Games without "that annoying segment"

We've all played those games. They're great, but they have one or two moments where everytime you get there you go "ugh, I hate this part". For whatever reason I have it with the Swamp and Island in RE4, "Head to the left of that KNRBZERO" in Vanquish, the half of Bayonetta, most of the bosses in NGII, the cage-puzzles in God of War - the list goes on and on.

Most games have this for me, so I've been looking in my library for a game that does not have this. So far the only one that comes to mind, for me, is God of War III outside of the unskippable cutscenes (my eternal nemesis).

Anyone else have a game that doesn't have a single moment, chapter or fight that makes them groan?

I'm not sure such a game exists.

The best I can come up with is an area or level I like the least but not bad enough to groan over.

Can't think of an out right bad section in God Hand.
Same with RE4 for me, maybe that dumb ass sliding block puzzle.

God Hand will always have the Three Stooges boss and the final area for me, 8-1 and 8-2 are just paintfully annoying to me. Piramide is also annoying imo, but not too annoying.

RE4 I've mostly grown accustomed to, but I still dislike some areas but in that game you can (thankfully) skip most of them. Don't like the Water Room all that much though.

One man's shithole is another man's paradise.

Do 2D games count? If not, I’ll also say RE4 and God Hand. Mario Galaxy and 3D World as well.

I don't think I've played a game like that... the closest thing to it would be RE4. Pretty much the only parts I dislike about that game are the sections where you have to run to avoid getting crushed by a boulder, because I suck at mashing (strangely enough, the Salazar statue is fine for me).

KH1 has the early Gummi ship sections that I've come to dislike everytime I play the game (not to mention building a faster ship to skip said sections more quickly, because the controls are weird). It also has Agrabah's guardian/cave of wonders/the lion face; that boss is an absolute chore to fight, especially if you don't have Guard.

KH2's Gummi ship sections are way longer, but the good thing about it is that you only have to do them once per world (technically the same thing applies to KH1, but in KH2 all you have to do is select the world you want to go next, and you're there. No need to watch a warping animation or anything).

All in all, RE4's "annoying segment(s)" last 10 (?) seconds at most, not counting each time you fail at them (not to mention that the annoying factor can easily be remedied by simply getting gud at it). But if you get killed in the Gummi sections, you have to redo a 2-3 minute long section (depending on the route, the game, and the ship itself), so as I said RE4 is as close as it will get for me.

And yes, kinda like Infinity said, does this apply to Action games only?

It was originally taken towards Action games, but yeah we can add regular titles too. In which case I'd also second 3d World (damnit Infinity, are you sure we're not related?). I'd then also like to add Baten Kaitos 1 and Beyond Good and Evil.

Wait, isn't this topic about games WITHOUT these segments?

Or have we proven such games barely exist, if at all? I could list tons with parts I dislike to absolutely despise.

The closest I can come to a game that I enjoy start to finish is Okami. The only area I only very slightly dislike is inside the water dragon and it's barely enough to register.

>RE4 swamp and island.
I like the swamp, but the start of the island bugs me. Other parts of it fo too.

Okay, off the top of my head...

Resident Evil 4 is the Gold Standard as far as I'm concerned. There isn't a single section that I actively dislike. Some of the late-game shooting heavy sections are probably my least favorite, but even they are nowhere near as annoying as some of those in 5 or 6. I find the Island overall to be a lot of fun.

I might as well mention Resident Evil 2 (1998) & REmake while I'm at it. Their fantastic pacing is a big reason why they're my favorite of the classic REs.

Nex Machina also maintains a surprisingly even level of quality throughout, which is rather surprising considering the sheer variety of all the different stages. You'd think they would have dropped the ball at least somewhere. They didn't.

Shmups in general tend to have at least one annoying stage (Stage 3 in MuFu comes to mind), but Blue Wish Resurrection Plus doesn't really have any in my opinion. They're all distinct from one another but equally fun.

Interesting that you mentioned GoW3, because I would definitely put God of War 2 up there. It's been a few years since I last played it but I can't remember any particularly disappointing sections. It probably helps that this game thankfully dispenses with the obligatory underworld level that tends to be the low point of so many other games in the series / genre for me. That 15-second climbing wall post-stab doesn't count.

Super Mario Galaxy probably qualifies, although I haven't finished it.

I would argue Bloodborne qualifies to a certain extent. I can't think of any notoriously bad section in that one compared to the rest of the FROM games. Top quality throughout.

Fire Emblem (GBA) is my favorite precisely because of its lack of garbage chapters. It's all good from start to finish and it thankfully doesn't rely on cheap gimmicks to manufacture artificial variety like Conquest.

Metroid: Zero Mission is probably the most consistent game of the series in that regard.

DOOM (2016), maybe?

Good note on the classic RE titles. REmake and RE2 are goldmines too. Good note on Fire Emblem. I loved the GBA version, though PoR probably takes the cake for me.

> God of War II
I always hate that puzzle fight with the fire while you have to push a statue. Or is that in GoW1? I don't remember.

