00:00We'll be arriving shortly, Mr. President.
00:05What in the world?
00:07Welcome to Mojo Plays, and today we are looking at those games that require the most investment in constant and
00:12repeating grinding.
00:14God!
00:15These are 10 single-player games with the worst grind.
00:18Let's do it.
00:19Before we continue, we publish content all week long, so be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to get
00:25notified of our latest videos.
00:28Xenoblade Chronicles 2
00:39No discussion on video game grinding is complete without a look at the Xenoblade series.
00:45The grind in Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is notoriously tough due to its often convoluted progression systems.
00:51Unlocking blade abilities requires completing specific, often obscure field skills or trust levels,
00:56which demand repetitive side quests, pouch item farming, and affinity chart grinding.
01:01Randomized blade summoning via core crystals means players may never get the blade they want without hours of grinding.
01:07Add in rare item farming and high-level enemy gating, and the grind can feel endless.
01:12And it is.
01:20Dark Souls 2
01:33Punishing enemy respawns, slower combat, and uneven soul farming are all reasons people point to DS2 as the worst souls
01:40game when it comes to relentless grinding.
01:42Unlike other entries, enemies despawn after a set number of kills, limiting farming opportunities.
01:48Leveling up requires a steep soul investment, and dying repeatedly drains your max health, unless you use limited human effigies.
01:55Item drop rates for rare weapons or upgrade materials are abysmally low, requiring constant grinding with barely any reward.
02:02Combined with slower movement and stamina recovery, the overall pace of this game feels more draining than any other entry
02:08in the series.
02:14Final Fantasy XIII
02:16It's an out-and-out massacre.
02:19Most people won't even live long enough to die on pulse.
02:24That was the idea.
02:26Final Fantasy XIII is often and fairly criticized among fans of these series.
02:30It is filled with a lot of qualities that make it weaker than most other entries.
02:34But it doesn't get the criticism it deserves from the terrible grinding.
02:39I guess because there are far more important things to complain about.
02:42A rigid structure and delayed access to key progression systems makes the grind in Final Fantasy XIII feel especially punishing.
02:49For much of the game, character growth is limited by the level caps, which only expand after specific story events.
02:55Battles are frequent but yield minimal experience, and grinding for upgrades demands farming rare components with painfully low drop rates.
03:03A largely linear world that limits exploration and farming options has the grind feel more tedious than rewarding until very
03:09late in the game.
03:19Pokemon Gold and Silver
03:26The grind in Pokemon Gold, Silver and also Crystal is weird.
03:31Unbalanced level scaling and limited high level training areas means that you can get locked pretty easily.
03:37The Johto region's wild Pokemon and trainers are often under-leveled, leading to sluggish experience gain.
03:42By the time you reach the Elite Four, your team may be drastically under-leveled unless you've done excessive grinding.
03:47Most post-game enemies are level 30, so getting to level 80 to fight Red, it's going to require a
03:53lot of time bending your neck down at your Game Boy.
04:07Assassin's Creed Odyssey
04:18Assassin's Creed Odyssey is easily one of the most grind-heavy entries in the series.
04:23Many players have voiced their frustration, especially those who focus only on the main storyline.
04:28Doing so often leaves you under-leveled and forced to grind just to progress.
04:32This is a key reason Odyssey earns its reputation for being especially grindy.
04:37On top of this, Odyssey's gameplay loop can start to feel repetitive, but the payoff comes from gradually building your
04:43ideal character and seeing the rich story unfold.
04:46This does make the grind feel more bearable, but it's still a hell of a grind.
04:50Here they are, all accounted for.
04:52In record time too.
04:55Take your pay as well earned.
04:56Gran Turismo 7
05:06The grind in Gran Turismo 7 becomes a true JRPG-level grind when you start trying to get your hands
05:11on expensive cars.
05:13Earning enough credits to buy high-end cars requires running the same races repeatedly, with payouts that feel disproportionately low
05:20compared to vehicle costs, some topping 20 million credits.
05:23This imbalance forces players into tedious loops or pushes them towards microtransactions, which sparked huge backlash.
05:31Backlash that should have been predicted considering the grind of Gran Turismo Sport.
05:53The original Persona, especially the Japanese version, is notoriously grind heavy.
05:58Random encounters occur every few steps, making even basic exploration exhausting.
06:03Early on, you're under-equipped with limited supplies, weak personas, and few healing or offensive items.
06:09Progress feels painfully slow, forcing players to choose between grinding battles for experience or negotiating with demons to unlock stronger
06:16personas, essential for advancing the story.
06:19Frequent backtracking only adds to the tedium, making first playthroughs especially grueling.
06:24But the worst detail of all is that a late-game decision can completely invalidate your progress, if you're unaware
06:31of its consequences.
06:36Disgaea 5 Alliance of Vengeance
06:39It's reckless of you to invade the territory of the lost.
06:42The Disgaea series is infamous for its intense grind, and Disgaea 5 is a perfect place to jump in.
06:49This tactical RPG centers on Killia, a young demon assembling an army to topple the netherworld's ruler.
06:55With its strategic turn-based combat and signature quirky humor, Disgaea 5 delivers a fun and thrilling experience from beginning
07:02to end.
07:02With a whopping 200 hours of campaign, and a wealth of post-game grinding, Completionists will find a wealth of
07:10content to explore, as well as the regular experience farming, which is essential.
07:14My, who might you guys be?
07:23What's wrong with you?
07:25Parasite Eve
07:36The cult classic action RPG, Parasite Eve, offers a prime example of how a game's grind can break the game's
07:43flow.
07:44At around level 25, the experience needed to level up skyrockets drastically, forcing players into tedious grinding for upcoming battles.
07:51This stretch is dull and discouraging, but those who persevere face a bizarre twist at level 38.
07:58Every level from level 38 to level 99 requires the exact same 4,500 XP.
08:03Considering that reaching level 38 required 185,000 XP, the grind from 24 to 38 feels brutal, with the grind
08:10from 38 to 99 feeling a breeze.
08:13A smoother XP curve would have been much clearer and much less frustrating.
08:42The main story mostly feels like an easy sprint, until it abruptly slams into artificial roadblocks, meant to extend the
08:51game.
08:51At several points, you're forced to complete a string of side quests to recruit villagers before progressing.
08:57These missions are tedious, repetitive fetch quests that drag the game to a halt.
09:02This grind, more than any other on our list, feels like a frustrating waste of time that shows very little
09:08respect for players' time.
09:15Did you enjoy this video?
09:16Check out these other clips from Mojo Plays.
09:19Be sure to subscribe and ring the bell to be notified of our latest videos.
Comments