Missed Classics

Skerries · 23-01-2011 11:21pm #1

Have you played a great game that didn't do well commercially but received rave reviews?
Some of the ones that spring to mind are Giants:Citizen Kabuto, Beyond good and evil and Psychonauts

Retr0gamer · 23-01-2011 11:34pm

Beyond Good and Evil and Psychonauts as well for me. Bought them in the GoG sale so hopefully will get around to them. The other biggie is Shenmue and I still haven't beaten deus ex despite numerous attempts.

Penn · 23-01-2011 11:41pm

Shadow of the Colossus. Really looking forward to the HD Team Ico collection, heard some really great things about SOTC in particular. Sounds right up my alley

landsleaving · 23-01-2011 11:49pm

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Beyond Good and Evil and Psychonauts as well for me. Bought them in the GoG sale so hopefully will get around to them. The other biggie is Shenmue and I still haven't beaten deus ex despite numerous attempts.

You haven't finished Shenmue? For shame sir, for shame

For me it's the Suikoden series, I just never managed to pick up any of them over the years, except 4 but its meant to be a bit crap so I never bothered with it.

I also managed to ignore Super Metroid till late last year, which is about as bad as it gets to be fair.

Cunning Alias · 23-01-2011 11:59pm

landsleaving wrote: »

For me it's the Suikoden series, I just never managed to pick up any of them over the years, except 4 but its meant to be a bit crap so I never bothered with it.

1 and 2 are incredible. Big favorites that I go back to every now and then. 3 was a bit crap if im honest. The transition to 3d did not help.

Eternal Darkness was one that didn't sell too well that got great reviews. Grim Fandango is another favorite for these kind of discussions.

Also loved Outcast. I have yet to meet another person who has played this.

Edit: Got me thinking about this now....

Missed games: Vandal Hearts, Alundra, and one of my top 5 games of all time Skies of Arcadia

My big regrets are not playing all the way through xenogears and chrono cross. I got a US PS2 a few years back to get games like the Xenosaga series, Suikoden 3, FF Tactics, so they always got ignored.

Retr0gamer · 24-01-2011 12:34am

Suikoden 1 and 2 are well worth playing, especially 2 which in my opinion is one of the best RPGs ever made. Suikoden 3 is decent 4 is utter ****e and 5 is a return to form and very good.

I also got Outcast in the GoG sale. A friend of mine keeps telling me how good it is and how it was the only game to ever bring him close to tears.

RolandIRL · 24-01-2011 3:17am

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I also got Outcast in the GoG sale. A friend of mine keeps telling me how good it is and how it was the only game to ever bring him close to tears.

i remember playing that years ago. must get it on GoG cos i'm not sure it'll work on win7 without some help.
really enjoyed playing it, some really funny moments in it.

Retr0gamer · 24-01-2011 3:34am

Works perfect on my windows 7 PC, best thing about GoG is they optimise the games to run on new systems.

deathrider · 24-01-2011 4:36am

The only one that immediately springs to mind (I might think about it a little harder tomorrow though) is The Suffering. Really enjoyed it, but never actually knew anyone else who has played it.

Enslaved looks like it might be heading down a similar path.

Skerries · 24-01-2011 10:45am

i played The Suffering on the PC and thought it was great scary game, did it not do so well in sales?

Edit: just looked it up, it sold 1.5 million copies and spawned a sequel

On September 8, 2005, Midway and MTV Films announced that a film version of The Suffering was in development.[2] The film began production in 2006 and is scheduled to be released in 2011. It has been reported that Kyle Haarklau will write and direct. Stan Winston had signed on to design the monster effects for the film prior to his death on June 15, 2008. Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor was announced to play the lead character Torque

RolandIRL · 24-01-2011 1:12pm

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Works perfect on my windows 7 PC, best thing about GoG is they optimise the games to run on new systems.

i actually meant the original discs i have when i bought it

don't think they'll work without lots of tweaking, and tbh i'm willing to get it off GoG just for laziness's sake

penev10 · 24-01-2011 1:48pm

I remeber a gem of a game for the Gamecube called Lost Kingdoms. It was an adventure game with real-time strategic combat using a sort of card game dynamic. You got dealt a random hand at the beginning of each combat so constructing a balanced deck was essential. Sub quests lead you to the rarer cards which in turn gave you more options in battle.

EDGE gave it a favourable review (8/10 I think) but I had to route it out of a bargain bin in GAME not too long after release!

Wikipedia article

Mark Hamill · 24-01-2011 1:57pm

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath.. I remember being stunned at how good this game was when it came out on the xbox. Great characters, great gameplay ("live" ammunition

) and a great story which changes tack about halfway through. Its out on steam now too (with the other oddworld games) so will have to get it when my new laptop arrives.

Dave_The_Sheep · 24-01-2011 2:07pm

Wargasm (DID, 1998).

