Underrated Games

edited November 2010 in General Chat
...and by that, I don't mean 'obscure' games like Ico or Um Jammer Lammy. I'm talkin' about games that everyone disliked or hated except for you. Steel your courage, boys and girls, and admit your guilty gaming pleasures. :cool:

For me, the one game that comes to mind is Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, a game that I personally loved, even in single-player mode. The graphics were absolutely gorgeous at the time, and I loved how the character designs were unique and relatively un-cliched. The game is a blast to play with multiple people, especially if you've got a full party - and I personally can't imagine it working as well without the GBA connectivity. Lastly, I have to say: this game had one of the best game soundtracks ever. So overall, I think it's one of the Gamecube's best games.

Of course, most people would violently disagree with me on that. So what about you guys?
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Comments

  • edited June 2010
    No, I loved it, too. I think most of the hate was aimed at the fact that you needed to buy a relatively useless peripheral to play it. Of course that was before Rockband and Guitar Hero or even DDR became as popular as they did ...
  • edited June 2010
    Mm, I think there's a thin line between actual underrated games, and truly bad games you still enjoy.

    I remember that many people disliked the two "The Getaway" games and "Driver 3", yet I've always enjoyed them, even though I wish they were a little more like "GTA". I just like how they took place in real cities instead of some cartoonish made-up version slightly resembling real cities here and there. True, their controls sucked, and particularly in "The Getaway" the level of realism actually took away the fun (not to mention missing an on-screen radar). But I still find myself popping those games in once in a while to roam the cities in freestyle.
  • edited June 2010
    Mm, I think there's a thin line between actual underrated games, and truly bad games you still enjoy.

    Weeeelll... they can't be truly bad games if you were able to enjoy them though, right? ;)
  • edited June 2010
    I loved Force Commander.

    Sue me.
  • edited June 2010
    Fallout 3. :p
  • edited June 2010
    ...and by that, I don't mean 'obscure' games like Ico or Um Jammer Lammy. I'm talkin' about games that everyone disliked or hated except for you. Steel your courage, boys and girls, and admit your guilty gaming pleasures. :cool:

    For me, the one game that comes to mind is Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles, a game that I personally loved, even in single-player mode. The graphics were absolutely gorgeous at the time, and I loved how the character designs were unique and relatively un-cliched. The game is a blast to play with multiple people, especially if you've got a full party - and I personally can't imagine it working as well without the GBA connectivity. Lastly, I have to say: this game had one of the best game soundtracks ever. So overall, I think it's one of the Gamecube's best games.

    Of course, most people would violently disagree with me on that. So what about you guys?

    I wouldn't go so far as to call it one of the best GameCube games, but it is pretty decent. I'm playing it for the second time right now, and I hope to actually finish this time. I think the problem I had the first time is the same problem I have fairly often: motivation. And I'd agree with you on the single player thing if not for the damn Moogle. Multiplayer is much more enjoyable if only because having one person carry the chalice is so much better than that useless Moogle.

    But I have to give the game some credit here, the friend I enlisted to help me with the game actually went out and purchased it himself this weekend. This isn't something that's ever happened before. And this guy has been trying to cut back on buying games.

    Unfortunately, I have no other games that were considered bad that I liked, so much as games that I don't consider as bad as their reputation. Mainly Sonic Heroes and Shadow the Hedgehog, really. But Sonic and the Secret Rings deserves everything it gets.
  • edited June 2010
    Brutal Legend got a lot of unfair criticism. I get they made a lot of silly and amateurish mistakes, but it was still a good game.

    I remember liking Digimon World as a kid, but no-one else agreed. There was a certain tone and amount of life to that game I haven't seen much outside of games like Animal Crossing.
  • edited June 2010
    jp-30 wrote: »
    I loved Force Commander.

    Sue me.
    I'm not alone!

    I tend to enjoy a lot of average platformer movie tie-ins, like Ice Age 2 (and 3) and Ratatouille. I think it's the whole 'not particularly challenging' aspect I like, which provides a nice counterpart to games like Mario Galaxy, which are hard as nails later on.
  • edited June 2010
    I once read on a metal gear solid vid on youtube someone though MGS was the most underrated and I laughed lots of people throw that word around now randomly
  • edited June 2010
    I once read on a metal gear solid vid on youtube someone though MGS was the most underrated and I laughed lots of people throw that word around now randomly

    This is very true. I guess Metal Gear Solid is underrated in that a lot of people do hate it with a passion... but I mean, the fanbase is more than large enough to counteract that. :\

    Man, I wish I had more to contribute to this thread. Most of my favorite games are well-liked by most people. I guess I'm just kind of a tool that way, lol.
  • edited June 2010
    this game I played once was underated it was about some plumbers fighting mushroom things and turtles
  • edited June 2010
    Shenmue&Shenmue II have been underated, and they were great games.
  • edited June 2010
    Simon the Sorcerer 3. I know, I am embarrassed for myself.

