The 10 Most Disappointing Games of 2024

As a seasoned gamer with over three decades of gaming under my belt, I must say that it seems like 2023 has been quite a challenging year for our beloved industry. From the high-seas adventure that failed to deliver in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, to the disconnect from South Park’s crude comedy that was South Park: Snow Day!, and the disappointing departure from the Arkham series with Suicide Squad, it feels like the developers have missed the mark on some of our most anticipated titles this year.

2024 has been an exceptionally active year in the gaming world, bringing both positive and negative news. This activity is clearly reflected in the numerous video game releases that have been pouring out, many of which were highly anticipated. Some of these games achieved phenomenal success, while others didn’t quite meet expectations despite the hype. As The Game Awards 2024 approaches, it’s a perfect time to reminisce about some of the year’s most significant events, even though certain titles garnered attention for less desirable reasons.

It’s crucial to keep in mind that ‘disappointing’ isn’t always synonymous with completely awful. A game might underperform and still have many positive aspects. On the other hand, not all critically acclaimed or commercially successful games receive universal praise. With this thought in mind, there have been several games this year that built up significant anticipation, but ultimately fell short in various ways upon release. Here are the 10 most disappointing games of 2024, listed in alphabetical order:

Alone in the Dark

Read Game Rant’s Alone in the Dark Review

The game titled “Alone in the Dark” was designed as a reboot of the 1992 game carrying the same name. The original “Alone in the Dark” was one of the first games to popularize the survival horror genre, and subsequent versions further developed this genre. The latest release before this year, “Alone in the Dark: Illumination“, came out in 2015, but it received some harsh criticism upon its release.

2024’s release of Alone in the Dark was an opportunity to win over a wider audience while satisfying long-term fans. The game followed the trend of recent Resident Evil remakes, like alterations in camera angle. Regrettably, this reboot of survival horror didn’t achieve its goals. The game underperformed financially, critically, and with fans, leading to Pieces Interactive being shut down by their parent company, Embracer Group.

Concord

Read Game Rant’s Concord Review

Regarding both financial success and critical reception, Concord was one of the most disappointing releases this year. Although its gameplay was enjoyable, it faced criticism over character designs that didn’t sit well with many players. The main complaint about Concord, however, revolved around its high price point. In a market predominantly filled with free-to-play games like Overwatch 2, Apex Legends, and others, the game’s $40 launch price was a significant hurdle for potential fans of these popular titles.

It’s truly unfortunate that “Concord,” which initially showed great potential, had to be closed just two weeks after its release, rendering it essentially unplayable. Regrettably, Firewalk Studios followed suit and ceased operations not long afterward.

Funko Fusion

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The unique appeal of Funko Fusion largely stemmed from its niche crossover scale, which primarily focused on a few ongoing series such as Fortnite. However, it was the variety of titles that truly set Funko Fusion apart. The early announcements of franchises like Back to the Future and Invincible suggested that Funko Fusion might successfully diversify its offerings.

From then on, the roster grew increasingly disorganized, with few links tying it together. This minor issue wasn’t even Funko Fusion’s main concern as it was just a tiny piece of a larger puzzle. Funk Fusion, unfortunately, lacks consistency in numerous design aspects and has been heavily criticized for its limited gameplay options. The lack of diversity was exacerbated by a series of technical problems, culminating in an experience that seems hard to improve.

Lego Horizon Adventures

Read Game Rant’s Lego Horizon Adventures Review

LEGO games dominate the industry, particularly with younger players, but even those who have outgrown them still appreciate returning to the series for new releases. Unfortunately, LEGO Horizon Adventures appears to have missed the mark, as it didn’t seem to appeal to either half of its potential fanbase due to what might be a misguided approach.

In the end, it’s clear that a game like Horizon just doesn’t fit the LEGO style effectively. The main issue with Horizon Adventures is its lack of excitement, especially in its level design, which is disappointingly restrictive compared to the expansive open world of Horizon Zero Dawn.

Multiversus

To those unaware of its progress, Multiversus might seem an unexpected choice. Indeed, it won the title of Best Fighting Game of 2022 at The Game Awards following its early access debut. Now, after a complete launch, Multiversus has been nominated once more for Best Fighting Game of 2024. This nomination, though contentious within the fighting game community, has led to its appearance here.

