Most underrated game ever?

[Yossarian1507]

Way of the Samurai.

The story is classic corny samurai flick, but I loved the game for how it branched based on decisions, either reunite the warring clans, take sides, work with the government or be a lone sort of 'ronin' through the whole story (VERY short campaign, though) On top of that, a bevy of different swords, styles and moves to learn. I grew up watching old samurai movies like Lone Wolf and Cub or Seven Samurai- so I fucking loved that game.

I never played the sequel, though I heard there was some kind of added mechanic where police or militia would pursue you like cops in GTA- didn't sound as fun as basically kill warring samurai clans without much reprisal in the first one.

I've managed to play all three of them and I have to agree. The games are essentially Choose-Your-Own-Adventure books in the form of a game. Apparently the series is a bit like the Yakuza franchise in terms of popularity. The fourth game in the series will be coming out in Japan soon, but in the US the games are almost completely unknown (aside from a cult following).

The sword combat is nuanced and complex, and the story has more paths and branches than any other game I've seen (the third game has 22 endings not including the secret ending where you kill every NPC in the game). The series has kind of a odd sense of humor, but they really aren't meant to be taken seriously. It's quirky, fun, and gives the player more freedom than any other series on the market.

Yeah, I played and liked WotS 3, and it's definitely underrated, but this is the prime of example of a game with potential to be Amazing, and turns out just good.

The combat could be less stiff (and the could let you fight multiple opponents at time, because it just looks silly when you kill off footsoldiers one by one), the world could be bigger, and most importantly, the game could've be more stuck-proof. I remember locking myself from any possible ending (no more inklings on the map FOREVER), because I accidentally pushed the 'apologize' button in one cutscene. My friend did similar thing, when he tried to side with Shuzen, but didn't do enough sidequest to actually speak with him directly before the Nobunaga event. Then the gates were locked for him, and he was stuck forever. It really can piss you off, if you played the game for hours, and must start again because of something like that.

 

[Wrath 228]

I third The Darkness. I went out and rebought it when they announced the sequel, and I'm playing through it again now. LOVE IT.

Also, Psi Ops, Quake 4 (I love me some Quake) and a bunch of others I can't think of now.

WAIT, one more. Battlefield 2142. It was always overshadowed by the other big releases both before and after it, but IMO it's the best of the PC Battlefields.

 

[carnege4]

Oddworld Abe's Oddysse
Oddworld Abe's Exoddus

i dare you to prove me wrong

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

Wild ARMs 1. It got drowned out from all of the "OOOOOOoooooo" surrounding Final Fantasy 7. The graphics may have been meh, but the story and music, in my opinion, exceeded what FF7 produced. I still love the story line between Lady Harken and Jack. Even now, I still can't get that intro music out of my head. So classic, and yet, it never got as much praise as it should have.

 

[gregitaly]

Persona 4, fantastic game, but was released on the PS2 late in it's life. And it's predecessor gets all the remakes and re-releases. Leaving P4 to languish in obscurity.

 

[Pzest]

The Otogi games! Hardly anyone played 'em. The platforming seemed a little floaty at times (more so in the first one) but the combat was so gorgeous and satisfying.

I would mention my favorite Dreamcast games, but reviewers loved them and they technically wouldn't be "underrated." They were definitely underpurchased, though.

 

[Leftnt Sharpe]

Probably the Icewind Dale games. I liked how you could custom build your party from level one and adjust them to the tactics that you liked best.IWD2 also had a large number of playable races(yay Tieflings!) and a surprisingly good story.

 

[tinkyyy]

I used to absolutely love that game. About two weeks ago I was talking to my housemate about it and couldn't remember the name of it for my life. Until he said so you play as freedom fighters and it clicked..

Anywho, that, and Timesplitters for me I think. Never really got the widespread acclaim they deserved

 

[Supp]

Not that the series itself isn't Bismarck-class, but Final Fantasy V seems to have hardly any fans, even among series stalwarts. A shame, too; the title is nearly note-perfect.

