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[cj_iwakura]

Come to think of it, Sakura Wars wasn't even underrated.

It got good reviews across the board.


But no one played it.

 

[shaowebb]

Nier

 

[JimmyBoy]

Darksiders: a wonderful high-def violent homage to Zelda as well as specific sections that reproduce other classics. I had a wonderful time with this. It never got boring and the constant flow of new game mechanics was perfectly paced. They are making a sequel as well so go grab this! It's super cheap for how great it is!

Alan Wake: Incredible TV mini-series like presentation with very solid 3rd person shooter mechanics. While you may face a lot of the same enemy type it never got to me enough to not want to see what would happen next in the story. Heck, my fiancée sat and watched me play through this whole game because she was so engrossed in the storyline. A must play!

Culdcept Saga (360): Ya, I know this was not released this past year. Yet, I'm still getting together with friends and playing this Magic: The Gathering combined with Monopoly card game every few months for hours and hours at a time. Ya, it has PS2 grahics. Ya, it's a card battle game. But with 3 or 4 people this baby shines. Nothing better than building up an unstoppable Mudman with a greendeck and taking peoples money.

 

[Lumine]

Most have probably already been mentioned, but I think Bioshock 2 deserves a mention.

The first bioshock received some of the greatest praise a game can get, yet Bioshock 2 gets quickly dismissed as some sort of "unnecessary sequel." Honestly before I played the game myself I shared similar sentiments. It's an unfair assessment though because Bioshock 2 actually ended up being a very worthy sequel. Sure it's not really a greater game than the first, but that's mainly because the novelty of visiting the game's world, Rapture, has worn off which also causes the story to be less interesting. Yet at the same time the story is actually better told, the game has much better pacing, more variety and much improved combat and interface. At the same it's a lengthy game that's filled with just as many unique and thrilling moments as the first one with different and nice endings. Bioshock 2 is actually exactly what I would want from a sequel. Except for the multiplayer, but I gotta say I never gave that an honest shot.

 

[mescalineeyes]

I bought it, but I'm too scared to play it

I can only play it with my bff sitting next to me

 

[SapientWolf]

My picks would be these:

Supreme Commander 2 - As everyone else, I did not like the changes they made to the resource management system, which limited the strategies for that part of the game. And the campaign was a complete joke. But it´s still a really enjoyable game. The "over the top" experimental units (Cybrannosaurus Rex!), the graphic style, the optimized engine, the great camera control, the research system. And it has ships with legs! For the price it costs now, everyone interested in the genre should check it out. It will not replace Starcraft 2 as a competitive RTS, but it´s really good for some relaxed online matches and AI skirmishes.

SupCom 2 was a solid game, although the "2" made people expect a different product than what they received. If any RTS fans had a right to be angry at a sequel it was the C&C fans after C&C4.

 

[malingenie]

Darksiders: a wonderful high-def violent homage to Zelda as well as specific sections that reproduce other classics. I had a wonderful time with this. It never got boring and the constant flow of new game mechanics was perfectly paced. They are making a sequel as well so go grab this! It's super cheap for how great it is!

I loved this game while I was playing it, but after a month hiatus (for work reasons) I couldn't get back to it. It still itches in the back of my brain. I got to the castle for the last emerald thingie for satan and thought it had dragged a little too much.

 

[Dries]

Mafia 2. It was probably my GOTY last year with incredibly memorable characters & story. Probably the most atmospheric game I've ever played too. But it got lukewarm reviews and the GAF thread barely passed 1,000 posts. I think it would have been better received if it was true open world.

Then tell me please, what was so incredible about the story? Nothing happened till the last 2 or 3 chapters!? The whole story was just a kid climbing the Mafia social ladder. That's all. Or did I miss some memorable plot twists. Yeah, that was my main gripe. There just weren't any plot twists or so that are worth mentioning.

But yeah, the atmoshpere was fucking amazing. Played the game for that.

 

[zerokoolpsx]

Both are so underrated. Enjoyed playing both immensely. Too bad they didn't sell so well =|

 

[george_us]

 

[Dries]

Can't believe Deadly Preminition isn't mentioned yet. I didn't really like it, but it sure has one cult following here.

