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Worst Box Art
Dubious Honors
Worst Use of a Great License
Stop us if you've heard this before: Games based on a licensed property, such as a movie or TV show, generally don't end up being very good. This is often because these games get rushed out the door in time to coincide with a movie launch or simply because, well, not a lot of time and care were put into them. Guess what? It's still happening. What follows is a list of some of this year's worst offenders--games that started off with a theoretically good license and ended up being thoroughly bad.
Editorial Nominees
Editors' Choice Winner
Click to reveal winner
Readers' Choice Voting
- Winner
- Results
And the winner is…
The Godfather II
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Developer: EA Redwood Shores
After being promoted by Michael Corleone to Don of New York, players expand to new cities, as they build up their families through extorting businesses, monopolizing illegal crime rings and defeating new families in an effort to become the most powerful mob family in America. To help players manage their empire, The Godfather II introduces "The Don's View" - an innovative strategy meta-game that allows players to oversee the entire world as they grow the family business. Using the Don's View, players will be able to build, defend and expand their crime rings, while keeping an eye on the movements and plans of the rival families. Players will also learn to master the business of organized crime by building a family of Made Men, hiring crew, handing out orders, and promoting their best men up the ranks. Set in a stunning open-world environment, The Godfather II expands on the popular gameplay mechanics of the first game and doubles down on the series' signature BlackHand control scheme, which now features even more visceral hand-to-hand brutality at your fingertips, introducing a new combo system, pressure tactics and executions. In The Godfather II, players fight alongside their hand-picked crew, who have their own skills and expertise. Each family member specializes in a specific field such as demolitions, arson, engineering, first-aid and more. As The Don you control the family, sending some of your men on missions while heading off into action with others. The combination of strategic organized crime gameplay and brutal BlackHand action promises to set The Godfather II apart from other open-world games. Play The Godfather II online multiplayer modes and become the true Don of Dons. Take your money, weapons, and crew from your single-player experience online and wage mob warfare against up to 16 players from around the world. Play as one of the family's crew specialists and put your best strategies to the test as you take over territory and strike back at rivals. Earn upgrades and money that can be used in your single-player experience.
| Info | Title | Vote Result Graph | % of Votes | # of Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 |
14% | 2,708 | |
|
The Godfather II |
27% | 5,048 | |
|
The Punisher: No Mercy |
6% | 1,106 | |
|
Star Trek: D-A-C |
19% | 3,553 | |
|
Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings |
14% | 2,664 | |
|
Up |
2% | 314 | |
|
G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra |
4% | 753 | |
|
James Cameron's Avatar: The Game |
7% | 1,347 | |
|
Marvel Super Hero Squad |
2% | 343 | |
|
Terminator Salvation |
5% | 986 |
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Worst Box Art
116 comments
Well, there's a whole other game inside Staff of Kings so they have to get credit for that. Wonderful secret, that.
Ultimate Alliance 2, again. I'm not surprised. It sucked. :( Staff of Kings wasn't even based on an Indiana Jones movie, so I knew it would be utter crap and I was right.
In my opinion...all Movie games misuse their almighty titles. Movie games tend to turn out less innovative , exciting and less action packed compared to it's movie counter-part. Of course , there are several exceptions here and there.
I have to go with Avatar on this one. The movie was simply incredible but the game just sucked, it could have been so much better
are u kidding? Avatar the most technically amazing movie of all time with a game that does not deliver? Come on..
The Godfather II was obviously the worst. I also find it hard to consider The Punisher a great license.
Terminator salvation.. Ughhh, WHY GRIN, WHY? Why couldnt you have made it like wolverine? Why you suck so much, why?
The Punisher... I've never been in such disgust after 10 minutes of gameplay, and have never pushed the delete button so quickly afterward lol... waste of $
I'd say Avatar. The world of Pandora is extremely rich and could've been made into a nice action-adventure game or something, but instead they chose to make it into a fairly run-of-the-mill third-person shooter.
@ IzisviAziria I disagree re: Unleashed. Unleashed, which was apparently considered Star Wars "canon" (I'm no costume-wearing convention-attending freak to say for sure) was actually a fairly meaningful addition to the storyline and, altho it wasn't perfect, it wasn't quite as shallow as you make it sound. Putting it all together, the irony involved in the plot line is somewhat redemptive of the game's value. Darth Vader is prophesied to bring "balance to the force"...adopts apprentice after killing the kid's father...sends him out to asassinate multiple Jedi...eventually enlists him to kill the Emperor, etc...and the end result of the training and abuse? Starkiller becomes the founder of the Rebellion. Ironic, but balance. Not told as artfully thru the video game as one might have hoped nor does it maximize the story's potential, but a neat twist that actually fits well within the lore. You want to talk about atrocities tho...let's lay into Jar Jar...that character is a crime against humanity if I ever saw one. Someone call the UN to lobby for ineffective sanctions please...
Wow, where's that craptacular Star Wars Clone Wars game they made? That sure as hell belongs in here.... Everything involving Star Wars in the last 12 years has been crap, excluding KOTOR, Jedi Outcast, and SWG. And apparently they realized SWG was good, so they borked it with a "combat upgrade". Force Unleashed was alright, but really shallow, and short to boot, and what's with no versus mode for 360/PS3? Is there some sort of technicality because of it being Clone Wars or a cartoon or whatnot that makes that game not qualify for this award? Because I definitely think it belongs in AT LEAST the honorably mentions.
Out of all these licences only Indiana Jones is truly 'great'. I would love a good Indy game, we all would.
How is Star Trek a great license in the first place? I mean, the new movie was awesome and all, but what was the last good Star Trek game?
@Pdietz : MUA2 Wii (4.5) got nominated for Worst Use. MUA2 PS3/360 (7.5) got nominated for Best Use.
every game on the list should be a winner here. crap they need to play batman: AA month 24/7.
Why is MUA2 up there? Sure, the franchise is being milked now, but it's still a great game and I enjoy superhero RPG's. There should be more of them.
Is it just me that sees this but Marvel Ultimate Allaince 2 is nominated for Best Use of a Creative license and Worst Use of A great License :( come on GS Which one is it
I've never seen the new Star Trek, though I'm not sure if you'd classify me as a nerd.
Seriously dude i'm a die hard Star Wars fan but common who could ruin a title as famous as Star Trek!
Terminator Salvation was gabage. Wow... Glad it has awesome trophies. Platinum in 6 hours!!!
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