Your under-rated and over-rated game of the year

[Calgar99]

What is your little gem and what suffered from the hyperbole

This post might be a year late but in recent memory I was surprised by Lost Odyssey. I remember feeling like and idiot with money just wanting to spend it on something.Went into HMV and picked it up without knowing anything about it other than it was made by the creator of final fantasy. It was a real surprise whan I popped in the disc to find it wasn't just a poor mans final fantasy. I was impressed with graphics but especially the voice over which werent has hammy they usuallly are in JRPGs.It was also breath of fresh air from all the shooter I had been playing.

Unfortunately the game that didnt light my fire was Uncharted.I had just picked a ps3 with MGS4 and uncharted so I never tested the trial version. At first I was really impressed with the characters, the sound and the graphics. I enjoyed the tomb raiding aspects but then after a while the gameply ceased to be fun and became more of a chore. I got very bored very quickly of reaching an area killing 20 bad guys, reach the next area kill 25 bad guys, reach the next area etc etc. Its a shame because there is so much quality in this game and yet the essential gameplay let it down for me

So anyway those are what are yours?

[Iron Past]

For me personally, GTA IV was definately the over-rated game this year (so far). I played for a while and traded it in; there was plenty of technical stuff that was right with it, but to me it just wasn't fun.

The flip side was Too Human, which got raked over the coals pretty badly in most reviews. It is missed on some technical aspects, but god is it fun to play.

[Kelegacy]

Uncharted was released last year, right? I loved it, but I played it this year. Beat it 3 times in the course of a couple weeks, twice before the trophies were released.

However, if you are talking about games we PLAYED this year, I'd have to say Mass Effect was one of the most overrated--I don't overly enjoy the console Bioware games.

Underrated is an easy choice. Dark Sector was a game I LOVED. I beat it in like 2 days because I flew through it--couldn't put it down. It's in the bargain bin now, so I recommend people at least give it a rental. The glaive is so much fun.

Other titles would be Turok, Viking, Blue Dragon and Jericho. Liked them all, though they aren't AAA.

[Ancalagon]

Was Crysis released this year or last year? Cos that was overrated I think.

Underrated? I dont know, I actually havent bought that many games this year. Megaman ZX Advent for the DS was pretty good though, not sure how old it is. In fact, I dont think I really played an underrated game this year. How sad.

[Virtual Machine]

Underrated - i'd have to give to either Dark Sector or Viking: Battle for Asgard. Both were released the same week, and both were little marvels in their own right. Dark Sector is one of the most beautiful looking games on current platforms, and it's Resident Evil 4 meets Gears of War control scheme felt great (also - best sinking ship level ever!). Viking felt like Fable crossed with Conan. Loved the HUGE scale of the mid and end level battles, and really enjoyed the feel of the worlds they let you explore.

Overrated - Mercenaries 2: World in Flames - No, it hasn't been tearing it up with review scores, but it deserves about 20 percent lower than its current gamerankings score. Horribly executed, ugly, glitchy, unfinished game.

[Kelegacy]

Underrated - i'd have to give to either Dark Sector or Viking: Battle for Asgard. Both were released the same week, and both were little marvels in their own right. Dark Sector is one of the most beautiful looking games on current platforms, and it's Resident Evil 4 meets Gears of War control scheme felt great (also - best sinking ship level ever!). Viking felt like Fable crossed with Conan. Loved the HUGE scale of the mid and end level battles, and really enjoyed the feel of the worlds they let you explore.


I agree with you on both accounts. DS was beautiful and action-packed, with great boss fights, Viking reminded me of a more action-oriented Fable (at first anyway). I think it was the art style of the first island and characters that reminded me of Fable though. Viking became repetitive after a while, but never ceased being fun. That last level irritated me, going up the stairs. But I did it. 850 achievement points!

I still want to go back to Dark Sector and play it on Hard. I think that would be fun.

[iHap]

The most over-rated game of the year in my honest opinion was Spore. The first few stages go by so quickly that you get to the space stage...and that's it. I lost interest real fast when the whole object of the game is a sandbox to colonize every star system in the Spore galaxy. I uninstalled this junk the third day I owned it.

Age of Conan is the most under-rated game. It started out rough, yes, but a lot of MMO's have that bump in the rode when they start off. With the recent server merges it does sound like it might die but I'll still continue to play and enjoy this game very much so.

