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What was the absolute worst game of 2019 you played?
- Thread starter Phediuk
- Start date
Anthem by far. I was embarrassed by how awful it was. I couldn't believe Bioware had sunk so low.
i was looking forward to playing the messenger. what didn't you like about it?
Probably Crash Team Racing, and I played hundreds of games this year including sub-$1 Switch shovelware.
Nothing about XY strikes me as worse than what we got in SwSh. The story is, at best, equally dumb. But at least XY had cool features, like the Friend Safari, a full pokédex and proper online connectivity features. SwSh is an active, purposeful downgrade of the series. And people loved that, bizarrely. "The best Pokémon game ever", said a few reviewers.
I just. don't. get. it.
I haven't played too many games this year, and what I've played has generally been polished. That said, I picked up Hard West in the recent eShop sale and have now dropped it. One of the more frustrating games I've played in recent memory, with bad interface and a bunch of glitches. Also basic things, like what descriptions of certain modes are, don't seem to be included so I have no idea what I'm doing or why I'm doing it.
I tend to avoid games that get bad reviews even if I had interest in them, like Left Alive. Only got so many hours in a day, after all.
But I did really dislike Death Stranding. I completed it and kinda wish I didn't bother. It even made me retroactively question my love of Kojima's older games, I disliked it that much. I honestly wish it was just the walking simulator people dreaded because every time it tried to do anything remotely action-oriented it felt dreadful and infuriating, and it didn't even have an entertaining or interesting story to back it up. The only parts I really liked were the stuff with Mads, and that was mostly from an aesthetic point of view.
I kinda get why people liked it but boy, I have negative interest in whatever KojiPro does next.
But I did really dislike Death Stranding. I completed it and kinda wish I didn't bother. It even made me retroactively question my love of Kojima's older games, I disliked it that much. I honestly wish it was just the walking simulator people dreaded because every time it tried to do anything remotely action-oriented it felt dreadful and infuriating, and it didn't even have an entertaining or interesting story to back it up. The only parts I really liked were the stuff with Mads, and that was mostly from an aesthetic point of view.
I kinda get why people liked it but boy, I have negative interest in whatever KojiPro does next.
And the winner of the award for absolute worst opinion of 2019 is
Honestly, probably Sekiro. Every other game I played from this year (it was like 6 other games) I liked and was able to vote for in the GOTY thread. Sekiro was the only one I played that I didn't like.
However, I plan to give it another chance cause there's many games I don't like the first time around that I like way more the 2nd time. And I'm still happy for its success (like winning GOTY at TGAs) because From and Miyazaki deserve good things.
However, I plan to give it another chance cause there's many games I don't like the first time around that I like way more the 2nd time. And I'm still happy for its success (like winning GOTY at TGAs) because From and Miyazaki deserve good things.
This year I have played:
Crackdown 3
Resident Evil 2
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Modern Warfare
Gardens Between
Jedi Fallen Order
Devil May Cry 5
Gears 5
Anthem
Pokemon Shield
That's it. Of all those, my worst one is probably Gears 5.
Crackdown 3
Resident Evil 2
Shadow of the Tomb Raider
Modern Warfare
Gardens Between
Jedi Fallen Order
Devil May Cry 5
Gears 5
Anthem
Pokemon Shield
That's it. Of all those, my worst one is probably Gears 5.
It looks like they had an Unfinished a few weeks before it was out (so either a preview or a beta), a Quick Look of their first impressions, and a Quick Look later in the game. That's not exactly a ridiculously large amount of coverage, and I'm betting those weren't exactly positive either.
...like, are you also going to say they were paid for the 2/5 review they gave it?
From the games I've played enough to judge, I would say Rage 2 (even did the platinum, whoops) and probably Metro Exodus (this franchise and I, we will never be friends).
Gears 5 may not be a bad game, but it was a big disappointment for me. Worst Gears, imo. The Gameplay additions just didn't click and imo gears doesn't need them.
Outer worlds was fun for 10 hours, I can't see myself f going back.
