Underrated Gaming Gems

Joined
Sep 3, 2018
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Shenmue
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Strider (2014)
In the deluge of video games we get annually there are inevitably going to be some titles that are overlooked. So to bring some attention to some lost gems, here are some games I think are underrated.

I). Virtual-on Oratorio Tangram - This game was the forefather of deep arcade-style mecha combat. It paved the way for other franchises such as Armored Core, Gundam Extreme Versus, and Mechwarrior.


II). Shinobido Imashime - After Acquire lost the license to their Tenchu IP, they created a brand new shinobi series. From the ashes of their lost IP, Acquire took the Tenchu formula and expanded upon it. Acquire gave the player unparalleled freedom in their gameplay. Sadly though, the first game was never released outside of Europe or Japan.


III). Shadow Hearts Covenant - An RPG with memorable characters, an emotional narrative, a unique combat system, and a powerful music score. This game seriously needs more attention.


IV). 007: Everything or Nothing - A Bond game that is overshadowed by its predecessor GoldenEye 64. This was the first 007 game that did everything possible to make you feel like James Bond. The gameplay is so good that it deserves a spot right next to GoldenEye.


V). Lunar II: Eternal Blue - While Lunar Silver Star has been remade several times, Lunar II sadly has not. Eternal Blue broke away from the Heroes Journey narrative for a darker story with heavier themes. The game has a cleaner user interface, more bosses, and great characters. Sadly outside of emulation, it seems this title is to die with the original PlayStation.


So those are some titles I think have been underappreciated. What are some of yours?
 
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As a package, the Shadow heart series is a trilogy of a gem. It even parody east and western popculture as side stories to hilarious degrees. Shadow hearts 3 has one of the best American Mafia+Noir setpieces for a rpg setting using New York and Chicago accompany by a great soundtrack.


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To throw some more to the pile of recc:

Suikoden Tactics:
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Even tho it's an expansion of SIV, I think the plot and setting is strong enough to stand on it's own. Not is it only a self-contained story, the characters themselves are likeable without needing any prior knowledge of the main series.

Steambot Chronicles:
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Open world mecha game. A customize your own adventure/path type game. Playing Pools is addictive as heck in this game for some reason...lol.

Metal Saga:
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Another choose your own adventure type game. Go anywhere, explore everything. I love the bounty system in this game. Pick an outlaw and try to hunt for clues from all over to find thier hideout/spawning location was pretty fun and helps the exploration aspect a lot.

MS saga:
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One of the coolest customize a gundam game. I really like the multi-cultural setting and how you can mix and match gundam parts/weapons to create your own unique gundam for battle.

Romancing Saga:

If you really like octopath, this is the complimentary sister game to it. Weaker in narrative/character but rich in world building and mythos/lore. You follow the clues of a minstrel who sings tales about the many various lost treasures from the age of gods and heroes. Seeking out these legendary artifacts to aid in your battle against an apocalyptic inevitable resurrection of the dark God. Some of the best tunes Square-enix has ever produced are contained in this game as well.


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I'll end it here for now as this list is starting to get too long already. :geek:
 
messiah (2000) on pc

classic 20 year old game.. the story is a mess and its hard to tell what your meant to be doing but as a kid back in 2001, i thought the game was great fun and now, i think the game deserves a remake as the concept is pretty cool.

set in cyberpunk future, you play as an angel who has a mission to take down demon causing problems on earth. - your character has the ability to jump into and control others bodies.. so you can complete tasks etc. there is an element of strategy.



 
Hold up, is Virtual on a real game? Damn, I hated the controls while I played it in Kiwami 2. I thought it was a game the team made specifically to piss me off.

I will say, the original (the one that's in Kiwami 2, Cybertroopers) is not as good or fluid as Oratorio Tangram (the one that Tsukiyo posted in the OP), which is a phenomenal title; superb graphics, no slowdown and great gameplay.

But as MJQ mentioned, you require Twin Sticks to get the full and proper experience out of the game (which are incredibly expensive and hard to find, nowadays).

It's why, sadly, I've played both so little :(
 
Hold up, is Virtual on a real game? Damn, I hated the controls while I played it in Kiwami 2. I thought it was a game the team made specifically to piss me off.
Real game, I had in on my saturn and I have to agree it did not age well. The early 3d era (psx, saturn, nintendo 64) is probably the generation that aged the worst.
 
Zero Divide
*High Five* I adore Zero Divide & think it was far more enjoyable than most of the early 3D fighters of the time. The design of X-Tal is still one of the most bizarre character designs I've seen in a game.

My choice I've already mentioned countless times but that won't stop me mentioning Shadow of Memories / Shadow of Destiny again!

It's just such a compelling game! After your stabbed in the very opening of the game, your sent to Limbo where you meet a strange being that gives you the ability to travel back in time. The objective of each stage is to manipulate the past to prevent your death in present time. It plays like a point&click adventure with with the controls on the D-Pad which is a bonus in my book! It's the 1st time I've ever played a game where I felt my actions truly made a difference and it's so much fun to go back see the different routes you can take in the chapters. The games environment also has a Shenmue 1 feel in the sense that the attachment I had with it, seeing it through the ages and the generations of family's that live there is very charming. I can't recommend this enough. It's on PC (Sadly not compatible with Windows 10...) Xbox, PS2 & even PSP (Though I prefer the voice acting in the original)

So excited about it I might even boot up my old PC to Live Stream it, seeing if it is possible... Sure is placed my playthrough above! Stream got a little Choppy near the end so had a break, now continuing with Part 2:
 
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SNK vs Capcom Card Clash of Fighter, best card game I've ever played
 
Evolution: World of Sacred Device and its sequel, Far off Promise. They were Dreamcast RPG's, but I think they had a compilation release on the Gamecube too.

Beautiful little games. I wish Sting would have carried on developing more entries but alas, it was not meant to be.
 
Evolution was superb, but Evolution 2 was absolutely awesome; the Museville theme is one of my favourite video game tunes ever and Bandit's Trap is one of the biggest earworms I've ever heard :D

Supremely-underrated game.
 
Once i finally get around to Skies, Grandia 2 and EGG, Evolution are two games ive never owned or played before I've yet to discover for my beloved Dreamcast. Too bad im not big on turn base :|

despite superb efforts by JoshProd and others previous like RedSpot/NGDEV/Senile/Orion, getting into new amazing Dreamcast experiences are dwindling :/. Can't wait to finally order Flashback, Finding Teddy and Fade to Black; plus, Intrepid Izzy looks amazing.
 
Well there is Xenocider... but it's taking forever to release. I saw pre-orders went up a year or two ago but nothing since...
 
Once i finally get around to Skies, Grandia 2 and EGG, Evolution are two games ive never owned or played before I've yet to discover for my beloved Dreamcast. Too bad im not big on turn base :|

despite superb efforts by JoshProd and others previous like RedSpot/NGDEV/Senile/Orion, getting into new amazing Dreamcast experiences are dwindling :/. Can't wait to finally order Flashback, Finding Teddy and Fade to Black; plus, Intrepid Izzy looks amazing.

I backed Izzy on KS' am looking forward to it coming out! :D

Of those you listed, I still have to play, EGG; I started it (literally, just the opening scene), then went to Italy the next week, in 2014; haven't gone back to it since lol.

Should be a good one for the backlog, this summer :)
 
Well there is Xenocider... but it's taking forever to release. I saw pre-orders went up a year or two ago but nothing since...

Yeah, i forgot that looks good, but i mean a more meaty story to sink into rather than arcade--no offense to Xenocider.
 
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