(Surprisingly) some of the best games you have ever played.

[Tyrant55]

Whether we like to admit it or not, most gamers will judge a game by looking at a video rather than actually playing the game itself. Some games are just what we expect, but a few may shatter all of the expectations that we had for it. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing depends on the situation, but has there ever been a game that completely surprised you with its sheer awesomeness? A good example for me would be PixelJunk Monsters, a downloadable tower defense game on the PSN. The game looked stupid and boring, but a year after buying it I still play it more than some AAA titles. Have there been any games that surprised you in such a positive way?

 

[Flishiz]

Black Hawk Down for the PS2

Not ashamed of it.

 

[Snakktastic]

Mass Effect. I know strange isn't it.

 

[Legion]

KOTOR, seeing as I am not much of a Star Wars fan, nor do I play RPG's usually.

 

[kazork]

dr. mario (wii-ware)

I thought it was a lame rip-off of tetris and now I am addicted.

 

[Tyrant55]

Mass Effect. I know strange isn't it.

I was actually surprised by the fact that I didn't like that game. I really tried to like it, but I just never got into it.

 

[Ultress]

Portal, I got the oragne box for Half life 2,and this game came out of left field and overshadowed Half life 2 for me. I sold the orange box but ended up getting Portal still alive on the XBLA

 

[PuckFuppet]

Summoner, I expected it to take itself too seriously.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zng5kRle4FA

>.<

So eh... no. Didn't take itself seriously, and it was beyond brilliant.

The gameplay was well together, the story was brilliant and... just look at the video!

 

[fix-the-spade]

Alien Resurrection: PS1

It's a movie tie-in and it's a PS1 fps, so it's going to suck right?
WRUNG! It's good. Really, really good.

The sound design is incredible, creepy as hell, it makes the game feel as if there is constantly something happening just off screen. You only ever find the grisly aftermath.

It's the earliest console game I know of to use dual stick controls as standard, they work too.

Except for the final boss, it's also scary and murderously tense. If you've got a PS1/2 I suggest to anyone you find it on eBay and play it.

 

[Frybird]

I've never thought that Defense Grid: The Awakening would be actually worth money (like...any sum other than nothing..it's a tower defense game after all, i can get hundreds of those legally for free) but...it does!
Nice to look at, has a enjoable story mode thanks to a great narrator like ai talking with you and does the very best it can with the concept.

Braid seemed to me like nothing more than an ugly jump n run (don't really like the graphical style) but in the end was among my favorites of 2008.

And of course there is Psychonauts...

Other than that, i can't come up with anything right now...i just read to much re- and previews to be REALLY surprised, i was even hyped up for Portal and Beyond Good and Evil before they came out.

 

[zeroyourpunctuation]

I think that i would have to say Saints Row 2 i mean the first game wasn't all that great but they really overdid themselves on the 2nd one. Good job Volition.

 

[scnj]

I have to be honest, I'm enjoying Dark Sector a lot more than I thought I would. Not one of the best I've played, but fairly good.

 

[COBOLProgram]

I would have to choose Dynamite Headdy for the SEGA Genesis. Incredibly hard, incredibly disjointed storyline, incredibly fun.