Most underrated video games of all time (ever)

[Xuincherguixe]

Nintendo: Shadowrun the game

Hours of fun

That's what got me into the pencil and paper one :P


But, here's a game so underrated I don't think it's even been mentioned here!

Auqanox. It was kind of a short game. Futuristic underwater submarine combat simulation. You needed a pretty beefy system at the time in order to play it which didn't help.

Still, there was so much background in that game. There was enough there for like ten games. An Auqanox MMO would have been easily doable to. Well, if they could have financed it which since the company went bankrupt obviously they couldn't.

It blended a lot of different elements reasonably well. Cyberpunk, HP Lovecraft, Greek Mythology got in a little... I can not say enough good things about this game. It had one sequel, which seemed rather disconnected, and a third one was going to put them together however it was never made. Still, the sequel has a good story too.

Game just wasn't marketed well enough.


Call of Cthulhu: Dark Corners of the Earth there's mixed opinions. It feels pretty dated, and it took seven years of development time. The company that made it also went bankrupt making the game. It felt very well put together and it's one of the few times that a linear storyline doesn't bother me much. It gave me some mild nightmares, but the fact of the matter is I have nightmares about pretty random things. Still, I'd like to give it some credit because I do not scare easily. At least monsters rarely do.


Call of Cthulhu is pretty cheap these days so probably worth it, and the Auqanox games are DIRT cheap. I saw one copy for $2 Canadian a few years ago. WHAT?! It's not some ancient DOS relic! Almost enough to make me cry. But, still, cheap game.

If you can find it.

[Manga Shoggoth]

Legends of Valor - an old Origin production.

I originally played it on a Commodore 64/128 and returned it to the shop because it was essentially bugged and unplayable. I later had a chance to play the PC version and placed it about third in my personal rankings after Ultima V (Commodore version) and Elite (also Commodore version).

It had the most complete combat system I have seen, and a well thought out (if still bugged) magic system. I still dust it off and play it occasionally.

[Mr. Mud]

Definitely Majesty. It had no micromanagement of "troops", and therefore, was easy to play. After I beat a level sometimes I would leave the game running by itself for quite some time, and my town was perfectly fine.

Yea i remember "Majesty" Good game ovre all but VERY underrated

[Hermit]

Psychonauts!!! amazing game from the guys who did Grim Fandango. Was on the short side but still a very pleasing and hilarious game. I wish it had a sequel.

Thank god someone else played it too. Love that game to death, as while its a little short its got more charm, in-jokes, subplots, and general madness than pretty much anything else available. Its also got some genius one-liners which would be prime quote material if anyone else had actually played it.
And yeah, Tim Schafer is a genius, looking forward to whatever he's working on at the moment, even though it won't be the desperately needed Psychonauts 2.

As for others, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines comes to mind. Was terribly buggy on release, but with the unoffical patches its a really entertaining game with a nice bit of originality. Its a shame Troikia went under because of the poor sales, if they'd given the game the few months of polish it needed before release it would have done so much better.

Also both No One Lives Forever games were fantastic, and were seriously underrated.

[BanjoTheClown]

Super Smash Bros Melee. That game was pretty underated.

[PlatinumJester]

Mashed (X box) - almost as good as mario kart
Mario Kart (GBA) - the gba version was better than SNES version.
Rocky (GC) - best boxing game ever.
Star Wars Podracer (N64) - great if you can master it
Star Wars Rogue Leader (GC) - screw battlefront, get this.
LoZ: OoT (N64) - why do people say FF7 is better . THIS is the best game ever and I won't stop until everyone acknowledges it's greatness.
Lylat Wars/Star Wing - Planes. Tanks. Subs. Good Times.

[Mad Jyle]

This is kind of a fun trip down memory lane, here's a few games I remember:

Pre-Halo Bungie Games
Marathon Series: This was the first set of games I played by Bungie, Halo is based on them as well. The single player had a very well written storyline involving out of control AI's and marauding aliens, what really stuck out for me though was the multiplayer. Marathon was the first FPS I experienced who's multiplayer feature was actually designed for it. This meant maps specifically designed for the various game types. This included the usual deathmatch, team deathmatch, and fun ones like kill the man with the ball and my personal favorite king of the hill. The game made good use of physics and had probably the best map editor I've ever seen.
Myth Series: I had hoped that the Myth series was going to be the next logical step in RTS, unfortunatly that wasn't the case. Once again came a great physics engine, but more over came set army sizes. No more resource gathering, instead you focused your attention primarily on the tactics on the battlefield. In addition individual units had names like Ori, a dwarf molotov thrower, or the hilarous names of your claymore wielding barbarians like Knee Deep in Blood, these units would progress with you on the campaign becoming more effective. I nearly cried when a Fetch disintigrated Ori.
The multiplayer aspect had a kind of Warhammer feel to it, you had so many points to spend on troops of various value. Once your points were spent you marched into battle without reinforcements so tactics were everything.

