Top 10 Most Underated Games of All Time

In the game industry, things normally work out as they should, at least in the long run. Poor games get poor reviews and poor sales, and good games get acclaim and success. True classics get remembered and revered, and the many mediocre offerings that attempt to drown them simply get forgotten. Sometimes though, it doesn't work out like that. Terrible games get great sales on the strength of a licence or huge marketing budget, and great games can simply be ignored for any number of reasons. In an attempt to be as positive as possible, it's these hidden diamonds that this list focuses on.

[n00bzRtehgey]

Condemned 2. a perfect ten. one of the greatest games this gen. hands down. yet got sh1t scores of 8s. what a travesty.

[Silogon]

Is it really that good, man? I put off getting it cause I didn't think the demo was a good representation of the product. I was just thinking of buying it on amazon, but didn't want a used one. I think I might pick it up and give it a go if it's as good as you and others say.

[kazuma]

condemned 2 isn't worth the disc it's on, 1 was WAY better.

[BLUR111]

yea Condemed 2 was good and it's awesome after you beat it and you get unlimited ammo then its really a blast. plus there's no really decent horror games any more ..well none Really. you should enjoy it

[nycredude]

Condemned 2 is way underated and a must experience game. It has some seriously genuinely creepy setpieces and there is a dreadful atmosphere throughout.

Definitely pick it up especially now you can buy it for 26.99 used at Gamestop. You won't be disappointed.

[xboxftw]

Condemned 1 was developed with 360 in mind that's why it was so good. But POS3 was reason for crippled Condemned 2 so 360 players suffered.

[n00bzRtehgey]

actually, both games are amazing. but C2 just raises the bar beyond what C1 did. C2 wasn't held back by anything. the ps3 version has crappier graphics and jaggiesz all over, but not on 360. 360 is great.

[InMyOpinion]

For Amiga. If you ever wondered where Rockstar got their ideas from it might have been from this game. Probably the first 3D sandbox game ever made.

[chasuk08]

Hunter 3d was very good but i think Okami should be no 1.

[christian hour]

I thought I was the only one who knew about HUnter 3d :P Haha. Its never in any game lists or anything like this one that I've ever seen.

LBA and LBA 2 were amazing.

But wheres psychonauts in this list? I believe its the most recent underrated game and definitely deserves place over lemmings 3d. I don't think lemmings 3d should be in this as as far as I remember all my friends had it and loved it :P

I've pretty much played every agame on that list... bar zzt... and... startopia.

I remeber getting urban chaos for pc at christmas and I remember been at a friends parents new years/new millenium party which consisted of us 11-12 year olds playing that, mario party (the original on n64) watching airplane and of course some goldeneye 64 and smackdown on ps1... Good times :) I'd forgotten all about that night until now.

[andron]

But it was fun. Very ambitious game for it's time...

Ahh.. the Amiga it ruled...

[Organic_Chemistry]

Im surpirised he never mentioned Clock Tower, one of the first survival horror games, one of the scariest!

[ar]

LBA2! Ah the memories. Damn I'm getting old. >_<

[insane_cobra]

We might get the third one in several years. Frederick Raynal is currently working on a Michel Ancel project at Ubisoft (possibly BG&E2?) and he hopes he'll be able to get the LBA3 project running once he's done with that.

[MK_Red]

Holy moly, I thought I'm the only LBA fan alive :)
LBA2 was AWESOME. Still have it.

Will Twinsen really return one day?

[ar]

@insane_cobra:
That would be sweet!

MK_Red:
LBA2 is a part of my childhood. Spent a lot if time with it when i was a kid. :)

[MK_Red]

ar, same here. I didn't have interent help or walkthrough so it took a huge part of my childhood till I finished that game. Dammit, these articles make us feel old :D

[ar]

"Dammit, these articles make us feel old :D"
Way to old. :)

[Superfragilistic]

Wow! LBA had a bullet to the head impact when I played it as a kid. This damn article just made me want to replay what in my opinion has always been the best adventure game I've ever played (BGE was good, but not that good!). Nice to see some other old-school fans. Bubbles for your "mature" taste! :)

On that list the only one I haven't played and continue to remind myself to find the time is Bloodlines. Some people rave about it and how unique and RPG it is. So yet another game that I need time to play this year... lol

[MK_Red]

Too old!? :D

Bubbles for you too Superfragilistic though I think BG&E was that good. Still, if I have to choose, I'd go with LBA. It was beyond good. As ar mentioned, it was part of my childhood and one of the games that I played for a really long time.

