Ambitious Games Everyone Wanted To Love (But Nobody Actually Finished)

It’s common for games to be heavily promoted for a long time before they actually come out, creating a lot of excitement. Hollow Knight: Silksong is a prime example – it was announced in 2019 but wasn’t released until 2025. There was a lot of pressure for it to succeed, and while some players found it too challenging, most agree that the long wait was worthwhile.

Other games had rough starts. They might have been full of bugs when they first came out, resulting in poor reviews, or they could have been overshadowed by bigger releases. Regardless, players really wanted to enjoy these games, but various issues likely prevented them from completing them.

Starfield

Bethesda’s Next Big Franchise

Starfield was Bethesda’s highly anticipated follow-up to Fallout, envisioned as a space-based adventure. After being announced in 2018 and taking five years to develop, there was a lot of excitement and expectation for it to be as successful, or even more so, than Fallout 4.

Although Starfield released without major issues and some players found it enjoyable, it didn’t quite live up to the high expectations as a groundbreaking space RPG. Many players appreciated the improved combat and ship customization, but most didn’t stick with the game for very long.

Anthem

BioWare’s Strike Two

After the disappointing release of Mass Effect: Andromeda, many fans had high hopes for BioWare’s next game, Anthem. Unfortunately, it didn’t meet expectations, marking another setback for the studio.

While the game launched without major technical issues, fans were disappointed by the lack of content, particularly later on. The available content wasn’t as engaging as BioWare’s previous role-playing games, and players felt unclear about future updates. Though flying the Javelin suits was a unique and enjoyable experience, the game’s significant flaws proved difficult to overcome.

No Man’s Sky

Not The Promised Land

When No Man’s Sky was first announced in 2013, it generated huge excitement. However, the initial release was a surprisingly simple space game that relied heavily on automatically generated content. While players could fly between planets, collect resources, and find new creatures, many felt there wasn’t much actual gameplay beyond just exploring and gathering.

The game originally lacked multiplayer and the gameplay wasn’t very exciting. It wasn’t until the No Man’s Sky Next update in 2018 that the game began to resemble what was promised. Unfortunately, by then, most players had already stopped playing. While they might have heard it improved, they never went back to try it.

Cyberpunk 2077

A Bad Launch

Cyberpunk 2077 also faced problems when it first came out, but the issue wasn’t that it didn’t offer what was advertised. The game simply didn’t run smoothly on older consoles like the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, and often looked unfinished with blurry graphics.

I was really excited to play this game on my PC, and if you had a new Xbox Series X/S or PS5 when it first came out, it looked amazing! But honestly, it kept crashing for almost everyone after about fifteen minutes, which was super frustrating. A lot of people, myself included, had to stop playing and hope the developers would fix it. They did release a few updates, but I’m not sure if that was enough to bring everyone back.

Ring Fit Adventure

It’s A Commitment

Wow, Ring Fit Adventure really surprised me! I went in expecting a simple exercise game, but it was way more in-depth than I thought – especially for a Nintendo fitness title. The motion controls felt really solid, and I definitely broke a sweat! But what really got me hooked was that it was a full-blown RPG with a surprisingly clever battle system. It wasn’t just about working out; it was about actually playing a fun game!

Like any regular habit, sticking with this game takes dedication, and some people lost interest over time. It wasn’t a problem with the game itself, but rather players losing motivation, similar to how people sometimes stop exercising even if they enjoy it.

Dead Island

Not Quite The Next Borderlands

Around the early 2010s, gamers really wanted action role-playing games they could play together with friends, similar to Borderlands. Dead Island seemed promising, and it was enjoyable when it worked, but players often had to deal with frustrating bugs and glitches to get to the fun parts.

The story wasn’t particularly memorable, and the game was riddled with bugs – everything from problems saving your progress to messed-up quests. While the main idea of playing with friends, crafting unique gear, and fighting zombies was fun, a lot of technical issues held it back, and many players didn’t stick with it long enough to see past them.

Shenmue 3

Decades In The Making

Man, I remember when the first Shenmue came out on the Dreamcast back in 2000 – it totally blew my mind! Then the second one showed up on the original Xbox. After that, we didn’t hear anything for ages and a lot of us honestly thought we’d never see another Shenmue game. But then, finally, Shenmue 3 dropped in 2019. It was definitely a Shenmue game, through and through, which was cool, but also… that’s why some of us were a little let down. It just didn’t quite recapture that original magic for everyone.

Shenmue 3 felt like a step back in time, playing much like a game from the original Dreamcast. While fans were eager to see what happened next in the story, the outdated gameplay and uninspired adventure made it hard to enjoy.

Death Stranding

Kojima’s Phantom Follow-Up

After leaving Konami, Hideo Kojima’s next project was Death Stranding, and it definitely drew a lot of attention. However, while not a bad game, many players stopped playing because it was very different from his previous work – it largely focused on walking and exploration.

Honestly, I found Death Stranding pretty confusing at first, and the gameplay itself was surprisingly tricky – you really had to pay attention or you’d stumble! Plus, those deliveries… they took forever and were a real grind. A lot of the things people didn’t like were fixed in the next game, but the whole experience was just… polarizing. Some people loved it, others really didn’t, and it definitely sparked a lot of debate.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance

Not Quite Skyrim

Kingdom Come: Deliverance aimed to offer players a vast, realistic medieval world to explore, avoiding typical fantasy elements. What made it special was its commitment to historical accuracy – the towns and characters felt genuinely like stepping back in time, similar to the immersive experience of a Renaissance Fair.

Despite its strengths, the game started slowly. Players needed to put in effort to gain status and acquire good equipment. This initial grind wasn’t what many expected, especially those who thought it would be easy to pick up like The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, but without the focus on magic.

Divinity: Original Sin 2

Not Quite As Impactful

Larian Studios surprised everyone by reviving the Divinity series with Divinity: Original Sin, delivering one of the best classic-style RPGs in years. Though Divinity: Original Sin 2 was also excellent, it didn’t quite capture the same magic – proving that it’s rare for a game to become a truly groundbreaking cultural hit twice.

Larian Studios also revived the Baldur’s Gate series, which raises an interesting question: would a Baldur’s Gate 4 feel less groundbreaking, similar to Divinity: Original Sin 2, potentially losing player interest? Or would the incredible success of Baldur’s Gate 3 ensure another hit?

2025-12-14 14:37