Under the Radar: 2017

Retr0gamer

So this thread is to highlight games from 2017 that flew under the radar. Selfishly I want to see what games I missed out on this year.

Any here's the simple rules. Each poster can only highlight one game a day. Only games that you feel have gone unnoticed whould be highlighted, so basically 'but COD WW2 is actually good' doesn't really cut it.

First game:

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana



Availability: PC, PS4

What is it: An action RPG with the emphasise heavily on action.

Pros:

Insanely fast paced and fun combat with light RPG elements
Fantastic soundtrack
A severe lack of brown and grey textures
A Resident Evil 1 level translation

Cons:

Not a whole lot really, the game is just a heap of fun. The translation is terrible though.

Falcom are well known in Japan for their games and with the Xanadu and Ys series are known for creating pretty much the best action RPGs available. It's more of an action game than RPG. If you have never played an Ys game before then prepare to be gobsmacked with how fast the combat is. It's the F-zero of RPGs. I'd recommend it to anyone that likes a good boss fight and Dark Souls fans.

Unfortunately the English localisation is absolute thrash but it will be getting patched soon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmWrOBM1MyM

Was that translation patch released yet? Been holding off picking it up til it's out

Retr0gamer

2018 when the Pc version launches it seems.

YouSavedMyLife

It looking like a PS2 game should be added under the cons section

johnny_ultimate

Just one a day! Well...

Echo



Availability: PC / PS4

What is it: Stealth game with a side order of overwhelming dread

Pros:
Probably the most artfully abrasive, unsettling game I've played in some time.
Definitely the best game space of the year. After a slow descent down a Blame!-like planet, you end up in this seemingly infinitely recurring palace. Its cold lavishness is instantly sinister and unsettling - this vast, impossible labyrinth that is basically as video-gamey as they come but no less overwhelming and potent because of it.
The gameplay has one main trick, but it's a great one: the enemies (who, naturally in a game that wants to be as distressingly existential as possible, are all clones of the protagonist) learn from you. Completely mixes up traditional stealth gameplay: when the next 'loop' starts, the enemies will use the same tricks you just used. It means you can never rely on one strategy, and turns maps into almost puzzle-boxes to be teased out.
Each 'loop' is marked by an unnervingly dramatic smash cut into darkness. Again, this game wants to make you twitch as much as possible.

Cons:
It's obviously all very contrived, but who the **** cares when it's as compellingly bleak as this? I do admit to not being able to play it for very long - partially because the repetitive but oddly intense gameplay, but also because the whole thing makes me feel deeply uncomfortable (in a good way).

Retr0gamer

Ah, just the man I was hoping to contribute

K.O.Kiki

Doki Doki Literature Club



Availability: PC

What is it: A freeware visual novel for J̴̧͇̟͈͖̺̬̙̖͚̟̙̟̹̙͕̻͎̘̗̖̪̱̖̮͚̗̹̼̖͉̬̮̤̹͇̮̥̑̇̽̀̐̏̓̉̑̑̍͋͌̒͊̄̀͜͜͠͝U̴̡̞͍̱͈̪̥̦̭̦̙̭̒̓̀͜S̷̡̮͙̠͓̘̮͔̰̣̫̊̐̅̇̋̉̌̅͊̔̀̑͌̈́͆̌̂͠ͅȚ̶̨̡̢̣̻̘̺̼̤͕̗̹͇̝̠̪̗̼̘̪̯̼̫͔͎̹̘̠̳̩͈̞͕̩̦̫̞̣́̄̓̋́̎͆̌̈͊̾̍́̀͒͘͜͠͝ ̸̧̧̨̡̧̧̨̛̛̬̖̣̻̱̘̟̱͉͉̳͈̯͓̬̺͓̺͉̹̱̣̘̰̥̼̙͓̉͌̋̄̑̈́̐̈͗̚͜͜ͅͅṂ̷̨̡̢̧̪͔̲̠̦̟͇͙͓̠͖̘̮̜͇̤̈́̋͗͝Ó̸̧̥͔̼̯͔̫̻̩̜̋͑̒̑́́̑̓́̈́͆͛͂͊̓͝͝N̷̨̫̹͕̈̾͗͛̔̃̆́̔̅̃̇́̆̏̐̎̕̕͠͝I̷̡͈͙̦̺̝̎̃̄̿̇̔̅̒̿͐͌̈̍̉̄̑̍̐͋̇̋̓͆͂̿̀̍͐̓͗̀͌͑̅̐̌̈́͊͠ͅK̶̨̧̛̝̩̞͈̦̪̣̦̀͛̈́̏̈́͑̒́́̑́̕͜ͅA̸̡̧̡̼̦̺̬̜͙͓̼̤̘͉̠̲̘̦͉̖͕͍̫̰̖͕͎̳̖̞̞͇̤̤͉͒͊̄̆̐̑͝
Pros:

100% free!
Monik̷̡͈̓̅ḁ̴̦̋͛͝!̶͓̼̯͔̊
Short (3-5hrs)
Compelling story really s̷̛̭̝̰͚̼͖͔͍͇̎͛̓̓͐̌͛̂̽̄̚ù̸̙͖̝͆͑́̏͘͝ç̴̎̔̑k̶̡̧̇̂̂͝s̵͈̼͚͎͔̝̮̙̑̈́͋̋̉͠ ̴͓̗̣̳̥̤̒̊̽̈̓y̵̡̧̡̛͚̫͎͉͈̰̻̝͐͆̈́́̿͂́͐͆͒͘o̶̢̧̘̖̦̗̠̣̞̠̭̎̐͗̀̽̓͋̓͜ụ̵͚̪͚͗̄̊͝ ̷̢̨̖̱̮̣͒͂͑͑͂͊͘͜͝ͅi̸̛̪̙̓͋͑̿̚͘̕n̸̡͈̝͔̥̺̋͗͐.̶͚̤̗̙̠̤̉̽͘

Cons:

Content in this product may not be appropriate for all ages, or may not be appropriate for viewing at work.
Literally destroyed by spoilers.

M̷̡̡̲͓̰͈̙͈̰̙̙̱̤̝̰̬̩͈̙̪̦̱̩͉͈͉̫͇̪͈̓̾̅̈̃͊̽͑͂̉͌͒̃̈́́̇̍̾̈̍͗̉̆̏̓̿̌̐̍͆̏̌͂͑̈́̕͘̕͜͜͜͠͝͝Ő̸̧̥̱̦̝̣̰̪͎̣͙̥̩̖̜̜͚̑̀̃͆͗̊̒́́̓̊͛̏͑̔͑̿͐͌̓͆͋͂̿͗̆͋̚͝͝Ņ̴̧̧̭̺͚̘͔̗͖̜̝̩̬̱̲̳͚̫̲̪̪̬̲̪̠̮̭͓͍̬́̌̏̌͑̅͋̇͛̇̏͌͑͗̉͛̾̈͂͑̉͋̔͛̌́̅̇͊͘͘͘͘͜Į̵̛͍͚̭̤̤̯̻̭̯͇̠̪̦̲͐̓̎̾͗͊̊͑̅̏̔̊̓̄̇̅̑̍̎̏͒̿͆̓̈̎͗͆̐͂̓̅̇̚͘͘͝Ķ̵̗͈̼͍̬̰̝̺͙͇̤͙̖̹̙̘̤̌̂͛̈͋̒̀͆͒̔̓͐̎́̓̕̚Ä̴̢̛̛̮̮̗͔̱͛̾͑̽̔͑̒̈́̔̉̊̌̊̒͐̈̃̉͋̈͗̅̄͑̍͂̑͋̈̈́͋̉̔͛͘͠͝͝ ̷̛͎̝̹͔͚͓̟̺͓̼̫̫͙̖̣̦̬̋͑̂̏͋̊̎͂̆̓̽̓̎͒́̉̕̕͝͠M̵̢̢̼̻̙̘̭̳͋̈́͌͛͋͊̔́̀̀̈́̋̅̉͂̅̈̈́͘͘͘̕͜O̴̧̢̨̧̢̻͔̻̪̱̼̠̘̱͍̝̻̦͍̜̬̺͇͍͈͍͍̲̞̻̹̘̗̪̯͓͍̗̮̦͗̄̾͊̇̓̄̐́͗͋̈́̾͊́̂̉̂̇̅͊̈͆͗̈́̆̔̃̓̋͒̓̚͜͝͝͝N̸̰̤̞̰̙̠̳͋̎͂͂͑̏̽͊̊̓̀͛̓̀̑̓̏̎͛̐̃̃̕̕͝͝Į̶̡̛̮̪̰̼̯̌̌̈́͗̄͒̍̿͊̈́̈̂̇̅̄̎͂͝͝K̵͙̗̹̺̍͛̅̍̾̐A̸̡͍̻̜͕͎̹̞͈̩̱̰̩̙̣̮̖͇̣̲͉͇̘̭̮̟̬̹̜̟̬͇̎͆̅̋̔͗̓̋͐̈́̒̊͑̎̈́͑͊͆͊͌̋̂̎͘ͅ ̸̢̭͉͍̩̉͆̓̆̓̌M̷̡̢̛̠̹͙̩̦͚̞̯̘͍̜͇̤̱̪̱͚̰͚̞̊͋́̽͌̓̏̐̈́̈́͂̒̊̋̐͠Ǫ̶̡̧̜̞͉̱̥͓̼͕̫̗̫͍̀͐̐̔̆͑̈́͐̂̉̀͆̈̀̅̎͌̇̂̾̚Ņ̴̨̢̹͇͇͖̮͔͔̦͍̱̲̞̦͍̫̘̱̩̱̻͓̼̬̰͎͚̝͈̺͓̓͌̋̾̅̊͋́̓͆̓̽̕͜͝I̶̡̘̠̤̻̗͚̰̺̪̙̬̪̖͇̺̋̉̑̎̅͜͠ͅĶ̷̡̛̛͉̗̭̦̰̱̗̙͇͎͈͙̲͈͓̲̞̻͕͍̝̮̫̭̠̣͙͓̹̞̓͌̈́̔́̓́̅͌͋̃͋̐͐̎̾̓̇̓͆͌͘͜Ä̶̧̡̧̯̱͉̰̺̳̩͓̩̖̗̱̟͔͇̞̼͍̲͖̫̜̲̰̩̮̮̮̙̬̯̬͍͚͎̅̈́͋̓̌̓̊̓͛̕̚͝

Sephiroth_dude

Tokyo Xanadu and Tokyo Xanadu EX

Availability: PS4, VITA, PC

What is it:An action RPG

Pro's:Great combat, interesting story, awesome music.

Cons:Some of the chapters feel too long.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO5xb3kN7Rc