Yooka 2D. I'm a huge 2d Jnr fan and this looks like a good clone of the Dkc returns games. It wasn't as much fan as expected.
None of the games may be bad, but did not enjoy them so I think it's ok to name them here.
Gears 5 may not be a bad game, but it was a big disappointment for me. Worst Gears, imo. The Gameplay additions just didn't click and imo gears doesn't need them.
Outer worlds was fun for 10 hours, I can't see myself f going back.
Yooka 2D. I'm a huge 2d Jnr fan and this looks like a good clone of the Dkc returns games. It wasn't as much fan as expected.
None of the games may be bad, but did not enjoy them so I think it's ok to name them here.
Control... would be the worst game I played if I hadn't have put an embarrassing amount of of time into Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. It's Pokemon Go, but Harry Potter. It's bad. A big part of it is a conceptual issue: there is no compulsion to collect a bunch of random fairies and trolls, whereas catching them all is sort of the whole thing for Pokemon. Part of it is an interfacing issue: throwing a Pokeball feels fine, doing weirdly precise swiping movements on your screen doesn't translate as well. Part of it is monetary: there was a limit to how much stuff you could "catch" like in PoGo, but the refills weren't as easy to come by, so it felt like I was getting squeezed for cash harder this time around. Really though, there's just not shit to do. None of it is interesting in the slightest.
If we're talking big boy games, then yeah it's Control by a country mile.
If we're talking big boy games, then yeah it's Control by a country mile.
Kingdom Hearts 3. How did I ever enjoy these games? I suspect I didn't, but this really brought it home.
It's stunning to look at and filled with things to do, but the core gameplay loop - mashmashmashmash interminable cutscene mashmashmashmash - is feels so boring. I feel hypocritical saying this when I still love very traditional JRPGs, but KH3 is just so tedious.
It's stunning to look at and filled with things to do, but the core gameplay loop - mashmashmashmash interminable cutscene mashmashmashmash - is feels so boring. I feel hypocritical saying this when I still love very traditional JRPGs, but KH3 is just so tedious.
Has to be Rage2. Downloaded free from gamepass and never bounced off something so hard... don't even know what is was... bad mood ?
*ducks* Obra Dinn left me ice cold too.
*ducks* Obra Dinn left me ice cold too.
I haven't played many games of this year, so I guess Bloodstained would be the worst? It's still good, but only good. Slightly more balanced than Symphony of the Night, but falling short of its art, music, character/enemy designs, etc. that gave it such a special atmosphere. Also nowhere near as intriguingly arcane. I've played through Symphony at least half a dozen thorough times, and I still get the sense there's something there I've probably missed. I don't get that with Bloodstained. Filled out the map, got all the items, did all the quests, dealt with intrusive glitches, got all the trophies, and I feel utterly done with the game after like 14-15 hours.
Shenmue III
I loved the first two, but Shenmue III uncoupled Ryo's journey to be a stronger martial artist from the story and made it into a tedious gameplay mechanic. This had a double whammy effect of exposing the threadbare plot and removing any narrative rewards from completing the game's sometimes mundane (if strangely compelling) tasks, while double-compounding the busywork gameplay to the point that the pace grinds to a crawl.
The stamina mechanic, plus the fact that jobs don't pay much money, plus the fact that food is relatively expensive, coupled with the need to train up your Kung Fu every day meant the game's systems felt like they dragged three or four time's harder than in Shenmue I & II, with no satisfying narrative payoff in the moment-to-moment of the main story.
All sense of intrigue was discarded, along with a lot of the interesting and weird Shenmue characters that came with it. Instead a clear divide between plot and Ryo's growth as a character (now partially abstracted into a half-baked gameplay mechanic) has emerged, and that's really disappointing.
