10 Annoying Video Game Mechanics That Need To Die
1. Encumbrance & Inventory Management
Inventory management isn't inherently bad, but it can make a lot of games feel tedious. Games that focus around collecting resources shouldn't force you to stagger back to your base just to drop off a couple stones. When that is the primary mechanic, don't limit carry-weight.
No one cares that it isn't realistic for characters to be able to pull a sword out of god knows where when being able to do so makes the game more enjoyable. Hardcore purists can stick to realism, but when you want to go bury an axe in a trolls head, it shouldn't matter how many heads of cabbage you are carrying.
If managing an inventory is supposed to be a mechanic, perhaps it would be better if players were incentivised to limit their clutter in order to make switching weapons easier?
The opposite can also be argued. Games that hand out the previously discussed grab bags of loot have horrifying inventories because of oversaturation. To put it simply, just because your game has an inventory, doesn't mean it has to be limited. Implement an inventory system that works in tandem with the game's mechanics, not against it.