Gaming Mediocrity

[Jezzascmezza]

Threads about "your favorite game" have been done to death.
Threads about "your least favorite game" have also been done to death.
So Escapist members, I ask you this:
What is the most average, normal, meh-tastic (actual word) game you've ever played, and why?

For me, it'd be Guitar Hero 3.
It's just a music game, with an average amount of songs, an average quality of songs, and an average set of options.
It isn't good, but it isn't bad.
A solid example of gaming mediocrity at its finest/worst, if you ask me.

 

[lambsheep]

Yes, guitar hero 3 was like that, but so was burnout revenge.

 

[Gethsemani_v1legacy]

Sadly enough, I found the Battlefield series to be this, up to and including Bad Company 2.

 

[Capt. Crankypants]

Hmm....I'd say Command and Conquer 3. And I hated it for being average (IMO). There are plenty of games to hate for being bad, but C&C had such pedigree, such potential. The Generals games which preceeded it were an absolute blast, especially at LAN sessions, but C&C3 was just so hollow.

-L

 

[The Lunatic]

Halo 3.

Friends greatly advised I get it (They're console gamers.) so, I decided, well, I may as well.

It was just so... Bleh.

 

[Zhukov]

Probably Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood.

 

[Inco]

Hmm....I'd say Command and Conquer 3. And I hated it for being average (IMO). There are plenty of games to hate for being bad, but C&C had such pedigree, such potential. The Generals games which preceeded it were an absolute blast, especially at LAN sessions, but C&C3 was just so hollow.

-L

Actually, I would definitely concur with this.
General's was a great and diverse game, with many hours of replayablity (as well as humourous tactics to share to friends.) But C & C 3, while competent, just didn't have the lasting power, and was quickly forgotten.

 

[C14N]

Every Halo and Call of Duty game I've played (i.e. since CoD4 and Halo 1) are utterly average. I'd probably say InFamous too but it tips more toward the "bad" side of games.

 

[someotherguy]

Mario and sonic at the Olympic gam- oh we're not doing that anymore?


I have to say wii sports resort then, I guess. Fun with friends, otherwise nah.

If it's not a wii title, then i'd have to say the overlord series.

 

[someotherguy]

Halo 3 and every Call of Duty game I've played (i.e. since CoD4) are utterly average. I'd probably say InFamous too but it tips more toward the "bad" side of games.

I can agree with the CoD games. My friends where all in love with it till I made them play good FPSs like half life or halo reach, or team fortress. I'm still hoping black ops will be good.

 

[JonnyZOMG]

I'm with C14N on Halo and CoD, though I do enjoy the occasional game of Nazi Zombies.

I actually found Bad Company 1 really engaging and addictive with large, varied maps, yet the second one just didn't hook me and had that feel of meh. Though that was probably down to the 'descended from the heavens' M60 ruining the balance of weapons.

 

[The_Deleted]

Yes, guitar hero 3 was like that, but so was burnout revenge.

I would have said Burnout: Dominator.
Released at the arse end of one consoles lifespan and hidden behind the epic that is 'Paradise.'
Games just seemed like a few levels left over with no effort to portray the excitement and exhilaration of previous games.
I almost missed DJ Atomica.

 

[veloper]

The vast majority games fall into the meh-tastic.

examples: Halo series, CoD, battlefield, gears2.
High production values, but nothing we haven't seen all the time.

 

[Mr Pantomime]

Halo 1, and destroy all humans wii

 

[joshuaayt]

Killzone. It's somehow *more* of a generic shooter than Halo, which doesn't even make any sense. It's not bad- you can still enjoy playing it- but it doesn't do ANYTHING, so I am loath to call it good.

 

[Get_A_Grip_]

Oh boy, where do I start.

Final Fantasy XII
Guitar Hero: World Tour
Modern Warfare 2
The Tomb Raider Series
Jak 2
The Sims
Little Big Planet
Every Mario Game since Super Mario World 2
Halo 2
StarCraft 2
Red Dead Redemption
GTA IV
Sega Rally

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

The saboteur by a mile, and call of duty world at war.Yes I'm serious.

 

[LightningBanks]

Halo 3.

Friends greatly advised I get it (They're console gamers.) so, I decided, well, I may as well.

It was just so... Bleh.

Any halo was like this to me. I played the first halo thinking "im shooting thins less powerful than me and just winning all the time"

EDIT: also burnout paradise, I just kept losing races by taking the wrong turning because I was going so fast, and just thinking, this isnt fun

 

[The Madman]

Just pretend I'm saying you're favorite game, that way you can get the self-righteous indignation of discovering I dislike your favorite game, while I can get that secretive 'troll thrill' from knowing I've displeased someone.

That's how these topics work, right? At least that's what I've always noticed. Few people every mention genuinely mediocre games (Or, in most cases, bad games since the topic is usually 'whats the worst') because we've forgotten those since they were so mediocre, they mention games they know are popular but didn't themselves love, that way they can get a reaction.

But maybe I'm reading too much into this.

You want mediocre?

Chaser
Chrome
Will Rock
Pariah
Silverfall
Infernal

Never heard of them? That's because they're mediocre. Not bad enough to hate, not good enough to be worth remembering. As much as I dislike games like Halo or Call of Duty, they're not mediocre, they're damned good at what they do. I'm just not the sort which appreciates them, but I can still see the appeal.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

Uncharted. Uninspired level design (horrible jet ski sequences), good cover & shoot mechanics, average at best shooting (every gun was the same, assualt rifles were just pistols with more ammo), control scheme for grenades was horrible, bland platforming, simple puzzles, excellent graphics, and good story & characters.

Uncharted 2 was awesome though, huge improvement.

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Assassins Creed 2 was the epitamy of average as well, the definition of a average open world game. The missions were never great, some good ones and bad ones, but mainly very average missions. The main assassins were all extremely weak, the first game was much better with the main assassinations. Platforming was worse in the AC2. The only good gameplay mechanic was combat and good assassins shouldn't find themselves in combat much.