Overrated Video Games of 2010

Just like 2009 showed us that there are companies that are too big to fail, so we learned that the same is true for some video game franchises. Most obviously illustrated by the universal acclaim heaped upon Grand Theft Auto when it released last year. Thankfully, 2010 has been spared from equally blatant over-hyping, but there has been several big name games that have fallen short in all areas except with the critics. Here follows a list of the 5 most overrated video games of 2010.

Bayonetta

Bayonetta is an action game designed and directed by Hideki Kamiya of Devil May Cry fame. The game was launched in the US in January 2010 to overwhelming positive reviews. The game follows the heroine Bayonetta, a current day witch, on her quest to remember her past. The game is set in a stylized European city that is represented beautifully in the game. Bayonetta fights her way through the game using a combination of weapons and magic attacks.

Bayonetta is a visually impressive game, but ultimately the game behind the graphics is rather bland. The strong sexual themes, generous amounts of swearing and violence can not hide the fact that the game is quite one dimensional. The story line is very linear, the action is repetitive and the game is broken up by an army of cut-scenes. To top it off, the PS3 version of the game suffered from performance issues. All these flaws didn't seem to concern critics too much as many gave the game top scores.

God of War III

One of the biggest games of the year it came as no surprise when God of War III was met by perfect scores and claims of 'Game of the Year' upon its release in March 2010. The game finishes a trilogy of games following Kratos and his quest for revenge on the Greek Gods. God of War is a hack and slash game that also includes some puzzle solving elements and platforming sections. The game is heavily story driven and is notorious for it's graphic nature. One of the most violent games on the market also includes strong sexual situations. All of these elements naturally leads to a Mature rating in the US, a fact that undoubtedly attracts some fans to the series.

God of War III is not a bad game, for what it sets out to be it delivers the goods impressively. The reason why the game makes it onto this list is that it doesn't really live up to the perfect rating that most critics gave the game. One of the major issues with God of War III is with the story, the script is unoriginal and does not do the Greek mythology it operates within justice. In addition, the game feels like a graphically updated version of God of War II, gameplay has stayed pretty much intact and it makes the game feel a little stale at times.

All in all, God of War III is an excellent game that serves as a strong conclusion to the series, it just doesn't deserve the overwhelmingly high scores it received.

No More Heroes: Desperate Struggles

No More Heroes was a surprise cult hit on the Wii delivering an experience that is not commonly found on the console. The follow up expands on the original formula of stylized bloodbaths and quirky humor. The game again follows Travis Touchdown, a cool and slick assassin In Santa Destroy. Travis returns to Santa Destroy and quickly finds himself looking for revenge. Again the way to the top goes through killing your way up the assassin rankings.

Both No More Heroes games have gotten good reviews, but it's hard not to think this is a case of people scoring the game higher because they want it to be good. There's no question that games like these are underrepresented on the Wii, but that does not excuse the flaws in the game.

First of all, the gameplay while improved from the first game, still turns very repetitive very quickly. Having to do side jobs to make money is frustrating when you have to do the same job over and over. This aspect is greatly improved from the first game where the side quests very repetitive to the point where it was almost unplayable. The strongest aspect of the game are the boss fights with the rest of the levels often being less than involving.

In video games, maybe more so than for other entertainment, some products tend to get a free ride from the industry press. It can be as simple as a game dazzeling with presentation over content, or cases where games are rated high based on name recognition or a bias towards the developer. For this reason you should never buy a video game unseen based on reviews. Always make sure you try a game for yourself before handing over your dollars.