Here's another one: SaGa Frontier.

* The 7 quests are not equally developed. Red, Emelia, and T260 have nicely developed quests, while Asellus and Riki mostly visit areas any character can visit. Blue's quest basically turns what for other characters is a sidequest into the main quest. Then there's Lute, who is *not* recommended for a first play through; it is possible to go to the final dungeon right away, and it is not possible to escape it. Even worse, the player might not realize that she has reached the final dungeon because of the equivalent of level scaling making you fight suitably weak enemies until you reach the final boss, who you are *not* strong enough to defeat.

* Enemy scaling. After a certain number of battles (roughly, the exact mechanic is more complicated than that), the enemies you fight will be replaced with stronger ones. In addition to the common complaints, this can make certain monster skills hard or impossible to get once the enemies get too strong.

* Most quests have points of no return, after which you can't return to the rest of the game world.

* The races are not balanced. Mechs can do ludicrous (5000+) damage with just 99 STR (easy to get for a mech), a good Sword, and the PluralSlash and CombatMastery skills. Humans can eventually reach comparable levels of power, and seem to be the race the game is balanced against. Mystics and monsters, however, are pathetically weak by comparison.

* Lopsided HP scale. This means that a charmed party member could easily hit your entire party for over 1,000 damage (sometimes even over 2,000), which is game over since PC max HP is 999. I even once saw a confused party member hit another character with DSC for over 11,000 damage; there's no surviving that unless you're an enemy.

* The occasional unfair fight. I remember one random enemy that would sometimes use an attack that would likely wipe out your party. (Good thing the game has save anywhere and a quick "save to RAM" feature that lets you avoid save/load times until you are ready to quit.)

* Game mechanics are too complicated. There's the enemy scaling that I mentioned above, and the damage forumlas are complex and involve floating point calculations, along with factors you might not expect (for example, for spells the JP cost is factored into the formula, so increasing the cost makes the spell stronger).

* For humans, equipping an item that boosts a stat will slow down the growth of that stat. (This isn't as severe a problem as it sounds because the game doesn't use the level/experience growth system.)

* The handy RegionMap, which makes travel a lot faster, can't be obtained unless you're Blue.

Edit: One more thing:

* The mechanics for acquiring magic gifts are ugly; only a character who is in your party when you complete the first part of a magic quest can ever get the gift. This screws over characters who join later on, and encourages delaying the magic quests rather than doing them early. It's also an example of a permanent missable.

Lightning hose does have a short telegraph. You only have a second to get moving, but I know I'm always watching for those arms to come up, because that is NOT something to stand in.

Also: Multi-shot + Lightning Enchanted. Ugh. THAT was instant death. I was so happy when it was removed.

Maybe "useless" isn't quite the right word...it's more that in a way you have too many options (some of whom I rarely used like e.g. tripwires)...iirc you get tons of grenades and molotov cocktails in some missions. The game just didn't feel really challenging to me, but rather tedious (you can abuse some tactics like luring guards with cigarette packs over long distances to a degree that's just ridiculous), I really adore the first Commandos and its mission pack, it's very close to a perfect game imo...the sequel jiust felt a bit dumbed down.

Forza 3, Gran Turismo 6, rFactor 2, RaceRoomRacingExperience, Automobilista, MotoGP 15:

As much as I love these console and pc sims, I sometimes wish they could inject something into these games that added more character to your player. "Softer" gameplay elements that enhance a Career/Championship experience, things like holding interviews and press conferences, which they had in F1 2010 for example.

I still think Diablo 1 is the better game. Was always, from the getgo disappointed with the direction Blizzard took with Diablo 2 - mainly as I'd always only been interested in single player portions of both; and on that end Diablo 2 regressed and lost focus entirely. The atmosphere is tighter in the first. Given the repetitious gameplay Diablo 1's length was, imo, the sweet spot. Enough diversity in levels, a clear progression, but not the endless grind of Diablo 2 - especially as there's a limited number of enemies, and you really are just done, when you are done. Nothing respawns. I still hate that levels and enemies are regenerated every time you quit the game and come back. I want to simply leave a game based on my time - not having to push forward to that next checkpoint simply to prevent myself from doing what I already did all over.

