The Gotham Knights game is set for release on October 21st, and anticipation has steadily been growing. With every new trailer released and every new gameplay mechanic revealed, fans are becoming increasingly excited to play as of Batman's family exploring Gotham City together.
Of course, fans currently have no way of knowing if their expectations will be met. There have been many games that have failed to live up to their hype. Yet there are some video games that actually lived up to the hype and turned out to be everything fans on Reddit could have wanted and more.
Portal 2
The followup to the hit game Portal 2 to match its predecessor. Yet the game certainly managed. "This was the best one-up ever. A lot of studios can make a sequel that's better. But there has never been one this good," says Redditor joedotphp.
Introducing new puzzles, a new co-op mechanic, and even a new character in Wheatley that became an instant hit, Portal 2 proved that it was capable of anything. Portal 2 is easily the best couch co-op game of all time with a story just as engaging as the original.
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
The game that completely evolved the Grand Theft Auto series, San Andreas was the first game in the franchise to really emphasize the narrative of its characters. "San Andreas had a massive amount of hype and massive shoes to fill and it absolutely shattered expectations," says Reddit freestyle43.
Introducing new mechanics like shopping, swimming, new vehicles, character customization, and even gambling, it no longer felt like the game had any restrictions at all, which led to massive success for Rockstar. There's a reason the game remains beloved to this day.
Assassin's Creed 2
Introducing by far Assassin's Creed 2 gave gamers a chance to meet Ezio Auditore da Firenze, a confident assassin that took the gaming world by storm. But it wasn't just the skilled and cocky hero that made fans love the game. It was "bigger and better in every way from the original," says Reddit Lelky.
Still beloved today, Assassin's Creed 2 introduced an economy system to the franchise, notoriety, and even updated many of the stealth features in the series to add more variety to potential play styles. New weapons and the addition of a mini-map made the game feel more playable, less repetitive, and much more developed. It lived up to the hype and more.
Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2005)
An awesome original Xbox game fans can still , the first iteration of Star Wars Battlefront 2 gave gamers a chance to step into a beloved universe in an incredibly well-made shooter that still holds up today. "In my opinion the greatest game ever," says Reddit ControlQuality960. "So simple and timeless."
With new characters, vehicles, and mechanics like sprinting, the game was much more enjoyable than its predecessor, while still maintaining the excellent atmosphere that kept fans engaged. Players also had the chance to play as heroes, which is an element that was leagues ahead of the original game.
Diablo 2
Released in 2000, Diablo 2 was one of the earliest games to draw substantial amounts of hype, and it certainly met expectations. "Diablo 2 blew everyone out of the water," says Reddit duogemstone. "It was lightning in a bottle and still the gold standard and still heavily played today."
Introducing a well-developed story with new characters, new locations, and even new enemies, the game improved everything that its predecessor introduced. The game also featured new difficulty modes, which added replayability, especially thanks to optional dungeons.
Doom (2016)
One of the Doom embraces the chaos in every way possible, thanks to fun gameplay mechanics that encourage players to run screaming at the enemy even when low on health. "Easily lived up the hype and still one of the best pure modern FPS games ever made, if not the best," says Redditor DragonDai.
With a tight narrative, new shooting mechanics, and the chance to uncover secrets along the way, the game managed to completely revitalize the franchise. The upgrade system also added replayability and variety to the game, while also making each step along the progression feel there was genuine growth along the way, instead of a slow amble to the finish line.
World of Warcraft
The hype for World of Warcraft was practically unprecedented, but the game was everything fans could want and more. "There's a reason why games come out, and people claiming it the 'WoW Killer' yet...only 4 or 5 games have really competed in the same ballpark as WoW," says Reddit WizardMoose.
A sequel that completely changed genres from what Warcraft had already been presenting, WoW introduced massive multiplayer elements that converted the franchise into the ultimate collaborative experience. The game is still beloved 18 years after its initial release, because of unending by its developers and the eternal embrace of its fans.
Red Dead Redemption
After the success of games like Grand Theft Auto, fans were unbelievably excited to see what Rockstar would do with the Western genre, but the developer certainly delivered. "I can’t believe how well that game holds up. It’s a masterpiece," says Reddit basspig. "There are parts that I like much more than RDR2."
Though it's certainly one of the Red Dead Redemption world introduced a cutthroat atmosphere with an incredible story that genuinely moved fans. In a land entirely without law and with men ready to cut each other down at the first opportunity, the game is never dull, despite the fact that it easily could have been a major stumbling block for Rockstar.
Halo 3
While it lays claim to one of the Halo 3 was practically perfect. "Halo 3 was highly anticipated, had huge marketing, and overall a massive release," says Reddit iBaconized. "And it delivered."
Given how beloved the Halo franchise is, it would have been easy to disappoint. With better balance and more equipment than its predecessor, Halo 3 made it clear that Bungie was not done with its improvements. Better graphics also helped set it apart, as the game delivered every upgrade — both major and minor — that fans could ask for.
Elden Ring
The release of Elden Ring was heavily anticipated, but the game somehow matched expectations and sured them. "I’ll never forget, after years of waiting and excitement, finally getting it ed on preorder and it finally going live," says Reddit Dubbs09. "I’m not sure I will ever experience anything like it again."
Fans were excited to see the fresh open world, new mechanics, and new storylines that could help keep fans engaged in the world of Elden Ring. The difficulty of the game was everything fans were looking for as well, especially given how heavily exploration is encouraged for players who want nothing more than to discover every secret of the well-developed and easy-to-love world.
