If critics were the ones to decide which games got to be played, the world of video gaming would be an emptier place indeed. For every game that the critics get right, there seems to always be one that they whiff on. Great games often get gutter rates when the critic doesn’t understand how to appreciate the game they have in their hands.
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The author was specifically asked to find games that either had few official reviews or mixed and bad reviews. So while games likeHitman 3,Chivalry 2, orScarlet Nexuswere disgracefully underrepresented at The Game Awards, they did receive some critical acclaim (even if they deserved more). The games that made this list were ones that reviewers were divided on, disliked, or forgotten about entirely.
10Overboard!
Given the vastcollection of free horror games on Steam, maybe it’s no surprise that a cute game likeOverboard!went unnoticed. The genius of overboard isn’t that the horror is finding the killer. It’s being the killer and getting away with it.
This game is so underrated that most reviews redirect to a game from 1997 or a Goldie Hawn 1987 movie by the same name. Those who playOverboard!love it, but the entire internet seems like it’s got some catching up to do.
9Mundaun
Hand sketched games in greyscale might seem outdated to some, but the amount of artistry allowed for the medium is perfect, especially in a horror game.Mundaundeserves to be thought of as one ofthe best-looking Indie games of 2021.
Critics, unfortunately, didn’t feel the same way about the game. One critic even called the classic look “technically outdated.” That’s technically correct, but that’s the point. The mood was perfect for horror games, not so much for critics that demanded higher resolutions.
8Cris Tales
JRGs have given rise to some memorable protagonistsand villains.Cris Taleshas a wonderful story, a distinct art style, and, yes, more characters to love and hate. But it’s a JRPG and that should give readers all they need to know about how the critics handled it.
Turn-based combat is not for everybody.Cris Talesisn’t a game designed to make anyone’s sweat hit their keyboard/controller. It’s a thoughtful game, meant to be enjoyed. The fans understood, unfortunately, they’re not the ones in control of the official scoring.
7Narita Boy
The are manygames likeNarita Boythat try to bring the magic of classic gaming to a newer generation. The old-school look and simple platforming and slashing hit the spot for gamers that long for an era of a simple premise with deep possibilities.
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As is the case with many retro-looking games,Narita Boywas not appreciated by the reviewers who are constantly looking for graphics to get bigger and bolder. The classic music didn’t seem to get them in a better mood, even if the gamers that they are supposed to represent appreciated it.
6The Wild At Heart
In an era wherepuzzle games keep amping up the difficulty,The Wild At Heartkeeps it just complex enough to demand thought but not so much so that players need to exit and find a guide. It’s an adorable game with a lot of love poured into it.
The critics never took notice ofThe Wild At Heart, which remains unranked on most platforms due to a lack of official recognition. Bigger names likeLuigi’s MansionandPikminsteal the spotlight in this category of gaming style but, given a fair shake,The Wild At Heartbelong right next to those titles.
5Boyfriend Dungeon
Is it OK to make a game for non-gamers?Boyfriend Dungeonseems to think so as it is one of the easiest dungeon-crawlers to pick up. Wrapped up in a dating simulator, this is the perfect gateway game for many players that don’t know they love video gaming yet.
How did this sit with the hardcore gamers in charge of assigning reviews? Not well. The game outperformed expectations and was thankfully successful despite the gatekeeping at the higher echelons of the video game industry elite.
4The Dark Pictures Anthology: House Of Ashes
The narrative inThe Dark Pictures Anthology: House Of Ashesis told in a unique way that needs to be experienced to accurately describe. The story takes itself seriously, unlike many other horror franchises that have devolved into comedy. This is a scary game for grown-ups.
Its predecessor,The Dark Pictures Anthology: Little Hope, came out in 2020 with equally divided reviews. Unsurprisingly, the same critics that didn’t understand why people enjoyed the first game also had no clue why anybody enjoyed the second game either.
3The Ascent
The dungeon crawler can feel played out in the medieval setting. Give it a cyberpunk style with sci-fi guns and suddenly it feels fresh. The Ascent brings great music, solid voice acting, and character-building that errs on the side of being bold.
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But just try finding a collection of official reviews onThe Ascent. Despite YouTubers and live streamers giving it plenty of exposure, bigger outlets couldn’t be bothered to pick up the Indie title. IfThe Ascentisn’t worth a review, no indie game is.
2Oddworld: Soulstorm
All the good things aboutOddworld: New ‘N’ Tasty? Add in a crafting system and new chanting mechanics and the series then gets some much-needed complexity forOddworld: Soulstorm. The story and characters are as engaging as they’ve ever been.
1Neptunia ReVerse
Neptunia ReVerseis fan service at its finest. Take the characters in a beloved universe, expand on them, add some layers to the combat, and give gamers more things to do. This is a recipe that many franchises desperately need.
Neptunia ReVersemanaged to be one of the worst-rated games of 2021. Everybody had an excuse, of course. They didn’t like JRPGs, the graphics weren’t worthy of the PlayStation 5, they didn’t like the fishing minigame, the character moves were too dynamic, etc. Why people who hate the genre or the series got to review this game is a journalistic mystery.
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