10 Amazing Mechanics In Underwhelming Games (2025)

The path of improvement is paved with failure. The same can be said with video games, which carry the unique ability to still be fun despite glaring issues.

Unfortunately, games don't always live up to players' expectations, leading to disappointment and underwhelming reactions. However, that doesn't mean the game isn't memorable.

Some video game mechanics still stand out, even in those disappointing games — a fond memory in a bad era. Sometimes, these mechanics are the only redeeming quality about the game, either in concept or execution.

It feels like an unfortunate waste, of a concept, of missed fun, of all that could have been. However, players don't have to look back in melancholy; hopefully, these mechanics will return in new games, so it may get the experience it deserves: of being beloved.

10 Take Away Senses

The Quiet Man

Beat 'Em Up

Action

Adventure

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:29/100 Critics Recommend:3%

Platform(s)

PC , PS4

Released

November 1, 2018

Developer

Square Enix, Human Head Studios

Publisher(s)

Square Enix

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

ESRB

m

How Long To Beat

3 Hours

Perhaps one of the most heartbreaking wastes of potential is The Quiet Man, a Beat 'Em Up action game by Square Enix. The game follows the protagonist, Dane, who is deaf — thus introducing the game's main premise and central mechanic.

The game has little to no sound, putting players in Dane's shoes, which is amazing as a concept. Unfortunately, Square Enix didn't seem to understand that telling the story of a character with a disability involves not turning said disability into a gimmick.

While the game ended up failing colossally, the idea of taking away senses is still incredibly unique. It's one of the few things about the game that's remembered somewhat fondly, even if it could have been done significantly better.

9 Jedi Mind Tricks

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed 2

Action-Adventure

Systems

Franchise

Star Wars

Platform(s)

Nintendo DS , Xbox 360 , Xbox One , Nintendo Wii , PlayStation Portable , PlayStation 3 , PC

Released

October 26, 2010

Developer(s)

LucasArts

See Also

Spyro Games List - All of the Spyro Video Games in Order of Release

Publisher(s)

LucasArts

Multiplayer

Local Multiplayer , Online Multiplayer

Engine

havok, euphoria

ESRB

t

How Long To Beat

5 Hours

Star Wars fans are notoriously hard to please — however, they were particularly disappointed upon the release of The Force Unleased II. To several fans, it clearly didn't live up to the first game, despite the anticipation leading up to it.

While it ended up being a sad installment as far as Star Wars video games go, there's still one mechanic that players remember fondly: the Jedi Mind Trick.

Unfortunately, this mechanic isn't introduced until the latter half of the game, but it was still loads of fun. Being able to control enemies and getting rid of them without lifting a finger is an absolute power move, reminiscent to Knights of the Old Republic.

8 Aiden's Connection

Beyond: Two Souls

Adventure

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:71/100 Critics Recommend:47%

Platform(s)

PS4 , PS3 , PC

Released

October 8, 2013

Developer(s)

Quantic Dream

Publisher(s)

Sony Computer Entertainment

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

ESRB

m

Metascore

70

OpenCritic Rating

Fair

The works of David Cage continue to be divided among players, but none as much as Beyond: Two Souls. Unlike Quantic Dream's magnum opus Detroit: Become Human, Beyond: Two Souls remains incredibly divisive among critics and fans alike.

Starring Hollywood Actor Elliot Page, the game follows Jodie, and her spiritual and supernatural connection with her twin brother, Aiden.

Aiden is a formless spirit, one that can actually be controlled as an integral mechanic to the game. He's able to move objects, possess other minds and many other powerful feats that help with combat, puzzles and progressing the story.

While the game had mixed reviews, many were impressed with Aiden, and how wonderfully he fit into the narrative and gameplay.

7 Threatening With Guns

I Am Alive

Action-Adventure

Survival

Systems

Platform(s)

PC , PS3 , Xbox 360

Released

March 7, 2012

Developer(s)

Ubisoft Shanghai

Publisher(s)

Ubisoft

Engine

Unreal Engine 2, Unreal Engine 3

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language

How Long To Beat

6 Hours

Metascore

69

I Am Alive had the misfortune of being just not enough of what players were looking for. Post-apocalyptic survival games were all the hype in the early 2010s, but I Am Alive managed to hit all the staples and none of the cravings.

However, one unique feature of the game still stands out, even in comparison to modern games: how the NPCs in the game react to guns.

Sure, in games like The Last of Us, players are able to hold hostile enemies at gunpoint as a human shield, but that's not quite how it's done in I Am Alive. In perhaps the most rational human reaction, the NPC won't immediately fight back.

The enemy doesn't know if the gun is loaded or not, and doesn't want to take any chances. In other games in the same genre, enemies would fight back, becoming immediately hostile upon sight (especially upon sight of a gun). However, the logic in I Am Alive is striking, and hopefully will be incorporated into other survival games.

6 Weapon Crafting

Dead Space 3

Third-Person Shooter

Horror

Systems

Franchise

Dead Space

Platform(s)

PC , PS3 , Xbox 360

Released

February 5, 2013

Developer(s)

Visceral Games

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

Multiplayer

Local Co-Op , Online Co-Op

Engine

Hydraulic Engines

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language

How Long To Beat

12 Hours

Number of Players

2

Dead Space 3 is the black sheep of the Dead Space franchise. By straying away from its space horror roots and being more of an action game, many fans claim it's the worst in the franchise.

