Support NeoGAF

[TintoConCasera]

Let's discuss some underrated or unheard of games! Doesn't matter when they were released, just tell everyone about a game (or games) you love but don't usually see praised or even mentioned over the internet.
Doesn't matter if the game's not the best thing ever too, if you enjoyed it I'm sure it must have some nice qualities and other people over here will be able to enjoy.

Might be a cool way of discovering new games, right? So... yeah! Let's start with a free one:

Shin Megami Tensei: Synchronicity Prologue

A pretty short but also pretty sweet metroidvania, featuring two hee hos, a fire one and an ice one, that turn what could have been your typical metroidvania into one with an Ikaruga style of gameplay.

You might like this one if...
You like SMT. You'll recognize a lot of things from the series, from demons to music.
You like metroidvanias.
You really liked Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth. That game has the same style of gameplay as this one with the Ikaruga polarity thing. Synchronicity Prologue has more elements than just ice and fire IIRC tho, but those are used as special attacks and the main ones are still ice and fire.


The Hex

Another short one. This one's an adventure game with point & click elements. Honestly I don't what to say about this that wouldn't spoil, aside from it being very surprising, fun and original.
Don't think it's some kind of Monkey Island game, heavy on puzzles, item collection and conversations. Game has a bit of that but it's more about the story than anything else.

One mroe thing: if the game tickles your interest, try to play it without knowing anything about it or it's story. Spoilers could really kill the experience.

You might like this one if...
You like short and not difficult adventure games.
You want to play something special/very original.
You clap whenever you see references to other games.
You enjoyed the other dev games, Pony Island or Inscryption.

Dragon's Dogma

Yeah, I guess most people here have already heard of this one. I'd still like to mention it, since I think a lot of people might have passed on it thinking it was some kind of japanese Skyrim while it's not. Game has some flaws, like the overall lack of variety in content and a very small world (compared to what we might be used to nowadays).
I still think the game has a lot of great things, like the combat (specially against the bosses), the pawns, the exploration (nothing is copied and pasted here) and the overall sense of comfyness and adventure. Class system's pretty good too, as you have 9 different classes with each being different than the rest in how they play, kinda like Monster Hunter.
It also has a DLC, Dark Arisen, which imo elevates the game as it adds a very meaty dungeon at the end with lots of new enemies and bosses.

You might like this one if...
You don't mind games with not a lot of story.
You like Monster Hunter.
You like ARPGs.
You think souls combat could use being a bit more complicated/developed.
You enjoy and appreciate the little things and details in games.
You like combat with that "hmph" feel to it when you land a hit. If you know, you know.

 

[Fatmanp]

Imo 2017 is one of the best gaming years ever and it's best game is my pick.

Prey

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Damigos]

Gran Turismo 7

 

[Plantoid]

Immortals phoenix rising

It's far from perfect but when I started playing i was hooked

 

[KimDongHwan]

I think Digimon World 2 for me. I felt at that time it had like an almost endless amount of Digimon to get (compared to Digimon World 2) and the formula was very addicting to me. I was going to say Digimon World 1 but I think many people do consider it a good game now.

 

[Decontamination Silo]

Unsarcastically Elden Ring. Too many people not locking it up for GOTY. It's beyond GOTY and immediately in serious GOAT contention.

Days Gone is another recent one that comes to mind. Maybe the perf turned people off to the original PS4 release, but for me it's easily the best single player zombie game and one of the greatest open world titles of the modern era. The writing and acting should go down as easily top 5 for last gen.

Bloodstained Ritual of the Night. Best metroidvania since SotN. I've tried all the indie darlings like Blasphemous and Salt & Sanctuary and they're decent enough. It seems like no one gets the feel right. Any suggestions from this genre are welcome .


Honorable mentions:
Dishonored series
Ghost Recon Wildlands

 

[Cert.in.Death]

 

[SlimeGooGoo]

.

 

[Hobbygaming]

The Order 1886
Quantum Break
Until Dawn
Days Gone
Ryse
Sackboy
Detroit Become Human
Assassin's Creed Unity
Prey

 

[TintoConCasera]

I agree, Prey is seriously underrated

Yes! I liked this one. Great opening and some of the coolest and most satisfying weapons in the FPS genre. That minigame when you die is lame, but aside from that, a really good one.

