Half-Life: Alyx, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Ghost of Tsushima – 2020 delivered on years of anticipation when it came to the world of video games. However, there were also a number of games that overpromised and underdelivered, leading to feelings of emptiness and regret. These 5 biggest disappointments of 2020 weren’t the worst this year had to offer, but they did leave us feeling hollow when all was said and done.
5 Biggest Disappointments of 2020
Marvel’s Avengers
Let’s be clear: Marvel’s Avengers’ single player campaign is worth your while.
However, just as we said in our review, the future of Marvel’s Avengers’ ongoing success is entirely dependent on the quality and regularity of content.
Three months out and it turns out the “Games as a Service” model for the game didn’t pan out. Charging a premium for cosmetic items and takedown animations was chintzy enough as it is, but the multiplayer gameplay was infinitely worse with lame puzzles, “Elite Hive” missions that drag content out, and countless goons that lack any sort of personality. Square Enix is feeling the pain too, reporting a $48 million loss on the project and a 96% drop in player count since launch.
You can read our review of Marvel’s Avengers here.
Watch Dogs: Legion
The world of Watch Dogs: Legion is ripe for potential, one that explores the very depths of what London has to offer.
However, this release ended up feeling like Watch Dogs 2.5. Recruiting members to DedSec robbed the game of much of its personality, weakening the narrative with a lack of a protagonist. The repetitive gameplay, poor driving physics, and reliance on drones made things that much worse, and proved that Ubisoft just doesn’t want to grow this series as much as they should.
You can read our review of Watch Dogs: Legion here.
Resident Evil 3
The 2019 release of Resident Evil 2 was a smash hit, setting a new standard for remakes (we gave it a 90/100). While the Resident Evil 3 remake was a solid enough game, it just didn’t make the same impact as Leon’s outing. Between the braindead zombie AI (in a bad way), a pushover Nemesis, the removal of Mercenaries mode, and the awkward asynchronous Resident Evil: Resistance mode, there were just enough missteps to prevent it from standing out.
You can read our review of Resident Evil 3 here.
Predator: Hunting Grounds
The action sci-fi classic Predator has remained a staple of pop culture since the 1987 original, and Predator: Hunting Grounds had plans to continue its legacy on the PlayStation 4. However, this asynchronous multiplayer title launched to little fanfare and a distinct lack of polish. The dated graphics are just the start; a lack of map diversity, broken balance (the Predator is far too underpowered), and dumb AI led to a number of angry fans. The worst part? Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch is paid DLC.
Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition
When it came out for the Nintendo GameCube in 2003, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles provided a serviceable multiplayer experience that made good use of groups working together.
However, the release of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition completely misses the point. The combat and control scheme show its age, sure, but it’s the multiplayer aspect that messes everything up. Players can’t party up and travel the world together, and only the host for each session gets the clear for any given session. The worst part is that magic is best utilized with four people, so the majority of your party will be at an absolute loss when it comes to getting ahead.
You can read our review of Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered Edition here.
