Underrated classic games

Retr0gamer

Smash tv is a well known classic although the on,y real way to play it is in the arcade with twin sticks. Green dog on the other gand, that game was awful, so bloody slow!

Fate Amenable To Change

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Smash tv is a well known classic although the on,y real way to play it is in the arcade with twin sticks. Green dog on the other gand, that game was awful, so bloody slow!

That actually sounds class for Smash Hits, Im actually tempted to dig out the megadrive and see if I can finish it.

Greendog, I always thought was cool, even if I was a bit freaked out by the character and enemy designs. I was fairly young at the time.

Retr0gamer

Pretty sure it's on psn and xbla although t might have even taken down in the meantime.

el pibe

Some great shouts on here.

Underrated is one of those perennialy difficult qulalities to quantify. Shenmue was critically lauded, but only thrree of us owned a dreamcast so I reckon it serves

Agree with Eternal Darkness, totally overlooked at the time. Something of a flawed masterpiece, but got closer to that lovecraftian feeling than most survival horror with their flickering neon lighting (hell, my utitlity room does that to me all the time) and cat out of the cupboard scares.

Noone has mentioned ICO yet. Criminally ignored by the buying public despite rave reviews and to date one of my most satisfying gaming experiences.

Wopuld also agree with Tenchu, yeaaaah there were a couple of control issues, but it was unfairly maligned considering how right it got most everything else.

el pibe

and just to contradict myself re flickering lights and cheap scares, Outlast didn't really register as well as it deserved.

ooh, Amnesia Dark Descent is another unknown classic, scary FPS with no gun, eek. Although the scariest thing was the damned control system when tring to open or close a door whilst being chased by a monster....grrrr....

Schwiiing

Black. An awesome but very short FPS on PS2.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-HR6Q6hxdE

Retr0gamer

I really did not like Black. Got very good reviews on release. I found it very dull and one note. It looked good but it was just so repetitive and mindless and nit mindles in a good way.

DuckStab

It's hard to define underrated really. Would it be a game critically lauded but ignored by the gaming populace, or something that got critically panned but developed a cult following?

I'd like to say Bushido Blade for the PS1 because I've never actually met anyone who's heard of it, let alone played it, and I haven't heard it mentioned in years. But on release it got great reviews and sold quite well if memory serves.

A few other PS1 gems I've rarely heard mentioned since the turn of the millennium:
Exhumed I really enjoyed, it was a FPS set in Egypt and was insanely difficult (for me anyway), I think I gave up after getting lost repeatedly!

Spider was the imaginatively titled game where you played... as a spider. It was an interesting little platformer but took a lot of getting used to given that you could walk upside down on surfaces. You were essentially the arachnid equivalent of Rose McGowan in grindhouse, adding weapons onto your legs to defeat other spiders and the like.

Blood Lines and Dead Ball Zone were both games that were nothing special in single player but great fun with a friend.
Blood Lines is hard to describe, you were in an arena where the aim is to light up a set amount of orbs, but you can only light them up once you have attacked your opponent. If he attacks you back then he gains the ability to light up said orbs, and back and forth it goes. Bad description but there you go.
Dead Ball Zone was a futuristic sports game except you could pull out assault rifles and chainsaws or even blow the ball up if the opposing team had it. Lots of fun!

Retr0gamer

The likes of Bushido Blade or Exhumed would definitely not be underrated or under appreciated. They might not be popular now but They are well loved by retrogame fans and were very popular on release.

Generic Dreadhead

Every damn time :pac:

Retr0gamer

Cormac... wrote: »

Every damn time :pac:

You young uns need to learn.

I'll try one. Secret of Evermore. Ultimately flawed but had a great sense of humor, depicted a colouful world and will not be remembered amongst other classic 16-bit RPG's.

Retr0gamer

Deleted User wrote: »

I'll try one. Secret of Evermore. Ultimately flawed but had a great sense of humor, depicted a colouful world and will not be remembered amongst other classic 16-bit RPG's.

That's more like it. It was unfairly dismissed and people blamed it on Seiken Densetsu 3 not getting a western release. It's not as good as that game but on it's own merits it's a superb game and does not deserve the ire it gets.

Schwiiing

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I really did not like Black. Got very good reviews on release. I found it very dull and one note. It looked good but it was just so repetitive and mindless and nit mindles in a good way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyk9RYcCY2A

o1s1n

Retr0gamer wrote: »

That's more like it. It was unfairly dismissed and people blamed it on Seiken Densetsu 3 not getting a western release. It's not as good as that game but on it's own merits it's a superb game and does not deserve the ire it gets.

I wouldn't go so far as to call it superb. It's a good game, fun - but really reeks of an American studio trying to emulate Japanese games. Which ends up a little odd and clunky.

o1s1n

On the subject at hand, I find one of the most mainstream consoles with the largest volume of underrated classic games is the Megadrive.

