15 Terrible First-Person Shooters You Need to Avoid

As someone who grew up in the golden age of video games, I can’t help but feel a deep sense of disappointment when I come across titles that fail to live up to their promises. Having spent countless hours exploring new worlds and honing my skills as a gamer, it’s disheartening to encounter games that are not only subpar but downright terrible.

I. Intro: First-person shooter games (FPS) are widely beloved and played by many. However, with popularity comes competition, leading some titles to fall short. In this article, we shift our focus from the best FPS games to the disappointing ones.

SHELLSHOCK 2: BLOOD TRAILS

Although Shellshock 2: Blood Trails boasts an intriguing concept and a genuinely unsettling atmosphere, it unfortunately delivers a gaming experience that is as unenjoyable as it is thought-provoking. The game’s shooting mechanics and artificial intelligence are flawed at best, while its level design leaves much to be desired and its controls prove frustrating. Overall, the myriad problems plaguing this title make for a less than enjoyable journey.

DUKE NUKEM FOREVER

Few games merit inclusion on such esteemed lists as much as Duke Nukem Forever. After enduring an excruciatingly lengthy development process and being passed among various developers more times than can be counted, this long-anticipated first-person shooter was eventually released by Gearbox. Unfortunately, the final product left a lot to be desired. Its design was both dull and faulty, its writing dated and offensive, and it was plagued with numerous technical issues. In the end, Duke Nukem Forever turned out to be a major letdown.

XIII (2020)

In the early days, the original XIII wasn’t particularly remarkable. However, the remake released in 2020 was a significant disappointment and arguably one of the worst games produced. While the visual enhancements were appealing, it was plagued with numerous technical issues, unintelligent enemy AI, and tedious gunplay, to name just a few of its many flaws. Despite some improvements in 2022, XIII remains a challenging suggestion for gamers.

MEDAL OF HONOR: UNDERGROUND (GBA)

I can’t help but wonder, why on earth did they attempt to create a first-person shooter like “Medal of Honor: Underground” for the Game Boy Advance? It seems bizarre given that during that time, it was normal for different versions of the same game to vary greatly depending on the platform. However, I can’t help but feel disappointed and frustrated when I think about this experiment. The graphics were lackluster, and the gameplay was severely limited in ways that just don’t cut it for an FPS title. Other than serving as a quirky curiosity (which smells unpleasantly like week-old socks), there doesn’t seem to be any reason why this version of the game needed to exist.

ALIENS: COLONIAL MARINES

The game, Aliens: Colonial Marines, from Gearbox and Sega, turned out to be a major disappointment despite grand expectations fueled by promising pre-launch announcements. The final product was plagued with numerous issues that significantly hindered the gaming experience. AI malfunctions crippled progression, while technical problems resulted in a significant visual regression. Overall, the game failed to meet even basic player satisfaction standards. The dissatisfaction was so profound that both Sega and Gearbox faced legal action over allegations of false advertising.

ROBOCOP (2003)

After a long four-year wait (which was quite unusual back then), Titus Interactive’s version of RoboCop was released in 2003 with the expectation of an engaging first-person shooter (FPS) based on the popular sci-fi franchise. Unfortunately, it fell short, failing to meet even the smallest expectations set for it. With a glut of poorly executed licensed games prevalent during that era, RoboCop’s repetitive, generic gameplay and uninspiring dullness were hardly shocking additions to the list.

REDFALL

Recently, it would have been hard to believe that the creators of the original “Dishonored” and 2017’s “Prey” would produce one of the worst shooter games, but unfortunately, “Redfall” falls into this category. This game is plagued with issues – broken mechanics, bugs, and a lack of creativity. It strays far from the intricate designs Arkane Studios is known for, instead opting for a co-op looter shooter format that fails to deliver on its potential. Microsoft, the parent company, has ceased support for “Redfall,” canceled its DLC plans, and closed down Arkane Austin, leaving this game with an unfortunate and tragic legacy.

BATTLE: LOS ANGELES

Going back to forgettable licensed games, there’s one you might not recall ever seeing- and that’s a good thing, as this game was a real dud. Battle: Los Angeles, released in 2011, was as unexciting and unmemorable as the film it was inspired by. The campaign was disappointingly brief, barely lasting an hour, and the level design and gunplay were tediously dull.

THE WALKING DEAD: SURVIVAL INSTINCT

The survival game based on “The Walking Dead” IP, named “Survival Instinct,” has had its share of struggles in the gaming industry. This particular title, focusing on the Dixon brothers, was heavily anticipated but unfortunately failed to deliver. Initially, it promised to be a high-quality game, but upon release, it received widespread criticism for being shallow and broken, making it nearly unplayable.

GOLDENEYE: ROGUE AGENT

Back in the past, Rogue Agent was originally titled “GoldenEye 2” during its announcement. However, the final product bore little resemblance to those initial expectations. While there were occasional enjoyable elements within it, the game was largely disappointing. The levels felt unimaginative, the gunplay was underwhelming, and the narrative was incoherent and disrespectful towards the James Bond series canon.

007 LEGENDS

Let’s give the “license to kill” man, or the Bond game with questionable quality, a bit more time in our discussion. It’s hard to dismiss the existence of “007 Legends,” a game that some argue is one of the poorest ever produced, full stop. The idea behind it was fascinating – uniting all the eras of the Bond films into one cohesive narrative. However, the final product veered off course and appeared more like a poorly executed “Call of Duty” imitation than an authentic Bond experience. Despite its intriguing premise, the game failed to deliver on its potential with subpar shooting mechanics.

TERMINATOR 3: WAR OF THE MACHINES

“Terminator 3: War of the Machines,” sometimes referred to as the budget version of “Battlefield 1942,” falls short in numerous aspects, making it challenging to identify redeeming qualities. Its visuals were unappealing, its level design was tedious, it was plagued with technical problems, and its multiplayer mode was disappointingly flawed – this is merely the beginning of its issues.

FAR CRY VENGEANCE

The Far Cry series has consistently delivered high-quality main games. However, some of its spin-offs have fallen short. For instance, Far Cry Vengeance, a supposed remake of a mediocre game to begin with, failed to meet expectations in numerous ways. Instead of providing the expected features of a Far Cry game, it felt like a disappointing money-grab, filled with repetitive tasks and unappealing graphics.

ROGUE WARRIOR

It’s hard to believe that “Rogue Warrior” made it to store shelves back then, let alone as a $60 purchase, given its lackluster offerings during an era brimming with shooter games. The game failed to provide any enjoyment or innovation, focusing instead on subpar writing and monotonous mechanics. Despite the industry’s saturation with shooting games, “Rogue Warrior” neglected to deliver engaging design or captivating gameplay experiences. Instead, players were met with a dismal campaign that felt incomplete and multiplayer modes that barely functioned.

HAZE

Back in the past, Haze was among numerous games hyped up as potential rivals to Halo before its launch. However, just like all the others, it failed to meet those expectations and is now infamously known as one of the worst games from that period. While Haze occasionally displayed glimpses of excellence, its campaign and multiplayer modes were chaotic and disappointing overall.

2024-07-15 15:42

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