Flawed games that could have been great?

[Erik_Twice]

There are many games out there that could have been huge but were flawed in some way that ruined everything. This is about those games.

Now, try not to mention game balance as in "this character or weapon is too good" because it doesn't really lead to an interesting discussion.


My pick is Locomotion (PC). It was a Transport Tycoon sequel with Roller Coaster Tycoon's engine, allowing for curved bridges and underground systems. Unfortunatedly the map size was kept from RCT, leading to very few things to do on each map, specially since trains were huuge compared to cities. The incredibly fast town growth didn't help the crowded feeling either.

It's kind of a shame because it was a very easy fix and modders didn't take long to make maps bigger.

[Frizz.Meister]

Are sequals allowed because if so:
- Every sonic game after adventure 2, No explaination needed i hope.
- Soul calibur 4, The simplisity and balance had all gone in favour of gimmick characters.
- Crackdown 2, Nothing like the great original and is now £4.99 in my local store
- GigaWing generations, A huge step backwards from 2 with less action and stiff movement
- God of War 2,3,ect, Original was ace but quick time events for every door opening get tiresome.

Of course these are all opinions and im sure some people will strongly disagree.

[Flodder450]

Sonic adventure 1 DX and maybe 2:battle

the annoying camera and flimsy and sensitive controls,its just annoying to push the control stick up and then steering sonic left or right,it doesnt work

[ZeroAX]

I think he was talking about silly gameplay mechanics that ruined an otherwise great game.

Hm, for me it's the single player part of the COD series. The scripted events the designers think of are a blast to play, but I hate that there are endlessly respawning enemies, and you just have to rush through to move on. In FPS games I always loved to find a strategic spot and take out the enemies one by one, with as little damage as possible. As you understand that is impossible to do with cod.

[Curlypaul]

I agree, I like to play FPS's stategically but find nowadays that i'm forced to run thru the game to beat the spawn.

Has anybody ever played Devilish? Its kind of like breakout but the screen scrolls and your not just hitting square blocks, there are bad guys and so on. Could have been a great game if the ball wasn't so erratic. Always felt like it was as much luck as anything.

[MetalSonic]

Killzone 2: sluggish, unresponsive controls.
Mad World: killing enemies got repetitive real fast.
Fable II: terrible final "boss" and lack of boss fights in general.
Halo ODST: Firefight mode lacked any kind of online component.
Sonic Unleashed: the night stages where you play as the Werehog.
Final Fantasy XIII: The battle system was too simplified; lacked a good
villain.
Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2: Why no blood in this one? (A minor gripe, but a
valid one).
The King of Fighters XII: Terrible net code made the online multiplayer
unplayable.
Fire Emblem Shadow Dragon: Killing off characters was encouraged; plain
battle sprites.
Devil May Cry 4: constant backtracking, recycled bosses, and Nero's moves lacked variety.

[Gunstar Green]

Phantasy Star Zero: Friend code nonsense instead of game lobbies like Phantasy Star Online.

[yomomma1]

I think he was talking about silly gameplay mechanics that ruined an otherwise great game.

Hm, for me it's the single player part of the COD series. The scripted events the designers think of are a blast to play, but I hate that there are endlessly respawning enemies, and you just have to rush through to move on. In FPS games I always loved to find a strategic spot and take out the enemies one by one, with as little damage as possible. As you understand that is impossible to do with cod.

If I am not mistaken that was taken out for Modern Warfare 2

[slowslow325]

Mega Man Anniversary Collection (GCN edition) - This game would have been PERFECT in my eyes if they didn't go and switch the A and B buttons! I just can't get used to jumping with the other button and my fingers end up going in this weird position to accommodate. I end up getting cramps and my reaction time decreases.

I'm considering putting a switch on my GCN controller to switch the two buttons just for this game.

[Original_Name]

While it's by no means a broken game, Ecco the Dolphin is an experience marred by its outrageous difficulty. I don't mind the often confusing puzzles, because they make me feel lost and alone in its world which is a sensation that really only Metroid and Ecco were able to offer in the 16-bit era... but it gets to a point where you know what to do, but the inordinate difficulty of actually commandeering Ecco through the nightmarish onslaught of death makes it an often infuriating affair to actually to see the puzzle to completion. This really detracts from what is otherwise an incredibly atmospheric and engrossing experience -- it just distracts you from Ecco's biggest strengths as an experience and a work of art. The atmosphere of Ecco is the incentive to play, not the obscene difficulty... had it struck a balance between feeling like a smoothly progressing experience and creating an overwhelming sensation of being lost in an alien (figuratively and sometimes literally) world, it would have been a complete success in all categories. Still, I've always found it more than worth it to put up with its flaws because I don't think any game surpassed it in that era in terms of sheer thickness of atmosphere, but what I find to be a subjectively a near-masterpiece turned out to be objectively so-so.