Great games that everyone loves, except me

Gaming is a very subjective matter. Even the biggest bangers out there can't always please everyone, and I have my fair share of big games that I've tried to start a million times but just can't get into (looking at you, The Witcher 3). At the same time, there are also games I absolutely love that are incredibly unpopular right now, like Destiny 2. There is no perfect game out there, but if there is one that comes close to it for me, this would be it Baldur's Gate 3. And that game is by no means without its flaws.

However, there are a couple of titles that often get an eyebrow raised or two when I mention that I don't like them. My “hot take”, as people say. I'm not saying these are objectively bad games – in fact, they're incredibly popular for very good reasons, but they just didn't do it for me. Some credentials: I am a dedicated gamer with three decades of experience and an embarrassingly large number of hours sitting at my PC or at my console. Here are widely loved games that feel lukewarm at best to me.

The Sims 4

The nostalgia from previous posts is too strong to fight with

The Sims 4 is the technical culmination of a beloved franchise. With the base game now free, it's accessible, modern and the least clunky to play. The build mode is the deepest of all the entries, to the point where it's a bit of a learning curve to master, but so rewarding to play with. There is a huge modding community and countless creators who have also participated in the creation of some of the newer expansions. With that, it's easy to see why so many people enjoy it and come back to it time and time again. There are simply no limits to it.

That said, it breaks my heart that much of the chaos and uniqueness of previous games is seemingly gone. Maybe it's a matter of nostalgia, but the world feels a little too happy and peaceful, and I often get bored, craving something that I can only supplement with game mods. I am happy The Sims and The Sims 2 was re-released, as I get to revisit the chaotic randomness that first popularized the franchise.

Terraria

A nice RPG feel, but Minecraft's immersion feels superior

Many swear by Terrariaand I understand why: it has much more direction and attractive RPG elements that are not present in its main source of inspiration, Minecraft. Even as a “hater” I can appreciate those details, as well as the cute pixel art style and catchy music. There are tons of cool eldritch bosses to conquer and items and features, like Wormhole Potions and NPCs, that I personally wish were added Minecraft. Abundance of mods and freedom Terraria Grants players have cemented it as one of the best games of all time. Thanks to the mods alone, it will likely last for years to come.

I think my main problem is that everything Terraria doing in 2D format, I feel I can do and experience in greater depth in modding Minecraftlike RLCraft Dregora. With the former, I'm often very aware that I'm looking at a screen with a game on, but with MinecraftI'm instantly drawn into the game's rich, infinite world that responds to everything I do. Sure, it can be a bit unfair to compare mods Minecraft to vanilla Terrariabut that extra graphic dimension works very hard to Minecrafts advantage.

Undertale

There is such a thing as playing a game too late

Everyone around me was always upset Undertaleinsisting that I needed to play it and that it would change my life. Those people probably contributed to my lukewarm feelings. Yes, Undertale is really creative and inventive. It tells an important story that we can still learn from today, and I loved the music. I also think it was all of this even more when it was released. At the time, there were far fewer games that really pushed the envelope in terms of storytelling and meta-commentary (except perhaps for The Stanley Parable), and it was truly unique.

But playing it while living in a modern world where I'm spoiled with so much excellent, deep writing and meta commentary amongst indie and AAA games, it just feels “okay”. There's just so much more competition and goodness, even among indie games, that it's always going to be a hard sell for me. Jumps on Undertale the train this late definitely cost me the magical experience people had with it 10 years ago.

The legacy of Hogwarts

A wonderful world left me wanting more depth

The first one Harry Potter games were iconic, but clunky, so when I stepped into the world of The legacy of HogwartsI was quickly charmed by the carefully crafted environments and fun combat that made full use of all the famous spells – even the unforgivable curses. The attention to detail is astounding, and being able to explore the world on a broomstick is incredible. Just walking around Hogwarts is magical, because there's always a secret around the next corner waiting to be revealed with Revelio. There's no doubt about it: this is the best game the franchise has had to date, the entry everyone has always hoped for.

I most enjoyed my time with The legacy of Hogwartsbut by the end of it, I felt that some of the content had become repetitive enough that it pulled me out of my immersion, the very thing that kept me hooked in the first place. I love that there's a huge world, but I would have been so happy with the focus just on Hogwarts and its nearby town, grounds, and forest, if it meant those places were full of completely unique, never-the-same content.

Valorant

The tactical shooter genre requires the patience of a saint

One of my favorite games of all time was the first one Monitoring. It was the most immersive competitive experience, a game that made me many lifelong friends that I still play with. Then Overwatch 2 happened and I lost interest. Valoranta tactical shooter, was growing in popularity, and I naively thought I would enjoy it as much as I did Monitoringbecause my friends praised it. Wrong.

There's no denying that Riot has something special here, a hit that became big enough for a huge esports site. For the right player, the secret sauce of Valorant is addictive: you want to play another match, have another exciting duel and unlock the wonderful armor that others will envy you. It's the same sauce that made the original Monitoringalthough a different kind of shooting game, so popular.

To me, Valorants pacing feels off, and fights are over in seconds, leaving me in spectator mode for the next few minutes. It's definitely a skill issue, I'll admit, but it baffles me how much patience is required for this variety of shooters. Sitting around the corners and peeking every now and then – I can understand where the excitement comes from, but I prefer the chaotic chaos of the first Monitoring any day. Let me spawn in and go again in a few seconds, thanks.