Popular Post PhantomFear94 Posted May 13, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2019 (edited) Simple thread this time, what are you 5 most underrated games of this generation? I've tried to mix mine up between indie titles and AAA's. The only rules I'm imposing are the following: - Released on this generation (2013 - onwards, launched on PS4) - The game in question is playable on PS4 For me, "underrated" means one of the following (may mean something different to you): - A game that didn't review amazingly, but was subjectively a lot better than the reviews indicated. - A game that sold poorly due to other blue-chip releases coming out within the same window. - A game that wasn't perfect, but did something unique very well. - An indie game outside the peripheral vision of most players due to its smaller development/marketing scale -------------------------------------------------------------------- Honorable Mentions: Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, The Evil Within 2, Oxenfree, RiME, The Invisible Hours, 11-11: Memories Retold. 5 - The Order 1886 I have always been quite vocal in saying that The Order: 1886 is nowhere near as bad as people make out. I'd even say it is good (it's not great, but it is good). To clarify, I am absolutely not suggesting that criticisms of this game are invalid. It is way too short (like ridiculously short), the ending is weak, and there is virtually no replay value. For me, though, that doesn't make it a 63% Metacritic game, and in my opinion, it is absolutely worth people's time if they want 10-hour platinum, are into third person adventures or enjoy steampunk/Victorian aesthetic. Graphically the game competes with most PS exclusives 4 years on, which alone is impressive. Aside from that, I actually thought the weapons variety and gunplay were very smooth (if underutilized), the game's pacing was pretty decent for the first 3/4 of the game, and the voice acting pretty robust. The devs ultimately capture the atmosphere of London very well, having some pretty wonderful set pieces and interesting settings that I enjoyed experiencing. The story is decent (again except for the end), and a recurring theme for my #2 game is that excessive cinematography doesn't compromise a game's offering. The Order: 1886's length definitely makes this last point a bit harder to argue, but some games are ultimately interactive cinematic experiences and for half of the Order, that is what you're getting. In short, this game is nothing groundbreaking, but it is a good 7.5/10 game that I would recommend as a palette cleanser (can definitely better than reviews imply). 4 - Planet Alpha I really liked this game and virtually no-one has played it. Between TrueAchievements and PSNprofiles, <800 people own this game, which makes sense because it is an indie that received minimal marketing. Aside from having clunky controls and hit detection, I thought this game was a wonderful experience. It is one of the most beautiful games I have ever experienced (I mean jaw-dropping, and I'm a sucker for aesthetically pleasing games) It's Point A - Point B, "I need to leave" type of story progression suits the game well. You go through a planet, through all its environmental possibilities, to reach the end and...well, I won't ruin it. It can get a little frustrating in parts with death loops, but overall it has fun platforming, nice pacing, good environment variety, and utterly stunning visuals. Highly recommend this game. 3 - Wolfenstein: The New Order Of all the games on this list, this one is my personal favorite. I have gone on record numerous times in vocalizing my hatred for Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, which I think was VASTLY overrated and one of the most disappointing, messy, and lazy games I've played in years. I personally think 87% on Metacritic was absurd, and reviewers overlooked some pretty massive flaws because of its visual fidelity and decent gunplay. Anyway, at the risk of going off course with my rant, my point is that this is very ironic.... because Wolfenstein: The New Order was the polar opposite. I personally thought the level design was brilliant, the story entirely engaging, and the characterization really quite nuanced in a game that is about messing up Nazi's in every which way possible. The developers absolutely nailed the balance between wacky narrative overtones, fun gameplay, and a challenging (but not ridiculously hard) difficulty arc that made you think AND feels like a certified badass all at once. The same extends to The Old Blood standalone, too. The game reviewed pretty well, but I think not well enough and was overlooked by many due to Wolfenstein (2009) which wasn't that great. I won't go into my views on II: TNC again here, but it is a grave shame the series has gone in the direction it has, and it still kind of hurts me. 2- Virginia Virginia is the marmite of the indie gaming scene; you either love it or hate it. I (obviously) am in the former camp. As I said previously, I love narrative and consider gaming an experience; as such, if it doesn't tick every gameplay or replay value box others hold dear to them, I can forgive it if its story, pacing and narrative experience is present and I think what Virginia offers is unique, tightly constructed and ambiguous in a good way; it is vague, but not clueless, open for interpretation, but doesn't make its meaning overly cryptic. It looks pretty, runs for the right amount of time, and for people who like Twin Peaks / Black Mirror, this is the type of game for you. The game reviewed very well, but a LOT of people overlooked it and for me, it is in my top 5 indies of the generation. 