Name and describe obscure games that you want people to play.

[The Eupho Guy_v1legacy]

Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura

Arcanum is an isometric RPG, in a similar style to the original Fallout games. Infact, take Fallout, change the setting from post-apocalyptic to Steampunk/High Fantasy, change the roleplay interface and add a few bugs, and you'd have Arcanum.

 

[almo]

Obscure? Awesome? All right.

Star Control 3. One of the coolest sci-fi games I've played. I don't even know how to categorize it past that, real-time strategy? Action adventure?

Star Control 3 is notoriously horrible... The developers of StarCon 1 and 2 disavow its existence, and are even now lobbying to make the *real* StarCon 3. If you can deal with older graphics, I highly recommend you try Star Control II instead. It's a far better game.

You can get the open-source version here: http://sc2.sourceforge.net/

 

[almo]

Anything by Team Ico (Ico, Shadow of the Colussus)

Did someone forget the "obscure" part? Shadows of the Colossus is anything but obscure.

 

[MStrauss]

Here's one that no one's said: Dwarf Fortress. I don't care how many games you've played, how many genres you've mastered, or how many achievements you have unlocked; this game will leave you feeling completely overwhelmed by the sheer vastness and scale that it gives you, as such the learning curve is like a brick wall, or at least a very jagged mountain. If you can get past the graphics and interface, you will find a shining gem buried underneath. Just try it out.

Also, it's free.

http://www.bay12games.com/dwarves/features.html

Be afraid, be very afraid. That game will make your top tier computer its *****, just like Crysis did, the difference? it has ASCII graphics. The learnign curve is about 2days-1 week to keep a fortress going with more then 50 dwarfs, but even after 3 months playing you will find yourself bumping into new features.
If you are interested check the dwarf fortress wiki.

Back on topic:
Freelance, a space freelancer sim.
Giants: Citzen Kabuto, a shooter/adventure/base management game that had a nice sense of humor, great graphics for its time and fun story.

 

[clarinetJWD]

Sim Tower; you administrate and control a [up to 100 story] building with various things inside.
Make a successful tenement or commercial high-rise. You're in control.

I never expected that game to come up! So formulaic, so easy...and yet, I love it to this day, and once in a while spend all evening making another giant tower.

 

[goodman528]

Jagged Alliance 2 version 1.13 mods (PC)

You do know about the flowers, don't you?

Yes, it's the only game I've played where you can send the person you want to kill flowers just to say how much you want them.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Jagged Alliance 2 version 1.13 mods (PC)

You do know about the flowers, don't you?

Yes, it's the only game I've played where you can send the person you want to kill flowers just to say how much you want them.

She really doesn't like it though. And Poor Elliot.

Favourite 5 man team on JA2? (Assuming you're the 6th)

 

[Geo Da Sponge]

Cave Story!
Entirely built by just one guy known as Pixel, from graphics to music and story, while each has its own charme. Combine this with great gameplay, cool boss fights, alternate endings and other stuff that makes you want to play this game a lot of times. It's mindblowing, really.
Oh, and free.

If you haven't played it, you can't call yourself a gamer imo.

Loved the game, downloaded it based on the reccomendation of a friend.

 

[MagnetoHydroDynamics]

Little Fighter 2.
A small fake 3d game developed from an old dos game, It is incredibly fun to watch small manga style characters beat the living shit out of each other. And the sheer number of mods (Naruto mods, bleach mods, DBZ mods, etc.) makes it endlessly funny.

 

[Robyrt]

Much of Epic Megagames' early 90s PC games library is woefully underplayed and now freeware. Tyrian is a top-down shooter with RPG elements, One Must Fall is a 2D fighter with RPG elements, and Epic Pinball is still maddeningly addictive despite being so old it was written entirely in assembly.

 

[fangoram]

So they aren't exactly obscure but i'd say the legacy of kain series is worth a play through if you like a good story. the game play is admittedly repetitive but i find that with most games.

 

[meisnewbie]

Ever17.

MORE PEOPLE NEED TO PLAY IT.

