10 Gaming Flops Much Better Than Their Reputations

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem was groundbreaking when released on the Gamecube in 2002. The title, originally slated for the glorious if unpopular Nintendo 64, was the console's first step towards a more adult audience. Eternal Darkness blends complex game mechanics with a compelling story that is constantly shifting time and location alongside cutting edge graphics. It was once again adored by critics and regularly features in lists of the best games of all time. But once again, the general population didn't connect with it.

It is worth remembering that, in 2002, social media didn't exist and the internet made sounds that would haunt your nightmares. Most players received their gaming news and info from magazines. For the average person who didn't buy these 'zines, all they had to go off was box art and word of mouth. Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem is a nonsense title that means nothing, coupled with vague box art that doesn't even begin to explain what the game is about. Plus, a mature-rated game on the Gamecube, a console people were drawn to for their flagship iconography, was always going to be a hard sell.

The final nail that sunk Eternal Darkness to obscurity, however, wouldn't arrive for another 3 years. This nail was Resident Evil 4. A game that took the innovation of Eternal Darkness and marketed it correctly.