Underrated and overlooked games of this gen (PS4/XB1/NS/PC)

[mormapope]

The Sexy Brutale
Very much Groundhog Day + Clue. A very simple and heartfelt puzzle game where you prevent the death of guests to get more masks to progress further. Incredibly well told story, seeing the ending is almost required to appreciate everything you did in the game. Charming and heartfelt.

Pathologic 2
One of the most atmospheric and well written survival games of all time. Potentially one of the best survival horror games of all time. It's hard to describe the gameplay loop, but it's a survival game with ever changing conditions. Characters have motivations and purpose, there's a sense of dread combined with dark fantasy. If you enjoy horror or survival games, very easy to recommend.

There's a lot more games I've played a lil bit if, but not enough to recommend outright. I'm gonna start going thru my backlog of indie games.

[I'm a Puppy!]

Dragon Quest Builders 2 Really should have been GOTY easily if it weren't for Sekiro. But it didn't make most top 10 lists.

[remy]

Dragon Quest Builders 2 Really should have been GOTY easily if it weren't for Sekiro. But it didn't make most top 10 lists.

Morons thinking it's a kids game instead of a Gods Game

[Great Rumbler]

One of my favorite games from this past year. You play as a travelling painter who is washed up on an island after the ship you're on crashes. Rather than combat, you paint. The people you meet are all dealing with ordinary problems, interpersonal issues and the like. No end-of-the-world stuff here. It's very relaxing and laid-back, the perfect chill-out game. It looks amazing, too, and beautifully vibrant. The only downside is it's relatively short [10 hours to do most everything], I could easily drop ten times that if the content was there.

[EightBitNate]

Gonna sound like a weird choice consider its commercial success, but Modern Warfare (2019) is honestly one of the greatest FPS this gen and was ignored on GOTY lists because it’s a CoD game. Game looks and plays beautifully, and campaign level design is superb. I’ve never enjoyed a CoD outside the original MW, but that game hit all the right notes for me.

[tiesto]

Well it originally came out on 3DS but now has a remake for PS4/NSW... Alliance Alive. A really cool game that's like a cross between SaGa (without the obtuseness) and Suikoden (unfortunately without the detailed lore), painted with a Bravely style. Very fun game, albeit the balance is really weird (with difficulty spikes followed by cakewalks) and the last quarter of the game feels extremely rushed.

[Rahxephon91]

Kind of feel like there aren't that many underated games this gen. I feel like everything I could think about is at least loved by a good group of people. I mean yeah there's Titanfall 2 and stuff, but people know about that. Plenty of other niche Japanese games that I haven't gotten around to as well, but on a whole I think things are accounted for.

My choices:

End of Eternity 4k-It was underrated last gen and now this pretty great 4k port is this gen. I waited until there was a physcial copy, but I'm replaying it now and it's still a very good game. Janky as fuck, weird as fuck, and maybe a bit too obnoxious with it's mixing of turn based, real time, and strategy jrpg battle system it has, but it's really unlike anything else. Story is still whatever, but game looks really nice and clean in 4k. I never realized how kind of AAA this game is. Great animation, well directed cutscenes, lots of content, surprisingly good sound mix, and well rendered world. It probably wasn't AAA, but they used thier money wisely.

Gravity Rush 2-I don't think this game would win any GOTG awards beyond maybe for it's visuals. Combat is still whatever, but just less obnoxious now because you can throw things easily. Still, it's a very charming game. One of the best looking worlds on the PS4. Also has one of my favorite boss battles of this gen because of the open world scale it happens in.

Valkyria Chronicles 4-I mean they just made the first one again with a far more anime the fucked up story on less of a budget. But man is that simplified strategy rpg game play really good and rewarding. Also the more "talking heads" production values allowed for the main and side characters to be more fleshed out. One of my favorite games this gen.

Ace Combat 7-I think the game did pretty well, but still I don't think it gets credit enough for how much of a good game it is. Just a perfection of the formula.

Quantum Break-I liked Control, but I think I like QB more. Ambitious and I thought pretty good time travel story with really decent characters. It still looks gorgeous and the mix of powers and gunplay kind of plays like a janky western Vanquish. That dosen't sound great, but it is. Because you do feel more skillful playing this game well then say Gears.

CoD Infinite Warfare-It's a CoD game, but the single player here was really good. A surprisingly very human, positive, and non-nihilistic look at the human cost of war. Ok maybe thats a bit too intense, still it sure wasn't the grim dark shit say MW is. The characters are hopeful and have decent archs. The villains.....are shitty. It's still cover and pop CoD play, but it takes you through one of the best realized military sc-fi worlds while you play it.

