History AuthorsSavingThrow / VideoGames

** ''Birth by Sleep'' and ''Dream Drop Distance'' were notorious for having poorly designed [[BonusBoss secret bosses]] that had AIRoulette and forced players to spam invincibility frames and cheap tactics to win. ''0.2'''s secret boss hinted at a return to reactive boss design that ''Kingdom Hearts I'' and ''II'' had. Thankfully, the Osaka team, who were the developers of said games, likewise redeemed themselves ''BIG TIME'' with the additional fourteen secret bosses of ''Re:Mind'' DLC for ''III'', which were much lauded for their [[SequelDifficultySpike sharp increase in difficulty from the base game]], but in [[BestBossEver a VERY fun and properly challenging way]].

* Leliana appears in all ''Franchise/DragonAge'' games even if she was killed in ''VideoGame/DragonAgeOrigins'', with [[UnexplainedRecovery no explanation]] for her survival except a suggestion from Leliana herself that the Maker had more plans for her. This inevitably led to jokes about how the [[PlotDevice Sacred Ashes]] can cure beheadings even when they've been desecrated. One DLC for ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' offers an explanation that fits much better into the established lore. [[spoiler:[[DeadAllAlong Leliana wasn't brought back]]. A spirit, empowered by the [[GreenRocks lyrium]] surrounding the Ashes, broke through the Veil and [[DeadPersonImpersonation took Leliana's form]], picking up where she left off. For all intents and purposes, this spirit ''became'' Leliana. In world states where Leliana was killed, this neatly places her in the same category of characters as Cole, a Spirit of Compassion impersonating a young mage he was unable to save, and the Guardian of the Ashes, a spirit of unidentified virtue impersonating one of [[CrystalDragonJesus Andraste's]] most loyal followers.]]

* While most of the fandom's issues with ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'' were quality-of-life things that were fixed in patches, there was a single major element in the story (specifically the ending) that left a bad taste: [[spoiler:even considering the [[AndTheAdventureContinues open-ended nature]] of the story's conclusion, Nia got shafted hard by the story's resolution, losing out to a FirstGirlWins scenario ''and'' having a potential SecondLove HopeSpot torn away from her, with her very last appearance leaving herself emotionally isolated, giving her an unhappy ending in what's otherwise a wave of mysterious but hopeful optimism]]. When NewGamePlus was patched in, the developers added an undocumented change: after clearing the game a second time, lingering on the EvolvingTitleScreen will trigger [[spoiler:Rex and Pyra to turn and wave offscreen, inviting Nia to hold hands and join them. After a moment, Nia turns and smiles straight at the fourth wall, a gesture clearly directed at the player, promising she got a happy ending too]].

* ''VideoGame/StreetFighterIII'' was an infamous disappointment for Creator/{{Capcom}}, with one of the most frequently-cited reasons for its failure being that it ditched the majority of the fan favorite characters from ''VideoGame/StreetFighterII'' in favor of an almost entirely new cast. Capcom subsequently released a new game in the ''VideoGame/StreetFighterAlpha'' prequel series the following year, which featured most of the recognizable characters from ''Street Fighter II'', and later brought back Chun-Li and Akuma in ''Third Strike'', an UpdatedRerelease of ''III''. While a few of the better received characters from ''III'' have since reappeared in the newer games and the ''VideoGame/CapcomVs'' franchise (namely Ibuki, Dudley, Elena, Hugo, Makoto, Yun, Yang, Alex, Urien and Gill), the series has still largely maintained a focus on the characters everyone remembers from ''II''.

* ''VideoGame/TalesSeries''
** ''VideoGame/TalesOfZestiria'': The Japanese fanbase ''exploded'' over how Alisha, billed as a main character, was treated by the story and DemotedToExtra following a huge media campaign centered around her and being hyped as the game's heroine. Creators responded with the Alisha DLC, focusing on Alisha's story [[spoiler: after the end of the game]].
** Several other complaints about the game's plot were addressed in distant prequel ''VideoGame/TalesOfBerseria'', successfully enough that ''Berseria'' is now considered required playing to get the most out of ''Zestiria''. Among other things, "Malevolence" was given a much less arcane explanation of its nature and effects without contradicting ''Zestiria'', and the view that [[FusionDance Armatization]] created blatant favoritism of the human party members was [[spoiler:[[AscendedFanon embraced and explored to the fullest]] with the unstable, often-fatal early versions of the technique]], while also explaining how Rose was able to use it despite Armatization supposedly being restricted to the Shepherd.
** After a long string of games whose endings were [[BittersweetEnding bittersweet at best]] (especially ''Berseria'' with an emphasis on the bitter part), many fans found the ending of ''VideoGame/TalesOfArise'' a breath of fresh air since [[spoiler:the main bad guys were defeated without sacrificing much from the main characters, and the main couple actually got together by the end, [[EarnYourHappyEnding while still requiring the party to go through hell for it]].]]

