Games you enjoyed which were either poorly reviewed or overlooked

[MorteTheSkull]

Have and of you ever played a game which which was supposed to be terrible, only to discover that you really liked the game? This happened to me recently with the XBox 360 game Operation Darkness. I'd been vaguely aware of it as a goofy sort of concept (Japanese strategy RPG set on the western front of World War 2), but upon release it received very poor reviews so I figured it wasn't worth my time.
A year or so later a friend recommended it, and I found a cheap enough copy that I felt okay about purchasing it. I was blown away. I immediately understood why it received some harsh criticism (the graphics are some of the worst I've seen on the 360, there's some interface issues that make the game not too intuitive for those unfamiliar with the genre) but at the same time it was a surprisingly deep strategy game with a fun set of characters and an amazingly goofy plot.

Has this happened to any of you?

 

[Omikron009]

People didn't really like Mercenaries 2 because it was buggy and had some other issues, but it's one of my favourite games.

 

[Save us.A7X]

I don't think Viking was too popular so I'll go with that, not the best game ever but I still found it fun.

 

[MisterShine]

Singularity and Metro spring to mind.

I think they both got overlooked by reviewers. I think There are about 10 people in the world that have actually played Singularity. And Metro got a lot of guff for things it did better than most other games. I have a feeling that is because it's a Russian made game. Kinda unfair in my opinion.

Thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis.

Also, there is a cult classics thread right under this one, though it seems half the people in that thread have no idea what a cult classic actually is.

So, this thread will be about recent games.

My own addition:
ALPHA PROTOCOL
Maybe it's just the console versions were crap, and yes stealth and fists are unbalanced, but I thought the game was bloody brilliant. I can take the piss out of Deus Ex if I wanted to as well, doesn't keep it from being fantastic now does it?

edit: <3 to your name OP.

 

[Okuu_Fusion]

I thought Deadly Premonition was awesome, should have bought that instead of RDR

 

[Blue Horn]

People didn't seem to like the PS2 version of Shinobi, but I thought it was fun, and very challenging.

 

[MorteTheSkull]

Eh, my feeling was this is a bit of a different idea from Cult Classics in that cult classics are games which are not popular but are generally considered good by those who play them, while here I'm more asking about games which are generally considered to be bad but you enjoy.

 

[Actual]

My own addition:
ALPHA PROTOCOL
Maybe it's just the console versions were crap, and yes stealth and fists are unbalanced, but I thought the game was bloody brilliant. I can take the piss out of Deus Ex if I wanted to as well, doesn't keep it from being fantastic now does it?

I also had it on the PC, looooved it. Got a good chance of being my personal GOTY. I think it did badly because of a couple high profile reviews on launch by reviewers who didn't understand the game they were playing.

 

[Layz92]

The Punisher game. That game owned. I think they should make a new one but with interrogation points on literally every object like in the way Splinter Cell Conviction has them but kicked up to a whole new level of violence with the minigame remaining intact.

 

[Tenkage]

Alien Vs Predator, Yahtzee didn't like it but I did because I felt it was a good story, Alien taking over, Predators coming in to hunt, and humans being the bait is a simple story I like. Gameplay good, but I will admit it is sad I can't play the Alien for very long which makes me want to bite the game maker's head off LOL

 

[gabe12301]

Splinter Cell.Almost everyone I know hates it.I play it every day

 

[no oneder]

Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard, Destroy All Humans and SSX Tricky were three good games, that no one but me seems to enjoy

EDIT: Also Daikatana.

 

[ShoryukenDude]

I'll have to agree with a few of the posts above me and go with Alpha Protocol. I played a combat heavy character who had more in common with Jason Statham than James Bond, and I truly felt like an idiot when I was caught by civilian guards because my suit apparently made more noise than a Grenade. But I was never very frustrated at the game, because pulling off the worst sneaking mission in the history of stealth because I set off every alarm in the place at least once was incredibly gratifying. The game was damn well written, and, even though Mike sounded bored most of the time, the voice acting was great. I'd suggest this game to anyone willing to buy it, even if it isn't the greatest thing since.......Mass Effect 2.

 

[Marter]

Van Halsing the game wasn't all that well received, but I really enjoyed it.

 

[Banana Phone Man]

Dynasty Warriors 5. So very bad reviews and it is a bad game but the constant hack and slash got me hooked.

 

[Winfrid]

i liked Nier, it has a few gameplay issues i can agree with but i think its better than people have been indicating

 

[The Root Beer Guy]

The few reviews it received were good, but I feel Metro 2033 was overlooked by pretty much everyone.

 

[RatRace123]

My own addition:
ALPHA PROTOCOL
Maybe it's just the console versions were crap, and yes stealth and fists are unbalanced, but I thought the game was bloody brilliant. I can take the piss out of Deus Ex if I wanted to as well, doesn't keep it from being fantastic now does it?

I also had it on the PC, looooved it. Got a good chance of being my personal GOTY. I think it did badly because of a couple high profile reviews on launch by reviewers who didn't understand the game they were playing.

I third this, and it's actually still pretty brilliant on consoles too. This game was really undergraded by a lot of reviewers. I personally love it.

 

[the_pleasure_is_mine]

Singularity and Metro spring to mind.

I think they both got overlooked by reviewers. I think There are about 10 people in the world that have actually played Singularity. And Metro got a lot of guff for things it did better than most other games. I have a feeling that is because it's a Russian made game. Kinda unfair in my opinion.

I absolutely love both those games...

And personally I thought Kane and Lynch was great fun with a fantastic online mode.

It got mixed reviews so it sort of fits in here.

Also Beyond Good and Evil. Just because it was such a completely unknown game at the time.