Top 20 Worst Video Games of the Century (So Far)

#20: “Mortal Kombat: Special Forces” (2000)

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Every Mortal Kombat Game Ranked from Worst to Best

Indeed, “Mortal Kombat” was a pretty big IP throughout the 90’s, but one could say Midway got a little carried away with hashing out new titles like “Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero”. While that was about as fun as taking a kunai to the chest, Midway hit rock bottom when it shelled out “Mortal Kombat: Special Forces”, a beat ‘em up game starring Jax where players can perform bland combos while navigating rooms that look exactly the same as levels prior. On top of that, the boss characters were lamer than Mokap. (Really, who’s going to remember Gemini or No-Face?) In short, it was the antithesis of a “Mortal Kombat” game, and we’ll happily leave it in it’s shameful past.

Even though we live in a world where “Fallout 76” exists, we still have to say “Rogue Warrior” is the worst game Bethesda has ever published. “Rogue Warrior” went through some troubled development, and it clearly shows. Bethesda was not happy with the direction that Zombie Studios was taking and moved the project over to Rebellion Developments. The result was a game marred with boring gameplay, mindless swearing from Mickey Rorke, and an extremely short campaign. Critics even went so far as to advise gamers to play anything else, and when reviewers are saying your game is that bad, it might be best to ditch the IP entirely.

Ah, yes, the game that infamously touted how John Carpenter was going to make us his bitch... At the time, we were all genuinely eager to experience “Daikatana”. This was coming from one of the minds behind “DOOM”, after all, and it was to incorporate some impressive AI. Alas, “Daikatana” became nothing more than a really bad joke, with critics citing mediocre designs, outdated visuals, and really, REALLY bad AI companions! The game was such a letdown that it tarnished John Romero’s career and tanked his lavish studio Ion Storm. At least he’s apologized for the bad tagline, though.

#17: “Left Alive” (2019)

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This was not the game the “Front Mission” franchise deserved. “Left Alive” is one of the most frustrating games anyone can play. Where do we even begin? The AI is constantly dancing between being super smart and super stupid, knowing our location almost all the time and not knowing how to fight back. Oh, and the agony doesn’t stop there! Your ears will ache from your alert system as you’ll constantly be berated about approaching enemies or deteriorating equipment. If there were any redeeming qualities to be found in “Left Alive”, we certainly couldn’t play long enough to find them.

#16: “Batman: Dark Tomorrow” (2003)

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Top 10 Best and Worst Batman Games

“Dark Tomorrow” was (and still is) an embarrassment to superhero games everywhere. The game was so bad that the only positive feedback it got was for its cutscenes ... so long as you ignore one of the worst Joker performances ever. Everything else was a total mess. The game suffered a myriad of technical issues, the camera refused to cooperate with the player, and the controls were the biggest enemy over anything else. On top of that, those who powered through this catastrophe were most likely met with the bad ending. The only way to achieve the good ending was by doing something early in the game, which “Dark Tomorrow” gave no hints or direction for players to discover it.

#15: “Alone in the Dark: Illumination” (2015)

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Top 10 Worst Secret Endings In Video Games

Oh, how the mighty have fallen… “Alone in the Dark” hasn’t had a stellar track record in its later years, and unfortunately, this awful excuse of a “Left 4 Dead” clone, was no return to glory. Judging from its broken gameplay, boring combat, and endless technical issues, the game needed way more time cooking in the oven - WAY more time! Not a single outlet had many positive things to say, and most critics advised readers to stay as far away from the game as possible. We may just have to face it, folks - “Alone in the Dark” will be forever lost in its own darkness.

#14: “Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric” (2014)

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Top 10 Worst Sonic Games: Best of Watchmojo

Both this and Sonic 06 were in contention for this list. But 06 at least had one redeeming factor in that the soundtrack was pretty epic, whereas “Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric” can’t even claim that. The game was already doing poorly in previews with many critics citing the uncomfortable redesigns of Sonic, Tails, Amy, and Knuckles...but mostly Knuckles. Ohhh, what a dark day it was when the game launched in November 2014. “Rise of Lyric” was plagued with so many problems - terrible controls, dull level design, tedious puzzles and platforming, boring combat, a buffet of bugs, a frustrating camera, and irritating and repetitive dialogue. At least the TV show is pretty good.