Awesome craic with a few mates the few times we managed to get it to a LAN.
Play as a tank/APC/chopper/soldier/mobile AA gun.

Nothing quite like managing to take out a chopper while playing as a wee soldier. Also incredible fun zipping around the place in a chopper with infinite ammo. No storyline to speak of, but the graphics were good, sound effects nice and punchy and the soundtrack was pure awesome (Beethoven and Wagner, I believe). Nice physics/trajectory computing to your tank shells, which made nailing some bastard hundreds of metres away going in the opposite direction with a single turret shot a thing of beauty.

Vastly underrated. Plus the review by Charlie Brooker in PcZone at the time was (as usual) great.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfLqqGFHHTA

deathrider · 24-01-2011 4:37pm

Skerries wrote: »

i played The Suffering on the PC and thought it was great scary game, did it not do so well in sales?

Edit: just looked it up, it sold 1.5 million copies and spawned a sequel

On September 8, 2005, Midway and MTV Films announced that a film version of The Suffering was in development.[2] The film began production in 2006 and is scheduled to be released in 2011. It has been reported that Kyle Haarklau will write and direct. Stan Winston had signed on to design the monster effects for the film prior to his death on June 15, 2008. Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor was announced to play the lead character Torque

Didn't realise it was that popular. I have the sequel though, although it didn't hold a candle to the original. All this info about the movie is news to me though. To be honest, I really didn't think it would have been near popular enough to warrant a movie. Although it would have been cool to see Stan Winston doing the effects, because he created the monsters for the game. From what I can recall, he was credited on the back of the box for it. I wonder if it's still in production, or if it got dropped somewhere along the way. I must investigate...

Dave_The_Sheep · 28-01-2011 12:47pm

Does Rise of Nations count here? I played it and it got great reviews (didn't see the real attraction in it myself). How did it do commercially?

Sticky_Fingers · 28-01-2011 7:06pm

Psi-Ops, the Mind-Gate Conspiracy on the Xbox was IMO a brilliant game, pity the buying public didn't seem to think so. I went out of my way to rebuy it once I got my 360 but bloody thing wasn't backwards compatible so might try and hunt it up for the PC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5dDt31G5UQ

eugeneious · 29-01-2011 2:20am

I'd like to throw Tropico 3 out as a missed classic as i thought it was a superb game, no to serious and really fun and enjoyable game and despite really good reviews it just didn't get the sales it deserved.

29-01-2011 2:32am

Shadow of the Colossus and Ico for me.

Potential-Monke · 29-01-2011 1:43pm

Shadow of the Colossus definitely, shat all over games coming out then, and completely original, can't wait for the next TeamIco release.

And as said above, Psi-Ops was a great game, i remember my boos in GameStop giving me a promo copy of it at the time (which she got at a HQ meeting, she didn't even like games!). Must have played through it 5 or 6 times! Pity there's no sequel.

What was the other game around the same time with Psy powers? Made by the Timesplitters team... Great game!

Edit: Second Sight, fantastic game!

gizmo · 29-01-2011 5:00pm

Sticky_Fingers wrote: »

Psi-Ops, the Mind-Gate Conspiracy on the Xbox was IMO a brilliant game, pity the buying public didn't seem to think so. I went out of my way to rebuy it once I got my 360 but bloody thing wasn't backwards compatible so might try and hunt it up for the PC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5dDt31G5UQ

And would have had a sequel too had Midway not decided to focus on Stranglehold too.

As for me, well most games on the consoles between the SNES and the current generation of consoles unfortunately. I've been catching up since thankfully but I still have a long way to go.

richymcdermott · 29-01-2011 6:16pm

Demons souls check mate

Magill · 29-01-2011 8:39pm

Bioshock 1+2, Metroid games, Mario Galaxy's.. just bought both bioshock games today tho... looking forward to getting stuck into them.

noodler · 29-01-2011 8:42pm

Peace Walker for all you arses out there who didn't try it.

20e in HMV.

noodler · 29-01-2011 8:44pm

Just finished Fallout NV and am resisting the urge to play it through again as an arse.

Next options are:

- To make more than a dent in Dead Space 1, only a few hours in and haven't touched it in months

- Start Bioshock 2

Thats it - hmm thought I had more.

Still thinking of buying:

- Birth by Sleep

- FFX13

- Mass Effect 2

- Batman (still haven't played AA)

- GOW Collection

krudler · 29-01-2011 8:56pm

Mirrors Edge

and yes I'm serious, its got flaws, but its different. you can pick it up for about a fiver new these days, I paid 7 quid for it in game last year.

DarkJager · 30-01-2011 10:12am

eugeneious wrote: »

I'd like to throw Tropico 3 out as a missed classic as i thought it was a superb game, no to serious and really fun and enjoyable game and despite really good reviews it just didn't get the sales it deserved.

