Your underrated game of the generation (System Wars, commercial, critical)?

Just curious to hear what people think are some of the more underrated games of the generation (most importantly in System Wars, but also critically, commercially, etc.) and, more importatly, why?

My personal game (flame shield is already up) is Halo 3: ODST. This game features a semi open city that was made with polish, more great Halo combat, a unique take on the Halo forumula, great set pieces, and of course the superb audio that is signature of the series. The soundtrack is my favorite of the generation. You get everything from the thumping drums and orchestras that are trademark Halo, as well as slower pieces that use saxaphones in the night sections. Awesome game.

Another worth noting would be inFAMOUS. This has been my favorite PS3 game so far. The combat is a blast, and the progression of your powers gives you incentive to keep playing. The story is also amazing. I played and got the good ending. Without spoiling, the sacrifices that Cole makes, whether or not he knows it at the time (at the end) are gut wrenching. Thinking of how someone would have to affect the ones he loves in such a way to save humanity drew me in, and I'm stoked for the sequel.

GO!!

Borderlands definetly.

Bulletstorm is definitely underrated, I loved that game, everything in it played so smoothely and it was a fun solid fps. The visuals were stunning and honestly I havent played a shooter that good in a long time.

Borderlands definetly.

xXShortroundXx

Good call. My older brother almost MADE me buy it, and I was glad I did. Questing together in co-op was a blast. I just wish the story was as interesting as it initially seemed, Great combat, style, and attitude throughout, though!

When people are bleating about how shooters should actually try something new, these games get virtually ignored.

On System Wars- Vanquish

Commercially- BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger

Critically- Mirror's Edge

Can't forget Mirror's Edge. The only flaws in this game are the trial and error sections, and the fact that the story wasn't handled well. I LOVE this game.

EDIT: Beat me to it. ^

NIER.

- Elemental (PC) - Very underrated, had alot of issues at launch but with alot of care and updates the game is pretty good, not to mention the new standalone expansion pack coming out looks wicked to. Liked this more then Civ5 to be honest.

- Risen (PC) - Loved this game, way better hten most rpgs this gen imo. How a game like Demon Souls and Oblivion get so much more attention blows me away, I found Risen to be better then those games in almost all ways.

- Heavy Rain (PS3) - Got good reviews but I thought it was GREAT, it also catches to much flack for so called being a movie and not a game.

- Kameo (360) - The best launch game out of all the systems this gen imo, just loved this game. Its funny to because I thought it would be horrible, but all the other games were sold out at launch and I grab it, so glad I did

- Shadowrun (PC and 360) - Besides TF2 and Bad Company2 this is the next best multiplayer this gen imo, awesome gameplay, good although small community and very unique. Loved also that PC players could play with and against 360 players, some epic fun. Its to bad M$ messed up by making this game VISTA only when vista first came out.

- The Last Remnant - One of the better jrpgs in ages, enjoyed it on 360 and was way better on PC to with great polish and better graphics. Dont understand why this game didnt get any love

Alan Wake, Kings Bounty and Mirrors Edge to some degree to

Can't forget Mirror's Edge. The only flaws in this game are the trial and error sections, and the fact that the story wasn't handled well. I LOVE this game.

EDIT: Beat me to it. ^

KSU-Wildcat

Horrible gun fight sections, bad pacing and overall unpolished is hardly 8+ territory. The sequel would have easily fixed these issues and I think Mirror's Edge deserves one but the first game was not critically underrated.

It's sort of in the same camp as Portal, but Portal being too short rather than unpolished. Amazing concepts and very innovative is not enough.

But putting it into perspective, by GS standards i.e. compared to some stuff that has gotten 9.0's then Mirror's Edge is easily up there, but in the real world not so :P

Farming Simulator 2011, review I read of it got 2.8, I've put 56 hours into it so far

[QUOTE="KSU-Wildcat"]

Can't forget Mirror's Edge. The only flaws in this game are the trial and error sections, and the fact that the story wasn't handled well. I LOVE this game.

EDIT: Beat me to it. ^

SuperFlakeman

Horrible gun fight sections, bad pacing and overall unpolished is hardly 8+ territory. The sequel would have easily fixed these issues and I think Mirror's Edge deserves one but the first game was not critically underrated.

It's sort of in the same camp as Portal, but Portal being too short rather than unpolished. Amazing concepts and very innovative is not enough.

