5 Games That Were Worth Waiting For

Coming in the next year are some hotly anticipated games for which we’ve been waiting literal years: The Last of Us Part 2, Cyberpunk 2077, and possibly even a good Star Wars game for the first time in like, fifteen years are just a few of them. When these moments come around to revitalize our favorite franchises or to follow up our favorite worlds, the tension gets high and the stakes are real. We ask ourselves, “Was it worth the wait?”

For some games, that answer was heck yes. Today we’re going to rehash some of that sweet hype-turned-love and look at a few anticipated titles that dived elegantly into a pool of well-earned success. While there are a ton of games to choose from, these are a few of our favorites.

Kingdom Hearts III

Kingdom Hearts. Honestly, what a weird idea for a franchise. Let’s take this esoteric Japanese role-playing franchise and smoosh it together with Disney cartoons. It’s a pop-culture monstrosity that strangely… works? Kingdom Hearts became a generational icon for many millennials who fell in love with the game’s complex narrative and goofy aesthetic.

While Kingdom Hearts III did not become a huge smash hit, it reviewed and sold well, while offering fans a mostly satisfying entry in a beloved franchise. Kingdom Hearts should not work, and the degree to which it has succeeded has been a combination of nostalgic appeal and charming character growth that’s planted Sora in a very special place in many gamers’ hearts.

God Of War

God of War revitalized the entirety of Greek mythology for an entire generation. This fan fiction of epic scale communicated the violence and heavy themes around the Greek Pantheon by letting players indulge in a power fantasy of the highest level: killing gods. It was one of the franchises that defined the PlayStation 2.

And then the series fizzled.

When rumors began to surface about God Of War IV, fans were unenthused. Then eyebrows began to cock at the rumors of a nordic setting. Then, finally, at E3 in 2016, players saw a bearded, beefy Kratos – axe in hand, ready to slay again. It would be another two years before God Of War dominated the spring of 2018, but its launch was well worth the wait. The soft reboot of the franchise invited new fans with welcome arms, and grizzled veterans found surprises waiting for them. Cory Barlog and the team at Santa Monica Studios really delivered a highly playable, replayable game, and we cannot wait (although we’ll have to) for the inevitable sequel.

Grand Theft Auto V

Did Grand Theft Auto IV age well? Somebody look into this for me. Because while the game featured stunning technology for the time, an incredibly dark story, and some amazing mission sets, it seemed to be a step backwards in some ways as well. I remember the game as being the first to simulate the pleasures and annoyances of having a cell phone, but also for being a lot less fun than Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

So, when Grand Theft Auto V was announced, it felt like it was putting the series back on track by giving players a massive sandbox version of Los Angeles and California to blow up, race through, and punch bystanders in. GTA V also launched an online mode that refuses to die, and has continued to sell well years into its shelf life. Its really hard to imagine another game becoming as successful as GTA V managed to be.

Now that we’re living in a post Red Dead Redemption 2 world (another game that took ages to arrive), the minds at Rockstar will be moving on to their next single-player experience. Many fans are hoping for a follow up to Bully, or at least a chance to skateboard past the townies again. However, maybe it is time for Rockstar to launch a new IP, or maybe Grand Theft Auto beckons. What do you think is up next?

StarCraft 2

in 1999, StarCraft became one of the most successful real-time strategy games ever, and became a staple of competitive gaming around the world before the notion was popular. Unlike many of the other series on the list, the StarCraft brand was incredibly strong after one entry, and Blizzard just didn’t get around to making another one for over a decade. There’s no point in time where StarCraft lost its prestige or clout.

StarCraft II brought players back into a universe of hardened space marines and disgusting bug… alien things and fast paced gameplay. I’ve personally never been a big StarCraft fan, but the passion of the community around their game is visible from the outside and, internationally, StarCraft is a major franchise for millions of gamers around the world. Meanwhile, old school WarCraft fans are still waiting for another shot at an RTS. They’ll just have to settle for an MMORPG that will probably n e v e r die.

Fallout 3

Fallout 3, like most Bethesda games, was a black hole that sucked my life into it in the fall of 2008. For myself, and many other younger gamers, Fallout 3 was the first introduction to the wild, wild wasteland, the Brotherhood of Steel, Super Mutants, and friendly post-apocalyptic store keepers with mid-western accents who ask you to blow yourself up with a few frag grenades but are really nice about patching you up later and ultimately you create a really cool little book together about surviving the wastes that shows up in later entries that helps add a sense of continuity to the franchise that is sorely lacking and is really indicative of Bethesda’s anthology style of creating games that helps make each entry feel unique but can also keep fans from immersing in the greater universe instead of just that individual entry.

The above tangent is usually how I get asked to leave Dunkin’ Donuts.

As much as I grew to love the Fallout world, many fans of the franchise found Bethesda’s take to be unfriendly to the established lore and story. When Fallout: New Vegas launched shortly after, some fans felt seen again, but a core base still refuses to love the new entries. But, let’s face it, Fallout was dead after Fallout 2, and Bethesda has opened an opportunity to let players return to that world. After the recent controversial launch of Fallout 76, fans are more pissed off than ever. Only time will tell if feedback and criticism will lead to a new title that can placate the hardcore fans while inviting casual gamers into the mix. Sounds impossible, I know, but you’ve just got to keep fighting the good fight.

Those are just a few of the games we thought were worth the interminable wait. Chime in on Twitter, Reddit, or the Discord and let us know what your favorite games were that were worth the wait. Or call us weebs and trash Kingdom Hearts III – we feed on your hatred.

Be sure to check out our recent podcast episode or our review of Freedom Finger.