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Games you expected to be terrible, but turned out to be Great

SmilingSwordSmilingSword Member Posts: 827
in Off-Topic
I sometimes try to play Japanese games, you know the story based things that are basically really slow self reading "if you speak Japanese" picture books, but I always get bored, because for the most part they are supposed to be games, but lack any and all gameplay. You know the games only ever to played for great anime Oppai.
I don't why I keep trying this genre, but now after years of picking up boring slice of life lite novels masquerading as video games or the complete over the top creepy stuff the Japanese seem to love so much. but today I'm happy I stuck with it, because I found Sengoku Rance.

So awhile ago I downloaded Sengoku Rance and I was expecting your average H game. That being a really boring story, with no game play to speak of. Something I would play for a hour, realize it was trash and then delete it and man oh man was I wrong.
Sengoku Rance Turned out to be great turn based fantasy strategy game with RPG elements. It's about conquering Japan to get Rance laid, Rance is a complete douche, but in a very likable way. I know I should hate him, but for some reason I just can't.

Anyways the game has army management, dungeon crawling, prisoner capturing, enemy recruiting, treasure finding and tonnes of other things to do.
Oh and the dialogue is funny as hell.
Not gonna lie, I totally got this game for the H factor, but I stayed for the gameplay and storyline.

I highly recommend Sengoku Rance, just not to kiddies because that would probably be illegal, also not to prudes,
because I don't want to be punched in the face with high morale standing.

Anyways have you guys found any diamonds in the rough out there in the big world of gaming?

Comments

  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    Quite often it goes the other direction, a game that you think is going to be AWESOME and it turns out to suck, much like Diablo 3.

    But I do remember way back in the mists of time when Fallout 1 first came out. I thought it was going to be a total borefest and so I actually didn't buy it for the longest time. Then about a year later I was scrambling for 'Gift ideas' for my birthday and I said I might like to try it. My Girlfriend of the time actually bought it for me. Boy did she regret it. I spent more time with the game than I did with her for about the next month.

    In another instance, when I first played the Demo of BG at Gen Con, I was singularly unimpressed as well. Although in that case I actually purchased the game shortly after release and never once regretted it.
  • JuliusBorisovJuliusBorisov Member, Administrator, Moderator, Developer Posts: 22,754
    Dragon Age 3. I wrote my feelings regarding it here: http://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/602134/#Comment_602134. In the end, I was sucked into this game and liked it a lot.
  • CoryNewbCoryNewb Member Posts: 1,330
    edited June 2015
    Pool of radiance? Oh wait, no that was the other way around :(

    (I couldn't get the game to load the second area)
  • SouthpawSouthpaw Member Posts: 2,026
    the_spyder said:

    Quite often it goes the other direction, a game that you think is going to be AWESOME and it turns out to suck, much like Diablo 3.

    I second this. There's rarely a nice surprise, mostly a nasty one.
    Like the reimagining of Realms of Arkania - it was pretty horrible. Even though I heard there's another big patch due this summer that should bring it one step closer to being playable. I might give it another try once...

    Or Temple of Elemental Evil...
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    edited June 2015
    Nox

    It doesn't at first give the impression of being anything more than a game made on the heels of Diablo 2. As a game it never takes itself too seriously. Yet it was such a fun game. I wish EA would just sell off its IP and let someone kickstarter Nox 2. 15 years is too long a wait!

    Intro

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbVm86e_aic
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • cmk24cmk24 Member Posts: 605
    I am not sure if I have actually played any games I expected to be terrible (why would I buy a game I did not think I would play), but there have been some games that I expected to be "meh" and turned out to be amazing.

