We’re halfway through 2012 and there have been a ton of games released in the last six months. These are the worst.
Amy
- Release Date – January 17, 2012
- Developer – VectorCell
- Publisher – Lexis Numérique
- Metacritic Score – 33/100
What’s Amy about?
The game takes place in December 2034 when the gradual effects of global warming have spread diseases and natural disasters around the world. Amid this bleak scenario, the small town of Silver City in the USA’s Midwest suffers a near cataclysmic incident when it is stuck by an unidentified ‘comet’ from outer space. When lead character Lana regains consciousness, her world has descended into mayhem. Violent outbursts, fury, rage, wreckage and death; the world she knew seems to have become a living hell.
What did critics say about it?
Colin Moriarty of IGN says: Amy purports itself to be survival horror, but the only surviving you’ll be doing is trying to make sense of the muddled gameplay mess laid before you as you’re “scared” by the same gimmicky frights, like bursting gas pipes and falling portraits, over and over again.
Jane Douglas of Gamespot says: Decent ideas can’t rescue this shoddy survival horror game.
Jeff Cork of GameInformer says: As a downloadable title, I wasn’t expecting Amy to measure up against the triple-A juggernauts of the survival horror genre. However, I was expecting a game that was at least playable and contained some kind of entertainment. Make no mistake: Whether Amy is delivered to you via download, retail SKU, direct brain wave, or retinal implant, it is terrible and should be avoided.
Where can you buy this?
The PlayStation Network
NeverDead
- Release Date – January 31, 2012
- Developer – Rebellion Developments
- Publisher – Konami
- Metacritic Score – 50/100
What is NeverDead about?
NeverDead begins with the world under threat from a demonic plague. Centuries have passed since the world succumbed to an unforeseen shadow of evil, and a hero was made an immortal by demons. These demons have risen once again in the present day and are wreaked unrelenting mayhem, represented by destructible environments within the game. Cast as this immortal hero, the player can use regenerative powers to re-assemble his body to evade death – for he is Never Dead…
What did critics say about it?
Casey Lynch of IGN says: NeverDead sways between boring, frustrating and painful.
Tom McShea of Gamespot says: Enjoyable highs interspersed with crushing lows make NeverDead as inventive as it is frustrating.
Matt Helgeson of GameInformer says: This lack of polish wouldn’t be nearly as frustrating if not for the fact that the game’s primary feature – the dismemberment of the main characters – makes the game less fun than it would have been as just a plain old third-person action game. Sure, it’s a unique idea – but not every idea is worth pursuing. In the case of NeverDead, this concept should have been left on the cutting room floor. You could say the same about the game itself.
Where can you buy this game?
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City
- Release Date – March 20, 2012
- Developer – Slant Six Games
- Publisher – Capcom
- Metacritic Score – 52/100
What is Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City about?
It is September 1998 and the action centres once more on the ill-fated Raccoon City and the horrific consequences of the deadly T-virus outbreak from the Umbrella facility. With a cover up required, Umbrella orders an elite team into Raccoon City to destroy all evidence of the outbreak and eliminate any survivors. Hearing of this plan, the US Government dispatches its own special forces to uncover any evidence that exposes the cause of the viral infection and Umbrella’s actions. Players take on the role of an Umbrella Security Services soldier (U.S.S.), competing alone or in four player co-op in a battle against all the competing forces at play in Raccoon City.
What did the critics say about it?
Audrey Drake of IGN says: The terrible AI, the lackluster locations and the complete lack of atmosphere or memorable characters destroy what could have been a brilliant offshoot. In the end, Operation Raccoon City is little more than a poor man’s SOCOM, and a destitute man’s Resident Evil.
Kevin VanOrd of Gamespot says: A frighteningly flawed action-heavy spin-off that withers in the shadow of its superior alternatives.
