Flawed Games of the Year!

Flawed Games of the Year!

Okay, with the year wrapping up and a large amount of award features showing up on various sites, I wanted to make a list of my most memorable games of 2009. However, I was afraid that if I were to make such an entry, my list would sound a bit familiar and repetitive, as my favorite games are being praised by professionals who are much better writers than I am. It comes to no surprise that Uncharted 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and Street Fighter IV are placed in various Game of the Year lists, so I do not wish to repeat what has already been stated by those guys, and instead I wanted to try something different. I am going to play Devil’s Advocate and try to defend games that came out this year that were unsuccessful or flawed, but still had some clever ideas. ‘Flawed Games of the Year’ may sound like a paradoxical concept (like ‘science fiction’), but bear with me on this one.

Scribblenauts

Scribblenauts has several design issues that prevent it from being a functional video game. The stylus is used to control a lot more than it should, which leads to a cumbersome experience. However I really appreciated what Scribblenauts does accomplish. Sure, it may not work as a game, but it still works as a neat software program. As the game requested that I give the appropriate number and types of animals to the farmer, I was reminded of all the educational computer programs I was shown during my years at elementary school. Programs that taught me how to spell while experiment with different colors and tools on the computer were something I enjoyed, and Scribblenauts works very well if you see it as an interactive toy. If that is all you expect from the product, you will probably happy with the game’s extensive database of nouns and overlook its poor execution.

Plus, my Gamestop preorder came with this hilarious rooster hat:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Bionic Commando

Sure, it may be connected to an NES game and the digital remake, but you do not need to have played the retro Bionic Commando game to like this title. Nathan ‘Rad’ Spencer has the qualities of the typical Hollywood action hero, but his bionic arm is what gives the game the edge it needs to be entertaining. I really like Bionic Commando’s swinging mechanics, but it was unfortunate the game’s linearity restrict you on how much you can use it. The game is at its best when it lets you take full advantage of the arm’s capabilities, whether its attacking with a shockwave from a giant fall, tossing cars at enemies, or scaling tall buildings.

That being said Bionic Commando was one of the worst selling games of this year, which was really unfortunate. The game had multiplayer, but it was never the main appeal of the product, and there was much less of an incentive to play this feature if few people had it to begin with. The story in the campaign had a very confusing plot twist and unclear cliffhanger in which (SPOILERS!):

50 Cent: Blood on the Sand

There is a reason this game is Giantbomb’s Guilty Pleasure of the Year:

“ 50 Cent's second foray into the world of interactive entertainment is not a good game. But it somehow manages to be great in some weird way.”

Well said. There is something unintentionally hilarious about 50 Cent and the G-Unit crew running around gunning down enemies in the Middle East. If this game had generic set of mercenaries trying to get a skull from the antagonists, the experience would have been forgettable. But, the fact the game stars the platinum selling rapper makes the whole experience feel surreal. Honestly, the last time I was this puzzled by a game’s existence was when I purchased Sneak King from the local Burger King place. 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand is the only game I can think of that lets you purchase swear words instead of weapons, if you so choose to do so.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Ghostbusters: The Video Game

Hey, it’s a game based on a classic film, but continues the series’ story instead of merely recreating it. I’ll admit that I never actually got around to playing Ghostbusters yet, but I do think there is a lot of potential to be explored in using the medium to revive older film franchises. This really makes me wonder what other classic movies could be turned into video games successfully. It would have to be something with a strong following for it to be made, but I’m not sure what would work. In any case, if this is done more often, video games could potentially reach a new audience.

James Rolfe (a.k.a. The Angry Video Game Nerd) is a big movie buff, and also happens to be a Ghostbusters fan. He went out of his way to review Ghostbusters: The Video Game in a recent video and it is pretty interesting to watch him analyze the game as both a fan of the film series and as a gamer.

