Many great games catch the curious eye of the eager player, thirsty for new games, and earn a lot of press and attention, but some amazing games miss the hype train. Building up hype around an upcoming game is a common practice among the gaming community and can be incredibly fun to participate in. Companies can help facilitate this with "unintentional" leaks, teaser trailers, or just relying on the internet to carry a game's hype. Hyped games often sell well (at least at first) though they do have the arduous task of living up to fandom expectations.
That being said, there have been amazing games with high critical praise upon release but got little to no attention when the game was first announced. This may be due to the game being a sequel to a lackluster game, having slid under the radar due to a minimal advertising campaign or being released around the same time as bigger titles, or simply not catching the eye of the gaming community.
10 Batman Arkham Asylum- Not A Movie Tie-in Game But Could Have Been
The Batman Arkham Series has been a staple for the video game industry as the premier superhero video game series. So it is hard to see that the first in the series Batman Arkham Asylum received only a small amount of hype before release.
This may be due to the notion that many game series before it, particularly movie/comic tie-in games, are often lackluster titles with boring gameplay design. Thankfully Batman Arkham Asylum broke the mold and is known as a standout game.
9 Watch Dogs 2- A Good Example Of The Sequel Being Much Better Than The First
The Watch Dogs series has a complicated history within the gaming community. The First In the series, Watch Dogs, was one of the most hyped games to come out of E3 2012. Unfortunately, its release was a massive disappointment to gamers.
Consequently, when the sequel was released, many gamers learned not to overhype the game for the first time, and as such, Watch Dogs 2 was met with initial caution. The game, however, capitalizes on fun and engaging gameplay in a rich open world with a strong departure from the first game.
8 Darksiders III-A New Twist For The Series That Many Ignored
Darksiders is a rather unique series. It models itself on not doing anything new with gameplay designs but brought a unique world that kept the gameplay engaging. Each game series did not bring anything innovative but still delivered on solid gameplay.
Darksiders III is the third title in this series, was not received with open arms from gamers when announced. However, the game still stands as a solid experience that does not feel like a cluster like other open-world games.
7 RAGE 2- The Sins Of The First Game Doomed This Great Game To Fail
Introducing new IP into any entertainment field can be tricky, often dominated by remakes and remasters. For example, the game RAGE was developed by Id Software as a new IP in the first-person shooter and suffered middling to poor reviews.
When the game RAGE 2 was announced, many gamers looked past it. However, RAGE 2 left the dark and gritty atmosphere for a more vibrant and light-hearted story with tight first-person gameplay.
6 Far Cry 3- This Action Packed Title Was not Initially Met With Overwhelming Hype
When Far Cry 3 was released, it became an instant hit. Dozens of positive reviews and critical acclaim made Far Cry 3 a highly regarded game. With Tight first-person action and an engaging open world, it is easy to see why.
However, before Far Cry 3 was released it was not talked about in the gaming community. Even though the first two entries gained a fair amount of critical success, neither of the first two games made a lasting impact. As a result, Far Cry 3 was rarely talked about before its initial release.
5 Sunset Overdrive- A Fun Open World Game That Does Not Get Enough Attention
Insomniac Games is the name behind several amazing game series including Ratchet & Clank and Marvel's Spiderman. Sunset Overdrive is no exception as it is an amazing open-world game with fun traversal, endearing characters, and a punk-rock aesthetic.
Though it may have gained critical success when the game was released, it was rarely talked about beforehand. With the lead-up to release, many gamers were not looking at this game, and thus the game did not perform as well as it should have.
4 Mirror's Edge- The Speedrunner's Dream Game Was Hardly Hyped Up
A game designed only for fluid and fast-paced parkour traversal that delivers on its premise. Many games admire the sleek design and smooth gameplay, but only after it was initially released.
Before Mirror's Edge was released barely, anyone talked about it. It makes sense being a new IP that did not rely on flashy action to hold the game. Nevertheless, unfortunately, many gamers did not talk about this game for release.
3 DOOM (2016)- The Pinnacle Of First-Person Shooters Was Met With Some Hesitance
DOOM (2016) was Id Software's re-entry into the gaming market via a new and improved first-person shooter with updated mechanics, a remaining original story, and a promise of intense violence.
Though many gamers were hesitant that the game would be amazing, the initial lead-up to the release date. After the mess that was DOOM 3, gamers wanted to be cautious with this new title.
2 Titantfall 2- Marketing Of This Game Did Not Do It Justice
Titanfall 2 is perhaps one of the best follow-ups to a mediocre game. The first Titanfall failed to deliver on their promise of mech gameplay with unreliable online servers, boring single-player, and limited maps.
The sequel Titanfall 2 was a smashing success. The game fixed every problem from the first game and invigorating mech action with solid first-person shooter mechanics. It is a shame it was not talked about enough up to its release.
1 Spec Ops: The Line- The Story Creeps Up On You In This Amazing Game
It would be hard for any gamer to recall many advertisements or promotions for Spec Ops: The Line. However, everything about this game made it look like a run-of-the-mill third-person shooter with nothing new to add to the genre.
Before it came out, hardly anyone talked about it. However, that is a deep injustice to this game. Everyone should talk about this game due to its incredible story. It takes pages from Apocolypse Now and brings it up to the modern-day. This game is truly a hidden gem that had little to no hype upon release.