Jason Monroe
2017 was a great year for video games but there were more than a few duds released over the last 12 months. Here are 2017’s worst games.
5 – Super Bomberman R
Seriously, how do you screw up a Super Bomberman game on the Nintendo Switch?
The visuals were cute and having the freedom to play on the TV or on the go should have been amazing. Sadly, it isn’t.
Don’t get me wrong, Super Bomberman R is fine, the problem is that it has been priced alongside AAA titles and should be judged as such. Super Bomberman R does nothing to evolve the Bomberman formula; it feels the same as every other Bomberman game. You’d be better off picking up a previous-gen version for a fraction of the price.
4 – Valkyria Revolution
Valkyria Revolution is basically the Valkyria take on the Dynasty Warriors formula. It should be good. It isn’t.
The gameplay is reminiscent of the Dynasty Warriors series, with an abundance of menus thrown in, a ridiculous story and some of the worst dialogue you’ll find in video games.
I wanted Valkyria Revolution to be great, I really did. To say I’m disappointed is an understatement.
3 – Road Rage
Road Rash on the Sega Genesis (Mega Drive for us in the UK) was cool. You drove down a linear road, hitting other bikers with chains and other weapons. It was different, it was interesting, it was pretty awesome.
Fast forward to 2017 and we have an abundance of open world video games with combat options. Even just taking GTA V into account, Road Rage would need to be something special to stand a chance. Sadly, it isn’t.
Sadly, nothing that should be cool actual is. The combat is weak, the riding is drab and the maps are uninteresting. It feels like a budget offering that isn’t worth your time – even for that hit of nostalgia.
2 – Mass Effect: Andromeda
Mass Effect: Andromeda has tarnished the Mass Effect franchise, possibly irreparably.
The animations are substandard, the plot is weak packed with a seemingly endless grind of side quests, and the game felt rushed. Previous Mass Effect games have felt like AAA titles, with the only controversial aspects being a backlash from fans unhappy with the direction of the story. The backlash for Andromeda felt justified, picking the latest substandard entry to the series apart.
So bad was Mass Effect Andromeda that the Mass Effect franchise has been put on ice.
1 – WWE 2K18 (on Nintendo Switch)
WWE 2K18 isn’t a brilliant game but it is by no means a bad one. It’s good, without being anything special.
Then you get the Switch port.
The Switch version has early-last gen quality graphics, running at less than 20 frames per second, and to top it off, it’s loaded with glitches. It’s a shame because the Nintendo Switch is quite a capable system; it can run Doom at pretty impressive settings and should be more than powerful enough to do a WWE game justice.
WWE 2K18 is an ugly, buggy mess. Avoid at all costs.
