When thinking of what constitutes a ‘bad game’ there are often common denominators. Bad storyline, ugly graphics, clunky or bugged gameplay, perhaps gameplay is also unbalanced, and so on. There have been plenty of games which just didn’t leave a positive impact on their consumers. But then we occasionally get a game which is so bad that it goes down in infamy for its flaws. In that regard, games such as Superman for the Nintendo 64, the Street Fighter Movie video game, Sonic the Hedgehog 2006, and now, Babylon’s Fall.
Babylon’s Fall is an Action RPG game developed by Platinum Games. Platinum Games has had a somewhat inconsistent history, though they’re well known for developing the Bayonetta series, recent Star Fox games and the well received Metal Gear Solid: Revengeance among others. Needless to say, this isn’t one of Platinum Games’ finer releases.
Unfortunately, Babylon’s Fall has no redeeming value whatsoever. As such, there is nothing positive to say about this game at all that wouldn’t be a massive nitpick. We will simply go over why this game has flopped has badly as it has.
Graphics
By far, the most noticeable reason for why this game has flopped at first glance has been the horrendously outdated graphical quality. The game looks like it was intended for the PlayStation 3. Perhaps most mind boggling about all of this is that Platinum Games apparently intended for it to look as it does, a ‘distinctive classic oil’ for the fantasy genre.
While there is no conclusive evidence that Platinum Games had to rush or simply didn’t care about graphics, the fact that they had to release an update dedicated to general visibility due to the terrible aesthetic quality is jarring.
Microtransactions
While the game’s aesthetics are stuck in 2010, so too is the blatant ‘pay to win’ dynamic of the game, supplemented by microtransactions. As shown above, ‘Garaz’ is a currency obtained using real world money, while ‘Conches’ are earned by playing the game. Can you guess which is more valuable? This has had a tendency to lock tight-walleted players out of late game content, as the particularly hard multiplayer content in this game generally requires optimized equipment to go with a good strategy. Such equipment, predictably, is only truly accessible to those willing to pay. Mercifully, Garaz was taken off the digital market in September of 2022.
In the gaming world, when a game has new content in the form of DLC, it’s reasonable to charge extra for it. However, alternate currency isn’t new content. We’re not in the early 2010s anymore, and the means of which Babylon’s Fall tried to cash grab with microtransactions are a disgrace.
Script Writing and Voice Acting
As has been said before here on InReview, reviews don’t typically get nitpicky unless a game is noticeable great, or noticeably awful. Critiquing voice lines and actors isn’t something we’d do for a run of the mill game, and this is clearly no such game. Ishum is, no joke, the worst narrator I’ve ever heard. His voice fits in the context of being the MC that he begins the game as, but grows incredibly old the more he rambles during the game’s tutorial.
Besides Ishum, there isn’t a single character nor is there any script writing that serves to give this game any real character. It’s a shame, because there was some potential here with how the story opens up. Essentially, a large group of slaves or sellswords are rounded up, have a Gideon Coffin attached to them, and the survivors of the experience are labeled ‘Sentinels’. The game never really explains or shows why the process of attaching a Gideon Coffin could be fatal, but this in itself isn’t really that big of a deal. It’s a solid enough hook to reel the player in, but it’s let down by uninspired script writing and unremarkable or even poor voice acting.
Gameplay
Somehow, actual gameplay is just now being discussed! Gameplay isn’t necessarily offensive, but it fails to do anything that hasn’t been done a thousand times at this point. Combat is incredibly simple, even too simple at that. The player’s choice of some bread and butter combo of light and heavy attacks will realistically work against anything. Even though enemies do change up aesthetically, actual gameplay in fighting them just about never changes. The tutorial eventually showcases use of the Gideon Coffin and Spirit Points which, in theory, should change things up. However, Spirit Points regenerate passively, so I’m practice, spamming L2 brainlessly becomes the optimal way to play the game once the Gideon Coffin is acquired.
The only glimpse of hope gameplay ever had came from the tutorial boss fight with a giant. Here, the player is encouraged to use the environment to defeat the giant, using the Gideon Coffin to throw chunks of crystal at the giant, then attack him while he’s stunned and dodge his attacks. This was a very interesting tutorial fight that serves as the only fight that will require an actual room temperature IQ to overcome.
Conclusion
Babylon’s Fall is set to shut down on February 28th of this year. The game cannot be played without an internet connection, and since Platinum Games is pulling the plug on the game’s online servers, this means Babylon is indeed set to fall. Based on what’s been discussed, it is unlikely many will exact mourn the essential first death of a PlayStation 5 game.
Needless to say, this game gets an F. It isn’t an exaggeration to label this game as the worst game this decade and the only contribution to society it will ever make is hopefully serving as a glaring example of what not to do in 2023 to the rest of the industry. Considering you won’t be able to play this game at all in one month, and with the game currently being as lacking as it is, I do not recommend this game to anyone, even if you were to pick it up for free. As has been said before, Babylon’s Fall belongs in the same breath as other colossal failures such as Superman N64, making it out to seriously be one of the worst video games of all time.
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