Tim Turi of GameInformer says: Umbrella may have filled Raccoon City with horrific creatures, but SlantSix has tainted the fabled town in its own way. It’s difficult recommending a return to Raccoon when you have to endure buggy AI, clunky gameplay, and terrible glitches like disappearing floors. Yes, on more than one occasion my friends and I had to ditch whole missions because we kept falling into an empty void.
Where can you buy this?
Battleship
- Release Date – May 15, 2012
- Developer – Double Helix Games
- Publisher – Activision
- Metacritic Score – 46/100
What is Battleship about?
Battleship follows elite demolitions specialist Cole Mathis as he clashes against an aquatic-based extraterrestrial peril in the sand and sea of the beautiful Hawaiian archipelago. Trapped in a veritable communications dead zone, Mathis must command the U.S. Navy fleet in a “siege on the sea,” while simultaneously rallying the troops on land for a terrifying “war on the shore.”
What did critics say about it?
Phil Iwaniuk of PlayStation Official Magazine UK says: There’s an element of novelty in the first few minutes of play, but it doesn’t last long. It isn’t even the sketchy gameplay that sinks this Battleship – it’s the abhorrently commercial objective apparent in every second of rushed gameplay. There’s no artistic vision here, and the original idea at its core hasn’t been given the time and love needed to build a coherent or enjoyable game.
Paulmichael Contreras of PlayStation Lifestyle says: The graphics and presentation are bland. There are only three enemy types to dispose of. There is no multiplayer. Other than collecting in-game pegs inspired from the board game, replayability scarcely exists.
Where can you buy this?
Game of Thrones
- Release Date – May 15, 2012
- Developer – Cyanide
- Publisher – Atlus
- Metacritic Score – 53/100
What is Game of Thrones about?
As one of two original characters with disparate motivations, both former soldiers of Robert’s Rebellion, players will forge alliances and wage battles as they play a pivotal role in the ongoing war for power of the Seven Kingdoms. Their journey will span numerous quests, during which they will interact with many characters and make key decisions that impact the realm.
What did critics say about it?
Joe Juba of GameInformer says: You must be a forgiving and devoted fan to enjoy the best that this game can offer. Otherwise, you’re better off following the words of Genna Lannister: “Better to mock the game than to play and lose.”
PlayStation Official Magazine UK says: Give me the option of a night in with the first season’s Blu-ray boxset or this mostly shabby spin-off and I’d go HD Sean Bean chivalry every time.
PlayStation Official Magazine US says: What makes this really disappointing, though, is that some aspects actually work well. But without good combat, it’s all just academic. [July 2012, p.78]
Where can you buy this?
MIB: Alien Crisis
- Release Date – May 22, 2012
- Developer – FunLabs
- Publisher – Activision
- Metacritic Score – n/a
What is MIB: Alien Crisis about?
In Men In Black: Alien Crisis, players take on the role as Peter Delacoeur, a MIB Agent in training, assigned to unearth enemy aliens who are planning to destroy planet Earth. With hidden surveillance and stealthy guards on the prowl, players must ambush confidential alien intelligence and stop all alien attacks. Men In Black: Alien Crisis brings exciting, realistic MIB Agent movements as players shoot, and dodge their way through action-packed levels to escape fierce alien assaults. Additionally, all platforms feature two-player split-screen gameplay and four-person “hot-seat” competitive action for awesome friends and family involvement.
What did the critics say about it?
Chris Watters of Gamespot says: Ugly, boring, and brazenly priced, MIB: Alien Crisis is an absolute embarrassment.
Christian Donlan of Eurogamer says: Spectacularly miserable licensed fare – a tie-in game that recalls the bad old days when a movie title was leased out to some mom-and-pop developer in the middle of Siberia and put together with the help of a broken woollen loom and old chopsticks.
Where can you buy this?
You wouldn’t want to buy this.
Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock
- Release Date – May 23, 2012
- Developer – Supermassive Games
- Publisher – BBC Worldwide Digital Entertainment
- Metacritic Score – 40/100
What is Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock about?
Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock will immerse gamers in the universe of Doctor Who, allowing them to take on the role of the Doctor and River Song as they travel across time and space to save the Earth. Gamers must learn to master the complexities of time travel with exceptional time based game play, changes made in one time will impact another creating multiple possibilities and challenging players to solve puzzles across the centuries.
What did the critics say about it?
Mike Bell of IGN says: The difficulty scaling of puzzles is also poorly executed.
Sinan Kubba of Gamespot says: The Eternity Clock is a simple platformer rife with tacky bugs, abrasive puzzles, and timey-wimey guff.
Dan Whitehead of Eurogamer says: The Eternity Clock is shambolic and underfed, even by the Timelord’s previous low gaming standards.
Where can you buy this?
The PlayStation Network
Resistance: Burning Skies
- Release Date – May 29, 2012
- Developer – Nihilistic Software
- Publisher – Sony Computer Entertainment
- Metacritic Score – 59/100
What is Resistance: Burning Skies about?
Taking place in the Resistance storyline between Resistance 2 and Resistance 3, Resistance: Burning Skies follows New York City firefighter Tom Riley as he experiences first-hand the initial days of the Chimeran assault across the U.S. eastern seaboard. Riley travels from city to city, searching for his family but finds himself an integral part of the battle. Riley meets other bands of survivors throughout his journey and together they must fight to save themselves and humanity.
What did the critics say about it?
Greg Miller of IGN says: The story here is forgettable, the action is formulaic, and the multiplayer is simplistic.
Chris Watters of Gamespot says: Burning Skies leaves little doubt that the Vita is a comfortable home for first-person shooters, but the platform’s first FPS is disappointingly dated. Toothless enemies and simplistic level design make for tepid campaign action, and the solid multiplayer suite is too limited to be a big draw.
Dan Ryckert of GameInformer says: Burning Skies isn’t a failure by any means. While the visuals won’t sell you on the console’s power like Uncharted: Golden Abyss, the campaign is filled with the big boss fights and unique weaponry you expect from the series. As long as you’re not hoping for a console-quality multiplayer experience, Burning Skies should satisfy fans.
Where can you buy this?
Amazon | Best Buy | Gamestop | PlayStation Store (download)
Inversion
- Release Date – June 5, 2012
- Developer – Saber Interactive
- Publisher – Namco Bandai Games
- Metacritic Score – 57/100
What is Inversion about?
Set in the near future, the tranquil peace enjoyed by mankind shatters with an unforeseen invasion by an unknown enemy called the Lutadore. Armed to the teeth with futuristic gravity-controlling weapons, the Lutadore easily overrun the city’s defenses. Unbeknownst to all, mysterious anomalies have surfaced in conjunction with the invasion. Random regions in the city have entered zero gravity or have suffered vector changes, throwing the world into topsy-turvy chaos. Assuming the role of Davis Russel, a hotheaded 28-year-old cop, or Leo Delgado, Davis’ neighbor, players will embark on a journey through the war ravaged gravity twisted disorienting streets of their home town and beyond, to find Davis’ missing child.
What did the critics say about it?
Daniel Krupa of IGN says: It’s not a terrible game, but it’s in those moments in which you glimpse it’s unrealised potential that really brings it down.
Nick Mitchell of PlayStation Lifestyle says: Unfortunately, everything that could be used to make Inversion a unique and standout game – if not a sleeper hit – has such a small presence in the game that it just feels like a squad shooter with decent mechanics and some different ideas.
Steven McGehee of Digital Chumps says: Inversion had a neat idea, but the execution is lackluster at best. For genre connoisseurs, it’s worth a look, but most can safely pass this one up.
Where can you buy this?
Did your favorite game make the list? You must be pissed. Tell us what you think in the comments section below.
You can check out the best games of 2012 (so far) here.
Editor’s Note: iGo Gaming is a PlayStation-centric video game website. Don’t expect any Nintendo 3DS, Xbox 360, Wii or any other games not on PS3 and PS Vita on this list.
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