MadWorld

While MadWorld was short and repetitive, the game definitely had a lot of style to it. The monochrome environment (well…monochrome if you ignore the blood splatter) gave the game a distinctive look, and modern gladiatorial contests are a great premise for an action game. The most memorable aspect I found in MadWorld was the hilarious running commentary by Greg Proops and John DiMaggio, who constantly banter throughout the game even when the credits are rolling (“They only had one guy as the ‘Blood Effects Designer’!? Man, he must have been working 24/7.” ). It was one of this year’s Mature rated Nintendo Wii games, and its poor sales make me wish that there will someday be a bestselling adult game for the system, because there are some unique titles for the platform (Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, No More Heroes, House of the Dead: Overkill).

So even though these games had problems, I do not regret playing them. There is plenty of room for growths with these particular titles, even though their first entry may have not have made much of an impact. Anyway, I want to leave this open for discussion: What games of 2009 were your guilty pleasures?

Flawed Games of the Year!

Okay, with the year wrapping up and a large amount of award features showing up on various sites, I wanted to make a list of my most memorable games of 2009. However, I was afraid that if I were to make such an entry, my list would sound a bit familiar and repetitive, as my favorite games are being praised by professionals who are much better writers than I am. It comes to no surprise that Uncharted 2, Batman: Arkham Asylum, and Street Fighter IV are placed in various Game of the Year lists, so I do not wish to repeat what has already been stated by those guys, and instead I wanted to try something different. I am going to play Devil’s Advocate and try to defend games that came out this year that were unsuccessful or flawed, but still had some clever ideas. ‘Flawed Games of the Year’ may sound like a paradoxical concept (like ‘science fiction’), but bear with me on this one.

Scribblenauts

Scribblenauts has several design issues that prevent it from being a functional video game. The stylus is used to control a lot more than it should, which leads to a cumbersome experience. However I really appreciated what Scribblenauts does accomplish. Sure, it may not work as a game, but it still works as a neat software program. As the game requested that I give the appropriate number and types of animals to the farmer, I was reminded of all the educational computer programs I was shown during my years at elementary school. Programs that taught me how to spell while experiment with different colors and tools on the computer were something I enjoyed, and Scribblenauts works very well if you see it as an interactive toy. If that is all you expect from the product, you will probably happy with the game’s extensive database of nouns and overlook its poor execution.

Plus, my Gamestop preorder came with this hilarious rooster hat:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Bionic Commando

Sure, it may be connected to an NES game and the digital remake, but you do not need to have played the retro Bionic Commando game to like this title. Nathan ‘Rad’ Spencer has the qualities of the typical Hollywood action hero, but his bionic arm is what gives the game the edge it needs to be entertaining. I really like Bionic Commando’s swinging mechanics, but it was unfortunate the game’s linearity restrict you on how much you can use it. The game is at its best when it lets you take full advantage of the arm’s capabilities, whether its attacking with a shockwave from a giant fall, tossing cars at enemies, or scaling tall buildings.

That being said Bionic Commando was one of the worst selling games of this year, which was really unfortunate. The game had multiplayer, but it was never the main appeal of the product, and there was much less of an incentive to play this feature if few people had it to begin with. The story in the campaign had a very confusing plot twist and unclear cliffhanger in which (SPOILERS!):

50 Cent: Blood on the Sand

There is a reason this game is Giantbomb’s Guilty Pleasure of the Year:

“ 50 Cent's second foray into the world of interactive entertainment is not a good game. But it somehow manages to be great in some weird way.”

Well said. There is something unintentionally hilarious about 50 Cent and the G-Unit crew running around gunning down enemies in the Middle East. If this game had generic set of mercenaries trying to get a skull from the antagonists, the experience would have been forgettable. But, the fact the game stars the platinum selling rapper makes the whole experience feel surreal. Honestly, the last time I was this puzzled by a game’s existence was when I purchased Sneak King from the local Burger King place. 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand is the only game I can think of that lets you purchase swear words instead of weapons, if you so choose to do so.

 
 
 
 
 
 

Ghostbusters: The Video Game

Hey, it’s a game based on a classic film, but continues the series’ story instead of merely recreating it. I’ll admit that I never actually got around to playing Ghostbusters yet, but I do think there is a lot of potential to be explored in using the medium to revive older film franchises. This really makes me wonder what other classic movies could be turned into video games successfully. It would have to be something with a strong following for it to be made, but I’m not sure what would work. In any case, if this is done more often, video games could potentially reach a new audience.