Really sad about not being able to get it anywhere. Should just pirate it some day I guess.

Decontamination Silo I liked Bloodstained, but man... Some serious hidden and mandatory shit in that game, at least imo. Like what you have to do to enter the train section... How was I supposed to know that?!

 

[Raven117]

Some good ones on here already.

Of the "Big" ones, I'd go for Dragons Dogma (really wish Capcom would give this another shot), Days Gone (criminally underrated), Neir (which seems to now have some appreciation).

 

[West Texas CEO]

Alpha Protocol
Star Ocean 3
Suikoden IV

 

[R6Rider]

Ace Combat 7 = fantastic game, with lots of aircraft and customization to choose from. The VR is also awesome, but limited.
Mirror's Edge Catalyst = Got lower scores than it deserved. Not as good as the first for me, but still a blast to play.

 

[Captain Toad]

Elden Ring

 

[TintoConCasera]

Dragons Dogma (really wish Capcom would give this another shot)

Wasn't it in both the Capcom and the Nvidia leaks? Also the director of the game is free after his work on DMC V, and this year is the 10th anniversary of the original game, so... Yeah I think we are close to seeing it announced.

 

[Aldric]

Lots of Sega Saturn games, Guardian Heroes mostly but also stuff like Dragon Force, Burning Rangers, Sega Rally, Shadow over Mystara etc. Very underrapreciated library I think because people tend to focus on Dreamcast as the target of their nostalgia but Saturn had legitimately fantastic games.

More recently I'd say Ori 2 didn't really get the appreciation it deserved, utterly fantastic game.

 

[Belthazar]

Spec Ops: The Line, the game is brilliant but you'll never know it by looking at the generic cover and name.

 

[Decontamination Silo]

Decontamination Silo I liked Bloodstained, but man... Some serious hidden and mandatory shit in that game, at least imo. Like what you have to do to enter the train section... How was I supposed to know that?!

FROM has shown us that there is merit to making SP games that are made to be played by a connected community.

 

[Raven117]

Wasn't it in both the Capcom and the Nvidia leaks? Also the director of the game is free after his work on DMC V, and this year is the 10th anniversary of the original game, so... Yeah I think we are close to seeing it announced.

That would be cool! Hopefully with Capcom's newfound swagger, they can get something awesome together.

 

[rofif]

The Darkness (2007)
Dark Souls 2
Binary Domain

 

[CatLady]

Quantum Break
Deus Ex: HR
Deus Ex:MD
Prey 2016
The Ascent
Singularity

 

[Fuz]

I'd have to think about it. Bad memory apart, I'm not sure what we can file under "top" and "underrated".
On the spot, I can mention
- Perfect Tides: Talked about this in the adventure thread, it's a gem. I wasn't that impressed by game writing since Disco Elysium. Sometimes too real and hit me hard.
- Dissidia Final Fantasy Opera Omnia: This one definitely shows in the "underrated" list. Yes, a mobile game. Yes, it has some shortcoming, especially in the story department. But it's a great turn based combat game, it gets some nice nostalgia factor and the monetization isn't bad at all.

 

[KàIRóS]

Resident Evil 6 is my go to for this question.

Every time I ask someone why they didn't like it and they say "because it wasn't scary" I cringe so fucking hard, like imagine not liking a game because it didn't scare you, what the actual fuck?

 

[jshackles]

Probably my favorite 3DS game. Level-5 built this kinda of RPG that had character progression modeled after MMOs. So they had classes for gathering, crafting, and fighting. Twelve classes ("lives") in total to choose from, and you can change any time you want in town. An interesting story and fun action combat.

Most reviewers gave it like 5 or 6 out of 10. Metacritic landed on 71 I believe. This game was definitely better than "average".

It's a shame the sequel is a clusterfuck of gacha mobile nonsense.

