Games That Are Easy To Hate But Impossible Not To Respect

Video games vary greatly in quality. While some are good, others are mediocre, and a few are truly exceptional. No matter how well-received a game is, people will always find something to criticize, and these criticisms often fuel discussions – both positive and negative – among players.

Look, I get it – some games have serious flaws. But even with those problems, I think we can still appreciate them, you know? Sometimes a game might be really hard to learn or have some weird design choices that annoy a lot of people. But underneath all that, it can still be a truly amazing experience – something you can’t help but respect, even if it frustrates you. It’s like, even with the flaws, it’s still special.

Elden Ring

Overwhelming Is An Understatement

Lack of direction in a huge open world.
Impressive design and scale that is unlike anything else.

Elden Ring expands on the challenging ‘Soulslike’ genre by creating a huge open world, giving players very few hints about where to go. While the game’s landscapes are stunning, many players find the lack of clear guidance frustrating, particularly those who prefer more obvious goals and story markers.

Many players find the game quite difficult, especially the boss battles, and wish there were options to adjust the challenge, such as an easier difficulty setting. However, the game’s massive scale is impressive, and even if some players don’t enjoy the core gameplay or the way the world is explored, they can still appreciate it as a beautifully crafted experience.

Pathologic

Frustrating By Design

Unclear puzzles and obtuse ways to progress.
Deeply punishing yet incredibly satisfying.

Pathologic is a consistently odd, enigmatic, and frustrating game. As the first in a series famous for its complex and often bewildering gameplay, players can expect to repeatedly fail and feel stuck, with little guidance on how to improve.

The game can be very challenging, and many players struggle to get through it. But despite the difficulty and complexity, those who persevere often find a uniquely captivating experience. Pathologic isn’t for everyone, but it’s a game that stays with you, prompting reflection long after you finish – or even stop trying – to play.

Death Stranding

Gorgeous Yet Strange At The Same Time

Walking sections that can be tedious.
Breathtaking narrative and world design.

Death Stranding doesn’t shy away from being slow-paced. A significant part of the game involves carefully walking across environments, and there’s often little choice but to keep moving forward. This can become quite monotonous, particularly in the later stages when a single journey might take 20 minutes or more.

Despite jokes about its slow pace, this game offers a truly unique story and world, blending thoughtful ideas with genuine emotion – something rarely seen in other games. While some players might not enjoy the slower parts, the incredible story more than makes up for any gameplay concerns.

League Of Legends

Leading The Charge In The Esports Space

Questionable balance philosophy and toxic player base.
Frontrunner in the esports space globally.

League of Legends is a game that evokes strong reactions – people either love it or strongly dislike it. Common complaints from new players include a steep learning curve, frequent gameplay imbalances, and a negative player community, all of which seem to be getting worse over time.

Even if you have some personal complaints, the competitive scene for this game is incredibly impressive. For the past 15 years, League of Legends has consistently been a leader in esports, and its cultural influence is massive. Despite any problems with the game itself, it’s still a remarkable success story – it became a global phenomenon almost instantly.

Hollow Knight

Runback After Runback

Limited fast-travel and few easy routes back to the surface.
Beautiful environments, each with a distinctive feel.

Hollow Knight is a widely beloved game, despite having some significant problems. One of the biggest is its unclear guidance, which often leaves players exploring new areas without a map, forcing them to backtrack extensively to fully reveal it. This can make exploration feel tedious.

Despite a few minor problems, the game is brilliantly designed – it’s both difficult and incredibly rewarding. It also revitalized the Metroidvania genre, inspiring a wave of new games that likely wouldn’t have been made without it.

Red Dead Redemption 2

Rocky Gameplay From Rockstar Themselves

Overdependence on realism, which can often make mechanics annoying to use repeatedly.
Unreal story in a league of its own.

Red Dead Redemption 2 is a beloved game, but it’s not without its flaws. While it excels at creating a deeply immersive and realistic world, some of the gameplay feels a bit slow and clunky, prioritizing realism over fast-paced, engaging action.

A lot of the complaints about the game focus on the lengthy, unskippable walking sections at the beginning, where you slowly travel through snowy landscapes. While these criticisms are valid, it’s hard to deny the game’s commitment to realism and how beautifully the story is told, even for those who dislike it.

Fortnite

Beyond A Cultural Craze

Insane popularity and a huge number of crossovers.
Revolutionized live-service games of all kinds.

Fortnite is a surprisingly divisive game – people either love it or really dislike it. Many players find it chaotic and lacking a clear direction, and new updates often make it even more over-the-top.

Many people see Fortnite as a simple, kid-friendly battle royale, but it actually demands a high level of skill when played competitively. Its influence on gaming as a whole has been enormous. Fortnite has attracted a massive and diverse player base, including many people who were completely new to gaming.

DOOM 3

Shifting To A Completely Different Genre

Survival horror style and cramped maps that many fans disliked.
Undeniable atmosphere and tension throughout

DOOM 3 feels quite different from other games in the DOOM series. It’s a slower, more careful game that focuses on creating a scary, survival horror experience, unlike the fast-paced, constant action DOOM is known for. Many players didn’t like how the game forced them to slow down and be cautious, instead of running and gunning at high speed.

Even after all this time, DOOM 3 remains a successful experiment. The developers weren’t afraid to try something different, and it paid off. While it feels distinct from classic DOOM games, it still delivers the intense and violent action that made the series famous.

BioShock 2

The Black Sheep Of The Franchise

Less impactful story than the first game.
Improved gameplay and the same intriguing environments.

BioShock 2 is often considered the weakest entry in an otherwise exceptional series. While still a good game, it didn’t resonate with players as strongly as the first BioShock. Critics felt the story wasn’t as compelling and that the characters lacked depth, and some levels felt repetitive or recycled from the original game.

Looking at it objectively, this is still a fantastic first-person shooter. It greatly improves on the combat from the first game while successfully preserving the unique feel of the world. Creating a unified and enjoyable experience within such a complicated and intriguing setting is an achievement in itself. Even if you prefer the original, you’ll likely find plenty to appreciate in this sequel.

Jump King

A Poster Child For Rage Games

Constant failures with very few major checkpoints.
Ignited a wave of “rage games” that continue to be released today.

Jump King isn’t so much a game as it is a challenge to see how much frustration you can handle. You simply try to jump to higher and higher platforms, but one wrong move can send you tumbling back hours. And no matter how skilled you become, mistakes are inevitable.

Even though it’s based on a surprisingly frustrating idea, this game has had a huge impact. It’s enjoyable to play, but more importantly, it brought gamers together in a unique and appealing way. It even sparked a whole new trend of difficult, rage-inducing games that are still popular today, proving that frustration can sometimes lead to something positive.

2025-12-23 06:11