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[levyjl1988]

What are some hidden gems that provide an experience that you can't find anymore in the current modern video game market?
I'm talking about games that are not in print anymore, games that cannot be found in a digital storefront, games that are for the niche market, not being currently discussed, and why are they your favorite?

We are excluding AAA games or well-known franchises from this thread.


I'll list my few...

1. Hamtaro Ham-Hams Unite (Gameboy Colour)

You will never find a game that gives you the feeling of being small and have the charm of cute animals with their own cute ham-ham language.
It's like if you take the "Grounded" and mixed it with "Animal Crossing" and "Legend of Zelda Minish Cap".

2. Riviera the Promised Land (Gameboy Advance)

One of the best turn-based games out there. Very focused narrative-driven experiences.Not just another typical Japanese harem.

3. Lost in Blue (Nintendo DS)

One of the best survival games on the system, it spawned sequels such as Lost in Blue 2, 3, and Shipwrecked on the Wii but was largely forgotten, Konami won't resurrect this gold of an IP and has been lost.
The game is being stranded on an island with a girl and you have to escape, managing hunger, thirst, stamina with hunting, fishing and using the touch screen and mic. It felt quite slow but good as you managed survival.


4. Trace Memory (Nintendo DS)

We will never get a game like this anymore. Top-down adventure game with a second screen with a point and click adventure. The music is sooo good.


5. Hotel Dusk (Nintendo Wii)

R.I.P Cing


6. Fragile Dreams (Nintendo Wii)

An anime game where you use the wii remote as a flashlight.

 

[F31 Leopard]

I have all the games you mentioned except for Hamtaro and Riviera.

Back to the topic.
Ring of Red


Mr. mosquito


Robot Alchemic Drive

 

[Marchizmo]

Holy hell, I forgot about Ring of Red. It's like the Mechwarrior knock off of Valkria Chronicles before it was a thing.
Urban Chaos falls into this category for me.

​

 

[Enzo88]

Galerians (ps1) was a cool, flawed game.

 

[intbal]

I'm not sure there's anything "hidden" about this gem. More like "fading away into the past", since they never continued the series. It was certainly a beloved game in its day. But there's no more conversation about it, because it's essentially a dead franchise now.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

 

[Danjin44]

 

[DonJuanSchlong]

Cyberpunk 2077. It was taken down before many got to play it.

 

[Virt McPolygon]

Some of you guys really don't know the meaning of "hidden gems". Especially when you're listing god damn first party games that were well-received.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

Some of you guys really don't know the meaning of "hidden gems". Especially when you're listing god damn first party games that were well-received.

Then you put the list.

 

[DonJuanSchlong]

Some of you guys really don't know the meaning of "hidden gems". Especially when you're listing god damn first party games that were well-received.

Superman 64.
/Thread

 

[DonJuanSchlong]

I thoroughly enjoyed Genital Jousting on steam. Recommended if you're into fucking/getting fucked/party games/hidden levels of Mario Party.

 

[Kagoshima_Luke]

Ring of Red sounds like something you get after a slightly too exciting night in Singapore.

 

[Corgi1985]

Riviera is a classic. Jeanne d arc on psp is a strategy classic and I don't think tactics ogre: knight of lodis is unknown, but I don't ever see it discussed.

 

[Belmonte]

I love Metal Max Returns from Snes. It is a Japan only JRPG where you use tanks and other vehicles to hunt monsters. It is somewhat open world: there are few physical barriers in the world but monsters can be too hard depending of your level so you can't go crazy in the exploration.

The battle is somewhat simple, it is mostly attrition, but there are many cool details in the game like:

You can customize your tank, install apps on it, weapons, you can rent a vehicle if you don't have any(half the money of each fight goes to the rent company though), pay drinks for girls in bars for tips about the region, lots of mini-games, if you don't wash you tank from time to time the dirt take space from apps and upgrades, if you rent a cheap room, mosquitos can disturb you -but not if you have an insecticide!- and many others.

My favorite detail: In the beginning of the game your dad expels you from home because you wish to be a monster hunter. If you talk to him he will curse you relentlessly but every time you and your party die, no matter where, you see a brief cut scene with him taking your corpse to the scientist to revive. You can return home and abandon your monster hunting life anytime if you talk to him. If you don't, he will continue cursing you.

It is very light on story, with few cutscenes. You unveil the history of the world slowly exploring it. You pick contracts for special monsters and there is always the "monster of the month" which are common monsters that gives you extra money in that week.