[Gorvi]

Overrated was probably GTA4. I've still yet to play it, but once the hype died down, everyone seemed to realize it was just more of the same GTA with better graphics.

Underrated would be Wild ARMs XF. The game got some incredibly mediocre reviews, to the point where it turned me away. Now that I've played it? It's the most original SRPG to come out in many years. I love it.

[itchyeyes]

I'd say GTA4 and MGS4 are tied for me as most overrated games this year. They were good games if you were fans of the series but a lot of people billed them as generation defining games that transcended their roots, which they were definitely not. For me both games were more or less just a new coat of paint on the previous version's gameplay, and didn't really address any of the flaws that concerned me about their predecessors.

I'm having a hard time thinking of a game that I think is really underrated. There are a few games, like Spore and Too Human, that received a lot more backlash and animosity than I think they deserved, but I'm not sure if that's the same thing.

[Mdot]

I'm with iHap on Spore. That game lost my interest extremely quickly and I've had no desire to go back to it. Used some great tech and the customization was cool, but after that, nothing I really enjoyed too much.

[iHap]

I'm with iHap on Spore. That game lost my interest extremely quickly and I've had no desire to go back to it. Used some great tech and the customization was cool, but after that, nothing I really enjoyed too much.
I would much enjoy Spore if the first few stages were longer than 15 minutes each. Those were the best about the game where it was FPS mode and you got to explore around.

[Mdot]

I would much enjoy Spore if the first few stages were longer than 15 minutes each. Those were the best about the game where it was FPS mode and you got to explore around.

Agreed. Right after I got through those, I wasn't compelled at all to continue. It's just been sitting on my PC. I'm not really involved in anything else at the moment, but I just can't get back into it.

[SilentScreams]

Over-rated for me is Civilization Revolution. Maybe I've just been spoiled by the PC versions, but I really couldn't get into Civ Rev. It was missing too much stuff that the PC versions had and lacked depth.
It was also way too easy. Even the hardest difficulty was no challenge.

Under-rated I can't really come up with one. Most games I've bought this year have been on recommendations or as a result of universally good reviews.

[iHap]

Agreed. Right after I got through those, I wasn't compelled at all to continue. It's just been sitting on my PC. I'm not really involved in anything else at the moment, but I just can't get back into it.
I wonder if there's a config I could edit or a mod to make those stages last longer. I'll have to look into that after I get some sleep.

[muddi900]

Underrated: Bionic Commando. Best Remake Ever. Of course, I never played the original. It is underrated because most people still haven't played it. Also, Mass Effect on the PC. Mass effect on the 360 looks like it retarded cousin. And I'm not talking about Graphics.

Over-rated: Can't think of any at this point.

[j0hnz3r]

Under-rated - Sins of a Solar Empire. I don't think nearly enough people looked at or tried this game as they should have. It was MOO + CIV + Love. So Awesome.

Over-rated - Braid. I just don't think it was as awesome as people. I think he tried way too hard to be arty and I'm damn sick and tired of hearing him speak. That's just my opinion, though.

[Bingley Joe]

Most under-rated: Viking. Not to say that it was perfect by any means, but it was a huge amount of fun, and definitely got the short-shrift from reviewers.

Most over-rated: GTA4. Certain elements of the game world are absolutely extraordinary, and well worth the praise lavished on them, but sweet jesus was the gameplay ever a let-down IMO. The controls felt ripped straight out of a game from 5 years ago, and just never stopped getting in the way for me (talking about Niko's controls here -- I always managed to have fun with the driving).

Add to that the heavy-handed sophomoric humour, outright misogyny, and couched homophobia, and I can scarcely remember being more turned off by a game I really wanted to like.

[KingGorilla]

Under ratef: Penumbra Black Plague. Check my review, great adventure game.

Over rated: Bionic Commando. Remake, still broken on the last level after you go outside. Fuck you blind platforming, in the ear.

[Abyssion]

Underrated The World Ends With You.

Overrated I'm not sure...

[TheFlyingOrc]

Since it was within the last 12 months, Assassin's Creed. Not that it's a bad game, it just had so many design flaws.

edit: And GTA4 failed to impress, as well.

