System Shock (1994)

The game that started it all as far as story driven action and sci-fi shooters are concerned. Yes, we are talking about System Shock. At the time of its release, it garnered good reviews and slowly but surely built a cult following. System Shock is ahead of its time in many ways, blending cyberpunk elements with horror. Players take control of a nameless protagonist who wishes to put a stop to the nefarious AI SHODAN. It may be difficult for modern gamers to get into the swing of things, but it is worth it.

]]> 598903 https://gamingbolt.com/15-amazing-games-that-flopped-commercially https://gamingbolt.com/15-amazing-games-that-flopped-commercially#respond Fri, 13 Sep 2019 07:39:35 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=414873 Like with any other entertainment medium, video game sales aren’t always reflective of their quality. Often, we see great games coming out to widespread praise from critics and audiences alike that somehow manage to not sell very well. Sadly, it’s something that happens quite a lot, and in this feature, we’ll be taking a look at fifteen such games.

DEUS EX: MANKIND DIVIDED

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided ruffled some feathers with its abrupt ending, but no one could doubt that it was a great game. It built on the complex systemic moment-to-moment action from Human Revolution, offering players diverse choices in how they wanted to tackle any given objective, and all in all, was more than just a solid package. Sadly, at launch, the game’s sells fell below expectations, and Square Enix ended up putting the franchise on ice. Both Square Enix and Eidos Montreal have said on multiple occasions that the Deus Ex series isn’t done yet, so let’s just hope a sequel isn’t too far away (but it most likely is).

Grim Fandango, the remake of the classic adventure game of the same name, finally launches today thanks to the efforts of Sony and Double Fine, and to celebrate this launch, we have been given a launch trailer of the game. The trailer walks us through all the changes that this version of the game has over the original (including remastered graphics, orchestral sound, a new control scheme, new features such as the developer’s commentary, and more) all the while also showcasing the game’s trademark sense of humor and wit.

The original game released nearly fifteen years ago to great critical acclaim, and by all early accounts of this remaster, it would seem that time has done nothing to tarnish the game’s glory.

Grim Fandango Remastered launches on PS4, PS Vita, and computers running Windows, Mac OS, and Linux. Stay tuned to GamingBolt for more coverage and information on the game.

Double Fine Productions’ remaster of the cult classic adventure game Grim Fandango is now available to pre-order. You can head to GOG.com to pre-order it for PC or you can go to PSN for the PS4 version, both available for $14.99. A new video with Double Fine boss Tim Schafer has been released to convince you to pre-order.

It should be noted that the GOG version supports Mac and Linux as well. There’s no DRM on it and you’ll receive some spiffy wallpapers for pre-ordering. Those who pre-order on the PS4 will also get a neat extra in the form of a dynamic console theme.

Grim Fandango will be out on January 27th and revisits one of the more famous – and hilarious – adventure games ever made as you play as the Grim Reaper (of sorts). From there, it’s one hodge-podge after another with one-armed men on unicycles, poetry slams and much more. Will you be picking it up? Let us know in the comments.

One of the big announcements for the PS4 at Sony’s E3 press conference (actually, the only big announcement for the PS Vita at E3 last month) was the announcement of a Grim Fandango remake for the system, that it would also be sharing with the PlayStation 4. When the game was announced, it was announced only for those two systems, with the developers being evasive about the prospect of it ever coming to other systems.

Of course, as with most other third party games that Sony announces these days, the Grim Fandango remake will not be exclusive to the PS4 and PS Vita at all- it will also be coming to Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux, and at the same time as the PS4 and Vita versions. Not only is not exclusive, it’s not even timed exclusives.

Of course, this shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the game on your system of choice at all! After all, the more people that get to enjoy a potentially great game, the better, right?

Though Sony said that Double Fine Productions’ remastered edition of Grim Fandango would be on the PS4 and PS Vita, Tim Schafer recently took to Twitter to confirm that the game will be arriving on the PC, Mac and Linux. And no, it won’t be arriving later, thus giving the PlayStation platforms timed exclusivity.

“Reap your heart out! We’re pleased to announce Grim Fandango will also be available on PC, Mac, and Linux alongside PlayStation 4 and Vita!”

Grim Fandango is arguably one of the biggest cult classics in gaming and also one of the best adventure games ever made. It was created by LucasArts but didn’t really sell very well despite universal critical acclaim. Nevertheless, its story and gameplay has stood the test of time.

What are your thoughts on the remastered version coming to PC, Mac and Linux? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below and whether you’ll be picking it up.

That’s right: Double Fine Adventure’s Grim Fandango will be heading to the PlayStation 4 and Vita, with visuals fully remastered for the platforms. It was worth the awful jokes centred around creator Tim Schafer.

Grim Fandango was one of Schafer’s first games and was developed during his time at LucasArts. The game sees you playing as Manny, an agent of death, trying to ferry individuals to the afterlife and hating his own existence while doing so. Despite the great critical success the game incurred, commercial success eluded the game. Nonetheless, it looked great and has become a cult classic in the hearts and minds of players around the world.

We’re sure the remastered version of Grim Fandango will be arriving for the PC as well, but what are your thoughts on picking it up for the PS4 and Vita? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more updates from Sony’s E3 media briefing.

When asked how the company can “continue [to be] relevant in the game biz after so many years and so many financial flops”, Schafer responded that, “Full Throttle was actually a big hit. Gave me the money I eventually used to found Double Fine.

“Every game we’ve made at Double Fine has made a profit. We just haven’t had a blockbuster yet. Luckily our business plan isn’t dependent on blockbusters. You can make a lot of money off a game that sells less than that if you keep your costs down and plan ahead.”

Funny enough, Schafer stated that the term blockbuster for him meant something else entirely. “in the old days, it was selling a million copies. These days, it’s like six million or more.”

Schafer stated that of all the games he’d like to make a sequel to, mind-bending platformer Psychonauts is the first choice.

Notch has been tweeting about his exchanges with Schafer, but added: “Please don’t get your hopes too high yet. Everything is extremely vague!”

Thanks to Joystiq for the info.