 

[Rush2thestart]

 

[eXistor]

Majin & the Forsaken Kingdom for sure. Such a fantastic game all the way through. Yet, noone seems to have played it.

 

[bonesmccoy]

Top Darts is by far the best Move game released yet. If you have the Move set up, get this game; it's $9.99 on the PS Store.

 

[Rush2thestart]

EDIT: Double post sorry

 

[SaggyMonkey]

Try it in split screen with the old N64 controllers. (you need an adapter: http://www.raphnet-tech.com/products/n64_to_wii/index.php) I nostalgia'd hard.

 

[~Devil Trigger~]

.

 

[gogogow]

Such a great game, very underrated by the media. Lol at Gamespot's 5 out of 10. The game is great. Interesting characters, interesting story, interesting locales, interesting npc's, interesting enemy designs, interesting power-upgrade system. And the graphics were surprisingly good. It's no Uncharted, but the game's environments can be pretty big and the drawing distance is incredible. It looks very lively, thanks to animated trees, foliage, mist, dust effects and animals/enemies roaming the lands. The game has a lot of beautiful bloom and HDR effects, which works very well in a RPG. And it has HD towns and a night-day cycle! Take that FFXIII. The game also uses a lot of interesting viewpoints, depending what story mission you are playing. There's 2D side-scrolling, topview like MGS, fixed camera viewpoints like those old RE games. Gameplay is a mix of Monster Hunter/Zelda/Onimusha/Harvest Moon.

RIP CAVIA
2000-2010

 

[Grizza]

Can't believe Deadly Preminition isn't mentioned yet. I didn't really like it, but it sure has one cult following here.

Thing is, if anything, it's a bit overrated. For a $20 game though, it was a bargain and a lot of fun.

I think the most underrated game of 2010 was Singularity. I only payed $10 for it, so my opinion might be more positive than if I spent the full $60 on it. Hard to really make an honest assessment when factoring price into these things.

 

[I NEED SCISSORS]

Alan Wake.

Nier gets enough love on these boards to even consider it underrated.

 

[Vanillalite]

I still say Phantasy Star Portable 2 is crazy underrated. Hell some of the reviews for that game are LOLable. Everyone bagged on meh SP despite the fact that SP is a bonus on the PSO/PSU franchise, and everyone knows it's all about the MP. Hell 1up gave it a C+ despite saying the MP is totally fun. It got railed for being a spinoff/off shot of PSU which was a PSO sequel/spin off in where PSO was basically ALL about the online and because the spinoff had a lame SP campaign which isn't even what the series is ever known for.

It's MP though, and well I won't rehash Leahy's awesome comeback on weekend confirmed about reviewers and MP. LOL

 

[Wazzim]

This, people just hated on it without playing the real thing in co-op. It was the closest we could come to a HD MH. (apart from Monster Hunter Frontier on 360 but that's jpn only)

 

[brandonh83]

 

[CrazedArabMan]

Alan Wake. :/

This X1000, going through my 6th or so playthrough right now. GOTY for me and the story is just so good, here's hoping for the sequel.

Also Splinter Cell Conviction which was really fun and Lost Planet 2 for the insane co-op experience.

 

[Feindflug]

Underrated (by critics):

• Vanquish
• Nier
• Blur
• Lost Planet 2
• Darksiders
• Singularity
• Goldeneye 007

Some really great games that I loved and should've done better score wise.

 

[Durante]

[Nier]
[Resonance of Fate]
[Alpha Protocol]

I just tried to add you to my buddy list only to find out that I already did!

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Underrated (by critics):

• Vanquish
• Nier
• Blur
• Lost Planet 2
• Darksiders
• Singularity
• Goldeneye 007

Some really great games that I loved and should've done better score wise.

Okay, Im baffled by the choice of Darksiders...it was widely compared to being as quality as Zelda, how is it underrated?

 

[Lion Heart]

Underrated- GT5

Overlooked but not necessarily underrated (deserve 7's, 8's but still great games)

Singularity- great atmosphere, fun gameplay
Enslaved- Interesting characters/story. Combat blows but you want to continue playing because of the visually pleasant locals and your interest in the characters. Ending wasn't good though.

 

[N4Us]

Agreeing with Alpha Protocol, it did have it's flaws but a sequel with the engine touched up would've been so beastly.