[Variable Gear]

Overrated: GTA4, Braid, Brawl, and Castle Crashers.

Underrated: The World Ends With You, My Life as a King, Mega Man 9, and Too Human.

[pheriannath]

Underrated: The World Ends With You (someone beat me to it!). Mingling at PAX trying to get rare pins out of people was goddamn addictive.

Overrated: Probably Age of Conan... the hype that I caught from the people who hadn't left the level 1-20 area made me waste 50 bucks and way too much of my time.

[Rogue_hunter]

GTA4 and Spore would have to be my most overrated games. The hype on both was "OMG, Greatest game EVAR!!!!!1111!1!1! You never need to play anything else!" but both were just meh.

Underrated, Conan, the single player one, and Sins of a Solar Empire. Sure, Conan may just be a God of War ripoff, but damn it was fun and hilarious. Sins was just awesome, even for a game that didn't have any actual single player. Add that there was no DRM, and you could save a multiplayer game to continue it later was brilliant.

[King3567]

Overrated:

Brawl because it just didn't have enough innovation and tried to cater to the casual gamers way too much. The game hasn't even lasted me seven months where as Melee lasted me nearly seven years. What's that say about longevity?

GTA4 because the single player became really tedious really quick. Oh yeah, and the multiplayer, while good on paper, failed miserably for being both completely unbalanced and having the WORST lobby system EVER.

Underrated would have to be Too Human. Yeah the campaign is extremely short, story is poorly told, and the penalty of dying is...well pretty much nonexistent, I keep coming back for more. The combat, once you get used to it, is extremely fun and satisfying. I am about to hit level 50 with my commando and need a co-op partner, anyone game? :)

[Variable Gear]

I am about to hit level 50 with my commando and need a co-op partner, anyone game? :)
I'm here. My BioEngineer needs a workout!

[King3567]

I'm here. My BioEngineer needs a workout!

This weekend perhaps? :confused:

[Variable Gear]

This weekend perhaps? :confused:
Sounds fine. Just send me a PM or a message on Live with the details.

I'm embarrassed because I don't think I've hit level 40 yet... :o

[Church42]

Overrated - I'm going to go with "Mass Effect". Poor inventory management, graphical issues (such as how the 360 struggled to keep up w/ the detail), the Mako handling worse than a remote controlled toy from Radio Shack, the game-changing choices you make aren't really that numerous (4 I can think of...who to sacrifice, sleep w/ alien female, human female, or semi-human male), boss @ end was way too easy, and classes really didn't seem to be that much different (I guess by this I mean that you can play through it a 2nd or 3rd time to see what the other classes are, but what's the point when you can get the feel for them from your squadmates you can pick from).

[pheriannath]

King3567: Agalloch avatar = I like you.

[McPhail]

Over-rated: Definitely GTA4. Failed to impress and a victim of it's own hype.

Under-rated: Battle Fantasia. Sure, it's just another fighter and it doesn't particularly do anything revolutionary, but the things it does do, it does really well! It has a cast of characters that are both bizarre and ooze charm at the same time. Definitely one of my favourite games of the year!

[Craigtheplague]

With all the negative talk of GTA4, i'll be waiting for a bargain price when it is released on Steam. Good thing it didn't over take Ocarina of Time on Gamerankings (not that these numbers mean anything).

[Rock Bandit]

Under-rated: Condemned 2. Just a wonderful, tight, suspensful game. Also busting a bottle of liquor over a bum's head then setting him on fire with a taser never gets old.

Over-rated: Braid. It's a puzzle game people, not a life defining experience.

[Uniqueusername]

Overrated: GTA4. For the reasons everyone has already posted.
Underrated: Lost Odyssey. A JRPG I enjoyed all the way to the end.

[alienmastermind]

Am I the only one who liked GTA IV? WTF :)

But it was an overrated game. For me, it delivered on a good story, and had elements that were groundbreaking, and whet my appetite for the 'Vice City' superior sequel that will be made with this engine.

But my underrated game would be in the last 12 months, Conan for the 360. It was everything I wanted in a Conan game. Hack and slash, and pretty much brainless. Oh, and topless ladies. (waggles eyebrows)

Overrated? Oh, probably Mercs 2. Man, that game was like a buggy version of Saint's Row, without the funny physics making up for it.

