The "Worst" Things About SuperPhillip Central's Favorite Games VI

It's time for your pal Phil to take on some of his favorite games with this sixth volume of The "Worst" Things About SuperPhillip Central's Favorite Games! Emphasis on the quotations around "worst", as some of these picks for "worst" things might be stretching things a bit or seem petty. Though I'm of the opinion that the pettier the pick, the more impressive the game is, considering that would be my greatest grievance with a given game. Either way, I adore these games a ton, but I certainly am not putting my blinders on as to my biggest issues with them. 

If you want to see more possibly petty picks for "worst" parts of my favorite games, check out these previous volumes:

Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five

Ghost of Tsushima (PS4)

We begin with a game that delighted me on the PlayStation 4 last year, coming in as one of the top ten games of 2020 as part of the SPC Best of 2020 Awards. In fact, four games on this list are part of that exclusive group! For the moment, however, I'm referring to the excellent Ghost of Tsushima from developer Sucker Punch, known previously for the studio's work on the Sly Cooper and InFamous series. 

Ghost of Tsushima is an utterly gorgeous game, even on the base PS4, so my particular problem with this samurai epic clashes with being able to thoroughly enjoy the scenery. More importantly, it concerns a mission variety problem, one that pops up quite often. 

I'm alluding to all of the tracking sections of missions in Ghost of Tsushima. On multiple occasions (see: A LOT) protagonist Jin Sakai needs to follow footprints or tracks left in the dirt or mud and follow them to a specific point. It happens so often that it gets pretty tedious, especially when lighting conditions aren't optimal for searching for and following dark, difficult-to-decipher tracks on the shadowy ground. Going back to my love of how beautiful Ghost of Tsushima as a game is, it's a shame that instead of getting to enjoy the wondrous, immaculate scenery, Sakai and the player are so often forced to have their face to the ground. Not to say the ground is ugly--far from truth--but it doesn't compare to picturesque and postcard-worthy landscapes featured on the island of Tsushima.

Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4)

Focusing an entire game on just a small portion of Final Fantasy VII, a 40-hour or so epic of a game, and having to make a full-fledged $60 title out of it was no easy task. Understandably, there would be some added content, some stretching, some lengthening of activities and scenes to make the game more worthwhile and not just a 10-hour experience. Final Fantasy VII Remake's first part is set entirely within the boundaries of the cyberpunk-esque city of Midgar, whether it atop the city's plates or underneath where the slums and downtrodden call their home.

The problem with turning the approximately five hours that it took to get through the Midgar section of the original Final Fantasy VII and stretching it to a 30-40 hour experience is that there is a ton of padding and filler to be found. I don't just mean instances where Cloud must saunter slowly through corridor environments as he speaks to other characters, or squeeze through yet another tight gap. No, this includes entire chapters and sections of the game as well. The most notable of which is Cloud and company's return trip to the sewers. 

To make a long story--or in this case, chapter--short, the entire trip through the sewer is essentially for naught as the character you're trying to help already had in their possession what Cloud's party was seeking. Thus, it makes the entire excursion pointless other than to pad the length of the game further. Final Fantasy VII Remake is full of these moments and sections, which while I still very much love the game wholeheartedly, it does make return play-throughs occasionally challenging for me.

Marvel's Spider-Man (PS5, PS4)

There's no doubt in my mind that Insomniac Games's first take on making a game starring Marvel's iconic webhead was an amazing--nay, spectacular success. Web-slinging and soaring through the skies, streets, and expanses of New York City was an absolute blast, and the majority of Marvel's Spider-Man is top notch superhero action in video game form. Of course, there is a glaring piece of Insomniac's freshman offering that is highly criticized and notable for being less than amazing by comparison.

