Underrated games you like

What are games that didn't receive the greatest of reviews, but you actually like or think deserved a better review?

Alpha Protocol | GameSpot: 6.0
A solid action RPG. I keep hearing about how this game has "bugs" but I never ran into any bugs in the game. It has a lot of replayability, and tons of character choices. The story is very interesting and interactive. It's not really a stealth game though, there haven't been any real stealth games since GameCube remake of Metal Gear Solid. Sadly the game went too mainstream, instead of trying to satisfy stealth gamers. I really wish Sega hadn't canceled Alpha Protocol 2, they should uncancel it.


G-NOME | GameSpot: 6.2
G-NOME was ahead of it's time. The game is a hybrid in that it combines mech simulation and first-person shooter. The graphics aren't the best, and the multiplayer was shutdown prematurely. Sadly the game does suffer from some compatibility issues when running on Windows XP.


Star Wars: Force Commander | GameSpot: 6.0
Force Commander is a real-time strategy game set in the Star Wars universe. It had a lot of hype pre-release but didn't do so well in terms of reviews, and only did slightly less than average in terms of sales. I really liked it though, but I'm not going to deny some of the game's issues, such as difficult to use controls.


Star Wars: Yoda Stories | GameSpot: 4.0
I really liked this game as a kid for some reason, sure it was so unbelievably unrealistic, and I'm not talking about how streamers call CoD realistic, I'm talking about how it takes several lightsabre slashes to kill a stormtrooper, despite the fact that lightsabres can cut through just about anything, including stormtrooper armor.


Geist | GameSpot: 7.8
The greatest multiplayer console FPS game I have ever played. Also one of the most innovative games to come out in the last five years. This game's unique gameplay is coupled with an amazing soundtrack, cutting edge graphics, fun multiplayer, an interesting story, and some scary horror moments. Sadly the game failed to take advantage of the GameCube's online adapters, and so the game didn't have online play. It was also one of the first (non-porno) games to feature female nudity. I'm still holding out for the rumored, yet extremely elusive, Geist 2.


Total Annihilation: Kingdoms | GameSpot: 6.6
Sure, the game isn't as good as the original Total Annihilation, but that doesn't make it a bad game. I loved Kingdoms, and to this day, I still don't understand why so many people felt disappointed by it. GameStop claims it failed because it had bugs and because the RTS genre was dying, which is untrue, since the RTS genre and gaming in general was in it's prime in the late 1990s.


Resident Evil: Deadly Silence | GameSpot: 7.9
I admit, I may be a little biased since I love Resident Evil (pre-RE4 Resident Evil that is), but I really enjoy this remake of the original. Granted, it isn't as good as the GameCube remake, but that goes without saying.

MX vs. ATV Reflex

Mount and Blade| GameSpot: 6.0 Mount and Blade: Warband | GameSpot: 7.5

Basicly the base game and its expansion pack in other words. These games have the best medieval combat systems out there, with a decent assortment of weapons. In addition, another thing I like about this game is that there are no fantasy elements whatsoever, no elves, no magic, no dwarves, no demons, no healing potions. Not to mention, it was fun to be subtle and deceptive, manipulating lords (friend and foe alike) for your own benefit.

Mirror's Edge | GameSpot: 7.0

It felt throughly fresh and invigorating. I was running fast, doing parkour and I havent played anything like it before.

EvE online | GameSpot: 6.6

Biggest world in any MMO game, the best business model for an MMO imo. It truely is a persistent, dynamic online world where YOU (along with all other players) actually affect the world unlike like others, say World of Warcraft. The game doesn't really start until you join a corporation and get into the game politics though. And did I mention every expansion pack is free once you buy the game and buying game time with ISK (ingame currency).

Ace Combat series

Psychonauts (pardon me if I didnt spell it right)

Act of War on PC

Folklore

Mirrors Edge

Medal of Honor Rising Sun (The game that actually got me into FPSs)

Note that some of these games did get good scores but some of them got low sales and they are passed up and often overlooked.

Reviewers never seemed to understand the Siren series.

I picked up Enslaved last week and I'm really enjoying it.

Dynasty Warriors- Low score, simple game play, but I love playing these games. DW 5 Empires is just a lot of fun.

Vanquish. It got a 9.0 (Editor's Choice) but didn't sell above half a million. Ugh.