As for Bloodlines, give it a try but be sure to play it both unpatched and patched. Unpatched is hilarious. There are so many bugs that make even beta versions of other games seem flawless. I'm telling you. The hilarity starts with the opening movie and bugs just keep coming. Still, there is a really deep and awesome RPG hidden somewhere with many interesting characters. Troika was great team and the best after Black Isle. (Have you played Arcanium?)

[ilkercruiser]

This game is my number one!
Still installed in my computer.

[Isaac]

Oh wait

[ar]

I thought it was the other way around with Halo. ;)

[tatotiburon]

go play some flops like lair and haze

[hay]

Oni and Blaze & Blade!

[nanometric]

Omgwtf, I though I was the only one who knew about Blaze&Blade, damn, tthat game brings back memories. My first and only original cd, until now(ps3). I played the heck out of it, even though it was german version and at that time I couldn't read a word :/ But because of that, I got stuck at some piont and couldn't figure out what to do :/ But that game is definetly underraited! Bubbles for being a gamer!

[Mr_Bun]

I thought that I was the only one who thought Oni kicked ass!

[hay]

Hah, there are more of us! (I hope)

[radecswe]

Exhumed !

[BLUR111]

way too underated and there fucn awesome.

[insane_cobra]

Those lists usually suck, but this one is surprisingly good.

[Wayward]

Yeah I normally hate the 'Top 10' lists that have no research and no general input, but I think the writer aimed at getting something thats more than just a quick traffic surge for the website.

[vhero]

That list blows chunks! but thats my opinion

[stpiio]

these games are so underated i don't even know them ><

[dachiefsman]

same here all but Beyond good and evil

[thor]

Little Big Adventure? Wait that means Media Molecule weren't really _that_ original with their title after all hmm....

[Shadow Flare]

then its a good thing they were original with the game

[MK_Red]

Holy sh**, AWESOME list.
Outcast, LittleBigAdventure 2 and The Last Express are among my all time faves. It's a seriously shame that they never got the attention and praise they seriously and rightfully deserved.

[zagibu]

I've only played three of them (Outcast, Vampire Bloodlines and Beyond Good and Evil), and they were all very good and unpopular. I wouldn't say underrated, they all got decent scores, but they didn't sell somehow. Kinda like Battlezone 1 and 2. These could be on the list, too.

[Shadow Flare]

personally, i would say Fantastic Four on the ps1

[dolomite]

Darwinia....

[P4KY B]

I also loved Armadillo Run

[Wayward]

I'm not sure if I would class Darwinia as Underated. It sold extremly well for a Bedroom Coder Studio, and got great ratings from Critics. :)

[Shane Kim]

lol Urban Chaos, I really love this game...still playing it on my PS from time to time.

[Wayward]

Yes! It's a fantastic game, one of the best I've played. Tried playing it again recently but I think I'm to used to draw distance :(

[BLUR111]

Shane kim you are one goofy looking man. :D

[Shane Kim]

You damn right I am.

[Horny]

The Dungeon Keeper Series,
I loved those games and IMO its the best strategy game. I never wanted a sequel as much as I do DK3.
They started a Dungeon Keeper 3 but then the company got shut down, and we got EA to thank for that.

[Superfragilistic]

Don't give up yet! :)

Molyneux has repeatedly expressed a desire to ressurect three key franchise. Magic Carpet (perfect for FPS consoles), Syndicate (imagine it with today's online multi), and Dungeon Keeper (as an MMO?).

