10 Challenges That Ruined Video Games

10. Trials Rising - Incessant Level Grind

Trials games, in all of their iterations, have had one simple mechanic: do well, unlock more levels. As players progress, the requirements for higher medals becomes steeper, so the need to revisit old tracks and do better arises.

Which is fine, it's how you get better for the increased challenge in tracks.

Fast forward to current times and Ubisoft has, unsurprisingly, slipped some insidious mechanics in there. Like a leveling system.

Whereas before, when players unlocked new tracks based on skill, instead they're now behind level caps. So players could have gold or platinum medals up to this point, yet still need to repeat tracks for paltry experience gain.

It goes completely against the established progression pattern that made Trials great and as such, ruins the "one more go" attitude. Sitting on a bank of medals, but still not being able to progress with them, just ruins the later half of the game.

If there's ever a case example that Ubisoft's "sandbox formula" additions can be a bad thing, it's Trials Rising.