Video games you wanted to like, but didn't

This fucking game, man.

I was super excited by everything I saw and read about this game prior to actually playing it. I like adventure games and puzzle games. I loved the old Sierra and Lucas Arts adventure games, played all of the Myst games, etc... But when I brought L.A. Noire home and put it in my Xbox something just failed to click. The story was interesting, everything about the gameplay was technically solid, but I just found it... boring.

What about you? What are some games you were looking forward to that you ended up not liking at all?

Demon's Souls

I tried convincing myself that Halo 3 was amazing, but (in my opinion) it just really wasn't good at all. But it's a matter of opinion.

L.A. Noire

That game is a joke to me.

Vanquish. It seemed that the concept would appeal to me a lot, but it turned out to be real boring and frustrating.

I was really looking forward to Shank. It looked like it had a cool art style and the gameplay looked liked a more in depth brawler. Turned out to be one of the worst games I have ever played this generation.

LA Noire. Boring as shit.

Demon's Souls

I agree with the LA Noire one: I tried really hard to like it, but other than a few cases/missions, I just couldn't. 
 
Also FFXIII: I am a fan of the series, but just couldn't bring myself to enjoy it.
 
This will be a polarizing thread, and am just waiting for all the LA Noire fanboys to begin their crusade...

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. I started a new game 3 times and even bought Shivering Isles, and I still found myself quitting about 10 hours into the game each time. I was never satisfied with my character, the voiceovers were drab and repetitive, and the main story was boring. I even used popular PC mods and couldn't enjoy it.
 
Also, Bioshock. I thought the story was contrived. Most people who thought Bioshock had philosophical depth thought so because they have never read any of the material that Bioshock references (aka Ayn Rand).

Gonna say Deus Ex: HR, the atmosphere and story are amazing but the dialogue and gameplay are a little bit iffy.

Well, I just finished Singularity; so, Singularity.

I wanted to enjoy Ninja Gaiden II, but that game is fucked... Oh, Dark Seed also comes to mind. I probably would've liked the latter if it wasn't so damn strict with its pacing/timing in regard to puzzle solving. It's a shame too, cause that game has a nice look to it.

METRO 2033
Final Fantasy XIII
 
is all of recent that i've played and couldn't finish. However I plan to go back to FFXIII soon enough and I was prettyclose to the end of Metro that I may just finish it.

What you said. 
 
 
@jmrwacko said:

Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. I started a new game 3 times and even bought Shivering Isles, and I still found myself quitting about 10 hours into the game each time. I was never satisfied with my character, the voiceovers were drab and repetitive, and the main story was boring. I even used popular PC mods and couldn't enjoy it.  Also, Bioshock. I thought the story was contrived. Most people who thought Bioshock had philosophical depth thought so because they have never read any of the material that Bioshock references (aka Ayn Rand).

Recently, From Dust was a staggering disappointment. Thought the game had some neat ideas, but I couldn't cope with anything concerning the design of that game. The controls, the mission structure, the camera. None of it, in terms of execution, did it for me.

L.A. Noire because the "Truth or Bullshit" system was disappointing and the rest of the game was just... meh. 
Also, Fallout: New Vegas(And 3) because the game is ugly and the gameplay disappointed me. The guns are a joke! DDD: 
I tried to play that game many, many times, but you just wander around with horrible guns and the characters creep me out! I really like the concept and i hope the new engine will fix these problems. 

Crysis 2. I just don't get it, I can play any other shooter just fine but I can't even play it on easy and therefore I hate it, although I really did want to like it.

LA Noire, Far Cry 2, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Limbo, Super Mario Galaxy, Gears of War, and Halo: Reach come to mind.

This may be a random entry. But Zeno Clash.

The Halo series. I love sci-fi and tech games. Halo felt so very bland tho and it made me sad.

Bioshock. Nothing against the game really. It's just about the point I realized I don't like linear hallway shooters no matter how awesome the look & sound, or how good the story is.

Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis.
 
I don't mind the dated graphics, and even though it's hard I enjoy challenging games. There's just too much going on at all times, and I could never get a hold of the combat.

Red Dead Redemption - I love Westerns.  Especially Clint Eastwood Westerns that so clearly inspired Red Dead's story.  However, I found all the characters, including Marsden to be absolutely insufferable.  After San Andreas, GTA IV and RDR, I've come to the conclusion that Rockstar thinks they are brilliant writers.  I think I've basically just decided that that I am done with their games.  The writing is awful.

Oblivion, how I wanted to love you. Hopefully Skyrim fills my needs.

Crysis 2. I just don't get it, I can play any other shooter just fine but I can't even play it on easy and therefore I hate it, although I really did want to like it.

Kill Team.

Most recent thing that comes to mind.

Three spring to mind quickly.
 
Darksiders - Just couldn't get into the fiction and the world.  The controls also felt way too... Light, I guess, for the character you were playing.  Didn't really feel like he had any weight to him.  Just gave up on it after a while.
 
Shadow of The Colossus - Reallllly gave this game a fair go.  Really expected to love it, too.  It may be partly the technical reasons that were mentioned so often in the quicklook, but I don't think so.  I really didn't like basically going from boss battle to boss battle with no incentive to explore except for exploration's sake.  Plus I couldn't beat that snake dragon thing colossus, so I just gave up.  Nothing about it clicked with me.  Art, music, controls, nothing.
 
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey - This game just made me realize how much more I enjoy the anime trappings of the Persona series, and how much I dislike the combat and exploration of the Shin Megami Tensei series.  Shame, because it seemed like it could have gotten interesting.

Another vote for Oblivion and Fable 2.

The Witcher and Dawn of War 2 come to mind, Im sure there are a few others. 

Fallout New Vegas. Damn game kept crashing on me. Only thing I can't stand is crashes.

Mass Effect 1 and Fable 2.

Too Human.

But most recently I would also have to say L.A. Noire.

LA Noire as well. Production values were great, and I love the setting, but the game part of it was almost wholly superficial. For a game where you play a detective, there is a pitiful amount of actually figuring shit out. Everything gets explained at you, leaving only the task of moving from point a to b to the player. They story structure also gets frustrating when you see passed what they want to you to, and you are forced to make decision you know are wrong.

LA Noire as well. Also Metro 2033, Darksiders, Vanquish, Crysis 1 and 2, Cod World at War and FFXIII all spring to mind.

Final Fantasy 10 and the Uncharted series off the top of my head. I look at those games and I know they're technically sound and are all well-made, but god damn whenever I play them I'd just rather watch paint dry. Something about blatant linearity in areas that you would otherwise think should be very open and explorable -- like jungles and forests and ancient ruins -- annoys the shit out of me. I'd rather have the illusion of freedom than obvious shackles.

Dragon Age: Origins

Romancing SaGa anything. The ideas are so solid, but the execution can never live up to them. Also, Lugaru, and probably something else, maybe.

 Marsden

MVC 3

Pretty big fighting game buff but nothing in this game was fun for me.

Brink

Hunted: The Demon's Forge

E.Y.E.

Alpha Protocol. I know Obsidian is capable of so much better than what they've been doing lately.

Morrowind. Played the Xbox and PC version. Couldn't push myself to finish.

I like the Fable Series but I hated Fable 3 too much gold farming/grinding and the quests were lackluster.

VVVVVV comes to mind. When it was on, it was really good, but in the end it was an overpriced flash game. 

Crysis 2.