Oh no, a creative and innovative game! Hide behind the Call of Duty!

[DreadnoughtDT]

Title says it all, quite frankly. That wasn't a jab at just Call of Duty, by the way, it's a jab at pretty much all mainstream games.

Lately, I've been playing the new Splatterhouse game and I absolutely adore it, though I will admit it does have it's flaws (the puzzles get a little repetitive but that's about it) and I've read the reviews for it and... Jesus, I just can't understand why mainstream reviewers are so against this game.

So, inspired by that, I created this thread. Do you like any games that you feel are underrated by the reviewers or the company themselves? If you do, post your story here.

 

[aka958]

No. I don't.
Those game I like who aren't mainstream are usually liked by others.

I see alot of hate amongst the different FF games since everyone in the FF fanbase thinks different but... no.

I'm sure I look like someone who doesn't give a damn when I say that but I'm serious, I've never got that feeling.

However when it comes to overrated... <.<
Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, World of Warcraft, and other mostly above average games come to mind. Halo, Gears of War, GTA and even more. They are just too popular in my opinion. People talk about them as if they were the golden games, nothing is better.
Not everyone but most of those I've met at least. <.<

 

[V]

I haven't played it but usually reviewers take issues with clunky gameplay controls and repetition. Is it clunky?

And I guess you have to take the game's context into account with reviewers... if something's been hyped up before release and doesn't live up to it, or doesn't offer anything at least as good as a predecessor, that can affect the reviews as well.

I've noticed a few innovative and genuinely interesting games suffer problems because they've got control systems that don't work as smoothly as those of the big mainstreamers. People seem to be big on ease of control (though I remember the days when games had comparatively difficult - or awful controls, were hard as hell, and totally unforgiving... you wanted to finish a game, you needed a sea of patience).

 

[Vergil'sBitch]

Zelda Ocarina of Time (and the series) is overrated as is Street Fighter, and Super Mario 64. (I could say the same about Call of Duty, but it's just not my cup of tea.) Oblivion 4 (yes I went there, but only because I can't play FPS... AND i thought it was a tad boring.)

Golden Axe: Beast Rider was pretty Underrated (in fact it pretty much scored less than 50% in most magazine). I love the CSI games, and other stuff like Mahjong. Some of the newer Sonic games are underrated (and hated) by fans. Sonic Adventure pulled low reviews when it came to being release on XBL and PSN, but I love it.

 

[Angelo Credo]

Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines.

Prime example, a game that developed a cult following and was well loved by the people who played it, but ultimately undersold because it was in competition with every other game released around the same time. As such, not only was the series axed but Activision also forced Troika to lay off staff and then close their doors by 2005.

Shame, because it was a really damn good game.

 

[DreadnoughtDT]

And I guess you have to take the game's context into account with reviewers... if something's been hyped up before release and doesn't live up to it, or doesn't offer anything at least as good as a predecessor, that can affect the reviews as well.

For the hyping up, Splatterhouse wasn't really hyped up. It was announced and then quietly went under the radar, though it immediately started a cult following that had loved the original three games.

As for those original three games, one was an arcade game and the other two were Genesis/Megadrive games. So I'm fairly certain turning a 2D beat 'em up into a 3D beat 'em up along with fleshing out the story is better than the predecessor.

 

[aka958]

Zelda Ocarina of Time (and the series) is overrated as is Street Fighter, and Super Mario 64. (I could say the same about Call of Duty, but it's just not my cup of tea.) Oblivion 4 (yes I went there, but only because I can't play FPS... AND i thought it was a tad boring.)

Golden Axe: Beast Rider was pretty Underrated (in fact it pretty much scored less than 50% in most magazine). I love the CSI games, and other stuff like Mahjong. Some of the newer Sonic games are underrated (and hated) by fans. Sonic Adventure pulled low reviews when it came to being release on XBL and PSN, but I love it.

Agree with the Sonic thing.
Zelda is like the one game of it's kind, there's no exact clones of it. But I feel like I can agree with Ocarina of Time being overrated (still epic game though). :3
Super Mario 64 is overrated? o.o I haven't heard people talk about it alot. I've heard people thinking it's good, but not more than that.

Sonic games are severely underrated by the public nowadays. Now I'm not a fan of these games, but they are still overshaded by the giants of Nintendo and such. :/

 

[Dark Drakan]

I guess people are against Splatterhouse as its another remake that they think just didnt work today. IGN complimented it for its horror themes and music, noting that the console graphics, despite being "toned down", are a "good representation of the arcade original. Was criticised for only having seven levels, and each one only being a few minutes long.

Golden Axe: Beast Rider was pretty Underrated (in fact it pretty much scored less than 50% in most magazine).

