Author Topic: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.  (Read 1428 times)

greedostick

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Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« on: February 26, 2014, 05:49:21 PM »
Just curious what games everyone really wanted, finally purchased after much anticipation and waiting, and was just completely disappointed. I have 2 titles I was just blown away by how bad they were.

First is Beyond Shadowgate. This is one of those games back around 2000 I always wanted to get. It rarely popped up on ebay and I finally scored one. complete with the poster. I played through the whole game after receiving it withing a few days. Beyond Shadowgate has a weird place in my mind when I think about it. I just can't decide if it's garbage, or just a regular bad game. But one thing is certain there are much better games to be had on the Turbo and this is mediocre at best. Sure some people will disagree. Beyond Shadowgate does have this weird appeal. You think it's bad, but for some reason just have to finish it. Then you do and have no idea what to think about it. It's kind of like Bud Light. Pretty watered down with no flavor. But for some reason you always give it a taste if you have the chance, but never really want to spend money on it.

My second choice. I am saving the best for last, is Exile: Wicked Phenomenon. Even in the early 2000's this game was incredibly hard to find on eBay. Even the guy who sold me pretty much every rare english turbo game back then didn't have this one. I waited what seemed like forever to play Exile: Wicked Phenomenon. I finally did find one on ebay after a very long time of checking daily. I ended up paying more for it than I did magical chase and dynastic hero back then. I was blown away by Exile 2. Not by how amazing it was. But by how unplayable it was. I remember forcing myself through the game. It was so hard. And not in a good way. But in a way because of bad programming. I was really disgusted how much better the original was. I seriously hate Exile 2. I would go as far as to say  would have to think long and hard if someone offered me money just to play it. I really feel like playing Exile 2 was the point in my collecting history that I decided it was pointless and a waste of money to keep a hold of crap games. No matter how rare. Since then I have weeded down my collection considerably. So in a way I guess I am thankful to Exile 2.

Do you all have any good stories about disappointing, highly anticipated Turbo purchases?

Mzo

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #1 on: February 26, 2014, 05:55:46 PM »
Was Wicked Phenomenon one of the games ruined by WD's bullshit tinkering or was the J version also a bad game?

greedostick

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #2 on: February 26, 2014, 06:12:10 PM »
Don't know. But i'm sure someone here does. I only ever played the USA release. I would like to know as well. Because as bad as that game is I find it hard to believe the japanese version is good. Possibly better. But good would be a complete makeover.

Lochlan

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #3 on: February 26, 2014, 06:29:13 PM »
Beyond Shadowgate is fun, you cray.  I love all the death animations.  Not all the puzzles are home runs, but it's a solid experience with great production values.  It's definitely one of my favorite Icom titles.

Exile II has a lot of problems but it was also created during Telenet's decline.

Was Wicked Phenomenon one of the games ruined by WD's bullshit tinkering or was the J version also a bad game?

My understanding is that Working Designs had no in-house developers at the time and all programming was handled by Telenet themselves.  The JP version is much easier, although the difficulty of the US release is overstated.
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deubeul

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #4 on: February 26, 2014, 07:20:22 PM »
Read on hardcoregaming101.net:

"
You'll probably never reach the end though, at least not without cheating and hex editing the game for infinite health (ironically the only way most US gamers ever saw the boss was through the cover art). For you see, Working Designs made a mistake when tweaking the parameters. As Vic explained on NeoGAF: "On Exile 2 it was an issue of limited number of modifications because we weren't doing the game reprogramming, Telenet was. It was a small number of tries. And on the second-to last time, we had it *almost* right, so we added like +1 to the monsters, but it was like that scene with the fat guy in Meaning of Life where the waiter gives him that one wafer and he explodes. That +1 exceeded some limit internally and made the monsters exponentially harder rather than incrementally. Since it was our last "fix" and we had production discs, I thought we were screwed and had made an unwinnable game. Fortunately, with some time and special strategies, we found out you could finish it. We made one of the hardest games ever - by accident."

Vic also gave some tips: "The biggest one is not to try to assault the worst monsters. Just let them hit you in the back, which will throw you backwards (which is really forward since your back is turned). It's an easy way to clear impossible rooms with those dragons that shoot lightning."
How unfortunate this mistake was, is debatable. Wicked Phenomenon is a good but not great game, and importing the Japanese version for its easier difficulty won't result in you missing any important dialogue (though you'll miss some of WD's visual improvements). The US version is also crazy expensive on auction, whereas Japanese online stores are selling their version for well under 1,000 Yen. That's like $10."

NightWolve

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #5 on: February 26, 2014, 08:18:26 PM »
I never realized that was a mistake (the difficulty). I did think it was shoddy programming the way you could just stand still and enemies keep reappearing, with no change in attack pattern, but I took advantage of all that to beat the game with ease. I took an adjustable wrench and tightened it up on the attack button with turbo on, had it so that he just stands there slashing away with enemies just perpetually walking into it, and then I either went to sleep or came back after a couple of hours to find Sadler fully leveled-up, ready to kick ass. That was it. I beat it rather quickly actually after purchase, it's a short game really. I think 2-3 days maybe, my old usual time for a game when I was young and fast.
« Last Edit: February 26, 2014, 08:28:15 PM by NightWolve »

Tatsujin

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #6 on: February 26, 2014, 08:40:54 PM »
none
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SuperDeadite

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #7 on: February 26, 2014, 09:25:03 PM »
Super Star Wars
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Bernie

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #8 on: February 26, 2014, 09:55:20 PM »
Man, you are mistaken...  Beyond Shadowgate is one of the best games on the Turbo Duo, IMO...  :) 

Tatsujin

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2014, 11:03:51 PM »
ah lol. thougt this is strictly pce/tg. 
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seieienbu

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #10 on: February 26, 2014, 11:37:53 PM »
I was really looking forward to Ordyne.  Once I finally hunted a copy down I tried to enjoy it but just never could get into it.
Current want list:  Bomberman 93

galam

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #11 on: February 26, 2014, 11:42:33 PM »
Man, you are mistaken...  Beyond Shadowgate is one of the best games on the Turbo Duo, IMO...  :) 

+1

kentuckycc

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2014, 11:46:05 PM »
Mine was Cosmic fantasy 2. The Lunar series is my second favorite series, and I bought my first turbografx in part to play some of the first working designs games. I love their translations and the games they selected to port, but I could not get into this game. Maybe I hyped it up too much, maybe it was just a rare miss for me.

Tatsujin

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #13 on: February 27, 2014, 12:40:48 AM »
obey never disappoints :!:
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SuperDeadite

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Re: Most disappointing games you really wanted... then hated.
« Reply #14 on: February 27, 2014, 12:50:15 AM »
Super Star Wars is always the correct answer.

But for PCE only games, while I don't hate it, Bonk 3 did nothing for me.  I only spent 150yen on it, and I honestly find the game sleep inducing.  Just not fun at all really....

Also The TV Show gets a mention.  Everything about the game is fantastic, but the controls really kill the fun.  I still kind of like the game, it's just impossible to really relax and enjoy to though as you will constantly die due to the poor poor controls.
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