Most Pretentious Video Games

In an interview withAdventure Classic Gamingthe developers ofThe Pathstated:

We are not traditional storytellers. We know a story and share it. Our work explores a situation's story potential. We create the situation only. The real story forms from playing, part in the game, part in the player’s mind.

The Pathis a modern horror take onLittle Red Riding HoodPlayers walk a straight path to Grandma's house with zero consequences. Then, the game stops. There is no win, no loss, just experience. This setup defies video game purpose, assuming gamers seek intellect over entertainment.intellectualinstead of entertained.

Few games were as over-hyped as No Man's Sky.Some games were over-hyped.These games were as over-hyped as 2016's.No Man's Sky.Before the game launched, creator Sean Murray told everyone it would be groundbreaking.Sean Murray told everyone it would be groundbreaking.Murray often tried to lower expectations, but he mentioned his game technology mattered. That focus ruined the game. Developers spent too much time trying to be unique, special, and different. They failed.

Gamers noticed this lack of focus.No Man's Sky.Stores returned No Man's Sky in droves.Stores returned No Man's Sky in droves.No Man's Sky appears in the list 'Most Pretentious Video Games'.

Dear EstherDear Esther is purely an exploration game. Players wander an island, listening to an old man read letters to his dead love, Esther. Nothing really gets done.Dear Esther appears in the list 'Most Pretentious Video Games'.Some think finding out the dead woman's fate makes the game worth it, but it does not.

Designer is listed for Dear Esther.Dan Pinchbeck intentionally left Dear Esther.Pinchbeck left holes in the game for "atmosphere and space and time and that idea of a vacuum that the player could fill with their own thoughts and feelings." This sounds good in an interview, but it shows an unwillingness to create compelling gameplay or a fully built story.Few critics mentioned Dear Esther. Critics mentioned Dear Esther.Critics noted Dear Esther.

Before this, [content missing]Omikron: The Nomad SoulThe game was released. Designer David Cage wrote a 200-page analysis of it. Many liked his ideas, but almost everyone thought they were far-fetched. This did not stop Cage.He stated this.:

I hate when someone says something is impossible. I cannot stand that. I never have. I thought, 'Okay, let’s try it and see if it is impossible.'

The designer tried to build a program mixing adventure, fighting, first-person shooting, and puzzle games. Combining multiple genres proves incredibly hard. The game failed because Cage could not choose one good idea. He foolishly thought he could do everything.

Braid is in the list 'Most Pretentious Video Games'.does not seem pretentious at first. The story is strange and can sometimes feel broken, but it is unique and interesting.

Problems start appearing whenever Braid.'s creator, Jonathan Blow, states his view on something. He thinks Braid.is against all modern games. He hates everything about modern gaming.. Blow evenargues with gamers directlywhen they question his choices.Few game experiences are loved by gamers more than

PlayerUnknown's Battlegroundswas only a collection ofmodifications to popular gameslikeARMA 2. Battlegroundscreator Brendan Greene made his own game in March 2017. He charges $30 for a game that crashes too often.crashes entirely too oftenGreene assumes consumers enjoy this overpriced experience.

Greene shows little response to fan feedback. He dismisses user experiences. Despite the game's unpopular Red Zones causing players to die for no reason, Greene saysGreene says, "If you're dying at the Red Zone, you're not a very good player."

Blackwas released in 2006 for the original Xbox, the Xbox 360 already existed.Black was released in 2006 for the original Xbox; the Xbox 360 already existed.game developers claimed the game would "do for shooters what BurnoutBurnout.." They planned to use the Xbox's hardware to show off complex graphics and visuals.The game used Xbox hardware to show complex graphics and visuals.achieves this, but it is stuck on an old console. They thought their product was so new that fans would use an older, less handy device just to play it.In fact, even the best-looking original Xbox games look worse than the worst 360 games.

Even the best-looking original Xbox games look worse than the worst 360 games.Black.Developers likely missed fans by basing the game on an older system, aiming to be the next big thing.

BurnoutBurnout is in the list 'Most Pretentious Video Games'.Burnout Paradise, several playersfelt slighted.Game developers took that popular game element and made it a spin-off.. Plus, the extra downloadable game did not resemble Burnout 3 Burnout 3 is in the list 'Most Pretentious Video Games'.Revenge. It was just a low-quality copy.Several other titles try to get the crash mode feeling back, but they are not

quite as good.. Burnout Paradise's bold move seems to have ended the franchise, since there has been no new BurnoutBurnout is in the list 'Most Pretentious Video Games'.Burnout since 2008.