The setting could not be cooler: Mad Max meets 80s anime with a touch of Dragon Quest for the monsters. Here is the cover:

I love everything about the setting. From time to time you meet a game which seems it was made for you. Metal Max is one of those for me.The music is great also. Unique and very appropriate.

Here is a video:



I wish Kadokawa games, the current owners of the franchise, released it on Steam, along with Metal Max 2 and 3 or, at least, release the new one, Metal Max Xeno. The last games got more sci-fi and had a more modern anime vibe into it, which deviates from what I like in Returns but I'm interested to play it.

 

[El Muerto]

Lost In Shadow for the Wii.
Otogi for the original Xbox.
Eternal Eyes on PS1.
Clash At Demonhead on NES.
Masters of Darkness on SMS.

 

[greencoder]

5. Hotel Dusk (Nintendo Wii)

Gravity Rush, Valkyrie Profile, Resonance of Fate, Haunting Ground

Folklore, Pandora's Tower, The Last Story

These are pretty famous.

My contribution:

 

[German Hops]

Burning Roda:

 

[teezzy]

I can never get anyone to play Minion Masters with me for some reaaon

It's arguably one of my all-time favorites ever and completely free

 

[German Hops]

I have all the games you mentioned except for Hamtaro and Riviera.

Back to the topic.
Ring of Red

Wow, this game gives me a nice Front Mission vibe. Definitely checking this game out, thx.

 

[Danjin44]

These are pretty famous.

I don't think any of the game I mentioned are "famous".....I wish they were.

 

[Kumomeme]

this gem here indeed underrated. i dont know why it not get the attention it deserved. made by well known hironobu sakaguchi and nobuo uematsu as it composers. it even has cool and great combat system which is sakaguchi in interview hoped that it might become some kind of new standard for future jrpg. a system where the game goes action without need player to be well versed in action game while retain similliar command based tactical element.

while whole world focused their eye on Xenoblade Chronicles, this game here i believe should garner same kind of attention. great gameplay, story and character. this game getting forgotten day to day. even in rpg community, this game even rarely mentioned.

 

[greencoder]

I don't think any of the game I mentioned are "famous".....I wish they were.

They are on several lists of the best games on the respective consoles. And they have quite a lot user ratings on metacritic (don't throw stones).

 

[Avallon]

Ratropolis is amazing. It's stealing my life right now.

 

[EverythingsOverrated]

I thoroughly enjoyed Genital Jousting on steam. Recommended if you're into fucking/getting fucked/party games/hidden levels of Mario Party.

I second this post. About a year ago me and a few friends were drinking and smoking when I decided to load it up without telling anyone what it was.

It was hilarious.

 

[Danjin44]

(don't throw stones).

 

[mcz117chief]

I never met anyone who even knows what this game REALLY is let alone finished it. Most people think it is a flight school simulator because they never got past the tutorial, but honestly it is the best "Ace Combat game" on PS1. I haven't found a single Youtube video ever that shows any post tutorial, or even late tutorial, content.

 

[cireza]

Probably many games, but I am going to pick one :

Lodoss on Dreamcast. Great hack'n slash from Neverland. Sadly this company was closed.
Rather than being a direct adaptation, Lodoss on Dreamcast is set in the world of the anime, but tells its own story.
Game-design is fantastic, with a very open world to explore, where you can get your ass kicked if you venture in the wrong places.
A ton of secondary challenges and huge dungeons.
And finally, a great weapons and equipment system, where you upgrade your weapon and can carry all your upgrades from weapon to weapon, while armor sets give many various bonuses. Combined with the rather high difficulty of the game, you have to experiment a lot and try various ways of equipping yourself, which is part of the fun.

This company made two Shining Force game on PS2 (hack'n slash) that share some key design and gameplay elements.
Finally the visuals serve the game well, conveying a dark and gloomy atmosphere. The soundtrack is fantastic.
You should have a listen : OST

 

[GeekyDad]

What are some hidden gems...


6. Fragile Dreams (Nintendo Wii)

An anime game where you use the wii remote as a flashlight.

Came to say this one. Mechanically, it was not great (and that's be generous to say), but story-wise, wow! It really is something special.

 

[GametimeUK]

 

[Mr_Potato]

What remains of Edith Finch.

A beautiful game about life and death.

 

[CRAIG667]

Outrigger on Dreamcast and Shadowman.

 

[rofif]

The darkness 2007. Amazing atmosphere and story. I really wish it came out anywhere else.
Last guardian. Barely anyone played it and it's amazing.
Fuel. Biggest open world, beautiful views. Really cool zen racing game

 

[Fredrik]

Recent gems:

Death Squared

Great dual stick split controls puzzle game.