I think the same way, I just liked the feel of Diablo more than that of Diablo II. Having enemies not respawn generated a feeling of progression, like it actually meant something. The game world was more believable all things considered. Of course, the hunt & loot mentality of Diablo II required certain gameplay changes, it had coop and offered more variety regarding places and classes. The first game is still a better introduction to the setting, in my opinion.

(Not wanting to go too much off-topic, I'll leave it at that for now. Will think of something I could add later down the line.)

It is a fangame, but i will play along...

Pokemon Reborn. The game is very well made, but it suffers from SJW agenda at parts. Thankfully, neither much nor heavily and unlike other terrible games, such as Siege of Dragonspear and even for someone who doesn't like such content in their games (cough!), the whole deal seems manageable enough.

Having a gay antagonist who makes silly jokes and even trying to get close to you in small, crowded places at all times he has a chance to, made me really angry at first... But unlike other games, he was very well written as a character (complex, convincing, fitting), the things he said weren't out of place, he actually had humor and nice timing, as well as an "interesting" overall presence.

Then, meeting a make-believe couple of a deceitfull straight girl and a tender lesbian girl, also made me angry. But when in story the tender girl discovers that, tries to suicide etc, i also couldn't help but sympathize... And didn't bother/mind me (the playable character) having to go after her and help.

Where i got really furious, though, was when i saw the game was twisted and accomodating the garbled language of xyr xem Mx and all this stupid, made up !@#$. Gender politics invading video games is one thing, but language suffering from abuse and mutation (even if english isn't my first one) from freaks invading and twisting it, so as it can fit their own twisted vision of things, really made me explode. Thankfully, all this paranoia revolves around one effing NPC only and that's that. At least that NPC is also well written and likeable, but still, i am upset and feel discomfortable with all this travesty, literally speaking, i am afraid...

I love the game, seriously, it even surpasses canon games in the franchise, it has all things that are noticeably absent from the official titles and it brings in all content combined throughout the generations... But it has my critique; as well as anything which tries to sneakily spread various things, that many people (including me) find questionable, ambiguous, or even downright upsetting.

Endless Ocean 2:

The sound of your breathing while underwater is constant and unvarying. Even if you're using equipment/tank sets where this sound logically wouldn't exist.

The musical variety in this game is greatly lacking. I realize that licencing Celtic Girl wasn't cheap, but that just leaves you with two song categories: Musical flourishes when you enter a zone, and special cutscene music. The problem being is those little flourishes are unvaried and can be triggered quite easily. Now, you might think, "Oh, just play your own music", but then I remind you that this is a Wii game which doesn't have that capability. Also, this was 2009, before smartphones and MP3 players that didn't cost an arm and a leg were common/good.

The models for the humans probably could have used more stylization. They do not look good.

There's a sidequest where you have to collect coins. The problem is that these are all in random zoom spots, and there's no way to tell if you've visited a zoom spot or not without faffing with leaving notes in the water or making a fucking spreadsheet.

There's a partner system. I've honestly never found it useful, in spite of having access to 11 species of dolphin and 3 diving partners.

This was made during NOA's phase of trying to be hip with the kids and culturally in touch with the memes. They too, were so on the go that they drank their yogurt from a tube. It was painful. Rather than just translating things and giving it a little flourish, they instead added flavor to the flavor text by...I'll just give an example.
Gold ore has a description of "Gold is one of the world's most valuable metals. Maybe you could turn that into some nice "bling"!", in USA/North America, whereas in PAL territories, it reads, "A rock with high gold content. Gold is considered to be one of the most valuable metals and a symbol of wealth."


What is it with Pokemon Fangames and trying (failing) to bring in more serious/dark/"edgy" tones and story beats?

Like Pokemon Uranium. What the heck was a nuclear reactor doing in a world where your power can be generated for practically free? Why does the story remind me of what my 14 year old self thought the series needed?

Reborn is nothing like Uranium... It starts with a terrorist strike at a metro station, continues at a city full of pollution, slums and alleycat lowlives, people die (sometimes before, as you are playing the game) with a splat (ex. guy jumps up from a high bridge, others are being run through by steel, even NPCs are killed by enemy trainers' pokemon with a good old splat and blood puddle), there is your typical mad doctor running illegal experimental programs on kids (he even cripples an already scarred little girl and she can't talk anymore)... And other great, very enjoyable stuff, that you will NEVER see in any normal pokemon game!!