Picked this up a few weeks back and enjoyed it for the first few hours. It does tend to get extremely repetetive after a while though. Haven't touched it since.

krudler wrote: »

Mirrors Edge

and yes I'm serious, its got flaws, but its different. you can pick it up for about a fiver new these days, I paid 7 quid for it in game last year.

This was a game I'd seen a few times, read a few things about and finally picked it up when I spotted it for 5 quid in XV. Only got as far as the meeting with the sister before I gave up on it. Something about it just made me feel nauseous and even the gameplay wasn't that great.

For a missed classic though I'd nominate Fahrenheit. Its one of the only games I've played that is still in my mind to this day. Yeah Heavy Rain was much more polished but this was a gem of a game with a great story to it. The whole bit towards the end of the game with the

matrix style powers

still ranks as one of my top "wtf!?" moments in gaming but in a good way. Think its available on Games on demand now.

K.O.Kiki · 30-01-2011 6:27pm

I have at least 20 PS2 games that I'm saving for when I find the time.

Retr0gamer · 30-01-2011 6:28pm

noodler wrote: »

- FFX13

That's a real love it or hate it game. I liked it but can see why people don't.

noodler · 30-01-2011 6:31pm

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

I have at least 20 PS2 games that I'm saving for when I find the time.

I actually only have one at the moment that I intend to actually play (Rogue Galaxy..and that's GothPunk's!)

Potential-Monke · 31-01-2011 3:36pm

Retr0gamer wrote: »

That's a real love it or hate it game. I liked it but can see why people don't.

I can't see why people like any of the FF games, the fighting system sucks dong! Yes, i'm probably in a minority, but i hate, and haven't played, any games that use this stupid system of waiting...

Retr0gamer · 31-01-2011 4:45pm

Potential-Monke wrote: »

I can't see why people like any of the FF games, the fighting system sucks dong! Yes, i'm probably in a minority, but i hate, and haven't played, any games that use this stupid system of waiting...

The fighting system is different in every single final fantasy game. Also nothing wrong with turn based systems, I find it makes it much more tactical.

GothPunk · 31-01-2011 6:10pm

A year or so ago noodler started a topic about PS2 hidden gems, right about when I was trying to catch up on a ton of games, and I ended up with about 50 PS2 games. Slowly making my way through them. I haven't played Beyond Good and Evil though, always meant to pick it up - and then Ubisoft announced the HD re-release so I'll be getting that.

I think back when I was a PC only gamer there were a lot of games that I loved that were received well but sold crap, like Hidden and Dangerous. I loved that game. It was so buggy on release but when it worked it was incredible.

noodler wrote: »

I actually only have one at the moment that I intend to actually play (Rogue Galaxy..and that's GothPunk's!)

And I can give you a loan of the God of War Collection and God Of War III when you're done if you want.

Mike Litoris · 31-01-2011 9:04pm

Grand Prix Legends!

madrab · 31-01-2011 11:22pm

Sacrifice, Freedom Force and Freedom Fighters are ones i really liked

Vyse · 01-02-2011 4:36pm

krudler wrote: »

Mirrors Edge

and yes I'm serious, its got flaws, but its different. you can pick it up for about a fiver new these days, I paid 7 quid for it in game last year.

Possibly the best game I played in 2008. Absolutely loved it. Everything from the gameplay to the soundtrack were magic. It's criminal not to pick this one up for the price it goes for these days.

Potential-Monke · 03-02-2011 5:37am

Retr0gamer wrote: »

The fighting system is different in every single final fantasy game. Also nothing wrong with turn based systems, I find it makes it much more tactical.

Didn't realise that, but maybe i'm just classing them all as turn-based, and thus not care how different they are because they're all turn based. I got FFXIII in the lucky bag for PS3 from GS, might attempt it...

Spunge · 03-02-2011 7:15am

Vampire Bloodlines had decent reviews , the only thing people didnt like were the bugs (which were many). It's one of my favourite games and it only sold about 70,000 copies when it came out i believe.

Retr0gamer · 03-02-2011 10:15am

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Didn't realise that, but maybe i'm just classing them all as turn-based, and thus not care how different they are because they're all turn based. I got FFXIII in the lucky bag for PS3 from GS, might attempt it...

I gaurantee you'll hate that one.

Mr Freeze · 03-02-2011 10:26am

Has to be Outcast for me.

An amazing game, if you can get your hands on it these days its worth the play. Only problem I can think of is, some of the visuals weren't really up to scratch back in the day, so it will probably look shocking now.

I was gutted when there was no sequel.

Potential-Monke · 04-02-2011 6:17am

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I gaurantee you'll hate that one.

Ya, see, i played 2 hours of it today, and while the fighting system in it didn't seem to be as annoying as the last one i tried (FFVII), it seemed like they were deliberately trying to make the dialogue and voice acting god awful! I had to stop playing it as it was angering me that it could deliberately be this way!

So, needless to say, into GameStop tomorrow to trade it in! Along with Shaun White, OF:DR, and a few others!

Missed Classics

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