460°

Variety: The most overrated videogames of 2008

Variety writes:

"These are not games we thought were bad, or even disappointing. They're the videogames that Variety's critics found fell the shortest of what most other critics and/or the public thought. It also, interestingly, the only category in this whole process in which all four of us agree about a game."

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SickNick855600d ago

variety is a microsoft press site...

darthv725600d ago (Edited 5600d ago )

Funny you mention that considering that GTA4, Fallout 3, Castle crashers and Braid are all available on the 360.

These games aren't about bad or good but about falling short of hype and expectation.

@mar-tyr-dom

I have not played fable 2 so I don't have any expectations towards it. I have played gears 2 and "my expectations" were met.

Please remember that it isn't about the game being good or bad but how well did it live up to the hype and expectation it received (both personal as well as public). Those games on the list all have strengths and weaknesses and according to the folks at Variety, just didn't meet "their" standards.

If they meet yours...that is all that should matter.

MAR-TYR-DOM5600d ago

let me guess, so Fable 2 and Gears2 didnt fall short of expectations?

Smacktard5600d ago

I'd actually agree with Gears of War 2. I thought that GoW2 was gonna be pretty awesome until I played it. I found it pretty boring.

Seems like anything with good graphics and guns is an amazing game, nowadays.

JBaby3435600d ago

I got bored with it and was not impressed compared to the hype and what I was expecting. The first disappointed me too though so I guess this one had a lot to prove. Either way it wasn't what it was made out to be in my opinion.

Just my opinion. We are each entitled.

StephanieBBB5600d ago (Edited 5600d ago )

Let's all hopp on the bandwagon, oh right that was the opposite of what is good to do according to this article...

Hypocrits ftw...

season0075600d ago

along with friends coming over and my girlfriend of course...

You don't have to create something to enjoy LBP
The built in levels are good enough for you to kill a lot of time

Tarasque5600d ago

My most overrated is, Halo 3, Gears 2, Fable 2, MGS4, LBP and GT5 pro.

dantesparda5599d ago (Edited 5599d ago )

I actually agree with Tarasque for once. While none of those games are terrible, i definitely think that they are all overrated

phosphor1125599d ago (Edited 5599d ago )

Variety!? You gotta be kidding me, since when have we listened to them?

EDIT:
Now that I read it, how is LBP overrated? How much hype did that game really have? "Awesome graphics! And those little sack people are so cute I could just eat them up! Now where's the game?" What? Are you some kind of fool? Tell me who hyped that game? Honestly who did? You want to talk overhyped/rated, talk about Halo 3. LBP got what it deserved in ratings

Protip: Variety is horrible and should never be on N4G again.

The Lazy One5599d ago

It was over rated. It's not bad, just over rated.

In the months leading up to LBP release, you could have sworn it was the video game messiah getting ready to lead us to a bright future of gaming. I had people quite literally tell me that they could make any game in LBP. I had people tell me that the game was single handedly going to make the PS3 outsell the 360 in every territory.

LBP did not live up to the hype, not because it was bad, but because the hype built up for the game was so ridiculously high, it was unreachable by any game.

thor5599d ago

I was anticipating LBP before its release. I had seen countless gameplay videos, and I knew it was the kind of game that I would absolutely love. I got into the beta, and loved every second of it. I got the retail release of the game, and I'm still loving every second of it. The only thing I have against it is the annoying bugs that keep surfacing; hopefully these can be remedied in a future patch. But it most certainly lived up to my lofty expectations. There are certain people that the game appeals to in every way, and I am one of them. If you still think the only reason this game has received such accolade is its level editor, you're dead wrong. I played one skateboard level from the story mode with my brother and a friend. For 2 hours. It's hard for me to think of many better gaming experiences to be honest.

PataponKnight5599d ago

Patapon? Noooooooooooooooooo!

The Lazy One5599d ago

I'm happy for you... I never said it was a bad game, I said the hype was ridiculously out of control on it.

Good for you that you didn't let the hype get to you, and had realistic expectations, but a lot of people didn't.

To be quite frank, I could walk through the pearly gates of heaven and receive absolute and pure joy and it wouldn't live up to the hype that LBP had before it's launch. If you don't believe me look around this very site in the weeks and months before the launch.

cherrypie5599d ago

No. Nope. No mention of Gears of War 2.

BUT, they *DID* mention Little Big Planet about 3 or 4 times as a massive disappointment.

And, based on the sales, looks like most gamers agree.

The Lazy One5599d ago

not disappointing or bad... overhyped.

