Blown Expectations: 8 Great Games That Everyone Thought Would Be Awful

Reveal trailers and build-ups to video game releases can be a tough time for developers to communicate their product with gamers worldwide, and often, players make it quite clear that they're not satisfied or willing to try new games that are on the way. While concerning, all developers can do is hope that their game finds an audience that can appreciate what their talented team has created, and as is the case with this selection of games, they managed to exceed expectations. We've found some amazing games that fans can agree were great, but the reception before release was that they looked pretty bad.
Fortnite was announced back in 2011, and was a game jumping on the (at the time) fresh concept of survival co-op adventures, in which players would have to team up and defend their homesteads from undead hordes. The concept of Fortnite seemed rather generic, and the reception among gamers was that this would be another forgotten survival game like all the rest. That was, until Fortnite dared to reinvent itself by providing players with a Battle Royale experience, which wasn't even intended to be the main experience. Fortnite's Battle Royale mode became so popular that the survival aspects were altered to Save the World, and now everyone knows Fortnite as a cultural footprint in the gaming scene. Constantly evolving as a live-service Battle Royale with new chapters, seasons, metas, and collabs, Fortnite is a staple of the gaming industry, and perhaps nobody could have guessed back in 2011 that this 2017 release would reshape gaming.
When Konami revealed that Bloober Team would be remaking one of the greatest games of all time, Silent Hill 2, some fans were not entirely happy at the idea, no matter which developer team was at the helm. Silent Hill 2 is regarded so highly by so many for a multitude of reasons. From its perfect blend of horror, symbolism, monsters, puzzles, and more, it seemed that a remake would take away from Silent Hill 2's perfection by adding unnecessary combat changes, different story threads, and more to tarnish the legacy. How they were so wrong, as Bloober Team proved how incredible remakes can be, for Silent Hill 2 (2024) kept the vision of the original intact, while allowing the modern player to feel immersed in its story. There's so much to love about both versions, and Silent Hill 2 was a proud success that ushered in a new beginning for future Silent Hill installments and remakes.
When James Gunn introduced audiences around the world to Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014, none could predict the icons that these Marvel characters would become. That was, until Disney threw them everywhere to the point where people were getting pretty tired of seeing them. A rag-tag group of sci-fi a-holes that deal in good, bad, and all things rock music, was a fun concept, which is why gaming was the perfect place to translate those vibes. Unfortunately, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy was revealed to a lackluster crowd of gamers, who weren't interested in another origin story for the Guardians of the Galaxy, nor a Marvel game published by Square Enix after the sting of their Avengers game. Those who actually played Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy had nothing but positive things to say about the experience; it seemed word of mouth did not translate into player numbers. Negative reception from Marvel's Avengers, and an oversaturation of the Guardians of the Galaxy in general, led to players just not caring about the game, which is a real shame, for it's a great experience and a cosmic adventure that doesn't hold back on being wild, free, and fun.
Borderlands was revealed back in 2007 as a gritty and series co-op FPS game that wouldn't compete with the likes of Call of Duty, but instead, create its own world to thrive in with PvE action. With a sci-fi premise and a very serious vibe, Borderlands didn't seem that interesting to a lot of players, simply because it looked visually uninteresting compared to what was already on the market. Analysts and gamers alike assumed Borderlands was going to fail, and even Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford said that "Take-Two is just sending it to die", but how wrong could they be! Borderlands celebrates the release of Borderlands 4 to critical and fan acclaim, showcasing that risk can go a long way. Borderlands essentially created its own subgenre of a looter shooter, and players loved running around the wild, quirky, and dangerous wastelands of Pandora to collect loot, take on missions, and paint the town red. The blend of RPG and FPS elements in an open world was exceptional, and changing the art style to a distinct graphic novel with bold black outlines and unique colors really made the game stand out from the FPS competition.
Death Stranding is a strange one, as even now, the audience seems pretty split on what the intent of Hideo Kojima and Death Stranding was. The game itself was never shy about what it wanted to be and what it wanted to create, but there was some negative reception from those who expected more from the creator of Metal Gear Solid. Nobody could deny that the story seemed absolutely wild and Kojima-untethered, but there also seemed to lack of a core gameplay loop that looked fun with familiar action espionage. Much of the gameplay shown was interesting from a technical standpoint, but delivering packages and walking around was a concern to many until the game was in the hands of the players. The satisfaction of the gameplay loop, satisfying weapons, terrifying BT encounters, all blended with its characters and their stories to make for an exceptional gaming experience, but some still aren't on the Death Stranding train.
It's wild to think of a world where FromSoftware and the "Soulslike" genre aren't on top of the world, and luckily, we don't have to live there. Demon's Souls was the first entry into this unrelenting and brutal saga of fantasy, violence, and resilience, where players were placed in a Metroidvania-like design with RPG elements. While now, everyone can look back at Demon's Souls as the blueprint for games like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring, that wasn't always the case. In fact, Sony published Demon's Souls before Bandai Namco, and they were so unimpressed by its difficulty and playtests that they were not interested in localising it for a Western release. Demon's Souls simply looked too difficult to play, and the mechanics, controls, and battles seemed confusing, frustrating, and in the words of former SIE president Shuhei Yoshida, "crap". Luckily, Demon's Souls found its audience in the form of players who liked a good challenge, and a challenge is what they got.
The Fallout series was a wonderful set of CRPGs back in the late 90s, where the world that they had created, and its turn-based mechanics, made for a stellar and unparalleled experience filled with a unique story for every player. Fast-forward 10 years, and Fallout receives a new game (finally) in the form of Fallout 3. With a whole new development team at the helm, and a complete overhaul of Fallout's identity by making this one an FPS RPG, some die-hard fans of the originals weren't too happy to see their baby altered for a new audience on new console systems. Fallout fan sites were not happy about the changes coming to their favorite series, nor were the development team. Toxicity was anonymous and rampant, and even led to Bethesda hiring security for their office. Thankfully, these loud voices were a minority that would simmer upon release, as Fallout 3 ended up being a joy to millions. Continuing the world-building of the originals, Fallout 3 might not have had the depth and pathways of the past, but the gameplay and its stories paved the way for more Fallout games, and even a hit series on Amazon Prime.
The Legend of Zelda is one of the most beloved series of all time, and for good reason. Incredible classics that still hold up, like Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, are staples of Nintendo's DNA. Yet, Nintendo isn't one for sticking to a singular formula, which is why the reveal of Wind Waker kicked up a vicious storm online. At the time, Wind Waker received a ton of negative attention and backlash, simply because the art style looked like it had been tailored towards children. The cartoony art style and cel-shading of its characters seemed simplified, and it wasn't the tone that fans of the series wanted. Fans eventually came around, and what they received was a memorable title worthy of The Legend of Zelda name, with a beautiful art style worthy of its own tapestry in Nintendo's history.