Gundam Versus-These games are just really fun. I wish this version had an actual thought out story mode. Thats the real problem.

[shosta]

Stephen's Sausage Roll. Easily the hardest and best puzzle game I've ever played in my whole life.

[Chooky]

well it certainly isn't a hidden gem or anything but The Last Guardian was quickly passed over and has been given way less attention than Ico or SotC, but imo it hits harder than either of those games. yeah boohoo the controls and camera are bad but all of us grew up on ps1 & 2 games and have dealt with much much worse. what makes the game great is its incredible ai. dealing with trico feels like you're communicating with a real animal in a way that no game i've played has ever come close to. it feels so lifelike that when the story puts its characters thru the wringer you really feel it. if you make it all the way through you'll be a broken sobbing mess, but you're left with a genuinely touching and memorable story.. i wish more people would give the game a shot.

[Freyj]

Seconding Eastshade. Great proof of concept for the viability of a game without any semblance of combat.

Another recent gem I’ve played is a short hike. Extremely short Animal Crossing ish thing with more exploration, better environments, better traversal and a beautiful og DS inspired graphics.

[Human Snorenado]

It's weird to single out a game that had two expansions, but in the ARPG realm Grim Dawn gets overshadowed by D3 and Path of Exile, and even a bunch of shit that's still in alpha/beta (Wolcen, Last Epoch, etc) and it's a really, really solid game that encourages you to fuck around and come up with your own builds. The combat is great and the story does the best thing a game story can do, which is not detract from the gameplay by Kojima'ing all over your face. My only criticism is having to play through the same content multiple times to get to the endgame content, which I find a dumb and regressive game mechanic in the year of our lord, 2020.

[MMaRsu]

Seconding Eastshade. Great proof of concept for the viability of a game without any semblance of combat.

Another recent gem I’ve played is a short hike. Extremely short Animal Crossing ish thing with more exploration, better environments, better traversal and a beautiful og DS inspired graphics.

Gonna check out A Short Hike, I think Bepbo also played that recently? I heard it was good

Its on the Humble Bundle Treasure Trove thing so you can download it DRM free

[Freyj]

It's weird to single out a game that had two expansions, but in the ARPG realm Grim Dawn gets overshadowed by D3 and Path of Exile, and even a bunch of shit that's still in alpha/beta (Wolcen, Last Epoch, etc) and it's a really, really solid game that encourages you to fuck around and come up with your own builds. The combat is great and the story does the best thing a game story can do, which is not detract from the gameplay by Kojima'ing all over your face. My only criticism is having to play through the same content multiple times to get to the endgame content, which I find a dumb and regressive game mechanic in the year of our lord, 2020.

So it’s more of a storied game than PoE? I tried to keep up with all the PoE lore the first time through and while it’s fine and all it’s mostly just window dressing to the gameplay.

I’d like to give Grim Dawn it’s day in court, but I’ve played so much PoE lately.

[Mr. Gundam]

Gundam Versus-These games are just really fun. I wish this version had an actual thought out story mode. Thats the real problem.

The problem is that Bandai decided to create a console only Versus game while continuing the mainline series in the arcades. Gundam Versus is seriously lacking compared to Extreme Versus 2. Glad I at least got to play it a few times with my daughter when we were last in Japan in 2018.

[demi]

Transformers Devastation

Unlike the terrible piece of shit Turtles: Mutants in Mahattan

Transformers Devastation is A+ Platinum gameplay wrapped in old school Transformers goodness with buttrock in your pisshole

[paprikastaude]

I looked through some of my games and lots of rather niche/mid budget stuff has garnered much more attention compared to prior generations. Thankfully we are out of the PS360 period, during which most good obscure games were on DS/handheld and hence overlooked.

Transformers Devastation

Unlike the terrible piece of shit Turtles: Mutants in Mahattan

Transformers Devastation is A+ Platinum gameplay wrapped in old school Transformers goodness with buttrock in your pisshole

Oh shit yeah. Never even watched Transformers, but I played through this like 4 times.

[Cerveza mas fina]

The great thing about Grim Dawn is that you can play it once and feel satisfied, no need for end game shenanigans. The difficulty is also ok.

[Mr. Gundam]

Transformers Devastation

Unlike the terrible piece of shit Turtles: Mutants in Mahattan

Transformers Devastation is A+ Platinum gameplay wrapped in old school Transformers goodness with buttrock in your pisshole

Fantastic game.

Also, Gundam Breaker 3 is an awesome game, but sadly only got released for the PS4 in Japan and Southeast Asia (with an English translation). The only Gundam Breaker game to see release in the West is the horrible piece of shit that is New Gundam Breaker that no one should play. EVER.

