Worst Games in Great Franchises

[laggyteabag]

Assassin's Creed, as in, the first game.

The franchise is by no means perfect. A lot of the games can have boring characters, or boring locations, or boring combat, or are just overly bloated, but where most games in the franchise might have just one or two issues, the first game is terrible all around.

I don't really hold it against the game, mind you. It is the first game in the franchise, and the game is almost 15 years old at this point, but the game's sequels have made the game entirely irrelevant, especially Assassin's Creed 2, which basically just took the first game's formula, and improved quite literally every aspect.

Halo 4.

I could go on about why this game doesn't work for ages.

I get that 343 were a new dev team, and they wanted to make their own mark on the franchise, but it just wasn't what I wanted, nor do I feel like it was in the spirit of the franchise that they took over.

Credit where credit is due. The shooting felt responsive, the music was a great (even if it was a departure from the old themes), and graphically, the game looks great for a 360 game.

But the classic artstyle was completely gutted and replaced, the story was over the top, and most of the context was hidden in an external book series, where it could have settled for a simple "We are stranded, and my friend is dying" - ie, I didn't need them to shoot a laser at the earth - the levels were boring, the new enemies were frustrating to fight, the new guns were boring, and even the multiplayer mode was messed with, by chasing trends, and discarding equal starts, in favour of perks and loadouts.

Halo 4 just doesn't work.

 

[XsjadoBlayde]

If there's anything worth specialising in, it's the redheaded stepchildren. Ok, that didn't sound as creepy before typing it out, but am now leaving it in solely to unsettle. We must study the mistakes, archive the mistakes, then beat the people responsible for the mistakes over the head with the mistakes until they learn. I got a lot of mobile phone titles am going to try not to put here, but can't promise anything.

Tony Hawks 5 - what happens when you don't want to make a game, but you don't want to lose the license to the IP more? This astoundingly poor trash, obviously.

FFXIII - My first experience with the franchise was the one that made me hate it so much.

Fallout 76 - Uhuh. Oh it's supposed to be a real game now? I don't believe you.

Dead Rising 4 - Killed it. It killed the franchise. Cheers Capcom I guess

Perfect dark zero - *Bats microsoft over head* You untrustworthy slime racoons.

Super meat boy, the runner one - Never has a keen interest been so effectively murdered from a single descriptor of a game sequel.

 

[Xprimentyl]

Halo 4.

I could go on about why this game doesn't work for ages.

I get that 343 were a new dev team, and they wanted to make their own mark on the franchise, but it just wasn't what I wanted, nor do I feel like it was in the spirit of the franchise that they took over.

Credit where credit is due. The shooting felt responsive, the music was a great (even if it was a departure from the old themes), and graphically, the game looks great for a 360 game.

But the classic artstyle was completely gutted and replaced, the story was over the top, and most of the context was hidden in an external book series, where it could have settled for a simple "We are stranded, and my friend is dying" - ie, I didn't need them to shoot a laser at the earth - the levels were boring, the new enemies were frustrating to fight, the new guns were boring, and even the multiplayer mode was messed with, by chasing trends, and discarding equal starts, in favour of perks and loadouts.

Halo 4 just doesn't work.

To each their own, but Halo 5 is almost objectively worse in every complaint you've leveled at 4. Halo 4 at least felt like "the next Halo" whereas Halo 5 felt like "Halo Adjacent."

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

We all have game franchises we love, some of those franchises are long running, while others may only have a few games in them. But every franchise seems to always have that one game that ever fan of series looks at and just goes "ewww". Recently, as you guys might know, I've been on a huge Yakuza binge having played four out of the seven games in the series so far. My most recent game Yakuza 3 is easily the worse game in the Yakuza series i've played so far and after reading a few reviews online it seems that I'm not the only person who feels that way.

This got me wondering about other franchises, and what would be the worst game in a given series.

For Final Fantasy, i think FF2 is universally hated equally. Though there is debate about FF8 and FF13 as well.

So what is your most hated game in a series you otherwise love? What's the MGS stinker? The Mario? The GTA?

