10 Failed Xbox 360 Games That Became Cult Classics
2. Darksiders II
Darksiders II follows up directly from the events of the original, with the Horseman of the Apocalypse, Death, trying to clear the name of his brother, War, who's accused of ending humanity.
Darksiders II looks like more of the same on the surface, but the gameplay and mechanics have been fine-tuned to perfection. Although dungeon-crawling can be a slog, the arenas here are so well designed, navigating through them never feels like a chore. No matter how many times you hack-and-slash enemies, it always feels satisfying.
So, because Darksiders II is brilliant, it should've done well. And to the untrained eye, it seems like it brought in the mega-bucks. Darksiders II sold 1.5 million copies, and was the best selling game in the month it was debuted.
Unfortunately, Darksiders II didn't come close to earning a profit, since its budgetw was $59 million, making it one of the most expensive video games ever. Lars Wingefors, who currently owns the IP, admitted the game's cost was ridiculous, stating, "We can produce a product of the same quality, but for a lower cost." The fact its publisher, THQ, went into liquidation shortly after cemented Darksider II's reputation as a failure even further.