[tiesto]

Yu-No is great if you like pervy J-ADV games/Visual Novels. Awesome FM synth soundtrack and a story that influenced Steins;Gate, 999, and many other VNs.

[tiesto]

I feel King of Fighters XIV doesn't get as much love as it deserves. Huge roster and kept the classic gameplay even when moving to polygons. I do miss the breathtaking sprite art from XIII.

Cosmic Star Heroine is a really fun indie RPG with elements of Phantasy Star, Skies of Arcadia, and Chrono Trigger, with a slightly cyberpunk vibe. The battle system is pretty unique (you're basically forced to vary your moveset), and it's extremely polished and content filled relative to every other indie RPG.

Some games I haven't played but definitely caught my eye and could potentially be underrated:

Metal Max Xeno
The Girl and the Robot
SaGa Scarlet Grace
Utawaremono series
AI The Somnium Files
Indivisible
Fighting Layer EX
Song of the Deep
Our World Is Ended

If anyone has played the above, let me know!

[Akala]

KOF XIV is good, but looks pretty bad. I can see them knocking it out of the park with a more cel-shaded animu/ASW look.

Fighting Layer EX I was not impressed with. It's pretty barebones and clunky, I remember liking SFEX more, but that was a long time ago.

[Nintex]

These come to mind first

Quantum Break: Interesting mix of a TV show and video game. I felt this came out a bit too early actually otherwise it would've probably gotten more attention (say an Xbox One X launch game). Also had the undeserved stench of another failed Microsoft PC attempt.

CONTROL: ...Although people are coming around on this one after it launched under the radar in August.

Ace Combat 7: Criminally overlooked

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze: Because it was also overlooked on Wii U 

Mass Effect Andromeda after patches: Played this like 2 years after release and most issues were fixed and had a good time with it relative to the $5 I paid. Still, doesn't hold a candle to the original trilogy though.

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided: Released early in the gen and although there was some pre-order and cut content bullshit it is easily one of the best games of the generation. Just ignored by everyone and panned by reviewers who hand out 9's to the yearly COD's and Forza's because it was too much like Human Revolution. 

Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Rise of the Tomb Raider got a lot of attention and praise. Great game that too. For some reason this game was mostly ignored and dunked on before release. Not sure why, highly enjoyable and well made game.

[Great Rumbler]

Some games I haven't played but definitely caught my eye and could potentially be underrated:

Metal Max Xeno

Outside of the tank customization it's a really bare-bones production, unfortunately. Graphics are really basic; overworld is very small, linear, and not very interesting; dungeons are copy/pasta; story runs out of steam really quick and then ending feels super rushed. I don't think it's a bad game at all [and I did end up beating it], but it's just not all that special.

[Chooky]

If anyone has played the above, let me know!

haven't played any Scarlet Grace but every impression i've read about it says it's absolutely incredible and much easier to get into than previous saga games while not sacrificing what makes the series great. i never got into the series personally but i will be picking this one up the next time it's on sale.

[demi]

428 Shibuya Scramble

starts slow but when it kicks in its really good. Great VN in a world filled with terrible shit weeb ones

[bork]

I feel King of Fighters XIV doesn't get as much love as it deserves. Huge roster and kept the classic gameplay even when moving to polygons. I do miss the breathtaking sprite art from XIII.

Samurai Shodown shows that they've already improved with their character models.  Expecting KOF XV to look great!

Metal Max Xeno

Skip this and wait to see how Metal Max Xeno: Reborn turns out.

AI The Somnium Files

People seem to really like this- I need to play it already!

Indivisible

Still waiting to get around to this one- I liked the demos and betas.  Depending on when it comes out for Switch I may just wait for that version.

Fighting Layer EX

Is very much Street Fighter EX (or Fighting Layer if you played the original!) in terms of game play.  That's going to be a good or bad thing based on whether or not you're OK with a 2.5D fighter that plays just like something from 1998.  It's very stiff but is a good, although very 'budget,' game.  Last time I went online, it was pretty much a wasteland. 

[bork]

Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Rise of the Tomb Raider got a lot of attention and praise. Great game that too. For some reason this game was mostly ignored and dunked on before release. Not sure why, highly enjoyable and well made game.

I was pretty hyped for this one.  Hadn't played through Rise, so a few weeks before Shadow released, I went through it and beat the game plus its extras.  Started Shadow and...eh.  I dunno what it was.  Burn out from Rise?  Not sure that's really it, but it just didn't hit me the same way.  I still think TR 2013 is the best one of the new trilogy.

