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Delisted games have been a point of contention in video gaming. Gamers not getting access to games they purchased with their money exposes a great flaw in the digital age of video gaming, where titles can be removed from stores because a small part of it exceeded the span of a contract. What is the point of having the technology to preserve games if the publishers themselves cannot allow that to happen?
Many great titles have been added to the pile of delisted games, and without any way to legally preserve these games, it leaves players with no other option to play them. As such, we discovered a few unpurchasable titles that should get a second life..
Note: This article is purely subjective and reflects the writer's opinions
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Exploring 7 delisted games that need to comeback
1) Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
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Insomniac's Spider-Man series has provided us with the definitive adaptations that do justice to the famed superhero. But before Insomniac could create the trilogy, Shaba Games made a Spider-Man game with the best gameplay.
Spider-Man: Web of Shadows adds adrenaline to the arachnid hero's fists and webs to create an incredible, fast-paced and exhilarating gaming experience. While the combat sees Spidey fight on the ground, air and walls, the web-swinging can allow him to move with style within the city of Manhattan. The game also goes to darker places in the narrative, with Venom being integral to the story.
Unfortunately, the title was delisted and pulled from stores after Marvel's contract with Activision ended.
2) Transformers: War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron
The Transformers IP has had both terrible and amazing ventures when it comes to games. While the movie tie-in games were not anything special, things were different when High Moon Studios decided to try out its hand on the franchise, leading to the creation of two of the greatest Transformers games ever made.
Transformers: War for Cybertron and Fall of Cybertron were third-person shooters that focused on the rivalry between the Autobots and Decepticons. The unique thing about both games is that their campaign is divided into two parts, where you assume the role of Optimus Prime and Megatron.
The games were a critical and commercial success due to their engaging narrative, witty writing, compelling characters, polished gameplay and incredible art design. However, these titles were two of the four digitally delisted games that were affected by the expiration of Activision's licensing deal with Hasbro.
3) X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Marvel's Wolverine has been on a roll recently, with great adaptations out of the wazoo, whether it be Deadpool & Wolverine, X-Men '97, or the anticipated release of Insomniac's take on the character. However, before the American studio would approach the character, Raven Software would pave the way to create one of the best movie-tie in games, that was substantially better than its movie counterpart.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine skillfully adapted Wolverine's brash and angry temperament into this video game. The action-adventure title allowed players to use Logan's incisors to chop foes into a thin fine mist. It allowed players to mutilate cronies with various abilities, rendered in crisp detail thanks to the game's visceral gore system.
Unfortunately, the title was another addition to the delisted games affected by the expiration of the Marvel-Activision deal.
4) Spec Ops: The Line
The early 2010s were a great time for first-person military shooters, considering the genre was still a novelty. With the release of many major titles related to Call of Duty, Battlefield and Halo titles, the genre was starting to flood the medium. However, amidst this, Yager Development would release a game that would put a dark, brutal and gritty perspective on things.
Spec Ops: The Line focuses on Captain Martin Walker and his two juniors, tasked with a recon mission situated in a now-ravaged Dubai. While other games usually focus on a heroic soldier trying to protect and serve your country, The Line puts you in the shoes of a soldier who is forced to commit terrible atrocities just to achieve his goals in a world where morality has been massacred.
Due to various partnership-related licenses expiring, the title was one of the many delisted games that will cease to be sold due to the perishable nature of licensing deals.
5) Deadpool
While the Deadpool character has seen a great amount of success and love thanks to the movies, its video game was the first medium to adapt the character with success. The Deadpool action-adventure game was developed by Transformers fame High-Moon Studios and was released in June 2013, 6 years before the first live-action movie.
The game is an incredible linear action-adventure hack-and-slash experience from top-to-bottom. The game features an amazing combat system utilizing the mercenary's melee and ranged weapons, with each having three to four types. But the element that makes it a great Deadpool game is the script. Its witty dialogue uses Deadpool to provide a meta-commentary on the video gaming medium itself.
Unfortunately, the title was delisted, making it another game affected by the expiration of Activision's contract with Marvel.
6) Fable 3
Fable 3 is the third game in the trilogy that is the brainchild of Lionhead Studios. While the series has been part of many controversies due to allegations of over-promising and underdelivering, the titles are still solid when it comes to their content, especially the third installment.
The sequel is set in the fictional land of Albion, set 50 years after Fable 2, the game's setting takes inspiration from the Industrial Revolution. The game improves many aspects of 2, along with adding enormous locations and various jobs. It would be a great play for players wanting a polished RPG that remains entirely pure to the fundamentals of the genre.
However, due to Games for Windows Live shutting down, Fable 3 was one of the many delisted games on Steam that were removed due to its DRM relying on the service, as it couldn't function after its closure.
7) Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 1 and 2
Marvel has had a long history of action games. But when it comes to games with one of the biggest roster of Marvel characters, very few can match the depth of the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance games. The games follow various superheroes of the prominent brand as they band together to protect the world from various threats.
While the first action RPG game follows The Avengers and other superheroes as they aim to stop Doctor Doom from achieving global domination, its sequel adapts the fabled Civil War storyline, dividing the superhero group into two factions. Both the games were praised for their storylines and their in-depth combat systems, as players were able to select 4 of their favorite superheroes to send on a mission.
Unfortunately, both games were pulled from stores, including with other delisted games after the termination of the Marvel-Activision deal.
These were seven of the many delisted games that need to return back to stores.
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