15 Games That Overcame the Odds to Become Successful

Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Metal Gear Rising’s initial announcement came as a shock. Originally known as Metal Gear Solid: Rising, it was confirmed to star Raiden and focus more on hack-and-slash action, which was insane considering the series’ penchant for stealth. The zan-datsu mechanic encouraged slicing up enemies for rewards. However, stealth mechanics were still present and killing humans wouldn’t yield rewards.

Development wasn’t going well, though, but even after facing cancellation, Kojima Productions teamed with PlatinumGames, resulting in the re-reveal of the title as Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Stealth was present but sidelined in favor of high-octane action in a new setting and story.

The rest, as they say, is history. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance received strong critical acclaim on its release, and while it didn’t achieve the same sales heights as the mainline games, its combat, music, and insane story moments are still the stuff of legend.