The validity of gaming as an art form is no longer up for debate. This is a medium in which serious and resonant stories can be told, themes extrapolated and multi-faceted characters analyzed. However, books and films don't have to contend with bugs that reduce their protagonists to bleating messes, the strange agency of their audience, or background characters abruptly ragdolling to oblivion.
The scope is nearly endless: questionable dialogue, dated graphics, and broken tones. In some golden moments, all factors coalesce to produce something extraordinary. The game tries valiantly to take itself seriously, in spite of all this beautiful dissonance. Players love them regardless, often because of this unintentional hilarity.
6 The Resident Evil Series
Resident Evil came out of the gate swinging. The original is book-ended by two hammy live-action sequences, announcing its absurdity. In spite of the rocky start, the experience proves to be genuinely terrifying. The disconcerting atmosphere of the infamous Spencer Mansion is expertly cultivated.
With every installment, however, the stakes were raised to cataclysmic levels. Presidents became zombies, boulders were obliterated by single punches. All of this is threaded together by the impervious Albert Wesker, a villain whose subsequent returns made Palpatine look like an amateur. He desperately wanted immortality. He achieved it through a lifetime of Wesker memes. It's as much comedy as it is horror.
5 Death Stranding
Hideo Kojima's mind is a gift. A wonderful, twisted gift. He seems to share similar qualities with another auteur, George Lucas. A penchant for visionary design, coupled with the ability to produce high-school quality dialogue. Adding to the absurdity? Said dialogue is delivered by magnificent A-list actors. The player inhabits Norman Reedus (Sam Bridges), as he builds bridges between communities, all the while carrying a "Bridge Baby" in an orange embryonic sac.
If Sam's name isn't too obtuse for the player, try Die-Hardman for size. The surreal setting, characters, and gameplay leave players speculating whether certain scenes are constructed for laughs or meta-commentary. The "Princess Beach" pun is a masterstroke that still haunts many.
4 Saints Row 2
The second installment of the Saints Row franchise was the last before the IP completely jumped the shark. Saints Row 2 suffers from an identity crisis. Was it a GTA clone? Was it trying to tell a serious story about building a crime syndicate? Or did it want the player to just revel in the stupidity?
One minute, the player experiences real loss in the most heart-wrenching of ways. A loyal lieutenant is dragged unceremoniously, tied to the back of a rival's car, before being put out of their misery by the protagonist. The next moment, the player could be spraying fecal matter onto the citizens of Stilwater from a septic tank. The tone is all over the place.
3 Mass Effect: Andromeda
Mass Effect: Andromeda is a fine example of a game trying to contend with the weight of its own hype. Following up and continuing the iconic Mass Effect series was never going to be an easy task. It's well documented that the BioWare team also had to grapple with making an RPG in the Frostbite engine, another difficult feat. This difficulty led to some particularly clunky and infamous animations.
A clone NPC might suddenly spawn while the player interacts with them, and the protagonist's eyes might diverge in opposing directions until they come completely leave the face. These bugs detracted from a story that was trying to demonstrate the bravery and sacrifice inherent in those that are intrepid. The result either made players laugh, cry, or both.
2 Ride To Hell: Retribution
Ride to Hell actually had a promising concept when it was first discussed back in 2008. An open-world game exploring the dynamic of a motorcycle gang in 60s America. Thoughts of the expansive open road, leather vests, and smoky biker bars lit the imaginations of many. The final product was anything but.
Dull and repetitive gameplay, atrocious voice acting and the laughable fully clothed sex scenes left players staring at their screens in disbelief, questioning the choices that led them to buy the game in the first place. In order to get their biking fix, players are recommended to turn towards GTA IV: The Lost and Damned or Road Redemption instead.
1 The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion
No other game was going to take the top spot. The facial models look like melting wax works. The radiant conversations between NPCs sound like aliens masquerading as humans. To add to its surreal nature, there seem to be about three voice actors employed across the entire game. In spite of this, TheElder Scrolls 4: Oblivion has deservedly received every superlative and accolade the industry could muster.
Bethesda games are now synonymous with bugs. It's doubtful that was the plan when The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion was released in 2006. Fans would likely be disappointed if a Bethesda IP was shipped without a few game-breakers. Many say it adds to the allure and charm of the experience. Perhaps Mass Effect: Andromeda deserves the same discretion. Either way, most giggle at Brother Jauffre's egg-like visage as he laments about the encroaching end of days.