    But if you can ignore the horrible graphics and lousy interface, the writing and acting were both pretty entertaining!
  • edited June 2010
    Der Clou!2 [website is dead, link goes to WayBack Machine] and Sheep, Dog 'n' Wolf (AKA, Sheep Raider)
    I loved them although they weren't very popular...

    but don't think I'm a weirdo, because this guy LOVES the game that is considered the worst game ever and have became a legend for being disliked, yes, E.T the extra terrestrial game for Atari 2600! read his reasoning, it's interesting :)
  • edited June 2010
    Milkman08 wrote: »
    but don't think I'm a weirdo, because this guy LOVES the game that is considered the worst game ever and have became a legend for being disliked, yes, E.T the extra terrestrial game for Atari 2600! read his reasoning, it's interesting :)


    I played E.T. on Atari when I was a little kid, and I liked it. I thought it was hard (hey, I was a little kid), but I still liked it. I also do remember managing to beat it a few times.
  • edited June 2010
    I still like the Atari ET.

    I'm not sure if my mom still has that. It was when I lived with her that I played it
  • edited June 2010
    I'm not alone!
    There is no hope for you guys.

    I suppose I should add Alpha Protocol. Can't explain the abuse it's getting from some people. What the...?
  • edited June 2010
    I suppose I should add Alpha Protocol. Can't explain the abuse it's getting from some people. What the...?

    Agreed. It's short, horrifically buggy, and EXTREMELY linear for an RPG, but it's an absolute blast to play.

    Other shameful fandoms for me: Silent Hill 4, Mortal Kombat Deception and Armageddon, Quake 4, John Woo's Stranglehold, Blood 2, The Virtual Boy console. (I'm sure there's more, but there's a sampling)

    Games that weren't exactly hated, but have since become "cool to hate" by a large mass of people who can't form their own opinions: GTAIV, FEAR 2, Metal Gear Solid 2, Fallout 3, Resident Evil 5.
  • edited June 2010
    I played E.T. on Atari when I was a little kid, and I liked it. I thought it was hard (hey, I was a little kid), but I still liked it. I also do remember managing to beat it a few times.
    I still like the Atari ET.
    I hope you guys are not offended by what I said :( ...
    I haven't played the game, but I do believe that it's a great game that a designer can make in 6 weeks for Atari 2600, and the idea behind the game is really innovative.
    I was actually thinking that maybe someone can re-make the game with better graphics and better gameplay, maybe I will do it in far far future ... :o
  • edited June 2010
    I wouldn't mind seeing a mod of it to make it actually playable, but as the game is...

    Well...
  • edited June 2010
    ShaggE wrote: »
    Games that weren't exactly hated, but have since become "cool to hate" by a large mass of people who can't form their own opinions: GTAIV, FEAR 2, Metal Gear Solid 2, Fallout 3, Resident Evil 5.
    I hate that one. That's what you get for wrecking the most fun thing in the 3 games (driving), and shafting PC users with the worst console port I have ever seen...
  • edited June 2010
    I don't think Bloodrayne 2 got received as well as it should and I think it was a really good game, granted the difficulty was a little to high, and the combat was a bit clunky but good thing there is cheats for that. :p

    Another one was Project Altered Beast, the graphics was not that well, the controls a little stiff, and the combat was just bash the same button over and over, but I still thought it was a good game. The idea was really good but it was badly executed. But still a fun game non the less, I completed it. :)
    But in an extra game, where you advance up an elevator I kept dying at the boss at the top, and I needed him for a new form, so in the end I just gave up and have never played it again.

    I also like Final Fantasy X I think that was also a game few liked, or was that X-2? In that case I haven't played it and couldn't tell if I like it or not. :)
  • edited June 2010
    I think FFX is many people's favorite, it was FFX-2 that most didn't like, also because it completely nullifies the emotional ending of X. I have both.

    That's right, many people didn't like SH4; I enjoy it as much as the others (I play through the series regularly).
  • edited June 2010
    Well in that case I take the FFX back then, I just couldn't remember what one. :)
  • edited June 2010
    I think FFX is many people's favorite, it was FFX-2 that most didn't like, also because it completely nullifies the emotional ending of X. I have both.

    I'm convinced that the main reason why FFX is popular is because it was the first Final Fantasy game with voice acting and because it was the first Final Fantasy game on PS2 and therefore the first one many people played, themselves not having a PS1 and, by extension, FF7, 8 or 9.

    FF7, 8 (and 12) are way better than 10.
  • edited June 2010
    Due to the minor success of the Lynx, Chuck Sommerville's Chip's Challenge wasn't this known in the rest of the world, although it had been ported to quite a number of systems. The Lynx version features wonderful chip music, okayish gfx and a lot of good level design.

