10 Acclaimed Video Games Everybody Turned Against

Helmed by Peter Molyneux, Black & White had players take control of god himself, performing deeds to gain followers while competing against rival deities. 

You can embrace good or evil, blessing worshippers with good weather and food, or terrorising them so they pray to you out of fear. The world matches your moral alignment, so the skies, lands, and your avatar will change depending on your decisions.

Based on the premise, scale, and the level of strategy required to manage artificial life, Black & White didn't just sound like a game, but a quantum leap forward for the industry.

Looking at the reviews at the time, Lionhead Studios' epic project delivered everything it promised and is still considered a breakthrough in AI and simulation design. And yet, Black & White has never been re-released and can't be played anymore without the original discs. So, why did everyone forget about it?

In a nutshell, Black & White had few long-term goals, which diminished its replayability. Basic tasks, like picking up items and guiding villages became tiresome, especially since the controls often misread inputs. The AI was bare-bones so the followers constantly got stuck, didn't react the way they should, or ignored your commands.

Though Black & White was once deemed a symbol of innovation, it's now seen as a cautionary tale in over-promising and under-delivering.