Half an idea is only half an excuse.
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00:00So, the gaming medium is packed full of eclectic experiences, new ideas, and brave innovations.
00:07Approaching a video game with a fresh perspective can grant you opportunities, and when a title
00:11promises something different, it's always going to be pretty hard to live up to that
00:15hype.
00:16And there are a lot of games that claim to offer a unique gameplay formula, or quirky
00:19narrative wrinkle, or revolutionary presentation, but unfortunately don't quite hit the mark
00:24exactly how they intended.
00:25It doesn't mean that the end product is bad, per se, and can't be improved in the future,
00:29but it is a sign that maybe the developer bit off more than they could chew, and promoted
00:33an edition that wasn't fully fleshed out.
00:35So let's take a look at them, as I'm Jules, this is WhatCulture.com, and these are 10
00:39Video Games That Didn't Go Far Enough.
00:4110.
00:42Life is Strange
00:44Now for all of its shortcomings, Life is Strange is a superb example of character development
00:48done right, and overcame its issues to become one of the best games of 2015.
00:52Now Max is a great protagonist, and players are granted the opportunity to see the fictional
00:57town of Arcadia Bay through her eyes.
00:59The story that unfolds is one of friendship, deception, and mystery.
01:03But one of the most well-known inclusions was Max's sudden ability to rewind time that
01:07gets her into, and out of, plenty of sticky situations.
01:10An unexpected ability is the one through line for all of Life is Strange's main characters,
01:14and though Max uses hers regularly, it never feels anything less than a lazy plot device.
01:19Alex being an empath in Life is Strange True Colors is baked into the fabric of that story,
01:24as her ability to experience others' emotions allows us to better understand the world around
01:29her.
01:30It's essential to the journey.
01:31But Max, on the other hand?
01:32Being able to rewind time?
01:33Well, it's just a means to unravel what has already occurred, and Max weirdly keeps this
01:36all hidden, whereas the real solution, and indeed a much meatier story, would surely
01:40be to reveal it to more side characters, as it would then feel more substantial as a narrative
01:45thread.
01:469.
01:47Shadow of the Tomb Raider
01:49Shadow of the Tomb Raider is the conclusion to the superb Survivor trilogy that explores
01:53Lara Croft in her early years.
01:55The events of all three games shape her for the future adventures she's going to go on,
01:59and as the series went on, she became more and more of a proficient explorer.
02:032013's Tomb Raider shows the character is a survivor, and in its sequel, Rise of the
02:07Tomb Raider, demonstrates that she's becoming resourceful in the harsh wilderness.
02:11Shadow of the Tomb Raider promised a new side of Lara Croft, one that is an effective and
02:15unapologetic killer, but in reality, the final chapter of this trilogy felt rather half-hearted.
02:20The most popular criticism of Shadow of the Tomb Raider is that it didn't offer anything
02:24new.
02:25It was just another game in the series, and with a mediocre story balanced by gorgeous
02:29environments, it didn't really bring the darker tone that it promised.
02:32There's a glimpse of hope in the game's latter stages, as Lara is faced with overcoming a
02:36barrage of Trinity's forces, and does so in rather brutal fashion.
02:40But when the scene ends, she reverts back to the somewhat boring character that she'd
02:44been throughout that game.
02:45There's so much potential for the character that Crystal Dynamics has created, but Shadow
02:49of the Tomb Raider didn't take advantage of it.
02:518.
02:52Detroit Become Human
02:54Detroit Become Human is the latest game from the mind of David Cage, the director of both
02:58Heavy Rain and Beyond Two Souls.
03:00Now, telling the story of three separate androids in a futuristic Detroit, Michigan, the tale
03:04is one that is steeped in cultural and social commentary.
03:08Now, the developers' previous works meant that players knew what to expect with this
03:11game.
03:12Quantic Dream were never going to release an online shooter or intricate driving simulator,
03:16and Detroit Become Human is thoroughly in line with what came before for the Paris-based
03:20company.
03:21One thing that differs from past projects was its near-future setting and approach to
03:24technology as a narrative driving force.
03:26Promotional material showcased a tense relationship between humans and androids, and the impact
03:31that a reliance on artificial intelligence has had on the Midwestern city as a whole.
03:36But the reality is that while Detroit Become Human is a great game, it spends most of its
03:40time exploring the humanity of the androids themselves instead of the way their inclusion
03:44has changed society.
03:45Connor, Marcus, and especially Kara are more compassionate than most of the humans in the
03:50game.
03:51And while this is compelling, the game didn't delve far enough into the uneasy rift between
03:55androids and humans.
