Gamernode: News - Daily Q: Which games exceeded your expectations?

Daily Q: Which games exceeded your expectations?

Category: Features, Posted: 06/16/2008 at 11:51PM CDT by Eddie Inzauto, Senior Editor

Daily Q Welcome to the late edition of the Daily Q. Today I've been thinking about videogames. More specifically, I've been thinking about really good videogames; the ones that you never expected to be as great as they ultimately were; the ones that totally exceeded expectations.

They're out there. They come along every now and then to remind us that in this industry that so often hands us let-downs and leaves us with the broken remains of our once-high hopes, there is justice and there are pleasant surprises. Those surprises are the subject of my question:

Which games have totally exceeded your expectations?

There have been quite a few to do this throughout my gaming career, so I am going to stick with the most recent pair that stand out in my mind. The first is Bioshock, which I never really got preemptively excited for, so when it hit me with its raw excellence, it hit me hard. It even managed to become one of my favorite games of this console generation (and probably all-time). The other unexpected gem was Penumbra: Black Plague, which came out of nowhere to impress me with its unique gameplay, well-played characters, and intriguing plot.

I could go back in time and list pages full of great, expectation-exceeding games, but then I'd leave no room for everyone else. So comment it up, GN faithful, and let us know which games did it for you.

(14)

Posted by The Hylden on 06/17/2008 at 06:43AM

Man, I'll try and keep this shorter...

Well, starting back in the early days: Ninja Gaiden 1 & 2 *for NES* The story was cinematic and the gameplay maniacal. First game ever played, Super Mario Bros -- seeds of greatness hooking me in the first game I ever played. Battletoads, lol. And right before it, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the second title, which was really quite awesome.

I am sure I can think of others, but fast forwarding...

The first Sonic for Sega Genesis. Fast, very fast, and very fun. Didn't have money to buy much more for that system, so...

N64: Mario64. 3D version of the classic and the game to usher in all else to follow like it. You could do so much, and Mario had a voice and looked and played wonderfully. Resident Evil 2, for showing me that a game could show up movies for making horror great again, and keeping me coming back night after night to complete it, then complete it again, etc. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, probably the best single game still ever made, or up there. Majora's Mask, for showing that there were other crazy ways to take the former, lol. Shadowman, a really well-conceived story mixed into a 3D setting. Unsettling story, at that, with more horro up my alley, with psychologically scary tendencies (ever been in the Asylum areas? Pre-cursor to Silent Hill, for sure... Or, I think they came about almost the same time...) Rogue Squadron, for real, honest-to-goodness Star Wars flyin'. Even better flying game, and one that I wish I owned now, Starfox 64. Talk about fun.

Trying to move this along again...

No particular order: Legacy of Kain games, as I wound up playing them after they made their PSX debut. best story still in any game, or game series. Wonderfully intrecate, immersive. Can't say enough about it, actually, nor enough times that the 6th and hopefully, final one needs to be made... Metroid Prime -- what an amazing game. One of the best, again. Resident Evil Remake for Gamecube. Took the RE series and showed just how movie-like it could be. Unbelievable to witness on the Gamecube. In that sense, Resident Evil 4 exceeded the hype and did the same thing, while adding another dimension to it all. Eternal Darkness, for another fantastic horror/psychological romp, finely detailed as only Silicon Knights can. Besides legacy of Kain's goodness, I'd say Half Life 2 has struck me as the second best narrative in games. The story and world are truly amazing. FEAR is up there also, as it took me right in. I might say Bioshock, but I don't know if I think it's totally there, but I guess it is. The art design, for certain, sound, yes. It's a really good game, though, so don't get me wrong. Call of Duty 4 was looking pretty up there also, but I was interrupted when the PC went down, so haven't seen it through to the end, yet. Oh, how could I forget? Another great story, up there with the others, in The Longest Journey. If I am going with others like Bioshock, then I should say Silent Hill's series is also really good. Exceeds in some spots, sure.

Again, I know there are most certainly others, and people will mention them and I will be like why didn't I say that? but, it's 4 something in the morning and I want to keep this shorter:p Failing at that...

Posted by Coyotegrey on 06/17/2008 at 07:13AM

World of Warcraft.

Posted by Dr Stupid on 06/17/2008 at 07:18AM

EvE Online

Posted by Alex6969 on 06/17/2008 at 08:56AM

The Witcher

Posted by lskennedy on 06/17/2008 at 09:51AM

jade cocoon.
Final Fantasy 8.
Trackmania sunrise.

oh and of course, Resident evil 4.

Posted by Garcian Smith on 06/17/2008 at 01:19PM

Silent Hill, for the PSOne. I only played it very recently, and I was naive enough to think that its archaic visuals would do nothing to scare me, but hot damn was I wrong. That game exceeded almost all of my expectations, so much so that I tracked down the - far superior - Silent Hill 2: Directors Cut.

I suppose the ultimate one is Resident Evil 4. Sure, from the glowing 'Best Game Ever' reviews, I knew I was in for something special, but what surpised me was the level of replayability, I swear on one memory car I'm way into the double digits of 'Rounds' complete.

Oh, and I would be going amiss if I didn't mention Beyond Good and Evil and Sin and Punishment. Both excellent games, surpassing all of my prior expectations.

Posted by ninjalegend on 06/17/2008 at 01:29PM

GTA4, Uncharted, MGS4, and COD4 are some of the games that took me by surprize with their quality awesomeness this generation. Now, as for past generations:

Ninja Gaiden (xbox), Halo (xbox), Metal Gear Solid 2 (ps2), GTA3 (ps2), RE4 (gamecube),, Soul Calibur (dreamcast), Legend of Zelda OOT (n64), Rouge Squardren (n64), Tekken 3 (ps1), FF7 (ps1), Metal Gear Solid (ps1), Virtua Fighter 2 (saturn), Dragon Force (saturn), Star Control 2 (3DO), Street Fighter 2 (snes), Super Metroid (snes), Crono Trigger (snes), Golden Axe (genesis), Gunstar heroes (genesis)

These games either exceeded my expectations and were even better than I thought they would be, or came out of nowhere with their awesomeness.

Posted by Alex6969 on 06/17/2008 at 01:33PM

Here's another one, Torment.

Posted by rtanger on 06/17/2008 at 01:36PM

Final Fantasy Tactics.
When I picked that one up, I really didn't know what to expect. Holy good god that was the epitome of an amazing game. Blew me away completely with its story and challenge.

Posted by ninjalegend on 06/17/2008 at 01:56PM

Let me also add God of War.

Posted by Archem on 06/17/2008 at 07:11PM

Resident Evil 4. This is only because I have a serious dislike for the series and its clumsy controls, boring combat, and failed attempts at being scary. RE4, however, seemed more action-oriented, used a new combat style, and didn't try as hard to be scary (which means that when it failed to be scary, it didn't fall as far as the past games). The game proves to be the only in the series that I will actually play, and the only one that I actually like. And I like it quite a bit.

Posted by jambo on 06/17/2008 at 10:02PM

Peggle

Posted by Max Miller on 06/18/2008 at 10:14AM

The World Ends With You
Eternal Darkness
Ninja Gaiden (XBOX)
Final Fantasy IX
Disgaea
Chrono Trigger
Silent Hill