Metal Gear Solid appears in the list 'Most Pretentious Video Games'.Hideo Kojima watches a film daily. This love of action shows in the intense gameplay of 2015's Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom PainKojima wants his games to carry political themes and deep thoughts.

Yet, despiteKojima wantsto push games past simple entertainment, he added a character serving the male gaze. The female character, Quiet, constantly reminds players of the series' major flaw: its open sexism.its overt sexismQuiet does not speak. Her clothes are minimal. Players can paint her silver or gold.

Kojimadefends this choiceby claiming clothes hurt Quiet because she breathes through her skin using photosynthesis. This argument seems weak.

American McGee designedAmerican McGee's Alice is in the list 'Most Pretentious Video Games'.He put his name in the game's title. When asked why he added his name, McGee blamed EA for American McGee's Alice.McGee noted:

EA actually made the decision. They used it for branding, to protect the name legally, and to build a future brand. I fought this a few times. I went to meetings where I insisted on my name on the box, but EA saw sense in letting it happen, so I agreed.

Players did not enjoy the game.Some claimed American McGee's Alice.they were "disappointed with just how straightforward the underlying game really is."

Before Lionhead Studios failed, eachFablegame received big promotion from designer Peter Molyneux. He promised players wild things, such as planting an acorn to watch it grow. Fans received Molyneux's exaggerations and then disappointment.Molyneux's exaggerations.

Eventually, heapologized for everything.It remains unclear if Molyneux was just an enthusiastic designer who spoke too soon, or if he aimed to boost sales. Either way, his habit of over-promising and under-delivering shows a lack of customer respect.

BioShock Infinite earns credit for its pretentiousness.BioShock Infinite.BioShock Infinite strives to address heavy topics. It includes themes like American exceptionalism, racism, and extremism. Additionally, Infinite brilliantly sets these themes in a unique setting: a floating, early 20th-century city with future tech. From the start, players face concepts most games ignore.Infinite brilliantly sets these themes in a unique setting: a floating, early 20th-century city with future tech. From the start, players face concepts most games ignore.

At its core, unfortunately,Infinite features in the list 'Most Pretentious Video Games'.is just another first-person shooter. The ending is strange and unclear, and many gamers feel frustrated.Many gamers feel frustrated.Gamers are frustrated with Infinite'sInfinite's entry shows pretension.lack of answers. Developer Ken Levine thought it important to leave things open-ended, but this makes the game vapid. It tries to gain seriousness points by just mentioning big concepts, but the weak ending offers nothing to think about.Ken Levine thought it important.Developer Ken Levine thought it important to leave things open-ended, but this makes the game vapid. It tries to win seriousness points for merely mentioning big concepts, but the lackluster conclusion doesn't provide anything weighty to think about.

The actual Grand Theft Auto V is listed.user experience in Grand Theft Auto V is beyond incredible.The user experience in Grand Theft Auto V is beyond incredible.Grand Theft Auto V.There is a reason Grand Theft Auto V is the highest grossing piece of entertainment ever released.The problem is the 2013 game's satire of American culture leaves much to be desired. The game acts as a snarky outsider, dissecting all of America's problems with sharp wit. In reality, it is less intelligent than it seems.The problem is that the 2013 game's satire of American culture leaves much to be desired. The game acts as a snarky outsider, dissecting all of America's problems with sharp wit. In reality, it is less intelligent than it seems.

The game lets players do what it seems to critique. Users canplayers torture innocent people.Users canabuse women.and live racially problematic experiences.and live racially problematic experiences..

Part of what makes Dark SoulsDark Souls.What makes Dark Souls great is also what makes it pretentious. The game imposes harsh penalties for failure. Developers focused more on making a very hard game than getting players to enjoy it.Dark Souls.Dark Souls adventures never include an easy mode for beginners, which frustrates gamers.Gamers get frustrated.Gamers who love the game but want to move past the first few stages.

Dark Souls.Director Hidetaka Miyazaki told gamers to suck it up.Miyazaki told gamers to suck it up.Miyazaki noted:

Gamers do not prefer easy games. They want interesting, worthwhile games. Removing hindrance or stress that doesn't belong to those elements is natural.

Miyazaki is not entirely wrong. Believing your game would become boring if players could not die is pretentious.