Bullfrog Games
Just about anything from Bullfrog was great from Dungeon Keeper to Theme Hospital. The overall systems were fun and challenging but with a hefty helping of humor (I loved treating people with Bloaty Head).

Probably the least known game, but the one that killed more hours for my friends and I was a small one called Bolo. You had a tank, a LGM (little green man) to build stuff, and pillboxes. From there you formed teams and began waging war to capture all the pillboxes in the zones. You had bases to restore ammo and armor, you collected trees to build roads and walls, and had land mines to stop tanks or make difficult terrain. It was simple, but it worked.

[Dragor]

This is kind of a fun trip down memory lane, here's a few games I remember:

Bullfrog Games
Just about anything from Bullfrog was great from Dungeon Keeper to Theme Hospital. The overall systems were fun and challenging but with a hefty helping of humor (I loved treating people with Bloaty Head).

QFT. Dungeon Keeper II was my first Bullfrog game. They were truly on top of their game when it came to depth and originality.... and humour.

"Your dungeon is full of yoghurt."
"Your dungeon is at a slant. Angry imps cannot play marbles."

[Rowan Intheback]

Way of the samurai (1 & 2): (PS2) The best sword based combat I've ever seen. The story was completely up to you. You could take out your sword when ever you wanted and kill whoever you wanted. Each one whad multiple endings and addictive game play. They were the most underrated games I've ever played.

Gungrave (1 & 2): (PS2) Best shooters ever. I love third preson shooters and nothing comes close to these.

[PlatinumJester]

you mean like Oni right, Mad Jyle

[Mad Jyle]

you mean like Oni right, Mad Jyle

Oni was a Pre-Halo game, but it is not part of the Marathon series (if thats what you meant). I think Oni had potential but was rushed due to the Microsoft purchase of Bungie.

[Fualkner Asiniti]

Has anyone here played Second Sight? It was a fanastic game. The story was incredible, especally for a shooter. The game combined shooter and psionic powers! Invisibility, Psi Blast, Projection (later turns into possession), Healing and Telekinesis. Incredible game. GET IT IF YOU SEE IT!

[Deepblue706]

Vagrant Story (PS1, square, 2000) is pretty darn underrated.

[PlatinumJester]

Oni was a Pre-Halo game, but it is not part of the Marathon series (if thats what you meant). I think Oni had potential but was rushed due to the Microsoft purchase of Bungie.

Still, kick arse. Guns plus kung fu are a winning formula. Plus the heroin was much more cooler than Lara Croft. They should so make a sequel.

[Steelwraith]

Ultima 7. I loved how every npc in the game had a routine: the baker would get out of bed, head to the bakery, bake bread (by taking some flour, spreading it on the table, getting water, kneading the dough, and putting in on the hearth), go to the tavern after closing, then back to bed. No other game I've played since has bothered to put that much detail in their world.

[Vespe Ratavo]

Stubbs the Zombie, in Rebel Without a Pulse. 'Nuff said.

[GryffonDurime]

I'm going to have to support my mysterious love of Quest 64.

Yeah. I'm one of the four people in the world that liked that game...more for what it could have been and what it hinted it might have become than for what it actually was.

[Emperor Ing]

KOTOR II, classic DND style fighting on steroids!
No joke, all dnd stuff is there! even the 3 types of saves!

[Sewer_Bandito]

Majesty. This game captured the spirit of an adventurer's world without being an RPG which is an accomplishment in and of itself. But its also a really fun game.

Yeah, I still play Majesty, that game was so much fun, and there's never been a RTS like it since it came out.

[Iskandar]

heh, thought I was theo nly one ot like Majesty. coolness.

let me think.
Missionforce: Cyberstorm. TBS game set in the Earthseige/Starseige universe. it was well liked by critics, but almost no one I know has ever heard of this game. of course, the incredibly horrid sequel didn't help matters....

System Shock 2. from the same people as the Thief series, same type of RPG/1st person shooter hybrid as Dues Ex just years earlier, Sci-Fi horror setting. lovely game all around. still the only game that scares the outright beejesus out of me on a regular basis.
the cyborg midwives especially. "I'll rip out your spine!"
or the hybrids: "I'm sorry" as they attempt to beat you to death.

brrrr.

