10 BAD Games With One GREAT Level

10 Bad Games With One Great Level

Welcome to MojoPlays, and today we’re taking a look at ten bad video games that just so happen to feature one great level or section.

The Blackwood House

“Redfall” (2023)

Despite launching as a notorious, technically compromised disaster, Arkane Studios' “Redfall” managed to very briefly recapture its developer's signature immersive-sim magic within The Blackwood House level. Serving as the psychic echo of a haunted estate, this specific mission strips away the game's tedious and frankly boring open-world clutter to deliver a tightly paced, genuinely eerie and spooky slice of psychological horror. As players navigate changing geometry and unravel a deeply tragic family story, it acts as a bittersweet reminder of Arkane’s masterful environmental storytelling. Ultimately, it stands out as a brilliant oasis of design in an otherwise barren and broken experience. It’s such a bummer to see a vampire game suck…get it? Cause vampires bite and suck blood…nevermind, I thought it was funny.

Circus

“The Tick” (1994)

The 1994 side-scrolling beat 'em up “The Tick” for the Super Nintendo is widely criticized for its soul-crushingly tedious length and repetitive waves of identical enemies. However, the Circus level injects a much-needed burst of creativity and comic-book absurdity that briefly saves the game from its own monotony. Forcing players to break away from standard street brawling, this section features delightfully goofy 2D platforming, tasking The Tick with awkwardly balancing across high tightropes and leaping over hazards while striking ridiculous ballet poses. Fighting bizarre clown mobs and dealing with the chaotic, vibrant big-top environment perfectly mirrors the surreal humor of Ben Edlund's original series. It stands out as a rare, highly memorable highlight in an otherwise agonizingly bloated 44-level slog.

Mission 1

“Devil May Cry 2” (2003)

While “Devil May Cry 2” is universally lamented by fans for its sluggish combat, neutered protagonist, and brain-dead difficulty, its opening stage, creatively and excitedly titled Mission 1 (compelling indeed), offers a misleadingly brilliant first impression. Set against a striking, gothic European backdrop filled with crumbling stone architecture, the level expertly captures the moody, atmospheric aesthetic that made the original game a masterpiece. Controlling a stylishly redesigned Dante as he effortlessly navigates rooftops and battles classic demon designs, players are treated to a lovely glimpse of the high-octane action thriller this sequel could have been. It is a masterclass in mood-setting that makes the steep drop-off in the rest of the game's uninspired, wide-open levels feel even more tragic. It starts right but then quickly veers off a cliff. Lame sauce.

Operation Port Armor

“Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare” (2016)

Although “Infinite Warfare” is generally considered one of the franchise's most divisive, fatigue-inducing futuristic entries, the level Operation Port Armor delivers an absolute masterclass in sci-fi cinematic spectacle. Why didn’t they keep this up for the whole campaign? The mission seamlessly blends tight, high-stakes boots-on-the-ground corridor shooting with a breathtaking, zero-gravity assault outside a crippled orbital station. Watching the Earth hang in the background as you grapple across floating debris and dodge anti-aircraft fire perfectly realized the grandiose space-warfare fantasy the marketing promised. It remains a gripping, blockbuster powerhouse of a level that the rest of the campaign's repetitive planetary excursions could never quite replicate.

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Ireland Section

“Tomb Raider: Chronicles” (2000)

Lara Croft wanders weaponless into a rain-slicked nightmare during the Ireland chapters, specifically Gallows Tree, Labyrinth, and Old Mill, of “Tomb Raider Chronicles,” completely upending the franchise's predictable formula. Stripping away the iconic double-pistol combat, this Ireland tour de force plunged players into a masterfully eerie world of Celtic folklore filled with malevolent changelings and haunting, surreal labyrinths, and crafty puzzles. Survival here demands pure stealth, wits, and logic, creating an intense, slow-burn psychological horror experience that feels completely detached from the engine's rigid limitations. It stands as a terrifyingly brilliant detour, serving as the sole redeeming spark in a sequel that otherwise felt like a rushed, exhausted cash-grab.