** In order to avoid devaluing cards, it was announced that balance patches would be kept to a minimum. When the game was released, this decision proved unpopular as several {{Game Breaker}}s such as Axe, Drow Ranger, and Cheating Death were found, leading to concerns that Valve were prioritizing the health of the PlayerGeneratedEconomy over the actual game itself. With the "Build Your Legend" update, Valve changed their view and decided to be more involved in the game's balance, buffing and nerfing the {{Tier Induced Scrapp|y}}ies (while also offering the option for those who bought affected cards to refund their purchase).

* While ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedII'' was well received, its direct story sequel, ''VideoGame/AssassinsCreedBrotherhood'' corrected a number of issues it had. At the end of II, Ezio grabbed an IdiotBall by making a huge mistake; Ezio is given WhatTheHellHero lectures over this, and suffers [[SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome direct consequences]] of his mistake at the beginning of Brotherhood, [[BagOfSpilling losing everything]]. Additionally, in II, Ezio’s sister and mother essentially [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse ceased to exist]] in the story after the beginning, while they are more active in Brotherhood. As well, II's basic and unsatisfying AnEntrepreneurIsYou mechanics got replaced with a more in depth real estate management simulation.

** Originally, it didn't allow players to alternate characters in challenge maps like in the previous games. This caused a ton of negative feedback, and was addressed by the developers on twitter, where they announced that there would be two patches for the game; First would add combat character selection, and the second would add Predator character selection. The patches were released on October and November, respectively.

** Due to players complaining about the issues with the PC port, the devs offered all of the previous Arkham Games for free for those who bought Knight, and PC got the Community challenge pack (Community chosen challenge maps remastered from Asylum and City) before consoles got it.

** The nature of [[CyberneticsEatYourSoul Cyberpsychosis and Humanity ratings]]. When the game came out in the 1980s, it was pretty much a way to increase BodyHorror and limit players from just having ''everything'', by threatening your character with removal by GM Fiat. Thirty years later, with more real world knowledge about limb replacement, it may sound ableist and offensive to people with real world psychological issues and disabilities. The shift in the video game from the tabletop -- that Cyberpsychosis isn't real but instead a bunch of factors like defective tech, drug use, and psychological trauma caused by the oppressive state of terminal-stage capitalism in the Cyberpunk world -- updates it to modern times while tying it into the setting's statements about corporate greed and recklessness.

** Another criticism was the lack of [=LGBT=] characters, or if they were present, their identity was either sidelined (Ciri's bisexuality being mentioned only in a single optional dialogue tree), used for titillation (Philippa and Saskia in ''VideoGame/TheWitcher2AssassinsOfKings''), or an excuse for {{Gayngst}} (minor character named Myslaw in the third game). ''Cyberpunk 2077'' mitigates this somewhat by offering a few well-written, openly LGBT characters (Judy, Kerry, Claire, Johnny) whose arcs and identities are treated with respect, a GayOption for both masculine and feminine V (unlike ''Wild Hunt's'' two female romance options for Geralt) and the possibility of making V UsefulNotes/{{Transgender}} (though opinions on how it was implemented [[UnfortunateImplications vary]]). Additionally, in the English dub, Claire is voiced by Maddie Taylor, who's a transgender actress.

