What are the most frustrating games?
As much as we love gaming, some poorly designed moments can lead to frustration, and frustration can cause us to abandon a game forever. Sometimes, even beloved series with great gameplay can fall victim to poor design choices, and some even argue that it’s the worst game in an established series.
Some of these are more widely known examples, such as the first boss in Resident Evil 2, but others are less obvious examples, such as the cake song in Parappa the Rapper, where players complain about out-of-sync button presses. While others attribute these issues to lag, the game fails to communicate its mechanics properly, and it can be difficult to progress.
There are also games with far-apart checkpoints, like Doom Eternal, that cause death and repetitive gameplay, which are off-putting and cause players to abandon them. Others argue that these are simply poor design choices and not all games should be easy, but ultimately, it’s crucial for developers to communicate mechanics effectively and respect players’ time. Here are some of the most frustrating games, based on player experiences.
Resident Evil 2
This Resident Evil love letter to 1996 has one of the most famous boss fights of all time, but it’s not the only problem with the game. The entire first section is riddled with poorly communicated mechanics and frustrating moments. One user says: “The first boss fight in RE2 is confusing and the mechanics are poorly communicated. I died a bunch of times trying to figure out what to do, and when I finally did, the boss died almost immediately. I thought it was over, but the game forced me to walk back and get a keycard from the first zombie. The second boss was no better, and I was ready to quit playing.”
Another user adds: “The first boss in Signalis, a game similar to Resident Evil in space, is so poorly communicated. The boss is just impossible to figure out and fight, until the game suddenly tells you how to beat it. It’s a great game, but that boss fight is so bad.”
Legend of Grimrock
Another example is Legend of Grimrock, a remake of Dungeon Master, an old-school dungeon crawler that has been criticized for enemies that take no damage until a certain point, causing frustration. Players have also reported problems with the original Doom, where, after you die and have to wait for the lengthy opening cutscene to repeat, there’s no way to skip it, forcing you to watch it every time you die.
Parappa the Rapper
Parappa the Rapper’s cake song has been a popular complaint for years. Players complain about the button presses not being in sync with the actions on screen, making it extremely difficult to progress. Some users argue that the game is meant to be freestyled, but the game fails to communicate this properly and it can be frustrating.
A Plague Tale: Innocence
A Plague Tale: Innocence has been the subject of a lot of complaints. This game has a frustrating part with a cart. Many players struggled with it, and it’s something that developers need to work on.
Final Fantasy 14
Final Fantasy 14 is a huge MMORPG and is constantly being updated, but despite efforts to improve it, there are still many complaints about the gameplay and repetitive quests. Some players praise the emotional story and crafting, but there are many who say the game is riddled with FedEx quests, which are long quests that require a lot of backtracking and are tedious.
Despite the FedEx quests, some players praise the game for the story, game world, and crafting. Many also praise the job system, despite Square constantly shifting the skills, impacting the job system. Others complain about the story being boring and irrelevant to the main emotional events in the game.
Unskippable Tutorials
Unskippable tutorials can be frustrating for players who want to replay the game. Red Dead Redemption 2 is a good example, as you can’t skip the long, drawn-out tutorial, forcing you to go through it all again. While some appreciate the solid storytelling, others find it tedious to replay the intro.
The long intro in Metal Gear Solid V is also a big complaint, as it has you crawling at a slow pace. Some players just want to skip the slow crawl through the mud and get right to the action.
Other games with long load times after death and distant checkpoints can be off-putting. Dying in Rage 2, for example, results in a lengthy load time, which can be frustrating and cause players to abandon the game.
Other games, like Doom Eternal, make efforts to reduce load times, making the experience more enjoyable for players. Games with unskippable tutorials and unfriendly mechanics can be a problem for replayability, as well.
In conclusion, poorly designed moments in games can lead to frustration and cause players to abandon them, making it crucial for developers to communicate mechanics effectively and respect players’ time.
