Hate it because it's popular?

[Bakery]

I've noticed a slight trend in The Escapist's community. It seems like there's a tendency to hate popular games simply because they're popular.

It's a slightly pompous vibe I'm picking up from people declaring games like Oblivion, Halo 3 and Assassin's Creed as crap games. Sure these games had flaws but what game doesn't?

Halo 3 is a great big lump of FPS fun. The graphics are cool, especially the lighting, and the gameplay is solid. Sure it isn't a 10/10 but that doesn't mean it deserves the 1/10 hate most people deliver.

Oblivion improved on nearly all aspects of Morrowind. It definitely has flaws of course, psychic guards being one and level scaling being another, but it's still a pretty cool game. The stories are immersive and the huge amounts of quest options mean that if you don't like one quest line you can simply do another.

Assassin's Creed is 75% pure awesome. Towards the end repetitiveness kicked in and the last level is particularly frustrating. But for three quarters of playing, all I could think was 'whoa'. Again, it isn't perfect but that doesn't mean it's crap.

So is this true or am I just imagining it? Are there games you hate just because they're popular?

I'll be the first to admit that I can't stand Guitar Hero just because of how popular it is.

Fresh bread from the Bakery. Post away!

 

[The Wooster]

Read around and you'll find most people think said games are overrated, not terrible.

 

[meatloaf231]

It's from the whole "it's cool to not like something that everyone else does" thing.

Not saying that everyone is like that, but some people just want to be different.

 

[Larenxis]

No, I don't think so at all. I mean Half-life is incredibly popular, and we all gush about it here without restraint. Maybe people pick on Halo 3 and Assassin's Creed especially here because we're all ZP fans. I know I, personally, haven't picked on these games, but I haven't complimented or raved about them either.

 

[meatloaf231]

No, I don't think so at all. I mean Half-life is incredibly popular, and we all gush about it here without restraint. Maybe people pick on Halo 3 and Assassin's Creed especially here because we're all ZP fans. I know I, personally, haven't picked on these games, but I haven't complimented or raved about them either.

Well neither have I, but that doesn't mean mean I don't like them. Heck, the only judgements I make about games usually relate to Half Life.

I guess there was that terrible incident with Guild Wars though.

 

[ReepNeep]

Oblivion improved on nearly all aspects of Morrowind. It definitely has flaws of course, psychic guards being one and level scaling being another, but it's still a pretty cool game. The stories are immersive and the huge amounts of quest options mean that if you don't like one quest line you can simply do another.

The only improvements ES4 brought to the table were better graphics and slightly less clunky combat. In terms of world design, quest design, plotline and voice acting (you know, the stuff that really matters in an RPG) it was a big step backwards. There were very few quests outside of the Dark Brotherhood questline that had any spark at all. I think its a mid 70s game, not the 90+ that seems to be the general consensus.

Opinions: people have them and theres no sense getting worked up over it.

Want an unbiased view? Dont go anywhere near game forums

There's no such thing as an unbiased view. The only things you can do are look for advice from people you know for a fact have similar tastes or just play it yourself.

 

[jebussaves88]

I think I agree with everything that the OP said about those games. I loved Oblivion, and hated Morrowind. I found Morrowind to be bland and uncompelling. Oblivion was more appealing and glossy. I played Oblivion for four months. I played Morrowind for four minutes.

However, that is just my opinion, and no amount of support for the unloved popular games is going to sway the opinions of forum gamers into liking them.

Also, Halo 3 wasn't the perfect game, but was a barrel of fun, and Assassins Creed was pretty awesome. GTA IV and MGS 4 are made of win too.

 

[LivemeLifefree]

I hate because I'm picky with my games. Though I prefer Morrowind over Oblivion, I don't know why. Oblivion could not grasp me, and Morrowind stole my life for a good week.(I played them two months apart from each other). Though it is very often said around here I hate everything because, well, I pretty much do.

 

[Tattaglia]

Occasionally I hate people that use COD4 as the benchmark for modern FPSes. Its not perfect.
Its a great game, just not as perfect as everybody else seems to make out. In my opinion, Battlefield: Bad Company is far from perfect, but its as fun as COD4, maybe even more so.