The accolades for Multiversus didn’t lessen the disappointment felt following its launch and subsequent updates, instead making the impact even more painful. Initially, Multiversus demonstrated significant potential during its early access phase, but it also came with a host of problems. Fans had hoped these issues would be addressed, but regrettably, some of them escalated over time, particularly in terms of balance and progression. The sales performance of Multiversus has been lackluster due to numerous problems, yet given its free-to-play format, there’s potential for improvement in the future.

Silent Hill: The Short Message

The beloved horror game series, known as Silent Hill, consistently generates anticipation whenever a new installment appears. This is particularly noticeable given that the Silent Hill franchise had been inactive for over a decade, until the debut of Silent Hill: Ascension in 2023. Many fans were thrilled about the series’ resurgence in 2024, especially with the successful launch of the remake of Silent Hill 2. However, the remake followed the less celebrated release of Silent Hill: The Short Message, which didn’t receive as much recognition.

“The Short Message” struggled to meet lofty expectations, falling just short due to its deliberately limited scope. This narrow focus had some intended effects, but also resulted in unintended issues. For instance, despite the game’s widely publicized short duration, the gameplay becomes repetitive quickly, and the dialogue loses its appeal soon as well. Despite these flaws, “The Short Message” did provide a glimpse of what modern-day “Silent Hill” could look like. Here’s hoping a follow-up can build upon this concept and excel further.

Skull and Bones

Read Game Rant’s Skull and Bones Review

Following the triumphant launch of Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, the appetite for pirate-themed games hit a record peak. Unfortunately, Skull and Bones failed to leverage this demand, primarily due to its prolonged stay in development limbo. The project commenced back in 2013 and has been known to undergo numerous changes in direction since then. As the day of its release drew near, Ubisoft’s CEO notoriously labeled it as their first-ever “quadruple-A game.

As a long-time fan, I must admit that the initial hype surrounding Skull and Bones felt like striking gold, akin to finding a treasure map leading to Captain Blackbeard’s bounty. However, the reality of its gameplay has been less than fulfilling, falling short of delivering on the pirate fantasy that had us all captivated for over a decade. Instead, it seems more like a sailor’s life aboard a ship, which, while intriguing in its own right, lacks the essence that made Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag a true pirate adventure. At this point, it appears that Skull and Bones will never quite measure up to the lofty expectations we fans have held onto for so long.

Slitterhead

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Slitterhead, an upcoming game, has stirred up quite a buzz, primarily due to the fact that it’s being worked on by the original creator of Silent Hill, Keiichiro Toyama. Given his distinguished background in the industry, fans are confident that Slitterhead is in capable hands. Additionally, the game openly showcases its influences. The monster designs in Slitterhead are reminiscent of terrifying creatures from Silent Hill, while its action mechanics seem to borrow fluidity from Gravity Rush.

Regrettably, the release of Slitterhead didn’t go as planned, with just 26% of critics endorsing it on OpenCritic. Here are some potential reasons for this less-than-favorable response:

South Park: Snow Day!

Read Game Rant’s South Park: Snow Day Review

Compared to “The Stick of Truth” and “The Fractured But Whole,” the TV series “South Park” has excelled in major video game adaptations, making it even more unfortunate that “South Day!” didn’t garner much positive reception. The game had several areas where it could have improved, with a weak storyline being one of them, but its disjointed connection to “South Park” as a whole seems to be a significant reason for its lack of success.

In other words, the humor in the game “Snow Day” seems like an exaggerated version of the crude comedy found in “South Park”. The game’s writing is missing the sharp wit that its original material possesses, and it often falls back on the same tired jokes. Critics also pointed out that the gameplay in “South Park: Snow Day” wasn’t without flaws, with many noting a significant drop in depth compared to its more inventive predecessors.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Read Game Rant’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Review

The Arkham series, renowned for its enduring popularity, continues to captivate fans despite the original trilogy wrapping up almost a decade ago. The Batman: Arkham trilogy, in particular, garnered acclaim as the pinnacle of solo gaming experiences. Consequently, when Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was unveiled as a multiplayer looter-shooter, it generated immediate interest. Regrettably, the initial enthusiasm was swiftly overshadowed by widespread dismay.

For quite some time now, enthusiasts have yearned for another installment following “Arkham Knight“, and “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” was far from what they expected. Some perceived the character portrayals as disrespectful at best, but even ignoring that aspect, it was an unusual choice for the series’ progression. The gameplay fell short of many players’ expectations too, with the game experience demanding excessive grinding and providing little that wasn’t offered in a more refined game such as “Destiny 2“.

2024-12-01 14:26