Feel free to just skim or skip this entirely if you know where I'm going and what I'm alluding to, as I'm really not going to make any original points here. Nonetheless, yes, for those in the know and those who guessed correctly, I'm talking about the mandatory stealth sections in Marvel's Spider-Man. These aren't horribly done, but they absolutely slow the pacing of the game to an absolute standstill. Some don't even make sense in the context of the game. I mean, is it really worth not being late for school to risk sneaking through a high security area where getting caught means serious repercussions to your health, Miles? I don't think so. On the subject of Miles Morales, Insomniac must have felt the same about the execution of the stealth sections in their original Spider-Man game (or at least caved in to the criticism), because their follow-up starring the awesome Miles Morales did not feature these types of stealth missions. While there was stealth in the sequel, getting caught did not fail the mission.

DOOM Eternal (Multi)

A game that seldom gives you time to catch your breath before throwing you into another intense firefight with Hell's demons, DOOM Eternal certainly turned up the dial to 11, and then proceeded to rip and tear that sucker off! The single-player campaign is a seriously exciting one, but that's not what I'm going to focus on for this particular "worst" thing about the game. Though, I could easily make an argument about that final boss. Oof.

No, instead I'm going to briefly delve into the all-new multiplayer mode introduced in DOOM Eternal. It pits two demons against the Slayer in a multi-round mode, where the objective is to eliminate the opposing side before they eliminate you. The demons have their own powers and special abilities, while the Slayer has their host of weapons available to them. However, this mode just didn't stick with me in the same way that DOOM's 2016 offering did. 

I definitely applaud the developers of the multiplayer component of DOOM Eternal for being as bold as to try something new instead of resting on their laurels. It's just that the execution is not to my personal liking, it was nowhere near as addictive or enjoyable, and I would have preferred a more iterative, improved version of the deathmatch multiplayer as seen in DOOM's 2016 showing.

Sackboy: A Big Adventure (PS5, PS4)

The runner-up for Game of the Year at last year's SuperPhillip Central Best of 2020 Awards, Sackboy: A Big Adventure enchanted me with excellent level design--which surprised and delighted me with every new level and concept introduced--tighter precision platforming than seen in the LittleBigPlanet series, and terrific multiplayer, which I enjoyed with my older brother.

There was so much to love about Sackboy's latest foray into platforming, but it wasn't entirely perfect. No, like past LittleBigPlanet games, there was some niggling issues that occasionally came up with regard to the collisions of the game. On some occasions, when Sackboy tries to grab onto an object, particularly when in midair, he won't do so. Instead, he'll bounce right off it. This sometimes happens on surfaces where Sackboy is launched feet-first on, meaning he can't realistically grab something with his hands and instead hits it with his feet. This resulted in some unfair deaths, but they happen so irregularly that it wasn't a severe issue for me. It is important to mention, nonetheless.

Best Levels in Gaming History - Volume 22

Spring has sprung, and with it a new season featuring more of the Best Levels in Gaming History! We've reached the 22nd volume (wow!), and there's no signs of stopping. Whether they be actual levels, missions, maps, or even this time around, golf courses, these sectioned-off portions of games are some of the greatest ever. We've got a packed list of franchises represented this time around--we start with Spider-Man, move on to Sackboy, Crash Bandicoot, and Yooka-Laylee for some platforming fun, and end things by checking in on our backswing with some Mario Golf. 

If you have some time to spare or are simply yearning for more great gaming levels, then no look further than every installment of Best Levels in Gaming History right here with these convenient links:

Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six
Volume Seven
Volume Eight
Volume Nine
Volume Ten
Volume Eleven
Volume Twelve
Volume Thirteen
Volume Fourteen
Volume Fifteen
Volume Sixteen
Volume Seventeen
Volume Eighteen
Volume Nineteen
Volume Twenty
Volume Twenty-One

Hold onto your web-shooters - Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5, PS4)

Our opening Best Level in Gaming History is also the adrenaline-pumping opening to Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales, "Hold onto your web-shooters". After the events of the original Spider-Man game from Insomniac, Miles Morales has taken on the mantle as a second Spider-Man and has the original Spider-Man as his mentor. The two are entangled in a mission to oversee the transport of a convoy of R.A.F.T. prisoners who had escaped in the previous game. A helicopter malfunction results in a crash and the escape of several prisoners, including one rambunctious member of Spidey's rogue's gallery, Rhino.