[0oo0]

Escape Velocity, and its sequel Escape Velocity: Override were two of the most entertaining games I've ever played. I love the world exploring combined with trading, becoming a pirate, or following one of the story lines you could pick up in a bar. I had a great time exploring all the different ships I could buy and the weapons I could equip. Great games.

[Qooroo]

I second Jet Force Gemini. That game was excellent. I'm now eager to go play it again.

I also second Okami. It was better than OoT, and nobody figured it out.

To this day, I cannot fathom why DK64 doesn't get way more credit than it does. It's one of the best 3D platformers ever.

The single most underrated game though, IMO, is Mystical Ninja for N64. I still argue it as the best 3d platformer ever. Great music, great visuals, fun story, addictive gameplay...it was the whole package.

Also, Super Mario RPG never gets enough credit when discussing SNES RPGs.

[Jibar]

Oh God, the multiplayer on Jet Force Gemini meant if the N64 on and I had friends round, it was there.
Seriously. We played nothing else.
Donkey Kong 64 was also brilliant. I was very impressed when I managed to get all the Banana Fairies, and would then spend many an hour just wandering round, shooting stuff with homing missles and going all crazy coconut powers on beavers.

[SmartAlec]

'Chaos' on the ZX Spectrum was pretty awesome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaos_%28video_game%29

One of the most fun multiplayer experiences I've ever had. Trying to guess what spells the opposition had, trying to save up your best spells for the right occasions, or the nail-biting difficulty of trying to play with a weak hand - there were elements of bluffing in there, stategic elements of chess, and so many different ways to fight depending on what spells you were randomly given to use.

Awesome for its' time.

[Jothki]

I'm going to have to support my mysterious love of Quest 64.

Yeah. I'm one of the four people in the world that liked that game...more for what it could have been and what it hinted it might have become than for what it actually was.

The game was pretty far ahead of its time in some aspects, especially the world size and the feel of the magic. I'm probably never going to pick up the game again due to its more obnoxious aspects, but I'd buy a true sequel in an instant.

[Rakin]

I'm going to have to say Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1).

Makes me want to buy a PSP just to see if D&D Tactics is as good.

[TheOtherMC]

I'm going to have to say Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1).

Makes me want to buy a PSP just to see if D&D Tactics is as good.

Ok first:

Tactics is being rerelased on the psp soon so break out the nostaliga.

Second: How the hell was FF tactics underrated? Everyone i know loves it.



My personal vote goes to Breakdown for the Xbox. AMAZING story, unique perspective and gameplay moments that truly make you feel "godlike" (Your final future Tlangen injection comes to mind. *SHORYOUKEN!*)

[Jensik]

It's been said already (probably more than once) but it is worth saying over and over again. Suikoden RULES!

And for my all time favorite old school game that almost nobody I know has heard of....

Archon: The Light and the Dark

Seemingly simple, but I tell you I've yet to beat the computer player! Maybe I'm just bad at it, either way I don't care. I love that game.

[Mr._Blinky]

Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction. I spent countless hours on this game just spending my hard-earned cash blowing s*it up in creative ways, reloading, and doing it all over again. Like the time I used a C4 charge to launch a civilian car into a gunship, destroying both.

Star Wars: Rebellion, for PC. Seriously, am I the only person who has ever played/liked this game?

[Drascin]

The single most underrated game though, IMO, is Mystical Ninja for N64. I still argue it as the best 3d platformer ever. Great music, great visuals, fun story, addictive gameplay...it was the whole package.

As plataformer, the second one was specially good, though it was controlled in 2D. I had it and loved it to bits, and got pretty much everything that gould be got. Yae was the best character in there, too. Kickass mermaid samurai with a freaking bazooka. You don't get much better than that.

Vagrant Story (PS1, square, 2000) is pretty darn underrated.

Yup. I got it recently thanks to eBay, haven't still beaten it, but what I'm playing is awesome. The combat system is strange, but in a good, original way. Anyone that can get it, please do. And if you can't, use an emulator. Every RPG fan should at least try Vagrant Story.

I'm going to have to say Final Fantasy Tactics (PS1).

Makes me want to buy a PSP just to see if D&D Tactics is as good.

I dunno. I didn't play it in its day, true, but I got an ISO of it and at least in the beginning it's got nothing on a lot of other tactic games. I honestly found myself bored pretty quick. Of course, that might be because the awesomeness of NIS games has spoiled me a bit on the SRPG front ^^u.