Time will only be kind to the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. That’s the nature of remembrance, after all. When it comes to remembering the good and the bad of an era, more often than not, people will only remember the good. Bad media fades away while people champion the good that helped define the generation.
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That doesn’t mean everyone should just forget the bad, however. It’s important to look back on history and that goes double for video games. As fantastic as the PS3 and 360 era was, both consoles were home to some truly disappointing titles, the sting of which the industry will be feeling for quite a while.
1010. BEST: Nier
The originalNierdidn’t fare nearly as well as its successor,Nier: Automata. Where the latter released to universal critical acclaim, the originalNierwas met with mixed reviews to say the least. Critics found it a blandZeldaclone which honestly says more about video game journalism at the time than the actual game.
Nieris easily one of the best games to release in the PS360 era of gaming. While its gameplay definitely does come off like a watered downZeldaclone, it has an interesting enough magic system to offset the combat, some fun bosses, and anoutstandingstory.Niermight very well have the best script of last gen.
99. DISAPPOINTING: LA Noire
Speaking of games with great scripts,LA Noiredefinitely boasts a pretty impressive narrative, one that rings true for its genre.LA Noirecould have released as a mini-series and it would have been met with even more critical acclaim. Which isn’t a good thing, honestly, because a story alone can’t carry a game.
As a pure video game,LA Noireis on the very sloppy side. It was the first game Rockstar published afterRed Dead Redemptionand it does not reach the same level of quality whatsoever. The pacing is all over the place, the shooting is uninspired, and missions are too tedious for their own good.
88. BEST: Bayonetta
Thankfully, tedium is not somethingBayonettahas to deal with. More or less a spiritual successor to the originalDevil May Cryon the PlayStation 2,Bayonettarealizes Hideki Kamiya’s initial vision forDMCwithout compromising its own identity. Its sequel may be a Nintendo exclusive, but the first game is arguably better.
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When it comes down to it,Bayonettais simply one of the tightest hack n slash games of all time. It has some annoying elements, such as its QTEs, butBayonettaexcels everywhere else where this is hardly a problem. As far as addictive action goes,Bayonettais second to none.
77. DISAPPOINTING: Soul Calibur IV
On the flip side,Soul Calibur IV’s action isn’t all that addictive and more or less took the franchise’s wind out of its sails just when it wasreallystarting to pick up. The first game is considered one of the Dreamcast’s best games; the second game is wildly popular (thanks to LInk;) and the third game brought a lot of content to the table.
Soul Calibur IVfeels painfully barebones by comparison, and its use ofStar Warsguest characters was out of place to say the least. It’s a perfectly fine fighting game, but it’s a massive step down in quality from the first three games.
66. BEST: Grand Theft Auto IV
AlthoughGrand Theft Auto IVwas critically lauded upon release, fans came to slowly reject the title with time. Not only was it far more serious than previous entries in the series, its grounded approach to gameplay meant thatGTAIV’s sandbox was perhapstoovisceral and realistic, a problem thatRDR2arguably has today.
That said, this doesn’t necessarily ruin or hurt a game. As is,Grand Theft Auto IVis an interesting experimentation in realism, one the series should go back to sooner rather than later. Niko’s story is deeply personal and surprisingly relevant even today. The gameplay may not be as refined asGTAV’s, but theGTAIVengine still holds up well.
55. DISAPPOINTING: Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
The hype followingMetal Gear Solid V’s release was genuinely unreal. This was going to betheHideo Kojima game. The final product would unfortunately be pushed out the door seemingly unfinished, btu the signs were clear withGround Zeroes’ overpriced release. For $40, fans could play an hour of a game and then some bonus content.
Ground Zeroesis a difficult game to discuss because it is technically one hour of a larger game, but that in itself is a problem. It’sMGSV’s Tanker Chapter and it’s not actually a part of the full release. As its own game, it’s incredibly barebones, adding very little of value to theMGSVpackage.
44. BEST: Dark Souls
Dark Soulsmay not have been the firstSoulsgame or even the best (that honor still belongs to none other thanDemon’s Souls,) but it’s the entry that madeSoulsa sensation for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. FromSoftware owes their continued success to this gem of an action RPG.
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And why shouldn’t they?Dark Soulshas some of the best bosses in the medium, features an incredible story that’s told in a unique way, and has great level design. It’s a challenging game that doesn’t actually emphasize difficult, just its own mechanics. That’s rare for games even today.
33. DISAPPOINTING: Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
The firstUnchartedwas good enough, but it was missing something when it came to gunplay. Far too often, combat would fall into a tedious loop, forcing players to bash their heads against brain dead, boring enemies.Uncharted 2completely fixed this problem by featuring better enemy AI and creative level design.
SomethingUncharted 3gets rid of while also followingUncharted 2’s story beat by beat.Uncharted 3lifts so shamelessly from its predecessor that it’s embarrassing. It features its own set pieces if nothing else, but they’re not even remotely as cohesive or well thought out asUncharted 2’s.
Rockstar really took the video game world by storm withRed Dead Redemption. WhileGrand Theft Autoalways did well as a franchise,RDRgave Rockstar an added air of legitimacy.Red Dead Redemptionwas serious, somber, and easily the best video game to release last generation.
Red Dead Redemptionmay not have the realism of its successor, but it never sought to be so realistic. It simply wanted to be a good, serious video game. Which is arguably more important. When it comes down to it,RDRis able to strike a balance between over the top and down to earth without crippling its own mechanics.
11. DISAPPOINTING: DmC: Devil May Cry
It’s very thoughtful of Ninja Theory to release the definition of disappointment as a video game. Even ignoringDmC’s nature as an ill-fitting reboot for a franchise that did not need a reboot, it’s just not a good action game. It fundamentally misunderstandsDevil May Cryas a franchise and ditches in-depth combat in favor of something far more mindless.
It’s possible to pull off some interesting techniques, but why not just play one of the goodDevil May Crygames at that point?DMC4released the same generation and it’s an infinitely better game. With a poor story, horrible enemy design, and a watered down gameplay loop,DmC: Devil May Cryis the most disappointing game of last gen.