Vanquish. It got a 9.0 (Editor's Choice) but didn't sell above half a million. Ugh.

iAtrocious

Dead Space for a special reason. Any reviewer that had a reputation for accuracy gave it the good reviews it deserves, but there tends to be a trend with the game in which certain gamers think it's the anti-Christ of gaming. It is what it is, and it's good at what it is, it is it's own game it's not Silent Hill nor is it old school resident evil with static camera, it's not even trying to be, it's Dead Space; a game with no interface, subtle attentions to detail with the same fright methods of Doom 3 in which it relies on the relentless attacks of the monsters coming to get you, roaring all the way and you've got to do something about it.

It gets slandered because it's got lots of action in it, as if horror games are not allowed to have lots of action (I don't know who made that rule up) it gets slandered because it doesn't use the mind gamers type of scares that Silent Hill and certain indy developed games try to pull of, It gets slandered because it's successful and that makes it a good target for those trying to get down with the anti-mainstream gamers like it's some kind of club.

I bet 90% of the people who slagged the game off will play the sequal funny enough. That says it all really.

The Fight: Lights Out. Reviewers probably had never thrown a punch in their life, plus the fact they must have calibrated incorrectly.

Hmm...thought F12010 was a bit underrated (7.5 on GS) The Harry Potter games are always fine but GS never seems to like them much.

Black was given a 7.4 by GS.

It certainly wasn't amazing by any stretch of the imagination...but it was a good game, and better than many FPS I have played. I enjoyed the "blockbuster movie" ideals with it.(explosions everywhere, lots ofenemies,huge levels, etc.)I think it was advertised as being something it wasn't was the problem. It was also left as a cliffhanger...still waiting for a new one.

Singularity was a blast.

King's Field: The Ancient City- Received a 6.6 from Gamespot

The darkest, most atmospheric and loneliest game I have ever played. It's dark, dreary and dank halls, the deliberate slow pace that actually requires you to think, and especially the unforgettable music make for an amazing experience. Actually, it is more akin to being under a spell or in a trance than playing a video game. It just sucks you in and consumes you while leaving you all alone to figure out what to do. Demon's Souls is one of my favorite games of all time as well, but I would really like to see From Software make a long overdue return to King's Field. It would be ungodly. Hopefully Project Dark is a step closer in that direction.

Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn was highly underated on Gamespot. Most reviewers liked it though, giving it the 8-9.5 range. GS gave it a 6 though. It's one of favorite games.

I also actually liked Shadow the Hedgehog. It's rare to see a review as high as a 5 for that game though, but I really like it. Even Sonic the hedgehog for PS3/360 was kinda good. The load times are terrible, and bring it down a lot, but I think it's fun to play.

And Sonic Adventure is awesome, worth WAY more thenthe 3,5 ign gave it...

I just bought HAWX 2 and I'm loving it... It got a 7/10 on Gamestop. Landing an F-35 Lightning on an aircraft carrier... What more could you want!

King's Field: The Ancient City- Received a 6.6 from Gamespot

The darkest, most atmospheric and loneliest game I have ever played. It's dark, dreary and dank halls, the deliberate slow pace that actually requires you to think, and especially the unforgettable music make for an amazing experience. Actually, it is more akin to being under a spell or in a trance than playing a video game. It just sucks you in and consumes you while leaving you all alone to figure out what to do. Demon's Souls is one of my favorite games of all time as well, but I would really like to see From Software make a long overdue return to King's Field. It would be ungodly. Hopefully Project Dark is a step closer in that direction.

ironcreed

I loved Kings Field 1 and two... and here I thought I was the only person who played the bloody thing.

Recently: Splatterhouse: I may not have it yet, but from watching tons of videos and looking at the overall user score, it just looks simple and fun, definitely doesn't look as bad as a typical 4.5 game should look like. I PROMISE I'll edit this sentence if I get the game this friday and it ends up being bad. koospetoors

I wouldn't recommend Splatterhouse at full price, but I had a lot of fun with it. It's a shallow game, but it knows what it is and plays strongly to that character throughout. Kind of a by-the-numbers approach to a melee action game with linear levels, unlockable moves, etc, but it really doesn't do a bad job of executing its admittedly unambitious formula.

For me, every so often I get tired of playing games I feel I have to invest a lot of myself in to play...whether its the massive worlds of games like Fallout or the open ended gameplay in RDR or AC. As much as I love these games, they require a fair bit of dedication. Games like Splatterhouse are nice for those times when I don't want to have to memorize a city map in my head or think about what I'm gonna pick when i level up next. It's just simple, takes you by the hand and gives you plenty of beasties to tear to pieces in between collecting racy pictures of the main character's girlfriend. Worked for me.