Most of the “Double Dragon” games are rock solid titles, but we cannot say the same for “Double Dragon II: Wander of the Dragons”. A 3D adaptation of “Double Dragon II: The Revenge”, this game was panned by critics for its abysmal, broken state, suffering from so many bugs and glitches that it was basically unplayable. The game also has some really bizarre English translations, with voiceover not matching the subtitles on screen, giving the whole game an overall cheap factor. Thank goodness it wasn’t enough to kill the franchise!

#12: “Bomberman Act: Zero” (2006)

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Top 10 Best Bomberman Games

In 2012, Hudson Soft was bought out by Konami, and that road to downfall, started with this title. Back in 2006, the company attempted to turn its cutesy, lovable Bomberman into some kind of gritty action hero. Really, what’s with the chains and BDSM designs? No longer was “Bomberman” filled with colorful enemies and a lighthearted tone; the series needed to mature and reel in all the cool, hip kids with their edgy attitudes, right? Even if this was a necessary change, the game was still horrendous with its unbalanced AI, god awful camera, and absolute tediousness. And can you believe there was no save feature!?

Back in the early 2000’s, it seemed like we were getting an endless supply of terrible movie tie-ins. Although, we’d never thought there’d be a game just as worse as “E.T.” (Okay, maybe we’re exaggerating…) Still, “Charlie’s Angels'' was abysmal to its very core. Controls were frustrating, animations were lazy in quality (but goofy to watch - look at that run animation!), and the level design showed minimal effort was put into the game. Critics even went so far as to say the game was worse than the movies. Ouch!

#10: “Super Seducer: How to Talk to Girls” (2018)

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The Worst Game of 2018: Super Seducer

As weird as they can be, dating sims have a lot to teach players on how the world of dating works. When compared to titles like “Hatoful Boyfriend” or “HuniePop”, “Super Seducer” is a massive regressive step back for the genre. Awkward dialogue and boring cutscenes are minor complaints when players discover the game’s borderline predatory dating advice. “Don’t give her the option to say ‘No’”? Is that really a lesson you want players walking away with? “Super Seducer 2” wasn’t any better and indulged in Richard LaRuina’s egotistical behavior. And can you believe there is a THIRD game coming out? Who keeps buying this?!

#9: “Raven’s Cry” (2015)

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Worst Open World Game of All Time - Raven's Cry

We don’t see a lot of good pirate games these days, but “Raven’s Cry” was certainly a step back for those craving a swashbuckling adventure. Rather than plunder the seas for treasure or getting drunk at taverns, most of our time with “Raven’s Cry” was spent cringing at the awful writing, laughably bad voice acting, and countless technical issues. The game was so bad that developer Reality Pump Studios attempted to implement changes to fix the game, ultimately rebranding the game as “Vendetta: Curse of Raven’s Cry” in November 2015. Sadly, the game was still just as awful. Hey, at least they tried to fix it!

#8: “Umbrella Corps” (2016)

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Origins of The Umbrella Corporation

Here’s a tip - never develop a game for the sake of it being the new thing in eSports. That’s exactly what happened with Capcom, and it did not end well. “Umbrella Corps” was a spin-off online shooter set within the “Resident Evil” franchise where two teams had to complete objectives while shooting each other and fighting zombies. However the gameplay was plagued with issues that made fair competitive play impossible, from inconsistent zombie AI, hit detection issues, and a lackluster progression system. Capcom for years have been trying for years to push “Resident Evil” into the multiplayer scene, and this just added to the already long list of failed attempts.