But putting it into perspective, by GS standards i.e. compared to some stuff that has gotten 9.0's then Mirror's Edge is easily up there, but in the real world not so :P

All valid points! But when I like a game, I'm a sucker for it. What are some of yours then? Come at me bro! :P

Bayonetta.

This



Or this.

All valid points! But when I like a game, I'm a sucker for it. What are some of yours then? Come at me bro! :P

KSU-Wildcat

I'd put it as commercially underrated. It gets enough love here it seems.

Idk maybe Tomb Raider: Guardian of Light is underrated in some respect, it's one of the best downloadable games this gen.

Probably been overlooked because it's A: A tomb raider game (not been good lately) or B: Downloadable game or C: isometric game.

It's the full package really. More than enough content for what it is and its pricepoint, lots of action, lots of clever puzzles, replay value due to item collection and other secrets, looks gorgeous, great controls and maybe best of all co-op mode is not an afterthought. You really need to use teamwork to progress it's not mindless shooting or something, in the vein of lost vikings where one player has certain characteristics.

[QUOTE="KSU-Wildcat"]

Can't forget Mirror's Edge. The only flaws in this game are the trial and error sections, and the fact that the story wasn't handled well. I LOVE this game.

EDIT: Beat me to it. ^

SuperFlakeman

Horrible gun fight sections, bad pacing and overall unpolished is hardly 8+ territory. The sequel would have easily fixed these issues and I think Mirror's Edge deserves one but the first game was not critically underrated.

It's sort of in the same camp as Portal, but Portal being too short rather than unpolished. Amazing concepts and very innovative is not enough.

But putting it into perspective, by GS standards i.e. compared to some stuff that has gotten 9.0's then Mirror's Edge is easily up there, but in the real world not so :P

I've gotten through Mirror's Edge twicewithout firing a weapon. Pacing is fine, though I guess that's subjective.What do you mean by unpolished?

Dead Rising. The people that complain about the time system: They don't understand, man, they just don't understand!

On System Wars- Vanquish

Commercially- BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger

Critically- Mirror's Edge

NeonNinja

Valkyria Chronicles. Best game on the PS3.

Between Halo Wars and Mass Effect 1.

Mask of the Betrayer.

Critter Crunch and Rooms: The Main Building

Alpha Protocol and New Vegas.

Damn you Obsidian and your lack of polish...

a couple spring to mind:

Midnight Club:: LA

PGR4

Test Drive Unlimited

Mirror's Edge

Just Cause 2 (kind of, but it was still a bit of a drag with so many locations)

um, anyone elses user ratings list not showing the names of any of the games?!

Dead Rising. The people that complain about the time system: They don't understand, man, they just don't understand!

Indie_Hitman

For that matter, Dead Rising 2 got a ton of unwarranted hate, yet it was one of my favourite games of last year.

Still, my overall underdog of the generation would have to be Deadly Premonition.
Despite the bad reviews and player feedback, it genuinely was one of the most entertaining and enthralling games I've played all gen, and I would honestly say that it is absolutely brilliant (whether intentionally or not).

Sure, the gameplay was shoddy...and so was the plot, and the graphics, and so on...but there was just something really endearing about the whole experience.

Lost Planet 2 definitely. Its one of the best MP coop shooters there is.

Dead Rising - It was unique and refreshing, It had everything a zombie game should have i.e psychopaths, food to replenish health and survivors. I think most people didn't like it because it can be very confusing and hard on your first couple of play troughs. The game easily deserved a 9+

Dead Rising. The people that complain about the time system: They don't understand, man, they just don't understand!

Indie_Hitman

I want your babies

System Wars: Mount&Blade. This game offers a huge ammount of freedom and doesnt force you into anything at all, be a trader if you want to, be a lone wanderer, be a tactitian, be a king, be a marshall. Furthermore the political landscape changes dephending on not only your actions but the actions of others, for example if a town is under attack, chances are that unless you and the rest of your factions reacts to this the town will be lost. Not to mention this game has the best medieval combat system bar none... not even Demon's Souls has a better medieval melee system than this.

Sales: Demon's Souls. Really excellent game with a dark atmosphere, great combat, great console multiplayer, interesting reward system (each boss drops one soul, and you have to choose if you want the weapon, or one of the spells) and a subtle yet intriguing backstory. I think it should have sold more than it did but I guess the fact that it was hyped for being hard (it is not) has scared off some people. Oh yeah, I am also glad there is green arrow pointing where you should go, no checkpoints in the middle of the level, regeneration and elves.

