Under-appreciated and overlooked games

Jeremy said:
Enslaved's interesting boss battles also stood out for me.

To me, Rayman Origins epitomizes what many games today are lacking. Rayman proved that design is more important than graphical prowess. Dunno how you guys feel about it, but I think a well designed visual style and the fact it's implemented well into the gameplay, works better than a game with great graphics and no substance.
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Not that Rayman is a slouch in the graphics department.
Oh, and one of the best and most original soundtracks ever.
 
Murph said:
Not that Rayman is a slouch in the graphics department.
Oh, and one of the best and most original soundtracks ever.
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No not at all! What I meant was that it's an example of design over graphics. Rayman Origins has phenomenal visuals, but it relies on good design and art-direction, as opposed to a powerful graphics engine.

To me, Rayman Origins is the best looking game of 2011 hands-down.
 
Absolutely. It also happens to play just as good as it looks.
Anyway, we could probably keep up the Rayman love all week :P
 
I was chatting with MOnk about this the other day in fact, we both came to a similar conclusion that art direction is somewhat lacking in modern games. As MOnk says "realism is just an excuse to be lazy", when you think about that it's quite true. There is no such thing as "art direction" when it comes to MW3 or BF3.

But then take a look at recent games like Journey, Rayman Origins or the upcoming Darksiders 2. There is some amazing art styles and great game play. Looking back games like Oddword: Abe's Oddysee had some of the most amazing creative art direction for it's time.

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Great article btw, hopefully we see similar ones soon :)
 
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fayainz said:
I was chatting with MOnk about this the other day in fact, we both came to a similar conclusion that art direction is somewhat lacking in modern games. As MOnk says "realism is just an excuse to be lazy", when you think about that it's quite true. There is no such thing as "art direction" when it comes to MW3 or BF3.

But then take a look at recent games like Journey, Rayman Origins or the upcoming Darksiders 2. There is some amazing art styles and great game play. Looking back games like Oddword: Abe's Oddysee had some of the most amazing creative art direction for it's time.

//edit
Great article btw, hopefully we see similar ones soon :)
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Thanks @fayainz :)

As for your point, yeah, I agree to a certain extent. I definitely think innovative and creative art direction is lacking. Darksiders is an interesting point you brought up, because it's a game that acknowledges and promotes it's comic book roots (Joe Madureira was a comic-book artist, THEN became a game designer), and you can see it shines through. The great art style allowed them to make a much more fantastical and ambitious world because the art style catered for it. Not that they couldn't if it was 'realistic', but the art-style gives the leeway to really try new things visually.
 
You are spot on there Jeremy, coming from a comic book artist to a game designer in a sense is brings fresh ideas into a seemingly stale industry. It has been my experience over the last 19 years of gaming that the notable games that stick out in my mind are generally the ones with rock solid gameplay and a unique creative artistic design/direction.

Really when you contemplate old classics, what made them great? It certainly wasn't the graphics. As time passes and technology improves what once looked like an amazing game graphically, will not keep it's shine.

I believe games are remembered for the experiences they deliver.

While not so much "under-rated" or over looked, I consider these games to have beautiful artistic design:
More recently:
- Bastion
- Limbo
- Borderlands
- Portal 2
- Darksiders
- Mirror's Edge
- Trine 2

Some older titles:
- Max Payne (in the story telling)
- Heart of Darkness
- Full Throttle
- Oddword: Abe's Oddysee + Exodus
- Beyond Good & Evil

I could go on but we'd be here all day :P

Back on topic, why I think this article is great is it gives people a chance to experience some great games. There is so much that gets missed with all the AAA games blasting their way to the top. I personally never got to play Castlevania or Enslaved, and although they didn't do quite well in the reviews I will definitely consider them.
 
Interesting article indeed. IMO Castlevania is the best game in it's genre and leagues ahead of God of War 3. Enslaved is also really brilliant, actually picked it up again the other day and Rayman is just pure WIN. The only game there I need to still play is Sonic Generations, just waiting for a price drop before I get that as well as Rayman (I've played it but I don't own it, yet).