I thought Rocket Knight was better than people were saying too.

 

[Die Squirrel Die]

Dammit, Nier-GAF finally got me, I just ordered it.

 

[Feindflug]

Okay, Im baffled by the choice of Darksiders...it was widely compared to being as quality as Zelda, how is it underrated?

Darksiders has 83% in metacritic so yeah it's underrated, it deserved better IMO.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Agreeing with Alpha Protocol, it did have it's flaws but a sequel with the engine touched up would've been so beastly.

I thought Rocket Knight was better than people were saying too.

Oh yeah Rocket Knight, one of my favorite downloadable games this year (and Soldner X-2: Final Prototype...) RK was so fun on PC, fantastic level designs and encounters.

 

[Mrbob]

I just started playing Nier. Cool little game.

My vote would go to Dawn of War 2 Gold Edition. Not that the game did terrible, but Dawn of War 2 is overshadowed by Starcraft. While Starcraft 2 is a cool game, I've come to the conclusion I'm enjoying the Dawn of War 2 saga more. Dawn of War 2 gets classified as a RTS, but it is more than that. It is an action strategy game in which you get to find phat lewt. You also get campaign online co op and it works great. The competitive is more strictly RTS. Plus The Last Stand is a cool Horde style game mode where 3 in co op fight wave after wave of enemies. It is a great package overall.

 

[ZealousD]

 

[Kevtones]

Another vote for Goldeneye. Really fantastic experience.

 

[-Pyromaniac-]

Nier is the biggest most obvious answer.

 

[Acquiesc3]

Nier easily. Even though the gameplay lacked depth the music, story, and characters (somewhat) made up for it.

And unlike Squeanix's other big 2010 release *cough*FFXIII*cough* it didn't feel like a chore to me.

 

[Rahxephon91]

Oh, and Nier is horrendously overrated on this board.

It sure is. It's a pretty terrible game in my opinion.

But yeah as far as underrated games go. I'll say Resonance of Fate. I'm not surprised it didn't receive great review scores. It's got pretty crummy presentation, a meh story, and it doesn't ease you into the battle system. But if you can look pass those things and are a fit for the game you will find a really interesting hardcore jrpg. A fun battle system that does require some thought to figure out, but is very satisfying ounce you figure it out. Also the leveling and weapon development tinker the hardcore tinkering that I like in some jrpgs. It's different and awesome.

Also Mafia 2. A very immersve game. Sure the story has it's weak points and it's a pretty generic shooter, but I feel it didn't get a fair shake because it's not GTA. That's fine with me as the game creates a nicely detailed and believable world. While gunfights are still "gamey" there is an air of realism to them. Also the atmosphere is great. Shooting a Tommy Gun while in an awesome tailored suit is amazing.

I also don't think No More Heroes 2 gets enough love. It's pretty cool in that quirky Japanese way. A lot of he annoying issues from the first one are gone, while the charm is cranked up. Music is great and the overall look is why I love Japanese games.

Vanquish is awesome.

I have Singularity on the way, hopefully it's decent.

 

[K.Jack]

DoW2: Chaos Rising deserves more praise.

 

[Gully State]

DoW2: Chaos Rising deserves more praise.

I was just about to post this. It's borderline criminal that this game doesn't get much attention.

 

[BloodySinner]

No, the game just sucked.

 

[timetokill]

Can anyone provide a link to the list? I cannot seem to find it anywhere, and it's been weeks since it came out.

Here you go: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=418389

 

[Ysiadmihi]

Glad to see lots of mentions for Goldeneye. It's a great game and is more fun than a 100% faithful remake ever could have been.

Also, as a PC gamer the mentions for Alan Wake do make me chuckle inside a bit. I'm glad to see no one really knows or cares about it after the "comfy couch" crap.

 

[timetokill]

Yeah, I also have to give a tip of the hat to Goldeneye. Like others said, I thought it was going to be horrible, but the single-player campaign was one of the most fun SP experiences I had last year.

