6. Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon
(THQ, Sandblast Games, 2009)
The pitch for the original game in this series was a joke that got out of hand. On this, its quadrabillionth retelling, the game has little improved. In fact, the joyless third-person shooting somehow seems to be even more aimless and imbalanced than its first incarnation.
7. Clash of the Titans
(Namco Bandai, Game Republic, 2010)
Titans will clash, and low-rent merchandising deals will be made and halfheartedly disguised as games. Tie-ins are never promising, but few are as cheap and crass as this pound-shop knock-off of Dante's Inferno.
8. Shellshock 2: Blood Trails
(Eidos, Rebellion, 2009)
When you first raise your gun and find that the iron sights obscure the target, you know you're in for something special. That something is an inept horror sequel no one wanted to a Vietnam-themed shooter no one particularly liked. Clocking in with just ten garbled missions would normally be considered miserly for a full-price release, but here's a game we'd pay to play less.
Nothing works, from the AI to aiming. Enemies are found stumbling endlessly into walls, while lining up a shot means wrestling with the wonky lookspeed. Even tossing a grenade is an arduous task, and taking cover is apparently meaningless. Its crude, cuboid spaces, meanwhile, somehow smash the framerate into fractions. The only thing that's actually scary about this is that Rebellion was allowed to carry on making games after curling off Crapocalypse Now.
9. Transformers: The Game
(Activision, Traveller's Tales, 2007)
Unlikely though it now seems, hopes were high for this title thanks to a previous above-par Autobot adventure from Atari back in 2004. Advertised as an open-world game, its levels are ugly, perfunctory playpens, serving only as malfunctioning backdrops to the mindless, repetitive action. The Transformers handle like hockey pucks on the road, and are even less use in a fistfight thanks to woeful collision detection. The Transformers licence would be better served if every copy was buried on the dark side of the moon.
10. Quantum Theory
(Tecmo Koei, Team Tachyon, 2010)
So mind-bleachingly crap was this pseudo-Gears slurry, that a support group was formed among journalists who found themselves in the unfortunate position of having to review it. Developed in Japan explicitly for the Western market, its only value is as an indictment of how we are seen by other nations.
36 comments so far...
Captain_Chao5 on 6 Oct '12 said:
Thankfully none of those are on my 'played' list... Personally I would have included Brink on the list. Utter crap that it was.
Clanger67 on 6 Oct '12 said:
I too haven't experienced any off these.
comabob on 6 Oct '12 said:
Ive played the majority of these i hate to admit...
Though Two Worlds was a decent game - id suggest replacing it in the list with Looney Tunes Acme Arsenal or Naught Bear.
I mean stuff like Sniper:Ghost Warrior was bad but at least it had its moments. LT:AA has nothing nor does Naughty Bear.
Decent_Jam on 6 Oct '12 said:
If this list was 'The 50 most disappointing games on Xbox 360' then I think Red Faction Armageddon deserves a mention. That was probably the last game I had my hopes pinned on and was really looking forward to, only for it to end up being a shadow of its former glory.
Can't say I've played any of these, so I'm safe. I thought you might also include Perfect Dark Zero, I did try to play it (got it for 2 quid in CEX) but just couldn't, really really couldn't.
Slopoke on 6 Oct '12 said:
Indeed, most of these games are horrible but I, for one, quite enjoyed N3 and BulletWitch, it's a shame they're in this list.
Anyway, I'm surprised not to see Import Tuner Challenge, The Club, DMMM:Elements or Legendery. Those games were the most annoying, horrible games I've ever played!
schwepterbrowser on 6 Oct '12 said:
I've played a few of these - even enjoyed some of them (including Soldier of Fortune: Payback, and no, I didn't skin the neighbour's dog!). Also have a few in my collection that I'm yet play, one of which is Blackwater; part of the reason I bought it (along with only being £10 right on top of release) being OXM's decent review and score of 7 - now it's one of the worst games?