A few more I would add to the list:

Dark Sector
Condemned 2
Bionic Commando
Dead to Rights: Retribution
Splatterhouse
Binary Domain
Vanquish
Shadows of the Damned
 
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i like these kinds of articles, always seems to be a Gem or 2 in it, i played Castlevania, thought the game was loads of fun, but storyline wasnt really that gripping
enslaved was awesome i think i finished the entire game in one weekend though

maybe i should check out Rayman Origins
 
Jeremy said:
More articles like this will be going up a lot more often :)

I think the Enslaved demo may still be on PSN if you'd like another go at it.

If you're a true Sonic fan, one that may have swayed from the series (as I did), still give Sonic Generations a chance - it delivers on what Sonic has been lacking :)
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Awesome stuff, I think I might just buy Enslaved anyway.

Yeah, I loved Sonic when I was a kid and expected Underground to be something similar (didn't even know about the game until I saw it in the shop and bought it. TERRIBLE. I will most definitely go check it out.
 
Thanks y'all. Check out for more features soon :)

fayainz said:
You are spot on there Jeremy, coming from a comic book artist to a game designer in a sense is brings fresh ideas into a seemingly stale industry. It has been my experience over the last 19 years of gaming that the notable games that stick out in my mind are generally the ones with rock solid gameplay and a unique creative artistic design/direction.

Really when you contemplate old classics, what made them great? It certainly wasn't the graphics. As time passes and technology improves what once looked like an amazing game graphically, will not keep it's shine.

I believe games are remembered for the experiences they deliver.

While not so much "under-rated" or over looked, I consider these games to have beautiful artistic design:
More recently:
- Bastion
- Limbo
- Borderlands
- Portal 2
- Darksiders
- Mirror's Edge
- Trine 2

Some older titles:
- Max Payne (in the story telling)
- Heart of Darkness
- Full Throttle
- Oddword: Abe's Oddysee + Exodus
- Beyond Good & Evil

I could go on but we'd be here all day :P

Back on topic, why I think this article is great is it gives people a chance to experience some great games. There is so much that gets missed with all the AAA games blasting their way to the top. I personally never got to play Castlevania or Enslaved, and although they didn't do quite well in the reviews I will definitely consider them.
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The goal is to entertain people and give the games the exposure to keen readers and gamers who are interested in playing quality games that weren't necessarily acknowledged as they should have been. :)

If any of the games tickle your fancy, I would recommend them. Or at least checking them out a bit more :)
 
Dohc-WP said:
grim fandango was one of the most underrated games ever IMO, and it was brilliant
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I agree with you on Grim Fandango has got to be one of my favourites along with Full Throttle.

Another game that almost no one seems to remember is Jones in the Fast Lane, which I still play every so often, as well as good old Leisure suit Larry (as far as Love for Sail)
 
Wlad said:
Interesting article indeed. IMO Castlevania is the best game in it's genre and leagues ahead of God of War 3. Enslaved is also really brilliant, actually picked it up again the other day and Rayman is just pure WIN. The only game there I need to still play is Sonic Generations, just waiting for a price drop before I get that as well as Rayman (I've played it but I don't own it, yet).

A few more I would add to the list:

Dark Sector
Condemned 2
Bionic Commando
Dead to Rights: Retribution
Splatterhouse
Binary Domain
Vanquish
Shadows of the Damned
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and I agree on everything (maybe not Splatterhouse so much :P).
Dark Sector is one of my all time favourites.
Bionic Commando was sadly underrated and slated by most critics - I thoroughly enjoyed it despite its flaws.
Dead to Rights: Retribution - huge fan of the series (DTR 1 and 2 on PS2 were great), and I thought they nailed it with Retribution.
Binary Domain is my current favourite game of 2012 :) Recommended it to plenty friends already.
 