Sure, everyone knows The Sonic, Streets of Rage, Shinobi series, disney ports etc, but you don't really hear all that much mention of fantastic games like Ristar, The Story of Thor, Eliminate Down, Mega Turrican, Herzog Zwei, Alien Soldier.. even things like Phantasy Star IV, while generally known, isn't really mentioned all that much. (which is amazing given the popularity of FF VII and how similar it is!)

So many great games for that console, so many went under the radar (even popular games like Castlevania: Bloodlines and Contra:Hard Corps are overshadowed by their Snes contemporaries, even though they're arguably better games)

richymcdermott

Sonic 06

Mal-Adjusted

It might be an odd choice but Astro Warrior for the Master System. On the surface, it's just another vertical shooter, and to be fair it is. but...and i really can't put my finger on it, there's just something about it, something that makes it stand out. maybe the music or the scaling difficulty (it's an unwinnable game in the European version).

Retr0gamer

True but I think that adds to the charm. It's got lots of problems and quite a few bugs but it's quite and interesting game and has a unique setting and aesthetic that differentiates it from japanese counterparts.

It's also got that stunning Jeremy Soule soundtrack.

Retr0gamer

o1s1n wrote: »

On the subject at hand, I find one of the most mainstream consoles with the largest volume of underrated classic games is the Megadrive.

Sure, everyone knows The Sonic, Streets of Rage, Shinobi series, disney ports etc, but you don't really hear all that much mention of fantastic games like Ristar, The Story of Thor, Eliminate Down, Mega Turrican, Herzog Zwei, Alien Soldier.. even things like Phantasy Star IV, while generally known, isn't really mentioned all that much. (which is amazing given the popularity of FF VII and how similar it is!)

So many great games for that console, so many went under the radar (even popular games like Castlevania: Bloodlines and Contra:Hard Corps are overshadowed by their Snes contemporaries, even though they're arguably better games)

Don't forget Rocket Knight Adventrues!

I think that is mostly down to the US's love of the SNES during that era. Most journalists wouldn't really have experience of the megadrive.

Say Your Number

Rayman Origins and Legends will be seen as underrated classics in the future

Cannon Fodder and Wardner on the Megadrive are the only ones that come to mind.

Generic Dreadhead

To be fair Rayman got like 90% on Metacritic

I'd lob in The Chaos Engine SNES, decent top down shooter with some small upgrading system and MP

Say Your Number

Cormac... wrote: »

To be fair Rayman got like 90% on Metacritic

As far as I know they both failed to meet expectation in terms of sales, I mean underrated as in great games that didn't catch on for whatever reason.

Retr0gamer

Origins sold well enough to greenlight a sequel and just because Legends failed to meet expectations doesn't mean it didn't sell well, it more than likely means it failed to meet unrealistic investor expectations. They're both very popular games.

el pibe

How's about Aviator on the old beeb. It's revolutionary grpahics and physics engine totally overshadowed by Elite a bit later.
Of course, you know, there was more stuff to do in Elite, but of those distant memories I seem to recall more pleasure from flying under that bridge and erm, no that was about it wasn't it.
File under games that may not play so well on revisiting

Digital Solitude

Don't know how modern we're going, but the James Cameron Avatar game on the Wii ward great fun, I've never heard anyone else talking about it

o1s1n

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Don't forget Rocket Knight Adventrues!

I think that is mostly down to the US's love of the SNES during that era. Most journalists wouldn't really have experience of the megadrive.

No excuse! As journalists they should know better. Then again, they're videogame journalists, so that probably explains that :pac:

Cormac... wrote: »

To be fair Rayman got like 90% on Metacritic

I'd lob in The Chaos Engine SNES, decent top down shooter with some small upgrading system and MP

The Chaos Engine was a popular game which scored really well when it came out. I'm sure most Amiga fans will list it up in their top games.

I can remember a few friends constantly raving about the Snes version. It has a Megadrive port too.

Retr0gamer

Yeah Amiga fans absolutely adore Chaos Engine, they never shut up about it. Also the game was called Soldier of Fortune in the US so a lot of people knwo it by that name which is probably why Chaos Engine never gets mentioned. Apparently Americans aren't cultured enough to get a 'Difference Engine' reference :P

Retr0gamer

o1s1n wrote: »

No excuse! As journalists they should know better. Then again, they're videogame journalists, so that probably explains that :pac:

The Megadrive did well in America but it seems most people only remember the SNES. Even Jeremy Parish from retronauts gets Ray Barnholt in any time there's Sega discussion since he knows so little about it.

CastorTroy

Digital Solitude wrote: »

Don't know how modern we're going, but the James Cameron Avatar game on the Wii ward great fun, I've never heard anyone else talking about it

Haven't played the Wii version but found the PS3 version much better than expected. Must check out the Wii version

Digital Solitude

CastorTroy wrote: »

Haven't played the Wii version but found the PS3 version much better than expected. Must check out the Wii version

The stealth and bow and arrow controls were excellent, must play it again actually

Danonino.