While Spidey takes on Rhino, Miles focuses on the brawn that are the more manageable prisoners. Here, players learn the ins and outs of the most basic of combat: punches, kicks, web-shooting, evading attacks--that sort of thing. After two mobs of enemies, with the second batch having long-range weaponry in the form of guns, Spider-Man wrestles with Rhino, as the latter charges through the city, with Miles pursuing. 

Eventually, the three make it into a mall, where Miles takes over the Rhino-riding duties, weaving through stores, displays, and avoiding taking damage. The fun goes from the top floor straight to the bottom floor, and the rampage continues, even blasting through J. Jonah Jameson's Christmas-themed podcast set, much to Jonah's dismay and utter rage. 

The chase continues through the city streets, causing much more unintended collateral damage, but it ends when Rhino smashes himself, with Spidey and Miles in tow, into a flammable tank, which explodes upon impact. After Miles takes care of some crowd control of the escaped prisoner kind, Spidey #1 finds himself on the receiving end of Rhino's offense, leaving him unable to move. It's Miles' turn to shine, armed with an unknown and mysterious new electrical power that courses through his body, Venom Power, Miles does battle with Rhino, ultimately defeating him.

Between the amazing set pieces on display, whether it's the carnage on the streets or the rampage through the mall, the intense action, great and amusing dialogue, or how seamlessly everything happens (whether on PS4 or PS5), the opening mission in Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales starts the game on an insanely impressive note. And the entertaining ride only gets more enjoyable from there.

Flossed in Space - Sackboy: A Big Adventure (PS5, PS4)

Let's move on from one PlayStation Studios game to another, this time with Sackboy: A Big Adventure, a game that was runner-up on SPC's Games of 2020 list. For good reason, too, as the Sackboy's Super Mario 3D World-like platforming adventure was a masterclass of wonderful design, enjoyable and accessible platforming, and abundant imagination. So many of the levels could be selected from the game and represented for this type of article series, but if you've played Sackboy: A Big Adventure, then you probably already know what level type is most worthwhile.

This obvious pick is any one of the music levels featured in the game. These levels take a licensed track from popular music, such as Britney Spears' Toxic or Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars' Uptown Funk, and almost seamlessly syncs the running and jumping action on screen with the music. It's similar to Rayman Legends' lovely music levels, though these in Sackboy are not levels you just run like there's no tomorrow. No, in Sackboy, you play these levels at your own pace. 

Really, any of the five or so music levels featured in Sackboy: A Big Adventure could easily be selected for this volume of Best Levels in Gaming History, but I'll pick my personal favorite, featuring Foster the People's Houdini. The level Flossed in Space, an obvious but still clever riff off of Lost in Space, features a copious amount of portals that warp Sackboy to and from destinations, moving platforms, and a stupendous intergalactic space theme that is all complemented beautifully by the backing music. Part of my love for this level stems from the actual song, which is quite the bop, and another part is just how well executed the transitions between portions of the song are. It's an overall incredibly fun, sensationally original level that oozes with personality, much like the overall adventure of Sackboy itself.

Off Beat - Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time (Multi)

On the subject of 3D platformers, let's turn our focus to a much more difficult game. While I didn't necessarily love Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time for several reasons--as you can read in my review--there is no question or hint of denial on my end that a multitude of levels within the game are abundantly packed with creativity and genius. My pick for my favorite level within Crash 4 comes from the New Orleans-inspired music level Off Beat.

