What is a specific part of a video game that made you quit playing that game?

It’s always at a point where the game suddenly requires a skill that isn’t part of its usual gameplay. I played a crafting and exploration game that suddenly has a huge platforming element in the late game in a dungeon, and it was even timed! The rest of the game involved no platforming, and it wasn’t even particularly difficult to do but I suck at platforming, never enjoyed it, and I especially did not need the stress of a timer in an otherwise relaxing game.

Another story rich game which was heavy on logistics suddenly turned into a shooter. No, thank you.

Another thing I hate is when I turn the difficulty down and the only option is to do it across the board so I may as well stop interacting with the game. I know I’m bad at fast-paced precision inputs. That doesn’t mean I don’t want cool puzzles to solve or complex systems.

I know, I know: “get good.” I’m old. Shooting and platforming are not the skills I care to be developing at this stage of my life.

Outer Wilds: Echoes of the Eye DLC does this, unfortunately. Halfway through the story, Myst-like exploration of an abandoned location turns into horror wandering around pitch black locations with a janky lantern, being chased by creepy-looking aliens. Nope, made me stop playing. (Horror and jumpy enemies are fine if I have a weapon and can control the protagonist. But not if it’s a death cutscene at a single touch in complete darkness. It made me more uncomfortable than Dusk, or Quake, or Blood did)

Did you try the “less scares” setting? I think it makes this part easier, because I was watching someone struggle with this and as soon as they turned it on they passed it on the next try.

Doesn’t that just turn off their screeches or something?

I absolutely loved Outer Wilds, except for our friends in Dark Bramble. But once I had do those parts of the DLC, I installed a mod that lit the place up and made the things in there not know around.

I was in for a puzzle space exploration game, not a stealth horror game.