I enjoyed Too Human. Should I leave now?

Retr0gamer

Danonino. wrote: »

I enjoyed Too Human. Should I leave now?

A game so bad Epic games had every copy destroyed :P

Fate Amenable To Change

So that ET game on the Atari

CiDeRmAn

Glover on the N64, a brilliant mix of Super Mario 64 and Marble Madness.
Kororinpa and it's sequel on the Wii are superb, with a 3D Cameltry vibe together with those ball bearing based toys we got in the 80's!

Fate Amenable To Change

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Glover on the N64, a brilliant mix of Super Mario 64 and Marble Madness.
Kororinpa and it's sequel on the Wii are superb, with a 3D Cameltry vibe together with those ball bearing based toys we got in the 80's!

Glover was highly rated though. N64 mags loved it, ended up getting on the PC for 10 euro(pound?) though. It was very close to pushing me to cry.

gizmo

Danonino. wrote: »

I enjoyed Too Human. Should I leave now?

**** it, why not go the whole hog and say Rise of the Robots?

Fate Amenable To Change

I know it got decent rviews but barely anyone I knew played Twisted metal on the PS1

Retr0gamer

It's a pretty meh game. At launch when there was feck all else on the PS1 everyone was playing. It had a decent enough multiplayer mode. Definitely not underrated since its not all that great and everyone and there granny was playing it in 1995.

Taajsgpm

Anyone have Intelevision ? hada great version of Pitfall

Fate Amenable To Change

Retr0gamer wrote: »

It's a pretty meh game.

You take that back! :pac:

Hercule

Front Mission 3 I feel is a good candidate - I don't recall if it reviewed well but it was my fave PS1 game - if not my favourite console game of all time - I remember buying it at launch and it wasn't even in the new releases / chart section in the Game store in liffey valley found it in the misc €40-€30 game section - Although, come to think of it, I haven't spoken to a single person who owned it that didn't love it - I recently managed to scrape together an emulated version of the PS2 sequel but the magic for me was gone - booted up the aul PS1 version and ended up doing another 40 hour+ play-through.

Dino Crisis for me was "the thinking man's resident evil" - Got more enjoyment from it then RE2/RE3 - but seems to have been consigned to the history books - which is a shame, as for me, it's one of the best 3rd person action games on PS1

Need for Speed : Hot Pursuit 2 (PS2) For me this was the game that did N4S best - before EA decided to target it to the brainless "fast & furios / pimp my ride" yearly spin off - really good balance of arcadey gameplay, but with a decent skill curve.

Generic Dreadhead

*** waits ***

Retr0gamer

Cormac... wrote: »

*** waits ***

Miss me that much?

No problems with those. Front Mission 3 reviewed in the high 80's but should have reviewed better. It was a huge amount of fun and I'm playing it now on PSP and it's still just as fun. It didn't sell well at all. The 4th game only get a US western release which sold poorly (mostly because it wasn't all that good) which was a big shame because the 5th game never got a US release and was a return to form and back to how good the 3rd game was. There is at least a fan translation of that game. It's also nice to be able to play the far superior US version of Front Mission 3 from the US PSN store.

Dino Crisis was great but came out when people were getting sick of survival horror games. Definitely an underrated classic.

Not sure about NFS, never played it much.

Mal-Adjusted

I always thought Dino Crisis was a highly regarded and well loved game, hardly a contender for underrated. Did it sell well?

Retr0gamer

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

I always thought Dino Crisis was a highly regarded and well loved game, hardly a contender for underrated. Did it sell well?

It sold ok, enough to warrant two sequels. Dino Crisis 2 I think is even more criminally underrated. It's basically the missing link between Survival Horror and DMC and Resi 4. It's a strange game being far more focused on action but it's a silly amount of fun.

CiDeRmAn

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 on the PS2 was the last classic NFS title before Hot Pursuit popped up on the 360.
Keep in mind that the PS2 version was developed by a different team to the Xbox and GC edition and they were awful.
Not underrated though, sold buckets in the biggest racing franchise around.

Fate Amenable To Change

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 on the PS2 was the last classic NFS title before Hot Pursuit popped up on the 360.
Keep in mind that the PS2 version was developed by a different team to the Xbox and GC edition and they were awful.
Not underrated though, sold buckets in the biggest racing franchise around.

I remember the PS2 version it was class as far as unrealistic driving games go. Didn;t play the other two but you'll actually see it pop on imgur every now and again as the best in the series.

CiDeRmAn

It's probably one of my top three of the series, along with Road Challenge and the first one on the 3DO, still love that one.
Speaking of the 3DO, Return Fire is the most amazing game you've never played, well worth tracking down.
And for the poor ignorant unwashed masses, you can also get it for the Playstation, Saturn and PC!

Retr0gamer

The first two zelda cdi games. Get over the naff cutscenes and you are left with a slightly less obtuse zelda 2.