8 Big Budget Video Games RUINED By Terrible Graphics

8. Shenmue III

Shenmue III is not a "big budget" title compared to the Rockstars or Naughty Dogs of this world, but as a crowdfunding milestone, it should totally be singled out.

Raising over $7 million on Kickstarter, the game was the highest-funded video game in Kickstarter history. This neatly mirrored the original Shenmue's status as the most expensive video game ever developed at release. Acquiring further funding from Sony and Deep Silver, Shenmue III was finally released 18 years after its predecessor.

The finished product was sadly underwhelming. The game's clunky controls and laughably dated animation - plus a total lack of lip-syncing - were at odds with an unsuccessful attempt at modern graphics tech.

Shenmue III sits awkwardly between the old and the new, and not being quite as good as either makes for a less-than-enjoyable experience. A much wiser idea would have been to develop the game much more in line with its predecessors, capitalising on making a game that looked deliberately retro rather than failing to make a game that looked modern.

After all, pixel art and even low-poly 3D is all the rage in indie circles, so why not run with it?