Alpha Protocol| GameSpot: 6.0A solid action RPG. I keep hearing about how this game has "bugs" but I never ran into any bugs in the game. It has a lot of replayability, and tons of character choices. The story is very interesting and interactive. It's not really a stealth game though, there haven't been any real stealth games since GameCube remake of Metal Gear Solid. Sadly the game went too mainstream, instead of trying to satisfy stealth gamers. I really wish Sega hadn't canceled Alpha Protocol 2, they should uncancel itDarkestDestiny

Loved Alpha Protocol. Beat it like 3 or 4 times in a row. Did a Mass Effect 2 replay shortly after and the dialogue in Mass Effect just felt weak and poorly delivered by comparison. Obsidian really figured out a way to create a dialogue system that gave you so many choices yet still flowed from one sentence to the next.

The elements involving player choice were phenomenal, the scripting of events is excellent and so detailed I was still discovering events on my third play through, and the characters are very well done - especially Heck (Nolan North is like the Tom Hanks of the game industry). The gameplay was another story. Pretty shoddy, poorly thought out at times, but honestly I loved the RPGing aspects so much I didn't care and had a blast every playthrough (with the possible exception of the bosses on Hard).

I'd add my own picks to the list, but I really don't know what most of the games I've played have scored. Don't care either. All I'll say is that if you're one of those people that doesn't play anything that scores under an 8 from your favorite site, you're missing out.

Batman: AA

I know, its ranking is 92% at Gamerankings, but for some reason I get the impression that everyone feels that the quality in it is a given. AA is extraordinarily well done, and I appreciate it more the more times I play through it. I do not believe it gets quite the credit it deserves. Every moment is a pleasure to play, the combat is excellent, puzzles and riddles fun, has great unlockables that vastly extend replayability, has superb voice acting, music and sound design, and to top it off, everything's polished to a mirror shine. Most importantly it makes you FEEL like the Dark Knight. I can't describe how amazing it was the first moment I glided down into the Batcave. It's the only game where I've actually gone out of my way to find every last collectible, as not only did they unlock the awesome challenge modes, but they gave insight into the Batman universe. Needless to say, AA made me a fan and filled me in on many of the characters, their thinking, and history. Not to mention having an entire 3D showcase showing every character and vehicle model.

AA isn't just a game, it's a massive gift to the fans. It's a product stemming from the passion of those who obviously love the universe. This post would be better suited to a thread entitled, "what game do you think deserves more credit", because I don't necessarily think it's underrated, just not acknowledged enough for what it accomplishes so well. Maybe the reason I feel this way is the fact that they could've released a garbage game and have it ride to success on its name-brand alone, but they didn't. That they did put so much apparent work and care into it.....for that, I feel it deserves a bit more.

Kameo

max payne

First one that comes to mind is Folklore.

[QUOTE="ironcreed"]

King's Field: The Ancient City- Received a 6.6 from Gamespot

The darkest, most atmospheric and loneliest game I have ever played. It's dark, dreary and dank halls, the deliberate slow pace that actually requires you to think, and especially the unforgettable music make for an amazing experience. Actually, it is more akin to being under a spell or in a trance than playing a video game. It just sucks you in and consumes you while leaving you all alone to figure out what to do. Demon's Souls is one of my favorite games of all time as well, but I would really like to see From Software make a long overdue return to King's Field. It would be ungodly. Hopefully Project Dark is a step closer in that direction.

juliankennedy23

I loved Kings Field 1 and two... and here I thought I was the only person who played the bloody thing.

Yes, it is rare to come across someone who still actually cares about this series. Good to see someone else around here who still does. Fact is, there is simply nothing else like it. People who have not played it and yet loved Demon's Souls should really try to find a copy of King's Field: The Ancient City/King's Field 4. The atmosphere and level of immersion is better than most of what is released even today, in my opinion.

Here is a taste for the curious who is in the mood for a little old school. Better yet, if you are a gamer who happens to love games with an incredibly dark and lonely atmosphere that consumes you and forces you to be patient and use your head then you will fall in love. The slow pace, the incredibly dreary and dark as molasses atmosphere is certainly not for everyone, but I just thought I would shine a little light on this dark old gem. Here is the father of Demon's Souls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU9OcM8eR0A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=osOU3lARcVo

Alpha Centauri-not many people know about it

Beyond Good and Evil: at the time most of my friends were playing call of Duty

No One Lives Forever-just becuase

oddworld

undying

system shock

Beyond Good and Evil

Kameo

Jet Grind Radio and Jet Set Radio Future

Deus Ex

Lost Planet.

