Games you don't like but keep trying to go back to.

[Shoggoth2588]

Borderlands. While I like the concept of a class-based co-op shooter with RPG elements and a sense of humor, I'm not a fan of how the gunplay actually is. I pretty much threw in the towel twice while attempting to pass early game.

I felt the same way about Borderlands...something about applying full on 'floating numbers' RPG combat to a FPS just really put me off of the whole thing. Friends tried to convince me to try the second one but...no...just no thank you.

For me it's Final Fantasy XII and XIII. I started a new game in Final Fantasy XII twice but I hate the MMO-style combat system; stand in front of an enemy, attack, wave weapon at enemy, numbers float, keep doing that until victory or death. I didn't like how the game is structured either, where you need to complete side quests to open more side quests to open a main story quest. Then there are the characters: I like Vaan's design but that's about it. Balthier and his bunny-girlfriend whose name I don't remember (Fran?) were likable enough but I just couldn't LIKE anybody I could play as.

Then there's Final Fantasy XIII: You know Final Fantasy has always been a linear game series, it's kind of impossible to be open when the games progression is so dependent on the plots but FFXIII went above and beyond when it came to linearity. At least with I-VIII you could PRETEND like you had the option to explore the world from early on. This was another game where I hated the combat system and characters too...I started a new Final Fantasy XIII story three times before my self-hatred forced me to beat this game out of spite. I like the IDEA of changing jobs on the fly but the leveling system, the way Eidelons are tied to specific characters and must be fought in a very specific way, the fact that the characters range from boring to pointless to flat-out unlikable...Everything about this game rubs me the wrong way. Except for the visuals that is, this is the most beautiful Final Fantasy I've played but the actual game part of the game was determined to keep me from getting invested.

 

[Irwin126]

A wizard's lizard

There is absolutely no point for my to own this game when I have The Blinding of Issac: Rebirth.

I have no idea why I even return to it,as it's just not enjoyable.

 

[Rangaman]

Sonic Adventure. I don't like it, in fact it's a piece of crap, but part of me wants to see it through to the end.

Jak and Daxter. I really want to like this game, but...I dunno. There's just something missing.

Fallout 3 and 4. I love New Vegas (though sadly, my copy is no longer working), but I just can't stand these games. 3 is to muddy and ugly for my liking, and while 4 is much kinder on my eyes, it just doesn't have the character nor atmosphere of New Vegas.

And that's not even the end of the conversation.

 

[Borty The Bort]

World of Warcraft. I keep being told "Oh my gawd,bro, you gotta play WOW, man!" The only way I managed to get through a couple of hours of that game was when they added pandas, and I quickly drew away again after my panda-obssessed phase wore off after about a full 55 minutes of mindless grinding. I simply can't enjoy it, but I keep being told to play it to the point I now ignore anyone who even whispers about that one time they killed Deathwing, or something.

 

[Drathnoxis]

Jak and Daxter. I really want to like this game, but...I dunno. There's just something missing.

Obviously the answer was moody anti-heroes and guns

Spoiler: Oh and really awful robo suits

Oh and really awful robo suits.

Those were missing too.

 

[Wrex Brogan]

Grand Theft Auto V - I hate the singleplayer mode with a fiery passion, the multiplayer is dreadful with either lobbies that don't fucking work or free-roam modes where 19 assholes blow you up with missile launchers because you dared try to do one of the missions locked to that fuck-fest, and the odd lack of support from the Devs while still releasing enormous amounts of DLC was just fuckin' weird.

However, it is a lot of fun to just do a private game with some friends and fuck around with various things in the city itself. It's the only game I ever play when 4+ of my mates happen to be around at the same time so we can kick each other off motorbikes or slam fighter jets into each other, because every other aspect of the game is so god damn awful to play solo.

 

[Rangaman]

Jak and Daxter. I really want to like this game, but...I dunno. There's just something missing.

Obviously the answer was moody anti-heroes and guns

Spoiler: Oh and really awful robo suits

Oh and really awful robo suits.

Those were missing too.

Right, because that always works brilliantly.

 

[QuiteEnjoyed2016]

Total War. I love WarHammer. I *should* love Total War, it's everything I love in games. I bought it on pre-order (I am so sorry ), I played 30 hours, I stopped and I keep popping on playing a battle or two and drifting back to Deus Ex, or Shogun Shadow Tactics or something else.

I think it's actually me not Total War. I've had this issue ever since Rome. I remember an early skirmish during which I hatched an elaborate plan to ambush some troops as they crossed a river, pinning them down with arrows and legionnaires before unleashing my war dogs to shatter their moral and win the day. Somehow, instead, my war dog charging the river itself, my archers end up laying down furious support fire on a particularly menacing looking empty copse of trees, and my battle hardened roman legionnaires ended up being slaughtered in their droves by some peasants with hoes. It was not a glorious day for Rome.

Yeah, it's definitely me not Total War.

 

[BrawlMan]

Besides that, classic Resident Evil games, I really want to love them because I do love that whole era of gaming especially clunky oddly designed and awkwardly controlled horror games, but I've never been able to get into it, probably it's because my brother is a huge Resident Evil fan and I've already seen him beat all of them multiple times, anyways since I have his Resident Evil games every now and then I give them a try but I just can't get into it.

RE games have gotten to the point of either you like them or you don't. I played the games up to the demo of RE5. I skipped out on Code Veronica, Dead Aim, and the Outbreak Files though. Despite me loving most of the lore and knowing practically every character, I just don't have much interest in playing them anymore.

Darksiders and Anarchy Reigns. I bought Darksiders once and barely touched it, and Reigns I bought twice, but was not having as much fun as I thought I would. The soundtrack is amazing, but as far as gameplay is concerned, the spiritual sequel comes off as average. Yes, you have more moves and characters compared to Mad World, but the single-player is too boring, and good luck finding anybody online anymore. Mad World has aged much better by comparison.

 

[sageoftruth]

Dark Souls (the first one)

I actually really like the combination of danger and exploration offered by Dark Souls. Venturing into a new area crouched behind my trusty shield and cautiously poking everything is a treat. I'd love to see that imitated in a better game.

Unfortunately the clunky controls, muddy graphics, terrible voice acting and repetitive combat always wear me down. Funnily enough I always end up quiting at roughly the same spot, around Anor Londo. The furthest I ever got was beating Ornstein and Smouge before petering out.

Although I don't feel the same way I do get most those criticisms, but terrible voice-acting? How's that?

I think it's basically that most of the characters sound very artificial. Patches and Sigmeyer do a pretty good job at conveying personality, but the others all seem to have one emotion (or in some cases none at all) that they stick with for the entire game and when they dare to attempt a different one, it doesn't sound very convincing. It probably also doesn't help that most of them don't animate at all while speaking, making them seem more like talking exposition posts.

Still, it hardly bothers me. I never play Dark Souls games for the NPCs. After my first playthrough, I usually just skip through all of the dialogue.

 

[sageoftruth]

Most Elder Scrolls games. I'm lured in by role playing ideas.

I'm driven away by all of the walking.

 

[SlumlordThanatos]

Pillars of Eternity.

I never really had a chance to play the likes of Balder's Gate and Icewind Dale when I was growing up, so I didn't really have the nostalgia for isometric RPGs. When I tried to play Pillars, I didn't even really get very far...I think I managed to clear...a castle? I don't remember, but the combat was just a slog and it burned me out quickly. Also, there were too many party members to manage.

EDIT: I also forgot to mention Divinity: Original Sin. Seriously, fuck that opening town. I hate it.