10 Terrible Mechanics In Otherwise Amazing Games

Key Takeaways

Underwater combat in Monster Hunter 3 was ambitious but ultimately missed the mark.
Rubberbanding AI in Need For Speed Underground can create losses which feel unavoidable.
Mechanics like the Auction House in Diablo 3 can ruin the essence of a game.

As a seasoned gamer who’s spent countless hours honing my skills across various genres, I can’t help but shake my head in disbelief when I recall some of the most ill-conceived game mechanics that have left us bewildered and frustrated. These three instances, each from a beloved franchise, are prime examples of when developers strayed too far from the path and, in doing so, tainted the very essence of what made these games great.

Remarkable video games are often intricate combinations of various components functioning harmoniously. However, it’s understandable that sometimes these gameplay mechanics might not hit the bullseye.

As a gamer, I’ve come across many incredible titles with some truly puzzling mechanics that just don’t seem to fit right. Yet, even the most flawed gem can still shine brightly in its own unique way. Here are some exceptional games where certain concepts leave me scratching my head, but ultimately add to the overall experience.

10 Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel

Oxygen

10 Terrible Mechanics In Otherwise Amazing Games

Coming after the success of Borderlands 2, Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel faced high expectations, and many feel that although it’s not quite up to par, it remains an enjoyable loot-shooter game.

One criticism leveled at The Pre-Sequel by many fans revolves around the Oxygen system, as players effectively face a time limit while in space, which can feel constricting and superfluous within the context of a Borderlands title.

Instead of relying on the mechanic, you might opt for an alternative approach by choosing Claptrap as your character. Since Claptrap is a robot, he doesn’t require oxygen to survive.

Following completion of the whole game, oxygen becomes less crucial towards the end. However, the mechanism was heavily emphasized during promotions and generally disliked, so it’s not unreasonable to assume that some enthusiasts may have overlooked the game due to this feature.

9 Need For Speed Underground

Rubberbanding AI

The “Need For Speed” collection delivers some of the most exhilarating arcade-like racing experiences available, with few disappointing entries. While “Underground” is widely loved by fans, it also highlights a bothersome racing game convention that can be quite frustrating.

In racing games, a feature called “rubberbanding” is often encountered. This system intentionally slows down AI competitors when you are significantly behind and speeds them up if you have a considerable lead. The purpose of this mechanism is to maintain the intensity of races, although it can also result in opponents overtaking you even after flawless performance.

Rubberbanding is a necessary evil in racing games, but I recall it being particularly egregious in Need For Speed Underground, hence its inclusion on this list. It’s still a superb racing game, but some losses feel unavoidable.

8 Doom 3

Flashlight On, Flashlight Off

Doom 3” stands out a bit differently from other games in the series, yet I must admit that its valiant effort to infuse horror elements is something I appreciate.

In the game Doom 3, corridors are typically dark and narrow, providing numerous opportunities for monsters to creep up on you and give quite a fright. Luckily, you’re equipped with a reliable flashlight to light up your surroundings, but there’s one significant catch: it has limited battery life.

You must equip your torch to use it, and while this absolutely makes sense from a realism standpoint, it’s dreadfully awkward in practice. You can choose between being defenseless but being able to see or shooting into the darkness, and it can be frustrating when you’re already low on health.

A togglable flashlight isn’t a bad idea per se, but there’s a reason why many horror games give you a clip light on your jacket or just light up your surroundings like a magic head-mounted torch.

Despite some issues with the flashlight, Doom 3 still stands as an exceptional horror game set in space, making it definitely worth investing your time into.

7 Monster Hunter 3

Underwater Elder Dragons

The game titled “Monster Hunter 3” is quite a challenging endeavor on both Nintendo 3DS and Wii U, really testing the boundaries of these handheld systems. Frankly, I can hardly fathom revisiting the portable versions of “Monster Hunter“, yet they managed to be exceptionally well-crafted given the system constraints.

A notable aspect of Monster Hunter 3 that received criticism for being clumsy was the underwater battles. Despite introducing beloved creatures such as Lagiacrus, the combat in these scenarios was frequently dull and not very enjoyable.

In another time, epic battles between Elder Dragons like Ceadeus and Gold Ceadeus took place beneath the waves. These colossal creatures were awe-inspiring, yet the combat dynamics were tricky, largely due to the challenging underwater control system.

In recent titles of Monster Hunter, it appears that Capcom has avoided including underwater combat, which seems to align with player preferences.

6 Pokémon Series

Version Exclusives

As a passionate gamer, I can’t help but immerse myself in the captivating world of Pokémon games. That devotion even extends to playing community-crafted ROM Hacks. A classic feature that has been around since the beginning of the series is the Version Exclusive Pokémon, and it’s been here for so long, it feels like it’s accepted as part of the gameplay experience.

Whenever a fresh Pokémon game drops, you’ll notice that it arrives in two flavors. These titles share the same core gameplay, but they each have a unique roster of Pokémon, with some legendary ones being exclusive to one version or the other.

In essence, this implies that if you aim to collect them all, you either need to have a friend who owns the other version or possess both versions yourself. The challenge of Version Exclusive Pokémon is somewhat eased in more recent games due to online trading, but it still remains as a hurdle since that’s simply how Pokémon games function.

