Have you ever been dissapointed by the library of a console?

[Forlorn Drifter]

This is a question I've been mulling over today- I've been playing through a lot of PS2 classics, and finding that I can't understand why they are still held up. For their time, some of them are impressive- but I don't think they still stand up. I think its weird- playing PS1/N64 games or Gamecube games don't leave me with this feeling, despite being older or the same age. It might just be a matter of taste though. So far, I've found about 5 games I truly consider to be "gold standard" classics, but some of those don't line up with many people's lists. Hell, I found myself bored out of my mind by the time I got to the Hospital in Silent Hill 2, which was a huge disappointment. Maximo really didn't do anything for me. I'm not huge on JRPGs, so that cuts out many of the big name classics. Max Payne, Godhand, Ratchet and Clank, and MGS are the main things that have grabbed me so far, though Ape Escape is definitely going to be checked out.

So what about you? Have you ever been disappointed going back to a console's library and finding it just wasn't to your taste?

[Tanooki]

I don't know, but maybe the PS2 just feels stale because it was so dominant that even the good/great games just still feel like they're machine line spit out watered down stuff that while good, didn't need as much care put into them perhaps? Nintendo and MS had to try harder, lots harder to get any attention so they had to really crack down and do their best on their projects and help with a few others by third or second parties to really shine. That extra level of shine on those unique to the system titles make them just more palatable despite even showing their age in one way or another.

For me I'm sure it'll get push back, but the WiiU. Doomed at birth it was. Nintendo made a system that was underpowered like Wii, but nothing notable about it stand out worthwhile unique like Wii to make people forget it. Unlike the Wii, the WiiU had a nightmarish level of challenge to code or convert code from other systems to it much like the Saturn did, except the Saturn was due to all the battling processors, and Nintendo from straight up backwards poor design causing ports to basically have to be greatly redone from scratch. When it did come to market outside of Nintendo essentially, the third party games were almost all 1-3 years old and inferior conversions with problems to due porting issues, even second generation stuff improved but didn't as much as it should.

When stuff went bad developers walked anywhere from 6-18mo into its life dooming it to a Nintendo fanboy love obscurity with few great things and mostly just Nintendo stuff. Even if a port happened it was grossly late and jacked up like Sleeping Dogs or whatever that was that pissed people off. The library was crap, the parts of it that wasn't have almost all been converted now to the Switch or in a few cases Steam/other consoles like Zombi.

The system was a disgrace and from 1985 to date the only system I've ever sold off when on the shelf in total disgust. It disappointed me not only that bad, but broke my ability to trust Nintendo to make a console again, and had Switch been NX and a console, I'd have ignored it until it proved itself viable and I'm no mid-system lifespan or later buyer.

[Erik_Twice]

Huh, I was scared to post because I also thought of the PS2.

When I made my lists of what games I wanted for each console, I was surprised to find the PS2 had very few games in. Sure, it had Gradius V and Time Crisis II, but given the massive scope of its library, I expected much more.

It also seems like the games themselves have aged in a less than graceful manner sometimes. Partly because of the hardware and partly because of their design, I think.

[BoneSnapDeez]

PS1 and PS2 are weird ones for me. Like, probably 20% of the PSX/PS2 games out there are absolutely phenomenal. But the other 80% I just couldn't care less about. Literally thousands of games I have zero interest in playing. With the "true" retro systems (Atari 2600, NES, Genesis, etc) I can find some kind of quirky joy in almost any game, even the "bad" ones. But once the fifth gen hits things start to get bland, sterile, commercialized. Some of this is rose-colored glasses, sure, but I also legitimately dislike 3D platformers, 3D action-adventure games, and other genres that dominate those platforms.

[Tanooki]

I think the GBC didn't have more than the GB, but it just was perceived to be since so many games it had came out in such a shorter amount of years vs the GB. Percentage wise I'd be curious to see if the GBC was well farther up the pole for crap vs quality than GB when it cames to not really trying kids game shovelware to licensed hot garbage. I think proportionately though they're probably fairly even. I know from the general size of my GB and GBC selections of games GBC has far fewer but for time on the market they kind of level out.