+ Show (13) more repliesLast reply 5599d ago
grantps35600d ago

gears of war 2 is over rated, but its still a good game

i would say littlebigplanet is under rated.

Hiruma Youchi5600d ago

Cant a good game be a good game without having to face the ``its Overrated `` bull ?

Mini Mario5599d ago

"What? Are you some kind of fool? Tell me who hyped that game? Honestly who did?" (LBP)

Is this your first visit to this site or something>?

lokiroo4205600d ago

Four people who need their fingers removed immediately!

Dark_Overlord5600d ago

Its one of the best games on the DS, they're probably moaning because its too hard for them

Saint Sony5600d ago

Same thing with Braid, looks like the authors of this so called article can't handle platform design nor puzzles.

kwyjibo5600d ago (Edited 5600d ago )

Nothing more, nothing less.

It oozes charm, and I much prefer the faux-European animation style to generic anime conventions, but in the end, it's a puzzle book. Games offer so much scope for interactivity, yet the puzzles are static and do not make much use of the medium.

I liked Professor Layton, because I like good puzzles. But I really can't agree with those awarding this game any more than 8/10.

----

Oh, and it damn well annoyed me that all the Nintendo Wi-Fi unlockable puzzles were already preprogrammed onto the cartridge, and that you weren't downloading anything new. They gimped the game to show off the Wi-fi service.

----

My DS pick of the year was Advance Wars, even though they made the ridiculous story even more unbearable by trying to make it dark and realistic, and then totally failing - the gameplay has gone back to basics and is all the more better for it.

Johnny Rotten5600d ago (Edited 5600d ago )

LBP, and Castle Crashers are overrated??

Professor Layton was going to be my next DS game.

ablecain5600d ago

Variety is a terrible publication

Information Minister5600d ago

So now you're not going to buy the game because the "gaming experts" at Variety said so?! Not the smartest move if you ask me.

Johnny Rotten5600d ago

I was trying to say Professor Layton looks interesting and is up there on my "to buy list" of games.

Cheeseknight285600d ago

Layton was the best game released in 2008 for the DS. Go buy it.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 5600d ago
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130°

Looking Back At 2008, An Unbelievably Incredible Year Of Video Game Releases

Huzaifa from eXputer: "2008 was home to the likes of Call of Duty: World at War, Dead Space, GTA 4, Far Cry 2, Left 4 Dead, and many other hits, which is outright remarkable."

ChasterMies7d ago

Some of these low paid video game “news” writers weren’t born before 2007.

just_looken7d ago

Here here

Those that were around before 2000's i am sure are like me that think we entered a world of non readers or those that follow without question.

I can not wait to see fallout 3 a goty game even though it was about water with non content until you add the dlc/updates then you got the performance/crashing

CrimsonWing698d ago

I don’t think anything can compare to 2023

lucasnooker8d ago

1998 - the best year in gaming! Metal gear solid, crash bandicoot 3, medievil, half life, ocarina of time, thief, tenchu, resident evil 2, Spyro, tomb raider 3, oddworld abes exodus, banjo kazooie.

It was a different breed of a gaming era. You’ll never understand what it was like back then. The aura of gaming, it was different!

KyRo8d ago (Edited 8d ago )

I second this. Gaming was a lot more varied and fun than it is today. I'm 35 so getting on compared to some here but I got to see all the changes from NES up to now but I've never felt so disappointed in any generation than I have this current gen. I was expecting more from this generation rather than prettier versions of games that came before it. Game mechanics have become so refined that alot of games feel the same and has done for a while now.

Maybe it's time to have a break for a while. I love gaming but I don't feel I get much fun in the traditional sense out of it anymore.

CrimsonWing698d ago (Edited 8d ago )

Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil 2, Abe’s Exodus, and Ocarina of Time are the only things from that list that I liked.

Here’s the 2023 game releases that I personally liked… and big releases that I didn’t care for:

- Dead Space Remake
- Wo Long Dynatsy
- Resident Evil 4 Remake
- Diablo 4
- Fire Emblem Engage
- Hogwarts Legcay
- Street Fighter 6
- Hi-Fi Rush
- Like a Dragon: Ishin
- Octopath Traveler 2
- Final Fantasy Pixel Remasters
- Final Fanatsy XVI (actually ended up not liking this, but it was still a big deal release)
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
- Lies of P
- Mortal Kombat 1
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Starfield (Ended up hating this one, but big release)
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (I’m an old-school Zelda fan, but didn’t really enjoy this game)
- Alan Wake 2

I mean, honestly I’ve never seen a year of major IP releases like that, ever.

