There are circumstances in which one might enjoy something which has received negative or mixed critical reception. For example, I adored last year’s Alita: Battle Angel in spite of its critics citing some funky pacing and clunky dialogue. I, for one, eat that shit up because the film is essentially live-action anime done right. Alternatively, there are those times when I find myself having fun despite knowing full well the media product with which I am engaging is a flaming pile of dog shit. Here are five such cases (in no particular order)…
1. Dead by Daylight
This is probably the most frustrating case on this list because the concept has so much dang potential. If only the game had been executed with even a semblance of technical competence. A-symmetrical multiplayer offerings seem to be on the rise after a false start with Evolve, as the new Resident Evil: Project Resistance, as well as the new Predator: Hunting Grounds game, are both encroaching release.
With four players tasked with surviving the attacks of a fifth player filling the role of killer, the setup is hugely promising. Where the game falls down, though, is in the game itself. There’s very little the survivors can do other than fix generators, which requires only the holding of the right bumper, with the occasional tapping of the left bumper. This is referred to as a skill check, but it’s actually just a quick-time event (AKA prostate cancer if it was a game mechanic).
Not to mention, it’s also strikingly ugly with PS1-level textures and hideous character models limping around the map. But, despite all this, I’ve had a tremendous amount of fun over the past couple of week playing it with my friends, as, with the right person playing as the killer, the matches change from slogging through tedious objectives into a tense game of cat and mouse, or rather
mice.
With no means of attacking the killer, every encounter and defeat you suffer at the hands of your common enemy will make your bumhole clench with all its might. The experience is also helped along by the deeply customisable perk
system, which allows you to tailor your chosen survivor or killer to your play style. Brilliant stuff, if you can look past the stodgy gameplay and wonky
presentation.
2. Worms Battlegrounds
You may read the title of this entry and think to yourself, but Worms is a decent little series which accomplishes everything it sets out to do, is it not? And to that I retort, how do you fuck up Worms? Well, you can start by releasing a technically functional port. Instead, Worms Battlegrounds for the PS4 is a laggy, dated, awkwardly controlling, seemingly low-effort affair.
However, it is undeniably a hilarious experience with friends, as you attempt to kill each other ion the most strategically creative ways impossible. Exploding sheep, holy hand grenades and kamikaze punches round out a roster of unwieldy weaponry.
Furthermore, with the matches being as short as ten minutes, the many deaths of your loyal legion of wriggly soldiers are more amusing than frustrating, as you can always try something different next match. Plus, my friend once lost his blob with the game because he fired a homing rocket, which proceeded to turn around and hit him directly in the face, which may be the funniest shit I’ve ever seen.
3. Dead Island
Essentially the Jersey Shore of video games, Dead Island is easily the trashiest game I’ve played in my twenty years upon this mudball. Its tacky presentation, loathsome characters, clunky combat, and dreadful narrative throughline should
make this an objectively painful experience. But it’s not. And that’s thanks to a couple of things, one of which is co-op. tearing around the zombie-infested resort island with some friends, stomping skulls in and wading through pools filled with body parts and beach balls is wonderfully cathartic, and salvages what would otherwise be a miserable solo experience.
Although, there is one missing feature which makes this game the one I like the least on this list. For some reason, the devs included a frankly beautiful mode in which your fists defy the physics engine and send zombies flying with every
punch, but this is inaccessible in co-op. I don’t think a greater sin has ever been committed, as this could’ve made the game genuinely worth its often dirt-cheap asking price. But, as it stands, you’ll still probably get a few hours of laughs out of this one, as long as you don’t take any of it remotely seriously.
4. No Man’s Sky
As perhaps the greatest disappointment in the gaming industry, No Man’s Sky holds a special place on this list; Not least because it has since forged its own path and become one of this generation’s greatest recovery stories (We’re still waiting on that from Microsoft lmao). With updated technical aspects, new traversal and economical systems and a whole heap of quality of life changes, No Man’s Sky is now an okay game worth a little bit of your time and money.
But, much to my shame, I actually liked this game at launch when it was just a simulation of trillions of empty planetoids with fuck all to do on them. The
aesthetics, the soundtrack, and general atmosphere had me glued to the screen for about fifteen hours, before I realised I was just hopping from one rock to the next, collecting fuel and booting randomly generated animals up the arse.
I’ve gone back and played it a fair amount since, and it’s safe to say that, if you like space exploration fiction and pastel colours, No Man’s Sky is a far easier recommendation now than it ever was back in 2016.
5. The Order 1886
Dem graphics doe. This ostensibly summarises my entire opinion on Ready at Dawn’s ludicrously lavish The Order 1886. Even with its complete lack of mechanical depth, meaningful engagement from the player and abruptly short campaign, I still can’t help but find this game impressive as all heck.
A cover-based third-person shooter set against the backdrop of a smoky, gothic Victorian London complete with werewolves and a whole Nikola Tesla, The Order presents a heart-achingly realised and visually distinct world.
Where it falls flat for many is its brain-dead gameplay and absence of content. Had it featured co-op, a well-done horde mode or even just a longer story, The Order 1886 could’ve been the start of a successful franchise, albeit with basic
foundations that prioritise form over all else. But, as it stands, 1886 remains a sadly missed opportunity many simply skipped over. But, having actually
enjoyed my time with the game, I wouldn’t say no to a belated PS4 Pro patch with 4K and HDR support, please and thank you xoxo.
The Wandering NPCs 