 

[Snuggles]

It's ratings were fine, but since some others are going for games that were underappreciated and overlooked, I'll vouch for one that fits both categories:

Joe Danger



Not only the best PSN game (after Wipeout, of course), but one of the best games you can play on the PS3. JD was brought to us by Hello Games, a studio consisting of only 4 very passionate gamers. It was received well and made a small ripple at release, but it's hardly ever mentioned around here or any other gaming website. I passed on it at release and didn't give it a real shot until I picked it up half price in November, but when it clicked I was in love.

Anyways, for those who don't know, it's a 2.5D game staring Joe Danger, a rad dude and a fearless stuntman on a motorbike. You may be on wheels, but it's no racing game - Joe Danger is a platforming game all the way through with a touch of extreme sports/stunt gameplay that's more similar to the classic Tony Hawk games than Excite Bike. Unlike Trials HD, you aren't confined by semi-realistic physics. You can pull of some pretty insane stunts, racking up millions of points as you hit massive jumps and flip through the air while hanging from the handlebars. Thanks to this, simply controlling Joe is a blast and it makes tackling goals (or failing and crashing) a whole lot of fun. It's also very pleasing to the eye with crisp, colorful visuals and 60 FPS.

Not only is it a shitload of fun to play, but it packs a lot of content for a $15 downloadable game. The main campaign will take you several hours, at least, and earning all of the stars (earned by meeting specific goals on levels) will take you twice that. It gets pretty damn challenging later in the game, so a tiny level might take you hours to master. There is also a local mulitplayer mode and a fairly in-depth level creator. It's been a consistent part of my gaming line up for the last few months and I'm still having a great time. If you have a PS3 and if you like things that are fun, get this game ASAP. Just be warned: it can be dangerously addictive.

 

[BoilersFan23]

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 - The Storyline is SO good IMO. I enjoyed every bit of it.

ModNation Racers - The amount of mods and created tracks to download keep the game lasting forever. Racing was a lot of fun and challenging.

White Knight Chronicles - Yeah the game was easy, I still found the story pretty enjoyable. Combat was fun once I started stringing together combos.

Hexyz Force - While it didn't really do anything new to the JRPG genre, combat was fun and story was decent. Gives me that old classic RPG vibe I just don't see much these days.

Hot Shots Tennis: Get A Grip - I like HSG but hated the first HST. Get a Grip was a huge improvement and tons of fun to play on the go.

 

[Dedication Through Light]

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 - The Storyline is SO good IMO. I enjoyed every bit of it.

ModNation Racers - The amount of mods and created tracks to download keep the game lasting forever. Racing was a lot of fun and challenging.

Yes Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 was epic. It should have definitely been in the 8.8-9.4 range of review scores (consumers as well). The gorgeous environments (though lacking enemy encounters, something to improve on in UNS3 I hope), stunning large scale boss encounters with fantastic QTE's, and a great way to summarize the story was just fun. Even with shortened Ultimate Jutsu's, it was a blast and definitely the top tier Naruto game (only Naruto Shippuden Clash of Ninja Revolution III comes close to it).

 

[Zoso]

Then tell me please, what was so incredible about the story? Nothing happened till the last 2 or 3 chapters!? The whole story was just a kid climbing the Mafia social ladder. That's all. Or did I miss some memorable plot twists. Yeah, that was my main gripe. There just weren't any plot twists or so that are worth mentioning.

But yeah, the atmoshpere was fucking amazing. Played the game for that.

The actual events are nothing out of the ordinary, it's the way it's presented. Writing, directing, voice acting, & pacing are all great. It's rare that a game can make me emotionally invested in its characters. I loved it because it all felt believable. I can't think of many other games that craft a realistic story so well. Usually I have to turn off part of my brain to enjoy videogame stories, but Mafia 2 felt smart. More like something you'd see in movies or TV. It wasn't perfect, and it certainly doesn't stand up to something like The Sopranos or Goodfellas, but for a videogame it's pretty damn good.

Can't believe Deadly Preminition isn't mentioned yet. I didn't really like it, but it sure has one cult following here.

Deadly Premonition got quite a bit of love. Actually way more than I expected. It's mostly deserved though - Great game.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom was overshadowed by other fighters this year, but I found it incredibly fun.

 

[-tetsuo-]

Underrated doesn't even begin to describe this game. Fantastic combat, open world role playing/strategy, incredible multiplayer, active and wonderful mod scene and terrible graphics. GOTY 2010.