20 Games Critics LOVED and Players HATED

20 Games Critics Loved and Players Hated

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re looking at video games that got decent critical reviews, but which players weren’t interested in or downright hated.

“The Last of Us Part II” (2020)

Look, I’m sure we’re all tired of talking about “The Last of Us Part II.” But if we didn’t include it, I know we’d get comments. The hotly anticipated sequel landed like an atomic bomb on the gaming community in 2020. Opinions among fans of the first were extremely divided for a lot of reasons. Some complaints were valid, like a bloated narrative, while others were not, like the inclusion of LGBTQ characters. Regardless, there are still a lot of players who hate this game. Critics, on the other hand, were almost universally aligned in their love for it. It holds a 93 on Metacritic and was one of the most awarded games of the year.

“Call of Duty: Black Ops 4” (2018)

You could place a few entries from the “Call of Duty” franchise here. But today we’re going with “Black Ops 4.” Released in 2018, it scored in the mid 80s on Metacritic across consoles and PC, with critics praising the new ‘Zombies’ and ‘Blackout’ battle royale mode, as well as the standard multiplayer. However, being deep into the yearly-release model from Activision, many players had issues with it, collectively giving it a 4.1 on the site. The biggest issue was the complete lack of a single player mode. But there was also heavy use of microtransactions and balancing issues within the multiplayer, like a lack of skill-based matchmaking and longer time-to-kill, making it more frustrating for casual players.

“Deathloop” (2021)

‘Hate’ is probably putting it a bit too strongly here. But there was still a big divide over the quality of “Deathloop” between players and critics. Trapped in a time loop and getting killed over and over again, it tasked you with figuring out the proper path to success so Colt Vahn could make it out. Most critics adored it, leading to a score in the high 80s on Metacritic across platforms. It was also nominated for a ton of awards and earned ‘Game of the Year’ from multiple outlets. The 6.8 from players tell a different story, though. While that isn’t too low, many felt the game grew too repetitive without much opportunity to deviate.

“Mortal Kombat 11” (2019)

While most loved the rebooted continuity of “Mortal Kombat” that began in 2011, things seemed to go downhill in “Mortal Kombat 11.” Some players weren’t keen on the single player mode’s time travel plot with Kronika, but that was far from the only issue. Other complaints came from the general structure of progression, which featured way too much grinding, and an over-reliance on microtransactions and DLC. Then you have the actual fighting, which many felt was unbalanced towards certain characters, and introduced new unwelcome features like the Fatal Blow. While critics kindly scored most versions in the mid 80s on Metacritic, the user score currently sits at 4.1.

“Final Fantasy XIII” (2009)

“Final Fantasy” is so huge that every installment gets its detractors. But with “Final Fantasy XIII” back in 2009, there were a lot more than usual given that game actually sold really well. While the story went in insane directions like many entries do, the game’s structure was much more linear than previous games. Given that it’s still very long, many felt this made battles repetitive. And being forced to use specific party combinations or leaders at certain points didn’t help. In general, critics were more forgiving of these shortcomings, with it scoring in the low 80s on Metacritic. Bored players gave it a lukewarm 6.3, which is actually kind of low for this franchise.

“Assassin’s Creed Valhalla” (2020)

Reception towards “Assassin’s Creed” has gone up and down over the years. Many thought “Origins” was a breath of fresh air with its implementation of open world exploration and RPG features. But by the time we got to “Valhalla,” it had shifted towards the negative again. The biggest problem was Ubisoft’s steadfast intent on making the open world far too big and filling it with an uninteresting checklist, causing many players to feel it was a bloated, copy-paste job of better games. Critics weren’t that bothered by it; “Valhalla” scored between 80 and 84 across all platforms. But players had grown tired, giving it a very ‘meh’ 6.0, which is why the following game, 2023’s “Mirage” scaled things back.

“Artifact” (2018)

Designed by the creator of “Magic: The Gathering” and inspired by “DOTA 2,” 2018’s “Artifact” was a digital card game in which players could compete in fantastical battles. It got a decent amount of praise from critics for the depth of its gameplay, earning it a 76 on Metacritic. But players had big problems with its economy. You already had to buy the game, but you also had to purchase new cards, and many saw it as an unfair pay-to-win model. Players voiced their dissatisfaction, giving it a user score of 2.2, and 95% of them abandoned the game within its first two months, which caught Valve completely off-guard. “Artifact” was reworked for a 2.0 release, but the damage had been done. And by 2021, all future plans were scrapped.

