The 10 WORST Sections of GREAT Games

#10: Chapter 13

Final Fantasy 15 (2016)


Although its not the MOST beloved Final Fantasy entry, Final Fantasy 15 still holds up in a series filled with some of the best games of all time. Chapter 13 of FFXV however, does not. Chapter 13 is widely criticized for its drastic change in gameplay. It shifts from the open-world, action-oriented style to a linear, stealth-based experience that feels tedious and out of place. The chapter is excessively long, with repetitive enemy encounters and limited character abilities, which frustrates players used to the game's usual pace and combat freedom. I was going to say Imagine a Mary Jane section spread across an entire chapter, but she MAY come up later.

#9: Riddler Races

Batman Arkham Knight (2015)


One theme you will see across this list is games establishing themselves with fun gameplay themes and then deciding to throw that all out the window for a section, and if your game is focused on combat, stealth, and exploration, why the hell would you add Riddler Races into the mix? These races require precision driving in the Batmobile through elaborate, often frustratingly difficult tracks that can feel more like a chore than a challenge. The sudden emphasis on vehicular gameplay detracts from the core experience, and the controls can be clunky, leading to repeated failures. Nothing drives gamers more crazy than feeling like they suck, and were 100% not gonna blame ourselves... So f*** you, Arkham Knight.

#8: Allies for Bruma

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)


For the most part, Oblivion offers a concise and enjoyable campaign. Its not EXACTLY Skyrim, but its still phenomenal. The mission Allies for Bruma however is not phenomenal. It involves going from place to place and talking to lords to secure their support for a major battle. While its understandable that personal contact might be needed, the repetitive nature of the task feels like unnecessary padding. I love realistic moments in gaming, but I dont need to see my character networking.

#7: Rainbow Ride

Super Mario 64 (1996)


Super Mario 64 has a lot of frustrating moments, but thats part of the charm of a platforming masterpiece, Rainbow Ride however can go suck my big toe. As the intended finale to the castle's levels before the big showdown with Bowser, Rainbow Ride is a major disappointment. The floating carpets you must ride move painfully slow, making the level feel tedious, and for a game that was previously as fast paced as the player could handle, this feels glaring. With only 146 coins available, attempting the 100-coin star can be frustratingly difficult. On top of that, the levels overall design feels poo poo bum poo.

#6: The Library

Halo: Combat Evolved (2001)


The Library in Halo: Combat Evolved is often criticized for its repetitive and monotonous design, and for a section of the original Halo to be one of the worst moments in gaming, it means the rest of the game must have been pretty damn good to earn its status. The level consists of long, similar-looking corridors and rooms, making navigation confusing and tedious. Players are bombarded with relentless waves of the Flood, leading to a frustrating, grindy experience rather than a challenging or enjoyable one.

#5: Stealth Missions

Marvels Spider-Man (2018)


Its baffling that they included this type of journalistic mission in a Spider-Man game, because when you play as Spider-Man, in a game called Spider-Man, where the only character on the good side is Spider-Man, you only want to play as Spider-Man. Playing as a non-Spidey character could work, but why not offer more fitting tasks? Not stealth sneaking around and listening to non important dialogue without the use of the beautiful cinematics... ITS ALMOST LIKE THEY WERE SETTING MARY JANE UP TO FAIL. While it's not terrible, it never quite distracts players from the fact that theyre being pulled away from the rest of this otherwise stellar game. Why sneak, when I can swing? Why sneak, when I can punch? Why sneak, when I can play as goddamn Spider-Man?

#4: Escorting Natalia

Goldeneye 007 (1997)


Replaying Goldeneye 007 reminds us that there were actually a LOT of frustrating moments, especially in harder difficulties, but no matter what difficulty you play in, Escorting Natalia is infamous for its frustrating difficulty. Her AI is notoriously poor, leading her to wander into danger or get stuck in awkward spots, often resulting in her death and mission failure. People often reference Ashley from Resident Evil 4 as one of the most frustrating escorting AIs, but she has NOTHING on Natalia. Natalia is like Ashley if 10 minutes before you got her she was kicked by a horse. Players must protect her from relentless waves of enemies while she performs tasks at an agonizingly slow pace, making the sequence feel more like a tedious babysitting job than an exciting 007 themed mission.

#3: Wrong Side of the Tracks

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)


Wrong Side of the Tracks is the sixteenth main mission in the game and arguably the most rage-inducing in GTA. It came fairly early, and almost sent us back to Vice City. The concept is simple, you drive a motorcycle with Big Smoke as he chases a group of Vagos on a train, but what seems straightforward quickly turns into a nightmare. Few players completed it on their first try, and many who finally did were tempted to throw their console out the window. Its one of those missions that is SO terrible that seasoned players dont even blink when they beat it today because they spent SO MUCH TIME on it back in 2004 its basically muscle memory now.

#2: Flying Machine

Assassins Creed: Brotherhood (2010)


The flying machine mission in Assassins Creed Brotherhood is widely disliked due to its clunky controls and forced gameplay shift, a theme that as weve already explained is a recipe for failure. The level design is restrictive, leaving little room for error, and the mission itself is short but frustratingly difficult. The sudden change in mechanics disrupts the game's flow, making the mission feel more like an unwelcome distraction than an exciting challenge. We welcome games that change things up, its a great way to keep a game continually fresh, but maybe not Ubisoft... Stick to what you know.

#1: The Water Temple

The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time (1998)


Is there any more famous terrible level than The Water Temple in Ocarina of Time... Ill wait. The level begins in the central room of a massive temple, requiring players to constantly equip and unequip their Iron Boots while adjusting the water level to progress. Navigating the area becomes a tedious chore, as the level offers minimal hints or guidance on where to go or how to proceed. The entire experience feels like a frustrating exercise in trial and error, or trial and error, and scream, and punch, and turn off, and go to bed angry, and wake up, and trial again, and error, and punch a hole in the wall.