Johnbhoy69 on 6 Oct '12 said:
I picked up Knights Contract for £2 brand new from the Game website, completed the 1st level and haven't looked at it since. That was 8 months ago, didn't think it was great or bad just fairly average for the single hour I played it.
Grummy on 6 Oct '12 said:
There is no good reason for Two Worlds to be on this list. Yes, it has its problems, but its a huge open world RPG, with some great ideas, and it is entertaining to play. I demand you all give each other a slap for allowing this game to be mentioned here.
Iron-Man was OK, wasn't brilliant, but it wasn't awful either. There's probably dozens of other games that should be on this list instead of it.
Superman Returns. Again, had it's problems, but its flying mechanics are exceptional, and if you put the Superman theme on your harddrive and play it in the background, it's awesome to just fly around in circles.
Spider-Man: Friend or Foe. Sorry, no,shouldn't be on this list. You can't criticize it for being a kids game, because as a kids game, it's decent. All of my friends who have kids and let them play Xbox, have played this with them, and they've all enjoyed it. It's a kids game that kids enjoy, you can't class it as one of the 50 worst games on the system.
Infernal, Ninja Blade, any of the Cabella's games, Dark Sector, Blacksite, The Golden Compass, Ratatouille, Jumper, Warhammer BattleMarch, Star Trek Legacy, Armoured Core 4 are all games from my played list that should seriously be on there before any of those.
comabob on 6 Oct '12 said:
Dark Sector?!? But but - it had the bestest most powerfullest shotgun ever!!
I liked it...
Legendary is a good shout though...
JCHN on 6 Oct '12 said:
Ummmm, DNF was not that bad, and certainly does not deserve to be placed among this crap. It has some very fun moments, and if you can get past the off hunour, you will find a decent fps!!!
Wadium_Arcadium on 6 Oct '12 said:
None of them have desecrated my disc tray but as Captain_Chao5 said, Brink definitely deserves a place on the list.
NinthGeorgesw on 6 Oct '12 said:
I liked Brink. Playing with actual people instead of the AI made it a really fun game.
YoungTobias on 6 Oct '12 said:
It's an insult to place Duke Nukem ahead of Sonic 2006 (NOT 2007, as you seem to believe for some reason). At least Duke Nukem is playable and you know what to expect from it, crude offensive filth. Sonic 2006 is literally broken. It has the dirt worst camera I've ever had the misfortune of playing with, the story is frankly insulting, and the gameplay itself rarely feels in any way intense or exciting. It's just a slog for the most part. Also, Silver the Hedgehog. Need I say more?
Not only the worst 360 game, but one of the worst pieces of entertainment media ever created.
Joe90_Remy700 on 6 Oct '12 said:
yup. certainly not the worst game and no way should it be on the list. it was much longer and more varied than alot of what are rated "AAA" titles...
Alaric14 on 6 Oct '12 said:
The descriptions for some of these made me laugh. Particularly enjoyed your summation of Bomberman Act: Zero and that Mickey Rourke voiced soldier Korea thingy...instantly forgettable title, as you can tell.
I played the first Ninety-Nine Nights and for some reason it would never let me get above a B rating on Ilfy's (whatever her name is) last level. Bastards.
chaosslayer on 6 Oct '12 said:
Why did you guys give Blackwater a 7/10 and then list it as one of the 50 worst games? kinda overrated the game huh guys!? or a payoff from the developer maybe?
Where is Perfect Dark Zero, Naughty Bear, Jumper (the worst game on 360), Cabela games and A-Train?
Drainwater on 7 Oct '12 said:
Personally I thought Superman Returns had controlling Superman down pat. As others have mentioned, it was fun flying around as him. I also thought it was fun entering the cheat code so you could play as Bizarro in free roam and chuck cars and people around without having to worry about the city health meter. Beyond that though, it did suck royally. When the final boss of a game is a tornado, it almost seems to want to fail.
