10 Video Games With The Biggest Downgrade From Reveal To Launch
1. Killzone 2
Killzone 2 is still the most ludicrous example of graphical downgrading, however it wasn't even really downgraded at all.
You see, Killzone 2 was shown-off at E3 2005 as a PS3 game, and yet its animations are beyond even current possibilities. That's not hyperbole, the trailer was a gross exaggeration of graphics, animations, and gameplay that wouldn't even be possible for many years to come.
The trailer showed impressive character models heading into a battle with Helghan soldiers that is incredibly explosive and chaotic, with truly lifelike character animations. The trailer suggested lots of squad-based and cinematic gameplay, unlike anything ever seen at the time. The released product was much more of a streamlined FPS with standard mechanics, no squads, and nothing even close to the same animations.
It was clear the trailer featured no actual gameplay at all, therefore no actual downgrade occurred. It was a CGI trailer portrayed as actual gameplay, and that's really not OK.
Guerrilla Games studio founder Herman Hulst said that the team put together the trailer as a proof of concept, based on the capabilities of the PS3. The concept was never meant to be shown to the public but ended up there anyhow. At least the same mistake was not made with Horizon: Zero Dawn.