Off Beat starts out innocently enough with a vertical climb of boxes and platforms to the rooftops, and this is where the real fun begins. Complete with rising and lowering block platforms with mischievous faces painted on them, ghosts that bugle out and drop painful-to-the-touch notes from their trumpets, helpful bipedal cannons that assist Crash by blasting him across the city skyline with ease, and even a parade featuring familiar Crash characters and even a Spyro the Dragon appearance, Off Beat is a level that is hardly one-note. It's fun to run through, features limited "gotcha" moments that I felt plagued this game throughout its adventure, and is just jam-packed with creativity.

Cliffside Quest - Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair (Multi)

From 3D platforming to 2.5D platforming, we turn to the wildly charming, clever, and well executed Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair from Playtonic Games. While Yooka-Laylee was a spiritual successor to Banjo-Kazooie that didn't quite stick the landing, with Impossible Lair, Playtonic successfully nailed its take on the Donkey Kong Country-style with some insanely ingenious additions as well.

The levels in Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair are pretty much all wonderfully well done, but nearly all of them are somewhat linear affairs. That's what makes the Cliffside Quest level so unique in Impossible Lair. The premise is simple: Yooka and Laylee are greeted with a statue of villain Capital B., and inside a protected shield is a bee, essentially the "goal" of the level. However, in a "so close, yet so far" type of scenario, Yooka and Laylee need to track down six gems that are scattered on all corners of this nonlinear level in order to unlock the shield and complete the level.

Whether in its springtime version or its frozen variant, Cliffside Quest has myriad platforming challenges to take on, and most of these are relegated to specific rooms and chambers. There are climbing challenges, where Yooka and Laylee must avoid killer lasers as they climb, there are enemy gauntlets, swimming situations, and much more to track down all six gems to satisfy the conditions of clearing the level. It's a scavenger hunt of sorts, and one that is enjoyable in either variant of this atypical, untraditional level in Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair.

Mario's Star - Mario Golf (N64), Mario Golf: World Tour (3DS)

We wrap up this 22nd volume of Best Levels in Gaming History with a first. Yes, in the 21 previous installments of Best Levels in Gaming History, we've never seen a golf course ever represented. Time to give the game of golf its proper due with some representation, and why not with Mario Golf: Super Rush for the Nintendo Switch fast approaching!

One of the most creatively designed courses in Mario Golf history comes from the very first Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64. Mario's Star is the ultimate course in that game, and what makes it so creative in its design is how each hole is essentially art of famous Mario characters and enemies comprised of things like bunkers, water hazards, rock, fairways, greens, and more. As you can see in the attached photos, the noble and honorable Princess Peach gets immortalized in this course with a striking portrait (and one hard hole of golf, might I add!).

It's more than a gimmick, though, which is much appreciated. The designs lend themselves well to a challenging round of golf, but one that is ultimately fair in its difficulty. Mario's Star would reappear as one of the six downloadable courses in Mario Golf: World Tour for the Nintendo 3DS. In fact, every course in the aforementioned DLC are courses from Mario Golf for the N64 that have been remixed, remade, and mostly renamed for World Tour.

Toughest Tasks in Gaming History - Volume Nine

New year, new Toughest Tasks in Gaming History! Welcome to the first edition of TTIGH in 2021, and hopefully not the last either. These tasks are harder than (or just as hard as) Sony trying to supply enough PlayStation 5s to meet demand. That should give you an idea on just how difficult these next five gaming challenges truly are. We start off with a trio of 3D platformers, including Super Mario 3D World, Sackboy: A Big Adventure, and even go retro with a Nintendo 64 classic. Then, we change directions to some rhythm game goodness with Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory, and then end this edition with our fists-a-flyin' with Streets of Rage 4. Regardless of the game, you're going to encounter some gaming challenges that are seriously taxing to overcome!