Also, I never played the more recent Destroy all Humans games, but the first one had plenty of cheesy 50s sci fi humor and other fun game mechanics to let me forgive it for being a sub par shooter. Criticizing the gunplay in DAH seems like making fun of Overlord for being a lame third person hack and slash...that's not the central feature of the game.
tazzrats on 7 Oct '12 said:
I couldn't agree more, Bethesda are my favorite company so i bought it ... died a little inside.
delpoi on 7 Oct '12 said:
I unfortunately was subjected to the let down that was duke nukem
pauloselhombre on 7 Oct '12 said:
Seeing Rise of Nightmares on this list is just stubborn, narrow minded nonsense. You'd think an official magazine would have their Kinect set up properly, but this clearly can't be the case, because even in my dimly lit, only just big enough room, the game recognised every gesture almost flawlessly, only occasionally having a problem with sidestepping because I was standing to close to the wall and could only shuffle. Reporting user error as a flaw in the game's gesture recognition just shows incompetence as both gamers and journalists. OXM's summation of this game is a joke. You can do better guys, you have done better, but let's face it, you clearly didn't really bother with this game.
glavias on 8 Oct '12 said:
I got Saw and quite enjoyed it. Some good puzzles and I actually finished it..
CunningSmile on 8 Oct '12 said:
Did anyone else notice a disproportionally large number of these games came out in 2007 or 2009? Were those just dumping ground years for naffness?
And I'm also disappointed at how many of these games looked and sounded great in the run up to release only to be shockingly bad in execution.
PS3Tard on 8 Oct '12 said:
I've played three... all for the easy Achievements... to my eternal shame.
CrispiestSavage on 8 Oct '12 said:
for the worst games on xbox its simple if its kinect its rubbish. kinect could have been a great idea but its pants. sooner we admit and move on the better.
Kettch on 8 Oct '12 said:
Hour of Victory was the biggest gaming mistake I have ever made. I was glad to see it listed here. Not played any of the others...
Dante x Yamato on 8 Oct '12 said:
What about devil may cry 2? Devil may cry 1 was one of the best games ever made. It was the first properly successful hack-and-slash game and what do they go and do, they change everything completely. Not only did it not live up to its DMC1, it was awful all on its own with terrible graphics, repetitive combos, confusing story and rubbish lighting and camera angles.
ChillieBonBon on 9 Oct '12 said:
They should add Turok on this list. I remember how excited I was at the thought of playing the game (it has dinosaurs in it for gods sake!) but got a slap in the face after finding out how pointlessly difficult it was, that the gun fights are awfull, having to restart on the worst checkpoint ever etc...
GHOSTY05 on 11 Oct '12 said:
They should add minecraft to this list.......
Just kidding by the way!
Toots McCleggan on 29 Oct '12 said:
TMNT.....The worst game ive ever played horrible in every aspect.
badmanlee on 29 Oct '12 said:
anyone still play the game you got in the original xbox 360 box (green case)
FishyGinger on 29 Oct '12 said:
What?
left4bread93 on 30 Oct '12 said:
AMY is actually a really good game i played it on PS3 after they had fixed the dodgy checkpoints and saves, however i dont think the xbox version ever got patched
sonicnluke on 2 Jan '13 said:
good list i agree mostly there but i would say that mirrors edge belongs on the list and spiderman friend or foe was a brillient game but good list and im happy can not wait for gta 5 its the game of the century
JR Texx on 10 Jan '13 said:
I'm so glad Rouge Warrior was on there.. It's hard to believe a game can be that bad.
JR Texx on 10 Jan '13 said:
Mirrors Edge? Mirrors Edge was an amazing game...
Clanger67 on 10 Jan '13 said:
I wouldn't say amazing the shooting bits are shit.But the parkour bits are fantastic,let's hope they keep that in mind for the sequel.