8 Games With A Serious Story, But Stupid Gameplay

Have you ever played a game with a great story that ultimately falls flat because the gameplay is too confusing or just poorly designed? It’s frustrating when a promising game is ruined by how it actually feels to play.

The gameplay is surprisingly disappointing. It’s either just okay, or completely confusing. Honestly, I’ve reached a point where I’m just hoping the game will somehow become enjoyable, and that it will at least manage to keep me engaged.

Today I’m highlighting games with fantastic stories that, unfortunately, weren’t very fun to play. While these games had a lot going for them, their gameplay was often either too complicated or just plain frustrating.

8. Fort Solis

Disappointment On Touchdown

I was really excited when I learned about Fort Solis, a sci-fi thriller with Troy Baker and Roger Clark from Red Dead Redemption 2. Unfortunately, the game didn’t live up to expectations – while the story wasn’t bad, the gameplay itself was a major disappointment.

I get that story-focused games aren’t supposed to be about gameplay, but even Telltale Games managed to make their stories feel engaging. This game doesn’t even try.

Fort Folis feels more like a slow-paced walking simulator than an engaging game. You have very little control over what happens, and the movement is frustratingly slow. While it looks good thanks to the Unreal Engine 5, the story doesn’t quite deliver, and the pacing feels off.

7. Twelve Minutes

Psychologically Repetitive

Twelve Minutes was an indie game that initially caught attention with its interesting premise and exciting story. It also boasted a well-known cast, featuring actors like Willem Dafoe and James McAvoy.

The game was advertised as a captivating, story-driven experience with a time-loop mechanic, but it ended up feeling repetitive. Gameplay mostly involves repeatedly trying different actions to see what happens, making it feel like a tedious process of trial and error.

The game’s puzzles offer little guidance, which can be discouraging as you try to unravel the couple’s disturbing story. It aims for a complex, fragmented narrative similar to Christopher Nolan’s Memento, but ultimately feels more frustrating than rewarding, leaving you wanting a clearer path and a more satisfying conclusion.

6. Spec Ops: The Line

Do You Feel Like a Hero Yet?

Let me preface this by saying I’m a big fan of Spec Ops: The Line. I genuinely believe it’s a standout example of a game that uses political themes and psychological elements to challenge your sense of right and wrong, particularly in the latter half. It was also one of the first games I played on my new gaming PC, but I especially want to highlight how well-written it is.

The game’s story is strong, but the gameplay isn’t as impressive. The shooting mechanics feel very standard and uninspired. Battles are often frustrating because enemies can absorb a lot of damage, and the constant need to move between cover quickly becomes repetitive.

5. The Medium

An On-Rails Nosedive

The Medium boasts a captivating story and a truly memorable setting. Exploring every detail of Niwa Resort is a real pleasure, and the game’s fixed camera angles create a unique, unsettling atmosphere reminiscent of classic horror games from the mid-2000s.

The game creates horror through its psychological elements and unsettling atmosphere, much like the Silent Hill games, especially with Akira Yamaoka composing the soundtrack.

I really enjoyed the gameplay, despite its flaws. While the game excels in some areas, it often feels like a slow-paced walking simulator with slightly more complex puzzles. Even the stealth sections, featuring the creature called The Maw, weren’t particularly challenging or memorable.

Several people I’ve talked to felt like playing The Medium was more like experiencing a tech demo than a full game. I understand why – the game’s design is very simple. It feels more guided than interactive, and many players wish they had more control and involvement in the gameplay.

4. The Callisto Protocol

A Cheap Imitation

I gave The Callisto Protocol a try, but honestly, the gameplay was so bad I couldn’t enjoy it, even after trying to get used to it. The story was okay, with some good moments, but after finishing the game, I immediately wanted to replay Dead Space instead – it just felt like a better experience.

I was really excited about this game because it nails that dark, scary sci-fi vibe – it’s genuinely unsettling! But honestly, the combat kind of lets it down. A lot of time is spent just trying to dodge attacks, and the controls feel a bit awkward and clunky, turning fights into a frustrating timing game instead of something truly engaging.

Honestly, the weapons and enemies were a bit of a letdown. I can deal with simple weapons, but they really could have added more variety to the enemy designs. I felt like I was fighting the same few guys over and over, and it just got stale after a while. They had the potential to make some really cool enemies, and it’s disappointing they didn’t.

Honestly, I found myself weirdly enjoying some of the game’s worst parts! Those frustrating instant deaths and super-tight spaces actually got my heart racing, which was kind of fun. But I can’t pretend the gameplay as a whole is good – it’s just silly and really holds back what could have been a decent game. It’s a shame, because there’s potential there.

3. Quantum Break

Remedy’s Weakest Concoction

I’m a huge fan of all the games connected in Remedy’s universe, so I was really excited to try Quantum Break. I was curious to see if its unusual story about time travel and its different style of gameplay would live up to my expectations.

Leaving aside the strange ending, the game actually has a really interesting story. It features a complete TV show broadcast within the game itself, starring well-known actors like Lance Reddick and Shawn Ashmore as the main character, Jack.

I have to stop there. Quantum Break looks good, but the actual gameplay is really weak and disappointing.

I really enjoyed messing around with Jack’s time-bending abilities in the game, but honestly, for a game so focused on time, the actual gameplay felt a little basic. It was mostly just standard third-person shooting, and you could tell Remedy realized that later with Control. Still, it’s a solid game with a great story that sadly didn’t get the attention it deserved, and the whole series kind of faded away over time, which is a shame.

2. Detroit: Become Human

Deviant Uprising

I enjoy story-driven adventure games, and Detroit: Become Human definitely drew me in with its overall story and focus on characters like Kara and Connor. However, I found the actual gameplay wasn’t as captivating as I’d hoped.

Quantic Dream and David Cage are known for making games with lots of interactive elements. However, in this game, those interactions – like quick-time events and simple choices – feel more frustrating than engaging. They don’t add much depth to the gameplay and become tedious rather than fun.

This game follows the predictable patterns of a movie plot, rather than offering a story shaped by your choices. While characters have a few key endings, these don’t significantly change the overall story in many different ways.

1. Heavy Rain

An Interactive Nightmare

I saved the best game for last – Heavy Rain. I really enjoyed playing it when it was offered for free on PlayStation Plus in 2018, and honestly, it was also the funniest game I’d played up to that point.

Although the game initially appears to be a dark and gritty story, similar to an HBO crime drama, it’s actually a frustrating experience. It constantly interrupts the story with quick-time events for even simple actions, and the choices you make don’t really impact the outcome.

The game relies so heavily on interactive elements and quick-time events that it’s often unintentionally funny. Failing a simple button press can cause Ethan to stumble in a ridiculous way, creating a comedic effect that clashes with the game’s otherwise serious story.

The game tries to give you choices, but if you fail to press the right buttons at the right time, even the most dramatic moments can feel awkward and unintentionally funny.

2025-11-17 02:41