Throughout video game history, there have always been games that go head-to-head on launch day out of either coincidence or deliberate strategy. Even though this may lead to competition, sometimes it creates fun crossover content. The internet went crazy when Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Doom Eternal released on the same day, for instance.
We’re not here to be friendly, though. Metacritic will decide which famous games that shared a release date came out on top.
10 September 1, 2015: Mad Max vs. Metal Gear Solid V
Mad Max has the rare accomplishment of being a decent movie adaptation. It features great cars—well, a great car—to customize and drive, polished combat influenced by the Arkham games, and deadly sand storms. Yet, it’s quite repetitive, meriting a middling Metascore of 73.
For all of its accomplishments, there is no way it could beat its competitor. Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain brings the iconic series to an end and has some of the best stealth gameplay in games. It has a well deserved 93 on Metacritic, leaving Mad Max in the dust—literally.
9 May 18, 2010: Split/Second vs. Shrek Forever After
Sometimes, launch schedules lead to some strange competition. In this case, Split/Second, a racing game with cinematic, slow-motion explosions faces off with Shrek Forever After, another movie adaption featuring combat, puzzles, and co-op. The latter is a bad game, albeit a decent experience for kids, which gives this competition a clear winner. Shrek got a 62 from Metacritic, while Split/Second, with its unique and exciting take on racing games, achieved an 84.
8 November 10, 2015: Rise Of The Tomb Raider vs. Fallout 4
This is one of the closest matchups both in score and circumstances. Both games were highly anticipated entries in their respective franchises. Rise of The Tomb Raider, the second game in the reboot series, improved on the first one in every way. Lara Croft was a more experienced explorer, which translated to more confident gameplay. The game got an 86, with some critics calling for more puzzles and less shooting.
Fallout 4 was a much more colorful game compared to the grey of its predecessor, and its combat felt much less clunky. It was criticized for leaving behind the more in-depth RPG mechanics, but it still managed to edge out Tomb Raider with an 88.
7 November 11, 2014: Assassin’s Creed Rogue vs. Assassin’s Creed Unity
If any company would release two games of the same franchise on the same day, it would be Ubisoft. During the beginning of new consoles, Ubisoft made sure everyone could get their yearly Assassin’s Creed fix. Assassin’s Creed Rogue was an Assassin’s Creed Black Flag look-alike where gamers could play as a Templar.
On the other hand, Unity, which was their next-gen offering, took place during the French Revolution and launched with several game-breaking bugs. Those bugs were enough for Unity to barely lose the battle. It has a 72 on Metacritic, while Rogue has a 74.
6 March 26, 2013: Army Of Two: The Devil’s Cartel vs. Bioshock Infinite
This battle was not much of a battle. Army Of Two: The Devil’s Cartel is a co-op game about mercenaries fighting the Mexican drug cartel. It’s a lackluster entry in a good series, mostly due to bad humor and a lack of camaraderie between the characters. Because of this, Army Of Two earned an aggressively mediocre score of 58. Bioshock Infinite blows the competitor out of the water with a 94. It has a unique and colorful atmosphere, taking place in the fictional Columbia, a city in the sky, and a deep and fascinating story.
5 November 8, 2014: Dragon Age Inquisition vs. Far Cry 4
Another close battle features two drastically different games. Dragon Age Inquisition is an RPG where decisions have drastic effects on the narrative and the world. As an Inquisitor, the player must save Thedas or let it fall apart.
Far Cry 4 is another open-world game, but it has less of a narrative focus. It’s more about getting into chaotic gunfights, fighting animals, and meeting quirky characters. Dragon Age has an 89, and Far Cry has an 85, making them both options variable GOTY 2014 contenders.
4 October 21, 2017: Super Mario Odyssey vs. Assassin’s Creed Origins
Both of these titles, though wildly different from each other, introduce a new, creative approach to their respective franchises. Super Mario Odyssey puts our favorite video game plumber into a 3D open world where he can possess anything with his cap. It was widely praised for its fun gameplay and for honoring the franchise as a whole.
Assassin’s Creed Origins brought the series to Egypt and delved into RPG mechanics. It successfully reinvigorated the series and got many people interested in Assassin’s Creed again. Though both games were good, Mario Odyssey easily takes this one with a 97 against Origin’s 85.
3 January 5, 2010: Bayonetta vs. Darksiders
Darksiders is a hack-and-slash inspired by the book of Revelations where the player embodies the horseman of the apocalypse, War. Critics said the combat was enjoyable, but it had wonky controls, leading it to an 83. Bayonetta beats Darksiders with a 90. It introduced one of the most iconic video game protagonists in recent years, boasted a fun scoring system, and fluid combat mechanics.
2 October 9, 2012: XCOM Enemy Unknown vs. Dishonored
These games came out on the same day and have one of the closest scores. XCOM uses tactical turn-based combat to fight an alien invasion. It also allows players to build and recruit their own soldiers. It was one of the best games of 2012 and earned a well-deserved 90 from Metacritic.
In a similar fashion, Dishonored was an excellent game that mixed stealth with supernatural powers. It was praised for the player’s freedom and choice during assassination missions. That’s why it received a high score of 91.
1 March 20, 2020: Doom Eternal vs. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
2020 saw one of the weirdest selection of games to be released on the same day. Animal Crossing: New Horizons is an adventure about building your own island and sharing it, while Doom Eternal puts players against swarms of demons who are killed in extremely brutal ways. These are two of the best games to come out in 2020 so far. Doom Eternal managed an impressive 88, but New Horizons just barely edges it out, earning a 91.
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