1 - Titanfall 2 Although this game (rightfully) reviewed well, it is still, in my opinion, is the most criminally underrated game of this generation, on the ground that I only rate DOOM and Wolfenstein: TNO as better FPS' this generation (and its close up there). Aside from just generally having a great concept and a well-recorded strong online component, this game had no right having a single player campaign as good as it did, but my god was it phenomenal. Every single mission was efficient, fun, unique and part of a narrative you cared about...in an FPS? Even the difficulties were perfect. Respawn Entertainment gunplay is superior to all other gunplay in my opinion. Sadly, barely anyone played it, with other games coming out within the same window such as Battlefield 1, COD: Infinite Warfare, etc. that I consider vastly inferior. Sales on launch were utterly dire, too; it sold 1/4 of Titanfall 1 (an XB1 exclusive...) after a week and year, and any partial recovery has only been due to EA/Origin access and the takeoff of Apex Legends. Titanfall 3 has ultimately been delayed, which is a massive, massive shame. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is now up there for most hyped games of 2019, and have no doubt they'll nail it again even with EA attached at the hip. Edited May 13, 2019 by phantomfear9494 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crispy_Oglop Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 (edited) 25 minutes ago, phantomfear9494 said: Honorable Mentions: Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, The Evil Within 2, Oxenfree, RiME, The Invisible Hours, 11-11: Memories Retold. 5 - The Order 1886 3 - Wolfenstein: The New Order I loved The Order 1886 - one of the best looking and well produced games around. I do think that their marketing and price point really worked against them though. I think they were going for a 'premium storytelling' route to justify the full price tag, but it backfired a bit. I think it's really cheap nowadays so I recommend it to everyone Wolfenstein: The New Order is legitimately one of my favourite games of all time. Everything about it had me hooked from start to finish. They took a protagonist which was literally a 2D pixelated portrait and made him a complex and interesting human character and the ending is both moving and really well crafted emotionally too. I couldn't really get into the second, has some great set-pieces but the story just didn't hook me as much. I will definitely go back to it at some point, but not for a while. 100% agree on The Evil Within 2! Really hoping we get a third game soon. It felt like what Dead Space 2 was to Dead Space 1 in terms of tone comparison. Loved it. Edited May 13, 2019 by Crispy_Oglop 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElBolovo Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 I agree with Wolfenstein, The Order 1886 (bought it for 5 bucks, so no complaints here) and Titanfall 2. To make a top five, I would add Driveclub (I think that with Grid Autosports are the best racing games that nailed the cross between arcade and simulation) that have a bad rep because of the Instant Game Collection debacle and Trackmania Turbo that is my favorite game in this generation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post DrBloodmoney Posted May 13, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2019 (edited) 5. Shadow of the Tomb Raider the game is an excellent follow up, improving on the formula created with the previous two reboot games, has a better story than 2, a more compelling environment than 1, and has a mountain of good DLC. It looks gorgeous, plays well and yet somehow the best it ever gets from critics is a shrug and an “it’s okay” - I personally can’t understand it! 4. Chime Sharp It’s a cool, fun, smart and interesting puzzle game. It has good music, it has great repeat playability, it has a low price-tag... ... and yet it has only 535 total players recorded on this site currently! What the hell? Terrible oversight of a great game! 3. Life is Strange: Before the Storm I think the fact that LiS2 was announced at the same time meant that a lot of fans of the first game saw this prequel as a bit of an ‘also-ran’ before they even played it - me included. By the time I was done with it, I actually liked it even more than the first game... and I liked that first game A LOT. The music is perfect, the story is sweet and heartbreaking, and while there is some naff acting here and there, generally it is better than it has any right to be. 2. The Surge This game should be considered right up there with the Dark souls games, but the fact that it came from the dev of Lords of the Fallen meant that people went in looking for problems before they even gave it a chance. It gets thought of as a poor man’s Dark Souls. Lords of the Fallen is a poor man’s Dark Souls. The Surge is a Soul’s-fan’s sci-fi! 1. Prey I’ve written plenty about Prey on this site, so I won’t repeat, except to say that it is the best game on PS4 (maybe... maybe I’d argue over Hitman 2.... but that’s it’s only serious rival IMO) and yet did it get on any ‘game of the year lists?’ Did it fuck. Does it get the respect it deserves? Does it buggery. A true masterpiece of the Immersive Sim genre, and a game I have played through over 10 times since release, and still find new ways to play every time. Hell, they even managed to make a seriously good rogue-like out of it in the dlc, and even that was better than most full priced games I’ve played. If it gets called anything but brilliant, that’s criminal underrating! Edited May 13, 2019 by DrBloodmoney 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fr_0zt Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 Vampyr The Order 1886 Thronebreaker Gravity Rush 2 Pyre 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silver_pigy Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 Not sure if I can come up with 5, but I deffs say Beyond Two Souls is one of games that falls into this category. It got panned by critics, but