What levels/mission types do you hate, but loved in one instance?

There are a lot of levels/ mission types we find annoying. Water levels,time trials, on rails, the list goes on. Sometimes we dread getting to these moments in our game, and wail in frustration until they are over. However, on occasion we find that we actually like an instance of these types of moments in our game. I usually hate escort missions. While Enslaved is essentially a game based around an escort mission, I didn't mind it and even enjoyed the dependency on the main character and their companion. What game had an instance like this with you?

Screw all y'all, I thought Resident Evil 4 was the greatest escort mission ever.

Instead of being just one annoying mission in the game, it's basically Leon's entire purpose for being there, so it's well justified that so much of the game is an escort mission. And as far as NPC companions you must protect, she is quite tolerable (well, aside from "LEON! HeeeEEEEeelp!"). If you raise your gun at all, she immediately ducks and it's pretty hard to hit her. Only a few enemy types actually damage her, and most will instead try to carry her away, so you're less likely to run into bullshit situations where she keeps dying. When they're carrying her away, I think it's impossible to damage her, as any bullets you fire will pass through her and instead damage the person carrying her. And in areas where the action gets really hairy, the developers were sometimes thoughtful enough to place little bins nearby where you can just tell her to hide and she is effectively untouchable.

I found that far more enjoyable than RE5, where it always felt like Sheva was just wasting my precious ammo and healing herbs.

I fucking hate underwater missions, but Bioshock was alright.

@BisonHero said:

Screw all y'all, I thought Resident Evil 4 was the greatest escort mission ever.

Instead of being just one annoying mission in the game, it's basically Leon's entire purpose for being there, so it's well justified that so much of the game is an escort mission. And as far as NPC companions you must protect, she is quite tolerable (well, aside from "LEON! HeeeEEEEeelp!"). If you raise your gun at all, she immediately ducks and it's pretty hard to hit her. Only a few enemy types actually damage her, and most will instead try to carry her away, so you're less likely to run into bullshit situations where she keeps dying. When they're carrying her away, I think it's impossible to damage her, as any bullets you fire will pass through her and instead damage the person carrying her. And in areas where the action gets really hairy, the developers were sometimes thoughtful enough to place little bins nearby where you can just tell her to hide and she is effectively untouchable.

I found that far more enjoyable than RE5, where it always felt like Sheva was just wasting my precious ammo and healing herbs.

You sum up my feelings on that game to perfection, I now have nothing to add to this thread ^^

I can't recall an escort mission that I ever really enjoyed.

It usually feels like I'm fighting against the shitty AI they're often accompanied with rather than actually playing the game. That's just not fun to me.

I hate mini games inserted into platformers, but Banjo Tooie pulled it off perfectly.

Weird this topic should come up, a few weeks back when I was going through Resonance of Fate an escort mission (with a statue of all things) came up and it was surprisingly fun. It would only take damage when I was out of range for an enemy attack and had enough HP that had a nice balance of challenge and fairness. Though in general I am not opposed to escort missions when what you're escorting don't do stupid things (running off while I fight, being in my attack range, etc).

Definitely the escort segments of RE4.

Honestly, apart from her warbling shriek of a voice, Ashley wasn't half bad.

Also, I'm not a fan of water levels in general, but I think the water areas and dungeon in The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask were quite enjoyable, because Link wearing the Zora Mask resulted in some of the best water sequences I've ever played in a video game. He controlled pretty much exactly how you wanted him to. Also you could do little leaps above the water's surface like a dolphin, and that is so satisfying.

Yup, escort missions and Resident Evil 4 was the first thing that came to mind.

There are a lot of levels/ mission types we find annoying. Water levels,time trials, on rails, the list goes on. Sometimes we dread getting to these moments in our game, and wail in frustration until they are over. However, on occasion we find that we actually like an instance of these types of moments in our game. I usually hate escort missions. While Enslaved is essentially a game based around an escort mission, I didn't mind it and even enjoyed the dependency on the main character and their companion. What game had an instance like this with you?

I find a Horde mode in any game to get boring after the first time I play them, but Invasion mode in Unreal Tournament 2004 is something I can always go back to.