You might like this one if...
You like leveling up characters in MMOs
Decorating your house in Animal Crossing (this game had a full room customization aspect)
Low stakes chill RPGs

 

[Killer8]

This game was great. Combat is unbelievably satisfying. Whipping one enemy into the air with your hook arm and then slamming them into their buddy never got old. Neither did the 360 degree spin you could do, taking out everyone around you. Some of this stuff needs to make its way into Halo Infinite. The hook arm controls could be a bit finicky, but once you mastered them some of the platforming sections could be a fun challenge. There were a lot of hidden collectibles just out of reach enough to make you want to go for them. The boss battles were cool (some of the Capcom DNA filtered down to the Western developer) and the game was loaded with interesting set pieces. The final levels are hype as fuck and the ending plot twist is off the wall nuts:

Spoiler: ending spoiler

YOUR ARM IS YOUR DEAD WIFE

Very good OST too:








I'd put the game on the same level as Binary Domain in terms of 7th gen Japanese-y shooters with some interesting ideas.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Another one:

Alien Soldier

Probably not underrated, maybe a bit unknown to the general public, but for sure a game everyone who likes a good challenge should play.

This quite challenging boss rush game released for the Mega Drive/Genesis features 26 big bad dudes to beat up, a weird as all fuck story and what must be the most tightly designed gameplay of that gen. You can shoot, jump, walk downside on the roof, parry enemy attacks to heal yourself... And more, and all with just 3 buttons! I think some people might get turned of by this not being exactly like Gunstar Heroes or Metal Slug, but once you get used to how the game plays it really becomes very fun.

You might like this one if...
You like arcade games.
You enjoy being challenged, or like to 1CC hard games.
You really like bossfights.

Resident Evil 6 is my go to for this question.

Every time I ask someone why they didn't like it and they say "because it wasn't scary" I cringe so fucking hard, like imagine not liking a game because it didn't scare you, what the actual fuck?

I've heard about this one being underrated already. Like it's not what you could expect in a RE game, but it still has some cool action sequences and mechanics. I have to give this one a go some time for sure.

 

[Stamps1646]

Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin
Far Cry: Primal
Mad Max
Bioshock 2
Prey 2017
Titanfall 2
Sunset Overdrive
Astral Chain
Lost Odysessy
Guardians of the Galaxy
Dragons Dogma
Sleeping Dogs
Gravity Rush series

 

[Belthazar]

Resident Evil 6 is my go to for this question.

Every time I ask someone why they didn't like it and they say "because it wasn't scary" I cringe so fucking hard, like imagine not liking a game because it didn't scare you, what the actual fuck?

It's literally a horror game...

 

[Radioskugga]

Sleeping Dogs
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Dante's Inferno
Herzog Zwei
Helldivers
Driveclub
Gain Ground
King's Quest (1991)
Shadowrun (1993)
Rings Of Power

 

[AJUMP23]

I agree, Prey is seriously underrated

Got to prey just to make it today.

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

Strange Of Paradise: Final Fantasy CHAOS (origin)

This game is basically Diablo 3: Bearer Of Crystals (and chaos).

Gimmie dat loot baby....

 

[ProgenitorCastle]

This thread made me realize many of my favorite games are more popular than I thought

To answer the thread:

-RE0
-The Wonderful 101

 

[TintoConCasera]

Strange Of Paradise: Final Fantasy CHAOS (origin)

This game is basically Diablo 3: Bearer Of Crystals (and chaos).

Gimmie dat loot baby....

Man I'm craving this game. What little of it I've played is fun as hell, but sadly the PC version is busted atm. Patiently waiting for a patch, hope it ends up coming soon.

 

[Naked Lunch]

This game was great. Combat is unbelievably satisfying. Whipping one enemy into the air with your hook arm and then slamming them into their buddy never got old. Neither did the 360 degree spin you could do, taking out everyone around you. Some of this stuff needs to make its way into Halo Infinite. The hook arm controls could be a bit finicky, but once you mastered them some of the platforming sections could be a fun challenge. There were a lot of hidden collectibles just out of reach enough to make you want to go for them. The boss battles were cool (some of the Capcom DNA filtered down to the Western developer) and the game was loaded with interesting set pieces. The final levels are hype as fuck and the ending plot twist is off the wall nuts:

Spoiler: ending spoiler

YOUR ARM IS YOUR DEAD WIFE

Very good OST too:








I'd put the game on the same level as Binary Domain in terms of 7th gen Japanese-y shooters with some interesting ideas.

