I’m very much behind the whole “games as art idea,” and I’m constantly in awe of how people miss the engaging and emotionally arresting elements of our fair industry. That said, there are also times when I perpetuate my friends’ and family’s general lack of respect for gaming on those rare occasions they catch me playing games with really awkward dialogue. Sometimes it’s an intentional script writing technique to create tension or humour, but at other moments it is just the appalling writing that plagues so many titles. Here’s our pick of the top ten game with embarrassing dialogue.
10. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
I bet you thought I was going to reference Colonel Campbell’s gibberish codec conversations during Raiden’s progression through Arsenal Gear but, even outside of Arsenal Gear, Sons of Liberty is absolutely packed with awkward dialogue. This one in particular brings a lot of heavy subject matter into question at once, to the point where Raiden’s general ignorance is probably a blessing in disguise. Though this was clearly intentional, it was still mildly embarrassing to be caught listening in on a conversation about bisexuality. Kojima, you sneaky so and so.
9. Tenchu: Stealth Assassins
The older Tenchu games have always had the “so bad it’s good” kind of vibe when it comes to presentation, and are true examples of retro classics at their most grating. Though the lines spouted by the characters aren’t great, the wooden voice acting really throws it over the edge to the point where it seems awkward. This does gives the game an odd charm, like a ninja B-movie of sorts, but it is no doubt a case of embarrassing dialogue. Skip to 4:46 to see what I mean.
8. Clocktower 3
Horror is one of those fields where you can go badly wrong if you don’t quite know what you are doing. Clocktower 3 is an example of this; a good concept that is let down by cliché and ultra cheesy dialogue. There are times when it can be enjoyed as a dark comedy, but there are other moments where you think that it is actually meant to be taken seriously. I’m not sure what to believe.
