I think the best Steem related product was Poker. Was not dapp though, it was before d'stuff'. Authors many times asked for some kind of Steemit sponsorship, delegation, help and were struggling keeping things going and they were ignored. I could never understood it. But some posters like Syssy...something was delegated bunch of steem and that person was daily multiple upvoting herself and transfering steem to bitshares wallet. And no one cared even as there was cries of foul.
Partially off topic I know, but since then I just don't see Steemit in the same light and I'm not surprised how it is under-performing.