Video games have outstripped music and film in having the most loyal fans. Sometimes, however, a game can prove divisive: it may be too different from the other entries or feel like the series is getting stale. Few long-running series can escape the curse of getting that one game even the fans don’t like.
With time, though, some divisive games have come to be championed. Resident Evil 4 and Metal Gear Solid 2 originally divided fans, yet have been vindicated by history: the former with its remake reviving interest in the original, and the latter through re-evaluation. Here are ten other games that deserve a second chance.
10
Batman: Arkham Origins
On release, Arkham Origins was lambasted by critics and fans alike for recycling much of Arkham City’s content instead of moving the series forward. Its shortcomings were blamed on WB Games Montreal replacing Rocksteady as the developer, who were busy working on Arkham Knight.
Arkham Origins does feel like a smaller, buggier version of its predecessor at times. However, its plot is well-executed, particularly the segment where Joker manipulates Harleen Quinzel into becoming Harley Quinn. It’s not the best Batman game, but better than it’s given credit for.
9
Hitman: Absolution
Absolution appeals to newcomers for the very reason it turns away longtime fans: it’s linear and cinematic, focusing more on setpieces than open-ended gameplay. IO Interactive itself seems to dislike this entry, with the World of Assassination trilogy that followed returning to the combination of stealth and lateral thinking that earned the series its stripes.
Related
The 18 Best Levels In Hitman Ever Made, Ranked
Hitman is the pioneer of disguise-based stealth, and they’ve made some amazing levels where it must be used. These are the best Hitman levels, ranked.
Hitman: Absolution may not have been the game fans had been looking for, but that doesn’t make it a bad game. Its story is more involved than previous entries, and the cornfield segment in Attack of the Saints should be implemented in game dev courses as an example of good level design.
8
Death Stranding
- Franchise
-
Death Stranding
- Released
-
November 8, 2019
- Engine
-
Decima
It’s easy to make fun of Death Stranding. After all the hype, it was easy to deride (with Norman Reedus) the game as a Monster Energy advert packed to the brim with cameos by Hollywood celebrities and such ridiculous names as Die Hardman.
But given the chance, it’s a fascinating title that turns the simple act of movement – the basis of all video games – into a challenge. The cutscene direction is great, even if the story is over-the-top, and Hideo Kojima deserves credit for still trying to push creative barriers where most developers go with formula. Also, Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker had a character named Hot Coldman, and that was way funnier.
7
DmC: Devil May Cry
Oh, boy. This reboot became nigh indefensible when its creative director hit back at series fans with a PowerPoint presentation that used homophobia to critique Dante’s old design. Ninja Theory messed up big-time with that one. Not to mention its supposedly gritty tone being a rehash of 2000s B-movies.
Now that the series has returned to its original continuity, it’s easier to reappraise DmC: Devil May Cry as a standalone game. Its combat isn’t as deep as other DMC titles, but the art design and soundtrack are superb. The PC port by QLOC is fantastic as well, so low-end computers won’t struggle to render the stunning visuals.
6
Tomb Raider: Chronicles
Tomb Raider: Chronicles
- Released
-
November 24, 2000
- Developer(s)
-
Core Design
- Publisher(s)
-
Eidos Interactive
- Engine
-
Unreal Engine
The criticisms of Chronicles write themselves: a cobbled-together cash grab on the dying PS1 while the team focused on the upcoming PS2. The Tomb Raider series had done little to ingratiate itself with critics, refusing to relent on its tank control scheme, which made it easy to bash. Core Design veterans themselves have disowned the game as a product of burnout.
It’s not as good as the glory days, but compared to Tomb Raider 3 and The Last Revelation, Chronicles is much more straightforward. The gameplay finally returned to skill-based platforming and logical puzzles, where the last two entries had trial-and-error solutions designed to frustrate. It’s still not a great game, but Chronicles is hardly the series nadir it’s touted to be. That crown of thorns goes to Angel of Darkness.
5
The 3rd Birthday
The 3rd Birthday
Survival Horror
Action
Third-Person Shooter
Tactical
- Released
-
December 22, 2010
Parasite Eve fans would rather pretend this one doesn’t exist and would rather have a new entry that discards it entirely. The game gets a lot of hate for its confusing plot. Hey, it’s a Tetsuya Nomura game; what did you expect?
All story elements are resolved if you make sure to read the Archive text entries between missions; they change with each instance of time travel. Admittedly, it’s not the best way to convey the plot, which itself may still not be to your taste. But the graphics, music, and gameplay are exquisite. This game needs more love for what it accomplished on the PSP.
4
Chrono Cross
- Released
-
August 15, 2000
- Developer(s)
-
Square
- Publisher(s)
-
Square
, Square Enix
Over time, Chrono Cross has garnered overwhelming dislike from fans of Chrono Trigger: mentioning it to them is akin to poking a hornet’s nest. Its override of Trigger’s happy ending does not sit well, and that leads to tunnel vision where every aspect becomes a flaw: the cast is too large, the story is too convoluted, and the combat is too simple.
On its own merits, though, Chrono Cross is an incredible game with a mind-boggling amount of content, an emotional story, and one of the best video game soundtracks in history. Now, if only there was some way to let Chrono Trigger fans know that their favorite characters come back to life in the end.
3
Valkyria Chronicles 2
Valkyria Chronicles 2 is even better than the console entries, but few gave it a chance. The game was a commercial flop and was dismissed by fans of the first title for lacking the visuals that gained its predecessor such acclaim. Its school setting was also relentlessly mocked for being juvenile.
We can only hope that Sega will someday remaster this game and put those criticisms to rest. Valkyria Chronicles 2 has better gameplay than the first, along side a more fleshed-out supporting cast. As for the school setting: it’s a military academy in a country so devastated by war that even cadets are expected to participate. The first game has the militia adopting a flying pig. Which is more juvenile?
2
Silent Hill 4: The Room
- Released
-
September 7, 2004
- Developer(s)
-
Team Silent
For a short time in the early 2000s, Konami’s Silent Hill was leaving Resident Evil in the dust. It was the prime horror series with its poignant stories and incredible music. SH4, the last Team Silent-developed game and the first to be set outside the titular town, is seen by many fans as the start of the ruination. The second half is a giant escort mission that is not looked upon kindly either.
For all its flaws, SH4 is the most interesting entry in the series, exploring themes of isolation. It also features some of the series’ most haunting enemies and oppressive environments. Direct your ire towards Origins or Homecoming instead: The Room (this game, not the Tommy Wiseau movie) may well be the last true Silent Hill.
1
Final Fantasy 13
Final Fantasy has spent the better part of two decades dividing its fanbase, but the most egregious case was its thirteenth installment. More people have ragged on Final Fantasy 13 for its linearity than have actually played the game. Lightning’s cold characterization divides fans as well.
Those who dismissed the game for those reasons should have kept playing it because, at the halfway point, FF13 veers into being almost open-world. Lightning warms to her party with time as well: it’s called character development. The game is shockingly linear for its first 20 hours, but it’s not the world-ending flaw it’s made it out to be.