Picture this: you've just installed a game of legendary fame. Everyone you talk to used to be an expert at this game and the internet is aflutter with its memes. Gamestop stopped carrying the game years ago and you've taken to eBay to track down this timeless wonder. It cost more than other games its age, but hey, it'll be worth it right? Everyone on the internet couldn't be wrong.

Or could they?

'Retro Goggles' is a well-documented, widespread malaise, but some games have attained an all but immortal status. Very few people question the quality of Super Mario Bros., Sonic the Hedgehog, Chrono Trigger, etc. Sure these games have flaws and errors, but they are great in spite of those problems. So what happens when you finally sit down to experience the greatness foretold by all your friends and you find that something....is wrong. You know you should be enjoying the ride, but the road seems bumpy. Then one of your tires explodes and you lose control and careen off the road and...I think I lost grasp of my metaphor.

My point is, I've discovered that some great games have not aged well, and it is difficult to feel that I am missing out on good shared memories simply because I wasn't able to play a game when it came out. As a kid, I got one console at a time and I didn't get to go back and play others for a very long time Not everything can age gracefully, and these are a few samples of games that weren't as good as they were hyped up to be:

1.Final Fantasy VII - As a child of the N64 (which was awesome), I did not really get in on the 3D JRPG craze until long after the PS2 came out. By the time I was able to afford an original Playstation, Final Fantasy VII had already achieved a cult status with a pricetag to match.

The number one complaint about the game is that comparative to today's graphical symphonies, it rapes your eyes. Some of the polygons are downright jagged, and though this is a valid complaint, it did not bother me at all at the time. While I found some merit in the game's innovations (Materia system w00t!) I found the game to be a generic JRPG that had far too much level-grinding, frustrating minigames, and in reality, a ridiculous story. I don't hate the game, far from it, but my expectations were lifted so high, they were inevitably bound to fall.



2.Starcraft - Ok, this one is a bit strange. It is not that I find the core Starcraft game to be bad. My issue came in the real sweet spot for many people: multiplayer. By the time I finally tracked down a copy of this game, the only people playing the game with any regularity were just absolutely brutal to me.

In fact, even playing on LAN with friends was unfair because most of them had run the gauntlet enough that I didn't have a prayer of winning. It's a very frustrating feeling to come to a game and realize that you have disadvantages that would take years to level out.



3.Metal Gear Solid - I know I will probably be decried as a heretic and burned at the stake, but so far, I have not really enjoyed any of the Metal Gear Solid series. I have completed Metal Gear Solid three times, and besides the enjoyable pulp story, I find the gameplay to be quite frustrating at parts.

The controls have always been an issue for me, and I honestly haven't been able to conquer them. I can sort of see (though not completely agree) with the argument that imperfect controls can be immersive if your character is not intended to be a supersoldier proficient at combat, but Snake is intended to be a supersoldier. Why then does it feel like he stumbles through his inventory and shooting enemies when he is the savior of the world?



4.Resident Evil - I am forcing myself through Resident Evil 4 right now upon the insistence of a friend ("Like Resident Evil or I'll kill you") and so far, I have experienced the same emotion I had with the other Resident Evil games and many horror movies: meh.

Maybe it's because I am not scared easily by things jumping out of things, but overall I find the Resident Evil series to feature frustrating gameplay, stupid puzzles, and really cheap 'horror' situations. It takes a really cerebral, subtle creepiness to really get to me and Resident Evil without its scary factor has just proven to be substandard.



But don't take my word for it, try these games out for yourself. Maybe you will find that they are as great to you now as they were to everyone else then. Maybe I'm a sad, depraved individual. Maybe I just suck at games.