stratamaster78

Aug 14 2010, 04:16 PM

Underrated:

Blue Dragon - This is an absolutely fantastic JRPG on the 360 with lots of surprising twists. It has a great Turn-Based battle system that borrows elements from series like 'Chrono' 'FF' and 'Grandia'. Tons of awesome Boss and Mini-Boss battles that require you to really use some strategy to defeat. The enemies/monsters in the game are also diverse as you don't just fight the same things over and over throughout the game..ie...leveled up versions of monsters you have fought previously. Also another cool element is the tension attacks that remind me of another RPG 'Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits. When this 'tension' meter builds up you can release devastating attacks on the enemy. All in all a super top notch JRPG that is vastly underrated.

StarMasamune

Aug 15 2010, 06:04 PM

Overrated: Final Fantasy XIII. I got completely uninterested in it about 19 hours in. Few RPGs completely un-interest me after a while playing.

Underrated: If it weren't for the combat, Mirror's Edge would be my favourite game of this generation. The I LOVED the parts where you weren't being chased, because it really made you think about your environment and induced such a thrill and adrenaline rush that few games have made me feel.

Mshkote

Aug 12 2010, 12:47 AM

browland1

Jul 27 2010, 12:35 PM

Overrated

Oblivion - Many people love this RPG, but I couldn't get into it no matter how hard I tried. I found the characters to be uninteresting, the story meandering and the endless trekking and backtracking to be incredibly boring.

Fallout 3 - Same as Oblivion. An open-world RPG that is a little too open, so I felt unfocused and unengaged when playing it.

Red Dead Redemption - Like GTA IV, I tried hard to get into this game but I just couldn't. Maybe I will eventually grow to love it as others have, but I find that I need to force myself to play it and I quickly want to put it down.

Half-Life 2 - Another shooter I couldn't really get into.

Mass Effect - I am not into futuristic RPGs and I quickly lost interest in this title.

All the Call of Duty games - I thoroughly enjoyed these titles, but I don't consider them to be the godsend of all shooters as many people claim. The online experience is nothing short of frustrating.


Underrated

Silent Hill: Homecoming - Not the best in the series, but still a spooky and challenging survival horror adventure.

Ninja Blade - Uninspired hack-n-slash game that is more stylish and fun that most people give it credit for.

Killzone - I actually didn't mind the first one. The sequel is better in every way, but I always felt that the original was better than most people gave it credit for.

Wolfenstein (2009) - The next-gen remake of the classic shooter is actually lots of fun. Super-linnear and rather simple by shooter standards, but it offers a better and more fleshed-out single player experience than any of the new Call of Duty games.

Saw - I love the movies and I felt that the video game nailed the atmoshpere and gruesome fun of the movies. This is also a good game if you're an achievement hunter.

I absolutely love Half-Life 2. Probably the best FPS I've ever played. But I'd also say it was last generation. As it was released on PC in late '04, early '05. And it was also on the Xbox.

Mshkote

Aug 12 2010, 12:39 AM

Bioshock - As good as it is and as much as I love it, it just feels kinda shallow for some reason. Haven't played 2 yet, I'll get back to you on that.

Mass Effect feels like a totally terrible and broken game once you get into the second one. Same with the two Uncharted games.

Mshkote

Aug 12 2010, 12:39 AM

Bioshock - As good as it is and as much as I love it, it just feels kinda shallow for some reason. Haven't played 2 yet, I'll get back to you on that.

Mass Effect feels like a totally terrible and broken game once you get into the second one. Same with the two Uncharted games.

