10 Beautiful Looking Games (That Play Terribly)
Don't be deceived by these beauties. These gorgeous games are pure trash.
Even though Pokemon and Minecraft utilise a simplistic visual design, their accessibility and precision has allowed them to remain outrageously successful for years, proving that photorealistic graphics aren't everything.
However, although players should prioritise quality over everything else, it's easy to be captivated by a game's jaw-dropping art. After all, if the developers put a painstaking amount of effort into how their work looks, it's safe to assume they put just as much care in every other aspect.
On the contrary, some studios pump in so many hours to make a certain title visually striking, they neglect the fundamentals, like level design or story.
Though consumers should know better by browsing the reviews, it's easy to get suckered by solid promotions. After all, a stunning trailer can easily hide appalling gameplay, woeful AI, and terrible controls. Even if a game plays well in demos and presentations, it can be let down by technical problems, micro-transactions, or a lack of content.
If you're tempted to purchase these duds based on their dazzling aesthetics, it's best to remain wary. Despite how magnificent these ten entries appear, they're all style no substance.
10. Shadow Of The Beast (2016)
Although 1989's Shadow of the Beast had its problems, the side-scrolling platformer received consistent praise for its visuals, especially the parallax scrolling. When a reboot was announced for 2016, long-time fans were hoping the graphics would once again be a standout feature.
Sure enough, 2016's Shadow of the Beast was undeniably striking, boasting slo-mo finishers, cinematic attacks, and deep parallax scrolling to add depth to the 2.5D environments.
However, it feels like the developers put so much effort in making Shadow of the Beast look glamorous, they forgot about the gameplay. The combat, which should be the centerpiece of a side-scrolling action title, quickly devolves into repetitive button-mashing. There’s a combo system in place, but it feels stiff and awkward, never rewarding skill or timing in a meaningful way.
The levels are linear and uninspired, often blending into one another with little to differentiate them. Despite its short runtime, the gameplay wears thin halfway through, especially when it starts to rely on backtracking.
2016's Shadow of the Beast may look the part of a brooding, brutal action game, but it plays like a dated tech demo.