Good games, bad aesthetics
 

Lately, I've been tooling around with Gears of War 2 a bit. I played, and enjoyed the first Gears, but for some reason I'm just having a bear of a time getting into the sequel. The game, technically, is as sound as anything. Controls are nice and refined, and you can just really feel the care that went into crafting this game.

However, the trappings of the game just aren't working for me at all anymore. I didn't mind it with Gears 1, but now I just do not have the desire to be in this testosterone-charged fist bump of a world.

Compare that to Lost Planet 1, which is a similar game in the very broadest of strokes. You're main goal is the same, kill everything in sight, but the design of the world was one that I found pleasing to "explore". That really helped take me over the edge with LP1, because while it was fun to play, I couldn't say it was as polished a game as Gears 2 is, yet because of it's art style, world design, and overall direction -- I enjoyed it more.

Anyone else have some examples of good games technically that you just couldn't get into because of their style or direction? Or the other way around?

Note: when I say bad aesthetics, I mean for the individual's tastes.

Re: Good games, bad aesthetics
 

I often don't like cel shading, which is probably why I haven't gotten Borderlands yet (but I will soon).

Re: Good games, bad aesthetics
 

I totally hate the look of the new Crackdown game. It's really ugly.

Re: Good games, bad aesthetics
 

Rings of Power was pretty ass ugly on the Genesis and suffered from some technical issues but it was a blast to play.

Re: Good games, bad aesthetics
 

I'm not sure if this is what you're going for, but No More Heroes is a great game that, so the story goes, had some elements designed poorly on purpose. And I still love it.

Re: Good games, bad aesthetics
 

I find the baditude in most games a turn off.

I also think that a lot of games go too far in creating a deprressing atmosphere. It's just hard to spend so much time in such a game with such an oppressing vibe.

Re: Good games, bad aesthetics
 

Yeah, it's not my type of game, but that's a reason why I would never play Fallout. I've heard similar complaints lodged against the comic series Scalped -- exceptionally done, but just depressing to read.

Re: Good games, bad aesthetics
 

Killzone 2 is a perfect example of this the gameplay was as good as anything out there but the overdone manly camraderie was just silly sometimes.

Re: Good games, bad aesthetics
 

A lot of sci-fi games. I tried to get into the Riddick game but the sterile atmosphere of the space station just bugged the hell out of me.

Most of the space themed sci-fi games bug me. I love the Mass Effect universe but like Lost Planet, GoW, Dead Space, big meh.