10 Reboots That Failed Miserably

Have you seen our list of reboots that were successful, right? Those that managed to revitalize franchises and win back the hearts of fans. However, not all reboots follow this path to success.

While some manage to balance nostalgia and innovation, others stumble badly, whether due to a lack of resources, misguided creative decisions or simply because they shouldn't have messed with a legacy that was better left alone.

Now, it's time to talk about those reboots that failed miserably. Titles that not only disappointed fans, but in some cases, practically ruined the legacy of the original franchise.

Let’s take a look back at these critical failures — and, of course, some of them were commercial disasters as well. These reboots showed us that not every reinvention is worth it, and that sometimes it’s better to leave nostalgia intact.

Altered Beast

The 2005 remake for the PS2 did very badly. Repetitive, with a very weak AI and a camera that is so bad that it gives you nightmares, not only did it not even come close to the original, but it was also forgotten, thankfully, over time.

Thief

Thief shook up the world in 1998 with its sharp gameplay and era-defining stealth system. The graphics were eye-catching and the narrative was memorable. It was one of the great games of its time.

The 2008 reboot failed to live up to expectations. With a mediocre narrative and especially poor level design, it ended up being neither a great game nor a great Thief.

Bomberman Act Zero

One of the most popular games of the SNES era, Bomberman entertained an entire generation with its memorable multiplayer and campaign.

In Act Zero, someone had the not-so-bright idea of ​​giving Bomberman a serious tone and bringing the game into a 3D environment. Obviously the result was not well received by critics and became an eternal meme in the industry.

Turok

The Nintendo 64 had some great shooters, one of them being Turok, which even received a sequel at the time. Unfortunately, the franchise went on hiatus and only came out of it years later.

The 2008 Turok suffered from a poorly implemented camera, uninspired levels and by relying on stealth mechanics that were not very fluid, it ended up killing the fun of the game. A failure compared to its predecessor.

Golden Axe – Beast Rider

Golden Axe is one of the most iconic games of the 16-bit era. Featuring classic RPG characters, you would face enemies in side-scrolling progression in increasingly interesting scenarios.

With Beast Rider, nothing like that happened. By betting on clichés, blood and nudity, the game forgot the main thing, the gameplay, which was slow and full of problems. The result was strong reviews and few sales.

Alone in the Dark

With a focus on exploration and full of references to the work of writer HP Lovecraft, Alone in the Dark was very successful in the 90s and received several sequels until it disappeared for a while.

In 2008, it received a reboot that focused more on combat, with confusing levels and an unconventional chapter separation for the franchise. With several technical problems, it needed a new version later to be complete. The game sold well, but it was far from as impactful as the originals.

Sonic the Hedgehog

Sonic has gone through several reboots, always trying to adapt to new industry trends. Some games do well, others do very badly, but none surpass the 2D masterpieces from the beginning of the Sega mascot's saga.

An example of a bad reboot was Sonic the Hedgehog from 2006. In addition to the clumsy narrative, the game had several technical problems, especially with loading times between levels. The result was disappointing for fans of the franchise.

Star Fox Zero

Star Fox is one of Nintendo's most beloved franchises, with mascots that marked an era, especially on the Nintendo 64. Fox McCloud and his men deserved even more games, but not like Star Fox Zero.

Star Fox Zero tried to tell the same story as the original games, but it failed badly in terms of controls and some animations. In addition to failing to meet expectations, it now has to put the franchise on another hiatus, which is a shame.

Medal of Honor (2010)

Medal of Honor was very successful before Call of Duty and Battlefield took over the market. In the PS One generation, there were several titles in the franchise that marked an era and captured the hearts of gamers.

In 2010, trying to rekindle the franchise's flame, the developers tried to bring Medal of Honor to the present day, something like Modern Warfare. However, the result was well below expectations and the shooting simply wasn't fluid. Yet another reboot that didn't work out.

Sim City 4 (2003)

Sim City 2000, released in 1993, was a huge success, perhaps the most iconic PC game of its time. In this simulator, players were challenged to build huge, functional cities with residential, industrial and commercial areas.

With small spaces to build cities, the requirement of an online connection to play single player modes, server problems at launch and lacking the inspiration of the previous games, Sim City 4 simply did not meet expectations and ends our list in a depressing way.