    In particular To the Moon and Gone Home. I was not expecting much from these two since they push the envelope of what can still be called a "game" (as opposed to a "visual novel"), but both of them have a story that really pulled me into the game. And I defiantly was not expecting the emotional impact both of these games had on me.
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    Diablo 3 was actually a game that I enjoyed far more than I expected to. It's shallow but fun. Not near worth the original full asking price though. I suppose Hearthstone too. Blizzard's latest effort is a big pile of suck though.
  • O_BruceO_Bruce Member Posts: 2,790
    I cannot recall any situation like that. I mean, if I'm expecting game to be terrible, then I'm not going to play/buy it (since demos aren't usually released nowadays. Shame on you, gaming industry, shame on you!)
  • FardragonFardragon Member Posts: 4,511
    edited June 2015
    It's a good point, I only played Diablo 3, Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm because they where free or demos on Battlenet (which I had installed anyway 'cos I like Starcraft).
  • wraith5641wraith5641 Member Posts: 500
    The new Killer Instinct.
  • GodGod Member Posts: 1,150
    elminster said:

    Nox

    It doesn't at first give the impression of being anything more than a game made on the heels of Diablo 2. As a game it never takes itself too seriously. Yet it was such a fun game. I wish EA would just sell off its IP and let someone kickstarter Nox 2. 15 years is too long a wait!


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DrYYCWlQOw

    Know that once I buy out EA, there will be a Nox 2.
    Might take another 15 years, though.
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,459
    Bravely Default. I bought that game like "meh, another JRPG. I guess I'll give the genre another chance." Then the game was SUPER good. The last half the game was terribad and made me quit multiple times but now that I beat it I can look past that particular fault. Overall I loved the game and am looking forward to the sequel.
  • Fiendish_WarriorFiendish_Warrior Member Posts: 309
    edited June 2015
    cmk24 said:

    I am not sure if I have actually played any games I expected to be terrible (why would I buy a game I did not think I would play), but there have been some games that I expected to be "meh" and turned out to be amazing.

    In particular To the Moon and Gone Home. I was not expecting much from these two since they push the envelope of what can still be called a "game" (as opposed to a "visual novel"), but both of them have a story that really pulled me into the game. And I defiantly was not expecting the emotional impact both of these games had on me.

    I had a similar experience with an older game by LucasArts called "The Dig." It too was less of a game and more like a 3rd person point and click Myst.

    Aside from that, I had an amazing time with another LucasArts gem known as "Outlaws." It was a FPS in the vein of Doom or Duke Nuke 'Em, but the setting was in the wild West with more expansive environments (for the time) and it had a great revenge story. In addition, they added some epic easter eggs not easily discoverable, referencing aliens, Star Wars, and Indiana Jones. IIRC, one required throwing dynamite into an outhouse toilet and then jumping down in it. It was really well done.

    They're available on Steam and GOG if anyone wants screenshots, reviews, or the opportunity to check them out:

    The Dig:
    http://store.steampowered.com/app/6040/

    Outlaws:
    https://www.gog.com/game/outlaws_a_handful_of_missions
    Post edited by Fiendish_Warrior on
  • wubblewubble Member Posts: 3,156
    Lucasarts did make some fantastic games when they weren't busy with star wars.
  • SethDavisSethDavis Member Posts: 1,812
    edited June 2015
    Afro Samurai, Alpha Protocol and Castlevania Lords of Shadows all had terrible review, but all had the amazing quality of making me want to skip the credits so I could start over again.

    EDIT: Oops, saw a typo in the quote and decided to fix it, but accidentally edited Vallmyr's post >.< sorry about that
    Post edited by SethDavis on
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,459
    edited June 2015
    SethDavis said:

    Afro Samurai, Alpha Protocol and Castlevania Lords of Shadow all had terrible reviews, but all had the amazing quality of making me want to skip the credits so I could start over again.

    I played Alpha Protocol like three times in a row. Loved that game.
    Post edited by SethDavis on
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    SethDavis said:

    all had terrible review,

    I think this was the point of the OP, to identify games that we bought/played against our better judgment (either because of reviews or other factors which made us suspicious that we might not enjoy the game, but bought it anyway.

