Not my cup of tea! 5 games we just can't get into

We all know what it's like to see a trending game take the world by storm and yet leave you uninterested. Perhaps you've tried that very game and just cannot, despite giving it the time and effort, connect with the game on any significant level. I know I've experienced that a few times, so here are a few popular games that I just cannot get into.

5. Escape from Tarkov

There is just something about extraction shooters that simply do not do anything for me. Perhaps it's the fact that all your hard work can be wiped out and reduced to nothing in moments. Whatever the situation, it's not limited to just Escape from Tarkov, as I've found it very challenging to align with the hordes that constantly flock to new extraction shooters or look to bask in established series that add modes with extraction mechanics. Personally, I'd rather either have no progress of significance to hunt for, as is the case in battle royales, or instead have progress that remains at the end of the game, as in the case almost everywhere else.

4. Elden Ring

I'm quite vocal about my stance on action-RPGs and the design stylings that basically became the gaming world's hottest trend following the debut of Dark Souls. Despite people telling me, time and time again, just how excellent and ground-breaking FromSoftware's fantastical RPG is, I just can't get over the encounters and setup that is designed to frustrate and the overall narrative structuring often seen in this genre where nothing of significance is explained and the intricacies are often treated as a second thought. I'm sure there are a lot of compelling parts of Elden Ring, but I for one like to enjoy my time with video games and the last thing I want while trying to wind down after a long day is to be farmed by one of many bosses for several hours.

3. Stardew Valley

The king of life-simulation titles? I have no doubt that is the case to many, but to me, there's simply just something about this game that leaves me disinterested. On multiple occasions I've returned to Stardew Valley convinced that this will be the time that I'll fall in love with it, but each and every time I'm left with the same impression and experience, one that often results in me putting down the game and not returning to it. I do appreciate what Stardew Valley has done for this section of the games world and for indie developers as a whole too, but this doesn't change the fact that when it comes to life-sim titles, Stardew is often at the bottom of the list of my go-tos.

2. Counter-Strike

While I do regard Counter-Strike as the gold standard for what a competitive shooter can and should be, this style of shooter has just never resonated with me. It's not just CS, it's newer additions to the fold too, like Valorant and Spectre Divide. I don't have the patience and the level of focus required to maintain perfect crosshair placement and hold the right angle until my opponent caves and makes a mistake. I much prefer to sprint around the corner, guns blazing and see how many enemies I can take down before they take me down in return - you know, the Call of Duty experience. So yes, I'm more of an arcade shooter fan personally, hence the challenge to adapt to Valve's titan.

1. FIFA/EA Sports FC

Are they often the biggest games of the year? Absolutely. But that doesn't change the fact that I can't (and won't) find the time of day for EA's football series. Granted that's predominantly for two reasons. The first is that I don't think many sports titles do a great job at actually simulating the sport they are based on, with the exceptions being golf and perhaps tennis. The second reason is that I find it very challenging to continue to spend money on a series that on an annual basis only sees minor improvements and yet has the audacity to sell for a full, premium price tag and effectively reset its microtransaction-geared mode and ask fans to continue buying loot boxes crammed with insignificant digital cards to succeed in a pure pay-to-win experience. It's lunacy.

How many of my picks align with you? Do you agree and find yourself in a similar place when attempting to connect with action-RPGs or FIFA/EA Sports FC projects? Let me know in the comments and share which popular game you just cannot get into despite attempting to do so.