As a seasoned gamer with decades under my belt, I can attest to the tumultuous journey that games take from conception to classic status. The games listed here are prime examples of titles that, despite initial lackluster performance, have gone on to leave indelible marks on gaming history.
Creating a video game can be quite challenging, especially for those who strive to create aesthetically pleasing art while also ensuring financial stability to cover basic needs like housing. It is commonly believed that a high-quality game will receive positive reviews and sell well, eventually influencing other developers to produce more titles of comparable quality. This process continues, forming a vibrant ecosystem where these top-tier games compete for the attention of gamers.
Sometimes, games that are highly influential and widely praised can still lead their studios to failure. This might be due to poor timing, ineffective marketing, or simply unfortunate circumstances. Not every polished gem is guaranteed to shine brightly.
5 System Shock 2
Immersive Sims And First-Person Shooters
Initially, the groundbreaking game System Shock, now famously known as a cult classic following its successful remake, was erroneously perceived by viewers as a duplicate of Doom upon its initial release. However, it boasted numerous original concepts and elements that set it apart from the shooter genre. Meanwhile, its sequel, System Shock 2, introduced RPG mechanics into its gameplay – a novelty at the time – which later games, such as Arkane Studio’s Arx Fatalis and Dishonored, and Frictional’s Amnesia and SOMA, attempted to replicate.
As a dedicated fan, it’s challenging to put into words just how impactful System Shock 2 has been on the genre of first-person shooters and immersive sims. Its innovative design philosophy can be traced in Ken Levine’s subsequent work at Irrational Games, notably in Bioshock, but a more modern game that seems to be attempting to rekindle its creative essence is Prey, developed by Arkane Studios.
4 Shenmue
One Of The First Attempts At A Fully Simulated Open World
Even though Shenmue is a title that remains contentious today, it’s frequently recognized for its groundbreaking aspects, pushing the limits of what games were capable of in terms of storytelling and world-building. However, despite its lofty aspirations and innovations, the series failed to achieve widespread popularity. The game’s intricate environments, incorporating life and social simulation elements, real-time weather systems, fully realized NPCs with comprehensive backstories and routines, and interactive mechanics, were unprecedented. This groundbreaking approach didn’t come without a hefty price tag, as Shenmue was the most costly game ever produced at the time.
Regrettably, Shenmue, offering a leisurely, everyday narrative contrary to its action-packed peers, didn’t quite resonate with the audience, ultimately labeling it as a commercial flop. Despite being the first game to offer a 3D open-world city (prior to Grand Theft Auto 3), and its impact on the successful Yakuza series is clearly visible (although Shenmue is decidedly less action-packed and violent), sales of Shenmue 2, 3 didn’t propel the series into mainstream popularity.
3 EarthBound / Mother
A Groundbreaking Series (But Bound To Japan)
Many gamers might recognize Ness primarily from the Super Smash Bros. series, as he was one of the original characters featured in the franchise. Yet, even though Nintendo games can sometimes struggle with sales, some players may still be taken aback to discover that he is the main character in a trilogy of games that didn’t gain enough popularity for a Western release. The game titled EarthBound (known as Mother 2 in Japan) enjoyed significant success in its home country, but due to Nintendo’s unusual and costly marketing blunders, it flopped disastrously in North America, effectively hindering a European launch.
EarthBound had a “This game stinks” tagline to accompany a scratch-and-sniff feature on the box, which likely prompted would-be fans to dismiss the EarthBound as unserious or a joke game. Despite the lack of an official translation of the original or sequel, EarthBound has influenced many game developers across the world, most notably indie gems like Undertale and Lisa the Painful.
2 Jurassic Park: Trespasser
An Ambitious Experiment In Realism And Physics (Wih Dinosaurs)
Unlike other influential flops that later gained acclaim as cult classics, the tie-in game for Jurassic Park, known as Trespasser, failed to find its niche because of its incomplete state and numerous bugs. In this game, players don’t have a traditional bullet count for their gun. Instead, they must rely on listening to their character’s vocal assessments or counting the shots. There isn’t a health bar; instead, a heart-shaped tattoo that indicates damage is present “diegetically” on the player character’s chest.
Although the innovative user interface in this game is intriguing, its major impact was the introduction of a universal and authentic physics engine, one of the pioneers in the field, which served as a model for numerous games featuring physics-driven worlds. In essence, Trespasser paved the way for titles like Half-Life and Far Cry. The design principles of Trespasser emphasized that control and immersion should always remain with the player, resulting in an audio narration approach instead of cutscenes or text. This design choice, in part, influenced the popularity of “audio log” elements in games during the 2000s and 2010s.
1 Planescape: Torment
Expanding Storytelling Possibility Beyond Sword & Sorcery In RPGs
Initially, when Planescape: Torment was launched, it failed to strike a chord with the audience for some unknown reason. However, over time and against all odds, it has become a cherished game in the annals of RPG history, inspiring developers like inXile Entertainment in their spiritual successor, Torment: Tides of Numinara, and ZA/UM with Disco Elysium. Similar to these games, Planescape provides numerous non-combat avenues for progression.
Players can interact with The Nameless One in rich, skillfully designed conversations, unravel complex mysteries hidden within the dark and intricate backdrop of the fantasy universe, and influence the narrative’s conclusion through their decisions. Unlike many other Dungeons & Dragons adaptations, Planescape focused more on subtle storytelling and morally grey choices rather than typical RPG themes or power-centric clichés, which might account for the relatively muted audience response.
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2024-09-22 03:35