** One of the reasons Soulstorm was so disliked was the legendarily bad performance by the {{Space Marine}}s commander Indrick Boreale. To the studio's credit, Relic Entertainment actually explored the results of Boreale's decisions based on those complaints. Come ''Dawn of War 2'', Cyrus [[MultipleEndings confirms]] that Boreale died in the previous game and cost the Chapter a large chunk of their manpower and the Chapter's recruiting worlds are being threatened from all sides. In ''Chaos Rising'', Cyrus cites Boreale [[spoiler:if he's the traitor, believing that the Chapter is no longer worth obeying if it promotes complete idiots to important ranks]].
** When the trailer for ''Chaos Rising'' came out, it was widely speculated that one of the Chaos Space Marines in the trailer was Eliphas the Inheritor, the charismatic Chaos Lord from ''Dark Crusade''. Only problem was that Eliphas' ending cutscene in the game has him ripped apart by a daemon, specifically citing that he had no chance of redemption. So the creators transferred Eliphas to a new legion with a mission from Abaddon the Despoiler (the Warmaster of Chaos) himself just to include the character for fans.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIV'':
** Most of the fan base didn't like how the player character was left to do everything themselves while the major [=NPCs=] just ordered them around and rarely helped out. The ''Heavensward'' expansion pack remedied the problem by having the major characters take action more frequently and fight alongside the player much more often, making the characters feel like they are a part of the struggle rather than being glorified commanders.
** A major complaint players had was how their own characters were just nothing more than [[HeroicMime mute fighters that occasionally nodded]] and nothing else. ''Heavensward'' tackled the issue by having the player character emote more often and build personal bonds with certain characters while also giving the player more dialogue response prompts to flesh out their own characters.
** ''A Realm Reborn'' in general is one big AuthorsSavingThrow for the whole game: Beforehand, the game was massively failing in many aspects and put Square-Enix in red lights, and there's only so few that the newly assigned director Creator/NaokiYoshida could do in the state-of-the-time. So both agreed to shut the whole game down while making a spectacular cutscene about it, giving it a year to resurface with new engine that is generally more user-friendly and praised to be good. From there, the game started mending its old wounds until it stood proud as one of the biggest competitors in the genre.

* ''VideoGame/HalfLife2: Episode 1''. After the second game, the fanbase was extremely displeased by what, to Gordon, amounts to a ShootTheShaggyDog even worse than the first. The Episode blows the rage away through a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome for the Vortigaunts that both retcons [[spoiler:Alyx's implied death]], and changes the whole storyline, showing the [[HumanoidAbomination G-Man]] isn't as all-powerful as thought before.

** Despite a couple of grammatical hiccups here and there, the Asian release of ''VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsV'' contains a [[SurprisinglyGoodEnglish surprisingly good translation]] of just about the entire script, in contrast to the Asia version of ''[[VideoGame/SuperRobotWarsOriginalGeneration Super Robot Wars Original Generation: The Moon Dwellers]]'', which had [[SarcasmMode revolutions to the realm of translation]] such as [[BlindIdiotTranslation "crazy ghost-chan of rampage," "the same genders differences," and "Such words... even I could...!"]] It's telling that Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment put more effort into improving their translating skills with localizing ''V'' after learning from some of their mistakes with ''The Moon Dwellers''.

* ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' created some confusion over whether the name of the series villain is Robotnik or Eggman, owing to dub discrepancies. "Eggman" was always this character's name in Japan, but America localized his name as Ivo Robotnik. Sega eventually settled the issue by saying [[TakeAThirdOption both names are official]] -- Ivo Robotnik is his real name, and Eggman is the nickname everyone uses for him. The ''VideoGame/SonicAdventure'' series phased out the Robotnik name in favor of calling him Eggman, and the finale of ''VideoGame/SonicGenerations'' has Eggman referred to by his real name, noting that [[LampshadeHanging "nobody calls me that anymore"]].

* ''VideoGame/KanColle'', being a game [[CreatorProvincialism from Japan and thus featuring largely IJN warships]], has had a lot of backlash from nations that were Allied Powers and saw the 'Abyssal' fleet as a stand-in for the Allied Fleets. The devs eventually clarified that this wasn't the case (at least, not anymore) by introducing Allied shipgirls (beginning with USS Iowa) and Abyssals based on IJN ships.

** A common criticism for [=CDProjekt's=] previous hit, ''VideoGame/TheWitcher3WildHunt'' was the fact that all characters, from major ones to background [=NPCs=], were white (untill the ''Heart Of Stone'' [=DLC=]). Night City features people of all races and ethnicities, with Japanese, Latin American, Filipino, Native American, black and [[AmbiguouslyBrown ambiguous]] characters playing major roles in the story/more important sidequests. They're also voiced by actors who correspond to their character's ethnic background. The player can also make their V any race/ethnicity they'd want, while in ''The Witcher'' they could only play as the white Geralt.

