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reader discussion

Reader Discussion: What's The Worst Game You've Ever Played?

by Tim Turi on Jul 18, 2013 at 01:30 PM

Gamers are treated to some of the best titles developers can muster towards the end of a console generation. The Last of Us, BioShock Infinite, and the upcoming Grand Theft Auto V show off what talented creators can do after learning the hardware inside and out. But sometimes, the sterling examples of game development are accompanied by total turds. Recent embarrassments like Ride to Hell: Retribution, Dark, and now R.I.P.D. are quick to remind us that we're never going to be totally in the clear, quality wise. These flops have me thinking about the worst games I've encountered, and we're curious to hear about your miserable gaming experiences as well.

I've played plenty of terrible games on our Super Replay series. The worst of which is without a doubt the PlayStation version of Cyberia. But I knew that game was going to stink, so that hardly counts. The biggest surprise failure I've ever played was back in my earliest days of gaming. Our family's first system was an Atari 2600. I was overjoyed to have the likes of Pitfall!, Donkey Kong, and Pac-Man in our house, and I didn't have the most discerning tastes at my age. However, I knew from the very first screen that E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial was an awful, unforgivable travesty. It may sound cliché, but that game stands as the most confusing, frustrating gift I've ever received. Gifts are supposed to bring people joy, not upset them. E.T. fell down pits, sometimes miraculously raising his head to float out of them like that one memorable seen from the film (which didn't happen). He's also pursued by trench coat-wearing agents that easily get snagged on the environment. With no clear purpose or indication of what items do, players are just left to tilt their heads at the screen in dismay. 

Enough about the disappointments of my past. What video games stand out to you as the worst ever?