There are almost certainly bigger disappointments and far worse games released this year, but I generally have a good sense for games I won't like and avoid them like the plague. However, I've been waiting almost two decades for Shenmue III, put $130 - an amount I couldn't really afford at the time - into the Kickstarter, and while there are some points of concern and some disappointing points in the run-up to the launch (choosing Deep Silver as publisher, Epic Game Store exclusivity, the fact that consequtive trailers over the years really failed to show the game coming together in a good way), I was hopeful that Suzuki would create a game true to the first two. He failed miserably, and I'm probably finished with the series now.
I loved the first two, but Shenmue III uncoupled Ryo's journey to be a stronger martial artist from the story and made it into a tedious gameplay mechanic. This had a double whammy effect of exposing the threadbare plot and removing any narrative rewards from completing the game's sometimes mundane (if strangely compelling) tasks, while double-compounding the busywork gameplay to the point that the pace grinds to a crawl.
The stamina mechanic, plus the fact that jobs don't pay much money, plus the fact that food is relatively expensive, coupled with the need to train up your Kung Fu every day meant the game's systems felt like they dragged three or four time's harder than in Shenmue I & II, with no satisfying narrative payoff in the moment-to-moment of the main story.
All sense of intrigue was discarded, along with a lot of the interesting and weird Shenmue characters that came with it. Instead a clear divide between plot and Ryo's growth as a character (now partially abstracted into a half-baked gameplay mechanic) has emerged, and that's really disappointing.
There are almost certainly bigger disappointments and far worse games released this year, but I generally have a good sense for games I won't like and avoid them like the plague. However, I've been waiting almost two decades for Shenmue III, put $130 - an amount I couldn't really afford at the time - into the Kickstarter, and while there are some points of concern and some disappointing points in the run-up to the launch (choosing Deep Silver as publisher, Epic Game Store exclusivity, the fact that consequtive trailers over the years really failed to show the game coming together in a good way), I was hopeful that Suzuki would create a game true to the first two. He failed miserably, and I'm probably finished with the series now.
Shenmue 3 for me, it didn't click at all...
That's most probably because i did not replay previous entries in anticipation, i abandoned after less than an hour.
If i ever go back, it will be after replaying the old titles and being back in the old-feels mindstate.
That's most probably because i did not replay previous entries in anticipation, i abandoned after less than an hour.
If i ever go back, it will be after replaying the old titles and being back in the old-feels mindstate.
I managed to avoid some of the really terrible stuff this year, but my hot take is that Sayonara Wild Hearts isn't very good.
Decent music, but it was sold to me as the Rhythm Game of 2019. After I finished it (Gold on every track, usually first try) I was pissed because it is essentially a braindead endless runner broken into levels. The rhythm game mechanics are barely there and the actual endless runner stuff was barely engaging outside of the absolute endgame. The only levels I had any real difficulty with were the Heartbreak stages, which I found to be extremely visually indistinct and just couldn't line up heart pickups due to the perspective. Other than that, I basically slept my way to gold through the game.
Literally the definition of Style over Substance. Decent music and art direction carries the entire (roughly 1.5 hour long) experience.
Decent music, but it was sold to me as the Rhythm Game of 2019. After I finished it (Gold on every track, usually first try) I was pissed because it is essentially a braindead endless runner broken into levels. The rhythm game mechanics are barely there and the actual endless runner stuff was barely engaging outside of the absolute endgame. The only levels I had any real difficulty with were the Heartbreak stages, which I found to be extremely visually indistinct and just couldn't line up heart pickups due to the perspective. Other than that, I basically slept my way to gold through the game.
Literally the definition of Style over Substance. Decent music and art direction carries the entire (roughly 1.5 hour long) experience.
Anthem is the worst 2019 game I played to completion, by far
as far as game that I bounced off of: I can tell Disco Elysium is well put together but I spent 2 hours with it and couldn't get through the first in game day. I found it boring and I'm not sure I'll ever go back
as far as game that I bounced off of: I can tell Disco Elysium is well put together but I spent 2 hours with it and couldn't get through the first in game day. I found it boring and I'm not sure I'll ever go back
Pokémon Sword. It was fine, but I didn't play anything worse. I didn't mind the lack of big new things, but the fact that the game really only worked for me when it stuck to the old stuff was disappointing.
