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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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SickNick855614d ago

variety is a microsoft press site...

darthv725614d ago (Edited 5614d 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-DOM5614d ago

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

Smacktard5614d 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.

JBaby3435614d 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.

StephanieBBB5614d ago (Edited 5614d 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...

season0075614d 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

Tarasque5614d ago

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

dantesparda5614d ago (Edited 5614d ago )

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

phosphor1125614d ago (Edited 5614d 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 One5614d 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.

thor5614d 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.

PataponKnight5614d ago

Patapon? Noooooooooooooooooo!

The Lazy One5614d 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.

cherrypie5613d 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 One5613d ago

not disappointing or bad... overhyped.

+ Show (13) more repliesLast reply 5613d ago
grantps35614d ago

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

i would say littlebigplanet is under rated.

Hiruma Youchi5614d ago

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

Mini Mario5614d 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>?

lokiroo4205614d ago

Four people who need their fingers removed immediately!

Dark_Overlord5614d ago

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

Saint Sony5614d ago

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

kwyjibo5614d ago (Edited 5614d 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 Rotten5614d ago (Edited 5614d ago )

LBP, and Castle Crashers are overrated??

Professor Layton was going to be my next DS game.

ablecain5614d ago

Variety is a terrible publication

Information Minister5614d 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 Rotten5614d ago

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

Cheeseknight285614d ago

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

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210°

Microsoft once tried to nab LittleBigPlanet from Sony after a few drinks

It turns out that many moons ago, Microsoft once had its eye on the Sony published LittleBigPlanet series.

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XiNatsuDragnel8d ago

Microsoft had a good idea but fumbled it again.

Cacabunga7d ago (Edited 7d ago )

Project Spark idea was decent but they quickly gave up ..
LBP was wonderful

ApocalypseShadow7d ago

Microsoft in a nutshell. Always tried to poach Sony employees, games, 3rd party games and devices like the depth camera that was turned into Kinect but was running on PS2 before Xbox 360. Wouldn't be surprised they wanted LBP. Just like they worked behind the scenes pushing the MLB to bring Sony's baseball game to Xbox instead of making their own.
https://www.playstationlife...

They didn't spend years trying to develop their own baseball game. They wanted Sony's game.

They're scum.

Zachmo1827d ago

Microsoft didn't force MLB on Xbox. MLB gave Sony 2 options either go multiplat or risk losing the license.

Rynxie6d ago

And why do you think MLB said that? I believe Ms approached MLB.

ApocalypseShadow6d ago (Edited 6d ago )

Totally ridiculous comment.

The only exclusivity Sony had was to their own creation of The Show. Microsoft could have paid the MLB for the license just like Sony did and made their own baseball game.

Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox. They're worth 3 TRILLION dollars. You think that's not enough money to make their own baseball game? Don't be delusional.

Microsoft spun it like they always do and told the media that they had to trust Sony with their hardware. After they put Sony in that position of not having a choice. Either go multiplatform or stop making one of their successful games. That's a no win scenario.

And what did Microsoft do? They didn't try to sell the game to the Xbox community. They put it on game pass to hurt Sony. Pushing the idea of why buy games that are $70 when you can play them in their cheap service for $10. It was a dirty tactic.

You fell for the Kool aid drink Microsoft served you instead of spitting it out. Hope it tasted good because you were fooled by Phil and the gang.

6d ago
Hereandthere6d ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

Bond revealed that MLB The Show “always came up” in conversations between Microsoft and the Major League Baseball organization. “We always said, ‘We love this game. It would be a huge opportunity to bring it to Xbox.'” she recalled. However, when Microsoft’s efforts materialized, it put the company in an awkward situation where it had to send in pre-release consoles to a rival company.

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Notellin6d ago

"Microsoft instead, groomed MLB for years in trying to poach Sony's game and bring it to Xbox."

Take a nap, conspiracies are rotting your brain.

6d ago
Hereandthere6d ago

Xbox executive Sara Bond has told Axios that Microsoft spent a number of years trying to get MLB The Show onto Xbox consoles. And when it finally succeeded in breaking off PlayStation’s long-held exclusivity, the company had to “trust” Sony with pre-release Xbox Series X/S consoles.

ApocalypseShadow5d ago

Lying to yourself is unbecoming.

Article link tells you all you need to know in Sarah Bond's own words.

Hereandthere6d ago

They were too cheap/inept/lazy to develop their own mlb game, so they port begged for years and bribed the mlb to make the show multiplatform. Like i said many times, xbox brought nothing to the table their 24 years, ZERO.

ApocalypseShadow5d ago

At least you and others get it. Note drank the Kool aid and asked for seconds thinking it was refreshing.

Most don't even know how it all played out but it's there in black and white for all to see. Microsoft brought it up for years until the MLB forced Sony's hand. It was a win win for Microsoft. Kill one reason to buy a PlayStation or kill the game by dropping it in a cheap service to kill Sony's sales numbers on PlayStation.

OtterX7d ago

"However, Healey said Media Molecule wouldn't have felt right doing that, adding it would have been "morally corrupt"."

Major kudos to Media Molecule for being an upright studio with principles.

Cockney5d ago

They chose well, Sony gave them the backing to pursue their dreams with no restrictions even tho their games especially dreams have very niche appeal. Media molecule and Sony deserve respect for this in an age of risk averse publishing.

RNTody7d ago (Edited 7d ago )

Great, more stories like this please. Show the last of the zombies holding the line what we've been saying for years: Microsoft is anti competition, anti industry and has no interest in making games at all.

But hey, at least there's an Xbox Games Showcase to look forward to, right?

Inverno7d ago

Well considering SONY just killed the series, LBP would've been dead by now either way. Though MM probably wouldn't exist by now either, so I'm glad they stayed with SONY, hopefully they don't get shut down any time soon or ever honestly.

Inverno7d ago

They shut down the servers, that's millions of user created levels gone. That and dead are pretty much the same, it's also been years since 3 and they cancelled HUB soooo.

6d ago
fsfsxii6d ago

They shutdown the servers because no one was playing, no one in the community cared about the user created levels so why keep them up? Wtf you guys would never succeed in running a business.

Inverno6d ago

Yea dood no one was playing so they shut off the servers. Cause people with enough common sense can't just Google why they were actually shut of, right?

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120°

Amazon Prime Gaming May 2024 Games Lineup Looks Highly Promising

Amazon has announced its gaming lineup for May 2024 and it is one of the better months especially if you are an Amazon Prime subscriber.

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Retroman12d ago

I have Amazon Prime hardly ever use it and these games will not make me jump back to Prime.
Only use Prime for discounts on shipping.

Retroman12d ago

Amazon
Games line-up looks Highly Promising.
Yeah if you Never played those games before.
or you just started gaming for the First time in your life it would seem "Promising "

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."

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ChasterMies22d ago

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

just_looken22d 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

CrimsonWing6922d ago

I don’t think anything can compare to 2023

lucasnooker22d 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!

KyRo22d ago (Edited 22d 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.

CrimsonWing6922d ago (Edited 22d 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.

Profchaos22d ago (Edited 22d 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_Frampt22d 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_looken22d 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.