[Forlorn Drifter]

Phew, helps not knowing I'm not alone with the PS2. As mentioned, aging has to do with it. IMO, I think the fact that so many of the great games are available elsewhere has a lot of effect on things. A ps3, especially if you include PS2 classics, will cover everything must have, IMO, but you'll cover the big stuff with the HD collections. I mean, Katamari is coming to switch...and Onimusha...and we already have Okami on everything. I also think that a lot of PS2 stuff has just been totally surpassed over the years since.

Xbox and DC are interesting. I can't comment on DC personally, but I've heard a lot of people IRL who got little out of it. Xbox doesn't seem to have a ton, but some of them are real, true blue exclusives that aren't similar to anything else.

[Ack]

I think part of the issue with the PS2 you guys are having is also that the library is so big, it's easy to get lost in the weeds and think there is nothing that will appeal to you. But don't look at the big names; they often get ported. How many times has Super Mario Bros. been ported? Most major names on any console eventually see ports, and since Sony wasn't keen on continuing to give us backwards compatibility, it makes sense they would rerelease titles and charge us again for them.

Instead, consider some lesser-known titles. Front Mission 4, Echo Night Beyond, Haunting Ground, Ghosthunter, Bloody Roar 4, Arcana Heart, and The Mark of Kri are all examples of games that were only on the PS2 that I enjoyed. Way of the Samurai 1 and 2 we're ported, but only to PSP. The Red Star got a PSP and iOS port, but that's it. And then there are compilations that I prefer on the PS2 to other systems, such as Metal Slug Anthology, Soul Calibur 2(yes, I prefer this one to having Link or Spawn), and Samurai Shodown Anthology. It may take a lot more digging, but you'll find something to play on there.

As for me...I can't really say there are any consoles that underwhelmed me. I have certain genres I favor, and certain consoles don't provide a lot of games of those types, but there are still things I enjoy on them. I like RPGs, horror, and fighting games, so by all rights I probably shouldn't care much for the N64, yet I still found games for it that I enjoy. I just ventured away from the big flagships that so often get hyped to seek out things which would interest me more, and I found things to play and appreciate.

[Fragems]

The PS2 was the Wii of that generation there is a shitload of shovel ware.

One genre that I think is really under appreciated from the Sixth gen is the arcade sports genre. Downhill Domination, SSX Tricky, NBA Street, and etc. were amazing and most still hold up really well today.

Really disappointed that we don't have more like that this gen. Was really hoping STEEP would scratch my SSX itch but it ended up being all time trials and free roam the fact that it lacked a formal racing mode(unless they patched it in) was a big disappointment.

[AreYouSerious]

Well I remember when I got Nintendo WII for Christmas, it wasn't anything like I was expecting. I more of a hardcore gamer and like my fighting games, battle games, performance racing and the like. And little did I know, WII was more of a childrend console.

[Reprise]

It took me a long while to truly get into the PS2, bit once I did, I struggled to stop buying games for the console. I love it now to be honest. The only other consoles I own more games for, are the PS4 and Dreamcast. The only thing that annoys me, as someone from the UK, was there were still a lot of poor unoptimised PAL conversions that were coming out for the system, whilst nearly every Gamecube, Xbox and even Dreamcast release offered 60hz gameplay as standard.

My confession is.... The SNES *ducks*

I grew up with a Mega Drive in the 16 bit era and didn't pick up a SNES until 2010 or 2011ish. After years of believing the hype that it's the greateat console ever, I was a little disappointed. I think it's just down to timing. I was too late to the party. I have played hundreds of Mega Drive games and I just feel that 90% of decent multi platform games play better on that console. I just struggle to think of SNES games I truly want. Sure, there's a lot of great Nintendo games and there are RPGs like Final Fantasy and Chrono Trigger, but by that point I had played those games on other systems.