Which RPGs have failed to reach the heights of Elder Scrolls and Elden Ring?

When you take a look around at the global entertainment sector, it is clear that gaming occupies a dominant position. One reason for this is its constant evolution, and the wide choice of genres it embraces. In terms of evolution, esports is a great example to think about. This is a niche within gaming that is estimated to be worth just over $1bn alone and has grown hugely over recent years. 

When it comes to the choice of games, this is also a major plus point that draws people in. One of the most popular sorts of games are RPG titles. As shown at https://spelarollspel.se/, titles such as Symbaroum have lots to offer. In terms of RPG games, though, the Elder Scrolls franchise and 2022’s Elden Ring really stand out. 

Unfortunately, not all titles that this genre has seen over time can quite match up to their brilliance. But which are the worst RPG games ever that fail to reach the standards they have set? 

Realms of Arkania: Blade of Destiny Revised 

In comparison to the Elder Scrolls series and Elden Ring, this remake of an early 1990’s RPG title is just so far of the mark it is untrue! Where the gameplay, control system and storytelling in Elder Scrolls games and Elden Ring are on point, the same is not true for this RPG flop.

In Realms of Arkania, everything you would not want to see in a game like this is present. The graphics are beyond dull and the glut of in-game bugs gets seriously annoying after a while. The gameplay itself just isn’t engaging and some of the game dialogue has not even been translated. It just seems a rushed, unfinished game that cannot match the best in this niche. 

Infestation: Survivor Stories 

All gaming genres have their massive titles that make big news – the planned release of Halo infinite Season 2 is one example of this. This is the same for RPGs and there is no doubt that the bar set by Elder Scrolls and Elden Ring is hard for other games to clear. Infestation: Survivor Stories might have been launched back in 2012 but this is no excuse when you see that top installments in the Elder Scrolls franchise, such as Morrowind, came out before then.

Formerly known as The War Z, Infestation is an open-world zombie RPG that gained a cautiously positive response in testing. When it hit the market for real, though, the boring gameplay and raft of glitches saw it sink without trace. It is essentially a much worse version of DayZ! 

Wild West Online 

At one time, gamers into RPGs had become very excited about this online MMO title. Leaked images before its launch in 2018 looked awesome and hinted at something special. This was something of a false dawn, however, and people were left unimpressed when they tried it out for real. 

Although it does look pretty stunning, to be fair, there is just not much to do in the game, and an empty gameworld to explore. This takes away much of the entertainment the best RPG titles (like Elder Scrolls games or Elden Ring) deliver. When you add in awkward animations, tedious quests and irritating micro-transactions, you can see why it simply cannot match what the best games in this genre offer. 

Mass Effect: Andromeda 

Although the recently launched Elden Ring shows how good RPGs can be when done properly (as does the Elder Scrolls series), the same cannot be said for Mass Effect: Andromeda. This sci-fi themed game came out in 2017 and was the follow-up to a slew of popular Mass Effect games on the PS3/Xbox 360. 

Sadly, though, it flopped completely and fails to match either Elden Ring or the Elder Scrolls games. Although Commander Shepard is present, the texture pop-ups and weird facial rendering are bizarre. There are also a whole range of annoying bugs in-game to contend with and parts of the game that just freeze. It also picked up criticism for its slow-paced plot, uninspired side missions and unimaginative gameplay. 

Elder Scrolls and Elden Ring set the benchmark 

RPG titles have been popular ever since gaming was developed. This has only become truer over time as people like to escape to new worlds and become new characters with these titles. RPGs is a genre that has been dominated by the Elder Scrolls franchise over time and which looks to have taken a massive step forward with 2022’s Elden Ring. While these have marked high points in what RPG games can deliver, those we have looked at here do not quite match these heights. 

This is a paid guest post.