Lets hope Fable 2 is a massive success and gives him some more financial and creative freedom to make them a reality. :)

[mepsipax]

superfrag, you remember Magic Carpet, holy christ that game was awesome, I still have a disc with old dos game demos on it (I got it along with my first computer in 96. and it had Magic Carpet on it, that game was amazing for the time, destructible terrain, RTS elements, 3D!! yep they don't make em like they used to.

[Horny]

that sounds great, Im a fan of all his games, i really hope the sequels come out.

[mariusmal]

since when the last express, ascendancy or LBA were underrated ? most ppl i know played it and loved it in their time.

[Le-mo]

No Legend of Dragoon? I am sad.

[Perch]

I don't know 80% of these games (despite being 27) and I'm tired of seeing latter-day love for BG&E. Yes we know it was critically acclaimed and sold like crap. Stop bringing it up. Lemmings 3D however, now that's a great obscure title that was surprisingly fun.

[nycredude]

Old gamers FTW!!!

Great dose of nostalgia in this thread. Now I am starting to miss those games.

[Jink]

me too...

[shikwan]

1. Eternal Champions
2. Colony Wars
3. Beyond Good & Evil
4. Deus Ex: Invisible Wars
5. Shadowrun
6. Max Payne (though there's a movie & pt2 sucked, it could've been as big as Halo)
7. Brute Force (ok, I said it! But it's the gameplay. the story was weak.)
8. Deathrow
9. Men of Valor (especially online)
10.Serious Sam I/II

BTW FT site. It's overrun by fanboys.

[Hoggy1983]

I have no idea if this was popular or not but I loved it!

[JEDI WOLVERINE]

Eternal champions and brute force - hell yeah

Never did beat Eternal champions,that last boss after being knocked down just regenerated again - still awesome characters in it - Larcen ftw!

[Covenant]

Very interesting list...many of which do not usually appear on most people's "underrated" lists. Good to see Beyond Good and Evil getting some love.

Missing, however, are some pretty prominent games:

Grim Fandango

Psychonauts (Poor Tim Schafer can't catch a break)

Okami

Oni

Darwinia

Metal Arms (seriously, give it a try)

And a personal favorite, Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath.

[Horny]

Grim Fandango was great I remember when it came out back in 98, fun times

[BPN]

None of those titles were ever "underrated." Most of those (with the exception of "Oni") got rave reviews. Overlooked (slept on), sure. Underrated would be when something is scored or rated lower than what it actually should have been. Underrated (regarding games) is like; Sudeki, Primal, Breakdown, Pariah, Kill.switch, God Hand, etc.

[pow3r of t3h c3ll]

Metal gear solid 4 was criminally under rated, its worth at least 100000000000000000000000000000 000000000000000 out of 10 but unfortunately it only got mostly 10 out of 10 due to bribery by M$!

[xboxftw]

That was most over rated movie of all time. Shud have gotten 7-8 / 10 max. I guess sony really pumped up the reviewrs with bribes.

[Jink]

or at least is not well titled, its called underated OF ALL TIME and yet this list mostly contains 3D games on it, and there's quite a few older games that went under rated.
IMO, these should have been there:
1) BattleToads NES
2) Stinger NES
3) RadiantSilverGun SS
4) FlyingDragon NES
5) RocketKnight SG and Sparkters SNES
6) Ranger-X SG

I can't remember more for now, but there was one SegaMasterSystem game that was AWEsome, the setting location were futuristic, in the first stage you play as a guy running a motorcycle that by picking some letter boxes on you way (scrolling left) transforms into a flying ArmorSuit, the stage colors were mainly orange, the bike/robot was light blue, and there were enemies poping around everywhere!, it was hardcore and haaaard! Then the 2nd stage was like infiltration themed, on foot, and scrolling to the right.

If any of this make a flashback in anyone, please let me know.

[tplarkin7]

Excellent RPG that is almost equal to KOTOR. The combat is bad, however.

[Old Snake]

Surprised Pychonauts isn't on the list. I thought Indigo Prophecy was cool too.

[Numark]

awful list...sorry to troll........

I just think they could have done a lot better

[Djomblade1]

i cant believe for the life of me that VAGRANT STORY is not in that list! Seriously, WTF!