Levelhead

Superbly controlled 2D platformer with solid map creator.

The Last Campfire

Super charming puzzle adventure.

 

[killatopak]

Most of the obscure stuff that I played was on the Wii surprisingly.

 

[TintoConCasera]

Loved Riviera back in it's day. I think the same people made this one:

A pretty cool turn based game with very good art, but also hard as fuck.

I also never heard anyone talking about this game, and for me it's one of the best of the DS:

It's a blend of platforming and puzzle game. I found it pretty fun and also challenging.

 

[Jadsey]

 

[Marcus Aurelius]

 

[sunnysideup]

 

[sunnysideup]

Best platformer since dkc

 

[Turnstyle]

The Deed (PC, 2015)

The Deed costs less than a dollar, a play through takes 15 - 20 minutes, and it looks like it was made in RPG Maker (because it was). And it's great.

The premise is that you're returning to your father's mansion after you have been removed from his will, and your sister has become the sole heir. The solution to this problem? Kill your sister. The game tasks you with finding a weapon, choosing a place to dispatch with your sister, and then hide the evidence and frame someone else in the house. Then a detective enters the house to interview everyone, and you have to answer their questions without suspicion to get away with the murder.

Although the game is short, doing a perfect run is key, and there are numerous achievements to go for, such as framing each different person in the house, which is a good excuse to go back for a another run.

Ministry of Broadcast (PC, Switch, 2020)

There's two ways to explain this game, depending on how old you are:

Old, like me: 'It's basically Prince of Persia, with a tongue-in-cheek dystopian setting'
Not old: 'It's basically Limbo or Inside, with a tongue-in-cheek dystopian setting'

Loads of running, jumping, clinging onto platforms, solving puzzles, served up with a Running Man/1984 vibe that is equally bleak and funny at the same time. Didn't really feel like it got much recognition last year, which seems a shame because personally I really enjoyed it.

Zack & Wiki: Quest for Barbaros' Treasure (Wii, 2007)

The Wii had some big releases in 2007 - Mario Galaxy, Resident Evil 4 waggle edition, Metroid Prime 3, and...Zack and Wiki. Despite reviewing well, it turned out the world wasn't ready for a pirate boy and his airborne monkey buddy, which is a damn shame, because of all the Wii titles, this is the one that I have the fondest memories of. It's also one of those Wii titles that made genuinely innovative use of the Wii controllers, without feeling like a gimmick.

The game consists of individual stages, packed with puzzles that you need to solve to progress. The great thing about Zack & Wiki is that every stage felt fresh, and like you were doing something new. It also oozes charm and just feels like a joy to play. Tragedy that we never got a sequel.

 

[Inuteu]

 

[namekuseijin]

The Witness was one of the top games from last generation. Not for everyone, but a deeply engaging personal journey of discovery and mystery.

 

[Ballthyrm]

I really liked Splasher, a fast action platformer made by an ex Ubisoft employee.
Like a mix between Portal II gels and Super Meat boy, great controls !

Another game I really liked was Windward, a very chill pirate game like the old WarCraft III mods back in the day.
Control your little ship, fire canons, sink pirate ships, what more can you ask !

 

[TintoConCasera]

A few more:

Ninja Five-O: A true hidden gem for the GBA, probably one of the best games on the platform. It's an action game with a tight grapple hook mechanic that remind's a lot of the classic Bionic Commando.

(grabs air) Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier: This one's weird. It's a JRPG game with a lot of weebiness (mainly BOOBAs all over your screen) and the exploration and conversations look like they where pulled off from an RPG Maker game. The thing is, the combat in this game really rocks, with a great sprite work, music and mechanics pulled right off Valkyrie Profile.

If you enjoyed Project X Zone on the 3DS, you should totally try this one out. Oh, and there is also a sequel called Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier Exceed, for which a translation patch was released no long ago.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

Despite the graphic aspect, it is a good Survival Horror, with elements of Japanese folklore, mixed with similar scenes Ringu and fatal frame.

The best work of Suda51 for me, interesting characters, mature tone, a hack slash game similar in quality as Ninja gaiden a such much better than No more heroes.

 

[Krappadizzle]

FromSoftware's hidden co-op masterpiece. Try playing this shit 1-player....You think Dark Souls was tough.

 

[The Cockatrice]

 

[Aegsorciten]

Sleeping Dogs? It was kind of a sleeper?

 

[Krappadizzle]