RefaTheGreat

Aug 19 2010, 11:47 PM

You know what game is overrated? Castlevania Order Of Ecclesia. Unlike all of these super popular games that everyone is mentioning, which have people calling them crap/ripoffs just because the games are popular (even if subconciously), Order Of Ecclesia is almost universally well recieved, by fans and the press. But why? It's an awful game. The structure is awful, one step worse than Portrait Of Ruin. In PoR, the castle was good, but it lost a few points for making portraits (other areas) that didn't occupy physical space. This is the main draw of the Metroidvanias, being able to explore a vast space, and having "levels" kind of ruins the fun. But in PoR, these alternate levels weren't so bad, because they were expansive in their own right. However, in Order Of Ecclesia, the levels are sectioned off, totally ruining the exploration. The areas are so small and feel so insubstantial, and yet are so drawn out, that it's an excercise in tedium. And that's only one reason that this game is awful. The horrible balancing, the pathetic skill system, there's not much to like about Order Of Ecclesia.

sdcpro

Aug 20 2010, 01:21 AM

RefaTheGreat

Aug 19 2010, 11:47 PM

You know what game is overrated? Castlevania Order Of Ecclesia. Unlike all of these super popular games that everyone is mentioning, which have people calling them crap/ripoffs just because the games are popular (even if subconciously), Order Of Ecclesia is almost universally well recieved, by fans and the press. But why? It's an awful game. The structure is awful, one step worse than Portrait Of Ruin. In PoR, the castle was good, but it lost a few points for making portraits (other areas) that didn't occupy physical space. This is the main draw of the Metroidvanias, being able to explore a vast space, and having "levels" kind of ruins the fun. But in PoR, these alternate levels weren't so bad, because they were expansive in their own right. However, in Order Of Ecclesia, the levels are sectioned off, totally ruining the exploration. The areas are so small and feel so insubstantial, and yet are so drawn out, that it's an excercise in tedium. And that's only one reason that this game is awful. The horrible balancing, the pathetic skill system, there's not much to like about Order Of Ecclesia.

I liked Order of Ecclesia's style of gameplay. It seems to have a solid story as well. I didn't like that it was insanely hard lol. Having to fight forever to to save up money and buy meat that barely recovers health really ruined it to me. I also thought Portrait of Ruin was a great game as well. They both may be hyped over a little based on Dawn of Sorrow's awesome gameplay, but I don't really see how they are overrated to the point of being mentioned as such.

Games I thought were underrated:

What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord? - PSP

It's a great strategy game. Basically you play the villain and create a dungeon for heroes to come into. You have to kill the Heroes and protect the Villain with monsters. It's very strange, and quirky but extremely hard as well. It also spawned a sequel. I don't really see it mentioned anywhere at all, it really is worth a try.

browland1

 

Here's an overrated game I don't think people have mentioned yet - Demon's Souls. For me, this game defines the difference between appreciating a game and enjoying it. I appreciate some of the innovations that this game has brought to the action RPG genre, but it is so difficult and frustrating that I can't find enjoyment in it. Believe me, I've tried. There was a point where everyone was praising this game up and down the block, but I don't see why outside of the few innovations, which are admittedly impressive at first. The story is very limited and there is little character development, plus the constant deaths make this game an endurance trial.

RefaTheGreat

Aug 20 2010, 11:21 PM

Don't get me wrong, Castlevania Portrait Of Ruin isn't overrated, it's just not perfect. I think it's a fantastic game. Castlevania Order Of Ecclesia on the other hand? Now that, quite simply, is awful.

sdcpro

Aug 20 2010, 11:50 PM

RefaTheGreat

Aug 20 2010, 11:21 PM

Don't get me wrong, Castlevania Portrait Of Ruin isn't overrated, it's just not perfect. I think it's a fantastic game. Castlevania Order Of Ecclesia on the other hand? Now that, quite simply, is awful.

Then your post was pretty confusing. At the first point you were talking about Ecclesia then you jumped onto Portrait of Ruin. The topic does state to talk about overrated and underrated games and the thoughts flowed from one to the other, so it was very easy to get confused. Please write your thoughts clearer so there won't be misunderstandings in the future.

browland1

Feb 7 2011, 03:36 PM

I'm intersted in The Darkness and Dark Sector since others have mentioned them in this thread. I bought both games dirt cheap at Future Shop and I have yet to play either, so I think I'll put them on the top of the pile. I've played through most of the games I deem "essential", so it's time to give some love to older titles