Worst Games Of The Year Of The Last Decade

Over the last ten years, we’ve witnessed some extraordinary peaks in video game development. Notably, groundbreaking games such as Baldur’s Gate 3 and Elden Ring have earned their place among the all-time greats.

The game “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” showcases an astonishing level of technology, considering it runs so smoothly even on the relatively old Nintendo Switch console.

Over the last decade, we’ve seen many fantastic games, but unfortunately, quite a few disappointments have also emerged. Occasionally, game developers can pull off a remarkable turnaround and create a heartwarming return to form. However, not all these underperforming games deserve a happy conclusion.

10. Warcraft 3: Reforged

This city must be purged

Upgrading “Warcraft 3” appears to be an obvious choice. It’s one of the greatest real-time strategy (RTS) games ever produced and is among Blizzard’s top titles. Just the prospect of fresh high-definition cutscenes was enough to make it a worthwhile investment.

Instead, Warcraft 3 Reforged turned out to be a complete letdown across all fronts. Many features touted by Blizzard, like revamped cutscenes, fell short or were nowhere to be found in the game. It was beset with technical glitches, bugs, and poor performance. To add insult to injury, it took away several beloved features from the original version.

Regrettably, Blizzard has taken away the option to play both the base game, Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos, and its expansion, Frozen Throne. Now, these two versions are the sole means to enjoy the full experience of Warcraft 3.

Eventually, the company planned to provide full refunds to players and rectify any issues, yet surprisingly, they continued to justify certain game design decisions. Unfortunately, this pivotal moment in video game history vanished just as suddenly.

9. Redfall

Red alert

As an enthusiastic fan, I found myself eagerly anticipating the debut of Redfall, marking Bethesda’s first exclusive release on Xbox post-Microsoft acquisition. The weight of expectation was palpable, as everyone wondered if Microsoft’s significant investment would prove fruitful.

It raised some doubts when it was revealed that Arkane Studios, famous for creating games like ‘Prey’ and the ‘Dishonored’ series, were developing a loot-shooter game, as we weren’t sure if it would retain the distinctive character we had grown accustomed to in their previous titles.

Initially, we were hopeful regarding the release of Redfall, but after playing it, our optimism dissipated swiftly. The game is disappointingly ordinary; there’s nothing that highlights Arkane as a standout developer in the gaming industry. To add insult to injury, it was riddled with bugs and didn’t function properly as planned.

Redfall seemed quite outdated upon release, as it would’ve likely been more successful if it had debuted concurrently with Borderlands during the initial looter shooter trend.

8. Balan Wonderworld

Disasterpiece

Where do we begin here?

As a devoted admirer, I’d like to highlight that it was none other than Yuji Naka, renowned for his incredible work on “Sonic the Hedgehog” and “Nights into Dreams,” who skillfully steered this game as its director.

Next up, the bad: everything else.

In essence, the video game “Balan Wonderworld” shares more traits with classic PlayStation 2 platformers than contemporary games we enjoy nowadays. Its control system is basic, the gameplay can be monotonous, and it doesn’t hold a candle to masterpieces like “Super Mario Odyssey.” Unfortunately, “Wonderworld” fails to capture the magic of a truly great platformer; there’s nothing particularly captivating about its gameplay or characters.

To make matters worse, it’s an unfortunate ending to Naka’s otherwise great career.

7. The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

Not so precious

As a dedicated gamer, I can’t help but express my disillusionment towards the recent video game based on Gollum. Given the remarkable array of Lord of the Rings games that have captivated us over time, from the thrilling The Two Towers to the mesmerizing Shadow of Mordor, this latest attempt falls short, to put it mildly. I’m left wondering who requested such a game, as even they would likely be underwhelmed by the final product.

The video game titled “The Lord of the Rings: Gollum” unfortunately presents a disorganized and glitchy experience, with numerous problems that make playing the game a significant challenge. These difficulties aren’t primarily related to control or gameplay mechanics, although there are indeed many instances of these issues, but rather because the game itself frequently fails to operate as intended.

Daedalic Entertainment, responsible for creating the game, expressed regret to fans due to the letdown post-release. They acknowledged that their lack of expertise in developing games beyond point-and-click adventure titles contributed significantly to the disappointment. Additionally, they mentioned that the game’s budget was surprisingly tight, which didn’t aid in overcoming these challenges.