Need for SpeedHeat
Did very little for me. Nighttime looks good, the roguelike element is neat, and being able to change the sound of the exhaust is a dumb detail that's appreciated.
But the rest of the game felt distinctly bland and empty, the physics are just kind of ok, daytime looks ungreat, you're in a ghost town, the soundtrack is almost completely irritating, the story seemed highly uninteresting.
In a world where Forza Horizon has existed for years and is so far ahead in regards to everything, this just isn't very exciting. Felt obsolete and pointless.
Played it for maybe two hours and went "Eh." before quitting forever.
I'd say it's an average game, not bad, because I know bad games, I know of Big Rigs, and this is way further away from something like that than Forza Horizon.
But I really don't care for it and think I actually think it's bad. Horizon is a 9, Heat a 4, and Big Rigs a -11.
Did very little for me. Nighttime looks good, the roguelike element is neat, and being able to change the sound of the exhaust is a dumb detail that's appreciated.
But the rest of the game felt distinctly bland and empty, the physics are just kind of ok, daytime looks ungreat, you're in a ghost town, the soundtrack is almost completely irritating, the story seemed highly uninteresting.
In a world where Forza Horizon has existed for years and is so far ahead in regards to everything, this just isn't very exciting. Felt obsolete and pointless.
Played it for maybe two hours and went "Eh." before quitting forever.
I'd say it's an average game, not bad, because I know bad games, I know of Big Rigs, and this is way further away from something like that than Forza Horizon.
But I really don't care for it and think I actually think it's bad. Horizon is a 9, Heat a 4, and Big Rigs a -11.
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Pathological 2. Felt like a horribly translated eurojank game that didn't know what the hell it wanted to be.
Hollow on the Switch (not Hollow Knight). Not sure if It came out this year but I beat it this year. complete trash.
The first hour of Travis Strikes Again gave me buyers remorse for something that only cost me a tenner
Turns out I've only played 4 games released in 2019
Control
Man of Medan
Stranger Things 3 The Game
Resident Evil 2 Remake
These games are great. To answer OP's question, I guess Stranger Things. I loved that game though
Control
Man of Medan
Stranger Things 3 The Game
Resident Evil 2 Remake
These games are great. To answer OP's question, I guess Stranger Things. I loved that game though
Not played many games if i'm being honest.
Worse is probably Modern Warfare. The very first game i was spawn trapped by half dozen roof snipers, and the follwing games were not much different. I played for 3 hours before i gave up and returned the game for a refund.
Controversially i'm going to say Apex Legends too. What was one of my favorite games of the year has soured on me massively. Respawn's weird changes to the game (SBMM), long ass season lengths and game inconsistency has made me dislike the game. I'm mad that i put in as much time as i did.
Worse is probably Modern Warfare. The very first game i was spawn trapped by half dozen roof snipers, and the follwing games were not much different. I played for 3 hours before i gave up and returned the game for a refund.
Controversially i'm going to say Apex Legends too. What was one of my favorite games of the year has soured on me massively. Respawn's weird changes to the game (SBMM), long ass season lengths and game inconsistency has made me dislike the game. I'm mad that i put in as much time as i did.
Not much sticks out for me but I did drop my free copy of Wolfenstein Youngblood fast. Then again I think Machinegames only released one good Wolfenstein game and the rest have been middling to terrible.
Outer worlds, Bloodstained(Switch), and Jedi Fallen Order all had some technical issues that pushed me to hold off playing until I guess 2020 now due to patch hope.
Alternatively, I completed Messenger to 100% and had a flipping great time clearing that map of all secrets, goodies, and completing its various platforming challenges.
Outer worlds, Bloodstained(Switch), and Jedi Fallen Order all had some technical issues that pushed me to hold off playing until I guess 2020 now due to patch hope.
Alternatively, I completed Messenger to 100% and had a flipping great time clearing that map of all secrets, goodies, and completing its various platforming challenges.
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