Games you thought would be fun, but were very boring instead

More Gateway to Apshai (real-time, simple dungeon crawl) than the earlier turn-based, deeper RPG Temple series, as I’ve mentioned a few times.

We’ve come a long way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch3GsWBSTKI

This game was super brutal too. One of the hardest games I’ve ever played - almost impossible - but that was primarily due to terrible balancing/testing. But it IS very similar to Diablo 1 (skip ahead in the video),

You best tell me where to skip ahead to, because I’m three minutes in and I can’t listen to that guy walk around any more.

Hey, if we’re calling out proto-ARPGs, don’t forget about Gemstone Warrior! Look it’s even got a town portal

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Not at all joking:

Fuck everything about that game. Every single thing.

Ah, you actually played it! I confess I didn’t.

Inasmuch as one can call loading the software “playing” a “game,” yes.

Memories!
temple-of-apshai-trilogy_3

dunjonquest-temple-of-apshai_7

“Thou art a spendthrift Rodvik!” is one of the first memorable lines in a computer game for me.

In my defense, I’m going off extremely vague memories of being like 6 and getting really mad at that game.

Rogue it was not.

I actually played it as an adult-type person. My reaction must have been pretty “meh,” because I don’t have any specific memories of it and there are a lot of those old SSI games that I really miss.

You need to Disgaea.

OMG is that Questron?

I watched a friend in college get sucked into the Disgaea hole in college. My evening entertainment for a month or two was just ordering delivery food to her place and doing homework on the floor, listening to her curse at prinny stacks. It was amazing.

Sounds like an Etna.

Temple of Apshai Trilogy.

Questron. In the 33 or so years since I played it on my C-64, no game has surpassed its ending.

Questron

I dunno, Eye of the Beholder had a pretty kickass ending.

Yeah, Questron is one of the few games that gives you a proper reward for saving the world.

I really like the closing ‘cutscene’ of Ultima V, though. Also Icewind Dale had a rocking ending.

Three games come to mind.

The first two, MOO 3 and Elemental: War of Magic, are the first games that I remember following development in the gaming press and on forums and reading development diaries for. I preordered Elemental and bought MOO 3 on release day. Both were huge dissapointments and are responsible for my policy of never preordering or buying on release, especially for 4X or complex strategy games or RPGs.

The third is Undertale. I can see why so many people liked it, but it never clicked for me.

Drox Operative is a game that I install every once in a while, play for an hour or so, and then uninstall. I have no idea what people find interesting about it. It just doesn’t grab me at all, though the concept sounds great on paper. See also: The Last Federation.

I also don’t like any of the Paradox “grand strategy” games (like EU, Stellaris, etc.). Heresy, I know, but I get so, so bored playing them. And as with Drox Operative, these are games that I feel should be in my wheelhouse, but clearly aren’t. Different strokes for different folks, I guess.

The Last Federation doesn’t even deserve to be in the same paragraph with Drox Operative. How dare you sir. PISTOLS AT DAWN I SAY. I DEMAND SATISFACTION.