“Gone Home” (2013)

The indie darling “Gone Home” follows Katie, who returns home to Portland, Oregon only to find her parents and sister missing. From there, you piece together the events surrounding a dramatic falling out, uncovering a coming-of-age, Lesbian romance and the rejection of Katie’s sister by their parents. While there were certainly some players against the LGBTQ plotline, others took issue simply with how it played. While it was advertised as a “walking simulator,” that didn’t stop them from finding the plot’s delivery boring. However, it scored in the high 80s on Metacritic, with many outlets being blown away and giving it perfect scores. A lot of players felt that was too high, and it currently has a user score of 5.5.

“DmC: Devil May Cry” (2013)

Hoo, boy. The decision to reboot the “Devil May Cry” series in 2013 was seen, at best, as strange, and, at worst, a slap in the face. It was strange because it wasn’t necessary; “Devil May Cry 4” sold and reviewed well. It was a slap in the face because lead character Dante’s appearance and personality were vastly altered, causing a huge uproar when the game was revealed. When it was released, most critics were unbothered by this fact. And at 85 for PS3 and 86 for Xbox 360, it actually scored just a smidge higher on Metacritic than the fourth game, which is at 84 for both. Even though the gameplay was strong, players shunned this reboot, earning it a 5.8. It didn’t sell nearly as well, and Capcom later returned to the original continuity.

“Destiny 2” (2017)

Admittedly, a live-service game like “Destiny 2” means that reception can fluctuate with any given update. But I’m talking about the game at launch, where there was a wide divide between critics and players. Many reviewers felt it was a huge step up from the original, with particular praise pointed towards the new story, as well as gunplay mechanics and multiplayer. It scored in the mid 80s and earned a lot of nominations. On the other side, most players felt Bungie hadn’t learned from its past mistakes. That new story was still pretty short, and the modes that were included were bare-bones. Many questioned the need for a sequel, especially a shallow one at full price, earning it a 5.1 on Metacritic.

“Halo 5: Guardians” (2015)

Following the resounding success of the original trilogy, which players and critics were aligned in their love for, Microsoft kept the “Halo” train rolling. While some fans definitely had issues with “Halo 4,” the disconnect between them and reviewers grew even more apparent with the fifth game. At an 84 on Metacritic, it received some questionable praise for the campaign. Most players agreed it was a big step down and the result of misleading marketing. Critics were more positive on multiplayer, too, considering it a nice transition into the modern day. But many players saw the shift to more fast-paced mechanics as a disservice to the sandbox orientation of previous titles. These negatives led to a 6.4 on Metacritic.

“Starfield” (2023)

Bethesda has fallen quite a bit in the eyes of players over the last decade or so. And even the release of a brand new IP couldn’t redeem the company for many. With an 85 on PC and an 83 on Xbox, “Starfield” got a ton of positive feedback from critics on its gigantic, extensive universe. Many reviews also praised its level of exploration, leading players to wonder if they had played the same game. There are a lot of people who felt utterly bored, which is not the reaction you want for a game that promises unbound adventure. This and the frequent technical issues, a Bethesda staple, led to a 6.8 on Metacritic and ‘Mixed’ reception on Steam.

“Dragon Age II” (2011)

2009’s “Dragon Age: Origins” was an RPG adored by players and critics alike. Then, along came the sequel. Critics felt the writing and characters were all just as strong as the first. Many also liked how the pace of combat was quickened, leaning a bit more into action while still retaining the strategy. Truthfully, many did point out the negatives, including a lot of reused assets and a much smaller world scope. It’s just that players were far less forgiving. Those negatives, along with the battle structure that focused on waves of enemies, made it a lot less fun for them to play through. While it earned a 79 on Xbox 360 and an 82 on PC and PS3, the user score sits at 4.7.

“Street Fighter V” (2016)

Another game that critics were far more forgiving of with its shortcomings was “Street Fighter V.” Controls and mechanics were obviously great, and visuals were certainly strong. The problem was that it launched with barely any modes or characters. What it did have was a lot of technical problems that made playing online a drag and plenty of DLC in place to suck in more money. Still, for many reviewers, that didn’t diminish the positives, leading to a 77 on PS4 and a 74 on PC on Metacritic. Players, though, were pissed, as there wasn’t enough here to justify the price tag. They vocally voiced their displeasure, earning the game a 3.7. It was best to just wait for future versions when issues were resolved and the roster had grown.

