Frustrating platforming sequences in games

Can I just say right here that the “Reach the observation room” platforming sequence toward the end of AC IV: Black Flag is utter bullshit? And why MUST one start over at the beginning every freaking time when one fails, and watch an unskippable mini in-game cutscene? It’s maddening. Devs, please put checkpoints in these things FFS.

Particularly annoying is the fact that the stupid camera controls in this particular sequence do not let you line up your view in order to make a jump onto a narrow platform which if you miss, you fall to your death (and then have to repeat a bunch of stuff just to get back to the same spot). You might object that you can’t do the camera lineup thing because there’s a wall behind the character. Big deal, make the wall transparent like ONI did back in 2000 or so.

Another one that I remember from a game of yore was in Turok Dinosaur Hunter on the N64 back when. You had to jump from the top of one column to the other. At least in that one I don’t believe said columns were moving, unlike the platforms in AC Black Flag.

What others come to mind, Qt3 Hivemind?

I quit Black Flag for the same reason, but a different spot. Infuriating.

Every jumping puzzle in Guild Wars 2.

Ninja Gaiden. Birds. Bridge. ‘Nuff said.

I did those as soon as I could. The only disappointing part of the whole ordeal was that THERE WAS NO ACHIEVEMENT OR REWARD FOR COMPLETING ALL OF THEM. ARG! Such suck.

Mass Effect: Andromeda, Dragon Age: Inquisition. Fucking. Shoot. Me.

How is the Meat Circus not in this thread yet? I still haven’t got past it.

I rage quit Celeste, a game about platforming that I was really enjoying, in the extra world (Core? World 8?)

There was something about the level design and mechanics of that area that made me miserable. I didn’t even mind the endless retries on the B-sides of the other worlds because the mechanics were more fun.

I hate platforming as it is, but when games with terrible platforming controls decide to put platforming in I want to kill everyone.

Which leads me to my question, are there platforming sequences that don’t suck, even in platformers?

Not for me. Maybe something like Dishonored, but I wouldn’t really consider that stuff platforming for the most part.

In a non snarky way, I actually have loved some platformers. I loved the first tomb raider, I put a ridiculous number of hours into it. When it came out, the idea that you weren’t just moving through a 3d world on a horizontal plane, but could actually explore vertically, was mind blowing. That aspect of the game is still my favorite part of the TR reboots.

I think my anger quotient is directly tied to how bad the save system is in games with platforming. If I can save right before a difficult spot, and then just try again, that can be pretty fun. If I have to run through 10 minutes of stuff, to get back to that difficult spot, …you better hope I never see you in a dark alley.

My anger has reasons I tell you…REASONS!!!

Cat Mario

Ninja Gaiden. Birds. Bridge. ‘Nuff said.

Wow, I still remember that from ~30 years ago. It literally scarred me for life.