** ''VideoGame/ValkyriaChroniclesIII'': Fans criticized the Darcsen race from the first game; their background appeared based on European Jews persecuted during World War II, while the art style and cultural cues were more based on Japan. It appeared the game ''[[UnfortunateImplications replaced]]'' [[UnfortunateImplications the Jews with the Japanese]]. Shin Hyuga is introduced in ''III'', his mother comes from "somewhere in the Far East" while he is modeled to be Feudal Japanese in a mid-20th-centurish fantasy pastiche world. Shin's inclusion is most likely meant to help dissolve the Jew-Japan image by showing an expy-Japan.

** [[EnsembleDarkhorse/{{Pokemon}} Mewtwo]] was, for years, depicted as a [[OlympusMons god-like]] BloodKnight [[SingleSpecimenSpecies who is one of a kind]]. His depiction in ''[[Anime/PokemonTheFirstMovie Mewtwo Strikes Back]]'' in particular ''made'' Mewtwo in the eyes of many. So when ''[[Anime/PokemonGenesectAndTheLegendAwakened Genesect and the Legend Awakened]]'' featured a brand new Mewtwo who was [[LighterAndSofter softer and more feminine]] than the original... [[ReplacementScrappy the fans didn't have a warm reception]]. In the wake of this, official materials (such as the [[VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosForNintendo3DSAndWiiU fourth]] ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros'' game and the official Pokémon website) started to play up the BloodKnight persona used in the games and the first movie, while neglecting to reference the softer Mewtwo seen in ''Genesect''.

[[folder:G-M]]

* The reveal of ''VideoGame/{{DmC|DevilMayCry}}: VideoGame/DevilMayCry'' was accompanied by the creators promoting it as a {{prequel}} to the existing series. [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks Backlash over changes to the character and backstory]] that were [[ContinuitySnarl incompatible with pre-existing canon]] [[http://www.siliconera.com/2011/10/31/dmc-devil-may-cry-takes-place-in-a-parallel-world-with-a-different-dante/ caused the creators to]] {{retcon}} the game into being [[AlternateContinuity a parallel world]]. This didn't stop the 2013 reboot from garnering a mixed-to-negative reception, so the ''real'' Author's Saving Throw came with the release of ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry5'' in 2019, which is an {{unreboot}} that brings back the original Dante and Nero from ''[=DMC4=]'' as well as [[spoiler:Vergil]].

** The series has long been criticized for its entries being spread over multiple consoles from both Nintendo and Sony, making it a bit tricky to keep up. The 1.5+2.5 release for the [=PS4=], in tandem with the 2.8 release that remasters ''3D'', means the entire series sans ''Days'' and ''Re:coded'' and ''χ'' are playable on a single console.[[note]]And if you really want to play them, it isn't much of a hassle, as ''Days'' and ''Re:Coded'' are both on the same handheld, the Nintendo DS, and ''χ'' is available to anyone with an Android or [=iOS=] smartphone.[[/note]] Unfortunately, this is still the case for Xbox players who are going to be jumping into the series with ''III''.

** Most fans were unhappy (euphemism) about [[CreatorsPet Ash Crimson]] taking the role of protagonist previously covered by Kyo and K', just as much as they were unhappy about him [[spoiler:[[BroughtDownToNormal stealing]] both Chizuru and Iori's Sacred Treasures powers]]. Come ''XIII'', Ash enacts a HeroicSacrifice to stop the BigBad of that StoryArc. [[spoiler:Mind you, he doesn't die... [[RetGone he is erased]] from existence. [[CosmicRetcon Retroactively!]] So he never really existed in the first place.]]