I guess its because the originals were liked by fans and were some of the best games around that generation and the new one doesnt even hold a candle to them. From reading a handful of reviews they had the following to say about it:

Even writing about Golden Axe: Beast Rider is depressing me, the sooner I get this game out of my head the better, and all I can say to those nostalgic fans out there who want a taste of the new Golden Axe is, keep those good memories of yesteryears game in your head and avoid this game at all costs.

If you ever plan to design a hack & slash-game, you should definitely play Golden Axe: Beast Rider. It's the perfect example of what not to do.

If you need a Golden Axe fix you can get the original game with co-op on XBLA for 400 points, and we guarantee it'll be a more enjoyable experience than Beast Rider, which has only served to put another nail in the coffin of one of Sega's biggest hits.

With the exclusion of co-op -- what people really want to play -- and the constant hint that a sequel's already on the way, Beast Rider feels like a difficult, drawn-out, $60 tutorial. Why bother?

Think they are some pretty damning verdicts.

Vampire: The Masquerade: Bloodlines.

Prime example, a game that developed a cult following and was well loved by the people who played it, but ultimately undersold because it was in competition with every other game released around the same time. As such, not only was the series axed but Activision also forced Troika to lay off staff and then close their doors by 2005.

Shame, because it was a really damn good game.

At the time this came out it totally passed me by and ive always heard good things about it but never played it.

Sonic games are severely underrated by the public nowadays. Now I'm not a fan of these games, but they are still overshaded by the giants of Nintendo and such. :/

Ive never been a fan of Sonic really but its the same as Mario and has merely rinsed and repeated the same thing for the last 20 years and not tried anything really new. I know people wouldnt want to mess with what WAS a winning formula but its doing the same thing CoD does these days and merely copy and pastes the same ideas with each release.

However they have still scored decently in reviews and Sonic Generations has recieved decent praise in previews. Last poor review comments i saw on Sonic 4 said:

After waiting 16 years, Sega finally decided to deliver the goods when it come to returning to Sonic’s roots but the sad realization is that, like pizza, the end product became cold after a lengthy route to eager fans. Lacking the sense of speed, clever level design, entertaining boss battles, and a catchy soundtrack, Sonic the Hedgehog 4 pales in comparison to its brethren.

Sonic 4 is an utter mess of a game, cobbled together in a manner that puts the entire franchise to shame. It feels sluggish, broken and lazy, but at least it only lasts a couple of hours!

Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 is more than a below-average platformer. It feels like the last nail in the franchise's coffin. If this game couldn't take the series back to its glory days, it doesn't seem like it'll ever get there.

 

[Nessy]

No. I don't.
Those game I like who aren't mainstream are usually liked by others.

I see alot of hate amongst the different FF games since everyone in the FF fanbase thinks different but... no.

I'm sure I look like someone who doesn't give a damn when I say that but I'm serious, I've never got that feeling.

However when it comes to overrated... <.<
Call of Duty, Guitar Hero, World of Warcraft, and other mostly above average games come to mind. Halo, Gears of War, GTA and even more. They are just too popular in my opinion. People talk about them as if they were the golden games, nothing is better.
Not everyone but most of those I've met at least. <.<

Call of Duty - Popular because of how easy it is to play, and all the annoying camera shake realisticesque bs stuff
Guitar Hero - the easiest rhythm game there is, easy to get into, that is why it was so popular
World of Warcraft - As much as I hate this game's fanbase, I have to say that I have played over 20 MMOs, and out of all of them the end game PVE content in this is by far the best. PVP is boring and i'd rather play a game like BLC that is designed to take skill and has more balance, or if I wanted an RPG style pvp i'll just go back to eve.
Halo - The first one I loved, then when they introduce things like the ridiculous amounts of autoaim/bullet magnetism I got annoyed. Suddenly everyone in the game had perfect aim, and in a free-for-all it was impossible to kill 2 players at once with the same gun as them unless they were absolutely hurrrrrrrrendous. Halo 1 a good player can kill 2 players of slightly less skill at once often.
Gears of War - What can I say, made popular from what I can only see as bad design, whenever I played it I was appauled at a game so slow could be on an unreal engine.

Not 100% relevant post, just notice I had some experience in all of those games.

Oh and about all the sonic stuff:

Sonic 1 - Good
Sonic 2 - Awesome cept the stupid luck based bonus stages
Sonic 3 & Sonic and Knuckles - Best designed, unfortunately too easy but meh

Everything after that - Why do you **** on my childhood?