Profchaos8d ago (Edited 8d ago )

Isn't it just a generational thing realistically.

I've been gaming since way back and I some of my favourite games go as far back as the late 80s for me each generation has a year or two of game changing releases one after another before an inevitable dry spell.

I kind of agree gaming had a different feel games hit different because we didn't have the internet nothing got spoiled and you really had to put in the effort to beat a puzzle which could set entire groups of people looking for a solution. But most importantly games were experimental and not as cookie cutter as today even basics like controls were not universal today r2 is shoot l2 is ads garunteed you can't deviate from that in a shooter back then it could of been square, R1 or R1 and circle nothing was standard.

But as time moves on a new generation picks up their controller they are going to be interested in different things that PS1 demo disc with the t Rex blew our primitive 16 bit brains back on launch but to kids today it's laughable.
The new gen of kids coming into to hobby seem to value different things to us there seems to be a huge focus on online play, streamers, gaming personalities, and social experiences, convience of digital downloads. To me I value none of that but that's ok like my parents not liking the band's I would listen to its just the natural cycle.

Gameseeker_Frampt7d ago

Just about every year in the 7th generation was great and something we most likely won't experience again.

2009 for example had Assassin's Creed 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, Dragon Age: Origins, Uncharted 2, Halo 3: ODST, Killzone 2, Borderlands, Bayonetta, and Demon's Souls to name a few.

just_looken7d ago

It still amazes me we got over 7 rockstar games ps2/ps3 but 3 for the ps3/ps4/ps5

Dragon age 1-3 and mass effect 1-3 in 7ish years what a generation.

80°

Now is the Best Time to Get This Incredible RPG Bundle on Steam

If you are looking for an awesome RPG, look no further. Steam is offering a significant discount on its Fallout Franchise Bundle.

SimpleSlave8d ago

"You can get all Fallout games in a bundle at a significant 20% discount on Steam. Individually, all these games add up to $244.91. With the discount, you can get them all for $195.91. That is $49 less than the original price. Quite a significant discount for such a popular franchise."

😊 😂 🤣 😐 - But why?

Just wait for a sale and get most if not all of it for a fraction of that price.

20% off...lol

Tacoboto8d ago

The games were just on a real sale over the last week or two for the show promotion. Fallout 4 was $10, 3 was $5, NV was cheap as heck too.

So what the heck is this

Inverno8d ago

The original games have been given out for free by Amazon for GOG and Epic, 76 is free now on Amazon if you have prime, Epic has also given out new Vegas for free and 4 has gone down to pretty cheap prices. 194 bucks is a total ripoff when you can get these games individually for less. Don't forget cd keys might sell em for a dollar less at times too. Come on man, us cheapskates won't touch anything near or above 100 lolz

isarai8d ago

Bro that's a ridiculous ripoff are you kidding me? 🤣

150°

Fallout 3's Reveal Led To Death Threats And Bethesda's First Security Guard

The artist behind Fallout 4’s Deathclaw reveals just how bad things got back when Bethesda took over the series

anast10d ago

People are stupid I get it. No one should feel unsafe,

But I think they need to talk about why they cut so many corners during the development process and why none of their games ever look current. And why they think all of this is okay while they charge full price.

LucasRuinedChildhood10d ago

As much as Bethesda deserve criticism, that's not really relevant to the reveal of Fallout 3 in 2007.

VenomUK9d ago

The default angle Kotaku always go for is to highlight the worst in gaming.

I would’ve focused on the creative.

anast9d ago

The game went downhill at Fallout 3's release. This is when they started to cut corners.

gold_drake9d ago

there is no "but". the hell lol
you dont send death threats, period.

anast9d ago

Usually, you have good comments but this isn't one of them. It just rides the mob. We can do both condemn the actions and not let them use it for other things.

I can say I received a death threat and everyone needs to shut up. People are not honest and will use horrible things to their advantage.

Armaggedon9d ago

Not all games “look” current.

anast9d ago

Their games always look like the gen before it.

Armaggedon8d ago

Yeah, but thats not the result of laziness, incompetence, or a bad engine. Thats what happens with their type of open world games. Its hard for people to find a point of comparison because no one makes games like Bethesda does.

gold_drake8d ago

mh ok thanks, i still think ur wrong in this mate.

anast8d ago

No problem. I'm not here to convince you. I'm only stating an actuality. What your words do if we look at them like events.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 8d ago