Maybe I just have poor long-term memory, but I can’t think of a single year in history that had as many disappointing games as 2014. While there was a surplus of big releases, it’s become clear over time that many of them were forced into 2014. They clearly weren’t ready for prime time, and both consumers and publishers paid the price.
Sometimes games struggle at launch because of server issues. Others fall to bugs that the developer either didn’t catch in time or didn’t have the resources to fix. But the story of 2014 is that current-gen games had content cut in order to meet deadlines. They might have had good graphics, but it wasn’t enough.
Read: The Best Console Graphics of 2014
So just what were the most disappointing games of 2014? Below you’ll find the 12 that we won’t soon forget.
It’s worth noting that this gallery is in alphabetic order. We haven’t ranked them and instead consider them all to have missed their mark in one way or another.
Worst of 2014: The 12 Most Disappointing Games of 2014
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Assassin's Creed Unity
Why it earned a spot on this list: Bugs. Framerate issues.
Assassin's Creed Unity was not the way to debut one of the biggest gaming franchises on new hardware. Looking back at its original announcement, it's remarkable how far it came from its mark. It was supposed to push the boundaries of current generation hardware, and show that Assassin's Creed is alive and well. While its lighting effects and NPC density were staggering, it was a bug fest. Those who put their trust in the game were welcomed to an ambitious title that required tremendous patience.
Since its debut, Unity has received several massive patches, one of which arrives today. It's one of several lessons that not delaying a game when it clearly has problems is an easy way to damage the reputation of a franchise.
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Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth
Why it earned a spot on this list: Series stagnation. Some mechanics were a step back for the series.
The Civilization series is one of the best in the business. So, when Firaxis announced that it was diverting from its long-walked path to try something new with a sci-fi theme, fans such as myself were very hopeful.
Unfortunately, Beyond Earth was a step back for the series in a lot of ways. Many of its sytems, including its victory conditions, were poorly designed. Its A.I. was somehow worse than in Civilization V, and there were major problems with balancing. While still a good game, it simply didn't measure up to the quality of any other release in the series' history.
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Destiny
Why it earned a spot on this list: Lack of content.
Review: Destiny Review
You'd think that a game developed by Bungie and published by Activision would be a lot better than Destiny was. This is a game that for all intents and purposes was supposed to be the next billion dollar franchise of the gaming industry, one that could possibly carry the torch of Call of Duty. While it debuted to record-setting numbers, its archaic design that completely ignored major lessons learned from MMOs over the years resulted in a title that felt soulless. It promised huge worlds worth exploring, but actually had small zones that made no effort to prompt social behavior. It had a ton of loot to earn, but much of it was earned through gross repetition and/or by defeating poorly designed bosses. Since launch it has released an expansion which didn't do much to better the game.
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Driveclub
Why it earned a spot on this list: Server issues. Lack of content.
Review: Driveclub Review
Evolution Studios should probably stick to making Motorstorm games, because Driveclub was a disaster. Instead of focusing on fun, it was a game that was infuriating to play. It only had 55 or so vehicles (all of which were European), four paint job slots, and was completely missing a Photo Mode or Replay system at launch despite its emphasis on graphics.
But if there's one thing Driveclub will always be remembered for its the game's server issues. A problem with the game's network code resulted in several months of server struggles, making its Club, Challenge, and Faceoff systems inaccessible.
The shocking fact is that Driveclub was actually supposed to be a PS4 launch title. It was so wildly off trajectory that even a year long delay wasn't enough.
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Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Why it earned a spot on this list: Matchmaking issues. Bugs.
Review: Halo: MCC Review
Halo: The Master Chief Collection would have been one of 2014's finest games if it weren't for its rushed launch. Its matchmaking issues are so complex that 343 Industries still hasn't managed to remedy them a full month later. Additionally, issues with campaign mode, particularly with lost progress, have made its problems inescapable.
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NHL 15
Why it earned a spot on this list: Content removed from previous iterations.
Most gamers are under the impression that when they invest in new hardware they will be treated to better games. NHL 15 is a prime example of how that isn't always the case.
NHL 15 ditched last-gen versions in order to focus on graphical improvement. Unfortunately, along the way major features were removed in order to get the game out on time. The missing content goes well beyond what has ever been seen before leaving fans of the franchise scratching their heads wondering where it all went, and putting EA in a position where it had to defend itself. This was a game that had its content devoured during its trek to current-gen, and consumers weren't happy about it.
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The Elder Scrolls Online
Why it earned a spot on this list: Archaic design.
Review: TESO Review
The Elder Scrolls franchise is one that has earned a lot of respect over the years. You could even argue that it's the biggest modern RPG franchise. So when it made the jump to multiplayer, but was missing a lot of the things that make the series great, buyers were upset. It was neither a good Elder Scrolls game or a good MMO. It was an MMO that felt dated, and hurt the franchise more than anything.
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The Crew
Why it earned a spot on this list: Lack of polish.
Out of all the racing games released this year, The Crew was the one that initially was the most promising. It showed a good driving model, an absolutely massive world, and tons of things to do during early demonstrations. However, it ended up suffering from several shortcomings at launch.
For one, its driver A.I. was ridiculous, employing strong rubber-banding and other cheap tactics to provide a competitive racing experience. Its car list was also poor, layered heavily with microtransactions. It fell well short of its promise as a result.
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The Sims 4
Why it earned a spot on this list: Content removed from previous iterations.
Review: The Sims 4 Review
As with several other titles on this list, The Sims 4 was supposed to be a strong current-gen entry for an established franchise. While it would deliver gorgeous graphics and a much more robust editor, it removed crucial features that have become a mainstay for the franchise over the years, things like toddlers and pools. It also had a heavily instanced world, resulting in frequent loading screens. There were also far fewer objects to play around with than in either The Sims 2 or The Sims 3. It's no wonder many fans were outraged.
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Thief
Why it earned a spot on this list: Poor level design.
Review: Thief Review
To say that level design is important in a stealth game would be an understatement. In Thief, the fourth entry in one of the most acclaimed stealth franchises, the level design missed its mark, heavily affecting the tactical experience. In addition, levels were instanced in small portions, leading to frequent loading times. Among other things, this caused unrest among Thief fans back in February.
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Watch Dogs
Why it earned a spot on this list: Downgraded graphics.
Review: Watch Dogs Review
Watch Dogs was a fantastic game, it just didn't quite live up to expectations. The hype for its release was through the roof thanks to a couple of mind-blowing pre-release demos.
A lot of the game's hype was for its graphics. The debut trailer still stands as one of the single most impressive ever seen for a video game. Unfortunately, it wasn't even close to being indicative of how the game would look on PS4 or Xbox One. So, instead of validating current gen console purchases, it made gamers begin to question how powerful their console really is.
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WWE 2K15
Why it earned a spot on this list: Content removed from previous iterations.
Review: WWE 2K15 Review
WWE 2K15 suffered a similar fate to NHL 15 in that content was cut from previous releases, only replaced with better visuals and an underwhelming MyCareer mode. Great gameplay only went so far. Fans wanted to be able to enjoy content, but were left with very little to sink their teeth into.
