Just a discussion topic for games you find underrated. Whether whole series or just one game from a popular series, its the same. Just let share love for games that dont get it so often ^^
Post by Rainvainz on Sept 17, 2014 10:07:09 GMT -5
I love you for making this topic, I really do. I was thinking about games like this the other day.
I'll go with an underrated gem I am currently playing: Siren. This game is one of the best survival horror games out there, but most people never game it a chance because of the extreme difficulty and the Japanese characters. The lack of action and fighting also made people mad. Stealth is a huge point of the game. It seems like Resident Evil 4 and those types of "Survival" Horror games get so much love, but really there is no tension in those game. You get so much ammo and health items. You became a tank pretty much. Siren actually makes you think about stuff.
I turned on my flashlight in the first level to see and was promptly killed because the light alerted the enemies. That is tense. That creates fear. I'm in a level right now where the enemies rifles and patrol rooftops. They can see me if I walk blindly out into the open. I still have not beat the level this time through.
This is an underrated game for sure. The second game did not even come out in the USA. Only Europe and Japan because sales over here were terrible.
Post by Rainvainz on Sept 17, 2014 12:42:15 GMT -5
It is. I am still stuck. I have a character with a rifle, but I still end up dying. My character is 70 year old. One minute your character is 17, then you play as a 34 year old, now 70. The game just from character to character, so you never play as the same character in a row. It cycles through 10 characters.
Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles is my next game for this list. Amazing how deep this game is and all the little subplots and mythology. This game was not loved as much as the normal series though. This was a GameCube game, so that might explain part of it. Not too many Final Fantasy fans with Nintendo now.
What about you? I already have two games that I have ranted about.
Sounds cool. I love when a game has subplots and lore
Well could rant about how underrated I feel the Starfy or RF series to be...but you have heard that too many times
Instead I will talk about two games (same series) hotel room dusk and Last window: secret of cape west. Like Layton and AA these games are point and click games with a bit puzzles here and there and with a story heavy focus. However unlike those two it isnt as popular. The games have the same protagonist, an ex cop named Kyle Hyde. The game has a classic mystery novel athmosphere, the main character is interesting and "fresh" and the game was overall very athmospheric. A shame that I only have played Last Window and it too a bit but the games visual style and storytelling left a mark on me Also hotel room dusk was released in US and Europe while Last Window was released only on Europe and Japan
Post by Rainvainz on Sept 17, 2014 13:32:14 GMT -5
Crystal Chronicles has one subplot where a researcher travels to a swamp, trying to cure the miasma from the water and find the source of monsters. He drinks the water and exposes himself to miasma to see if he can build a resistance to it. He then sends the player more incoherent letters as the process continues and finally the player goes to check on him, but find a monster with his headband on. The water apparently turned him into a monster. This is all optional.
Lore is a huge part of the game.
So I have neither of those games here in the USA? you like point and click games, right? You seem to love them the most! Siren is sort of that way. To inspect an object you have to open a menu and input the command. It involves a lots of clicking on stuff to see what can be used, more than Resident Evil or other games of the genre. It is not a point and click game, but has some aspects of it.
Kyle Hyde is officially a GREAT name, by the way. Plus mystery genre, so I already like that. Sadly, I think point and click games have a tough time catching on.
Hotel Room dusk was released in the States I think
Well I love games with stories and some games I like happen to be point and click. Altho that may be a wrong word....but its the only fitting word for games like Layton and AA xD. Possibly mystery adventure Also my favorite game genres are RPG, (p&c) mystery adventure and pixel horror for the reason I love stories :3
Well the game isnt exactly p&c but its like the only genre I think of xD
Also I am going to talk about a quirky ds RPG soon...but not yet xD
Post by Rainvainz on Sept 18, 2014 11:11:10 GMT -5
You entice me with promises of quirky DS RPG? Is it The World Ends With You? That fits that description.
I finally beat that level in Siren, so now I am going even further! Great game, but now I can totally see why it is not for some people. The challenge and learning curve is steep. I died after 35 minutes of doing everything right, but made one mistake at the very last part. I had to start all over for the mission. I died so many times after long plays.
Did you ever play Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly?
Actually not as I havent played TWEWY (really want tho). I am talking about Magical Starsign. Only played a bit but it was cute, fun and the characters were likeable. I love it when a RPG isnt too deadly serious. This game is overlooked probably because of its childish apperance and that it isnt that original in battlesystem. But really I read that the game goes really dark after some point
Post by Rainvainz on Sept 18, 2014 11:50:29 GMT -5
I wanted to play The World End With You after the characters popped up in Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance. I probably missed out of some of the references because I played Dream Drop Distance first.
I talked about that with alphadreamteam the other day. We love it when RPGs have comedy and do not take themselves seriously. Final Fantasy 5 is my favorite because of that. It is so silly. Hmm, too childish is always the absolute worst way to write off a game. I hear that so much.
I'll have to look up some screens of it. I loved Mario Party 5 and it was cartoony and childish, in a good way. Even Mario fans complained though and would not play it.
