10 Hugely Popular Licenses Video Games Can't Get Right

9. Saw

Saw is a film series about people being put through torturous challenges in order to atone for sins committed in their lives; perhaps that's why the video games based off the franchise are so agonising to play. Credit where credit's due, the games actually capture the atmosphere and feel of the franchise fairly well - it genuinely feels like death and despair lies around every corner.... something that's actually more thanks to the horrible, horrible combat which makes every enemy in the game a genuine threat. Saw's survival horror elements are well placed but everything else about the games lets them down dramatically. The horrific melee combat simply does not work at times, leaving the 'hero' to flail pathetically at enemies which shouldn't be posing a threat at all. The graphics are sub-par, the length of each game is unbelievably short and the puzzles are insultingly simple; given Saw's premise, an increased focus on challenging or thought-provoking set-pieces would have been welcomed. Ultimately, despite some good intentions, Zombie Studios' attempt to bring the Saw franchise to the gaming masses was simply too flawed to ever work. With the film series set to return to screens soon, it wouldn't be surprising to see another developer taking a stab at bringing Saw to a video game audience - with a few tweaks and a rejuvenated focus, it might even be successful.