 

[Vergil'sBitch]

Perhaps sega should release another 16 bit console and maybe they could get it right again Nope? Didn't think so.
I don't have Sonic 4 Episode 1 (what happened to episode 2?), but I have played the one stage demo and I really enjoyed it.
I don't think Sega could release a top notch Sonic Game these days without someone b*tching about it. I think some find it difficult to leave the past behind.

BTW Sonic and Knuckles Sandopolis zone act2 really had me beaten... stupid lights and stupid ghosts.

 

[ReaperHunter]

In a way DMC has been under rated As every review i watch or read of a Hack and slash game The game has usally been compared to that of the god of War series even though DMC was the first of its genre

 

[Nessy]

Perhaps sega should release another 16 bit console and maybe they could get it right again Nope? Didn't think so.
I don't have Sonic 4 Episode 1 (what happened to episode 2?), but I have played the one stage demo and I really enjoyed it.
I don't think Sega could release a top notch Sonic Game these days without someone b*tching about it. I think some find it difficult to leave the past behind.

BTW Sonic and Knuckles Sandopolis zone act2 really had me beaten... stupid lights and stupid ghosts.

The new game had the crappy homing thing, and such a small range of vision you have to walk round the levels.

Why did sandopolis have you beat? Were you playing knuckles? I completed all 14 levels without a death lol. Easy mode.

 

[aka958]

I hate the Sonic games. They are boring and repetetive, the whole bunch imo.

I hate most FPS games out there, they all bring out the same formula but add one and only one gimmick that you'll have that'll change the whooooole experience. Wooooooow like I would believe that.

Fear was such a boring game, that game is most certainly overrated. It's both too easy and not frigtening as I hoped. "Oh no that scary little girl!" wtf. <.< It's just that girl and instant pop-ups to give you a small scare. -.-

 

[Nessy]

there is a very big difference between some FPS games. How alike are cod 4 and quake 4?

 

[aka958]

CoD 4? Was that like, Modern Warfare? CoD games in general are more like few shots gets the kill.

Quake got the health bars, not as realistic and strict controls and plays it old school. Because it is old school.

 

[Nessy]

I just mean that they are really different lol, you made it sound as if all the fps' were the same

 

[aka958]

I just mean that they are really different lol, you made it sound as if all the fps' were the same

Pretty much, yeah. It's still the same automatic weapons, burst weapons, precision weapons, etc. That it hides in health bar and quicker movements in an arena instead of a big battlefield doesn't make much difference. Sure it's closer encounters, alot more jumping and shooting and alot more intense than CoD and such that likes to take the realistic path. But I in the end always feel like "Just another FPS" to all of those.

 

[Nessy]

team based games like css and cod are all about just shooting the other person first, and are slow rate that missing is not going to happen (in cod anyway). Quake has more strategy behind it (imo) than any other game, and that includes starcraft. Timing in your mind the weapon spawns and 3 different armors at 25s each, and health at 35s each. CoD has randomness on bullet damage, bullet spread, recoil, and often rewards luck over skill. Quake has a semi random starting spawn, weapons that are all accurate, even the shotgun has an identical spread each shot (for a reason), and the weapons damage is always the same, no random.

Quake takes skill just to move in, I think they are about as different as 2 fps games can be.

It's like me saying all RTS games are just people building units and attacking each other.

 

[Vergil'sBitch]

JamboNessy: I used to get stuck on the sand slides about halfway through the zone. There was just no end... It drove me nuts...

 

[aka958]

team based games like css and cod are all about just shooting the other person first, and are slow rate that missing is not going to happen (in cod anyway). Quake has more strategy behind it (imo) than any other game, and that includes starcraft. Timing in your mind the weapon spawns and 3 different armors at 25s each, and health at 35s each. CoD has randomness on bullet damage, bullet spread, recoil, and often rewards luck over skill. Quake has a semi random starting spawn, weapons that are all accurate, even the shotgun has an identical spread each shot (for a reason), and the weapons damage is always the same, no random.

Quake takes skill just to move in, I think they are about as different as 2 fps games can be.

It's like me saying all RTS games are just people building units and attacking each other.

Kind of is. Hence why I can't see there's that many RTS games and that too is a reason why I do not tire of them. And they do differ at some point, hell yeah. Like the different between Quake and CoD. Yet still, the difference feels a lot more vast in RTS games for me.

Quake and Unreal, both are really easy games to play. Skill in reflexes and remembering spawning times of weapons, health and armor, where they spawn and where the player spawns is more or less just a check on the map you are playing on. Not skill, knowledge. Learning how a map works in and out makes it easy to move around the stage with little skill.
After you know that, it's easy to just learn common spots where players usually wander, find routes to wander and simply get a fitting weapon for each place on the map. Then the rest is reflexes and skill in the shooting. .-.