Good call. Bionic Commando is the first game that I thought of as well.
Universally shat on at release - but its a great game with amazing music.

 

[SpiceRacz]

Still my favorite Contra game.

 

[Poplin]

Alundra - never hear this one brought up but man was it one of the best action rpgs of the psx era, gorgeous sprite work and music and the story is bleak af while still being great

Illusion of Gaia - another lost gem, SNES classic and one of my favorite games on the console that never gets brought up. Absolutely incredible, wish it was playable on modern devices

 

[Hinedorf]

Elden Ring

I legit only came to this thread because I KNEW somebody would say Elden Ring! Faith in GAF forever confirmed

 

[TintoConCasera]

Alundra - never hear this one brought up but man was it one of the best action rpgs of the psx era, gorgeous sprite work and music and the story is bleak af while still being great

Illusion of Gaia - another lost gem, SNES classic and one of my favorite games on the console that never gets brought up. Absolutely incredible, wish it was playable on modern devices

If you like SNES ARPGs... Have you tried Secret of Evermore? You'll heard a lot of people talk about the Mana series, but not much people seem to remember his cousin from the west.

Also, OST by Jeremy Soule. Good shit, and good game.

 

[Captain Toad]

I legit only came to this thread because I KNEW somebody would say Elden Ring! Faith in GAF forever confirmed

As long as there is one person who says Elden Ring isn't the best game ever made, it's underrated.

 

[teezzy]

Vexx is a legit GOAT tier 3d platformer

It's Super Mario 64 with better combat, a darker atmosphere, and more cryptic missions to collect wraith hearts (stars)

Suuuuch a solid game. Will defend this one until the end

 

[digoutyoursoul]

I am playing one at the moment, a recently released puzzle game called Time Loader, where you play as a little robot on wheels traversing a house where something bad happened to the residents.

It’s charming in a way and not too tricky. It’s barely been mentioned on social media sadly and it’s clear the devs have put a lot of heart into it. It doesn’t deserve the almost silent response from players.

 

[nush]

Rings Of Power

Dat nude cheat tho...

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

Man I'm craving this game. What little of it I've played is fun as hell, but sadly the PC version is busted atm. Patiently waiting for a patch, hope it ends up coming soon.

With the patch that came out last week (or this week?!?) PC performance is much approved for me.

 

[TintoConCasera]

With the patch that came out last week (or this week?!?) PC performance is much approved for me.

Really? I heard mixed things... I'm currently going through Dark Souls 3, but I'll make sure to try SoP again once I'm finished. Thanks for the info!

 

[Ghost of Caelid]

The Lone Dark…best survival game. I hope we get #2 with a bigger budget and more support.

 

[Archaic101]

Rock Band Blitz - Sadly delisted, one of the best evolutions of the Amplitude formula; could play ALL of your Rock Band library

Elevator Action - One of the lesser-regarded arcade games of the classic era, the mechanics were very impressive for the time, and it's still fun.

Die Hard Trilogy - The fact that all three game types on this disc were incredibly entertaining speaks for itself. Often disregarded in the "good movie games" conversations. Also, the environmental destruction in the lightgun portion of the game was way ahead of its time.

Red Faction Guerilla - Its "hook" has never been duplicated or bettered. I loved getting overwhelmed by enemy forces on a mission, whipping out my sledge hammer, and just knocking down pillars until the buildings collapsed on my enemies, evening the odds.

Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare - I don't do multiplayer, so I understand I might not be getting the full picture...but the campaign was my favorite of any Call of Duty games since CoD 2.

 

[rabbity-thing]

Can I just nominate every Silent Hill game that isn't Silent Hill 1-3? They all have something interesting to bring to the table. Additionally, I legit think that Silent Hill 4: The Room and Shattered Memories are masterpieces.

 

[yansolo]

final fantasy 15 gets a lot of hate but i liked it

chrono cross is underrated for sure as well compared to other jrpgs

Alundra is also a game know one knows about and its probably the best classic zelda alternative, im surprised sony never decided to reboot alundra

 

[TintoConCasera]

final fantasy 15 gets a lot of hate but i liked it

Have this one sitting on my backlog for years now. Is it actually fun to play? I remember teying it out and getting bored by the car sections.