Let's see if there is any agreement between fans of which games in otherwise great franchises that just fail to hit the mark.

FF8 had the unenviable task of following up FF7, but I really grew to like the junction system. It took the third attempt at the game, but it eventually clicked and became really interesting. As for story, aside from having a douchey protagonist, it was one of the more emotionally gripping games I’ve played. I was a teen though, so not sure what I’d think of that space scene now, but at the time I couldn’t get through it without tearing up.

Plus, Ultimecia was a hot villain and the OST was IMO some of Uematsu’s best, especially the ending stuff.

FF13 I never even played more than the demo, so can’t comment other than the fact it was too linear.

 

[CriticalGaming]

FF13 I never even played more than the demo, so can’t comment other than the fact it was too linear.

I really hate when people say FF13 is too linear, because most FF games are fairly linear. Especially 7,9,10,12,13, 7-R. The series is more linear than it is free and usually the titles only open up towards the end when you have a side quest bonanza and 13 does the same thing.

Maybe it's because13 is so cinematic heavy that the linearity feels bad, on top of the story being dogshit, which compounds. So the linearity is made into a negative because the rest of the game is kinda weak. Which is why the other games get away with linearity and nobody even mentions it.

Which isn't on you, because you aren't the only person going "lol 13 is a hallway", it's all over the place and I don't think it's fair to be THE factor that people rip on.

 

[happyninja42]

I really hate when people say FF13 is too linear, because most FF games are fairly linear. Especially 7,9,10,12,13, 7-R. The series is more linear than it is free and usually the titles only open up towards the end when you have a side quest bonanza and 13 does the same thing.

Maybe it's because13 is so cinematic heavy that the linearity feels bad, on top of the story being dogshit, which compounds. So the linearity is made into a negative because the rest of the game is kinda weak. Which is why the other games get away with linearity and nobody even mentions it.

Which isn't on you, because you aren't the only person going "lol 13 is a hallway", it's all over the place and I don't think it's fair to be THE factor that people rip on.

Is it maybe because 13 doesn't have an open map that you can wander around, and engage in side questing at your own pace? I genuinely don't know as I never played it.

 

[Xprimentyl]

I really hate when people say FF13 is too linear, because most FF games are fairly linear. Especially 7,9,10,12,13, 7-R. The series is more linear than it is free and usually the titles only open up towards the end when you have a side quest bonanza and 13 does the same thing.

Maybe it's because13 is so cinematic heavy that the linearity feels bad, on top of the story being dogshit, which compounds. So the linearity is made into a negative because the rest of the game is kinda weak. Which is why the other games get away with linearity and nobody even mentions it.

Which isn't on you, because you aren't the only person going "lol 13 is a hallway", it's all over the place and I don't think it's fair to be THE factor that people rip on.

I’ve already admitted my experience with FF has been limited to FF8 (loved,) FF13 (hated) and about 2 hours with FF7 which ceased to interest me at all, but FF13’s biggest failing for me was easily the overly complicated battle system; it made each encounter into a puzzle game rather than an execution of a playstyle complimentary to the character builds I’d been putting together. The linearity was never an issue, though I’ll also admit the lack of freedom from FF8 was a bit jarring. Also, the game was absolutely beautiful, but I spent 90% of my time managing in menus and not actually feeling like I was engaged in the experience, so I missed most of its beauty, almost like an RTS. The story was fine, as “out there” as many a fantasy game I’ve ever played and enjoyed; how it compares to other FFs, I can’t say.

 

[Satinavian]

Heroes of Might and Magic 4 : 6 (and probably 7, though never played that one) certainly tanked the series by only being bothered with MP. But 4 was just a weird experiment that didn't really work. Nuking the entire setting that had been built up across both the main and Heroes series right after Blood and Honor and Heroes 3 had really hit the high marks didn't help it. A vast reduction in the overall variety of units and towns (probably due to switching to 3d rendering from previous 2d work) was also an anchorweight. Adding on to that they also tried to make Heroes into actual units, giving it this weird pseudo-tactical RPG vibe (or possibly cribbing notes from Warcraft 3) that didn't really work out, with the Heroes landing on the extremes of pitifully weak (if you built them with management skills) wastes of a unit slot, or horrifically overpowered.