Also, in games like Pokemon Insurgence, instead of evil teams, there are cults running ammuck, sacrificing people, etc.

Join pokemon fangames and see for yourself! They now make them like no one ever did! (get the pun?)

Sorry, I retired from the franchise back in Gen IV when it became clear that working the grindstone no longer interested me.

I liked both games, but I went back to Diablo more often than to Diablo II. The overall atmosphere was just better.

Exactly the same. I never touched Gen 5/6/7... Up until i discovered the unknown treasure of fangames! I "retired" exactly at Gen 4 too (even skipped 3 entirely) and i guarantee you that some fangames, are 10x times better than the official stuff. I won't pressure you, just cast a short glimpse. 99% you are getting hooked immediately, out of the blue! The fangames are of the You like them or hate them from the very first minute, variety.

Uranium, as a sidenote, was even nominated for "Best fan game creation of year past", together with AnotherMetroid2Remake... Both though was cease&decisted and both were removed from the contest...

+1 But with Hellfire installed too, yes?

Yes.

What? Nobody's mentioned Arcanum?

*clears throat*

1) Magic is waaaaay OP. Once your aptitude is strong enough, a particular first-level damage spell basically becomes insta-kill. Magical items are everywhere, and some of the most powerful ones make you invincible, practically invulnerable, or both.

2) Tech is the complete opposite. The most egregious example is bullets: they cost a pretty penny (either to buy or to make in any sort of quantity), and they have the accuracy and damage potential of a slow-moving musket ball. Found tech exists mostly as components and schematics, rather then as complete items you can already use. Crafting costs skill points, and scrounging for the needed parts and then crafting them takes up so much time as to be considered basically grinding.

Much of this was on purpose: at the start of the game, magic is well-established and technology is new. But some of it is the fault of the devs running out of funding, and not having more time to work on tweaking the balance.

3) The game is touted for its high replayability, and it is: different choices unlock different side quests and followers; you can be a tank, spellcaster, diplomat, pacifist, thief, or any combination thereof. But regardless, the main quest plays out almost entirely the same, with the one big fork occurring toward the end of the game depending on whether you've chosen to embrace good or evil.

4) The vanilla version of the game had some problematic bugs, some of which could be considered gamebreaking. The most famous of these was a couple of cursed items which permanently lowered certain stats, and then lowered them again and again if re-equipped. To be fair, the best-known of the fan-made patches (known simply as the Unofficial Arcanum Patch, or UAP) took care of most of the bugs, including this one.

5) Similarly, between side quests and random encounters it's not only possible, but likely that you'll hit the level 50 cap even before the halfway point! This always took the wind out of my sails; so now I use a mod that lets me keep going. I usually end up somewhere around level 65 by the time I'm done. (I'm obviously way OP by then, but at least I'm not too bored to bother continuing.)

6) There's one long and involved side quest that's so convoluted and well-hidden, you may never figure it out without a walkthrough. Which may be a good thing, since if you complete it you become so OP (noticing a theme here?) that you're basically stronger than the final boss. Unless of course you've gone all-in for tech, in which case if you try to complete the quest you'll probably just die and stay dead, game over.

Oh heck, why not.

Terraria(PC): good, but had the rather annoying downside that some bosses (mainly twins/destroyer and golem) were just too freaking difficult.(As a side note, twins hard in modded[no clue why] and destroyer hard in unmodded)

Terraria(Mobile): The MOST broken version I have ever played. Bosses were (and STILL are) immensely easy. Also, plenty of mechanics don't work, take the right click scoping on sniper rifle for instance.

Spiral Knights: Wonderful game, just, has reworked the system too many times and is too expensive to get to top tier efficiently. Also, inflation has gotten kinda rampant.

Unturned: Complete and utter crapshoot as to getting a friendly server.

BiT Evolution: Story is simple and short. Plays WAAAAY too quickly.

Starbound: Gorgeous, nothing really to change, but that DANG WOLRD SCALE!(never small enough)