[Deadend]

Underrated: I can't really think of one, as Viking had shit combat due to the fact you can only hit 1 guy at a time.. among other things. Dark Sector was good... but had lame boss fights and felt very me-too at points.

Overrated: Megaman 9

[TheFlyingOrc]

Overrated: Megaman 9

I calmly ask that you shut your whore mouth.

[Rock Bandit]

Overrated? Oh, probably Mercs 2. Man, that game was like a buggy version of Saint's Row, without the funny physics making up for it.

But it did give us Paco shitting in a bucket. :D

[Purple Santa]

Am I the only one who liked GTA IV? WTF :)



I loved it. It's an easy game to pick on, but to each their own...

Underated I also go with The World Ends With You.

Overated: I don't think games are overrated for me as they just aren't my types of games I like to play. See: Mass Effect, Mercs 2, Too Human.. and some other big time sellers over last year...

[J Arcane]

I wonder if there's a config I could edit or a mod to make those stages last longer. I'll have to look into that after I get some sleep.
Just keep playing them? There's nothing that forces you to press that button to go on to the next stage.

The cell stage is a bit too simplistic to sustain long gameplay, but there's enough content in any given Creature stage game to keep you going for a while.

And you can always just jump right into the creature mode.

Personally, the wierd backlash against Spore has me putting it in the underrated category. It's still one of the coolest games I've ever played, and the sheer immensity and freedom in the space stage alone is absolutely dizzying. The first time I went through a wormhole and realized how far I'd traveled will go down as one of the most mind-blowing moments in the history of gaming for me.

Is it perfect? No, but I expect we'll see no end of expansion to the game as time goes on, I just hope the quality of that expansion is a bit higher than Sims' standard.

[Zero]

Overrated - GTA IV. It was just more of the same with tons of superfluous stuff added on.

[King3567]

King3567: Agalloch avatar = I like you.

Why thank you :)

I would have like GTA a lot more if it wasn't for all the filler missions in the story. I just didn't like how it was set up because at times it felt like you were progressing very quickly and the story was interesting and then it would always hit a brick wall and just stop and you were presented with 3 or four filler missions that felt tedious and out of place. It was very clear that they wanted that "Over 40 hours of gameplay" bullet on the box.

[J Arcane]

Who the hell still actually plays the missions in a GTA game?

You have to know by now that they're almost universally hideously tedious and irritating.

Just download a save or steal one from a friend more masochistic than you and then run around making your own fun. That's what a good sandbox is all about.

I poured countless hours into GTA:SA, and only ever did maybe 5 or 6 missions I think?

[Spigot]

Hooray for all of the TWEWY, Penumbra and Lost Odyssey love. They're all gems that I think didn't get the fanfare they deserve. Viking also got short shrift from most sources but is a delightful game.

Overrated? I'm not sure yet. The Force Unleashed certainly gets the overhyped disappointment award of the year (so far) from me. I personally adored GTA IV, even though it WAS more of the same with better graphics. This was the first GTA game that I didn't put down after sinking 10 hours into it. It had me hooked all the way to the end.

I've also quite enjoyed Spore, though some of the complaints are valid. It's all about the editors AND the Space stage.

Give me some time and I'll think of some overhyped disappointments. I'm usually better at finding the underdogs.

[King3567]

Who the hell still actually plays the missions in a GTA game?

You have to know by now that they're almost universally hideously tedious and irritating.

Just download a save or steal one from a friend more masochistic than you and then run around making your own fun. That's what a good sandbox is all about.

I poured countless hours into GTA:SA, and only ever did maybe 5 or 6 missions I think?

Well, considering how hyped up the game's story/missions were, I figured I'd give it ago and played it for around 15 hours before selling the game. Sandboxes are kind of lame, at least for me.

[KingGorilla]

A poorly realized sandbox is. Any game "sandbox" is something that you can do whatever you want, that the designers will let you do. What GTA boils down to is you can just go in and kill a bunch of people.

Give me Fallout or Deus Ex where I can approach any given situation in dozens of ways over that, any day. And that is what I dislike about GTA, the game that was made punishes creativity and immagination. There is only ever one right way to advance the game and each encounter is the same for everyone.

[J Arcane]

A poorly realized sandbox is. Any game "sandbox" is something that you can do whatever you want, that the designers will let you do. What GTA boils down to is you can just go in and kill a bunch of people.

