Gran Turismo.
Visually it’s nothing special, the A.I. not that smart, and the introduction of body damage during races barely has any effect on the gameplay. For a game that took five years to complete it doesn’t provide enough new and inventive features to keep gamers happy longterm.
27 Worth A Second Look: Sega Superstar Tennis
A tennis game using famous Sega characters as players sounds like a bad idea on paper but is actually a brilliant sports game rivaling many official tennis simulations. You can choose from 16 different characters from a host of Sega games (including Sonic and Tails from Sonic The Hedgehog, Alex Kidd from Alex Kidd, and Gilius Thunderhead from Golden Axe) who each have their own special moves as you take part in a standard tournament or play mission-based matches.
This game is great fun to play, especially with a few friends, and includes some awesome mini-games that add to the overall gaming experience. Sega Superstar Tennis is much more fun than most think and well worth a play.
26 Most Overrated: BioShock Infinite
Don’t get me wrong, BioShock Infinite is a solid first-person shooter expanding on the mythology of the BioShock franchise, but it certainly doesn’t deserve its Metacritic score of an unbelievably high 94/100.
The plot and graphics are two strong points but the action isn’t that great when compared to other shooters such as Battlefield 4, Call Of Duty: Ghosts, or Metro: Last Light, all released the same year as Infinite. It’s a very generic shooter with average gameplay that fails to live up to the previous games in the series. Give this a miss and pull out the original BioShock for a masterclass in video game shooters.
25 Worth A Second Look: Mad Max
While not based on any of the Mad Max films, in particular, this game does take influence from George Miller’s post-apocalyptic world where gas is at an all-time premium. Taking control of the titular Mad Max Rockatansky, you roam the desert landscape searching for the fabled “Plains Of Silence” while battling all manner of evildoers.
Some reviewers have questioned the storyline but there’s no debating visually the game is great, with the sound and gameplay also enhancing the Mad Max legend. The open world setting is fantastic and the violent road battles make you feel like you’re actually involved in the films. Terrific stuff.
24 Most Overrated: LittleBigPlanet
On paper, LittleBigPlanet sounds amazing. A puzzle platform game whereby you can construct and create just about anything you can imagine should be an absolute winner, but there are a few flaws with LittleBigPlanet that stop it from becoming a classic.
One of the biggest problems with the game is the control system that handles like a dog’s breakfast. Player movement is often out of whack and while this might not seem like a big deal, it detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game massively.
23 Worth A Second Look: Ryse: Son Of Rome
Set in an alternate version of Rome and following the ascent of Roman centurion Marius Titus, Ryse: Son Of Rome is a violent hack and slash adventure game well worth your time.
Critics weren’t too sold on the repetitive gameplay but when you take into account the awesome graphics, gripping storyline, and detailed level designs, it’s a bit harsh to write the game off based on the combat. Plus this is an action adventure game so you expect to be battling similar enemies as you advance through the levels. The multiplayer option also adds something different to this underrated game.
22 Most Overrated: Dead Island
Everyone loves a good zombie game and while Dead Island has its charms it’s not nearly as awesome as people think. Sure, you can create a variety of weapons to dispose of the living dead in inventive ways but the game is chock full of glitches that disrupt the gameplay.
The storyline doesn’t really excel and the general gameplay gets a little boring after a while.
There’s only so many zombies you can eliminate before it all gets a bit meh. You’re better off playing The Last Of Us, a truly creepy zombie game with an emotional storyline featuring characters you really care for.
21 Worth A Second Look: The Saboteur
Spy and stealth fans will dig The Saboteur, a well-made open world action-adventure game set during the War in German-occupied France. While some of the animations aren’t quite up to scratch overall the black and white visuals work well.
The open world of Pairs is breathtaking and the characters, particularly Irish protagonist, Sean Devlin, well fleshed out. The Saboteur offers a different take on the war genre of games and is generally just a fun action adventure game that will keep you entertained for hours.
20 Most Overrated: Halo: Combat Evolved
I can’t disagree with Halo: Combat Evolved being a tremendous multiplayer game but when it comes to storyline and plotting Halo leaves much to be desired. Some of the plot twists are quite surprising and don’t really suit the flow of the game and feel like they were thrown in just to add something extra to the game.
Then there are the level designs. At the beginning of the game they are fantastic, well rendered and detailed, but by the end, they all begin to look similar and are clumsily structured. Halo: Combat Evolved is still a great gaming experience, just not as enthralling as the many sequels.
19 Worth A Second Look: Deadly Premonition
Horror survival games are still all the rage these days but one many missed back in 2010 was Deadly Premonition. Having developed a cult following over the past eight years Deadly Premonition is an atmospheric open world game whereby players take control of FBI agent Francis York Morgan as he hunts the attacker.