Boss theme.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlWdBKLZL7U

I would suggest just getting it for either ps4 or pc as the EX version has extra content, a side story after every chapter and an extra chapter in the game.

Sieghardt

Gravity Rush 2

Availability: PS4

What is it: An open world action-adventure about shifting gravity with your powers

Pro's: Nice style to the art and music, likeable characters, interesting story and world, unique gravity mechanics, Kat.

Cons: combat can be a bit simplistic at times, can get a bit repetitive







This poor little game was coldly sent to die by Sony, who chose to put 100% of their marketing and attention towards Horizon which released on the same day. So this never got the love it deserved

ERG89

Sieghardt wrote:

This poor little game was coldly sent to die by Sony, who chose to put 100% of their marketing and attention towards Horizon which released on the same day. So this never got the love it deserved

HZD was out a month after it. It was a sequel to a vita game & right or wrong there was just not the audience for it tbh.

Mr E

Voez



Availability: Nintendo Switch
What is it: A rhythm game using the Switch touch screen only.

Pros:

• Good variety of music (game music, instrumental, J-Pop etc.)
• Well over 100 tracks (with more added regularly for free)
• Good mix of easy and hard tracks, so it's fun for all the family (from small kids to guitar hero aficionados)
• Regular updates with free music. No paid DLC. One price at the start gives you access to everything.