I liked HoMM 5 quite a lot while i agree that 4 and 6 were very weak and 7 average.

My main example would be Master of Orion 3. They made all the subsystems needlessly complicated but not actually more engaging. Instead it was more restricting with less interesting decisions, more busywork and utterly unintuitive. Then they included tools that the player could avoid this micromanagement and having even less interesting decision but the tools were actuall bad at their job. Which was not surprising as the enemy AI was hopelessly lost with the new system as well. They also redesigned the look to be more dark and edgy but somehow managed to make it less engaging.
It failed so hard that no one touched the franchise for one and a half decade while number 2 remained one of the most played space 4X games until Stellaris. The first one was good for its time. The new one is a bit shallow but still a way better experience.

Honorable mention for Civilisation 3. It is not a bad game actually, but i played 1 to 5 extensively and i think it is the weakest of the series considering technological advancement.

 

[BrawlMan]

I really hate when people say FF13 is too linear, because most FF games are fairly linear. Especially 7,9,10,12,13, 7-R. The series is more linear than it is free and usually the titles only open up towards the end when you have a side quest bonanza and 13 does the same thing.

Maybe it's because13 is so cinematic heavy that the linearity feels bad, on top of the story being dogshit, which compounds. So the linearity is made into a negative because the rest of the game is kinda weak. Which is why the other games get away with linearity and nobody even mentions it.

Which isn't on you, because you aren't the only person going "lol 13 is a hallway", it's all over the place and I don't think it's fair to be THE factor that people rip on.

I know this is where the whole linear equals bad really started coming into effect was when this game came out. Everything you say is true, but linearity wasn't the problem for me and my brother. We just hated the story and most of the characters. Lightning sucked hard and is the least interesting and boring character I've ever seen. Like I said before in the past, we couldn't even get past the second disc and just stopped and traded the game in for something else.

 

[happyninja42]

I'm genuinely curious to those discussing FF 13, if it had an open map feature that you could wander around or not. Because while the most extensive review of it I've watched was Spoony's teardown of it, I can't recall seeing an image of an overworld map, or any discussion about traveling from locations and doing stuff. So I honestly don't know if that was a feature or not. Which if it's not there, that might have a large factor about why people say it's too linear? *shrugs*

 

[CriticalGaming]

I'm genuinely curious to those discussing FF 13, if it had an open map feature that you could wander around or not. Because while the most extensive review of it I've watched was Spoony's teardown of it, I can't recall seeing an image of an overworld map, or any discussion about traveling from locations and doing stuff. So I honestly don't know if that was a feature or not. Which if it's not there, that might have a large factor about why people say it's too linear? *shrugs*

There was a large open area that you could do these monster hunt quests in, but it did not have an explorable world map with multiple locations

And you didnt get to this part of the game until about 30 hours jnto it..

 

[happyninja42]

There was a large open area that you could do these monster hunt quests in, but it did not have an explorable world map with multiple locations

And you didnt get to this part of the game until about 30 hours jnto it..

....30 hours in it finally opens up? Yeah, I'd say that's a good indication of it being far more linear than previous games. Sure, most FF games have very linear maps when you are in a zone and/or story mission. Start at point A, get to point B, experience cutscenes along the way. But, 30 hours is the length of most full games, and most FF games give you an open map to run around within the first few hours of play. So yeah, I can kind of empathize with the "lulz it's a hallway" criticism, if it's a 30 hour long hallway before you actually are given the keys to the car.

 

[Xprimentyl]

....30 hours in it finally opens up? Yeah, I'd say that's a good indication of it being far more linear than previous games. Sure, most FF games have very linear maps when you are in a zone and/or story mission. Start at point A, get to point B, experience cutscenes along the way. But, 30 hours is the length of most full games, and most FF games give you an open map to run around within the first few hours of play. So yeah, I can kind of empathize with the "lulz it's a hallway" criticism, if it's a 30 hour long hallway before you actually are given the keys to the car.