Before checking out the latest five entries to our ever-expanded list of tough tasks in gaming history, check out all past volumes with these convenient links:

Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four
Volume Five
Volume Six

Volume Seven

Volume Eight

Clearing Champion's Road - Super Mario 3D World (Wii U)

With the updated Nintendo Switch version of Super Mario 3D World releasing this week with a brand-new mode and updates to the old 3D World adventure, it seems like a prime opportunity to leap into this edition of the Toughest Tasks in Gaming History with 3D World's toughest trial. The final level awaiting players of Super Mario 3D World in the Crown World is only unlockable if they earn all of the game's stamps, Green Stars, and hit the top of every level's flagpole in the game. Then, and only then, can they challenge the extra difficult super level that tests every platforming skill learned over the course of the game, Champion's Road.

Champion's Road isn't just difficult because of the myriad platforming challenges presented in players' paths, but it's also quite the endurance run, requiring almost perfection to complete in one run. There are no checkpoints to speak of, no power-ups to collect, and every obstacle is more intense and difficult than the last. 

Screenshot source: IGN

Here's just a sampling of the platforming and traversal challenges on offer on Champion's Road. There are narrow platforms that require running across as to not fall between the gaps to your demise, all the while avoiding the bum-rushing attempts of Chargin' Chucks. There are beat blocks that vanish and re-appear, requiring utterly perfect timing to leap on. There is a showdown with three Magikoopa that must be defeated while battling them on incredibly unstable ground. Then, there's a test of your underwater swimming abilities as you rush through a spike-filled passageway. Finally, a dangerous ensemble of dash panels suspended over the abyss necessitates the need for precision running, jumping, and avoiding the shockwaves of nearby enemies as you collect five key coins to unlock the way to the end. 

Whether Nintendo's "Thank You" message spelled out in clear pipes is to show gratitude for playing 3D world or being enough of a masochist to make it to the end of Champion's Road unscathed is up to interpretation. Either way, you're a Super Mario 3D World master if you can complete this level, especially with all five characters!

Getting a Gold on the Ripsnorter - Sackboy: A Big Adventure (PS5, PS4)

Speaking of endurance runs and no doubt a level inspired by Super Mario 3D World's Champion's Road, we have Sackboy: A Big Adventure (which itself has close 3D World influences) and its final Knitted Knight Trial: The Ripsnorter. Leading up to The Ripsnorter, you tackle 15 unique platforming obstacle courses, attempting to clear each which have their own hazards and gimmicks to play through. Some deal with bounce pads, others with rotating platforms, others with rising and lowering spikes. The point is that just clearing these with the gold medal times is challenging enough.

Then, you have The Ripsnorter, which isn't just what you'd expect to be a hard trial itself, but this level actually takes all 15 of the previous Knitted Knight Trials and stitches them together to craft one insane challenge! Simply surviving all 15 sections of The Ripsnorter, with no checkpoints, AND the need to clear it in under ten minutes (which shows just how lengthy of a trial The Ripsnorter is) will make even the most confident and proficient platformer sweat and shake. Each run I attempted usually ended in quick failure, but eventually muscle memory kicks in, you make more progress with each run, until finally, you reach the goal--and with a Gold medal to boot! Sackboy: A Big Adventure's Ripsnorter may just be a tougher trial to overcome than its clear inspiration, and those who do will not only feel accomplished but also feel relieved that they won't have to do it again!

Achieving 101% Completion - Donkey Kong 64 (N64)

Let's continue our 3D platforming kick with a retro classic, which was arguably designed a bit too big for its britches. In fact, that's where the main challenge of this particular tough task in gaming history from Donkey Kong 64 comes from. Past Donkey Kong Country games required you to find every possible secret to achieve the highest completion percentage, something you could show off and be proud of. Donkey Kong 64 continued that trend, though with how ridiculous and convoluted earning everything in the game was, this was no easy task!

