Here's my list of the top 10 games that seemingly came out of nowhere, and totally took me by suprise. For each game, I said a little something about why it's considered a suprise.
F.E.A.R. (PC)
When I first heard of this title, I thought the name was D.U.M.B. As I've learned over my gaming career, if you see a game box with a quirky name or shiny packaging, then a mediocre game usually hides inside. The fact that this was developed by Monolith -- a favorite studio thanks to "The Operative" -- convinced me download the demo. After quitting the demo for the first time, I immediately called EBGames and reserved a copy.
Deus Ex (PC)
Right when this came out, I downloaded the demo and hated every minute. About 6 months later, I decided to give the demo another shot, and loved every second. I don't know what changed during those 6 months, but whatever it was it made Deus Ex one my all time favorites.
God of War (PS2)
Normally I'm right on top of game releases, but I didn't hear about this one until the TV commercials started airing. From the commercials alone I assumed this would be another generic fighter, devoid of story, with repetative gameplay. Boy was I wrong. As glowing review after glowing review trickled in, I decided to give GoW a shot. I'm really glad I did. The environments were gorgeous, framerates solid, and story was compelling. The action is fast and furious, but you get an occasional break thanks to the mini-games. This one also earns the reward for "Game with the most controller-flinging moments". DAMN YOU ARIES!
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Xbox360)
Morrowind was my first venture into the Elder Scrolls series. I could see why people liked it, but it felt too disjointed. I needed a game I could dump a lot of time into, as I had just dished out around $600 for my Xbox360, and decided to take a chance on Oblivion. To date it's the only XBL game that I've earned all the acheivement points for.
Final Fantasy Legend (Game Boy)
This was the Final Fantasy game which started my obsession with RPGs. I played for at least 40 hours, killed a ridiculously hard boss, and thought I had finished the game. In truth, I had only finished the first area. I was hooked on RPGs after that.
Final Fantasy III (aka FFVI) (SNES)
I was really into RPGs by the time this came out, but this is one of the cornerstones of my gaming career. I liked all the Dragon Warrior games to date, and loved FF1 and 2, but this one was something else. I bought it mostly because I regretted not buying FF2, but I had no idea what I was getting into the day I unwrapped the cellophane. I finished FF3, beginning to end, no less than 6 times.
Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (PC)
My second favorite Star Wars game (first being KOTOR). It was an "ok" shooter in the beginning, but once you get your lightsabre it becomes a whole new game. I hope Raven is able to re-visit this series someday.
The Operative: No One Lives Forever (PC)
Another excellent FPS, which happened to conbine excellent gameplay with some of the funniest gaming moments I can think of. This was also the first game I played from Monolith, and have been a fan ever since. If I hadn't played this, I never would have played F.E.A.R.. The Operative also gets props for it's excellent lip syncing. I can't say I've ever seen better.
Sid Meier's Colonization (PC)
The Civilization series is one of my favorites. It's no wonder this off-shoot is one of my favorites as well. It's one I tried on a whim, and absolutely loved. If I had more time and ambition, I would want to make a Civ IV mod based on this series. Build up, declare independence, then defend against the motherland! I found it extremely satisfying to stomp on the redcoats.
Nightshade (NES)
I'd be suprised if you've heard of this one. Nightshade was published by Ultra (a Konami subsidiary), and was a point and click Sierra style adventure game on the NES. You played a vigilante in a modern city with ancient Egyptian influences, attempting to thwart an Anubis-inspired crime lord. I don't really know how I first came to hear of his title, but I remember it was a rental. I never actually bought it, but finished it in 3 rentals. This was a total sleeper hit, and am still disappointed a sequel was never made.
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