#7: “Drake of the 99 Dragons” (2003)

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There was so much ambition behind this game. The cel-shading looked promising, the “bullet time” mechanic looked fun to use, and there were plans to turn this into a multimedia franchise. All that potential burst into flames on launch day. “Drake of the 99 Dragons” was plagued with an infuriating camera, overly sensitive controls, a broken lock on system, and a story that made no damn sense whatsoever! There was nothing redeemable about the game, and all of those plans for a comic book series and animated TV show were swiftly flushed down the toilet.

#6: “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5” (2015)

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Had Activision given the developers more time, “Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 5” could have been a triumphant return for the franchise. Alas, playing this was almost as painful as a board between the gonads, or should we say “getting popsicled”. Assembled in a matter of months and released unfinished, “Pro Skater 5” suffered greatly from bugs and glitches while missing a key feature from previous entries. Really, where in the hell is Create-A-Skater?! Not only would this be the final nail in “Pro Skater’s” coffin, it would also lead to the closure of developer Robomodo. Needless to say, no one walked away with a smile. With servers shutting down in 2017, the game is now unplayable. Hope you didn’t pay much for this!

To say this game was “half-baked” would be too generous! “Ninjabread Man” was a total scam in every sense of the word, demanding a hefty amount of money for such little effort. Featuring only three levels (NOT including the tutorial), unresponsive controls, and combat that can barely be referred to as such, the game was an experience that could be finished in less than an hour. To make matters worse, developer Data Design Interactive would reskin the game to shell out three other games - such as “Anubis II”, “Rock & Roll Adventures”, and “Myth Makers: Trixie in Toyland”. Guess what? All three were just as bad! Can you believe they wanted to sell these for twenty bucks a pop!?

If “Batman: Dark Tomorrow” was an embarrassment, then “Aquaman: Battle for Atlantis” is a complete failure. The gameplay is nothing more than swimming around an empty Atlantis, beat up enemies, rinse and repeat, and the story is told entirely through text and comic panels. There isn’t even any narration to accompany the images! Originally, this was going to be the first game as part of a long-term deal between DC Comics and publisher TDK Interactive. However, one look at TDK’s gameography says this deal was most likely terminated due to “Aquaman’s” poor reception. There were even plans for PlayStation 2 and Game Boy Advance versions, but maybe their cancellation is more of a blessing than a curse.

#3: “Life of Black Tiger” (2017)

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Really, why SHOULDN’T “Life of Black Tiger” be on this list? Would it be the repetitive and boring gameplay? What about the incredibly lame story? Would the PS2 graphics in 2017 be enough reason? Oh, wait! It’s because of the horrible controls, poor collision detection, grindy progression system, and shoddy multiplayer. And to top it all off, the game’s cover art was ripped straight off of Google Images. Class act, guys! With PlayStation promoting this game on their YouTube account, many people began questioning if Sony was about to follow in Steam’s footsteps and throw quality control out the window.

How could you ever forget a game as piss poor as something like “Ride to Hell: Retribution”? While it did boast a strong presence among streamers and influencers, none of it was for the right reasons. “Ride to Hell” was “Tommy Wiseau” levels of sheer awfulness, and it wasn’t solely for its terrible voice acting, or cringey and offensive dry humping scenes. The AI is incessantly stupid, refusing to defend itself even when the player is landing headshot after headshot! The game became so infamous that Deep Silver pulled the game from Steam in September 2014. And to think they were already planning two more games after this! Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few dishonorable mentions. “Leisure Suit Larry: Box Office Bust” (2009) “Vroom in the Night Sky” (2017) “Spirit of Speed 1937” (2000) “Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor” (2012) “Rambo: The Video Game” (2014)

#1: “Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing” (2003)

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Top 10 Worst Video Games Ever

Not only is “Big Rigs” the worst racing game to ever exist, but it’s up there for being one of the worst games ever made! Even by 2003 standards, the visuals made watching paint dry more visually appealing. Players could drive anywhere without suffering any consequences - phase through buildings and drive up steep mountains, and you won’t lose an ounce of speed. Oh and should you drive in reverse … you’ll achieve warp speed for … reasons! If there was any way to describe the sheer amount of laziness on display, it would be that damn victory screen - “You’re Winner”.