9 Best Video Games Nobody Bought - Commenter Edition

3: Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines

Although just about every RPG and vampire media enthusiast has tried their hand at Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines by now, the game massively fell under the radar when it first came out in 2004. Suffering from exactly the same steep competition that caused Psi-Ops to struggle in the very same release window, there was simply no competing with Half-Life 2, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Halo 2, and Fable for the spotlight. Even though Bloodlines impressed critics with its fascinating game world, mature themes, supernatural powers, and intriguing story, not enough people gave it a shot when it first came out.

This was in some part due to the game's technical issues and bugs but it was largely accepted that the end of 2004 just wasn’t kind to non-AAA games.

The initial release stood at a modest 72,000 copies in its first three months on sale, firmly solidifying what would become the cult classic RPG as a commercial disappointment. Dedicated fans ensured the game would not fade out of the spotlight, though, as it has stayed firmly in the gaming zeitgeist and is considered a must-play for RPG fans. The game even established a legacy where it has been cited as one of the major influences contributing to the resurgence of vampire-themed stories across all mediums.

The fan creation of patches to address technical problems and address missing content also contributed to the game recovering from its initial disappointing start.

Game director Leonard Boyarsky even voiced his appreciation for the patches, saying while they’d hoped the game would be more successful at launch, it felt more worthwhile to see how it has stood the test of time and continues to inspire modders and fans.