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Worst worst games ever list ever
PC World has slapped up a list of the ten worst video game ever created. The list includes some obvious choices, including the over-produced (ET), the over-hyped (Daikatana) and the basketball-star-over-exposing (Shaq Fu). It also includes some rather surprising choices.While most of the games on the list are there for obvious gameplay flaws, the justifications for many of the listings seem kind of trivial. Super Columbine RPG is excoriated not for bad game design, but mainly because the game's web site is "some sort of crime against good design itself" (and the fact that the authors consider the game's content "appalling"). Prince of Persia: The Warrior Within makes an appearance despite receiving an 84% average on GameRankings (the justification? It changed a lot from Sands of Time and it was popular). And the obscure Nintendo DS and web-download game Elf Bowling is castigated for clogging up e-mail servers and getting old after a few plays (Were they expecting some sort of epic RPG?)The seven runners-up include more games that seem to be included solely because of violent content (Death Race 2000, Postal) political content (The Howard Dean for Iowa Game) or, um, educational content (The Typing of the Dead). Sure, these games aren't going to make any top ten lists, but are they really worse than totally unplayable clunkers like Charlie's Angels, or Ping Pals?
Why games suck
When games suck, we tend to blame the developer. This piece by David A. Rodriguez over at Buzzscope tries to shed some light on the development process behind bad games -- helping us figure out why they suck.As with many things in life, it's all about the money -- those who wield it have ultimate control, regardless of how unreasonable or impractical their desires. Rodriguez has a neat explanation: developers aren't artists, but they're in customer service. Whatever the customer wants, the customer gets. In this case, the customer is often the publisher, who wants to make more money by releasing a game that will sell. So, next time you think about picking up that copy of Crazy Frog Racer, remember this article -- and don't.[Via Eurogamer]