That large, open area is largely vestigial. It's basically the game admitting that you might need to level up to progress, and has allowed so few opportunities for EXP farming prior to, so here's a "dicking around" area to shore up any shortcomings. It basically turns into Dark Souls with static enemy placement and enemies that continually respawn in an area that allows you to spin your tires. The rest of the game is a corridor.

 

[happyninja42]

That large, open area is largely vestigial. It's basically the game admitting that you might need to level up to progress, and has allowed so few opportunities for EXP farming prior to, so here's a "dicking around" area to shore up any shortcomings. It basically turns into Dark Souls with static enemy placement and enemies that continually respawn in an area that allows you to spin your tires. The rest of the game is a corridor.

bleh, glad I didn't bother with it. I mean I lost interest in the franchise around 12 (liked it at first, but lost interest after several hours). I enjoyed 15 for the most part, though there was a lot of tonal disjointedness with the MC in that game for me. But I did enjoy Boy Band: The Road Trip: Through Crazy Town: The Game.

 

[Casual Shinji]

• God of War 1

• Gravity Rush 2

 

[meiam]

Honestly the linearity of FF13 would have been forgivable if it had a good story, gameplay, world, etc. Everything about it was extremely lacking (except music and graphic). The gameplay was literally just "press X to let the character win the fight for you", the story made no sense, the character were obnoxious with Snow probably being the worst character in any FF. Most of the dungeon didn't have a reason to exist, it would just dumb you in a random dungeon that had no reason to exist in the game world with nothing for you to do beside move forward because there was nothing else to do. It stupidly gate levelling by story for no reason (and the entire levelling system was just awful, like the worst aspect of FF10 sphere grid with none of the good side). The lack of town meant you never got a real sense of how the world worked and the final open area was just a waste of time (literally, you get to the end and the character just go "welp, we didn't find anything useful here"). The ending is one of the most insulting thing I ever watched. The game really suffered from development hell, it's obvious it went trough mutliple re write and was rushed out at the end with no clear cohesive vision.

I'll defend Homeworld 2 a bit, not as good as 1 and cata (and desert of kharak), but it wasn't a bad game per say. Music was great and the I liked the bigger unit you get toward the end.

As for DA:O being the worst, have you played inquisition?! Origin and 2 have issues, but godamn inquisition, wtf were they thinking?

 

[XsjadoBlayde]

FFXIII could have the most open, sprawling map of american freedoms and it still wouldn't be any less shit. The core is tainted beyond redemption.

 

[BrawlMan]

By worst game I meant in terms of gameplay and level design. The story and characters are fine as far as God of War 1.

Gravity Rush 2 just didn't know where the end or take a subplot and stick with it. Too many subplots in the game just kept dragging.

 

[sXeth]

I liked HoMM 5 quite a lot while i agree that 4 and 6 were very weak and 7 average.

5 was alright. Story was a little meh, and the armies lacked a bit of variety (oh boy, two entire factions of elves). Although it did have the beginnings of the blatant ai cheating where they'd not even bother capping mines but still have resources. 6 ramped that up to the point where AI would outright have buildings that were impossible to legitly build within the rules of 1 building a day.

 

[Casual Shinji]

By worst game I meant in terms of gameplay and level design. The story and characters are fine as far as God of War 1.

I actually really like the level design in GoW1. The Temple of Pandora for me is up there with Shadow Moses and the RPD in terms of iconic videogame buildings. It's also the best the series gets with environmental storytelling AND properly linking it to Kratos' own personal journey.

Gravity Rush 2 just didn't know where the end or take a subplot and stick with it. Too many subplots in the game just kept dragging.

I'd say the only thing Gravity Rush 2 has going for it is that it's more colourful and maybe some of the enemy variety. In every other department it feels like a major step down. Instead of learning from some of the mistakes of the first game it decides to embed them further and turns the whole experience into a frustrating mess. I never thought I could get so angry trying to throw a goddamn frisbee for a dog.