Top 10 Great Games Ruined by Awful Combat

Top 10 Great Games Ruined by Awful Combat Great concept, flimsy action! Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Great Games Ruined by Awful Combat. For this list, we’re taking a look at fantastic games that have some of the most dreadful combat. We’re not saying these games are completely terrible, we’re simply pointing out that their combat puts a serious damper on an otherwise fantastic experience.

#10: “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune” (2007)

As much as we enjoy the “Uncharted” series, the first game hasn’t withstood the test of time as well as it could. Granted, “Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune” still boasts fantastic story with memorable characters, but we simply cannot ignore the flawed combat. Your reticle is so small that it feels like you need to be extremely accurate with your shots. On top of that, the game spends part of the tutorial explaining melee combat, yet you can advance throughout the game without much need for punching an enemy; it serves more as a last resort for when you run out of ammunition. Seriously, why teach us close combat if ninety percent of the game is shooting?

#9: “Fallout 3” (2008)

“Fallout” fans are very much divided as to whether “Fallout 3” was actually the amazing game we thought it was back at the time of its release. Needless to say, its wrinkles are glaring. Yeah, the VATS system is hilarious and the RPG elements are fine, but shooting feels off. Like, REALLY off! There are many times where the shooting aspect relies too heavily on your character stats. Also, as entertaining as VATS is, it can make combat a tad boring once you’ve chosen all of the perks that make the system broken. At that point, you’re pretty much playing God Mode.

#8: “Assassin’s Creed” (2007)

While “Assassin's Creed” has been known for its exceptional open world gameplay and stealth-based mechanics, its wrinkles have started to become visible with time, most notably in its melee combat. Every fight feels just like the last - you're surrounded by a group of enemies, they'll attack you one by one, and you simply press the same couple of buttons to kick their respective butts. To spice things up, “Assassin's Creed” could have added a little more enemy variety as well as give the combat some extra depth. What we were given was basic, bland, and banal. We know… these confrontations were never the point of the game, but still.

#7: “Mass Effect” (2007)

It’s one thing for combat to be dull and tedious; it’s another thing entirely for it to be infuriating to the point of making you want to abandon the game in frustration. While “Mass Effect” manages to get everything right with its story, visuals, and sound design, the combat needed more time in the oven. Not only are the controls irritating to work with, but the AI can be incredibly stupid. You’ll often find them running into walls and ignoring commands or charging into battle only to die instantly. How exactly did these guys get recruited by N7?

#6: “Risen 2: Dark Waters” (2012)

It’s hard to find a good pirate game these days. Before “Assassin’s Creed” hoisted their sails in “Black Flag”, we had “Risen 2: Dark Waters”. Upon its release, players found an entertaining experience within this immersive and often humorous world. However, if you were looking to do some swashbuckling, you’d have to look elsewhere. Fights in “Risen 2” were the least exciting moments, devolving into nothing more than a race to deplete health bars while mashing left-click. Some of the more forgiving players out there may have been okay with the lifeless combat, but many others jumped ship.

#5: “Elder Scrolls” series (1994-)

Put those torches and pitchforks down!! We love “Morrowind”, “Oblivion”, and “Skyrim” just as much as everyone else does, but let’s be honest - the combat needs some serious work! We can appreciate the diverse weaponry and vast skill trees, but in the end, combat requires you to do nothing more than flail them weaps’! Magic doesn’t make it much more exciting beyond the addition of visual flair. Of course, there’s always the Level 100 Sneak approach. If your Sneak is high enough, you can easily avoid combat by simply crouching. Apparently, the AI is too stupid to bother looking down. At least dragon shouting enemies into a ragdoll state never gets old!

#4: “XCOM 2” (2016)

Sometimes… you want to make yourself angry. On such occasions, it pays to have a copy of this game on hand; “XCOM 2” will make your blood boil. While we understand that “XCOM 2” is supposed to be incredibly difficult, it doesn’t excuse some of the dumbest RNG-dependent situations we’ve endured. During your fight against the alien menace, you’ll notice that every attack relies on a chance to hit. Unfortunately, you could stand right next to an enemy and STILL have less than a fifty percent chance to land a hit. It makes no sense! Simply put, the RNG makes the difficulty way too steep and can easily undermine the entire experience.

#3: “We Happy Few” (2018)

“We Happy Few” stands out thanks to its unique story and world. Sadly, we can’t say the same for its combat. Much like the “Elder Scrolls” games, there’s not much strategy in fighting enemies. Keeping flailing your weapons until they stop moving! Of course, we say that assuming your fight with one person doesn’t turn into a massive angry mob chasing after you like you’re Frankenstein. From start to finish, the combat is repetitive and boring, which, when coupled with the game’s technical issues, makes it hard to recommend “We Happy Few”.

#2: “Red Steel” (2006)

Remember all of those badass trailers for “Red Steel”? We couldn’t wait to take control of all those shootouts and sword fights! So, what could ruin this action movie simulator of a game? Motion controls, yaaaayyyyyy! Yes, unfortunately the controls were not nearly as smooth and responsive as the trailers promised, and enemies would spend more time waiting around to be killed instead of actually fighting back. “Red Steel” had some good ideas considering the time it was released, but it was nothing beyond a concept. Thankfully,“Red Steel 2” managed to get things right. Before we reveal our top pick, here are a couple of Honorable Mentions… “Alan Wake” (2010) “Alpha Protocol” (2010)

#1: “The Witcher” (2007)

Just as we’ve seen with “Uncharted” and “Assassin’s Creed”, first games in a franchise often fall victim to the passing of time. This has never been more true than with “The Witcher”. The combat in this game is so abysmal that it’s retrospectively hilarious to watch. First off, the combat plays out as if its a third-person shooter for melee combat. Then, there’s the goofy sound effects for the swords that make it feel like Geralt has seen too many martial arts movies. Don’t get us started on the animations! “The Witcher” series will always have a place in our hearts, but we’ll leave this in what can be considered as the franchise’s pubescent years.