> bloodborne
I always disliked the Frenzy areas personally, otherwise fantastic game for sure.

I’ll agree about Doom 2016, though it does have a small handful of “wait for the person to finish talking” sections. Can’t recall any annoying segments in Dark Souls 3, is there any? And how could I forget REmake, near perfect game imo.

>GoW2 fire hall

Yeah that’s in GoW2. I personally dislike some of the bosses(Kraken, Perseus) and the intro(I find Rhodes annoying) but that game is close to being perfect pacing-wise.

>Bloodborne frenzy areas

Are there frenzy zones aside from nightmare of mensis? Haven’t played the game in a while.

I don't think Frenzy is present that much outside of the two Nightmare areas.

> Dark Souls 3
Does the entire game count?

Jokes aside, that game is ... quite the blur for me. Maybe Demon's Souls for me, can't think of a stage I actively dislike.

Dark Souls 3 gets a pretty bad rap if you ask me.

I get that people were disappointed by the constant references and lack of original concepts, but it has to be commended for its polish and the average quality of its level design. There is no area as half-baked or frustrating as Lost Izalith, Blighttown, Crystal Cave or most of the bare-boned DS2 areas. There are only 2 or 3 bosses which I found to be a tad lacking in some respects overall, and none of them are anywhere near the level of jank of The Bed of Chaos for example.

I think it's a really good game, all things considered. I actually thought about mentioning it earlier but Bloodborne has a certain "it" factor which elevates it slightly.

Demon's Souls has its fair share of trash areas, too. The Valley Of Defilement comes to mind.

I think, to me, its biggest crime was being forgettable, and think that's in part due to its constant callbacks but also its lack of explorative freedom (which, granted, vanilla DS2 had (even worse) and BB also post-patch). Dark and Demon's Souls had a lot of 'wack' moments with tons of jank, but as such were also quite memorable. Not sure if you're familiar with Matthewmathosis, he has a pretty good video about it.

It's a fantastic game, don't get me wrong, there's a ton of games I'd put to the side to play it, but just didn't blow me away either. It's the only Souls game I didn't do a SL1 in as a result. It just never stuck with me, and is also the only one I ended up selling in the end. Heard the DLC was quite great though.

> valley of defilement
Never disliked that area honestly, found it pretty enjoyable. It's short as hell and you can skipp nearly everything due to its size. A bit annoying if you want 100% completion though. The only area that I sometimes dislike is 2-1 and 4-2, they can get annoying at times.

Can confirm that Dark Souls 3's DLC is excellent. Especially The Ringed City, it reaches the same level as Old Hunters if you ask me.

Dark Souls 3 doesn't really have "that" one area for me. The closest thing is Farron Keep, but I just don't really like the aesthetics of the place. The level itself is totally fine.

As for other games... I can't really think of many, of the top of my head.

I really ought to get around to replaying RE4.

RE4 is that one timeless classic. The latest leak suggested that they are busy remaking it, which I just cannot understand, hope that's false. Still want to buy a new CRTV just for my 'cube version of RE4 (and some other games mind you).

The only type of RE4 remake I would accept would be a complete audiovisual overhaul that recreates all of the interactive elements 1:1, similar to the Halo CE Anniversary, the SotC PS4 "remake" or the re4hd texture mod fan project. As long as it plays the exact same as the original with all the original content and with the reliable performance of the GameCube version, I'm fine with a glorified texture pack.

But if Capcom even thinks of introducing dual analogue controls and nerfed mechanics for the sake of "immersion" like they did with RE2, it can get straight in the bin.

I've lost all the faith I once had in that company, so I can't say I'm looking forward to finding out how exactly they would go about butchering my sacred cow.

While I hope the former, we can expect the latter. It will probably no longer be taking place in Spain though, probably just some random American village to not have racial stereotypes. I wouldn't mind them just trying something completely wacky and new with it, but if it is just going to be RE4 but less mechanically tight and with worse levels...yeah then a "why even bother" is my response.

In RE2 and 3 you can at least make the argument, like with 1, for the graphical overhaul. But while RE2make was a fun romp, it was also just such a step back imo compared to the classic game on a fundamental level.


My dream scenario? Re-release RE4 but do it really well. Redone texture work that keeps the original's appeal and atmosphere. Offer a mode to switch between releases and their balance changes (PAL had a lot of different stats). Add a boss-rush and new Mercs maps, some new player characters would be welcome too. Add the Hookman build as an unlockable side campaign dream scenario or whatever. Allow Mercenary characters to be used in the campaign in a weird challenge mode (unlockable). Add some new costumes (boomer jacket please). Keep the name "Killer7" in the game, because that's exactly the type of thing they'd change. Add a new difficulty that remixes enemy layouts and weapon locations to surprise veteran players. Maybe get Mikami and Tango on board to redesign Seperate Ways somehow (never played it, heard it was absolute ass).

Worst case scenario we're getting a cinematic remake where Ashley is constantly reminding Leon of her emancipation while lootboxes and "classic OST DLC" is shoved in our faces.

I have gone way off topic haha!