Give me Fallout or Deus Ex where I can approach any given situation in dozens of ways over that, any day. And that is what I dislike about GTA, the game that was made punishes creativity and immagination. There is only ever one right way to advance the game and each encounter is the same for everyone.
That's a wonderful description of exactly why the missions in GTA have always sucked. sure in theory you can approach things from a few different angles, if you're clever enough to force your way in through the constraints of any given mission.

Hence why I skip them, much like I skipped the main story line in Oblivion. It's like, there's the sandbox, and then there's the story, and the two frequently fail to agree with each other. I prefer the sandbox, though I do not agree they need to be the dichotomy that games like GTA and Oblivion tend to make them. your mention of Fallout is a sterling example of how that can be done.

[alienmastermind]

But it did give us Paco shitting in a bucket. :D

Bandit, the poor kid's name is Pico.

And he's still shittin' in that bucket. You know, keepin' it real. :)

[VerseD]

I agree with everyone who mentioned GTA4 as an over-rated title. It looked great and panned out like Godfather on The Wire, but somehow lost sight of the ridiculous action that makes previous GTA games so fun.

Unfortunately I was limited to playing mostly big commercial and critical hits this year and never really found an obscure, under-rated masterpiece. I did enjoy playing Crysis a lot more than I expected from what I'd heard. I thought it was going to be a tech demo but really enjoyed the free-form jungle combat. The ending was awful though.

[pomeroy]

Overrated: Braid. I just could not get into it.

Underrated: The Strong Bad game on Wii.

[maharahaj]

Under rated - GRID
Over rated - GTA4

[Seconds Out]

Overrated: Hate to say it again, but GTA4. I think I traded it in within a month. Also, I borrowed Mass Effect from Dr. Finger and hated it. Couldnt understand what anyone saw in that game.

Underrated: Dark Sector was tons of fun, have to agree with everyone on that.

[maharahaj]

Overrated: Hate to say it again, but GTA4. I think I traded it in within a month. Also, I borrowed Mass Effect from Dr. Finger and hated it. Couldnt understand what anyone saw in that game.

Underrated: Dark Sector was tons of fun, have to agree with everyone on that.

Oh man. I forgot about Dark Sector. That game ruled and no one seemed to play it. The way the game progressively unlocked further skills was extremely well implemented. The only "slow" level was level 7 cause it was too long. The game looked great too.

[Admiral Ackbar]

My overrated is GTA (I pretty much agree with what everyone else has said so I won't waste any time on that).

My underrated is Too Human without a doubt. So great. I don't think it is from this year (in fact I know it's not) but I always mention Zack and Wiki as the most underrated game ever. Get it for the Wii. Get it now.

[Morangie]

Overrated is GTA4, it just couldn't match the hype. Multiplayer free play is fun but I never touched the single player after finishing the main missions.

Underated is Mercenaries 2. Best game for random destruction since EDF 2017.

[VerseD]

Underrated: Dark Sector was tons of fun, have to agree with everyone on that.

I keep hearing nothing but praise for Dark Sector, but only after it came out. It sounds like a title that really slipped under the radar.

[Wasson_]

idk...the real awesome games have yet to come out yo. Now isn't the time to call this yet IMO.

[Gorvi]

I keep hearing nothing but praise for Dark Sector, but only after it came out. It sounds like a title that really slipped under the radar.
Play the demo. I know some people loved it, but personally, I thought it played like shit. Being able to control your boomerang blade thing with SIXAXIS tilt was just about the only cool thing about the game.

[Spigot]

Play the demo. I know some people loved it, but personally, I thought it played like shit. Being able to control your boomerang blade thing with SIXAXIS tilt was just about the only cool thing about the game.I rented the 360 version and played the first mission (which was neat as it was all black and white) and then started playing some of the second. I just lost interest in the game and I'd barely started.

I think I might have tried playing it during a time when I was very burnt out on 3rd person and first person shooter/action games. I've soothed my soul with a heaping helping of hospitali... er, JRPGs, so I might be able to enjoy the game if I give it another try.

I definately didn't think it was the most awesomest thing EVAR, and I was a huge Krull fan...

[CES]

Overrated is GTA4, it just couldn't match the hype. Multiplayer free play is fun but I never touched the single player after finishing the main missions.