Cons:

• There is no progression system. All songs are unlocked and you can play them in any order and at any difficulty (this can also be a pro because you can dip and and out whenever you want). You can complete certain conditions to unlock artwork/story, e.g. get an "A" rating on 3 songs etc.
• Maybe too many dance tracks (not my favourite style, but there is more than enough variety of other stuff to keep me happy).

This originally came out on mobile last year with a certain amount of free music and bundles of DLC that could be purchased with IAP. The Switch version gives you access to all music when you buy the game.

This was the song that hooked me originally.
The pink diamonds are 'tap' notes, the pink diamonds on a black track are 'hold' notes, the small white diamonds are slide notes (keep your finger on screen) and the blue arrows are swipe notes.
You touch the screen as the notes cross the white line at the bottom.

This is the 'hard' version of this song (there are two easier skill levels than this).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-a_THtU8xQM

Dave_The_Sheep

I realise I'm a Western PC gamer primarily, but the Japanese-esque bent to these type of threads, including the awards thread ... it's really jarring. I can't stand the Japanese / Asian art style at all, I genuinely can't play games with it, it's that bad... regardless of the gameplay I miss out on I don't care, I just can't bring myself to do it.

It's not a complaint, people have different opinions and preferences, that's cool.

I find it really weird is all.

johnny_ultimate

Pyre



Available on: PC / PS4

What is it: Fantasy sports game mixed with some great text-based storytelling and lite RPG elements.

(It feels a bit weird putting a game from a pretty well established indie developer here - other games I want to mention are far more under the radar - but I found this never quite gained the buzz it deserved. Since it's on sale at the moment, it deserves that little bit of extra attention)

Pros: Supergiant Games are improving game by game - and after the stellar Transistor, they soar even higher with Pyre.
The presentation is astounding: a uniquely vibrant art style (half cult 70s cartoon, half stained glass window) is matched by a strange, varied and atmospheric soundtrack.
The main gameplay is in the form of 'Rites' - a fast-paced and very enjoyable fantasy sport. Once it clicks, it's a blast: aggressive, visually thrilling, and with a surprising amount of variety between players.
It's the narrative that allows it to go that step beyond. It's smartly written with lots of likable and interesting characters. Something happens at a certain point in the game that gives players a choice that has major repercussions on the game from then onwards. It's inspired, and even as someone who is a wee bit jaded at 'choice-driven' writing in its traditional form, this is bold interactive storytelling that deeply impacts the rest of the game as well.
The Voice. Studio mainstay Logan Cunningham returns in a less pivotal role than the previous two games. But his performance is even better: as the rites' announcer, he is gleefully cruel and melodramatic. 2017's best voice performance, hands down.
All of the above works in glorious harmony. So much work has been put into creating a thematically coherent world.

Cons:
The difficulty of the rites' can vary wildly, and in standard difficulty veers towards the very easy side. Thankfully as the game progresses an adaptable difficulty system emerges (and one that's cleverly woven into the gameworld itself) that allows players to add various modifiers to shake things up.
While the writing and world-building is generally superb, there's a lot of dense lore that can be hard to fully get to grips with. A book of lore that grows as the game progresses is a prime example: written well and beautifully presented, but dense with dizzying mythology.
A few little interface quirks (it's a pain to unselect a character before a rite), but nothing major

Retr0gamer

Dave_The_Sheep wrote: »

I realise I'm a Western PC gamer primarily, but the Japanese-esque bent to these type of threads, including the awards thread ... it's really jarring. I can't stand the Japanese / Asian art style at all, I genuinely can't play games with it, it's that bad... regardless of the gameplay I miss out on I don't care, I just can't bring myself to do it.

It's not a complaint, people have different opinions and preferences, that's cool.

I find it really weird is all.

Well is it any wonder they are under appreciated if lots of people ignore them for the same reasons as you. It's a pity the amine art style puts people off great games they would probably enjoy but it's not exactly an unreasonable stance to take either. One thing that is really annoying me about a lot of Japanese games is how awful anime has gotten recently and how the same tropes that have ruined it are making their way into Japanese games. I can see these putting people off and it even makes me cringe.