Ten Worst Video Games of 2023

Just like any other industry, video games will also have their ups and downs. Even for those video game developing companies that have already received acclaim from games and game franchises that proved both commercially and critically successful, there will always be some titles that will miss their mark. In relation to video game franchises, there have even been those successful and long-running franchises that often release titles that don’t really catch the interests from their most loyal fans.

Previously, we have already discussed about the best games that were ever released in 2017, including a list of the best PS4 games. And since the year is about to end, it’s time to talk about the worst games of this year. Instead of including here the video games that have been recommended by many critics and users, we will only be listing down those titles that every gamer should keep away from. In other words, the video games listed below are NOT AT ALL good. Are you now curious as to what these games are? Go ahead and see the list for yourself.

Mass Effect: Andromeda

Developer: BioWare

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Genre: Role-Playing, Action

Release Date: March 21, 2017

While not entirely a “terrible” game per se, this latest entry to the Mass Effect franchise was not as well-received as its predecessors during its release in March 2017. But for some critics as well, they did not hold back by expressing themselves in saying that this game was such a massive disappointment. Many people got their hopes up for this game, and even set their standards high considering it had already spawned a successful game trilogy, but ended up getting upset when the game was finally released.

Mass Effect: Andromeda is an action, role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts. This game was released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows in North America on March 21, 2017 and in Europe on March 23, 2017. This title serves as the as the fourth main entry in the Mass Effect game series, but the plot actually takes place between the events of Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3.

Why is it bad?

As mentioned earlier, when this game was released, it was not as well-received as the previous three games and has mostly garnered mediocre reviews from many critics. One reviewer even cited that while this game “may” be enjoyed by some fans, it can never surpass the best features from the original trilogy. While the combat system of this game has been praised, criticisms were aimed toward the cheesy dialogue, plot holes, weak characters, and technical issues.

Hello Neighbor

Developer: Dynamic Pixels

Publisher: tinyBuild

Genre: Stealth, Survival-Horror

Release Date: December 8, 2017

For a game that has gone through the hype train when it was first announced, the hype didn’t really live up to itself when the game was officially released after so many months. During the first announcement trailer, it featured a highly advanced artificial intelligence that the developers said could learn from the mistakes committed by the player. And this “very smart AI” is what led people to this aforementioned hype train.

Hello Neighbor is a stealth-based survival-horror video game developed by Dynamic Pixels and published by tinyBuild. It was released worldwide in December 2017 for the Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Xbox One. The primary goal of the game is to lead the player to successfully sneak into their neighbor’s basement to uncover some terrifying secrets behind the resident of the house.

Why is it bad?

Technically, even after undergoing several alpha and beta builds, the game still feels unfinished or incomplete when it was officially released. Why? The controls still feel clunky, wherein you are unable to let go of items that you have picked up. Certain physics of the game are still buggy and left unfixed, as well as the AI of the enemy being inconsistent. Many gamers have also mentioned regarding some puzzles in the game that do not make sense at all.

Friday The 13th: The Game

Developer: IllFonic

Publisher: Gun Media

Genre: Multiplayer, Survival-Horror

Release Date: October 13, 2017

Similar to other survival-horror video games that also featured multiplayer, Friday The 13th: The Game proved highly inferior when compared to titles such as Left 4 Dead, Contagion, and Dead By Daylight. This game actually resulted from a Kickstarter campaign after its rights were acquired by the game developers. In fact, this game became the 124th most successful crowdfunded project of all time, raising over a million dollars.

With so many sequels spawned by the movie, not to mention the crossover movie with Freddy Krueger and the reboot of the series, the fan base of Friday the 13th is indeed huge, and this is what helped in the crowdfunding campaign. But all that was wasted when the game was eventually released in October. Considering the reception from both critics and gamers, I think it is pretty safe to say that this game was only good on paper.

Why is it bad?

Most critics have given “negative to mixed” reviews of the game, with most of their criticisms aimed at the numerous bugs that players may encounter that may ruin their experience. These shortcomings include graphical bugs, technical issues, and server connectivity problems. But even with the mixed reviews, Friday the 13th: The Game was still able to win awards during the most recent Golden Joystick Awards.

Dying: Reborn

Developer: NEKCOM

Publisher: Oasis Games

Genre: First-Person, Puzzle, Horror

Release Date: February 28, 2017

Dying: Reborn is a horror-based puzzle game that is played from a first-person perspective and exposes players to various puzzles that they need to solve in order to escape dark and creepy rooms. While the idea seemed good when it was announced, the execution of the game actually ruined that first impression. Somehow, when the developers first pitched the idea behind the game, many have compared the concept to the Saw films, wherein it focused heavily on puzzle-solving with some horror elements. Then again, the game just sounded good on paper but was poorly executed.

