10 Video Games That Punish You For Exploring
8. Final Fantasy II
Final Fantasy II is generally accepted to be one of the worst games in the series, and that's in large part due to a maddening gameplay loop that basically begs you to use a guide.
The RPG's dungeon design is some of the most infuriating you'll ever encounter in the genre, with labyrinthine pathways seemingly encouraging exploration only for them to turn up dead ends full of nothing but utter tedium.
While it isn't reasonable to expect every part of a dungeon to be "meaningful," Final Fantasy II takes the winding, convoluted dungeon to the lengths of self-parody given the generally scant rewards on offer.
Further compounding the frustration is the high encounter rate, and the many, many trap doors which will throw you into a room full of tough enemies.
The refinements made in the recent Pixel Remaster reduce the irritation factor somewhat, but this is still some of the most listless and torturously dull dungeon design in the genre's history.
Seriously, unless you're a tireless purist who has to get the job done without any outside help, use a guide or a map to navigate the dungeons, for the love of God.