10 Games You'll Either Love Or Hate (2024)

No matter how well-liked (or utterly-despised) a game is, there’s no such thing as a universally correct opinion.

Just about every game has a balance of supporters and detractors, as with just about any other form of media.

That said, there are some prominent games that have managed to accumulate absolutely massive numbers of those who both like and dislike them.

Often, in these cases, there’s something about the game that absolutely hits every mark with a large subset of players, while completely missing every mark with others.

Put simply, these are games that you either love with all your heart or just can’t stand.

10 Death Stranding

Every Day Is Leg Day

8/ 10

Action

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:83/100 Critics Recommend:79%

Franchise

Death Stranding

Platform(s)

iOS , PC , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

Released

November 8, 2019

Developer(s)

Kojima Productions

Publisher(s)

Sony , 505 Games

Engine

Decima

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Strong Language

How Long To Beat

40 Hours

Release

2022-03-30 (PC)

X|S Optimized

no

Metascore

85

PS Plus Availability

Extra & Premium

Steam Deck Compatibility

yes

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Cross Save

yes

Cross-Platform Play

Yes! Players will share the same server as Steam and Epic users

PC Release Date

July 14, 2020

PS5 Release Date

September 24, 2021

Xbox Series X|S Release Date

November 7, 2024

See at Playstation StoreSee at Amazon

If ever there were a game that emphasized the concept of commitment, it’d be Death Stranding.

Whether you’re watching lengthy cutscenes or just manually lugging yourself across the world, you’re going to need to live with possibly hours at a time with very little happening.

If you’re willing to commit the time and let it suck you in, Death Stranding is a fascinating game to experience.

However, not everyone has the time to commit to something so slow-going, especially if the long string of introductory cutscenes drives them off.

9 Monster Hunter

Gotta Play The Long Game

9.5/ 10

Action RPG

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:90/100 Critics Recommend:96%

Franchise

Monster Hunter

Platform(s)

PS4 , Xbox One , PC

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Released

January 26, 2018

Developer(s)

Capcom

Publisher(s)

Capcom

Multiplayer

Online Co-Op

Engine

MT Framework

ESRB

T for Teen: Blood, Mild Language, Use of Alcohol, Violence

Expansions

Monster Hunter World: Iceborne

How Long To Beat

48 Hours

Metascore

90

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

See at Playstation StoreSee at Amazon

The games of the Monster Hunter series require what you might call “the click.”

For the game’s fans, things seem to click as soon as they pick up their favorite weapon. At this point, Monster Hunter hits its stride as a bombastic and fun action experience.

However, for those who don’t experience the click, it just seems like an ordinary action game with the needless addition of pursuing prey and time limits.

It can also be harder for solo players to experience the click, as Monster Hunter is best enjoyed with friends.

8 Fortnite

Familiarity Breeds Contempt

Survival

Battle Royale

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:84/100 Critics Recommend:94%

Platform(s)

PC , iOS , Mobile , Xbox One , Android , PS5 , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Switch

Released

July 25, 2017

Developer(s)

Epic Games

Publisher(s)

Epic Games

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Engine

Unreal Engine 5

ESRB

T for Teen - Violence

X|S Optimized

YES

Metascore

78

Platforms That Support Crossplay

Mobile, PC, PS4,PS5, Switch, Xbox One &Xbox Series X|S

Split Screen Orientation

Horizontal Only

Number of Players

1-2

PS Plus Availability

N/A

Steam Deck Compatibility

N/A

Local Co-Op Support

1-2 Players

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

Cross Save

yes

Cross-Platform Play

Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S

See at Playstation StoreSee at Epic Games Store

Fortnite is one of the inescapable juggernauts of the gaming industry at large. There is a statistically significant chance you know at least one person who plays it.

Whether it’s the original Battle Royale mode or its gradually growing slate of other modes and mini games, there’s bound to be at least one enjoyable element for all players.

However, some players may bounce off Fortnite as a whole if they can’t get a Victory Royale in the first few tries, and lose interest in other game modes.

There is also the fact that a large portion of Fortnite’s playerbase is younger in age, and not everyone likes playing with kids.

7 Heavy Rain

“JAY-SON!”

9/ 10

Adventure

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:73/100 Critics Recommend:44%

Platform(s)

PS4 , PS3 , PC

Released

February 23, 2010

Developer(s)

Quantic Dream

Publisher(s)

Sony , Quantic Dream

Engine

havok, physx

ESRB

m

How Long To Beat

10 Hours

Release

2010-02-23

Metascore

87

OpenCritic Rating

Fair

See at Steam

Just about every game created by Quantic Dream has a hit or miss reputation, perhaps none more so than Heavy Rain.

Fans of Heavy Rain enjoy its cinematic presentation and some of its better-known plot twists.

However, it’s a very gameplay-lite experience, consisting almost exclusively of quick-time events, which definitely isn’t for everyone.

As for the story, it’s kind of a toss-up whether you’ll love the twists or find them to be hokey and predictable. That’s on top of the rather stilted and robotic character models and acting.

6 Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

Only Perfectionists Need Apply

9/ 10

Action RPG

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:90/100 Critics Recommend:96%

Platform(s)

PS4 , PC , Xbox One

Released

March 22, 2019

Developer(s)

From Software

Publisher(s)

Activision

Engine

Proprietary Engine

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

See at Playstation StoreSee at Amazon

The Soulslike genre is basically the poster child of “love-it-or-hate-it,” with its signature punishing difficulty turning away all but the most committed.