it tells an amazing story and elen page is so relatable in this game. Not to mention Wilam Dafoe's performace is spot on as always. I can see how some people may not have liked it but based on the story it tells and how much it hits you i the feels I'd say it is one of the most under rated games of this generation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dantes_994 Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 (edited) For some reason finding a game for this list proved to be harder than it did for the PS3 The Order 1886, i really liked this game, the world and the characters were so amazing and i really hope we see another game in the future Dead or Alive 6, I know it has real issues and I do hope they fix them soon and that this game doesn't just sink, but I really enjoy the gameplay, by far the most fun I had with a fighter along with Tekken 7 and Tekken 5 Final Fantasy Dissidia NT, every single critic you can find for this game, I agree with, but damn I love it For Honor, I don't think, aside from FF14, that a game has changed so much in a positive way as this one, I'm really glad I got it as a PS+ tittle I would never have thought it was this good FF15, just like with FF NT, I understand why people dislike it, BUT I LOVE IT Edited May 13, 2019 by Johnathan994 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crispy_Oglop Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 32 minutes ago, Vizard-Ichigo-- said: Vampyr I loved Vampyr, great game! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silencer0004 Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 The Surge Vampyr Days Gone Deus Ex: Mankind Divided Risen 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trophynerd122 Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 The Evil Within 2 definitely! It did many things better than the first game and I really enjoyed it, as one of the previous guys mentioned, I really hope that a third part will be coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Feral Posted May 13, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted May 13, 2019 2 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said: 1. Prey I’ve written plenty about Prey on this site, so I won’t repeat, except to say that it is the best game on PS4 (maybe... maybe I’d argue over Hitman 2.... but that’s it’s only serious rival IMO) and yet did it get on any ‘game of the year lists?’ Did it fuck. Does it get the respect it deserves? Does it buggery. A true masterpiece of the Immersive Sim genre, and a game I have played through over 10 times since release, and still find new ways to play every time. Hell, they even managed to make a seriously good rogue-like out of it in the dlc, and even that was better than most full priced games I’ve played. If it gets called anything but brilliant, that’s criminal underrating! I've seen you rave about Prey plenty of times and because of that I finally gave it a real go. Turns out you're spot on, it's bloody awesome. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBloodmoney Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 3 minutes ago, Feral said: I've seen you rave about Prey plenty of times and because of that I finally gave it a real go. Turns out you're spot on, it's bloody awesome. ? I always said... if I could convince just one person... ? ... my lunatic ranting would all be worth it ?? ? Glad you like it - what a great game it is! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IesuHado Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 Recently Dreams I think that game deserves and need a little more attention. - Dc Universe Online (Love this MMORPG, it's a shame is kinda of dying right now, but one of the most fun, good looking and full of content if you like all the heroes theme). - Injustice 2 (Honestly for me the best and more friendly and deep game of fighting for everyone). - Lego games in general deserve more attention in my opinion. - Outlast 2 (not for everyone but definetly hard and real horror for the fans). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gotakibono Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 I've had Prey sitting nice and sealed on my shelf for the better part of two years... I'm starting to think I'm fairly stupid for not playing it yet. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhantomFear94 Posted May 13, 2019 Author Share Posted May 13, 2019 31 minutes ago, Feral said: I've seen you rave about Prey plenty of times and because of that I finally gave it a real go. Turns out you're spot on, it's bloody awesome. Prey is brilliant, but as an achievement/trophy completionist it got on my nerves towards the end. IMO its a game best suited for non trophy hunters, as the list doesn't do the game service. I also think that the Mooncrash DLC was a pain. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBloodmoney Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 Just now, Gotakibono said: I've had Prey sitting nice and sealed on my shelf for the better part of two years... I'm starting to think I'm fairly stupid for not playing it yet. I would never call you stupid for that - for three very important reasons: 1. You’re in a big club - it didn’t sell great, which is a tragedy 2. There was a complete lack of advertising to let people know it was as good as it was. 3. You will definitely be calling yourself that once you get 3 hours or so in, and I wouldn’t want to pile on 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettmon Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 Alpha Protocol.. oh wait, never mind. I have played maybe 2 or 3 games of this 'gen' (I'm mostly on PC). