In most video games, the items we collect along the way are vital for survival, progression, and, most importantly, having fun.
10 Great Games With Awful Combat
Sometimes a good story or fun gameplay can make you ignore awful combat.
However, there are a number of situations where you will find that a particular item you find within the game is completely useless. Sometimes, this is a poor design choice, but occasionally, this can be completely intentional.
It could be an office joke among developers that went too far or a means of deterring a player from playing a certain way.
But no matter the reason, one thing is for sure. You’ll likely feel like an idiot ever trying to get the most out of these items in the first place.
So, to help you spot these items before they make you look like a fool, here are ten utterly useless video game items.
10Ghoul Slayer Gamma Gun
We kick things off with a Legendary weapon that can be randomly obtained when exploring the Boston Commonwealth inFallout 4.
It’s very clear that some of theserandomly generated Legendary weaponperks weren’t vetted by the folks over at Bethesda, as the Ghoul Slayer Gamma Gun does not live up to its name in the slightest.
This gun is billed as doing 50% additional damage against Ghouls. But here’s the issue. Ghouls are immune to gamma damage, and sadly, an additional 50% buff based on zero still makes zero.
This one can still be used as a relatively useful Gamma weapon, but considering this gun may see you wander into a Ghoul’s nest and get your pants pulled down, it deserves to be named and shamed.
9Dagger of Friendship
The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
As you’ll come to find throughout this list, Bethesda is pretty good value when it comes to pointless video game items, and the Dagger of Friendship is another prime example.
But, credit where it’s due. This one is actually intentionally useless, as it comes from the realm of Madness where Sheogorath reigns supreme, making this a comical nod to the mania of this Daedric prince.
This ‘weapon’ actually does the opposite of what you would want it to do, healing any target by 10HP with each successful strike.
It could perhaps help in a pinch when healing followers in battle. But all in all, this is a comical item that will only elongate battles and make each encounter much more likely to end in your untimely death.
8Wooden Shield
Bloodborne
Since Bloodborne was FromSoftware’s first deviation from theDark Soulsseries, it was important that they showcased the differences between Dark Souls' cautious gameplay and Bloodborne’s more dynamic risk-and-reward combat.
However, as you would expect, they were more than willing to let their player baselearn the hard way.
Early in the game, players will find a Wooden Shield, and more tenuredDark Soulsplayers will think to themselves ‘finally’.
But this is a cruel trick, as this shield is flimsy, provides little to no defense, and will force you to abandon the tactics that worked so well in previous Souls titles and embraceBloodborne’sfrenetic style.
7Wooden Sword
Kingdom Hearts
When it comes to weak weapons in theKingdom Heartsseries, it’s a close run thing between the Struggle Bat and the Wooden Sword. But, in the end, you have to give this unwanted accolade to the Wooden Shield.
This weapon pops up at various times during the game, serving as a fitting weapon when first learning your craft on Destiny Islands. However, when you are forced to use this weapon again in Hollow Bastion, it becomes clear how useless this weapon truly is.
The weapon does next to no damage to Heartless, forcing you to scamper away from most fights and rely on the Beast to bail you out of most scuffles.
you may channel magic through the sword, so it isn’t like you’re completely helpless, but until you get your Keyblade back, you’ll definitely be cursing Riku for forcing you to use this hunk of wood.
Dark Souls
Souls games are a veritable feast when it comes to cruel jokes at the player’s expense. If you disagree, just cast your mind back to the first time you got munched on by a Mimic.
So it should be no surprise that in the originalDark Souls, the game decides to place a dud item in there to trick the player before the game even begins.
This dud is the player’s gift known as the Pendant. Admittedly, the Pendant’s description states that the item is ‘useless,’ but any gamer worth their salt would doubt that and choose this gift anyway. Hoping it would reveal its true purpose later.
But, aside from being able to tradethis item for multiplayer currencyknown as Souvenir of Reprisal, this item does indeed have no use at all. So, when starting a new playthrough, do yourself a favor and just choose the Black Firebombs or something.
5Horse Armor
The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion
To round out the Bethesda hat trick,we have a DLC itemthat is one of the most laughable in-game items in existence.
I have seen some pointless DLC in my time, like worthless cosmetics, asset packs, and shameless cash grabs by cutting content out of games to sell separately. However, Oblivion’s Horse Armor definitely takes the cake as perhaps the worst of all.
Not only did this armor look absolutely ridiculous when placed on your noble steed. But, to add insult to injury, after actually forking out for this add-on, you’ll come to find that the armor provides absolutely zero added protection to your horse.
Truly an unwanted item, poorly implemented to the point of ridicule. It’s a funny thing to look back on now in hindsight, but at the time, this was pretty scandalous, to say the least.
Battlefield 1
The Battlefield series, much likemost modern FPS titles,is known for allowing players to make use of a varied arsenal of killing tools.
It takes time to earn a lot of these weapons by leveling up, and this couldn’t be truer in the process of unlocking Kolibri. As the player will need to max out their Scout rank.
However, it really isn’t worth your time, as this gun is about as lethal as an open-palm slap.
10 Indie Games With AAA Appeal
If you think you know some of the best indies in recent years, you have to check out DualShockers' list of indies with AAA appeal.
This gun is comically small, fires puny 2.7mm rounds, and will only kill a target if you happen to shoot them in the head four times in quick succession. By this point, you’ll likely be full of lead yourself.
Strangely enough, this is actually based on a real-world firearm, but much like its Battlefield counterpart, I wouldn’t be keen to rely on it as a means of self-defense.
3Victim of Fashion
Dragon Age: Inquisition
Dragon Age: Inquisitionmay not be a beloved title in the DA franchise, but you can’t deny that it has its moments.
It takes big swings, and often shoots for laughs, which is exactly how the Victim of Fashion amulet came to be. This is an accessory that admittedly raises your cunning stat by +1.
So, in theory, not entirely useless. However, when you take into account the additional debuffs, it might as well be.
This amulet essentially strips you of all your defenses, making you about as flimsy as possible. This is perhaps why the item’s description simply reads ‘an astoundingly bad idea’.
We’ve all made a few fashion faux pas in our lives, but this one may be the worst you ever commit, as it’s bound to get you killed.
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy 7
Losing in any video game is an irritating thing to endure. But what if the game itself decided to add insult to injury and mock you for losing to really grind your gears?
Well, this is exactly what occurs when you lose in the Battle Square inFinal Fantasy VII, as the player will be handed a tissue, which we can only assume is to wipe away all of our tears after suffering defeat.
Many have argued that these tissues actually served as a means of calculating how many attempts you had at the battle Square, and the game adjusting the difficulty as a result.
However, there seems to be no truth to this, making this item useless for anything other than a reminder of your failures in battle.
1Hestu’s Gift
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Then, to round things off, we have what is easily the biggest kick in the teeth on this list.
In Breath of the Wild, the player will be tasked with collecting Korok Seeds,of which there are a whopping 900scattered around this expansive iteration of Hyrule. They’ll be near-impossible to track down without an interactive map, and even then, it’s a real slog, to say the least.
However, you would think that the ends would justify the means, and you’d be all but guaranteed a fitting reward. But, instead, you’re rewarded with a giant golden turd for your efforts.
It’s the item on this list that truly epitomizes theSteven Universe ‘Wow, this is worthless’ memeand showcases that sometimes in-game collect-a-thons just aren’t worth the hassle.
You know, unless you are really in the market for a shiny poop. In which case, you better get out there and nab those Korok Seeds.
10 Best Games For Short Play Sessions
If you don’t have a lot of time to play a game, just boot up something quick like Balatro or Pizza Tower.