Score: Mirror's Edge. This is a parkour game, not a fps, which some reveiwers reviewed it as. Oh and I love the visuals

Dead Rising. The people that complain about the time system: They don't understand, man, they just don't understand!

Indie_Hitman

To be honest, I loved the time system and for that matter, the save system. The time system gave a sense of urgency, while the save system gave a sense of survival, games that spoon feed me with checkpoints really do not make me care about dying.

Wipeout HD / Fury - solid futuristic racer with superb visuals that seems not to be taken up by the majority because it started it's life as a PSN download only.

Mount & Blade

Blazblue

Alpha Protocol

- Kameo (360) - The best launch game out of all the systems this gen imo, just loved this game. Its funny to because I thought it would be horrible, but all the other games were sold out at launch and I grab it, so glad I did

kozzy1234

Horribly underrated game especially from a commercial point of view. It is my GF's favourite game and a damn shame we will never see a sequel.

[QUOTE="kozzy1234"]

- Kameo (360) - The best launch game out of all the systems this gen imo, just loved this game. Its funny to because I thought it would be horrible, but all the other games were sold out at launch and I grab it, so glad I did

mattacular

Horribly underrated game especially from a commercial point of view. It is my GF's favourite game and a damn shame we will never see a sequel.

That's because of how the console demographics work. Rare games cater more to the Nintendo (Wii) audience.

They had to alter the gameplay of Banjo Nuts and Bolts to fit in the 360 environment.

system wars

call of duty black ops wii edition

motion controls worked really well and the campaign was fun if simple. fighting zombies with 4 people without a bunch of little kids acting there age was epic and online multiplayer was a lot more polished then reflex or waw.

critically

GOD OF WAR GHOST OF SPARTA

yes it was more god of war but reviewers compared it to god of war 3 and that is ridicuulous. the game should have been compared to chain of olympus and dantes inferno because its longer more engaging more polished and far more beautiful graphically than either of them. also the fight withhis brother was epic.

commercially

tatusnoko vs capcom

i cant believe it didnt sell over a mill ion because that fighter is easily superior to street fighter 4. playing online was fun,giants were interesting but cheap and the graphics looked good.

Condemned: Criminal Origins.

Sin & Punishment: Star Successor

Muramasa: The Demon Blade

both Wii games, both in my top 3 of the gen :O

Blazblue is probably the best figther franchise this gen, however SF4 gets all the attention (also a great game to be fair).

For the west I would say Sengoku Basara 3, as I'm a SB fanboy. Game got poor reviews, a 4.5 over here and I doubt it sold well for a Capcom game in the west. But it's easily one of my favorite games I have played this generation.

Suprised nobody has mentioned it yet (or maybe it's just me), but Lost Odyssey? Great cutscenes, music, story, emotion, and characters. I'm not a fan of turn-based combat at all, but I still enjoyed the game. Hell, some of Kaim's Thousand Years of Dreams (somebody tell me if I butchered that, it's been a while since I've played) were worth my price of admission alone!

- Elemental (PC) - Very underrated, had alot of issues at launch but with alot of care and updates the game is pretty good, not to mention the new standalone expansion pack coming out looks wicked to. Liked this more then Civ5 to be honest.

- Risen (PC) - Loved this game, way better hten most rpgs this gen imo. How a game like Demon Souls and Oblivion get so much more attention blows me away, I found Risen to be better then those games in almost all ways.

- Heavy Rain (PS3) - Got good reviews but I thought it was GREAT, it also catches to much flack for so called being a movie and not a game.

- Kameo (360) - The best launch game out of all the systems this gen imo, just loved this game. Its funny to because I thought it would be horrible, but all the other games were sold out at launch and I grab it, so glad I did

- Shadowrun (PC and 360) - Besides TF2 and Bad Company2 this is the next best multiplayer this gen imo, awesome gameplay, good although small community and very unique. Loved also that PC players could play with and against 360 players, some epic fun. Its to bad M$ messed up by making this game VISTA only when vista first came out.

- The Last Remnant - One of the better jrpgs in ages, enjoyed it on 360 and was way better on PC to with great polish and better graphics. Dont understand why this game didnt get any love

Alan Wake, Kings Bounty and Mirrors Edge to some degree to

kozzy1234

Commercially....? Alan Wake by a mile.

Critically and commercially: Red Steel 2. The game has AMAZING combat, and once you get all the powers and stuff its so amazingly fluid that you FEEL like a freakin cowboy ninja. The game is a HUGE improvement over Red Steel and yet sold only a very small fraction by comparison :(