As the title says, was there ever a game you absolutely couldn't stand or never gave it a chance, only to revisit it down the road and enjoy/love it?
Mine is a big one and probably surprising to many. Its Legend of Zelda - Ocarina of Time. Back on release day in Novemer 1998, I was supposed to be going in to work for an 11:30PM/midnight shift. But I was excited, called work and fibbed that I was having car trouble and would be a little late. So I hit Walmart and got in line for the midnight release. Had to get that Collector's edition with its shiny, chromium cover! And I did! The whole way to work and during my shift, all I could think about was getting home and playing Zelda! The Zelda overworld theme played on repeat in my mind all night long! So when I finally got home and was unwrapping the game, my hands were nervously shaking with excitement.
It was then that my dreams of that classic music and Zelda swordplay was replaced with the horror of fetching stuff and a buck tooth goober blocking me from getting to the Deku tree. The classic gameplay was replaced with sneaking past guards, a big-ass field, playing a musical instrument and Navi's annoying ass repeatedly going "Hey listen!" I couldn't accept it. I didnt want to! I put that game away and left it alone. I returned to it a few times, but just couldn't do it. It wasnt until Twilight Princess came out that I returned to Zelda.
Because I am a collector AND a Zelda fan overall, I bought the various versions of this title as well. So yesterday, after finishing Link Between Worlds, I said what the hell. It's been over 20 years since I played it. Why not give it a shot?
And I have to say, I'm really getting engrossed in it. Maybe it's part because I'm older and don't have the same old preconceived notions. Maybe it's because I'm not enraptured by the likes of Castlevania Symphony of the Night, Final Fantasy VII, Crash Bandicoot and other PlayStation heavy hitters. But I love it. I'm still early on, having just finished the Lost Woods. But I'm enjoying the adventure. My resistance to gameplay mechanics like playing the ocarina have melted away. I was actually kinda giddy when I played the notes to make Epona cozy up to me.
So there it is. I absolutely hated this game with every fiber of my being. For two decades, I avoided playing it and shook my head with people who talked about how much they love that game and stood, mouth agape when I told them I despised it. Many would tell me it was not only the game that made them fall in love with Zelda, but gaming as a whole.
So, anybody else have a story to share?