Driver 3, Hitman Contracts, Fable, Halo 2, Mafia, and Need for Speed Underground 2 have been games of recent past that have fell short of my hopes, expectations, and dire needs. Driver 3 was a game that I was looking forward to but made me happy for about 3 hours, because after the nice car damage, and nice visuals I was left with bad shooting, a main character that had the upperlip of a camel, and his 1 foot verticle. The game missed my hopes by a long shot, but the one outstanding part was the directors mode, letting me make cool sequences, but that's hardly enough to make it a game of games.
Hitman Contracts was Hitman 2 Silent Assassin with a makeover and a couple of new things. I was expecting a good new game but I got Hitman 2.4. Fable was a long awaited game that was great, but also fell short of my highest hopes. I was promised endless gameplay, and my own unique character, but after beating the game for the 4th time my guy was still super strong, fast, and a bowmaster but also 65 gray and wrinkly. Every choice you make has a consequence unless you have a restart option than you can be perfect. Great game but I hope they hit the mark and more next time around.
Halo 2 was a superb game but I wanted to play as master chief and not a split lip alien failure. Yes the Arbiter is badass and has a great actor voicing him but I wanted master chief for more that half the game. Plus the ending, no matter what it's purpose, it left me wanting more but it didn't leave me satisfied. I only hope that in Halo 3 they can bring back the originality of memorable levels like in the first one leaving you wanting more but still satisfied with the game you dropped the fifty on. Mafia was a good idea but suffered by more issues than can be named. Hopefully the Godfather will indulge my mobster needs like Mafia should have.
NFSU2 was the same as the first but with a pointless free roam mode. I was expecting a really great game but sequals are sequals. They hit you with the first ones than add a couple of things. Sequals need to be less of a follower to the orignal game, and instead set the new bench mark. Games that are on their first time out are either hit or miss, fable got a hit and is coming with a sequal. Mafia missed, and will be left in the 10 dollar bin at small stores. The one thing all these games have in common is, they all dissapointed me. Some are still good games but just fell short. I hope that one day a game will come out and it will be the game I expected and hoped for. It doesn't have to be perfect it just has to have me playing and not have any real dissapointments that I thought wasn't gonna be there. Yet until that game I'll still have fun being dissapointed with the sequals and newbs come retail and rental time we'll just have to wait and see.
-jimbo7up