Crimson Butterfly scarred me, man. Fighting ghosts with a camera sucks, but makes it so scary. The game is scary, but not in the same way as Siren. Siren is tense. My heart was beating fast last night when playing it. Fatal Frame is harder to explain.
Post by Rainvainz on Sept 19, 2014 13:02:09 GMT -5
Exactly, Mario Party games are supposed to be that way, but the Mario Party fans were the ones complaining the most. It was hilarious.
Quirky games and scary games are some of my favorites. I can play Kirby one minute and Silent Hill the next. I am random like that. I never stay in one genre.
Quirky and scary games are great. Especially if a game is both quirky AND unsettling. Actually my icon is from a game like that. It seems cute and fun RPG but the end is quite....shocking (I love Mogeko and their games tho...favorite indie developer)
well the one my icon is from is more disturbing than scary...
Oh she is a character from the game Wadanohara and the great blue sea. Its an indie RPG developed by Mogeko. Its about a witch and her three familars: a dolphin, an octopus and a seagull (aka yours truly...not xD) who go to cute adventures...or so it seems...the game gets rather bloody (and distrubing) . Be warned the game has some....disgusting stuff in it towards the end of the game (blood/gore and some other disgusting stuff)
speaking of quirky and disturbing games there was this one puzzle horror game called Catherine a few years ago.It is a weird love triangle which includes weird surreal dreams and sheeps. It is one weird game.
Last Edit: Sept 19, 2014 13:13:14 GMT -5 by Deleted
Post by Rainvainz on Sept 19, 2014 22:18:17 GMT -5
You are talking to a Silent Hill child of the 90's, I love blood and gore! Wait, that came out wrong! Blood and gore on cute stuff is kind of weird though.
All games you describe are weird. How do you find this stuff?! You even make me look like a guy who plays mainstream games!
Post by Rainvainz on Sept 21, 2014 10:01:44 GMT -5
Kirby is actually a cute and disturbing character! He breaks into people's houses and makes the house crumble, eats Waddle Dees who are holding hands, and almost dooms the universe on a daily basis.
No wonder you end up with a wish list of games that is a mile long!
Post by Rainvainz on Sept 21, 2014 11:08:29 GMT -5
Part of me wishes that I discovered all these games when I was little. I would have tons of time to play them all.
Sadly, we have to wait for breaks from school, and I'll have Smash and Pokemon by then. I am just so happy Smash is a pick up and play game, especially now that it is portable.
Post by Rainvainz on Sept 21, 2014 19:45:16 GMT -5
I'm ordering Smash when it comes out, but I have no idea if the shipping will get here fast or not. I'll be on edge. My neighbors will see me camped out at the mailbox everyday and be like "What is his problem?"
Day 1 of my camp journal: I have been hunting for food. My mom brought me some Slim Jims today. The white clouds, they dazzle me! I give a hearty laugh in anticipation for Smash!
Lucky, my stores blow. Although, they may have Smash. It is only one of the best sellers on every system that it has appeared on!
Post by Rainvainz on Sept 24, 2014 18:43:00 GMT -5
Day 2 of my camp journal: Jailed! Arrested for being overly suspicious in the vicinity of a mailbox. I told the police I had an online frog ninja friend who could post bail for me. I have since been sentenced to a mental asylum.
Aw, thanks. Only half of these stories are true. This is what happens to me during the waiting process.
Anyways back to the topic. So as much as I love the Layton series and wish they got more attention I dont exactly think that theyre underrated. However I think that the second game "professor Layton and the diabolical box/pandoras box" is often overlooked in the favor of lost/unwound future. While I think that lost future improved a lot of things both gameplay and storywise I personally sligthly prefer Pandoras box. Why? Because of a few reasons 1. The athmosphere in the game is perfect. It has that feeling of mystery. It always feels mysterious and fun. While UF had a good athmosphere and was fun too I think that it didnt have that much of similar athmosphere that made me like it 2. The storyline was interesting and engaging the whole time. It had that classic mystery feel even if the mystery wasnt that classic 3. The ending was just a perfect mixture of bittersweet and heartwarming 4. To say this without spoilers... the story of a certain character was SO SAD (Imo) ESPECIALLY since you could read his "diary" so to say and it revealed some things the main story didnt mentoin. I never finished reading it as I didnt complete every single puzzle 5. The fact that Layton and Luke travelled ON A FREAKING TRAIN
Of course the game had some problems such as being a bit too short. However I love it. Maybe because it was the first Layton game I played ^^
I also think that spectres call/ the last specter (the fourth game) is slightly underrated as well. While not my favoritegame I think it improved a lot of things gameplaywise. The story was quite good as well and it had a bit more similar athmosphere to the first two games. Plus the black market gang. I love them ^^
Mysteries and trains go so well together. Plus, I also like endings that are bittersweet and heartwarming. Thousand-Year Door was like that. Mario saved the world, but had to leave his buddies behind when he left Rogueport.
I still think the whole series is underrated, but some games are more underrated than others, like you said.