Possibly the worst game to ever be created?

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mizzou

Diamond Member
Jan 2, 2008
9,734
54
91
That's a really tough question. What's the worst game I've ever played? Gosh...

Out of the games in my Steam library, Spore has pissed me off the most. A complete waste of possibilities.
 

pathos

Senior member
Aug 12, 2009
461
0
0
Shouldn't it be about a game with the biggest budget that flopped?

Kinda like the movie Waterworld, massive budget, big time flop.

ps. I liked Waterworld!

Can you really call waterworld a flop though? It made it's money back, plus some. People like to call it that, or lots of other words, but I generally reserve those names for something that, you know, lost money.

as for the main topic, here is my vote - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pool_of_Radiance:_Ruins_of_Myth_Drannor

that article actually does not give you a sense of just now buggy that game was at launch. As much as I loved dnd crpg's, and wanted to love this game, this game was a big stinking pile of dog poo when it was released.
 

runzwithsizorz

Diamond Member
Jan 24, 2002
3,500
14
76
S.P.Q.R. Rome's Darkest Hour (1996?) At least the worst game I ever started to play. Probably NOT the worst game ever made because the graphics were very good as was the historical information and setting. However, one could scarcely call this a game. A puzzle adventure game, it consisted of more reading of scrolls et al than any game I have ever played; more of a textbook on PC. Also, there were no people! The player wanders through the streets of Rome meeting no one. Even the pivotal characters were only seen as drawings in a book. The many puzzles were difficult and obscure.
Some people might have liked it, but I just could not get into it.

The Wife
 

BurnItDwn

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
26,066
1,550
126
The worst game of all time is ET. Daikatana or bad Alone in the dark games got nothing on ET. There is no cotest or debate about this. There is a reason thousands of copies of ET were buried in a garbage dump.
 

Elcs

Diamond Member
Apr 27, 2002
6,278
6
81
HGL was conceptually good and had some fantastic art direction. The game play left a bit to be desired though.

HGL is nowhere even remotely or conceivably near the worst game ever.

One of the very best intro sequences of all time, fairly fun ending and one of the best DX10 implementations I've seen.

Wasn't quite the execution that anyone had hoped for though.
 

pathos

Senior member
Aug 12, 2009
461
0
0
The worst game of all time is ET. Daikatana or bad Alone in the dark games got nothing on ET. There is no cotest or debate about this. There is a reason thousands of copies of ET were buried in a garbage dump.

From what numbers I saw, the game sold 1.5 million copies. But, probably 2.5 million copies (or more) remained unsold, and got shipped back to the manufacturer. Most games would be considered a commercial success if they sold that many games....well, thats if the company producing it didn't overestimate how many cartridges it would sell. I think by the point this game was sold, the 2600 had sold like 10 million consoles...and somehow, they planned on selling 4 or 5 million et cartridges...at launch. Suuuure.....

I was 12 or 13 when the game came out. I played it...alot.

Sure, it was bad, but it wasn't as bad as people like to pretend it was. It was basically a victim of Atari being idiots. Atari at the time was in a downward spiral, and their handling of the game only worsened it.
 

Oyeve

Lifer
Oct 18, 1999
21,899
819
126
From what numbers I saw, the game sold 1.5 million copies. But, probably 2.5 million copies (or more) remained unsold, and got shipped back to the manufacturer. Most games would be considered a commercial success if they sold that many games....well, thats if the company producing it didn't overestimate how many cartridges it would sell. I think by the point this game was sold, the 2600 had sold like 10 million consoles...and somehow, they planned on selling 4 or 5 million et cartridges...at launch. Suuuure.....

I was 12 or 13 when the game came out. I played it...alot.

Sure, it was bad, but it wasn't as bad as people like to pretend it was. It was basically a victim of Atari being idiots. Atari at the time was in a downward spiral, and their handling of the game only worsened it.


I bought the Atari 400/800 version of this game (still have it) It was bad but it did have speech on it when you completed the game. I thought that was a huge technical feat in '82.
 

Markbnj

Elite Member <br>Moderator Emeritus
Moderator
Sep 16, 2005
15,682
13
81
www.markbetz.net
91297-E.T._-_The_Extra-Terrestrial_(1982)_(Atari,_Jerome_Domurat,_Howard_Scott_Warshaw)_(CX2674)-2.jpg

Yeah I think this game is hard to beat in the competition for worst game ever. Those other contenders, were they trucked out into the desert and buried in a dump? Yeah, didn't think so :).
 

BFG10K

Lifer
Aug 14, 2000
22,672
2,817
126
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clive_Barker's_Jericho

Worst ending ever conceived by a human mind. To see this worthless collection of code through to the bitter end is to feel so empty that you will consider quitting gaming forever.
The game was okay and had some good ideas like being able to control any squad member in first person. Also the Crusade and Roman themes were quite nice. The graphics hold up really well for a nine year old game, too.

Generic level design let it down and also how it took ammunition completely out of your control, yet didn't provide infinite ammo weapons to fall back on. Also key rebinding never worked properly for the QTEs.

As for the ending, it was set up for a sequel that never arrived.

I'd rate it as 'C'. This isn't some delusion on my part as I've finished it three times, and I never play games not worthy of my time.