Okami

Gamespot 9.0

Metal Gear Solid

Gamespot 8.5

Four games that come to mind are Sonic 4, Shadow the Hedgehog, Final Fight Streetwise and Mega Man X8. I would rate them all much higher than this site did.

The Last Remnant (Xbox 360 version) | Gamespot: 6.5

Even with the technical issues like slow down and graphic pop in I had tons of fun with it.

DarkSector | Gamespot: 7.5

7.5 isn't a bad score but I know a lot of people who hated the game. I loved using the glaive and the zombie hordes you had to fight.

Sonic 4 Ep. 1 | Gamespot: 6.5

This game is definitely atleast worth a 7 or 7.5. I respect the reviewer that reviewed it, but I didn't even see half the problems the review named off. I thought the level design was fun, the bosses were never impossible or too hard, and getting the Chaos Emeralds isn't that hard.

Deadly Premonition is really good, I wish for a remake with updated graphics and huge marketing hype just so people will buy it

Fire emblem radiant dawn on the wii

Fire Emblem: Radiant Dawn was hugely underrated on GameSpot. They said that it was too difficult and unforgiving, had a terrible story, and had a bad beginning. Seriously? The game has an easy difficulty mode. I found the story to be very deep and imaginative. Finally, the game starts out with a beautiful CGI and a tutorial battle. What is their problem?

Reviewers never seemed to understand the Siren series.

hakanakumono

Tribes of the East = 6.5 on Gamespot??, i had so much fun with this, especially the complex skill wheel system, it was heavy on both RPG and TBS elements and where a complete joy... only problems was that it had too cartoony a look, I liked the Heroes 3 art style as it was much more serious and majestic

also consider the Darkness, its highly rated, but sold less than 700k among both ps3 and 360.

Dead Space for a special reason. Any reviewer that had a reputation for accuracy gave it the good reviews it deserves, but there tends to be a trend with the game in which certain gamers think it's the anti-Christ of gaming. It is what it is, and it's good at what it is, it is it's own game it's not Silent Hill nor is it old school resident evil with static camera, it's not even trying to be, it's Dead Space; a game with no interface, subtle attentions to detail with the same fright methods of Doom 3 in which it relies on the relentless attacks of the monsters coming to get you, roaring all the way and you've got to do something about it.

It gets slandered because it's got lots of action in it, as if horror games are not allowed to have lots of action (I don't know who made that rule up) it gets slandered because it doesn't use the mind gamers type of scares that Silent Hill and certain indy developed games try to pull of, It gets slandered because it's successful and that makes it a good target for those trying to get down with the anti-mainstream gamers like it's some kind of club.

I bet 90% of the people who slagged the game off will play the sequal funny enough. That says it all really.

Evil_Saluki

Bayonetta is one of my favorite games, and while it got pretty good reviews, I still say it was underrated as it did not take off in sales. The gameplay was well tuned, fast paced and fun. The graphics were very well done. The game had a unique style that just is not seen in many game.

From a review standpoint, Too Human did not do very well critically, but i enjoyed playing through the game. I enjoyed it so much I copmleted 2 more play throughs taking different leveling paths.

[QUOTE="Evil_Saluki"]

Dead Space for a special reason. Any reviewer that had a reputation for accuracy gave it the good reviews it deserves, but there tends to be a trend with the game in which certain gamers think it's the anti-Christ of gaming. It is what it is, and it's good at what it is, it is it's own game it's not Silent Hill nor is it old school resident evil with static camera, it's not even trying to be, it's Dead Space; a game with no interface, subtle attentions to detail with the same fright methods of Doom 3 in which it relies on the relentless attacks of the monsters coming to get you, roaring all the way and you've got to do something about it.

It gets slandered because it's got lots of action in it, as if horror games are not allowed to have lots of action (I don't know who made that rule up) it gets slandered because it doesn't use the mind gamers type of scares that Silent Hill and certain indy developed games try to pull of, It gets slandered because it's successful and that makes it a good target for those trying to get down with the anti-mainstream gamers like it's some kind of club.

I bet 90% of the people who slagged the game off will play the sequal funny enough. That says it all really.

Mythomniac

On topic, I love Deadly Premonition and wish more people would play it. It certainly has its problems, but it feels so fresh and unusual, has a highly intriguing story and features the most interesting protagonist I've seen this gen. It's simply awesome.

the fire emblem series and radiata stories