 

[scarbunny]

I loved Morrowind and its expanisons, however I never finished it, i got about 80% through and my PC died and I could never face it again. However I also like Oblivion, not love it but then again I am a good 5 years older so my tastes have changed alittle.

I dont hate Halo 3 I cant Ive never played it, but once my Dad has finished it no doubt I'll borrow it as I did for 2. I think the whole hate of popular games, here at least, comes from people "me too"ing ZP.

Most games have merits, I love Kane and Lynch even though it is a terrible game, however I cant enjoy GTA4 even though its a much better game, and it isnt down to it being popular either I just dont "care" about Niko

 

[LivemeLifefree]

I didn't like GTA4 either, I felt SA was better. Plus, no local multi-player?

 

[flatearth]

Do you not remember what Yahtzee said after Psychonauts. No one likes it when he is nice. Most likely he is cherry picking games he knows he don't like, because that is what people want to see. Sure, many of these games deserve this kind of trashing *gough*halo*gough*, but that is the style of the show. Find the flaws and rip them a new one.

 

[Fire Daemon]

Want to know why no one likes these games?

Yahtzee.

People follow that guy like a god. Pay attention and spend enough time here and soon you'll begin seeing a cult.

 

[flatearth]

People seem to have forgotten that a critic is not the only voice to listen. You have your own brains, use them and see what you like. I liked Witcher for the plot, even though Yahtzee didn't, I liked Oblivion, even though Yahtzee didn't, I loved Psychonauts and Painkiller like he did too. It just goes to show, that he is not the voice I listen, so I would know what to play and what not.

Remember to think for yourself, not to listen to others to make your decisions. Use your own head.

 

[LivemeLifefree]

I must say it's odd I agree with him on a lot of things, but these are views I've had for a while, but I'll disagree with him here and there. Like, I found SC4 fun, and I didn't like Portal.

 

[stompy]

I dunno, I actually like these games... except for Oblivion, which I hate with a passion.

I'll start first off with Oblivion: I hated the thing long before Yahtzee reviewed it. I had heard nothing but good things about it, but when I finally played it... it wasn't that it hadn't lived up to the hype, but that it failed to keep my attention and make me an addict.

As for Halo 3 and Assassin's Creed, I have to say that I love the games. They are fun, and even if they aren't worth the 10s they got, they definitely entertained me and didn't let go till I finished them (actually, I'm playing through Assassin's Creed now, and enjoying all the jumping around).

Oh, Fire Daemon and flatearth, you say that it's Yahtzee that's causing the hate, but that doesn't explain Assassin's Creed. Yahtzee liked that game.

 

[Xvito]

I must say it's odd I agree with him on a lot of things, but these are views I've had for a while, but I'll disagree with him here and there. Like, I found SC4 fun, and I didn't like Portal.

Blasphemy!

 

[LivemeLifefree]

I'm sorry for a "mind game" it was not all that challenging. Yes the physics were fun to play with but that got boring quick. I play a mind game to be challenged.

 

[khululy]

yawn... here we go again. It's not our fault there are still people who believe the hype.
when a game is hyped I always tend to be sceptic about it.
I found Assassin's Creed (why is it such a nasty word: ass ass in...) awesome in terms of gameplay, the combat was sweet all the free running stuff was awesome and even the whole "puppeteer thingy" worked. the only problem was that the way they implemented all these things into the missions was just, well, a pity.
Obliovin frustrated me because the story and the npc lacked any form of depth the whole game wasn't immersive. Just a nice combat system in pretty world.
But as publishers want to sell their games and start to hype them (because aparently they aren't good enough to sell themselves) People grow expectations. The media, who picks up these things first, is impressed by flashy presentations at game shows and they tell that to us and we are equally impressed and curious. It's all a Big marketing plot to make us consumers want to buy and play the game.

It's not the game they hate just the fact that it isn't what they promissed us.
We feel lied to man!
I think if the halo series was presented as "just another shooter franchise" nobody would make a fuzz about it.