Just Bad Games
The number of games I play that don’t make the cut is depressingly high. Much is of course on me, and my taste, but I got to say – the standards seem to have fallen off a cliff lately. I have reviewed a few games that I didn’t complete fully, however, in those cases I figured I’ve played enough to give my opinion on it. If a game doesn’t catch my attention after playing half of it, it’s doubtful it ever will. And some games are just too darn hard for me to ever finish, destroying my integrity in the process. Usually, those titles start out okay, but then eventually turn into a masochistic experience of pure suffering. I believe a review can be worth it in both of these cases still, maybe to act as a warning or to just get something out of the wasted hours in front of the screen.
Then we got the other games that turn me off almost instantly. Games that I consider so poor and baffling when it comes to design decisions that there was no way I could ever play them for a longer session, much less to the end. Gaming is supposed to be fun, dammit! Remember, this is highly subjective of course, like all the reviews in general, but this snubs on ranting more than anything else. Anyway, I thought why not list some of the games I’ve tried, but couldn’t even last past the initial two-hour grace period. This will be brutal, and probably unfair, however, one’s man masterpiece is another man’s trash, and vice versa.
Chernobylite Enhanced Edition
Got this game for about three bucks, expecting something similar to Stalker, maybe with a few more RPG mechanics. What I got was a walking simulator with poor combat and AI. It’s very pretty, though, but the story felt absurd and nonsensical. It’s also divided into relatively small maps that feel like something out of a mmo instead of an immersive sandbox experience. Very disappointing. In the end, Chernobylite felt like a knockoff brand copy of a Stalker and Fallout 4 hybrid – taking design ideas from both those games that made them into what they are, but in the process of mimicking utterly failed.
Saint Kotar
Not much to say about this one. I was hoping for something similar like Dreams in the Witch House, at least in tone, but right from the get-go, this point & click adventure felt off. At best I can say some of the “mood” is there, but as a game, I found it mind-numbingly boring. Another case of walking & talking simulator, yawn. Brevity is the wit of the soul, after all.
Total War: WARHAMMER III
Got to try this one since Steam was running a free weekend, thinking it would at least last me a few battles during this slow Saturday morning, however, that was not to be. Already after the first battle it made me sick, sick as in watching the warscape engine in action in a vomit-induced over-saturated mess of a graphic engine. I forgot how much I have come to dislike that engine, and in general Total War after the Medieval II game. Everything feels so floaty and gamified, far from any resemblance to sandbox or simulation. Overall, all the different stats and things for units and buildings reminded me of World of Warcraft.
The Long Dark
Why not take some realistic survival gaming for a spin? Could be educational also, considering the state of the world. What I didn’t expect to get was something so boring that I rather watch paint dry – who knew survival in an apocalyptic Canada could be so dull, and… pretentious! Jesus, that is probably the worst part of this. This game hit me like post-modern art, full and cringe and suffering(for the viewer). I didn’t last long here, and besides, the survival aspect/gameplay seemed to be on the annoying side. It was just a bunch of menus, instead of you actually doing something in the world. Also, this game suffered from stat overload, stuff that you wouldn’t know or care about trying to survive the cold in the wilderness.
That is all from me now, but considering how things are looking in the game industry, expect more of these posts! I just don’t have the patience to finish poor games anymore, even if I paid for the privilege. A reason for that is that games have been devalued a lot. The feeling of being obliged to complete the game, thanks to money spent is long gone. You spend five bucks and the game sucks, who cares? It was five bucks. It was a long time ago now that I spent full price on a game, and even longer ago spending that much money on a game I regret buying. There is just no need to do so now. There are plenty of older & newer games to a much cheaper price. And AAA gaming, at least according to me, has been murdered and is laying dead in a ditch. Until next time!
Thanks for reading
/Thomas
Tom's Gaming Blog 
Leave a Reply