It is inevitable, but even the greatest franchises of all time will take some risks that not every fan will like. Sometimes these games are hated by everyone, and sometimes they will split the community. The following will go through both sides of the coin. So, while these games may not be completely worthless, fans will love to forget them for a myriad of factors.
Major Video Game Franchises That Never Recovered After One Bad Game
These were once hit video game franchises, but thanks to one bad game, we may never see them again.
Maybe they changed the main character in a weird way, or maybe they shifted the setting to a place that does not make sense. Removing an entire roster of characters is another great hint. Again, these games may not be hated by everyone, and some fun can certainly be had with them, but they are certainly not the best games within these franchises.
Devil May Cry 2
Is That Really Dante?
Devil May Cry 2
- Released
- January 25, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Hack and Slash
Devil May Cry 2 is one of the most well-known examples of a direct sequel disappointing fans in some regard. The original game had stylistic combos, and Dante was a smooth talker with one quip waiting after the other.
Dante was virtually silent in the sequel, and while players could pull off some cool combos, it was a much easier game overall. In hindsight, it’s a fine enough action game now, but it doesn’t hold a candle to the Devil May Cry legacy, and even Capcom tries to forget about it.
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023)
A Weird End To A Remake Trilogy
Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare III
- Released
- November 10, 2023
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
Of all the Call of Duty games, there is only one sub-series that has received a reboot. Released originally in 2007, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare changed the series forever and created a trilogy that fans adored.
The first reboot was released in 2019, followed by the next one in 2022, both of which received great praise, so it only made sense that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’s conclusion in 2023 would equally be great. Sadly, a lot of things went wrong, from the glitches to the short and strange campaign to the overall polish not meeting the standards Call of Duty usually hits.
Metal Gear Survive
The Phantom Game
Metal Gear Survive
- Released
- February 21, 2018
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Survival
Metal Gear Survive was the first game to follow Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain after Hideo Kojima left Konami. For fans, this left them with a weird feeling, but ultimately, they were optimistic that there were other people at Konami who could make a good Metal Gear game.
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While the idea wasn’t bad for a survival game, and the weird zombie-like enemies were creepy, there just wasn’t enough there to be excited for. As a Metal Gear game, it also didn’t fit the bill at all, making it just an odd survival game bearing the franchise’s name.
Metroid: Other M
The Baby
Metroid: Other M
- Released
- August 31, 2010
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Animated Blood, Violence
Metroid: Other M is a game that has the community split because, on one hand, this is a good Metroid game from a gameplay perspective. The shift between 2D and 3D segments is stellar, the action is more intense than ever before, and the maze-like structure is well-designed.
However, what sets it back is the story, as they gave Samus a voice and made her into a subordinate of fellow officers. Samus is such an iconic video game character that fans built up in their heads as a silent badass, and then to see her become so obedient to others in Metroid: Other M was just too much to handle.
Marvel Vs Capcom: Infinite
A Weird Return
Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite
- Released
- September 19, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen due to Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite is the fourth mainline game in the series, and the first one to fully feature a story akin to the Mortal Kombat reboot in 2011. While hokey, the story has its charms, and the gameplay overall was fine enough, but it didn’t quite hit peak Capcom fighting status.
What fans disliked most was the cut roster. X-Men characters go way back in Capcom fighting games, first appearing in X-Men: Children of the Atom in 1994, so to have them all removed in Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite because of Marvel and Disney decisions regarding the MCU was practically a slap in the face.
Dino Crisis 3
Borrowing From Jason X
Dino Crisis 3
- Released
- June 26, 2003
- Platform(s)
- Xbox (Original)
With the new Millennium, everyone seemed to be obsessed with future content, often set in space, like Jason X. Dino Crisis 3 dipped its paw into the space jar as well, going from a Jurassic Park-like facility on Earth in the first two games before setting things on a space station within this sequel.
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Capcom knows how to apply camp well to their horror games, like Resident Evil, and the idea of fighting dinosaurs in space actually could have been good. However, this sequel was largely panned by everyone thanks to poor controls and camera angles, making things harder than they should have been.
Mega Man X7
Go Home, Axl
Mega Man X7
- Released
- October 14, 2003
- ESRB
- Everyone // Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action, Platformer
The Mega Man X games on the SNES were all good, followed by an okay run on the PS1, but when it came to Mega Man X7, things really took a downturn. Firstly, the titular hero, X, was out of commission for a good portion of the game, meaning players could either be Zero or Axl, a new character.
From his personality to his move-set, Axl had new puppy syndrome as he wanted to be the coolest character ever, but came across instead as a bit of a tryhard. The game itself, presented in 2.5D, was not as smooth to control as the other games either.
Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded
Digital Doubles
Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded
- Released
- January 11, 2011
- ESRB
- Everyone 10+ // Fantasy Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Kingdom Hearts Re:coded was originally released for mobile phones in Japan before it got this DS remake. It’s the one game in the series on handhelds and consoles that fans can easily skip, and most have.
Once again, it retreads Disney Worlds from the first game largely, and it doesn’t move the plot forward in any meaningful way. For a DS action game, it is fine, but it is nowhere near the peak for the Kingdom Hearts series, and again, fans can easily skip Kingdom Hearts Re:coded and still understand the whole saga.
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