10 Great Games Ruined By Bad Combat

Ranging from duds that could have been great, to classics that should have been better, this list takes a look at games with disappointing combat that otherwise did almost everything right. Each game might be worth a play for the things it did well but, ultimately, every entry fell short of its full potential.

[Agent2009]

BioShock series are one of the most overrated games ever. Thank you.

[CaptainPunch]

I liked the story in BioShock Infinite, but boy was the combat sloppy in that game.

[Number-Nine]

ME1 heating overload is so much better than the thermal clip crap.

[Summons75]

Yes it was. I hated the thermal Clip never once overheated in ME1 but once you ran out of ammo that was it for that gun for a bit.

[Spurg]

BioShock Infinite, Alan Wake and Mass Effect don't deserve to be on the list...

[Truehellfire]

Bioshock Infinite's gameplay wasn't bad. Definitely wasn't the greatest but not bad by a long shot.

Alan Wake wasn't too bad either. I don't believe that game ever intended to have a robust combat system anyway. That wasn't the focus.

Mass Effect I am kind of on the fence. I loved that game, but the combat wasn't fun. That is easily forgiven though considering how great the game was overall. Definitely didn't "ruin" the game.

[nerdman67]

I thought the game Kane and Lynch was amazing.
The gameplay itself was really really bad, but the story was top notch.
And the first Two Worlds was phenomenal if you could get past the gameplay

[Relientk77]

Bioshock shouldnt be on the list

Mirror's Edge is a good game, but the combat isn't the best, especially with a gun

[LightDiego]

I disagree with Bioshock, Mass Effect, Alan Wake and Morrowind, they are not necessarily innovative, but not bad at all. If you follow this logic, you could put a lot of games on that list.
I agree with Game of Thrones and Alpha Protocol. GoT was a missed opportunity, the series deserves a better game, it has the potential to be one of the best rpgs ever. I heard great things about Alpha Protocol, about the narrative and choices, but the gameplay ruined that could be an awesome title.

[Aces17]

Once I saw Bioshock Infinite and Mass Effect I knew this was going to be a joke of an article.

[TheWow]

Not really. There are a lot of valid complaints people have made about BioShock Infinite's combat. Totalbiscuit, for one, had a lot to say on the matter, and I recommend checking out his review to see his fairly logical arguments.
Now, that's not to say it's terrible, but the combat *could* have been better.

[AstroCyborg]

if its challenging casuals hate it

[InTheLab]

Alan Wake is a fat overweight writer and shouldn't mow down waves of dudes like Nathan Drake. The combat was perfect for a game built around suspense. The only thing wrong with the game as how you lost all your guns and ammo after each night cycle. Pissed me off saving and carefully selecting when to fight and my only reward was losing all my guns when the sun comes out. Otherwise, a fantastic game.

This might be unpopular but I thought the Witcher 2's combat was a major step back from the amazing and unique combat of the first title. Hell, you couldn't even hope to beat enemies without researching them first. The second game was more button mashy and the targeting was broken by comparison. In the second game, enemies just surround you for the cheap rape whereas you never had that problem in the first game because you had a stance designed for multiple targets, strong targets, or strong.

Loved the combat in the Mass Effect as it's the best in the franchise. I could play the way I wanted in that game instead of pointless cool downs. I could use biotics then immediately after instead of forcing you to choose between the two which made the hybrid classes pointless. I also loved the rpg feel of the combat. Of course your gun should shoot like crap at early levels. By the end of the game I had mk10 weapons that never overheated. Game was damn near perfect.

[InTheLab]

Sorry for this broken post. My phone has been chopping up my posts :/

[Master-H]

That 2008 Prince of Persia reboot had a laughable combat system, if you can even call it that.

[karlowma]

"The Bioshock series’ strength has never been in its combat. The games have excelled in creating worlds that drip with atmosphere, and tense, scary moments, but the fighting just isn’t anything special."

Are you kidding me? Nothing special?

Let's leave aside Bioshock Infinite for now, which I just didn't get in to, and focus on the earlier games, since you're generalizing the entire series.

The dynamic of mixing and matching different plasmids was incredibly satisfying. The environment was interactive, and the AI was fantastic. Ammo types that mattered, weapon variation, perks...

I think Bioshock has some of the best and most interesting "combat" in any FPS, ever.

[AstroCyborg]

what an aweful list

[aliengmr]

I thought the combat in Alan Wake was fine. I didn't need to be anymore than it was. Its "sequel/expansion" thing, tried to expand the combat and it was terrible.