6. Babylon’s Fall

How the mighty have fallen

Initially, PlatinumGames held a top position in the gaming industry for creating outstanding action games. Their crowning achievement, the game “Nier: Automata”, was released back in 2017, which is now close to being eight years since its debut.

Their most recent high profile release, Babylon’s Fall, failed to meet player expectations.

This isn’t the PlatinumGames I’ve grown fond of. It seemed like a lesser-known studio putting out generic games, capitalizing on the trend of action RPGs.”

By using “lesser-known studio” instead of “third-rate developer,” and changing “shovelware” to “generic games,” the sentence comes across as more polite and less dismissive.

Beyond the outdated graphics, the gameplay suffers from a lack of rhythm. Stick with it if you’re willing, and all you’ll find is gameplay that left us perplexed and unimpressed. (Babylon’s Fall)

5. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5

I’ll stick with the classics

After almost two decades, it was at last time for a genuine Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game. Nothing flashy, no elaborate staging, simply a reversion to fundamentals.

Or so we thought.

In a hurry to release it before the Tony Hawk licensing agreement expired, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5 was developed at a fast pace. Regrettably, this rapid development meant that the game’s controls and overall experience didn’t receive adequate refinement, resulting in a potential loss of the genuine skateboarding feel we were accustomed to.

Regardless of overlooking its flaws, this game wasn’t even close to being an authentic skateboarding experience. However, when we compare it with the development of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, it’s like day and night. Vicarious Visions managed to secure the original code from Neversoft, making it a true representation of skateboarding.

4. Alone in the Dark: Illumination

Keep the lights on

As a devoted gaming enthusiast, I can honestly say that Alone in the Dark was once a revered and celebrated franchise in its heyday. The survival horror games from the ’90s were groundbreaking masterpieces, marking a significant shift in the use of polygonal characters superimposed onto pre-rendered backdrops. This unique blend created an engaging atmosphere that intensified the game’s chilling elements, making it an unforgettable journey for many players like myself.

From the ’90s onwards, the series seems to have struggled, missing the elements that initially set it apart. The latest effort, 2015’s “Alone in the Dark: Illumination,” is generally considered the weakest among them.

While Resident Evil successfully recognized the need for a fresh approach by releasing Resident Evil 4, Alone in the Dark seems to have missed the memo, persisting with outdated concepts that had previously failed.

3. Umbrella Corps

Stay dead

Resident Evil isn’t getting off the hook. Don’t worry.

During the 2010s, the survival horror series underwent an intriguing evolution, shifting towards a more action-oriented approach due to the overwhelming success of games like Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5.

One approach Capcom took was through the 2016 side game, titled “Umbrella Corps“, which is a multiplayer shooter that has no connection to the story or elements of “Resident Evil” other than its brand name and characters.

As a gamer, I can’t help but feel that this game seems more focused on attaching a well-known franchise label (“We need to stick a popular IP on this so it will sell”) rather than delivering a unique gaming experience. Unfortunately, when it comes to gameplay, it falls short of traditional Resident Evil standards and doesn’t hold a candle to other shooter games in the genre.

2. eFootball 2022

Red card

Is the soccer player you’re looking at up there really Lionel Messi? Don’t be fooled by eFootball 2022, as I can confirm for you, that isn’t actually him.

Back in the day, Konami’s soccer game, known as Pro Evolution Soccer (or Winning Eleven), was nearly as popular as the FIFA series at its zenith. However, in 2021, Konami took a different direction and introduced a new soccer franchise named eFootball.

Yes, that’s a real console game, not a cheap mobile spin-off, though you could have fooled me.

Despite the poor gameplay, unresponsive controls, and limited content, the most significant problem lies in the game’s visual presentation. The characters, including Messi, are poorly rendered on screen.

1. The Day Before

The day before tomorrow

It’s my belief that this isn’t an authentic game, there’s simply no chance of it being otherwise. From the outset, we should have suspected something fishy was going on, and it appears to be nothing more than a deceitful scheme.

It was in 2021 that The Day Before was first unveiled to the public, sparking a wave of skepticism among gamers. Despite the intriguing concept of a groundbreaking open-world post-apocalyptic MMO, many remained uncertain if this game would ever truly come to fruition.

2023 saw the release of a game that ultimately provided an empty, dysfunctional, and restrictive experience which was promptly removed from Steam. Surprisingly, it garnered a low critical score of 12 out of 100 on OpenCritic.

2025-02-03 19:10