* ''Franchise/RatchetAndClank'':
** When ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2002 Ratchet & Clank]]'' released, a recurring complaint among critics was Ratchet's characterization (acting like a selfish {{Jerkass}} towards the much more sympathetic Clank). When ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando'' was in development, Insomniac made sure to include several cutscenes where Ratchet defends Clank and worries for him, all with the explicitly stated purpose of "fixing" Ratchet's character. As well, [[VideoGame/RatchetAndClank2016 the re-imagining]] that covers the events of the first game has Ratchet's characterization in line with his later appearances, i.e. having a strong desire to be a hero.
** In ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando Going Commando]]'' the Lava Gun, a weapon that sprayed long tendrils of hot magma, upgraded into the Meteor Gun, which fired large meteor chunks at a slower rate of fire and with much less range. Due to fan feedback, when the weapon returned in ''[[VideoGame/RatchetAndClankUpYourArsenal Up Your Arsenal]]'' as an OldSaveBonus, it now upgraded to the Liquid Nitrogen Gun, which works just like the Lava Gun only if it fired long tendrils [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin of liquid nitrogen]].
** ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureToolsOfDestruction'' and ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFutureACrackInTime'' are this to those disappointed with the releases of ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankSizeMatters'' and ''VideoGame/SecretAgentClank''. They have original storylines with new fan-favorite weapons and characters including Mr. Zurkon, Alister Azimuth and Emperor Tachyon and expand on Ratchet's origins.
** In ''A Crack in Time'', it is revealed that [[spoiler:Angela Cross]] from ''Going Commando'' is indeed a Lombax like Ratchet and that female Lombaxes don't have tails. This makes them and Alister Azimuth the remaining Lombaxes in the universe.
** After ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankAll4One'' and ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankFullFrontalAssault'' were released in the early 2010s, Insomniac developed ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankIntoTheNexus'' as an apology for those unhappy with the different gameplay and forced humor.

* ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'':
** ''VideoGame/Fallout3'''s ending caused some rather... negative reactions, in no small part thanks to its DiabolusExMachina (as the endings boil down to "Good" ([[spoiler:activate the water purifier and kill yourself with the ensuing radiation]]) or "Bad" ([[spoiler:get Sarah Lyons to turn it on]]). Either choice prevents you from playing with that character further unless you have a save file prior to the final quest, and [[spoiler:all of your companions, including those ''immune to radiation'', refuse to activate the purifier for you]]. The DLC[=/=]ExpansionPack ''Broken Steel'' changes the ending, letting you [[spoiler:send a radiation-immune companion to activate the purifier (though the ending narration still calls you a coward if you chose to do this)]] and allowing the game to remain playable regardless of your choice. WordOfGod says the game's default endings (without the expansion) are [[CanonDiscontinuity non-canon]].
** The ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'' DownloadableContent ''Dead Money'' confused ''lots'' of players when it came out, as one of the major plot elements involves the [[DeathWorld Sierra Madre's]] Vending Machines. The Vending Machines are explained as being [[MatterReplicator Matter Replicators]], and characters with knowledge of the Pre-War world (like [[BigBad Father Elijah]] and [[DeadpanSnarker Dean Domino]]) act like they were a common appliance before the Great War. However, a major part of the ''Fallout'' series' backstory is [[PostPeakOil the Resource Wars]], which had the world tearing itself apart over the last few remaining resources left on Earth. [[FridgeLogic But why would the Resource Wars even happen if these Matter Replicators were so commonplace?]] However, the ''Old World Blues'' [=DLC=] solved this by having records in the Big Empty explain that the Sierra Madre Vending Machines were actually ''extremely'' state-of-the-art experimental machines before the War, and everyone that said otherwise during ''Dead Money'' was lying to [[PlayerCharacter the Courier]], whether they knew it or not.
** While there are still [[BrokenBase many bones]] one can pick about ''VideoGame/Fallout4'', it's generally clear that Bethesda [[WinBackTheCrowd listened to]] a ''lot'' of the complaints given about ''3'' (and even ''New Vegas'', to a lesser extent) [[EvenBetterSequel when working on it.]]
*** Two of the most common complaints given to ''3'' were the revamped Karma system and how it interacted with the main quest. Many people complained that not only was the Karma system too easy to cheat/manipulate, but that it [[BlackAndWhiteInsanity seemed arbitrary]] on assigning morality to certain people/factions in the Capital Wasteland. Relatedly, old-school ''Fallout'' fans complained that the East Coast [[BigGood Brotherhood of Steel]] was written as too much of a "White Knight" organization (many found themselves instead rooting for [[RenegadeSplinterFaction the Brotherhood Outcasts]], who are ironically the ''closest'' ones in behavior to the ''Fallout 1''-era Brotherhood), and the [[BigBad Enclave]] felt both shoehorned in and like a DesignatedVillain. Also, while all of the companions in ''New Vegas'' were well-received, many of their unique companion perks/[[EarnYourHappyEnding best endings]] were either hidden behind [[GuideDangIt obnoxiously subtle clues]] or [[GameBreakingBug infuriating bug issues]]. ''Fallout 4'' amends all these issues by removing the Karma system '''entirely''' and replacing it with the new Companion Affinity system (which, admittedly, still has its own flaws). The new Affinity system - what [[PlayerCharacter the Sole Survivor's]] followers feel about their actions - now helps guide the Sole Survivor on a more personal moral level, giving their actions more weight. The Affinity system is also clearer on what a companion likes/dislikes, and makes it easier for the player to befriend them and level up their affinity with them so as to get a unique perk. On another note, the [=BoS=] now act much more like their West Coast counterparts (having [[TookALevelInJerkass Taken A Level In Jerkass]]), with the Brotherhood Outcasts even being mentioned as rejoining the organization after [[PrinciplesZealot Elder Maxson]] took charge. The aforementioned removal of the Karma system and the new take on the [=BoS=] also helps reinforce the game's GreyAndGrayMorality, which is far more complex than ''3's'' BlackAndWhiteMorality and more like the complicated morality found in the older games & ''New Vegas''. ''4'' also offers [[MultipleEndings different faction-based endings to the main storyline]] like ''New Vegas'' (which ''3'' lacked), although it sadly still lacks the ModularEpilogue found in ''1'', ''2'', and ''New Vegas''.
*** Several older ''Fallout'' fans complained that the decision to have ''3'' be set on the East Coast (while all the previous ''Fallout'' games were set on the West Coast in California) made it feel too distant and didn't give enough allusions to past events. While ''4'' is still set on the East Coast, the game has ''loads'' of {{Call Back}}s ([[VideoGame/Fallout1 Wattz Consumer Electronics]] apparently had a Boston office), {{Continuity Nod}}s (Elder Maxson got his position thanks to [[VideoGame/Fallout2 the Lost Hills Elders back in California]]), parallels to previous games (the Institute is more or less a saner [[VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas Think Tank]] [[spoiler:without a Dr. Mobius to keep them in check]]), and {{Mythology Gag}}s ([[VideoGame/FalloutTactics The Brotherhood now has a zeppelin to use in their travels]]) to all the games before it. At times, it even gets to the point that ''4'' verges on ContinuityPorn levels.
*** Many gamers complained about the lack of weapon variety and about the somewhat clunky gun play (like how the player had to manually switch to grenades/mines to use explosives) in ''3''. Others grumbled about how most of the residents of the [[CrapsackWorld Capital Wasteland]] came across as either [[TheWoobie just depressing]] or [[TheScrappy really insufferable]], [[TooBleakStoppedCaring which made it hard for players to really care about the game's various storylines]]. Other players expressed annoyance/disbelief that the Wastelanders have unable to restart society in the intervening centuries [[AfterTheEnd after the Great War]], especially while the West Coast has thriving nations & city-states like the New California Republic, the Shi Empire, New Reno, and Vault City. Meanwhile, ''4'' offers '''much''' more weapon variety, turns the weapon customization introduced in ''New Vegas''UpToEleven, and takes cues from countless other [=FPS=] games in making the gameplay more exciting and engaging (grenades can ''finally'' now be hotkeyed and used in conjunction with other weapons). Related to the above, while the residents of the [[CrapsackWorld Commonwealth]] still have their fair share of {{Jerkass}}es, most of them are either [[NiceGuy surprisingly friendly]] or just ordinary people trying to live their lives [[ProperlyParanoid that are properly cautious of outsiders]], helping incentivize audience investment. Also, all of the main factions are presented with [[GreyAndGrayMorality both sympathetic and unsympathetic traits]], and the player is allowed to join each of them to help serve as an InternalReformist and [[WorldHalfFull improve the Wasteland]]. Finally, the lack of an organized government in the Commonwealth is actually a major ''plot point'' this time around, with it explained as being due to a combination of several factors: \\\
A) The nearby presence of [[DeathWorld the Glowing Sea]], which helps provide a "safe place" for DemonicSpiders like Deathclaws, Charred Feral Ghouls, and Bloodbugs to thrive and continue harming the Commonwealth; and the Glowing Sea's infamous [[HostileWeather radiation storms]] which helps cause crops to fail and mass starvation to ensue.\\\
B) The [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Commonwealth Minutemen's]] recent HumiliationConga triggering a ''second'' regional societal collapse.\\\
C) [[TheConspiracy The Institute's]] near-constant [[ManipulativeBastard meddling]] with the surface (which discourages people from organizing together and becoming a potential threat to their power).
*** In fact, the entire Settlement system has the purpose of helping create & organize peaceful towns and settlements across the Commonwealth, from which a new society can arise.
*** Last but not least, one of the complaints often leveled at ''Fallout 3'' was how much [[DarkerAndEdgier darker and more depressing it was]] than its predecessors, lacking most of the series' [[BlackComedy dark humor]]. Ironically, while ''New Vegas'' was [[DenserAndWackier significantly cheerier]] (in part because of the [[SillinessSwitch Wild Wasteland trait]]), [[UnpleasableFanbase some complained that the game was]] ''too'' optimistic and breezed too much over the many serious situations in the game. ''Fallout 4'' reaches a [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism happy balance]] between the two, more or less. While the game still has a fairly grim and serious main story (with many a GutPunch and TearJerker to be found), it's overall far LighterAndSofter than both ''3'' and ''New Vegas,'' cranking up the Black Comedy while being more optimistic and generally having sillier side-quests/random encounters.
** Concerning ''Fallout 4'' itself:
*** After the base game was criticized for [[ButThouMust focusing too much]] on [[MurderIsTheBestSolution combat-focused endings for quests/bosses]], the storyline [=DLCs=] (''Automatron'', ''Far Harbor'', ''Vault-Tec Workshop'', and ''Nuka World'') started to supply more varied options to solve quests/defeat bosses. For example, the usual ending to the ''Automatron'' [=DLC=] involves getting through [[ThatOneLevel a rather grueling attack sequence]] against the Mechanist's [[MechaMooks Mecha-Mooks]], and usually then killing the Mechanist afterwards. However, the player can instead:
*** A) Pass the battle entirely if they have a high enough rank in the Hacker perk [[spoiler:by accessing a normally-locked elevator to take them straight to the Mechanist's lair]].
*** B) [[TalkingTheMonsterToDeath Peacefully talk the Mechanist down after the battle]] by either [[GuileHero having a high-enough Charisma stat]] for the needed speech checks, or wearing the [[BadassLongcoat Silver Shroud costume]] to unlock unique dialogue options.
*** On a related note, ''Fallout 4'' was criticized by fans for downplaying the series' famous reputation for VideoGameCrueltyPotential. Several fans snarked (not unfairly) that the closest thing to an "Evil" option in the game was the [[DeadpanSnarker "Sarcastic"]] dialogue option. The ''Nuka World'' [=DLC=] can be seen as a response to this, with it going in the opposite direction of the base game (which leaned towards positive options) and instead leaned towards ''negative outcomes''. In fact, the ''Nuka World'' [=DLC=] is actually the first ''Fallout'' work that actually lets the player join up with ''[[AlwaysChaoticEvil Raiders]]'', and even lead them on a massive invasion of the Commonwealth while sowing chaos and misery in their wake. Though, this does make the DLC worthless to good-aligned players on a story level.