Fusing supernatural themes with the occult and police procedurals Deadly Premonition stands out due to its fantastic characters, creepy atmosphere, and original storyline. It’s quite a weird experience playing this game but the payoff is rewarding.
18 Most Overrated: Mortal Kombat (2011)
The reboot of the Mortal Kombat franchise in 2011 was a clever idea. The game had been treading water for a number of years and needed a facelift. Creating an all-new mythology that wipes out the previous games, Mortal Kombat sold more than two million copies in the first month and was adored by critics and fans.
Despite the game’s success, there are a few things that stop it from being an outright classic. The combat system is basic and the game lacks many features of previous releases, catering more for general fighting game enthusiasts than hardcore MK fans. It’ll entertain you for a few hours but you’ll soon grow bored and find yourself switching off.
17 Worth A Second Look: Killzone
It’s hard for first-person shooters to stand out from the crowd these days and Killzone is one game that struggled to find an audience. Although the reviews were mostly positive, it was overlooked by many but has since found a solid fan base over the years.
The futuristic setting really embraces the science fiction world and features fantastic graphics and a tremendous soundtrack.
The plot isn’t overly complicated but is enjoyable enough while the gameplay leaves you feeling like you’ve been caught in the middle of a war zone.
16 Most Overrated: L.A. Noire
A detective game set in 1947 Los Angeles from Rockstar influenced by film-noir should have been an absolute winner, but L.A. Noire has it’s fair share of problems. The biggest issue with the game is the lack of exploration, with the tight plot often pushing you forward without much investigating. The game has a real linear feel that doesn’t work with this type of mystery.
It gets boring pretty quick and doesn’t have the excitement and detailed open world of other Rockstar titles such as Red Dead Redemption and the Grand Theft Auto series. The controls are also sluggish at times and contribute to the games downfall.
15 Worth A Second Look: Brothers In Arms: Hell’s Highway
A classic first-person shooter set during World War II, Brothers In Arms: Hell’s Highway is a gripping game full of high octane action and great characters. The addition of some new features, such as a better health system, new weapons, and the “action cam,” whereby the camera zooms in on an enemies demise if you achieve a headshot, a challenging grenade elimination, or order a bazooka blast, add to the terrific gameplay of Hell’s Highway.
The storyline is also well thought out and the game does a good job of portraying realistic wartime situations and deserves to be mentioned along side the COD’s and Battlefront’s.
14 Most Overrated: Final Fantasy VII
The Final Fantasy franchise has given us some of the greatest RPG gaming experiences of all time, but like anything in this world, sometimes they don’t live up to expectations. Case in point Final Fantasy VII.
While this might divide opinions considering the game is widely praised by fans, thanks mainly to it’s involving storyline, the game looks clumsy and feels dated. Even when it first hit shelves in 1997 the graphics looked poor and the game mechanics weak. Of course, the game is still fantastic but revisiting it now I think most people bought into the hype, with Final Fantasy VII solid without being altogether surprising.
13 Worth A Second Look: Outlast
Another horror survival game overlooked by many upon its official release in 2014, Outlast is well worth a second look. Investigating an old psychiatric ward overrun by the patients, the game relies on stealth as you navigate the facility and try to determine if inhumane experiments are being conducted on the patients.
From the get-go Outlast has a creepy atmosphere that carries on throughout the game, with many in-game scares genuinely frightening.
It’s as close as you’ll come to being in a horror film, and for that reason alone is enough to make this list.
12 Most Overrated: Call Of Duty: Black Ops
Setting the Call Of Duty series during the Cold War had many gamers salivating at the prospect of playing Black Ops, and while it does include a better game engine with an improved campaign, it’s not as awesome as critics would have you believe.
One of the biggest problems with the game is the number of bugs and glitches throughout.
The game also doesn’t move the series forward, with the graphics and general gameplay offering nothing new to longtime players. Black Ops is another standard shooter that kicked off a number of lean years for the COD franchise.
11 Worth A Second Look: Toejam & Earl III: Mission To Earth
You might not be familiar with the Toejam & Earl series of games but they were big sellers on the Sega Genesis (or Mega Drive) in the late 90s. When the Sega Saturn failed to be the next big thing in gaming the franchise’s third game was released on the Xbox.
Although it failed to sell well, Toejam & Earl III: Mission To Earth is a fun and extremely humorous game. The plot involves Toejam, Earl, and new female character Latisha, heading to earth to retrieve the stolen twelve Sacred Albums of Funk and save the planet. This is a classic platform game with decent enough graphics, great gameplay, and full of laughs.
