Gaming is often fun no? I mean, we game to relax, unwind, have fun, but gaming can raise our blood pressure too.

There's been numerous times where I've become stressed because of some unfair gaming mechanic, some annoying mission I can't get past.

Perhaps the worst of all is frustrating A.I, and no more so than the GTA games. In several missions, you have to clear out this area of thugs, and you have your friend/love interest inexplicably with you, either helping very slightly, or flat out walking in front of danger. How frustrating. You have to not only protect yourself from dying, but this companion of yours. Escort missions are a variation of the same idea, only this time they pretty much can NEVER help you. Fans of Resident Evil 4 no doubt share this.

And then there's things that aren't the game's fault but are just part of gaming. Being severely low on health for example. That's nerve-wracking, particularly for someone like me who flat out refuses to die in a game (I reset the system if I know I'm pretty much going to die). This pervades throughout most genres: fighting, RPG, action, etc.

Timed missions! How could I forget them. You can see that clock ticking down and you have to rush. Mistakes happen. Clock runs down further. Even worse is when games combine Timed Missions with having to escort someone.

In this thread, rant about stressful gaming experiences, mechanics, parts, whatever, stress here being the operative word.