Why is it bad?

The game is said to contain horror themes, but in reality, there is actually a close-to-none here that will actually scare the player; there aren’t even any instances here that placed the player in an immediate danger. There is also an astonishing lack of content in the game that would engage players to do more than just solve mind-bending puzzles, and this led to the game being repetitive. Lastly, the story line of the game also feels unfinished, which is a waste of good effort from the writers considering the interesting plot twists that were added here and there.

For Xbox One owners, you may be interested in check out our list of the best Xbox One games of 2017.

Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back

Developer: Black Forest Games

Publisher: Tommo (Microsoft Windows); UFO Interactive Games (PlayStation 4)

Genre: Platform

Release Date: October 31, 2017

Bubsy has been around the video game universe for almost 25 years already, considering the character was first introduced in 1993 in the game Bubsy in Claws: Encounters of the Furred Kind. The game was highly successful that in just three years, it was able to spawn two more sequels. Twenty-one years later, the developers decided to make another entry to the franchise for the modern platforms, and in October 2017, Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back was released.

Similar to the previous three games, Bubsy: The Woolies Strike Back is played as a 2D side-scroller, but with updated 3D character models, of course. Unfortunately, the game was generally not well-received during its release, calling the game “an unnecessary revival of a good franchise.” One review even stated that because of the lack of content in the game, this entry to the franchise will be easily forgotten, and that “Bubsy’s return has become underwhelming.”

Why is it bad?

The game is extremely short, especially when compared to its predecessors. There is also a lack of replay value to the game, that after a player is able to finish it, there are no reasons to go back to playing it again. Many critics have even stated that this title will be easily forgotten and that fans of the series should play the original game instead.

Rugby 18

Developer: Eko Software

Publisher: Bigben Interactive

Genre: Sports

Release Date: October 27, 2017

For fans of the sports rugby out there, you may have gotten hyped up after hearing that a brand new rugby video game was being developed after over a year of being absent in the video game industry. The last video game to feature the sport was 2016’s Rugby Challenge 3, which was developed by Wicked Witch Software and Tru Blu Entertainment. For this one, Eko Software and Bigben Interactive took over to bring the sport to Rugby enthusiasts.

Rugby 18 was released in October 2017, and while it didn’t really live up to its hype, it was praised for its visuals, and the official licensing and player likenesses. But other than that, the game is simply all about tackling people to the ground. Many video gamers have compared this game to both Rugby 15 and Rugby Challenge 3, stating that it is worse than the former and that the latter is far better in terms of gameplay balance.

Why is it bad?

Where should we start with this? Maybe with the in-game commentaries, which actually feel dull and wooden, considering that real-life commentators were brought in for this. Another aspect that is being criticized is that the players all feel and act the same and that there are almost no differences between one player to another, either within the same team or from different teams. Lastly, the single player career mode is also terrible and easily becomes repetitive even after just a few games.

For those looking for a truly enjoyable sports game, check out NBA Jam and more on our list of the best Android TV games.

1-2-Switch

Developer: Nintendo

Publisher: Nintendo

Genre: Party

Release Date: March 3, 2017

When the switch came out in March 2017, it brought along a video game that would showcase the best features from the console’s motion-sensitive control sticks, or the Joy-Con. It seemed like a great idea at first, thinking that children and casual gamers would want to check out what the controllers are capable of.

1-2 Switch is a party video game both developed and published by Nintendo for their Switch console and was released on the same date as the console. The point of the game is to let players play against each other within the same room—as with retro Nintendo video games—and to listen closely to auditory cues instead of relying solely on what is shown on the screen. The game features 28 mini-games that players can choose from, ranging from doing “air guitar” exhibitions to playing table tennis with the Joy-Con acting as the paddles.

Why is it bad?

While we wouldn’t really say that the game is BAD or TERRIBLE, many have criticized that the game would have been better if it was included in a packed-in game upon the purchase of the console, the same thing Nintendo did for their Wii Sports title when they released the Nintendo Wii console. Another aspect of the game that is being criticized is the common issue with regards to audio-based video games, that it would be hard to play with all the background noises considering that this is intended to be played at a party setting.

Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers: Mega Battle

Developer: Bandai Namco Games

Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment

Genre: Action, Beat-’em-Up

Release Date: January 17, 2017

Were you ever a fan of the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers? Let me tell you that I was actually a big fan of it, “was” because I only liked the first and second season of it. Thankfully, the most recent movie reboot and video game were based on the first season of the show. But unfortunately, both of them were not quite received well by critics.

For Power Rangers: Mega Battle, it is actually a re-imagining of the original series, which seem to be a good idea to appeal to both new and old fans. It features the same plot, wherein Zordon recruits five gifted teenagers to fight against Rita Repulsa and her army of evil alien creatures. Sadly though, the game does not include the charm that had made the series widely appealing to audiences; it doesn’t even have the campy elements from the show.

Why is it bad?

As mentioned earlier, the game doesn’t have the spirit that made the original series enjoyable. While the developers were able to make each Ranger unique from the others, the gameplay still feels dull and repetitive very quickly. For one thing, the main enemies of the game are very easy to beat since they usually take time to walk around the area before they actually start to attack the player. And another, which has been considered as the worst part of the game, are the Megazord battles, wherein it begins in tank mode, and you only need to shoot the enemy’s weak spots. After that, the battle moves on to becoming a series of QTE (quick-timed-events) and button-mashing segments.

Since this game feels more like a mobile game, you may also be interested in checking out ten of the best mobile games in 2017.

Inner Chains

Developer: Telepaths Tree

Publisher: IMGN.PRO

Genre: First-Person, Action, Shooter

Release Date: May 18, 2017

We have had our share of first-person shooting games that contained some horror elements such as Resident Evil 7, Condemned: Criminal Origins (see our list of some of the best horror games), and System Shock. Aside from those, we have also had some first-person games that focused entirely on scary atmospheres and jump scares including Outlast, Layers of Fear, and Amnesia (see another list of even more great horror games). With that said, what could Inner Chains offer that is unique from those that we have already seen?

Inner Chains is a first-person shooting video game by an indie company called Telepaths Tree, and this game was released in May 2017. This game is set in the distant future, wherein the world has become a dark and deadly biomechanical wasteland. The goal of this game is to journey through this world to reach a mythical place called The Last Hope, while also fighting for your own survival. Sound interesting? It does on paper, but continue reading on to find out why many have criticized this game so much.

Why is it bad?

Many gamers have stated that instead of feeling any sort of challenge or excitement from playing Inner Chains, they got bored most of the time because of the dull and repetitive gameplay. One review even stated while the game somehow has a slightly spine-chilling atmosphere, its entirety feels more like an unfinished beta with all the bugs and technical issues, and that behind the good visuals hides a cliched first-person shooter. Truly, Inner Chains has become a totally wasted opportunity for this indie game developing studio.

Vroom in the Night Sky

Developer: Poisoft

Publisher: Poisoft

Genre: Racing

Release Date: March 3, 2017 (Japan/Europe); April 5, 2017 (North America)

For a video game that has been included in a website called Crappy Games, there has to be something about this for being given that honor, or in this case, dishonor. Vroom in the Night Sky is actually a racing game developed and published by Poisoft for the Nintendo Switch console. This game was first released in Japan and Europe in March 2017, and after a month, it was also released in North America.

To give you an idea as to what this game is really about, it basically follows a magical girl who rides on her magical motorcycle to collect “stardusts.” These stardusts serve as her currency that she can use to purchase upgrades or even a better, faster motorcycle. Aside from simply collecting these stardusts, players will also need to compete against other magical girls on magical motorcycles who are also aiming to collect as many stardusts as possible.

Why is it bad?

For one thing, while this game has no major bugs in it, it heavily lacks the content that gamers deserve in order for them to actually enjoy it; they can even finish the entire game in just an hour. One review even stated that the game has already made a bad impression to both critics and gamers alike, and has never made any improvement since.

One of the biggest issues about this game is its poor translation from Japanese to English, which many have jokingly assumed to have resulted from taking the Japanese dialogue and translating it via Google Translate. An attempt was made to fix this issue but resulted in making some of the dialogue even worse.

As mentioned earlier, the game involves collecting stardusts, and that’s just about it, and this makes the gameplay very boring and repetitive. To make matters worse, both the visuals and sound designs are poorly done, with the background barely showing any details, and a background music that is too uninteresting, it can easily be neglected.

Forget about this game, if you truly want to enjoy your gaming experience while also making your money’s worth, you might as well get yourself a Super NES Classic Edition. And to make it even more convenient for you, we also have a list of the best SNES games of all time that you can read.