In order to clear Donkey Kong 64 with 101% completion, proficient and utterly patient platforming players needed to: collect all 201 Golden Bananas (equivalent to Super Mario 64's Power Stars or Banjo-Kazooie's Jiggies), earn all Banana Medals (for collecting every banana in the game's levels), earn all Battle Crowns (for completing arena battles), photograph all Banana Fairies, collect all Boss Keys, and finally, earn the Rareware and Nintendo coins (from completing the classic Jetpac and Donkey Kong arcade games respectively).

Now, this might seem like a tremendous amount of playtime and almost work to complete, and as any DK64 player will tell you, that's because it is. With five Kongs to play as, the most work comes from having to find barrels to switch between characters, as the Kongs could only collect their specifically colored bananas. The levels in DK64 were huge and expansive, offering plenty of nooks and crannies to hide bananas, Golden Bananas, blueprints to find and obtain, and much more that were exclusive to each Kong. That meant a lot of switching between Kongs, backtracking, and utter frustration. And don't even get me started on that dreaded Beaver Bother mini-game either! While enjoyable to play, much like a game featured in our previous edition of Toughest Tasks in Gaming History, clearing Donkey Kong 64 completely really isn't and is more trouble than it's reasonably worth!

Accomplishing All Feats - Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory (PS4, XB1, NSW)

Rhythm and music game lovers received an entirely new game to adore this past holiday season, and that adoration would only increase if they were Kingdom Hearts fans. Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory took the Theatrhythm formula from the Nintendo 3DS games and transplanted it from a 2D perspective into a 3D one. With Yoko Shimomura and company's music to join them on their journey through the game's multitude of songs, Melody of Memory ended up being a generally enjoyable music game, as evidenced by our SPC review.

There is no shortage of songs and content to sink one's teeth into in this Kingdom Hearts rhythm game, and that proof is no better seen than in the game's 80 feats. These are in-game challenges that require either consistent play through the game or a high level of musical skill to achieve. Some are easy enough to accomplish, such as beating a boss level, beating the game, or clearing a set number of songs--things that are natural to the completion of the game's World Tour mode. Others are meant solely for diehard fans of the game and experts alike. These range from grind-like feats like defeating 100,000 enemies and opening 100 treasure chests, to more skill-based challenges like clearing a myriad of the hardest difficulty's songs with a full chain (never missing a single note) or getting a score of over 9.800,000 on a Proud mode song. Suffice it to say, not only are a lot of these feats incredibly arduous to achieve, but many also require a dedication to the game that most probably won't have! 

All S Ranks on Mania Mode - Streets of Rage 4 (PS4, XB1, NSW, PC)

The development group of DotEmu, Lizardcube and Guard Crush delivered a terrific revival of the Streets of Rage series with Streets of Rage 4. It played as great as it looked--and SoR4 was no stinker when it came to its visuals! The game also brought with it a stiff challenge as well, even on the easiest difficulty level, So, when you've got the toughest difficulty level, Mania Mode, it's certainly not for the weak-skilled. 

Simply beating a level in Mania Mode is a tough task to ask for all to itself, and beating the game in Mania Mode is even harder. But, what about clearing each level with an S Rank? Good luck, as that requires you to keep up your combo streak to impressive levels, where a quick potshot from an enemy will make you lose all those priceless points. As any Streets of Rage 4 player can tell you, that's all too easy to have happen in any difficulty, much less Mania Mode! Enemies are fast, enemies are highly skilled, and while the number of them is pretty much unaltered, they're far more dangerous. Surviving is a challenge all on its own, so if you can master Mania Mode, you are without a doubt one of the best beat-em-up players around.

Fortunately, there is no trophy or achievement for earning all S Ranks in Mania Mode. In fact, all you have to do is beat one level in said mode to unlock the difficulty's sole trophy/achievement, so most players won't find a desire or need to overly frustrate themselves. That said, if you're still wanting an intense and supremely difficult challenge, then just try to S Rank all of Mania Mode. Just try not to break that controller of yours in half out of a streets-induced rage!