Jeremy said:
and I agree on everything (maybe not Splatterhouse so much :P).
Dark Sector is one of my all time favourites.
Bionic Commando was sadly underrated and slated by most critics - I thoroughly enjoyed it despite its flaws.
Dead to Rights: Retribution - huge fan of the series (DTR 1 and 2 on PS2 were great), and I thought they nailed it with Retribution.
Binary Domain is my current favourite game of 2012 :) Recommended it to plenty friends already.
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I might be a bit biased when it comes to Splatterhouse, used to play the first games to death back in the Megadrive/Arcade days. I know the reboot wasn't that great (a lot of the mechanics are pretty much broken), but I loved the soundtrack and I did have some good times with the combat system.

Can't believe someone actually agrees with me on Dark Sector, Dead to Rights and Bionic Commando (esp. Bionic Commando). Most people I've recommended these games to don't even want to try them because their friends (or the internet) say they suck. It sucks that (most) people don't want to take chances on games and form their own opinions just because a reviewer or a friend says it's crap. I'll be the first to admit that I've bought some pretty shit games (Sniper, Call of Juarez: Cartel, etc.), but at least I played them myself instead of just taking someone else's word for it.

Also, I finally managed to get a copy of Sonic Generations for R149.95 from BT Games on Monday. What an awesome game. :D Love the fact that you can play all the levels as either 2D or 3D Sonic, although I do still struggle somewhat with the 3D levels. :p

Lastly one more game I would add to the list is Blades of Time. Bought it a little while ago and finished Sunday afternoon. It does have some flaws but the time rewind mechanic is really cool and makes for some great combat tactics. The game was also pretty challenging and a lot longer than I expected it to be.
 
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Wlad said:
I might be a bit biased when it comes to Splatterhouse, used to play the first games to death back in the Megadrive/Arcade days. I know the reboot wasn't that great (a lot of the mechanics are pretty much broken), but I loved the soundtrack and I did have some good times with the combat system.

Can't believe someone actually agrees with me on Dark Sector, Dead to Rights and Bionic Commando (esp. Bionic Commando). Most people I've recommended these games to don't even want to try them because their friends (or the internet) say they suck. It sucks that (most) people don't want to take chances on games and form their own opinions just because a reviewer or a friend says it's crap. I'll be the first to admit that I've bought some pretty shit games (Sniper, Call of Juarez: Cartel, etc.), but at least I played them myself instead of just taking someone else's word for it.

Also, I finally managed to get a copy of Sonic Generations for R149.95 from BT Games on Monday. What an awesome game. :D Love the fact that you can play all the levels as either 2D or 3D Sonic, although I do still struggle somewhat with the 3D levels. :p

Lastly one more game I would add to the list is Blades of Time. Bought it a little while ago and finished Sunday afternoon. It does have some flaws but the time rewind mechanic is really cool and makes for some great combat tactics. The game was also pretty challenging and a lot longer than I expected it to be.
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Understandable given your love of the Splatterhouses from yesteryear; nostalgia has a strong sway on us :P

Hearing your appreciation of Dark Sector is so refreshing. It's nothing short of a tragedy that the game was overlooked by a lot of people. The combat and puzzle solving with the glaive was very clever and dynamic, not to mention sawing enemies in half with a slow-mo cam was nothing short of awesome.

Don't worry, everyone (including myself) has bought bad games, if someone says they haven't - they're lying. The point is that you TRY out games that catch your attention, and while it's a hit or miss sometimes, it's also where gems (like Dark Sector or the Dead to Rights series) are found.

Stoked to hear you picked up Sonic Generations :) I hope it's instilled your faith in the little blue guy! I personally loved it and Sonic Team managed to capture exactly how the old Sonic games used to play, feel and SOUND. The 3D sections are still a LITTLE clumsy, but they do try some cool 3D platforming moments.

MyGaming's review of Blades of Time should be coming soon, but I will take your word for it and check it out! Thanks :)
 
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