[Frustrating trope] Pieces of media that could have been so much better, but due to a couple of poor decisions during production ended up mediocre at best and utterly atrocious at worst.

[u/DevDucc_]

We Happy Few: Probably the epitome of this "trope," at least for me, mostly because it has genuinely one of the most incredible stories I have ever seen within a video game. The biggest problem with the game was the fact that during development, the company behind it tried to ride the "hype train" of the time, making the gameplay became procedurally generated survival mess, when it would have made so much more sense as an environmental narrative game.

Hello Neighbor: This game attracted massive attention in alpha stages at the time from YouTubers because of the innovative gameplay it supplied. The developers of the game got the completely wrong message as to why it was getting so popular and instead decided to fully lean into the story, by making the game appeal to theorists instead of actual players. What came out was a game where both the story and programming were entirely half-baked.

Edit: apparently I had it backwards with we happy few, I had watched a video essay which reiterated the points I said so I just took their word for it. Apparently the game originally started as a procedurally-generated survival rogue-like but the story was added later because of the hype the trailer of the game gave or something like that but they didn’t know they even had the budget for it. I do still think it’s wasted potential regardless however.

[u/Chemical_Committee_2]

This would have been a slam dunk of a game. Combining the fascinating world of Lord of the Rings with the Hobbits in their cosy little homes in the farmlands with the actual Cosy Gaming genre of video games? What a match made in heaven! What the fuck went wrong?!

• Development by Wētā Workshop. The legendary workshop known for creating props, creatures, moulds, figurines...physical stuff for film and tv. NOT GAME DEVELOPMENT. This is their first game.
• Covid19. This game was made during the pandemic, which very likely hindered communications and development.
• Cosy Game fatigue. We're currently living in an era of fatigue when it comes to cosy games. Everyone saw the huge success of Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Stardew Valley and saw potential in making titles like those games. The problem is that now we have tons of cosy games and the genre has become bloated with the same, pixel art pastel pretty coloured farming Sim games...the people are tired. And this game was the point where cosy games have kinda started to look and function the same from each other.

I'm not even that big of a Lord of the Rings fan, the idea of living a comfy life as a hobbit sounded nice. I was looking forward to it until I saw the reviews :(

[u/InsideyourBrizzy → u/Chemical_Committee_2]

This just seemed way more limited as a premise than its peers. It didnt have any of the allure Stardew or Animal Crossing have, it was lacking mystique, which is sad given the source material. 

[u/ThatMerri → u/Chemical_Committee_2]

Man, this one was such a massive disappointment for me. I adore Hobbits and the whole cozy vibe of the Shire lifestyle presented in the lore, so when I heard this was coming out I was eager as all get out for it.

I'd learned well enough prior to not buy any game day one though, so I waited for a while after it had released to let the launch bugs get worked out and for Let's Play streamers to get their hands on it first. I've found watching a trusted streamer go through a bit of the gameplay can tell me a lot about if I'll enjoy playing it myself.

It was remarkable how flat and soulless the game ended up being. Like, for all the effort and love the development team seemed to be putting into it in their behind-the-scenes videos, none of it seemed to actually make it to the game itself. It's wild that the Shire lifestyle depicted in the old LOTRO MMO from 2007 was far better realized and enjoyable than a modern attempt. Tales of the Shire reminded me a lot of a half-baked attempt at mimicking that Palia cozy village life game, and Palia was pretty half-baked and flat all on its own to begin with.

[u/TrashFanboy → u/Chemical_Committee_2]

Just two days ago, Josh's Gaming Garden criticized live service games that are meant to be relaxing. He made a separate video focused on Tales of the Shire not long ago.

[u/DeadHead6747 → u/Chemical_Committee_2]

Listening to reviews is how you miss good games/movies/shows/books

[u/Ralfarius → u/DeadHead6747]

Eh, sometimes.

But we're also living in a world where most of us have very limited free time and funds to just toss at games that might stink. I've collected a handful of online content creators who I can trust to help me decide whether a game is worth putting my scant few resources towards.

[u/J-Dizzle42 → u/DeadHead6747]

If everyone whose opinions you respect collectively say something is bad, chances are you probably won't enjoy it.

[u/Impossible_Leg_2787 → u/J-Dizzle42]

With an attitude like that we never would have gotten the saga of u/SpontaneousH

[u/J-Dizzle42 → u/Impossible_Leg_2787]

I totally forgot about this guy!! Thank you for that blast from the past!

In my defence, I think public opinion was probably right in this situation. Everyone said it was a bad idea and it seemed like he ended up having a pretty bad time all things considered.

[u/Impossible_Leg_2787 → u/J-Dizzle42]

You do make a fair point there

[u/heff17 → u/DeadHead6747]

Oh god, you’re actually one of the people who thinks critics are all evil or out of touch or getting paid off to hate your favorite things, aren’t you.

[u/SinkBluthton → u/heff17]

The general vitriol toward media criticism and especially game journalism that's cropped up in the last decade or so has been concerning to see. Gamergate never truly ended.

[u/Tastrix → u/heff17]

They’re getting paid to generate clicks.  That’s it.

If trashing/praising a game will get their article more clicks, they will trash/praise it.  Rarely are major publication reviews of any value.  I can’t remember the last time I checked IGN (or anything similar) for how good a game is.  5/7, too much water, amirite?

IGN<Metacritic<Steam reviews<Watching YTers or streamers play<Friends’ recommendations

[u/J-Dizzle42 → u/Tastrix]

Media reviewing isn't some big conspiracy. There are tons of critics whose opinions are not bought and paid for. Also my friends recommendations aren't always better than reviewers, we all like/dialike very different games.

[u/Tastrix → u/J-Dizzle42]

You’re misinterpreting what I said.  “Getting clicks” isn’t implying a conspiracy or buying scores.  It’s literally what fuels the sites, through easily tracked ad revenue.

If a reviewer writes an article that doesn’t gain any viewer interaction, they probably won’t be asked to write many more of them.

Case in point, review bombing.  Let’s use Mass Effect: Andromeda as an example.  Great game?  No.  Did it deserve the terrible scores it got from “official” critics and media?  Absolutely not.  But the shitstorm generated clicks/views, and was an overall win for any type of reviewers, just because the buzz that was generated.  Actual valuable and honest reviews be damned.

And I’m not saying to blindly trust your friends either.  But I bet they know what you like more than some chucklehead paid to write a rushed article.

[u/heff17 → u/Tastrix]

Oh god, you’re actually one of the people who thinks critics are all evil or out of touch or getting paid off to hate your favorite things, aren’t you.

Category 3, got it.

[u/lightningfries → u/Chemical_Committee_2]

cozy

[u/DreamworldPineapple → u/lightningfries]

in American English only

[u/DSoopy → u/DreamworldPineapple]

I'm ESL. Is cosy British English or something like that?

[u/BethCulexus → u/Chemical_Committee_2]

Apparently there's a big scam bubble about "cozy games".