Subjectivity is a wonderful thing. What you love, I might hate and vice-versa. We all have different opinions, and with video games, that’s doubly true. There are some games that everyone loved, that I just didn’t get (Fallout… I’m sorry), and some games I loved that the critics panned. Here are the top 5 games that everyone hated… that I loved.
The Top 5 Games That Everyone Hated
5. Enter the Matrix
I’ll admit, I understand why people hated this game. It’s a Matrix video game… but you don’t play as Neo? Metacritic gave it a grade of 58, and I totally understand why people rejected this game. However, I loved it. It was a shoot-em-up, and you were still able to do all the Matrix-y physics-defying action! Playing as Niobe and Ghost gave you a different look at the Matrix, and in the sequel, you got to play as the chosen one anyway. As a fan of the Matrix lore, I thoroughly enjoyed this game.
4. Sonic Adventure 2: Battle
First thing’s first, modern Sonic games are not great. It was hard for the little blue hedgehog to make the switch into 3D like Mario did. Most of the Sonic games that have come out in the 3D era are trash. However, this game was not one of them. The storyline was fun, the soundtrack was great, and the ability to raise Chao was something that kept me playing for years.
However, critics hated it. At best, websites like IGN said it was “Just Okay” and it had a 60% rating. They couldn’t get over the goofy dialogue or campiness of the game, but I could. I still play this game today, nearly 15 years after it came out.
3. Deadpool
As an avid reader of the Deadpool comics (Daniel Way is the best DP writer, don’t argue), I was over the moon when they announced they were making a Deadpool game. I drove to Delaware to find a Walmart that would sell me the game at midnight. And when I brought it home and threw it in the ol’ Xbox 360, I was over the moon. Deadpool wasn’t a revolutionary game as far as gameplay was concerned, but as a Deadpool experience? It was wonderful.
It abused the fourth wall, made several pop culture references, and poked fun at video games. I was tickled and beat the game in one day. I loved this game so much that I almost spent $60 to get it on the Xbox One. However, a lot of people couldn’t get past the repetitive gameplay, and it bombed. It did so poorly that it almost sank hopes for the movie… which became the highest grossing rated R movie of all time, thank you very much.
2. Fable III
The Fable series is a controversial one. The series is built around the decisions you make. You can be evil or good, and the choices you make will impact the rest of the game. People loved the first two games, but for some reason, the third one is despised. Maybe it’s because the game is a little cheesy, and that it was overhyped. But I love it. I think the cheesy dialogue is charming, the characters are lovable, and the plot twist at the end was fantastic. It’s my favorite Fable game, as a matter of fact.
1. NFL Head Coach
I really enjoyed the NFL Head Coach games. Unlike Madden, you didn’t control the players, you simply called the plays. You were in charge of personnel, practices, and play-calls. Unlike Madden, where I’ll go for it on fourth and 16, I have to trust my players. However, for some reason, these games flopped. People hated them. It makes me very sad, and if they’re not going to make another one, I wish that they would at least make it backwards compatible for the Xbox One or PlayStation 4.
So what do you think? Did you like these games? Are there any games you loved that everyone else hated? Let us know in the comment section below or yell at me at @RyanSmithLWOS on twitter.