10 Ambitious Games That Were Boring!
Some games can be called masterpieces, others – complete flops. Most of them are more or less solid propositions occupying mediocre territory. Here, we look at games that go both ways – are at the same time ambitious, but boring.
Table of Contents
- 10 Ambitious Games That Were Boring!
- ARX Fatalis
- What Remains of Edith Finch
- SOMA
- Lionheart: Legacy of The Crusader
ARX Fatalis
Release date: 2002
Developer: Arkane Studios
What makes the game unique: Unusual idea for world building
What makes it boring: A mess of quests and numerous bugs
This old game did not impress with its animations even on the day of its release. On top of that, at a time when isometric RPGs were still leading the way, it welcomed us with innovative 3D. In retrospect, we know that, using older technology, Fallout games, or Planescape: Torment have aged much better, but back then, it wasn't the visuals that were the biggest problem for players.
It's hard not to find the idea behind this game incredibly original. It started out as a cliché – in underworld... that the hero was never supposed to leave.World in ARX Fatalis is merely an expansive dungeon where all of humanity has moved. Along with other races, not always friendly. It's dark, murky and unorthodox all the time. It's just a shame that it's so hard to push the plot forward.
The game definitely doesn't lead you by the hand. Unfortunately – not in the way we would expect. It's easy to get lost in the dark corridors that all look alike, the map is not very detailed and you often don't know what to do to start another after completing one quest. On top of that, there are some pretty serious bugs that can even make it completely impossible to finish the game. It's a shame, because this otherwise cherished production deserved much better gameplay at the time of its release. This would allow players to focus on exploring the unremarkable world, rather than fighting bugs and trying to find their way through a maze of mislabeled corridors.
Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator
Release date: 1999
Developer: Valkyrie Studios
What makes the game unique: Unconventional character designs and a compelling storyline
What makes it boring: Eternal respawning of enemies and the necessity of traversing the same maps several times
I have a huge fondness for Septerra Core. Although it's a game I first played long after its release, I became enslaved by its charm from the get-go. The story of Mai and her companions is truly intriguing. The nine worlds we explore very slowly, turn out to be even more original than anything we came to know at the end of the last century through American and European studies. Top it off with graphics, which were beautiful for those times and even today look pretty good, also offering interesting stories and character designs.
It was a barrel full of honey. And now to the tar, unfortunately in amounts much larger than one spoon. Septerra is a very long game. It wouldn't be a great fault if the missions weren't as repeatable as they were. The creators unnecessarily tried to stretch out an otherwise very interesting plot with lengthy takes that completely kill the atmosphere. But if it was just that, I still couldn't put Septerra Core on this list.
The enemy respawns are the worst. The game doesn't have fast travel (at least as we know it today), and some routes have to be completed a dozen times over. Unfortunately, the same enemies appear in the same places EVERY time. Combat is turn-based, which at the beginning adds some spice to the game, but then becomes a real torment. In the later stages of the game, we can't advance the plot at least one step further without wandering endlessly through the same locations. Top it off with the fact that there are bugs in the game that completely prevent the completion of the main thread, it may turn out that Septerra will be completed only by the most patient players. And most resistant to boredom.
