10 Video Games Everyone Hated (Until They Played Them)
5. Kingdom Hearts
When Kingdom Hearts was first announced, there was an overwhelming lack of belief that this crossover between Square Enix and Disney would actually work.
To many, it seemed like a cynical, desperate cash-grab, to toss a bunch of beloved Disney characters into a Final Fantasy-esque RPG in the pursuit of some easy dough.
Melding the more serious-minded world of Final Fantasy with Disney's frothier stylings seemed like an awkward, unnatural fit, that the companies were trying way too hard to make synergistic fetch happen.
But credit where it's due - all the doubters were so, so wrong.
Kingdom Hearts released to rave reviews for its unexpectedly compelling use of Disney IP, gorgeously realised worlds, killer combat, and charming story and characters.
It's still very easy to appreciate how this gamble could've backfired spectacularly, but Kingdom Hearts instead spawned an RPG empire that stands among Square Enix's most successful and lucrative IP.