James Rolfe (a.k.a. The Angry Video Game Nerd) is a big movie buff, and also happens to be a Ghostbusters fan. He went out of his way to review Ghostbusters: The Video Game in a recent video and it is pretty interesting to watch him analyze the game as both a fan of the film series and as a gamer.

MadWorld

While MadWorld was short and repetitive, the game definitely had a lot of style to it. The monochrome environment (well…monochrome if you ignore the blood splatter) gave the game a distinctive look, and modern gladiatorial contests are a great premise for an action game. The most memorable aspect I found in MadWorld was the hilarious running commentary by Greg Proops and John DiMaggio, who constantly banter throughout the game even when the credits are rolling (“They only had one guy as the ‘Blood Effects Designer’!? Man, he must have been working 24/7.” ). It was one of this year’s Mature rated Nintendo Wii games, and its poor sales make me wish that there will someday be a bestselling adult game for the system, because there are some unique titles for the platform (Silent Hill: Shattered Memories, No More Heroes, House of the Dead: Overkill).

So even though these games had problems, I do not regret playing them. There is plenty of room for growths with these particular titles, even though their first entry may have not have made much of an impact. Anyway, I want to leave this open for discussion: What games of 2009 were your guilty pleasures?

Then again, DJ Whoo Kid is the only person who put a coherent location for the "where do you see yourself in 5 years" part, so maybe that's a more intelligent answer than you'd think. Not saying you thought it was a bad answer, just that you didn't notice what I did.

Interesting read.  While I think it is a valiant effort to defend games that are techically broken, I don't think I would classify them also as flawed.  At least not in the sense of the word that I routinely use.  You see I believe that all of my favorite games are deeply flawed in areas.  For example, I am playing Mass Effect again for the 3rd time because I really enjoy it and yet I hate the Mako (APC), the horrible inventory, the boring planet surveys, how there is little to do with the amassed wealth you eventually acquire, the long load times, there is no way to change party members without returning to the ship, the graphical texture pop in, lop sided character classes, and an featureless map system.  But, the good outweighs the bad which is why I continue to play.  So, for me, practically every game is "flawed." 

id say maybe Brutal Legend as the story of the game is amazing but the gameplay flawed

i didnt really find a problem with ghostbuster only that the online died really fast.

Completely agree with you on Bionic Commando. I loved it but yes, it was kind of bad at times.

Would Left 4 Dead 2 fit in this list? It wasn't unsuccesful by any means, but the online multiplayer is incredibly laggy

Silent Hill - Homecoming. Game has screwed up inverted controls and the shitty game director points out that he doens't give a shit. I loved that series but I will not play a game that does not have inverted controls! 
 
Now I know why it was on a clearance rack at Best Buy for $10. If that game director is a member of giantbomb and happens to see this I just want him to know that I think he sucks!

" [...] I will not play a game that does not have inverted controls!

" @agentboolen said:

" [...] I will not play a game that does not have inverted controls!

What is this, 1995?
 
I always think of "flawed" as some minor issues that disappoint or frustrate sometimes. So, for example, Assassin's Creed II would be "flawed" for me because the climbing control in that game was garbage. The movement was slow, awkward, and sometimes Ezio would just do stuff that was uncalled for. I still don't understand why Ubisoft couldn't have taken a leaf from Uncharted's book and not allow the player to jump to where Drake wasn't really meant to go.
 

SPOILER WARNING: Click here to reveal hidden content.

You really expect me to believe that Ezio would jump off a linear path in Rome in the wrong direction, falling to his death?

For me, climbing was done so much better in Uncharted 2 and inFamous. But I still enjoyed Assassin's Creed II a lot for the story and other parts of the gameplay. For me, then, I would term Assassin's Creed II to be "flawed". "

Besides isn't Assassins Creed 2 about sneaking around and stealth?? If your sneaking how are you going to move fast with out making noise?? Slow moving means less noise.