Underrated Games

[Shjade]

Anyone else watch that Deus Ex trailer and find themselves thinking it looked a lot more like a trailer for a Ghost in the Shell story? Dude was trying his best Batou (circa Innocence) impression there.

And now I want someone to make a good GitS game for PC. :|

[Suiko]

Galerions, both the first one and Ash. Hardly anyone seems to own these games and yet they are just amazing. Wonderful characters that you adore (even the bad guys all have something you can't help but love), a villain so twisted you can't wait to kick the crap out of, and a simple gameplay mechanic that works.

anything where you have to force a needle with drugs into your neck to gain various psychic powers gets my thumbs up.

... Go out and buy it now! Galerians!

Also anything by the company Shin Megami Tensei, these include Digital Devil Saga (underground, darker, grittier final fantasy type affair) Nocturne/Lucifer's Call depending on where you are in the world and the more recent Persona series... All are gems in their own right.

I could go on, but... I will shut up now <<'

[Inkidu]

Just found all this sort of things.

I am looking forward to next week.

It's going to be my birthday present to myself. I reserved a copy at Gamestop with my card too and I'm entered for a chance to win a 20K home make over and a cool bionic arm replica.

As long as I get to pull someone through a wall. That's my mantra.

[Sel Nar]

Just a short list of games (or series) that I think are underrated, or didn't get the love they deserved from the public.

Bloodrayne. <- Mindless schlocky fun that had you killing Nazis/Vampire cults as a Redheaded Dhampir Sexpot. Third game is coming out later this month, and it's a departure from the first two's full-3d style.

Primal. <- The only time Hudson Leick and Andreas Katsulas worked together, and I cannot heap enough praise upon the game for being a darker, thoughtful, and impressive game that really makes the PS2 work for its keep. Also has awesome Music from 16 volt.

Heroes of Might and Magic. (currently working on VI) <- Cult classic, but nobody gives it love because it's a turn-based fantasy Strategy when everyone wants Fast-pased FPS where you spend more time looking at a respawn counter than actually playing.

Sword of the Stars. <- Another TBS, this time in space, with the heretofore unheard-of act of randomizing parts of the Tech Tree. Voice Acting is hit-or-miss, the AI for some of the 6 races is schizophrenic to us, but actually makes sense based on the lore, and each race has its own way of traveling between planetary systems. Sequel is coming out later this year.

Metro 2033. <- A quote from one of the characters (who returns in the Upcoming Sequel; 'Last Light') "It appears that the devastation we brought upon ourselves was complete. Heaven, hell, and purgatory were atomised as well. So when a soul leaves the body, it has nowhere to go, and must remain here, in the metro. A harsh, but... Not undeserved atonement for our sins, wouldn't you agree?" Fallout Done RIGHT. The world is decaying; weapons are scavenged or built from spare parts, Military-grade rifle ammunition is used as your currency, all you have to protect yourself from the radioactive fallout seeping in from above is your geiger counter, a gasmask to prevent particles from getting into your lungs, and a handful of nearly worn-out filters, and, beyond the lights and squalor of the crowded stations, mutants and beasts lurk, waiting to attack from the shadows and devour you. Nobody I know has played it.

Titan Quest. <- Like diablo, only you're going after the Titans of greek mythology, and there's ragdoll physics so if you smack a weak enemy with a heavy weapon, they go flying hard and fast as their gear falls off of their corpse for you to scavenge. Never got much love because everyone thought it to be a ripoff.

[Hemingway]

Heroes of Might and Magic. (currently working on VI) <- Cult classic, but nobody gives it love because it's a turn-based fantasy Strategy when everyone wants Fast-pased FPS where you spend more time looking at a respawn counter than actually playing.

I think the only underrated HoMM game is Heroes V. Which is probably because Heroes IV was a pretty terrible game, compared to the legendary Heroes 3. I don't think you could get further from "underrated" than Heroes 3.