    How I relate this to is way back in the day I went to this movie that I was pretty sure was going to be a throw away afternoon. It was Xmas time in 1988 and my best friend and I were at loose ends. With no specific plan in mind, we went by the theater and said "hey, this aught to be a laugh." 2 hours later, we were walking out of the theater quoting "Yippie Ki-yay M--- F---!" and "No F--- Sh--- lady, does it sound like I'm ordering a Pizza!" or "Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs..."

    EPIC Turn-around.
  • jjstraka34jjstraka34 Member Posts: 9,850
    I guess I'll go with Inquisitor. Read some scathing stuff about it, but I knew I'd enjoy the hell out of the aesthetic. It has serious gameplay problems, but they are more than made up for in every other area.
  • TheElfTheElf Member Posts: 798
    wubble said:

    Lucasarts did make some fantastic games when they weren't busy with star wars.

    Their old Star Wars games were all great too. Dark Forces, Jedi Knight, Tie Fighter, X-wing etc. for a while everything they put out was really good.

    Closest I can think of was BG1 actually didn't get a great review in the magazine I first heard of it.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    I just started playing Star Hammer: The Vanguard Prophecy. I fully expected that it would suck, with the intent of just getting a refund if it did, but actually its proven to be pretty good. Not perfect but its got potential.
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    Another one for me was Dark Souls 1. Way back in the day, I played Demon Souls and basically sucked at it. I think I got into the second world before I rage quit it. So it sits on my shelf, pretty much untouched. Years later I hear this thing called Dark Souls has come out and that it is 'The spiritual Successor to Demon Souls' or some such (Was it a direct descendant?). Anyway, I heard good things about it over and over again but figured that it was going to be more of the same.

    Then one Birthday (probably because I have DS1 on my shelf) I got it. Well, that too sat on my shelf for another year or so because I figured it was a throw away gift. Well, I fired it up one day out of sheer boredom and got totally sucked into it. In fact I spent well over 200 hours playing through it several times back to back.

    I recently finished DkS 2 and downloaded content and they are both among my favorite games of the past few years.
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,459
    the_spyder said:

    Another one for me was Dark Souls 1. Way back in the day, I played Demon Souls and basically sucked at it. I think I got into the second world before I rage quit it. So it sits on my shelf, pretty much untouched. Years later I hear this thing called Dark Souls has come out and that it is 'The spiritual Successor to Demon Souls' or some such (Was it a direct descendant?). Anyway, I heard good things about it over and over again but figured that it was going to be more of the same.

    Then one Birthday (probably because I have DS1 on my shelf) I got it. Well, that too sat on my shelf for another year or so because I figured it was a throw away gift. Well, I fired it up one day out of sheer boredom and got totally sucked into it. In fact I spent well over 200 hours playing through it several times back to back.

    I recently finished DkS 2 and downloaded content and they are both among my favorite games of the past few years.

    I'm actually doing the same thing right now! I played DS1 and couldn't get past the PC controls. Then I found a cool fan-patch and am enjoying the game a lot. I found an NPC who looked super cool.

    Then he had an evil laugh.

    I killed him. I don't trust people who do evil laughs after I become friends with them.
  • the_spyderthe_spyder Member Posts: 5,018
    @Vallmyr - You, my friend must have a lot of free time. Playing Dark Souls AND Sword Coast Chronicles AND Pool of Radiance (or are you on to Curse yet?). I envy you. I'm lucky if I get 2-3 hours of gaming a week these days.
  • VallmyrVallmyr Member, Mobile Tester Posts: 2,459
    edited June 2015
    the_spyder said:

    @Vallmyr - You, my friend must have a lot of free time. Playing Dark Souls AND Sword Coast Chronicles AND Pool of Radiance (or are you on to Curse yet?). I envy you. I'm lucky if I get 2-3 hours of gaming a week these days.

    Oh, well It's more like I'm playing a bunch of stuff and therefore getting absolutely nothing accomplished.
    'Tis a sad fate, but I'm willing to take the sacrifice! It's the reason I had that post a while back with like 100 things to do list and why I still have an unfinished documented run of BG1 >_>

    I need to just focus on one thing but THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS QQ
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