[Bebpo]

I think KoF14 looks fine given the roster size. If they upgrade for 15 I hope it doesn't really shrink the roster.

Dragon Quest Builders 2 Really should have been GOTY easily if it weren't for Sekiro. But it didn't make most top 10 lists.

So i played the first one for a couple chapters and liked it but felt like I'd had my fill and 2 just looked like more of the same.

But people really love 2. What makes it more engaging than the first?

[Tuckers Law]

I can’t speak on Surge 1, but Ashen’s publisher making it EGS exclusive can share some blame for nobody caring at the moment.

[MMaRsu]

Mass Effect - Andromeda is definitely worth $5. Quite a long game with fun combat system; besides how many sci-fi RPGs are there nowadays?

I also think The Surge and Ashen are criminally underrated and overlooked but that's just me. The Surge is in reality Dead Space 4 and Ashen is that dreamy, dark, VaatiVidya Souls game everyone was looking for but no developer has been able to create. Yet it has been made and nobody gives a shit... Surge 2 and Code Vein are trash in comparison yet people are more aware of them.

Overrated game: AC: Odyssey. Exact same stuff as in Origins but longer and more boring. But it had female main char so the internet went crazy over it. zZz...

But you played as Aleksios though right? Terrible voice actor, horrible sheit really.

Not saying ACO isn't boring. It's boring. Overrated? Maybe by critics. I think most people realize this formula has already grown stale af two games in.

Ashen.. man don't put your game on EGS!

ME:Andromeda.. how long is it? Is it really worth 5 bucks? The more important question is, is it worth my time. Is it fun? Are the quests good? Is the story good?

Somehow I doubt all of the above.

[tiesto]

Lumo is a fun indie isometric platformer that's a love letter to that isometric style British microcomputer gaming from the 80s

[bork]

I think KoF14 looks fine given the roster size. If they upgrade for 15 I hope it doesn't really shrink the roster.

It could have been a lot better- this was the game that people made fun of for looking like a Simple 2000 PS2 title at one point, lol. 






They did fix things up a bit after release as well, IIRC.  But there has been a solid progression in their games' visual quality, following SNK Heroines (same models, but they have been improved with either cel-shading or a different type of texturing) and especially Samurai Shodown, which just looks fantastic and animates really well.

[Mr Gilhaney]

ken follett's the pillars of the earth



I never hear people talk of this, but really enjoyed my play through. Good story, looks fairly nice and just relaxing to play through.

[Occam]

Transformers Devastation would have been perfect if it had featured the original G1 soundtrack by Ford Kinder & Anne Bryant (theme) and Johnny Douglas & Robert J. Walsh (background music).

[Nintex]

Mass Effect - Andromeda is definitely worth $5. Quite a long game with fun combat system; besides how many sci-fi RPGs are there nowadays?

I also think The Surge and Ashen are criminally underrated and overlooked but that's just me. The Surge is in reality Dead Space 4 and Ashen is that dreamy, dark, VaatiVidya Souls game everyone was looking for but no developer has been able to create. Yet it has been made and nobody gives a shit... Surge 2 and Code Vein are trash in comparison yet people are more aware of them.

Overrated game: AC: Odyssey. Exact same stuff as in Origins but longer and more boring. But it had female main char so the internet went crazy over it. zZz...

But you played as Aleksios though right? Terrible voice actor, horrible sheit really.

Not saying ACO isn't boring. It's boring. Overrated? Maybe by critics. I think most people realize this formula has already grown stale af two games in.

Ashen.. man don't put your game on EGS!

ME:Andromeda.. how long is it? Is it really worth 5 bucks? The more important question is, is it worth my time. Is it fun? Are the quests good? Is the story good?

Somehow I doubt all of the above.

Andromeda has some rough bits but it's easily an 80 - 100 hour game.
I went to about 99% completion.
Like most of these games a lot of the best content is optional.

As for Odyssey, I'm really enjoying it but there's something wonky going on with the balance that there's too much lvl 22 areas and you hit 25 pretty easily.
So you're basically breezing through it until you hit the 35 lvl areas I suppose. With that said, Kassandra >>> Alexios. She's such a great character.

Another quite recent underrated game is Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair.
A really fun spiritual sequel to Donkey Kong Country. But the wankers at PlayTonic gave it nearly the same name as their previous less good game thus it went completely under the radar.

[TVC15]

Does World of Final Fantasy count?

I loved Watch Dogs 2. It came out like a year or so after I moved to the Bay so it seemed kind of special.

[toku]

Strider (2014). A lot of ppl cried because it wasn't handled by some jp developer so it didn't have pixel perfect action or w/e but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it and still think about it.