[Sel Nar]

I think the only underrated HoMM game is Heroes V. Which is probably because Heroes IV was a pretty terrible game, compared to the legendary Heroes 3. I don't think you could get further from "underrated" than Heroes 3.

True, but if you ask any of your friend if they've even heard of Heroes of Might and Magic, and they're under 25 years of age, there's a 90% chance of you getting a blank look and a 'wut?'

[Inkidu]

Just a short list of games (or series) that I think are underrated, or didn't get the love they deserved from the public.

Bloodrayne. <- Mindless schlocky fun that had you killing Nazis/Vampire cults as a Redheaded Dhampir Sexpot. Third game is coming out later this month, and it's a departure from the first two's full-3d style.

Primal. <- The only time Hudson Leick and Andreas Katsulas worked together, and I cannot heap enough praise upon the game for being a darker, thoughtful, and impressive game that really makes the PS2 work for its keep. Also has awesome Music from 16 volt.

Heroes of Might and Magic. (currently working on VI) <- Cult classic, but nobody gives it love because it's a turn-based fantasy Strategy when everyone wants Fast-pased FPS where you spend more time looking at a respawn counter than actually playing.

Sword of the Stars. <- Another TBS, this time in space, with the heretofore unheard-of act of randomizing parts of the Tech Tree. Voice Acting is hit-or-miss, the AI for some of the 6 races is schizophrenic to us, but actually makes sense based on the lore, and each race has its own way of traveling between planetary systems. Sequel is coming out later this year.

Metro 2033. <- A quote from one of the characters (who returns in the Upcoming Sequel; 'Last Light') "It appears that the devastation we brought upon ourselves was complete. Heaven, hell, and purgatory were atomised as well. So when a soul leaves the body, it has nowhere to go, and must remain here, in the metro. A harsh, but... Not undeserved atonement for our sins, wouldn't you agree?" Fallout Done RIGHT. The world is decaying; weapons are scavenged or built from spare parts, Military-grade rifle ammunition is used as your currency, all you have to protect yourself from the radioactive fallout seeping in from above is your geiger counter, a gasmask to prevent particles from getting into your lungs, and a handful of nearly worn-out filters, and, beyond the lights and squalor of the crowded stations, mutants and beasts lurk, waiting to attack from the shadows and devour you. Nobody I know has played it.

Titan Quest. <- Like diablo, only you're going after the Titans of greek mythology, and there's ragdoll physics so if you smack a weak enemy with a heavy weapon, they go flying hard and fast as their gear falls off of their corpse for you to scavenge. Never got much love because everyone thought it to be a ripoff.

Actually, Metro does something better than Fallout. It has better characters. Yeah, there were really only a handful of VO actors but Miller, Kahn, Bourbon, Ulman, and even Artyon are all very memorable individuals. Hell they even stick out better because a lot of the NPCs are right bastards if you listen to the ambient dialogue.

Sure, Fallout has good characters, but they're more to the cool side of things. You don't get a lot of exposition from Fallout games. I played it, I played until I got all the achievements. Someday I buy it again on the cheap but right now I can't see it ever leaving me. I'm the only person I know of who has ever taken out a Librarian with the combat knife.

I've also heard of and played a few Might and Magic games. They're really hit and miss.

[itsbeenfun2000]

I am going to throw out two old board games. start fleet battles and federation and empire

[Oniya]

I actually have the original Might and Magic - and a multi-foot by multi-foot taped-together roll of graph paper that I mapped from it.

[Anyalyss]

I looooove HoMM 3, I started with the second one though and spent a lot of time creating my little maps *giggles* I just love everything that has to do with mythology so how could I not like this games? I didn't like the 4th and I hated what they did to the creatures on the 5th *sighs* they were all the same! As for the 6th, I just hope that they put back all the typical resources because in the beta, so far, they're missing gems, sulfur, and mercury.