“Diablo IV” (2023)

It’s a common practice now to hate on Blizzard, though the studio hasn’t done itself any favors. The highly anticipated “Diablo IV” got strong reviews from most outlets, with the Xbox Series version even reaching 91 on Metacritic. The story and visuals combined to create a tense, moody atmosphere, while the class-based gameplay and procedurally generated dungeons made for a thrilling experience. Or so, critics claimed. Players, especially longtime fans, were let down. The same gameplay critics praised is seen by some players as repetitive, with classes not offering the wealth of options like many other ARPGs. That’s not to mention a lot of bugs and Blizzard’s constant reliance on microtransactions, with the user score now sitting at 2.2. Of course, it still generates a ton of money, so players must like something about it.

“Pokémon Sword” & “Shield” (2019)

The “Pokémon” series receives a lot of criticism from its player base. But, so long as they keep selling well, which they undeniably do, the games aren’t likely to change anytime soon. When “Sword” and “Shield” were announced for Switch, they were the first new, mainline entries scheduled for a non-handheld Nintendo platform. This made anticipation high, as stronger graphical fidelity, better performance, and new mechanics were possible. No such luck. A lot of players were disappointed, considering them lazy in their design, especially since many past Pokémon didn’t return. They hold a 4.7 user score on Metacritic, but critics focused on the positives. Praise was directed at gameplay and exploration of the new open world, leading to an 80.

“Evolve” (2015)

Planned as a huge, asymmetrical multiplayer hit, 2015’s “Evolve” placed one player in the role of a monster and the others as hunters trying to bring them down. When it launched, it scored in the mid 70s on Metacritic, with critics praising its premise and mechanics. Of course, if you remember how this game crashed and burned, you know players felt differently. Sure, the set-up was cool, but there wasn’t a lot to choose from at launch unless you wanted to fork over more money. There was a ton of day-one DLC available, with most feeling the base game was overpriced for what was actually offered, earning it a 4.3. Many abandoned it shortly after, causing the game to go free-to-play before servers were shut down in 2018.

“Battlefield 2042” (2021)

To be fair, critical scores on Metacritic for “Battlefield 2042,” with the highest being PC’s 68, don’t exactly signify ‘love.’ But compared to what players rightfully scored it, a 2.2, even the 60s are too high. Players were upset over gameplay changes, but they didn’t exactly have time to grow used to them given the other problems. Multiple features and modes seen in previous entries were now gone, and “2042” also launched as a buggy mess that was well documented by the experiences of players. Critics were kinder and more open to the gameplay changes, though everything else should have led to lower numbers; most baffling was EGM’s perfect 5 out of 5. Updates eventually made the game better, but this was not a pleasant first impression.

“Star Wars Battlefront II” (2017)

“Star Wars Battlefront II” is a similar situation to “Battlefield 2042.” It was also published by EA and scored in the mid 60s. But again, the user score, which sits at an impressively low 1.8 on Metacritic, shows there’s a fairly big gap between what critics and players will accept. The brunt of negativity came from the heavy implementation of loot boxes and the need to grind an absurdly long time if you didn’t want to pay for characters. But fans also weren’t thrilled about the story mode, a bait-and-switch that initially promised playing as a villain. The microtransaction fiasco was resolved and updates with new content were given out for free, making the game better even if certain new characters would launch unbalanced.

“Overwatch 2” (2023)

At a Metacritic score of 79 on PC, “Overwatch 2” certainly doesn’t match the critical love of the original, which holds a 91. However, player hatred, which has earned the sequel a user score of 1.7, is immense. Through frequent, mostly positively received updates, the first game was in a great place when “Overwatch 2” came in and wrecked everything. The switch from 6v6 to 5v5 was strange; personally, as a former Healer, the lack of a second Tank made it a lot easier for DPS heroes to get kills on us. There was also the switch to a battle pass instead of loot boxes, with new heroes now locked behind them instead of being released for free. Blizzard also canceled the planned PvE story content, which sounded like one of the only justifications for creating a sequel in the first place.

Know of any other games that critics loved and players hated? And do you think any of the hate for these games is overblown? Share your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to subscribe to MojoPlays for more great gaming videos every day!