The Terminator is one of the most inconsistent film franchises of all time. It’s had spectacular films like the first two, atrocious films like Genisys, and the others in between have been halfway decent. The constant plot in the films has always involved a cybernetic organism called Terminator being sent back in time to kill a human who grows up to be a threat to them.
The franchise has also had a number of video games, that have either adapted the stories from the movies or told new stories. Some games have been excellent, exploring a world created by Skynet, while others have been mediocre, with frustrating gameplay mechanics and shoddy storytelling.
Despite the polarizing nature of the games, they have appeared on virtually every console generation since the 80s. Until the franchise starts releasing consistently good video games, here is a list of the 5 excellent and 5 awful Terminator games.
10 WORST: The Terminator (SNES)
The video game adaptation of the first Terminator film is an odd one. The Sega CD version of the game received acclaim from both gamers and reviewers, but the SNES port is often described as the worst Terminator game.
The SNES version has long levels without any save points, the game has limited lives before the player has to restart, the graphics are mediocre compared to the Sega CD port, and even the weapons choices are limited. Add to all these the punishing difficulty to the game that constantly frustrated players and we have one of the worst video game adaptations of all time.
9 BEST: The Terminator (Sega CD)
The Sega CD port of The Terminator was a resounding success, thanks in large part to the hardware the console was packing. For starters, the CD drive allowed for a crisp, futuristic soundtrack. The hardware also made it possible for the characters to be nicely detailed, the backgrounds to be effectively dark, the Contra-esque combat to be satisfying and the game to be fun overall.
A direct contrast to the SNES’ port, Sega CD’s The Terminator allowed gamers to become immersed in the story of Kyle Reese protecting Sarah Connor by taking out multiple Terminators.
8 WORST: Terminator 3: War of the Machines
Terminator 3: War of the Machines came out shortly after Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. It was a first-person shooter that let the player either game as the human resistance or as the Skynet Terminators. It also had online multiplayer, which was a big deal in 2003.
However, almost everything else in the game was awful. The graphics were subpar and belonged in the PSOne era, the environments were bland, multiplayer didn’t have any dedicated servers, the online matchmaking was poor, and death animations didn’t even exist. Terminator 3: War of the Machines was a critical failure, and it earned every negative review it received.
7 BEST: Robocop Versus The Terminator
On paper, Robocop Versus The Terminator shouldn’t have worked. Games that merge two different franchises to increase the chances of gamers buying them are rarely good; just look at the Alien vs Predator games. However, Robocop Versus The Terminator is surprisingly one of the best Terminator—or even Robocop—games ever made, even if it wouldn’t have won any Game of the Year awards.
The game lets you play as Robocop. You mow down tons of bad guys as you progress through multiple platformer levels. When you finally encounter the Terminator, the encounter is not as satisfying as some players would hope; but it still rocks.
6 WORST: Terminator Salvation
The Terminator Salvation film had the makings of a good film. With a star-studded cast and an ambitious plot of a world taken over by Skynet, it should have been a great film. However, the reception was mixed and its planned sequels were scrapped and turned into a comic book, Terminator Salvation: The Final Battle.
The game, though, had none of the saving graces of the film. It was a repetitive mess with poor graphics and mechanics that didn’t work more often than not. It could have been better with some more time to polish and remove the bugs, but it ended up being something forgettable.
5 BEST: Terminator 3: The Redemption
Terminator 3: War of the Machines was an abysmal game, so The Redemption was an attempt to set a course correction. And the developers nailed it.
The game has different mission types, set pieces and cutscenes with tons of action, and an engaging storyline that expanded on the film’s story. The machines you faced were varied, and the combat took place on-rails, vehicles and on foot. Even the franchise’s star, Arnold Schwarzenegger, provided his voice for the role. Terminator 3: The Redemption truly was redemption, and it reminded us that in the right hands, a Terminator game can be a ton of fun.
4 WORST: The Terminator: Dawn of Fate
With the whole time-travel aspect of the Terminator franchise, it probably didn’t need a prequel. But that’s what we got with The Terminator: Dawn of Fate. This game was set before the events of the first film, when Kyle Reese and the rest of the resistance were still planning on how to go back in time. It was an interesting concept, but it was let down by being a video game. The game was simple and got old fast, the graphics had no life, the character designs looked rushed and the story didn’t amount to much.
3 BEST: The Terminator: Future Shock
Released in 1995, The Terminator: Future Shock might not be the newest Terminator game. But it’s one of the most fondly remembered, both with critics and fans. The game is a first-person shooter set in a Skynet-controlled future. It involved players traveling through various levels in an aerial hunter killer fighter, on foot or in a jeep. Players had to travel this way because of the game’s massive open world, where most doors could be entered; this was way ahead of its time.
Developed by Bethesda Softworks, The Terminator: Future Shock was probably the inspiration for games like Fallout.
2 WORST: Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Most of the Terminator films had more than one video game to their name, and Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines was no different. Other than the dreadful War of the Machines, they also released the direct video game adaptation of the film.
Rise of the Machines closely followed the film’s storyline, and it even had Arnold Schwarzenegger provide full voice-acting. However, everything else about it was a mess. The destruction physics were awful, hand-to-hand combat was a bore, the load times were too long for levels with subpar graphics output, and the character models looked a generation too late.
1 BEST: The Terminator: Rampage
The Terminator: Rampage was not based on any movie in the franchise. But it still had an amazing story: Skynet had sent another Terminator, called the Meta Node, back in time to once again try to eliminate humanity. Its plan this time was for its core to be built in a government base that was fully fortified. The player took control of one of the few surviving humans in an effort to destroy the Meta Node and Skynet.
The game was a first-person shooter that borrowed its look heavily from games like Wolfenstein and Doom. It was fun to play, had a cool story and is still enjoyable for gamers who don’t mind the aged graphics.
