Take the Pressure Down

What is the worst game I have ever played?

Everyone has one but for me, it's not a subject to dwell on. I've played a lot of games over the years across many systems. And I've found, with my experience, that the good ones stick in the mind whereas the bad ones tend to fade into the ether.

However I do make an exception: A game that came out on the Commodore Amiga by the name of Under Pressure.

So why does this game stand out? I guess it's largely because it was due to my collection of games on the Amiga: Abundant in one level demos but short in actual games.

Still, in order to talk about this game, may I direct your attention to the following play-through:

Original video located here. Accessed 9th November 2018

The first thing you'll notice is that the PC sprite is huge (yes that big ED-209 lookalike is the PC). And the publishers must've thought so too because they put the large sprite forward as a selling point. This, in turn, may account for what drew me to this game.

But watching that play-through, and thereby revisiting this game for the first time in over two decades, I am reminded of what worked against the game. Namely:

• The sprite may be big but it moves slowly and in a ponderous fashion, making the game's progression a monotonous experience.
• The size of the PC spite also makes quick actions and jumping horrendously difficult. 
• Again, the size of PC sprite restricts the playing area which, most often than not, results in both unwittingly heading into danger and 'leap of faith' gameplay
• This game is difficult - difficult to the point of being unfair. I especially hated those 'drills' that appeared out of the ground and without warning.

Funny that the main selling point is also the game's Achilles' heel.
I mean, i can understand the desire to do something different from the norm and the potential of a big guy fighting little guys (thus reversing a usual shooter trope) but here, the execution leads a lot to be desired.

Watching the video however, one thing that strikes me is just how unfinished the game comes across. The first level has some degree of cohesion but ever level following it has a decline in level design. The fourth level (which i never progressed from) in particular has no sense of direction with dead ends and no proper direction in which to properly progress. Which in turn, gives off the impression that after the first level, the designers lost interest before ending on a half-arsed note.
Is that the reason for the tough difficulty? To hid the fact that wasn't a lot of game to speak of? (note the person behind the play-through was relying on cheats).
But the real slap in the face is the final level: After going through baddies (some of which look like they came from a completely different game), after traversing through dull levels of monstrous difficulty, you fight a boring boss and then the game ends with a 'To be Continued' message.

Just in case you need further convincing that the makers of this game gave up after the first level.

Still, it's just as well the music accompanying said message was kinda rockin; otherwise one would've thrown a controller through the screen.

It has been, at time of writing, twenty seven years and no sequel has shown itself.
It most likely will never show but here's hoping. After all, you can't be too careful...