I understand the interactive feature of this mechanism, however, it’s rare for other game franchises to launch several variations of every main series installment.

5 Super Smash Bros. Brawl

Random Tripping

Super Smash Bros. Brawl is an exhilarating tribute to everything Nintendo, featuring characters hailing from various series squaring off in intense skirmishes.

The “Super Smash Bros” series occupies a special niche since it appeals to both novice and expert gamers. What really irritates the dedicated players is the presence of unpredictable gameplay elements, and “Brawl” is particularly known for one of the most aggravating instances of this.

In the game Brawl, each character has a modest probability of stumbling during certain actions. Specifically, there’s a 1% likelihood that your character will stumble when starting a dash, and a slightly higher chance, about 1.25%, if you swiftly turn while running.

These are rare occurrences, but they introduce an unusual gameplay feature that seems unexpected or unwanted. In the context of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, we’re not aiming for realism, and it’s challenging to comprehend who might benefit from this feature.

You could argue that the randomness might level the skill gap somehow. Still, even the most casual player is going to be frustrated if they miss an opportunity because their character forgot to tie their shoelaces.

4 Monster Hunter World

Online Multiplayer

I feel bad putting two games from my favorite Capcom franchise on the list, but this one is a doozy.

In a more conversational style: “Monster Hunter World” is an incredible game, elevating the series to a global level. The thrill of slaying enormous beasts alongside your pals can’t be beaten, although it’s disappointing when they struggle to keep up, which I would describe as playing from behind or lagging behind.

If you thought you could join your friends for every quest by queuing up together at the start, think again! Capcom has taken a new approach in this game.

If it’s your initial encounter with a monster, you won’t be able to embark on the mission accompanied by friends. Instead, you’ll have to enter the battlefield solo first, locate the monster on your own, and then engage in a one-on-one chase. Once you’ve found the target, a cutscene will unfold. Later, if you choose, you can exit the quest and join up with your group.

As a fan, I find the mechanic quite frustrating because I can sense my friends are idly waiting in the lobby, while I engage in hide and seek. It seems like an unnecessary hindrance, although it doesn’t pose much of a problem for side quests unrelated to the main story. However, if I want to share the fun with my friends, it becomes quite cumbersome.

3 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Weapon Durability

In the world of The Legend of Zelda, games like Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom have been truly remarkable additions. However, none of these games have sparked as much debate within the community as the mechanic related to weapon durability has.

In the most recent Zelda games, all weapons are connected to a durability system that causes them to shatter after receiving a specific number of hits. Although this concept is logical in a way, it can become annoying because it diminishes the excitement of discovering an excellent new weapon since you’re aware it has limited uses.

The argument for weapon durability is that it forces you to try new things and engage with the fusing system. The argument against the mechanic is almost the same as some players don’t want to be “forced” into it.

The Legend of Zelda series boasts an incredibly dedicated fan community, and it’s quite possible that heated debates over this gameplay aspect could still be happening even several decades from now.

2 Street Fighter X Tekken

The Gem System

Fighting games are one of my favorite genres because they offer such a pure competitive experience. You can’t blame anyone else but yourself if you lose, and 1v1s are a test of skill. No company would be short-sighted enough to mess with this formula, right?

Indeed, Capcom implemented an intriguing system known as the Gem System in Street Fighter X Tekken. Each character in the game had three Gem slots, which granted advantages such as boosted speed and damage. Now, this aspect alone might raise a few questions, but hold on to your hats because you could also purchase Gems through microtransactions!

It’s clear that game design can be intricate, but what on earth possessed someone to approve such an outrageous concept? The most disappointing aspect is that Street Fighter X Tekken, despite its absurdity, turned out to be enjoyable and fulfilled a dream roster that fans had cherished in the past.

Street Fighter X Tekken was intended to be an impressive tribute to two titans of the gaming world. Regrettably, an excessively greedy mechanism took center stage, likely leading to the cancellation of Tekken X Street Fighter.

1 Diablo 3

Auction House

In a stunning turn of events, the most impressive feature of this game was withheld until after its release, leaving it feeling almost completely hollowed out – a mechanic that was severely criticized post-launch. Known as Diablo 3, this game is an irresistible loot collector, where players are constantly on the hunt for the next item to boost their power levels.

Imagine a unique system where your growth in power doesn’t limit your potential for character development. In this scenario, every item remains just as ordinary and commonplace, yet somehow they still hold immense value due to the journey and choices you make along the way.

As an enthusiastic gamer, I found the Auction House to be a handy tool that let me skip the tedious process of grinding for loot by trading with fellow players instead. However, it had a less appealing aspect: a “real money” system that essentially enabled players to splurge cash to obtain the top-tier items in the game.

I can’t fathom why anyone would spend money to bypass playing our game, but it seems clear that the Auction House has almost entirely ruined the unique charm of dungeon crawling.

Today, the concept of loot operates quite differently, and Blizzard took significant steps beyond simply eliminating the Auction House to address the issue. However, it’s worth noting that the loot system will be remembered in gaming lore as one of the most problematic ideas ever devised within this genre, serving as a cautionary tale for future developments.

2024-10-22 17:09