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBloodmoney Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 4 minutes ago, phantomfear9494 said: Prey is brilliant, but as an achievement/trophy completionist it got on my nerves towards the end. IMO its a game best suited for non trophy hunters, as the list doesn't do the game service. I also think that the Mooncrash DLC was a pain. See, I’d make the argument that the trophy list helps the game - it was only once I tried playing things differently than my ‘normal’ way of playing to get some of the more esoteric trophies that I started to realise just how many different choices and wierd, off-beat methods of doing things that the game allowed for. It’s not a game for folks wanting a quick ‘one-and-done’ game, but for seasoned trophy hunters, it’s that most special of treats: a game made better by replaying and by trophy hunting. In my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silencer0004 Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 2 minutes ago, phantomfear9494 said: (...) as the list doesn't do the game service. (...). That's a thing I'll never understand. Challenges are fine and I like them, but when you add things like Wolfenstein, that you have to play the whole game at the highest difficulty level without dying and without saving, then the game is out for me immediately. There are a lot of influencing factors within the game or in real life that can ruin many hours of play within a second and I just don't feel like doing something like that. My worst experience was to play Max Payne 3 at the highest difficulty level and after a good 2h (so still relatively at the beginning) the game crashed. So the mode and all future games, which offer such a thing, were dead for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thefourfoldroot Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 Astro Bot - Yes it got great review scores, but it's possibly the best platformer ever made. If the entire world hasn't sold as many possessions as necessary to buy PSVR and this game then it is under rated. Instantly became my greatest game of all time and I've been gaming for over 3 decades. Tokyo Xanadu - better than Persons 5, enough said. SK Peach Beach Splash -Great shooter, lots of fun, but rated down largely due to people not liking fanservice cleavage. Detroit Become Human - even better than B2S. Marked down due to people's prejudice over David Cage No Man's Sky - great game still bring made better. The initial criticism were stupid, but even more so now. Can't wait to play in VR! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baker Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 (edited) 6 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said: See, I’d make the argument that the trophy list helps the game - it was only once I tried playing things differently than my ‘normal’ way of playing to get some of the more esoteric trophies that I started to realise just how many different choices and wierd, off-beat methods of doing things that the game allowed for. It’s not a game for folks wanting a quick ‘one-and-done’ game, but for seasoned trophy hunters, it’s that most special of treats: a game made better by replaying and by trophy hunting. In my opinion. You convinced me too ?. I actually bought Prey a few months ago but with all the collectibles and multiple playthroughs needed I haven’t started it yet. It will be one of the next games I’ll start. Edited May 13, 2019 by BB-BakkerJ 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyAerith Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 I don't know how well the game did, but DOOM (2016) is the first game that comes to mind. I picked it up a year late when they made the multiplayer DLC free, and the multiplayer surprised the hell out of me. I ended up playing it all the way until max prestige. Campaign was fun as hell, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silencer0004 Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 2 minutes ago, thefourfoldroot said: Tokyo Xanadu - better than Persons 5, enough said. Just ordered the Limited Edition of eX+ in the US (f*ck European distribution for this game) and I hope it's at least acceptable compared to Persona 5. Everything above will be a bonus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBloodmoney Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 54 minutes ago, Feral said: I've seen you rave about Prey plenty of times and because of that I finally gave it a real go. Turns out you're spot on, it's bloody awesome. 23 minutes ago, Gotakibono said: I've had Prey sitting nice and sealed on my shelf for the better part of two years... I'm starting to think I'm fairly stupid for not playing it yet. 9 minutes ago, BB-BakkerJ said: You convinced me too . I actually bought Prey a few months ago but with all the collectibles and multiple playthroughs needed I haven’t started it yet. It will be one of the next games I’ll start. Yaaaasss, The Prey Revolution begins here! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feral Posted May 13, 2019 Share Posted May 13, 2019 58 minutes ago, DrBloodmoney said: I always said... if I could convince just one person... ... my lunatic ranting would all be worth it Glad you like it - what a great game it is! Ha ha ha ha life has meaning once more. Your rants also convinced me to jump on Hitman 2 sooner rather than later. Oh yeah, it's brilliant. I'll now stalk you for more recommendations lol. 32 minutes ago, phantomfear9494 said: Prey is brilliant, but as an achievement/trophy completionist it got on my nerves towards the end. IMO its a game best suited for non trophy hunters, as the list doesn't do the game service. I also think that the Mooncrash DLC was a pain. Lol true, the no neuromod playthrough would be bloody hard. But still kinda wanna give it a go on PS4. Only seen Mooncrash gameplay not actually played it but definitely looked like torture. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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