Anyway, there is also a nice tiny little game called "Anomaly Warzone Earth", a friend told me that it actually had a little story so, I got curious as usual and played it... and it was lots of fun. It's your typical "tower defense" game except that instead of defeding, you're the one attacking *giggles*

[Hemingway]

True, but if you ask any of your friend if they've even heard of Heroes of Might and Magic, and they're under 25 years of age, there's a 90% chance of you getting a blank look and a 'wut?'

I'm ... I'm 21! 

[Oniya]

So, you're in the top 10%!

[Anyalyss]

I'm under 25 too!! now where is my free lemonade for being in this super exclusive 10%?  gimme!

edit!:  I forgot! there is a game called "Afterlife" it's likely one of my all time favourites along with "Toonstruck"

[Syauglan]

Despite having sold many more copies than the developers expected, Amnesia - The Dark Descent could still be considered underrated, at least to my mind. When I played it I was so impressed at how scary it could be my jaw dropped as far as one of those...things, that first starts to hunt you early on in the game.

Beyond Good & Evil. The greatest game nobody ever played.

Indeed! Given the amount of work that went into it, the masterful result and the lack of sales Beyond Good & Evil has to be the greatest game nobody played.

[Oniya]

Despite having sold many more copies than the developers expected, Amnesia - The Dark Descent could still be considered underrated, at least to my mind. When I played it I was so impressed at how scary it could be my jaw dropped as far as one of those...things, that first starts to hunt you early on in the game.

Man - that looks like something out of Sabby's nightmare thread.  O_O

[meikle]

You don't get a lot of exposition from Fallout games. I played it, I played until I got all the achievements

You know, Fallout didn't start at 3. :p

[Inkidu]

You know, Fallout didn't start at 3. :p

I'm very well aware of it and no character has ever given me deep expositions on the nature of man. They go for more of the pulpy feel of the old sci-fi short stories from the fifties and sixties. In a lot of ways it comes off more endearingly cheesy.

[DarklingAlice]

I'm very well aware of it and no character has ever given me deep expositions on the nature of man.

Nah, for that you have to hit up Planescape: Torment

[Suiko]

Planescape: Torment <3

Isn't that the one where you're brought back to life at the beginning? Awesome game.

[Inkidu]

I don't know I've said this (and I'm too lazy to go back and check) but I think Legend of Zelda: Marjora's Mask is greatly underrated (as a Zelda title).

[Sabby]

On topic: I think Deus Ex: Invisible War was underrated

It was, but no one can defend it's endings. That was just unforgivable.

Man - that looks like something out of Sabby's nightmare thread.  O_O

Pfft. My nightmares would chew that thing up and spit the slaggy remains into a slowly shrinking coffin.

[Inkidu]

Meh, they were okay... I would hardly say it ruined the whole game.

I usually go in with the mind-set that all endings are inherently bad. It's their nature to kind of be so. It makes the ones that are really good stand out.

[Suiko]

I don't know I've said this (and I'm too lazy to go back and check) but I think Legend of Zelda: Marjora's Mask is greatly underrated (as a Zelda title).

Is that the one where you go back in time throughbthe same day? If so, yes, very underrated.

[Sabby]

Meh, they were okay... I would hardly say it ruined the whole game.

I usually go in with the mind-set that all endings are inherently bad. It's their nature to kind of be so. It makes the ones that are really good stand out.

It wasn't what was in the endings, it was how they were handled. And by that, I mean with all the tension and closure of a hurtling train suddenly disappearing and leaving behind a plate of cold shit.

You press a button, and get a 10 second cutscene, and the 'race' to the button was not special. Just a couple of dudes who needed bullets.

[Inkidu]

Is that the one where you go back in time through the same day? If so, yes, very underrated.

Yep, you relived the same three days over and over again.

Sabby: I don't know what you were talking about, I was a ninja. I had naught but my blade and smoke-bombs. Like I said, ending's are inherently bad. Something good ending usually is.