I hate it when action games all of the sudden throw you in a vehicle sequence but god dammit the motorbike chase and the Metal Gear fight from MGS4 are fucking fantastic.

I hate escort missions... However, the final levels of Freespace 2 were really, really good.

I dislike escort, timed, on-rails, and underwater levels. I think the only time I could tolerate escorting was RE4.

@Willin said:

I hate it when action games all of the sudden throw you in a vehicle sequence but god dammit the motorbike chase and the Metal Gear fight from MGS4 are fucking fantastic.

I will second the motorcycle chase as a fantastic example of a great turret sequence. And who doesn't hate those?

I usually hate random vehicle sequences, in games that really shouldn't have them. But I really liked the Bayonetta Motorcycle, mostly for the awesome soundtrack.

I hate vehicle sequences but I really enjoyed the one in Timeshift where you rode on the snowmobile.

I have never played a time trial, underwater or escort mission that i found enjoyable.

I hate the kind of run through the rings as fast as you can traversal side missions in most games. However, in prototype I really enjoyed doing them. I think that I can attribute this to that it took some measure of skill and it was hard to find the right angles to jump and glide efficiently. That made it a little more interesting than just running from point to point.

In contrast I hated the "AR training" in arkam city which had you fly through a series of rings. I just felt like I was fighting with the controls and that it was more a matter of luck than actual skill.

I generally don't like escort missions, especially in MMOs. But I played a lot of space-sims way back when, and a lot of my sorties were, surprise, escort missions!

I guess it's different when the thing you're escorting is a bigass capital ship that could vaporize you just by thinking about it.

Turret segments.

And I can't name a single one that I have ever enjoyed. Luckily, they are usually short so I can't name one that I particularly hate either, but I always roll my eyes when they show up.

That is, unless I have the option of setting them up as a defense against something. Maybe have some in a window that are there for you to use, but you aren't required to.

As far as escort missions go, I really don't like them either but again, they're usually pretty short or pretty easy these days.

Other things - underwater segments, timed puzzles and chases, etc. - generally don't get on my nerves.

Escort missions, like everyone else, I also hate. I did like the escort mission in Manhunt where I had to keep the drunk hobo away from psychos.

I'm with the OP. Fuck escort missions but every once in a while when the context is proper and it fits the story they work.

the missions/quests/levels i have hated the most are the escort/babysitting missions. i also dislike underwater levels/missions/quests.

Ground levels. Extremely hostile for fish.

Two references. The first is time'd missions. I used to hate missions where I'd have to kill so many guys in a Certian amount of time in order to proceed. Or race to a certain Objective or just land as many combos with-in 5 seconds! Used to drive me crazy when I was younger,

But then In Dead Rising (which is one of my favorite games) The entire game is pretty much a timed mission. I loved it. Gave me such a feel of urgency I had a hard time sleeping trying to carry survivors over my shoulders as zombies chased us with only 3 minutes left to get to the safe room. It was amazing!

And Also, I don't really love Dungeon Crawiling games. Like Torchlight. I can see why people loved it but not my thing. Yet in Skyrim Everytime I come across one I am like "MUST FIND TREASURE!!!!!" And then run into it wielding fireballs like a mad man.

pretty much what other people said, i hate escort missions. it was the first thing that came to mind. they are pretty annoying, especially when the other AI can't do anything.

I hate lag, but Saints Row The Third turned it into genuine hilarity.

EDIT: Also speaking for escort missions that don't suck: the entirety of Dead Rising 2. Seriously, once I had that Leadership mag, I sometimes purposely kept my survivors from heading to the safe-house just so I could further roll with my infinite ammo gun-ho posse.

I usually dread forced stealth missions with a passion, wherein if you're detected, you're done. It was the reason I never got very far in MGS4, but oddly enough, they never bothered me all that much in Assassin's Creed II through Revelations. Having a ton of options and ways to do the mission helps enormously.

Escort, but I love Ico. Underwater, but I love them in Donkey Kong Country. (possibly due to the music)

Why do peeps hate underwaters?  I love it.  Especially in Tomb Raider 2.  The incredible depths where you'd be swimming towards the surface and actually holding your breath... then the fear as your oxy-guage is only a couple of pixels long.  EWAHHHH!!  Love it.