Underated is Mercenaries 2. Best game for random destruction since EDF 2017.

We still never finished the co-op runthrough of Mercs 2. There's at least another 2 oil rigs i've seen that we have yet to kill.

[Kelegacy]

I am in the middle of Alone in the Dark for 360 right now and I have to say, this game is definitely underrated and underappreciated. IGN scored it a 3.5 out of 10. That is sickening. I don't think the worst game I've played this generation, or ever, would be a 3.5/10. And I've played some stinkers (Bullet Witch, etc.).

Some of the problems (many of them in fact) I can agree with. One issue is bugs. I got hung up on the environments once or twice, and once I died by falling off a brick or debris about 6 inches high off the ground. Game acted like I had fallen 6 stories. Even my character had a falling animation. But the bugs aren't too bad. At least the ones I've found so far.

Second, and the biggest probably, is the controls. It's a pretty innovative game with a limited, and realtime, inventory/healing process/item creation. Since it's all in realtime, it's easy to get attacked while trying to access your items. There are quick buttons in the bumpers that allow you to cycle through on your own, but I frequently get confused and wind up with a combo or items I don't want. This is one of the games that argues the case for the grannies getting confused with complicated controls. On paper they seem simple, but execution is different. I have to routinely switch from 1st to 3rd person to do certain functions in the game. Fighting like swinging a weapon is done by using the analog stick like in Fight Night...a bit hard at times. Still, for the worst issue in the game, it's not a deal breaker for me.

Driving sequences can get irritating because a lot of it is trial and error (the escape scenes, not the sandbox-style driving around central park that dominates the driving). But they are definitely intense and invoke a movie-like action feel.

Humanz, the main baddies in the game, are impossible to kill by conventional means. Actually, they are not but will NOT die unless you use fire against them. Thankfully that's easy to come by, but fighting definitely requires strategy. You can beat them all day but they won't go away until you burn the fuckers or use fire in some way, shape, or form on their fissures.

The game oozes awesome ideas, like physics-based puzzles and item-building to get past enemies and areas. Great presentation, too. I am really liking the game because it's an experience I've seldom met on the consoles. Again, it has its issues, but if you're willing to look past them, there is a great game, or ghost of a great game depending on how you view it, here.

I bought the game for 9.90 during GoGamer's 48 hour Madness. It's at least worth double that. I'd say rent it for yourself to give it a shot. I'm pretty forgiving in my diverse love of games, but I'm willing to give Alone in the Dark a thumbs-up, even if it's not whole-heartedly, because it tries so many different things in a videogame. This one needed a few more months at least in the studio, and it's unfortunate that they released it in its present state. But if a patch comes alone, I'd stay DEFINITELY give it a whirl if you like adventure games, especially if you can grab it for cheap.

So much more I could talk about (SO MUCH) but this isn't a review and I already deleted one of my longer-writeups because I accidentally hit a wrong button on my damn laptop. This is my second attempt and much more too the point.

[Kelegacy]

Play the demo. I know some people loved it, but personally, I thought it played like shit. Being able to control your boomerang blade thing with SIXAXIS tilt was just about the only cool thing about the game.

Controlling the glaive was one of the best parts, but I'd rather not use the Sixaxis. To hell with that. Sounds like a chore.

I played the demo and wrote it off...heck, I didn't even finish it. Months later I saw a guy on EvAv selling it (HALO 32), so I traded a game with him and got to try it out. I'm glad I did.

Still, one of my favorite games of the year so far. One of those games that will have to be an underappreciated classic. Too bad, because I'd love to see a sequel. I loved feeling like a badass.

[Spigot]

The game oozes awesome ideas, like physics-based puzzles and item-building to get past enemies and areas. Great presentation, too. I am really liking the game because it's an experience I've seldom met on the consoles. Again, it has its issues, but if you're willing to look past them, there is a great game, or ghost of a great game depending on how you view it, here.
I've heard this said about Alone In The Dark a few times. It is brimming with fantastic ideas but the execution leaves a bit to be desired...

[Karak]

Overrated Tales of Vesparia-All the reasons I have explained in the other threads about it
Underrated Baja-Just joy when from one moment of the other with air better or equal to Pure but races that actually require skill...Pure awesome