Designing an exceptional, enduring game isn’t strictly a matter of scientific precision. Often, even the most acclaimed games include at least one stage, task, or segment that might leave players puzzled and wondering, “What was their thought process behind this?
While we may not have the title of game design experts, we certainly have a knack for identifying what’s enjoyable. These levels, in particular, leave one questioning if there was any effort put into testing them to ensure they would indeed prove entertaining.
The range of these settings spans from excessively stringent rules that seem unjustified, to challenges that are overly harsh and seemingly unwarranted, tarnishing the overall quality of what could have been excellent games.
10. Road To Nowhere
Crash Bandicoot
In terms of its numerous deadly pitfalls and hazards, the initial Crash Bandicoot game can undeniably give you a few frustrations; however, these challenges are not necessarily impossible to overcome.
If a challenge were to be deemed nearly impossible, it would likely be the fourteenth stage, often referred to as “the one with the bridge,” or more casually, “that bridge level.
The whole path is a skinny, one-piece bridge that’s riddled with loose planks or gaps. It wouldn’t be too bad, except for the ferocious wild boars darting about or unpredictable piles of explosive TNT scattered around.
This stage is known for its ruthless difficulty due to its slightly unpredictable jumping mechanics, which often leave players feeling frustrated. Some players opt to traverse the area using the support cables instead of trying to jump, as it seems less aggravating.
9. Meat Circus
Psychonauts
Though the psychological realms in Psychonauts can sometimes be a bit abstract, the game’s engaging gameplay generally maintains a smooth pace throughout play.
Yet, the primary obstacle that hinders advancement arises during the final stage, which is a complex mental intertwining between Raz and Oleander known as the “Meat Circus”. This term refers to the climactic phase of the game.
Disregarding the typically off-putting, carnival-like appearance of the entire stage, the initial part stands out as one of the most annoying escort missions created.
In simpler terms, you’ll be guiding Oleander’s younger version through various stories set in large circus tents, where you’ll need to switch quickly between safeguarding him from threats and navigating long, challenging acrobatics sequences.
Following this, there’s an extended sequence involving an ascent as you try to flee from the rising waters. Simultaneously, Raz’s father is launching explosives towards him.
Or more concisely: After that, you ascend while dodging his father’s explosives, all to escape the floodwaters.
8. Proving Grounds
BioShock
One enjoyable aspect of playing BioShock lies in its open-ended exploration. Despite its narrative’s serious tone, you are given ample freedom to roam through the game’s levels at your convenience, engaging in combat with Splicers and gathering resources as you please.
It’s quite puzzling, isn’t it, that the penultimate stage of the game turns out to be an extended and frustrating escort mission.
In the Testing Grounds, it’s your job to escort a Young Sister safely past hordes of Splicers as she collects ADAM. There are no save points in this area; if the Sister is killed, you’ll have to restart from the beginning with a new one.
From a narrative standpoint, it’s unclear why this action is necessary; Tennenbaum explains that although the Sisters no longer possess ADAM slugs, their mental programming compels them to halt and congregate at dead bodies.
Couldn’t you just, y’know, pick them up and carry them to the end, though?
7. Security Hall
Sonic Adventure 2
In Sonic Adventure 2, the hidden treasures levels may not always be consistent; they might seem challenging when contrasted with the simpler shooting and racing stages. Yet, if you remain persistent and attentive, you’ll successfully navigate these levels.
Regrettably, there’s no room for waiting in the Security Room, since you’re confined to a tight five-minute window (and this is solely due to Rouge informing Eggman that she doesn’t require 15 minutes).
This level defies almost every convention set by prior treasure-hunting levels. Here, you’re only allowed to excavate safes that have been opened, not anything else. You’ll encounter lasers and locked doors everywhere, and the connections between various areas are quite ambiguous.
In addition to other frustrations, whenever you perish from an enemy or falling into a pit, you retain the Emeralds you’ve collected upon respawning. However, if the timer reaches its end, you must restart the entire quest from scratch.
6. Yiga Hideout
The Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Due to his tendency to yell loudly, it’s not surprising that Link appears less than sneaky to us. Fortunately, stealth segments are rare in The Legend of Zelda series, but they can still be quite tedious when they appear.
As an example, when Link aims to sneak into the Yiga Clan’s secret base to retrieve the Thunder Helmet in Breath of the Wild, he finds himself engaged in a compulsory stealth operation.
As someone who appreciates a good climb and a thrilling paraglide, I’d assume navigating through here would be a breeze. But these persistent Yiga guards have eyes sharper than eagles, seeming to spot me even from a distance that feels impossible.
