10 Video Games That Only Scored High Because Of Hype

At the time of Fallout 3's release, it had been a full decade since the last major release. With Interplay Entertainment and Black Isle Studios having faded away, the series found itself in the hands of Bethesda Game Studios. Taking the same approach as they did for The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, excitement quickly began to build as the popular RPG finally made the transition to full 3D. It was met with critical acclaim on release, winning numerous game of the year awards and setting Bethesda on the path to where they are today. It had its moments, most notably the VATS targeting system and the sombre atmosphere of the Capital Wasteland.

The fan complaints were mostly drowned out as Fallout 3 achieved enormous success, with Bethesda releasing other mainline titles in the years to come. Years after its release, with the hype having worn off, many a player now looks on Fallout 3 unfavourably, most notably for its weaker story and limited implementation of side quests and narrative consequence. Of course, anyone following the Fallout franchise in recent years knows how bad things have gotten, but it all started with number 3, an overly-hyped product that hasn't aged too well upon replaying.