When Good Games Get Ruined

It's happened to all of us. We can be sitting there with our controller in hand, undecided as to whether or not we're truly enjoying our gaming experience, and BOOM! We get sucker punched in the most ridiculous and unjustified fashion one could ever imagine.

Sometimes it's not too bad. We can still play the game, mainly because we've invested so much of our time into completing the hero's quest. And other times, it's so aggravating that the game ends up right back in its packaging as we contemplate ways to finagle GameStop into giving us our money back.

I understand that the purpose of most gaming is to escape reality and suspend disbelief as you control a character that can do virtually anything. But for some reason, developers have a tendency to lose their minds and kick up the obnoxious meter to unexpected levels.

The first game that comes to mind in this instance is Uncharted: Drake's Fortune for the PS3.

This game was INCREDIBLE! Drake was a sarcastic, charismatic hero that could figure out ancient puzzles, jet ski around exploding barrels, scale crumbling walls, and eliminate an army of mercenaries without flinching.

Naughty Dog made a beautiful game that had me calling for my girlfriend's attention every few minutes as she sat at the computer. I don't know how many times I shouted, "Baby! Look at this!" I know she understood my excitement.

Then it happened. I had a feeling it was going to happen because the story foreshadowed it for a while. But I wanted to ignore it.

Around seven hours into the story, the creatures started crawling out from the depths of the caves. Not satisfied with these human-like crawlers/demons dwelling beneath the surface, the fortune I had been seeking was cursed as well. My riches have killed Nazis, pirates and all classes of treasure hunters for centuries. YAWN!

Now, not only am I being chased by creatures that have no discretion and kill anyone in their way, but I still have to deal with mercenaries that don't care about the new bad guys as they keep trying to kill me! I would have figured they'd be just as desperate to escape the island as I was.

I have no problem suspending disbelief. But when this game spent so many hours rooting itself in reality beforehand, I couldn't appreciate the game's transition from National Treasure to The Mummy.

However, I did still enjoy the game. Graphically, the game is top-notch. The voice-acting is well-executed, and the story surrounding that one ridiculous plot development is very good. I certainly recommend it.

Sorry for the spoiler.

And then there's Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots. The supernatural elements in this series are no surprise to me, so I have no real problems with that aspect of the game. I expected it.

What I do have problems with is that I have a gadget man that can make an invisible robot that will tag along with me anywhere I go, climb rocks, and crawl through tight spaces—but for some reason I can't get a damn scope on my assault rifle.

Apparently my $60 for the game wasn't good enough! No. Now I have to manage my 'Drebin Points' in the game, and purchase accessories to customize guns I collected off the bodies of the bad guys.

Don't play God with me, Konami! Making me sit through installations and mid-action cut scenes for 30 minutes of dialogue didn't feel a little gratuitous to you in the development stage? Now you want to thinly veil your aspirations for godliness with choices to customize my weaponry?

You devilish corporation, you.

I paid to play a game, and if judgment calls were in order then I would have preferred if they were integrated into the story and not my arsenal!

How about your experiences? Which games have absolutely aggravated you? Was it the terrible camera angles that were used, or was it awful dialogue coming from a hero you actually want to see die?

Let me know.