But really, we all know it's going to be like RE2/3 remakes. Costumes and Ada's story will be DLC.

Chaos Legion is perfect from start to finish.

I don't mind SOTC either. If I HAD to choose I'd say I like one of the bosses the least. Forgot which number it is.

>RE2make a step back

You don’t like wildly inconsistent weapon effectiveness and enemies that force specific play styles?

>Separate Ways is absolute ass

It sure is.

>SOTC

I really don’t like the horse riding, to me it doesn’t feel any different than going between objectives in any open world game. Maybe I’m a simpleton.

>RE4 remake

Yeah I can’t help but think it’ll just another reskin of RE2make with a bunch of stuff cut, classic soundtrack sold separately, the camp being gone in favor of generic Hollywood drivel, etc.

>horse riding/open world
Back then it was the first 'open' game I'd ever played. The atmosphere of the land is second only to Okami for me, might even be equal.

There's something about SOTC's environment that has me completely enthralled. I can't really explain it.

Yeah same, I can never be bored playing SOTC because the world is so wonderfully mysterious. I recently played through Ni No Kuni 2 and found it wonderfully refreshing throughout, though it's certainly no great action game

I played though NNK2 last year. Was going through the latest DLC but didn't finish it.

Welcome EmperorWu! Hope you enjoy your stay :)

The first 'open world' game I played was probably GTA3 which really blew me away at the time. I'd already played the 2d variants growing up, but I can still remember the exact layout of those cities by memory due to how much I played them. Didn't play Ni No Kuni sadly, or its sequel.

Been playing Dodonpachi DaiOuJou BL (a shmup) this past month and it struck me that there aren't really any annoying parts. All the stages are solid and unique, even if the first two are easy, and the bosses are excellent. Great game all around!

That's one of the most beloved games in the genre if I'm correct, right? I see players on my timeline on Twitter constantly playing it posting highscores and it was recommended to me on more than one occasion.

Yeah, it's a pretty well-known one by CAVE, at least as far as any shmup can be considered well-known. The difficulty is pretty tough but not unmanageable.

At first it felt crushingly brutal, and I was thinking "how does a human beat this?" But after playing for a week or so and getting a grip on the fundamentals, I began to understand the language of the game: how enemy patterns push you around the screen, which enemies control things with their presence, how to create gaps with movement, when to resist patterns and when to let them carry you along. And once I could read that language, I could see that what once appeared a chaotic mess was in reality deeply structured; I was forming a route through the game in my mind.

Of course, by the final stage that ordered nature is best characterized as an unstable equilibrium, where a disruption of the balance means disaster. DaiOuJou isn't willing to give up just because you have a general sense of what to do; the game has enough randomness in its patterns (especially bosses) that you can't get away with just memorization. You need to understand on a subconscious level how each one works: where gaps are likely to be, how to move to keep aimed bullets under control, how to recognize which mistakes can only be recovered from by bombing. The more you play, the deeper the game goes, and that's not even talking about scoring.

Basically, the game's pretty good.

I've settled on a mere 1-ALL on this game. I don't even remember my score (not great probably). There is so much competition on this particular game (even in the West), it discouraged me to play more I guess. So much practice is needed. Maybe one day I'll delve into it.

I agree it is nicely structured, in particular on stage 4 (the 5th is good as well). There, you can meet the best patterns among the genre.

Max Payne 2. There was an escort mission but I didn't think it was bad.

Kind of an unrelated answer but the thread topic reminds me of how sometimes ironically enough ''that annoying segment'' somehow ends up making the game more memorable and interesting than an okay game without any of them

If we are still talking about games that don’t have “chore” or “too frustrating  and not related to the main strength of the game” features, there are several games come to my mind.

Well, Bloodborne is mentioned above, so I will say none.

Even though it’s on Early Access state, I think Ultrakill doesn’t have a single frustrating stage or enemy so far. The levels are constructed in a way that provides diverse situations, but doesn’t hold players back from using certain options or something. Almost every enemies can be dealt with every weapons, and even the gimmicky or puzzling ones (like Stalkers or Hideous Mess)can be dealt quickly with right combo, which is great! Also every mini games are secrets, which means they are completely optional.

I would also like to say Nioh2 doesn’t have straight-out bad levels or bad bosses. The only thing less than “serviceable” is the moving tentacle castle boss, but even then, the moving tentacles don’t attack that frequently, so the camera control was manageable. Not to mention that the damage balance for the stage progression is lenient than the first one, and there aren’t frequent multiple tank enemy fights. (For games with souls camera works, dealing with more than three tanky enemies is really frustrating for me. And Nioh 1 was full of that)

For an action-focused Zelda-like game, Unsighted comes to my mind as a “straight-to-the-point, no-slow-moment” Game. I have some issues with the balancing of options of player’s side, but from the beginning to the end, it was a clean experience, which is quite refreshing to see from indie exploration-based games. (Salt and Sanctuary comes to my mind as an opposite case. It’s not a bad game at all, but the playthrough gets quite rough when it introduces so many knock-back traps and grappler enemies that one-shot-kill you)