I think it has a lot to do with it never having been released in America until it was already behind the times. By the time our shores got it as part of Final Fantasy Anthology, it was almost certainly recognized principally as 'that game that came with FFVI' and promptly forgotten.

FFV had too many things that were way, WAY too abusable. NOTE TO DESIGNERS, TAKE THE FF IV ROUTE AND JUST MAKE BOSSES IMMUNE TO STATUS AILMENTS.

Anyways, I'd have to say Luminous Arc. Sure the game was just a rip-off of Final Fantasy Tactics, but it was still a good game.

 

[Ddgafd]

Cel Damage Overdrive. One of my favorite games ever, sadly the reviews didn't like it. It has next to no story, I'll give that, but it's just pure mindless fun. I suggest you try to find a copy of this.

 

[Snotnarok]

The Timesplitters series. It's a cult classic, but never really did get the recognition that it deserved by the gaming community as a whole.

It's because it didn't have regenerating health or a super cereal story. Comedy, witty characters and challenge are the past daddy-o.

 

[v3n0mat3]

Pool of Radiance (PC), Planescape: Tourment (PC), Bauldur's Gate 1+2 (PC)... Noticing a pattern here? The games didn't do very well despite being some of the best of all D&D games. Well, that's probably the problem.

Mainstream-wise, however, I'd have to say some of the most underrated games (of this generation) would have to be Conan the Barbarian and Killzone 1. KZ1 got a bad rep for DARING to call itself better than Halo. Conan got a bad rep for DARING to copy God of War.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

Freedom Fighters was a real gem if you ask me. It was mainly overshadowed by Hitman back in the day, and has become a real cult classic over time.
I really loved the concept of making an underground resistance and commanding troops, while you yourself can also run around the battlefield in classic third-person shooter style.

On a sidenote: The upcoming game Homefront has a similar premise, except it is an FPS. Really looking forward to it.

Freedom fighters, was going to be my mention, awesome game that.

 

[Quazimofo]

NBA 2k11 is never going to get the credit it deserved.
It was the best game made in 2010 by far, and I'm going to stand by that forever.

i still dont get why they release those sports games in the year prior to their title year, just never made sense to me. as for my pick...... well honestly cant think of one right now. all of the games i can think of are popular mainstream titles right now, or were when they came out.

OH now i remember. for some reason i remember seeing alot of hate for SW the force unleashed and Brutal Legend despite my loving both of them. the only bad thing about force unleashed was the shortness and mediocre story, which would have been reconciled with the new games had they not cancelled the third and blew the second. and brutal legend was fun, not enough multi player variety but still fun, and the humor got a little predictable by the end but it was never outright bad

 

[Sir CheezyPie]

Deadly Premonition. Say what you will about the gameplay but the story is one of the best I have ever heard.

 

[Get_A_Grip_]

Zelda II.

It doesn't deserve all the hate it gets.

 

[Quazimofo]

Freedom Fighters was a real gem if you ask me. It was mainly overshadowed by Hitman back in the day, and has become a real cult classic over time.
I really loved the concept of making an underground resistance and commanding troops, while you yourself can also run around the battlefield in classic third-person shooter style.

On a sidenote: The upcoming game Homefront has a similar premise, except it is an FPS. Really looking forward to it.

Freedom fighters, was going to be my mention, awesome game that.

ah yes forgot freedom fighters. can barely remember anything about that except for when you assault that island in the last game, and you couldnt get explosives (or at least i couldnt) to blow up some tower or something to allow more reinforcements, and to do that you had to go into another area where the explosives cache was hopelessly undermanned to get some. or is my memory really that bad

 

[bioshockedcriticjrr]

noones mentioned the "Condemned" games yet? that's a shame because the second one had some of the most perfect first-person-brawler mechanics I've ever seen, and the first one was creepy as hell and was way more varied and blended horror and action better than fear or resident evil ever did