However, that doesn't mean it did everything entirely wrong. In fact, the weapon crafting system is still fondly remembered by many fans.

It makes sense in lore and in execution, with Isaac Clarke being a literal engineer, it's logical for him to craft and upgrade his weapons on the fly. Plus, it's just downright fun and creative, allowing players to have the exact weapon that they need and reap the rewards.

The mechanic is remembered due to how creative players are allowed to be with their weapons, regardless of the resources at hand. Imagination is the only limit when creating weapons or modifying existing ones, allowing for insane and incredibly powerful combinations.

5 Memory Mixing

Remember Me

7/ 10

Action-Adventure

Adventure

Systems

Platform(s)

PC , PS3 , Xbox 360

Released

June 4, 2013

Developer(s)

Dontnod Entertainment

Publisher(s)

Capcom

Engine

Unreal Engine 3

ESRB

m

How Long To Beat

10 Hours

Remember Me was released to mixed reception, mostly met with disappointment overall. It wasn't exactly a terrible game, just genuinely underwhelming, but players can't ever forget one core mechanic of the game: being able to literally remix memory.

For many, memory mixing is the defining feature of the entire game; being able to rewrite history to the player's exact specifications is mind-blowing. No pun intended.

It's ironic, for a game titled "Remember Me," it's been forgotten in practically every way. Yet, sometimes, it creeps back in, a call begging to be remembered.

Or perhaps, it's players' memories being remixed, reminding them of a really cool video game mechanic.

4 Soul-Jumping

Tchia

Open-World

Adventure

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:78/100 Critics Recommend:69%

Platform(s)

PC , PS4 , PS5 , Nintendo Switch , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

Released

March 21, 2023

Developer(s)

Awaceb

Publisher(s)

Awaceb

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

ESRB

T For Teen Due To Blood and Gore, Crude Humor, Language, Violence

How Long To Beat

7 Hours

Tchia is an adorable, yet underwhelming game that follows the titular character in her exploration journey through the game's island, inspired by the country of New Caledonia. Exploration is integral, with getting lost being part of the fun.

One particular mechanic of the game stands out, though: Soul-Jumping.

Soul-Jumping is Tchia's primary power in the game, allowing her to possess any animal or small object that she chooses — and yes, this includes a coconut.

It's a mechanic tied to New Caledonia's mythology and folklore, adding a heartfelt element to an otherwise underwhelming game. It creates a whimsical experience that is almost reminiscent of playing outside as a child, which is a magical feeling in its own right.

3 Flight

Anthem

Action

RPG

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Top Critic Rating:61/100 Critics Recommend:13%

Platform(s)

PS4 , Xbox One , PC

Released

February 22, 2019

Developer(s)

BioWare

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Engine

Frostbite 3

ESRB

T for Teen: Alcohol Reference, Language, Mild Blood, Use of Tobacco, Violence

The connotation of flight with freedom has been a constant in humanity and the media for decades, centuries, even. So, naturally, flight in video games should feel freeing, and BioWare nailed that with Anthem.

Despite how poorly Anthem was received upon release, the flight is still talked about fondly by players. With the pure feeling of freedom and the childlike awe of the skies, for some, it made the entire game worthwhile.

Some fans hope that BioWare will return to Anthem's world, but others are still skeptical. One thing everyone can agree on, though: if flight is involved, it will at least be fun.

2 Imperial Succession/Generation Mechanics

Romancing SaGa II: Revenge of the Seven

JRPG

Adventure

Systems

Franchise

SaGa

Platform(s)

PlayStation 5 , PlayStation 4 , Nintendo Switch , PC

Released

October 24, 2024

Developer(s)

Square Enix , ArtePiazza

Engine

Unity

ESRB

Teen // Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Partial Nudity

Steam Deck Compatibility

Playable

The story of Romancing SaGa II: Revenge of the Seven centres around an entire empire rather than one particular protagonist. It ended up being an underwhelming entry in the SaGa series, struggling to live up to the hype of the first Romancing SaGa game.

That said, the Generation Mechanics (often going hand in hand with the Succession Mechanics) in this game more than make up for its downfalls.

Focusing on the wellbeing of the empire, players keep track of each incoming generation with the passage of time, watching the impact of every decision unfold with the reveal of each century. It's a fascinating feature, one that really has players focusing on their legacy overall.

Not all events trigger a generation skip, as it depends on the players' actions and the state of their whole empire. The battles they fight are accounted for, the bosses are incorporated into points, it adds weight to everything that players do in the game, as it affects not just these current characters, but their descendants as well.

1 Doubt/Lie Facial Mechanics

L.A. Noire

9/ 10

Action

Adventure

Systems

Platform(s)

Nintendo Switch , PC , PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , Xbox 360 , Xbox One

Released

May 17, 2011

Developer(s)

Team Bondi

Publisher(s)

Rockstar Games

Engine

havok

ESRB

m

L.A. Noire captured lightning in a bottle. Despite the game itself being rather disappointing in terms of story and overall gameplay, one special mechanic made the game suddenly revolutionary.

Following detective Cole Phelps, players have to follow clues to solve cases — more crucially, they have to interrogate witnesses to figure out the story.

The game used motion capture to create different faces and expressions that indicate if someone is lying. By doubting an NPC's testimony, players can watch their face twist into suspicion or maintain innocence, a concept that has players still begging for a sequel.

It fully comes off uncanny thanks to graphical limitations, but it ended up creating an experience that was truly unique and quite special.