03:577.
03:58Deus Ex Human Revolution
04:00Now Deus Ex is a franchise that has a rich history.
04:03Though the 2000 original is one of the most influential games, and say it with me, kids,
04:08of all time, the series was revived in an attempt to recapture the magic.
04:13Developed by Eidos Montreal, creators of the recent Guardians of the Galaxy title, Deus
04:17Ex Human Revolution served as both a prequel and a reboot.
04:20Players take on the role of Adam Jensen, a security offer for Sarif Industries, the leading
04:24company of body-altering augmentations.
04:27The story is one that was gripping from the get-go, with Jensen attempting to make sense
04:31of the events that occur in the game's opening hours while navigating a gorgeous cyberpunk-inspired
04:36setting.
04:37Naturally, the topic of cybernetic enhancement and transhumanism comes with the territory.
04:41It's an intriguing wrinkle to the game's presentation and storytelling, but one that goes sorely
04:45underutilized throughout.
04:47The contrast between those augmented and those who are not isn't really explored in any significant
04:51way.
04:52Such a glaring divide in society should make for a compelling narrative thread, and it's
04:56ripe for further analysis, but the tale that unfolds around Adam simply just gets in the
05:00way.
05:01More needed to be done to make Deus Ex Human Revolution in keeping with the success of
05:05the original.
05:066.
05:07Wii Play
05:08When it released in the winter of 2006, the Nintendo Wii promised an entirely new way
05:12to play.
05:14Game controls were the flavor of the generation, and while some games like the beloved Wii
05:17Sports and unjustifiably criticized The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword were utilizing them
05:22entirely, others didn't really bother.
05:24Nintendo themselves are rather guilty of this, as Wii Play released as a launch game for
05:27the system in most territories, and it was only really designed to be a demonstration
05:31of the technology and certainly won't be mistaken for an ambitious RPG anytime soon.
05:36However, while it sold in astronomical numbers, it failed to live up to the intended purpose
05:40of the console that it was promoting.
05:42Whereas Wii Sports took full advantage of the technology, Wii Play just didn't.
05:46Most of the minigames required the controller's pointing capabilities, so it failed to feel
05:50like anything more than an uninspired collection of menial activities that could have just
05:54as easily been played on a PC.
05:56Copies also included an extra controller, which was really the only real reason to pick
06:00it up.
06:01It missed the mark and didn't do enough as an in-house Wii-branded game.
06:055.
06:06No Man's Sky
06:07Now, No Man's Sky, as it is today, is one of gaming's biggest redemption arcs.
06:11Revealed to the world in December 2013 and quickly becoming one of the most disappointing
06:15titles of the generation, No Man's Sky has since become a game that is almost the one
06:20that was promised.
06:21The basis of No Man's Sky was that it presented a randomly generated galaxy of over 18 quintillion
06:26planets for players to discover, understand, and survive on.
06:30And the lofty expectations were provoked further by the game's marketing.
06:33So when it released and was incredibly frugal with its aesthetic variety, the backlash was
06:37inevitable.
06:38The game didn't promote exploration anything close to what fans expected.
06:42The number of planets available was truly incredible, for sure, but the volume of locations
06:46didn't mean that there was always something different to do on each one.
06:49It was a real shame, as players' minds were racing at the possibility of finding new,
06:53uninhabited lands with pockets of intrigue in every corner.
06:56When the ambition of the game's developer is the very reason that it was so underwhelming,
07:00its limitations become far more newsworthy, and it's clear to see that this wasn't what
07:04so many fans wanted it to be.
07:05All that space, and No Man's Sky still didn't go far enough with its premise.
07:104.
07:11Animal Crossing New Horizons
07:13Animal Crossing is a franchise that is near and dear to so many.
07:16From its beginnings on the GameCube to a thoroughly underappreciated mobile offering in the form
07:20of Pocket Camp, it's known for its cute characters, pick-up, put-down gameplay, and menial tasks
07:25that are far more fun than they have any right to be.
07:27The latest, Animal Crossing New Horizons, is perhaps the series' best game, with plenty
07:31of elements from past entries being refined for its debut on the Nintendo Switch.
07:35However, so many annoyances that plagued previous games remained, and though there are hours
07:40upon hours of fun to be had here, the perfect island getaway always feels rather restrictive.
07:45Most of what is done in Animal Crossing New Horizons is just for aesthetic purposes.
07:49Arranging flower displays, meticulously reorganizing garden decorations, or filling out Blather's
07:53Museum all serve to make running around the island a more pleasing experience to look
07:58at.
