Big RPGs With “Mostly Negative” Reviews On Steam

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As a gamer, I always head to Steam when I’m looking for a good RPG. Seriously, it’s got some of the best! You can find everything from old-school classics like Final Fantasy 7 and Chrono Trigger to newer, amazing titles like The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077. It’s just a fantastic place to find quality role-playing games.

The RPG genre hasn’t always been successful, and that’s clear when you look at the games available on Steam. Even some well-known titles from popular franchises have received a lot of criticism, despite having some good qualities. These four RPGs, in particular, have received Mostly Negative reviews on Steam due to significant problems.

Sacred 3

It Barely Qualifies As An RPG

Okay, so for anyone who doesn’t know, Sacred was this really fun action RPG series that came out on PC back in the mid-2000s. It got pretty popular, and everyone always said it played a lot like Diablo. But the original developers, Ascaron Entertainment, sadly shut down in 2009. That’s when things started to go downhill, because the next game, Sacred 3, was made by a different team, Keen Games, and it just wasn’t the same as the earlier ones. You could tell right away it wasn’t hitting the same level of quality.

I have to admit, Sacred 3 is surprisingly enjoyable as a fast-paced, colorful hack-and-slash, especially when you play it with friends. But honestly, that’s also where the biggest issues start. It’s labeled as an action RPG, and it is part of the Sacred series, but it really feels different from what made the earlier games so great. Since it came out in 2014, fans have been saying it’s way too simple. There’s not much in the way of RPG elements or character customization, and it’s pretty easy if you’re used to playing action RPGs. Sadly, we haven’t seen another Sacred game since, and I think Sacred 3 really hurt how people saw the series.

Deus Ex: The Fall

The PC Port Of A Mobile Game (That Still Feels Like A Mobile Game)

As a big fan, I was so excited when I heard about a spin-off set during the events of Deus Ex: Human Revolution – that game totally brought the Deus Ex series back to life! But then Square Enix did something really odd: they decided to make it a mobile game. And to top it off, this was back in 2013, when phones just weren’t powerful enough to really do the game justice.

Despite being originally designed for mobile, Deus Ex: The Fall was a surprisingly good first-person shooter RPG with graphics that looked like a console game – a real achievement when it first came out. However, when it was released on Steam in 2014, PC players didn’t react well, giving it mostly negative reviews. While the game still looks great, many fans consider it a step down from Human Revolution, criticizing its clunky combat, weak story, and simplified role-playing elements. The PC version also suffered from technical problems. The disappointing response to The Fall shows that a game built for mobile doesn’t always translate well to larger systems.

Overlord: Fellowship Of Evil

Went Against Everything That Made The Overlord Series So Special

The Overlord series is a truly unique and captivating set of video games, though it doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves. In these games, you play as a villainous ruler who commands hordes of evil creatures. While the original two games were critically acclaimed and gained a dedicated fanbase, the 2015 spin-off, Overlord: Fellowship of Evil, is widely considered the weakest installment – and with good reason.

Fellowship of Evil is an action RPG played from a top-down perspective, offering a similar experience to games like Diablo and Gauntlet, and features enjoyable multiplayer. While other games on Steam execute this style better, it’s still a fun game to play. However, it’s often considered the least popular title in the series because it breaks a key tradition: you can’t summon and control evil minions, a feature that defined previous games. Players have also criticized it for repetitive combat, old-fashioned graphics, unnecessary RPG elements, and a clunky camera.

ASTRA: Knights Of Veda

A Stunning Free-To-Play Game Ruined By Gacha Mechanics

Looking at the official images and trailers for ASTRA: Knights of Veda on Steam, it’s difficult to see how this game could receive much negative feedback. It’s a 2D Action RPG that looks stunning, with beautiful, hand-drawn art, and it’s completely free to play – that’s always a great way to attract new players.

Despite its appealing qualities, ASTRA: Knights of Veda has received mostly negative reviews, and for good reason. The game relies on predatory “gacha” mechanics that encourage players to spend money on minor rewards. This, combined with frequent bugs and server connection issues, has damaged its reputation. While the developers clearly aimed for a visual style similar to Vanillaware’s games – like Dragon’s Crown, Odin Sphere, and Muramasa: The Demon Blade (which aren’t currently on Steam) – ASTRA: Knights of Veda doesn’t live up to their quality. Fans of the genre would be better off waiting for those classic titles to become available on Steam instead.

Honorable Mention

Dauntless

Dauntless was a popular, free-to-play action role-playing game featuring colorful graphics, fast-paced combat, and huge boss battles – elements that drew comparisons to the Monster Hunter series. It launched in 2019 on Steam and consoles and quickly gained a large following. However, the game’s fortunes shifted dramatically in late 2024 with the release of the controversial Awakening update.

The update to Dauntless was met with strong criticism from players. It added loot boxes – a feature often disliked in free-to-play games – and frustratingly reset player progress, taking away most of their weapons. Players essentially had to buy those weapons back with real money. On top of that, the update included an unwanted Battle Pass and altered gameplay in ways that many found ruined the experience. As a result, the game received overwhelmingly negative reviews on Steam throughout 2025. It only appears on this list as an honorable mention because the game’s servers were shut down in June 2025, making it unavailable for purchase.

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2025-11-27 11:35