Out of all Soulslike games, especially those made by FromSoft, the one with debatably the highest barrier to entry is Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

Sekiro lacks the wiggle room provided by the RPG customization mechanics of its contemporaries.

The game demands absolute and constant perfection from you, and very quickly, but proves exciting and rewarding if you can manage.

If you can’t wrap your head around the parrying and dodging mechanics, though, you’ll bounce off this game like a golf ball on asphalt.

5 The Legend Of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

An Outlier Within Its Franchise

Action

Adventure

Systems

Franchise

The Legend of Zelda

Platform(s)

Nintendo 64 , GameCube

Released

October 26, 2000

Developer(s)

Nintendo EAD

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Engine

Proprietary Engine

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Animated Blood, Fantasy Violence, Suggestive Themes

See at Nintendo eShop$29 at Amazon

Most entries in the Legend of Zelda franchise are fairly accessible games, which is probably why it’s lasted as long as it has.

One major outlier to those design sensibilities came about in The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask.

While the basic gameplay is identical to Ocarina of Time, the introduction of the time loop and schedule mechanics require an entirely separate kind of engagement that players might not be willing to offer.

It’s also a darker, somewhat scarier game compared to Ocarina of Time, so younger players may not be into it.

4 Cyberpunk 2077

Still Some Leftover Bad Blood

8.2/ 10

RPG

Action

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:76/100 Critics Recommend:65%

Franchise

Cyberpunk

Platform(s)

PC , Xbox One , Stadia , PS4 , PS5 , Xbox Series S , Xbox Series X

Released

December 10, 2020

Developer(s)

CD Projekt Red

Publisher(s)

CD Projekt Red

Engine

REDengine 4

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs and Alcohol

How Long To Beat

25 Hours

X|S Optimized

Xbox Series X|S players can also download Update 2.1 and enjoy all the new content available in the game

Metascore

75

PS Plus Availability

N/A

Steam Deck Compatibility

yes

OpenCritic Rating

Strong

Cross Save

yes

Cross-Platform Play

ps, xbox, pc

$60 at Amazon$50 at Playstation Store

It’s no secret that the original launch of Cyberpunk 2077 was… troubled, to put it politely.

The numerous bugs and glitches magnified what was already seen as a rather middling RPG.

However, the game has managed a comeback following the release of the Phantom Liberty DLC, with the accompanying overall patch helping it gradually work its way up to a Very Positive rating on Steam.

That said, there is still a lot of justifiable reluctance from those who either played the original release or heard about it from friends.

A game can claim to be substantially fixed, but it’s hard to wash away existing bad experiences.

3 BioShock Infinite

Good Ol’ Quantum Mechanics

Shooter

Systems

Franchise

BioShock

Platform(s)

PS3 , Xbox 360 , PC , macOS , Linux

Released

March 26, 2013

Developer(s)

Irrational Games

Publisher(s)

2K

Engine

Unreal Engine 3

ESRB

M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Mild Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco

How Long To Beat

12 Hours

Metascore

94

PS Plus Availability

Premium (Complete Edition)

See at Playstation StoreSee at Amazon

BioShock Infinite has had a bit of a horseshoe experience in its public reception over the years.

The game was originally well liked on launch, and still has plenty of fans who enjoy its characters and tight combat.

However, the passage of time has brought with it increased scrutiny of the game’s mechanics and story. For instance, compared to the massive arsenal you had in the older games, Infinite’s two-gun limit is disappointing.

The story’s heavy reliance on surface-level quantum mechanics and multiverse theory also make it feel a bit dense and handwavey, which lessens its overall impact compared to the first game.

2 Hearthstone

Just One More Pack…

Digital Card Game

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:87/100 Critics Recommend:93%

Franchise

Warcraft

Platform(s)

PC , macOS , iOS , Android

Released

March 11, 2014

Developer(s)

Blizzard

Publisher(s)

Blizzard

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Engine

Unity

ESRB

T for Teen: Alcohol Reference, Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

See at Official Site

Just about any card video game, Hearthstone or otherwise, requires a particular mindset in its players.

It’s a mindset that many of us acquired in our youths playing Yu-Gi-Oh or Magic: The Gathering.

If you didn’t play card games growing up, something like Hearthstone doesn’t have anything of note to offer you, especially if you don’t like gacha mechanics.

If you did, though, then it’ll suck you in just as well as any physical card game, especially if you already like Warcraft stuff.

1 Disco Elysium

You Need That Disco Spirit

9/ 10

RPG

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:92/100 Critics Recommend:96%

Platform(s)

PC , PS5 , PS4 , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Stadia

Released

October 15, 2019

Developer(s)

ZA/UM

Publisher(s)

ZA/UM

Engine

Unity

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs, Violence

How Long To Beat

23 Hours

Metascore

89

PS Plus Availability

Extra & Premium

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty

See at Playstation Store$18 at Amazon

Visual novels are another genre that can be rather niche. Not everyone wants a book to go with their games, after all.

Out of all visual novels, though, one of the most love-it-or-hate-it is Disco Elysium.

Disco Elysium’s story and gameplay mechanics are absolutely fascinating, especially if you’re picking up the philosophical vibes it’s putting down.

However, the sheer variability of the skill and thought systems can be very intimidating, particularly if you’re used to min-maxing characters in RPGs.

All that is on top of more lines of text than the entirety of War and Peace.