07:59The various items in the game provoke new gameplay mechanics, however, and while social
08:02elements are included, it never feels like there's anything for multiple players to do.
08:06It's a beloved franchise for so many reasons, but so much of it feels surface-level, and
08:11it should have offered so much more substance this time around.
08:133.
08:14F1 Race Stars
08:16Now F1 Race Stars is a game that many have forgotten, and even more have never even heard
08:20of to begin with.
08:22Released in November 2012, the game was a typical by-the-numbers kart racer.
08:26However, instead of Mario and Luigi, it included real-life F1 drivers, such as Lewis Hamilton,
08:31and all of the tracks were inspired by real-world circuits on the calendar.
08:34Now, this all sounds great, but upon completing just a handful of races, it became clear that
08:38the game lacked identity, as it failed to lean into the sport that actually spawned
08:43it.
08:44With the likes of Monza, Silverstone, and Montreal featured in the game, they didn't
08:46feel anything like what F1 fans would have expected, as the iconic corners and gorgeous
08:51scenery was replaced by Mario Kart-ish mayhem.
08:53As such, it didn't do anything to stand out.
08:56It released on a litany of platforms, yet never reached the heights that Nintendo had
08:59achieved.
09:00And while there is fun to be had here, it didn't go far enough with the F1 license.
09:04F1 Race Stars begets the magic of the circuits that it includes, and thought that more craziness
09:08is what was needed, when in reality, it was actually its downfall.
09:112.
09:12Dead Space 3
09:14The lofty expectations that were set by its predecessors meant that Dead Space 3 was always
09:18pretty much doomed to fail.
09:19The original is one of the most beloved horror games ever, presenting an engaging story,
09:24plenty of violence, and claustrophobic, unsettling level design.
09:27And while the sequel was slightly less revered, it was still met with high praise.
09:31Dead Space 3 released in the early stages of 2013, a year that would be packed with
09:35genre-defining titles like Grand Theft Auto V, The Last of Us, and Dota 2.
09:39It built upon the first two in a number of ways, with tighter gameplay and a new upgrade
09:43system leading the charge.
09:44However, in the pursuit of innovation, it forgot what made the franchise so great to
09:48begin with, and that was the horror.
09:51Dead Space 3 just isn't scary, as the narrow corridors and tense combat encounters are
09:55few and far between.
09:57Action was the flavor of Dead Space 3, and like the Resident Evil series before it, the
10:01emphasis on Hollywood-esque set pieces only served to damage the game's horror-driven
10:05identity.
10:06Dead Space 3 went too far with its action, and as such, it didn't have time to go far
10:10enough with its approach to tension, intrigue, and fear.
10:141.
10:15Mortal Kombat – The Snares Version
10:18The Mortal Kombat series is one that is as hated as it is loved.
10:21It's one that offers intricate fighting mechanics and tough competition while also being a visual
10:26marvel with its liberal and rather controversial use of blood, guts, and gore.
10:30Fatalities have been the topic of much chatter over the years, with many believing them to
10:34be too brutal for the gaming medium.
10:35For fans, Mortal Kombat wouldn't be the same without them, and its unapologetic approach
10:39to violence has quickly become part of its charm.
10:42When the arcade original arrived on home consoles, there was a clear divide in the way with which
10:46Sega and Nintendo handled its release.
10:48The former opted for a straight port of the arcade classic, whereas the Super Nintendo
10:52version censored the mature content, and as such, the game lost one of the very things
10:56that made it unique.
10:57With Street Fighter II releasing a whole year before, there was no real reason to pick up
11:01the Snares version of Mortal Kombat, as its clunky controls and lack of gore made sure
11:06that it was nothing compared to Capcom's crowning achievement.
11:09It didn't do enough to separate itself from the crowd, so most players just opted to play
11:13it on the Sega Genesis instead.
11:15And there we go my friends, those were 10 video games that didn't go far enough.
11:18I hope that you enjoyed that, and please let me know what you thought about it down in
11:21the comments section below.
11:22As always, I've been Jules, you can go follow me over on Twitter at RetroJWithA0, or you
11:26can swing by Live and Let's Dice, where I do all of my streaming outside of work, and
11:30it'd be great to see you over there.
11:31But before I go, I just want to say one thing, I hope you're treating yourself with love
11:35and respect my friend, because you are a massive legend, don't let anyone or anything else
11:38tell you otherwise, alright?
11:39I want you to go out there and absolutely smash your life goals today, I believe in
11:42you my friend.
11:43As always, I've been Jules, you have been awesome, never forget that, and I'll speak
11:47to you soon.
11:48Bye.