* While most of the fandom's issues with ''VideoGame/XenobladeChronicles2'' were quality-of-life things that were fixed in patches, there was a single major element in the story (specifically the ending) that left a bad taste: [[spoiler:even considering the [[AndTheAdventureContinues open-ended nature]] of the story's conclusion, Nia got shafted hard by the story's resolution, losing out to a FirstGirlWins scenario ''and'' having a potential SecondLove HopeSpot torn away from her, with her very last appearance leaving herself emotionally isolated, giving her an unhappy ending in what's otherwise a wave of mysterious but hopeful optimism]]. When NewGamePlus was patched in, the developers added an undocumented change: after clearing the game a second time, lingering on the EvolvingTitleScreen will trigger [[spoiler:Rex and Pyra to turn and wave offscreen, inviting Nia to hold hands and join them. After a moment, Nia turns and smiles straight at the fourth wall, a gesture clearly directed at the player, promising she got a happy ending too]].

** ''VideoGame/FireEmblemFates'' attracted controversy for the character of Soleil, who appears to be a bisexual woman who prefers women [[NoBisexuals but only has heterosexual romance options]]. In particular, the Male Avatar's support with her features him drugging her with a potion that causes her to perceive men as women and vice versa, then pursuing a relationship with her, an action many fans found worryingly close to [[CureYourGays corrective rape]]. Similarly, her support with WholesomeCrossdresser [[DudeLooksLikeALady Forrest]] was her refusing to accept that he was actually a boy, all while stalking him and making creepy come-ons that [[StalkingIsFunnyIfItIsFemaleAfterMale only fly due to her being the girl in the scenario]]. Before the game even came out in the U.S., Nintendo of America issued a statement that these supports would be extensively rewritten.\\