Shadow Warrior (2013). Love this one. Simple, a little rough around the edges but fun. Hate the sequel because they tried to complicate things by turning into a looter shooter. A couple IPs did that this gen I think and they all suck.

Killing Floor 2. Sometimes you need to put on Individual Thought Patterns on repeat for two hours while you dismember mutants with pistols and machine gun fire. That's what this game is for.

[Bebpo]

Does World of Final Fantasy count?

I loved Watch Dogs 2. It came out like a year or so after I moved to the Bay so it seemed kind of special.

Yeah, Watch Dogs 2 is like my favorite Ubi game. Loved that game so much. Wish 3 was just more of 2's vibe tbh. Not very interested in 3 atm.

And World of FF totally fits here. Loved it to bits last fall when I played it. Really bummed it's considered a failure and won't get a sequel since the pokemon FF w/guest stars concept could've gone a few more games. Also gonna mention again that the cutscene direction is by Jun Akiyama, the cutscene director of Vagrant Story and KH1, so the cutscenes were really good. Probably best cutscenes in an FF game since FFXII just on stylish well done direction.

[TVC15]

Aboot to start Pathologic 2. Anything I should know going in? I know very little about this.

[Cerveza mas fina]

Since you are posting about niche games... is Ryse: Son of Rome any good? Or is it only a tech demo?

Its really mediocre. I mean its prob free on game pass so give it a go. I stopped after 2 hours cause it was zzzzz for me.

[HardcoreRetro]

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes.

The difference with the games where Suda wasn't the director are staggering. (The games from NMH2 up to Travis Strikes Again.) An actual heartfelt introspective look at his own career.

Reconciling stuff like Shadows of the Damned which he considered an absolute failure. Mostly through EA's meddling. The guy that releases the aliens on the world in the NMH3 trailer is called  Damon Riccitiello. (John Riccitiello was the guy overseeing Shadows of the Damned at EA back then) He was introduced in Travis Strikes Again as one of the antagonists.

Each of the levels in the game represent a part of Suda's gamedev career.

[MMaRsu]

I love Shadow Warrior but I also really like the sequel!

[Nintex]

Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes.

The difference with the games where Suda wasn't the director are staggering. (The games from NMH2 up to Travis Strikes Again.) An actual heartfelt introspective look at his own career.

Reconciling stuff like Shadows of the Damned which he considered an absolute failure. Mostly through EA's meddling. The guy that releases the aliens on the world in the NMH3 trailer is called  Damon Riccitiello. (John Riccitiello was the guy overseeing Shadows of the Damned at EA back then) He was introduced in Travis Strikes Again as one of the antagonists.

Each of the levels in the game represent a part of Suda's gamedev career.

Woah, that sounds very interesting I really need to play this.

[mormapope]

Aboot to start Pathologic 2. Anything I should know going in? I know very little about this.

Definitely play on the intended difficulty. More positive moral decision making makes the game much more difficult to survive. Do not be afraid of naked succubus women, one of them tells you about feeding tree roots with blood to get herbs.

Be ready to sell lots of shit. Food is super important. Morphine is great and it's better when used right before sleep. Don't hesitate to drink the liquor tinctures as much as possible, it automatically will always point you to much needed supplies or a useful NPC.

The game is very difficult and the game world is consistently cruel.

[Svejk]

Strider (2014). A lot of ppl cried because it wasn't handled by some jp developer so it didn't have pixel perfect action or w/e but I thoroughly enjoyed my time with it and still think about it.

Yes.  This game was stellar imo.  It felt like Strider like no other.  I LOVE 2.5D shit too.  It was so much better than Strider 2 (PS1).  It's a shame that Double Helix got scooped up by Amazon right afterward forced to make shit Amazon apps.

[bork]

It was so much better than Strider 2 (PS1).

 

[Bebpo]

Yeah, I remember beating that new Strider and not caring for it much. Don't remember the PS1 version enough to really compare.

Bionic Commando Rearmed was a way better 2.5d Capcom reboot.

[paprikastaude]

Strider 2 felt like any other forgettable Metroidvania these days. Should've played like the classics.

[Rahxephon91]

I'm no expert on the genre, but I would be lying if i said the art and asthetic aren't big reasons I like Strider 2(PS1).

[Svejk]

I loved Strider 2 on PS1 still.. The thurst was real on anything with more Strider Hiryu back then.  Capcom's animation during this era was that trill fiya.. But Strider 2, albeit actually being made, it was awfully short and too easy.  Seemed like a part of something larger, but wasn't.  Strider 2014 was exactly what Strider needed to be.   The reveal of it caused a lighting bolt out my pee hole...


  gets me everytime!