Polygon’s ranking examines video games whose developers pursued unusually bold ideas, even when technical limits, delays or commercial pressures prevented their full ambitions being realised.

– Shenmue (1999): sought a detailed world of independently living NPCs and a multi-game story.
– Fable (2004): promised a deeply reactive life simulation but delivered a more limited action-RPG.
– Daikatana (2000): aimed for an expansive time-travelling adventure but suffered major development problems.