MORE

 

[Programmed_For_Damage]

- Space Station Silicon Valley - N64 - It was developed by DMA Design - who later worked on GTA III - and similarly features a game mechanic whereby you control host vehicles (though in this case, they're automated animals living on a deserted space station). Overlooked when it came out, I would nonetheless say it's probably the fourth best 3D adventure-platformer on the N64, which is no small accolade on a console that featured the likes of Mario, Zelda, and Conker (as a side note: VC please?).

- Shenmue I + II - Not so obscure, but still unutterably brilliant: with the Shenmue series, Yu Suzuki managed to reinvent adventure games as we understand them by challenging conventional norms of subtlety and pacing. In twenty years time, these games will be heralded as significant. In the meantime, go play them.

- Blackthorne - This was an early platformer developed by Blizzard, and was alot of fun -'fun' being the best word to describe it because it didn't do anything to advance the industry, but still packed a mean punch.

I love you.

Thanks for jolting my memory; those games were great. I was actually going to mention Shenmue but didn't think it was "obscure" in the sense that people didn't know about it. Mind you I think I'm the only person in a 40km radius that's actually played and finished both of them.

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

Rhapsody: A Musical Adventure...they just made a DS port of this PSX game from the makers of Disgaea, I bought it and it was very charming and funny. They apparently changed the battle system, but I found the one they used fine. Very easy game, though. Haven't had to use an item and the game can beat bosses with battles set to 'Auto'

 

[bkd69]

Weird Dreams - a platformer with the most bizarre imagery I've seen in any game to date

King of Dragon Pass - turn based strategy set in Glorantha

 

[goodman528]

Favourite 5 man team on JA2? (Assuming you're the 6th)

Buzz, Raven, Ivan, me, Reaper, Ira.

Very balanced, 3 assault, 1 semi auto marksman, 1 bolt action sniper, 1 medic (in that order). Also, 3 men and 3 women. Ivan could use a LMG instead of rifle. Buzz (assault) could be replaced with Lynx (sniper), then also swap Reaper (sniper) for Spider (medic), and give Ira a fast and cheap gun and use her to spot for Lynx. Quite expensive team, but my final team is always some variation of this.

What's your favourite team? Have you tried 1.13 yet?

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Favourite 5 man team on JA2? (Assuming you're the 6th)

Buzz, Raven, Ivan, me, Reaper, Ira.

Very balanced, 3 assault, 1 semi auto marksman, 1 bolt action sniper, 1 medic (in that order). Also, 3 men and 3 women. Ivan could use a LMG instead of rifle. Buzz (assault) could be replaced with Lynx (sniper), then also swap Reaper (sniper) for Spider (medic), and give Ira a fast and cheap gun and use her to spot for Lynx. Quite expensive team, but my final team is always some variation of this.

What's your favourite team? Have you tried 1.13 yet?

Well, starting off I usually have Gasket on repairs once I've locked down Drassen, with Ira and Dimitri training the rebels/running errands. With me are Fox (Coz she's just cute), Shadow on point, myself on spotting, Ice or Dr.Q for close combat, Conrad and Ivan.

I tend to go full night attacks as myself and Shadow work well for spotting/dispatching.

Not played 1.13 yet and I really want to finish this game I'm on first. Sci-Fi, Iron Man, Hard and Loads of Guns.


Allegedly, we're getting JA3 in this quarter as well...quite a bit of hype about it already.

 

[Sporky111]

TOCA Race Driver 3 was an awesome game that no-one seems to have heard of. It is not like other racing games because it has everything: Nascar, rally, trophy truck, go-carts, F1, monster trucks, EVERYTHING. I don't even like racing games, and I find this one fun.

 

[WolfLordAndy]

Star Wolves, its a Space based RPGRTS, but feels more similar to playing EvE-online then a basic RPG. The only down side to it was you have to pretty much do 100% of missions before the final boss, or you could never beat it.

 

[Hey Joe]

More people need to play Dreamfall/ The Longest Journey damnit! I don't care if it's obscure or not, more people need to play them, especially Dreamfall. You want to know how games can grab you by the emotional nutsack and not let go? You want to know about how games can be art?

PLAY DREAMFALL!

PLAY IT NOW!

RIGHT GODDAMN NOW!

...

I'm sorry...I'll calm down now