    Together with the also very enjoyable Gates of Zendocon, Shanghai, Klax and California Games (but only due to the surfing) it was the reason to buy a Lynx those days.

    Although Sommerville lateron developed a second version, it was never released due to negotiation issues with the copyright holder (Epyx/Atari). He's now working on Chuck's Challenge if i remember things correctly.

    There is a free version around in the net as well but it lacks the atmosphere. If you're interested in it, you might better use google and search for an Lynx emulator and the rom.

    Chip's Challenge video (badly emulated and don't watch too long if you intend to solve the puzzles on your own.)

    Always wanted to work on such a puzzle game on my own.

    b_ChipsChallenge_front.jpg
    chips%20challenge%20atari%20lynx.jpg
  • edited June 2010
    Oh I loved chips challenge!

    I've been looking for a way to play it for the past couple of years. Gotta love the music with it, eh?
  • edited June 2010
    Yes, i also like the music a lot. I still have the original cartridges for Lynx but as i said you can google for an emulator and the game.
  • edited June 2010
    Here, i just ripped one for you: Level XXXX
  • edited June 2010
    Icedhope wrote: »
    Shenmue&Shenmue II have been underated, and they were great games.

    Oh thank god. I always feel so alone on this one. So many hate these games and I don't know why because I feel they were amazing.
  • edited June 2010
    My personal guilty pleasure is Gothic (and Gothic 2, but that is more well known). It is riddled with design flaws, is brutally difficult, and has one of the worst control schemes ever conceived. It also somehow manages to be one of the best RPGs ever.
  • edited June 2010
    Chyron8472 wrote: »
    I'm convinced that the main reason why FFX is popular is because it was the first Final Fantasy game with voice acting and because it was the first Final Fantasy game on PS2 and therefore the first one many people played, themselves not having a PS1 and, by extension, FF7, 8 or 9.

    FF7, 8 (and 12) are way better than 10.

    Ehhhh, I think there are a lot more reasons than that. Final Fantasy X had a good, streamlined battle system that allowed for strategy without getting too complicated, and I actually really liked the sphere grid system. Plus, as per usual for a Final Fantasy game, the graphics were outstanding, and even though the plot made no sense (also a tradition for Final Fantasy, albeit not as consistent), I think it struck some emotional chords with a lot of people. Lastly, Auron is awesome. No question about it.

    That said, I completely understand why some people don't like it.
  • edited June 2010
    ...and by that, I don't mean 'obscure' games like Ico or Um Jammer Lammy. I'm talkin' about games that everyone disliked or hated except for you. Steel your courage, boys and girls, and admit your guilty gaming pleasures. :cool:

    *cough* Escape from Monkey Island *hack* *wheeze*

    DON'T KILL ME AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
  • edited June 2010
    I suspect that chances are low that someone will answer this, but, who cares. :O)

    To which sport does this tune belong to?

    Looking up the filename is partly clever, partly lame.
  • edited June 2010
    ICO is obscure!? :confused:

    Anyway, I think Insecticide is awfully underrated. It was really fun to play, it had great humor, and I was very disappointed it got the very lukewarm reviews it did. While it's perhaps not as striking and sublime as Grim Fandango, a lot of the same people worked on it and it shows. (btw it's cheap on Steam right now)

    From older titles I really liked both Darkseed games (you know, those 2 with H.R Giger's art). Most people consider them cheesy horror games with weak gameplay - I found them to offer lots of interesting ideas.
  • edited June 2010
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  • edited June 2010
    I think FFX is many people's favorite, it was FFX-2 that most didn't like, also because it completely nullifies the emotional ending of X. I have both.

    People liked X a lot and most of them actually love the gameplay elements of X-2, it was just the ruining of the plot and bad lay-out that let it down. AWESOME BATTLE SYSTEM
  • edited June 2010
    You can't say the words "Thief 3" and "good game" in the same sentence around a diehard Thief series fan without getting ripped to shreds by the ensuing berserker fanboy rage, but I thought it was just as fun as the first two games. The only things I really didn't like were apparently things the developers didn't like either but had to make do with because of the game engine (water being instant death and the lack of rope arrows, for example).

    And don't tell anyone, but I play Facebook games.
    Kroms wrote: »
    Brutal Legend got a lot of unfair criticism. I get they made a lot of silly and amateurish mistakes, but it was still a good game.

    If loving Brutal Legend is wrong, I don't wanna be right.
  • edited June 2010
    Icedhope wrote: »
    Shenmue&Shenmue II have been underated, and they were great games.
    Agreed 100%. Just replaying Shenmue at the moment, and going to replay Shenmue II after. Love those games so much. Shame they went under the radar due to the Dreamcasts lack of popularity.

    I really wish more games like Shenmue were made.
  • edited June 2010
    Killer7boxnew.jpg

    I have never heard any one say they dont like that game. So how is it underrated?
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