Should you be found, a surge of Blademasters will swiftly confront you. While it’s theoretically possible to fend them off, the likelihood of success in such a scenario is quite slim, to understate the matter.
5. Girl Power Station
Splatoon 2
In the additional content for Splatoon 2, known as the Octo Expansion, you’ll encounter numerous trials and difficulties that have earned a formidable reputation for their extreme challenge level.
Among these challenges, the standout is the Girl Power Station – a seemingly straightforward task that hides an incredibly steep learning curve.
To pass the test, you must safeguard a key sphere from successive attacks by Octolings and then Elite Octolings. Despite its brevity at just 90 seconds, the experience seems endless, as if it spans 90 years.
The Octolings emerge swiftly and fiercely, often leaving little time for counteraction before they destroy the orb. Moreover, their artificial intelligence is particularly ruthless within the game, ensuring a squid-like splatting for you without mercy, prioritizing the destruction of the orb afterwards.
4. The Water Hall
Resident Evil 4 (2005)
In the classic Resident Evil 4, I’ve often found Ashley a bit grating, but there was one thing I appreciated – her knack for avoiding danger zones, leaving me to manage the chaos.
Any troubles you might encounter with Ashley become significantly greater in the Castle’s Water Room. In this area, either Leon or Ashley must stay in the middle of the room to operate a handle while the other character ascends to manipulate additional handles.
Regardless of the path you choose, you’ll find yourself in a precarious situation where you must balance dealing with Cultists intent on harming you and safeguarding Ashley. Given the nature of this scenario, it’s crucial that you make skillful use of your sniper rifle, requiring precise aim to keep them at bay.
Generally speaking, it’s usually the case that you’ll unintentionally hit Ashley in the head while attempting to halt a Cultist from carrying her away.
3. Quick Man’s Stage
Mega Man 2
Similar to many of the initial Mega Man titles, Mega Man 2 includes some challenging sections, like vanishing platforms and frequent lethal pits that claim you instantly. However, it’s a solidly constructed and enjoyable game on the whole.
Except for Quick Man’s level, it promptly makes clear its disdain for you.
or
Quick Man’s stage is unique in that it immediately communicates its dislike towards you.
or
In contrast to other stages, Quick Man’s level swiftly expresses its displeasure with you.
As soon as the game commences, you must start scrambling along steep passages and tumbling down them to dodge lethal laser beams that can instantly eliminate you.
These beams deceive beginners; they swiftly and unexpectedly shift, making it extremely challenging for a novice to dodge them during the initial attempt.
If you had any lives banked before this stage, you won’t have them anymore by the end.
2. A Quiet Exit
Metal Gear Solid V
If you find it annoying when action games include mandatory stealth segments, then perhaps you can relate to the experience of being required to engage in action sequences within a stealth game. That’s exactly what awaits you during Metal Gear Solid V’s 45th mission, A Quiet Exit.
In this operation, Snake and Quiet must join forces to take on a massive assault from the Soviet Army’s Mechanized Unit. This includes infantry, tanks, and helicopter attacks all at once.
Or more conversational:
Snake and Quiet need to work together in this mission as they face an overwhelming attack by the entire Soviet Mechanized Unit. This means battling soldiers, tanks, and helicopters simultaneously.
In this scenario, snakes aren’t designed for face-to-face battles, and having Quiet along doesn’t simplify things much. The game provides some rocket launchers here and there, but the outcome largely depends on what equipment you’ve got with you for the mission.
If you find that your gear isn’t enough for the task, a situation that might not become apparent until you’ve progressed several stages, you’ll unfortunately need to abandon the entire operation, return to Mother Base for reinforcements, and begin anew.
1. Team Rocket Hideout
Pokemon Red & Blue
In numerous Pokemon video games, the secret bases of the antagonistic teams often incorporate an exploratory twist, reminiscent of the unique features found in Gym locations.
In the game Pokemon Red, the initial villain lair was the Team Rocket Hideout, which boasted one of the slowest and most intricate tricks among all the nefarious groups – a mechanism that involved spinning floor tiles.
Every time I land on a spinning tile, it spins me off gleefully, whirling around wherever it’s pointed, until I collide with something solid. More times than not, these spinning tiles tend to spin me in the wrong direction, leaving me disoriented and needing to reorient myself.
In the initial Game Boy release, the spinning process was painstakingly slow, making you endure several seconds between each panel. However, in the remake, they’ve made it faster, now it’s just annoying rather than both slow and annoying.
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2025-02-28 17:11