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.::  10 Worst Video Games of 2007: 10 to 6It's an unfortunate part of the video game business that a lot of what hits store shelves is marginally decent, mediocre or just downright horrible. Shelling out between $40-$70 for a game is an investment of sorts: you pay the money to be entertained, and maybe even as insurance so that you don't throw your controller in times of frustration. New controllers aren't cheap, after all.
And yet, as great a crop of games as there was in these past 12 months, there have been some real duds in the mix, too. Some were hyped and turned out to be real disappointments, while others with lower expectations managed to sink right through them and smack into the bottom of the barrel.
Dishonourable mentions must go out to Activision's Soldier of Fortune: Payback for giving gamers a forgettable experience that includes useless over-the-top gore. Ubisoft proves - again - that the world of CSI doesn't translate all that well into a video game. It may be from the Vegas crew, but perhaps a CSI game might have a chance if it's laced with cutscenes of Horatio putting (and taking off) his sunglasses in Miami, while mouthing one of his patented one-liners. Not to mention Ubisoft's train wreck of a game in Far Cry Vengeance for the Wii. You know there's trouble when a Wii game would look just as terrible on the GameCube. And for those poor souls who picked up TMNT for the PSP or DS, I hope you exchanged or traded it in already.
Ghost Rider turned out to be just as depressing and boring as the droopy expression fixated on Nicolas Cage's face. Microsoft's Project Sylpheed is like an updated space invaders, except for the spiky-haired characters who could've just as easily been placed in a cartoon that never made it past the pilot episode. And while 300 may have been a slick movie to watch, the PSP game is anything but. How much can you possibly mash on the same buttons and still have the mighty Leonidas get a spear in his back?
And there's more where all those came from, but the 10 in this list make all of those look a little bit better this year:
10. Spider-Man 3 (PS3, Wii, Xbox 360)
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Treyarch
I wasn't a big fan of the Spider-Man 2 game Activision put out back in 2004 (I thought Ultimate Spider-Man was much better), and my worst fears were realized with Spider-Man 3. Webswinging around an open and breathing rendition of New York City is great unto itself, but not when it's overshadowed by the nonsense that goes on in this game.
For one, the graphics are deplorable by current-gen standards. How is it that Peter Parker can look like he's got a huge head and the eyes of a total drug addict? And what's with the drab modeling across the board? Every character looks like a mannequin with moving lips, while cars all look the same, except for the different paint jobs. The overall look of the city is also terribly dull. It may be a city that never sleeps, but NYC looks pretty boring here.
Things just get out of hand once the Lizard makes his appearance. The twist the story takes is so ridiculous, it almost seems like something that was slapped together over a drinking wager at a bar. And it just continues to slide downhill from there.
This is a very disappointing game from start to finish. Well, that's actually assuming that you could even get anywhere near the finish line.
9. Beowulf (Xbox 360, PS3)
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Tiwak
Movie-licensed video games are becoming a theme on this list, even though Beowulf isn't the worst of the bunch. But seeing as how it made the cut, there isn't a whole lot of good to say about it, either.
Here's the problem: Beowulf has some gorgeous visuals, with sprawling environments and good character models. But when those characters actually start interacting with each other, the whole foundation of the game comes tumbling down. Controlling the Thanes (Beowulf's loyal cannon fodder) is easy enough because you just can't tell them to do all that much. Aside from rallying on you or attacking en masse, there isn't a whole lot of strategy to go around here. Of course, it is worth a good laugh when you hear them sing - in profanity-laced poetry - in order to get the giant monster Grendel going for a big showdown.
And things start to get cheap when weapons break after only a few hacks. Funny how that doesn't seem to happen as easily for your enemies. Pick up one of their weapons and you'll be lucky if you get a second chance with it, since it'll likely just crumble after the initial attempt.
This game might appeal to people who like the movie or have a general interest in all things Beowulf, but it just comes up short in too many areas for everyone else to really care.
8. Tenchu Z (Xbox 360)
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: K2
Tenchu Z is one of those games that leaves you scratching your head only 20 minutes in. And that trend continues unabated after hours of playing this one, which can best be described as a complete waste of time you'll never get back.
Playing as a ninja can be great fun, as the venerable Ninja Gaiden franchise has proved for 20 years. But when the "ninja genre" is turned upside down by a title that lacks all sense of direction and purpose, you have to push all the right buttons to eject the disc and never put it back in the tray.
You play a ninja that kills seemingly innocent government bureaucrats with the same ruthlessness as the gangsters and other perceived bad guys he rips into. I say "rip" because the littlest prick from a knife or sword turns the victim into a raging hemophiliac. Since when can a guy still move to hit me when there's a fountain of blood raining out of him? It makes zero sense, and that's just one example of the implausibility in Tenchu Z.
Throw in the repetitive stealth kills and the laughable AI, and you get a game that should never have made it past the cutting room floor.
7. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Wii, Xbox 360, PS3)
Publisher: Disney Interactive Studios
Developer: Eurocom
The more I play games based on this popular franchise, the more I realize that Jack Sparrow might not have a place in this business. Not one Pirates game has been good, and the Wii version of At World's End is easily the worst of this bunch. If not for the typical chatter coming out of Jack, it would resemble a game that was in its first beta stage.
The problem is that Jack isn't as vocal in the Xbox 360 version. This guy is like Peter Parker and John McClane all rolled up into one, albeit with a pirate costume. How could he resist quipping and taunting while dueling with someone? Jack Sparrow is all about that. It's a shame, too, since the Xbox 360 version has good visuals, and good voiceovers which only add to the experience (even if they aren't from the real actors). The Wii version, on the other hand, is a broken game in almost every way.
I've never had an easier time taking out enemies in succession, particularly with the exact same move each and every time. Slash twice, the guy turns around, and you stick it to him in the back. He's down for the count, and you get to do that over and over again for hours and hours. Doesn't sound like a ton of fun, does it?
6. Lair (PS3)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Developer: Factor 5
It wasn't supposed to be this way for Sony and this game. It had a lot of potential upside and was touted by Sony as a real winner for 2007, but with its broken gameplay, frustrating controls and endless cutscene interruptions, Lair will surely find its way to the bargain bins very soon (if it hasn't already).
The control scheme tries to make use of the PS3's SixAxis motion-sensored controller, but instead forces you to try your hardest not to throw it against the wall out of frustration. See, the controls in Lair are like that kid who goes on a tantrum and does the complete opposite to upset his or her parents. You want the game to do something, but instead it throws you a curveball and takes you on a ride onboard a dragon to certain death. Now imagine that scenario playing out repeatedly. Yup, that's Lair for you.
The best are the faceoffs between the dragons. It's like Rocky staring down Drago, only with claws instead of boxing gloves. Oh, and the fact that you have no real clue how to win the fight doesn't help matters much. Mashing buttons seems to be the only way, and with the odds being pretty even, you could probably take bets from friends on who wins. Now that I think of it, it's almost like cockfighting with dragons' tails. And the best part is that this one would be legal.
Next Page: 10 Worst Video Games of 2007: 5 to 1
Related content: The Worst Games of All Time The 2007 Video Game Roundup The Top 10 Video Games of 2007 The Most Anticipated Games of 2008 PCWorld.ca Holiday Picks
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