The Plaza Hotel

“Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” (1992)

The chaotic freedom of the Plaza Hotel level in the NES version of “Home Alone 2: Lost in New York” is a shocking breath of fresh air compared to the game's otherwise unplayable, cumbersome, and frustrating design. Playing as Kevin McCallister, you are finally given the tools to turn a luxury hotel into a mischief-infused sandbox of folly by tripping bellhops, sliding down luggage chutes, and blasting concierge staff with a dart gun. Unlike the infuriatingly clunky platforming sections that ruin the rest of the experience, sprinting through these wealthy corridors genuinely captures the mischievous, joyful spirit of the movie. It transforms what is normally a frustrating exercise in terrible collision detection into a brief, delightfully frantic playground of cartoon sabotage.

Moonraker

“007 Legends” (2012)

Few gaming experiences feel as hollow as “007 Legends,” (something a Bond game should never be), itself a generic first-person shooter that managed to drain all the style and tension out of James Bond's cinematic history. Yet, navigating the zero-gravity exterior of a space station in the Moonraker mission briefly elevates the experience into a visually stunning, floaty sci-fi playground. Lasers pierce the silent vacuum as you grapple through floating satellite debris, forcing a tactical shift in pacing that feels entirely distinct from the game's otherwise mindless, earthbound hallway shootouts. It is a fleeting, dazzling sequence of pure spectacle that perfectly channels the campy, grand-scale ambition of the 1979 film—even if the rest of the game falls completely flat.

The Battle of Hoth

“Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire” (1996)

Imagine firing up a brand-new Nintendo 64 in 1996, “Star Wars” excitement brimming and overflowing, snacks at the ready, and immediately diving into The Battle of Hoth, a cinematic masterclass that remains one of the most iconic opening stages in gaming history. Taking control of Dash Rendar’s Snowspeeder to wrap tow cables around the legs of towering Imperial AT-ATs perfectly captured the scale and adrenaline of “The Empire Strikes Back.” This spectacular dogfight single-handedly sold millions of consoles, making it easy to forget that the rest of “Shadows of the Empire” quickly devolves into an exercise in clunky, borderline unplayable third-person platforming. It acts as a legendary blueprint for future “Rogue Squadron” titles, trapped inside a game that didn’t at all age gracefully.

No Hope in Hadley’s

“Aliens: Colonial Marines” (2013)

The pitch-black, strobe-lit ruins of No Hope in Hadley's offer a tantalizing glimpse of the atmospheric masterpiece “Aliens: Colonial Marines” was supposed to be. Sad times indeed. The whole game could have been so good overall, but…nope. Thank goodness for this section, right? Retreading the iconic and foreboding acid-burned corridors of Hadley's Hope forces players into a genuinely terrifying claustrophobic gauntlet, relying on the iconic motion tracker to anticipate Xenomorphs lurking in the shadows. For a brief moment, the broken AI, flat lighting, and disjointed narrative of the broader game melt away, replaced by pure, spine-chilling reverence for James Cameron's 1986 film. It stands as a brilliant, heartbreaking oasis of authentic survival horror buried within one of the most infamously botched releases in gaming history.

Kingdom Valley

“Sonic the Hedgehog ‘06” (2006)

Majestic, sweeping orchestral strings swell as Silver the Hedgehog teleports into Kingdom Valley, a level so visually breathtaking and atmospheric it feels like it belongs in an entirely different, polished masterpiece. This ancient, wind-swept kingdom of crumbling castles, cascading waterfalls, and soaring eagles completely detaches itself from the catastrophic bugs, loading screens, narrative trainwreck, and general un-funess (I’m not sure that’s even a word…) that define “Sonic '06.” Whether you are grinding down massive stone aqueducts or executing high-speed loops across fractured medieval ruins, the level design achieves a rare, soaring sense of verticality and flow. It is a stunningly beautiful oasis of peak Sonic franchise potential, tragically trapped inside one of the most infamously broken video games ever made.

So, what did you think of our picks for this list? What are some bad video games you have played that featured one great level? Let us know in the comments.