5 Painfully Boring Video Games That Will Test Your Patience

As gamers, we live to be entertained and shun the things that struggle to immerse us. Just as well, because if we gave everything a chance, then we'd more than likely be swimming in an ocean of lackluster levels and painfully boring experiences. It's having that filter to help syphon out the dull from the engaging that's absolutely essential for any gamers' arsenal.

Truth is, there are tons of boring games out there, and it's evidently clear that some of them wish nothing more than to test the moral fibers of their player base. But which games are beyond insufferable, and which of their respective slogs have managed to reach new lows? Well, here's how we see it. Here are, in our opinion, the five most boring games you could possibly play right now.

5. Desert Bus

Desert Bus is the video game equivalent of watching paint dry. For some, it's a therapeutic experience that only gets better with age. For the vast majority, though, it's a painfully dull journey that requires nothing from the player but time, and a lot of it. And if you think there'll be a huge reward waiting for you at the end of it all, then you're in for a serious surprise, my friend.

Of course, the goal is straightforward enough to understand: drive a bus through a desert while occasionally jeering off to the left or right to avoid obstacles. Because of its simplicity, the Penn and Teller creation never actually made it to a proper console release. It can, however, still be played on a number of platforms. Not that you'd want to, anyway, as it requires a rough eight hours of real time to actually beat. Tucson to Las Vegas? Save the boredom and just fly.

4. Death Stranding

Death Stranding has earned its place in the hall of fame for being one of the most boring games of all time. That said, a lot of fans will argue that its slow tempo is what makes the game the award-winning masterpiece it is. Either way, there's no denying the fact that the game is a slog, and a questionable one at that. Though, history has shown us that when Hideo Kojima creates something, it's pretty much always worth enduring—even the throwaways.

For the best part of, I don't know, forty-plus hours, players are expected to traverse endless stretches of barren wastelands delivering what can only be described as sci-fi mail. It's a glorified postal simulator, and it gets away with it on the basis that Kojima helped thread it together. If it was made by any other studio with a bite-sized reputation, though, it probably would've been discarded altogether. Still, we can't shrug off the fact that Death Stranding is a boring game, as well as a minor dent on Kojima's otherwise perfect portfolio.

3. Matchpoint: Tennis Championships

If you're one to enjoy watching Wimbledon every year, then Matchpoint: Tennis Championships will look like the Djokovic of the video game realm. To others, though, it's a tired sports game with little to no likeable qualities other than its polished visuals. The bulk of the game, rather depressingly, is made up of frustratingly long exhibition matches and tournaments. To beat just one match, believe it or not, you're looking at roughly forty minutes of play time. And that's just a warm-up pre-tournament season.

Of course, for those who live and breath tennis, it's a perfect gig. However, nothing screams monotony like forcing players to indulge in repetitive matches that contribute towards absolutely nothing at all. Truth be told, it took us two days to finish just one match. After finally conquering it, we uninstalled the game, discarded it from the library, and never spoke about it again. Perhaps it's just us, but you must really need to love the sport to suffer through it virtually.

2. Waiting in Line 3D

If you're one of seven billion people who actually enjoy quieing, then you're really going to feel at home with Waiting in Line 3D. And no, contrary to popular belief, it isn't a joke. Or at least, it isn't supposed to be a joke. If anything at all, it's built to undermine the format, as well as loosely parody popular games from the nineties, like DOOM, for example.

In this self-declared anti-game, the concept isn't to entertain the player, but challenge their patience as they shovel through some or the most mundane content ever conceived. The idea is simple: stand in line and repeatedly punch yourself in the face to stop the sleep demons from claiming you. Hit yourself too much, and you'll find yourself blacked out, alone, and at the back of the line. Just…yeah.

1. Euro Truck Simulator

Simulation games are among some of the most uninspired types of playable media in existence. And honestly, it's a pretty big scope, as there's basically a simulator for everything these days. Quite frankly, though, nothing sinks lower than 2008's Euro Truck Simulator, which is really saying something, as we ourselves have spent time mowing lawns for virtual perks in Lawn Mowing Simulator. And yes, believe it or not, that game does also exist.

Again, it's somewhat therapeutic for players who just want to bathe in the hollow lights of an uninhabited road. But when all's said and done, it really is a truck driving simulator, and not a good one at that. If, however, you like the idea of sitting on a highway for hours on end listening to nothing but the natural ambience of the European countryside, then weirdly enough, you might just enjoy this. The rest of us, on the other hand, cannot fathom spending money on sitting in a truck watching virtual traffic roll on by.

So, what's your take? Do you agree with our top five? Let us know over on our socials here or down in the comments below.