Hidden/underrated gems
Posted: Sun Nov 30, 2008 8:34 pm
Just wanted to plug a few games I like that either aren't rated so hot, or aren't well known, but I had tons of fun with.
* Draglade for DS by Atlus
Platformer + RPG + Beat 'em Up. Plus, there's online play and unlockable characters and magic.
You choose from one of four characters in single-player, and each has their own story. Each are essentially pokemon-esque ("Become the greatest Draglade (musical weapon) duelist!"), with different elements, personalities, side-kicks and rivals for each character. I didn't actually use the musical aspect of the weapons at all, just fighting in general and all the spell you unlock is sufficient enough.
You should check it out if you're a fan of Beat 'em Ups or more actiony RPGs.
* Psychonauts for Xbox/PC/PS2 by DoubleFine
Duh. Do I have to write anything here?
You're a psychic kid running AWAY from the circus to join a summer camp for psychic kids. It's a great platformer, with interesting characters and awesome levels, and purely fun to play. I don't know what's all this about a "wall" people are talking about, yes parts of the last level is hard, but it wasn't THAT hard. o.o
It's especially fun to search for hidden items and stuff once you have your levitation ball. You can run around on it, gain tons of momentum, jump all over the place, and then use it to glide down slowly.
Levels consist of things from black-velvet mexican bull fighter's mind, to napoleon freak's board-game mind, to a 50's neighborhood-esque world twisted on itself in the mind of a paranoid conspiracy theorist.
GET IT NOW. STEAM, XBOX 360, DOUBLEFINE.COM. I own two copies myself-- my used PS2 copy and my TIM SCHAFER-SIGNED PC VERSION. *snuggles*
I also bought it for all my friends on Steam LAST Christmas when it dropped to like $10 for a sale.
* Graffiti Kingdom for PS2 by AgeTec
An awesome platformer with it's most awesome mechanic being drawing the characters you morph into. Not only is that neat enough, but you can unlock and assign different parts as different thing (leg, arm, tail, wheel, wings, etc...) which each do their own thing. The shape and size you draw them also come into play, for example the larger you draw your body, the bigger certain attacks will be, the longer your legs, the higher you jump (though you unlock several jump types and flying eventually).
You should also check YouTube for some really well-made characters. Mine are pretty rudimentary, but I enjoy playing as a moose with two giant wheels replacing it's hind legs, and a horse that runs backwards and shoots fire out of it's ass. I also have a pikachu and some other things.
Oh, you can also see my cruddy video review here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DqhnmTVTU8&fmt=18
* Dodge That Anvil! for PC by Rabid Labs
Not a very deep game, but a pretty fun ... I don't even know the genre. You go around picking carrots and avoiding anvils. It's really fun. :P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfpFWWhPR38&fmt=18
* Draglade for DS by Atlus
Platformer + RPG + Beat 'em Up. Plus, there's online play and unlockable characters and magic.
You choose from one of four characters in single-player, and each has their own story. Each are essentially pokemon-esque ("Become the greatest Draglade (musical weapon) duelist!"), with different elements, personalities, side-kicks and rivals for each character. I didn't actually use the musical aspect of the weapons at all, just fighting in general and all the spell you unlock is sufficient enough.
You should check it out if you're a fan of Beat 'em Ups or more actiony RPGs.
* Psychonauts for Xbox/PC/PS2 by DoubleFine
Duh. Do I have to write anything here?
You're a psychic kid running AWAY from the circus to join a summer camp for psychic kids. It's a great platformer, with interesting characters and awesome levels, and purely fun to play. I don't know what's all this about a "wall" people are talking about, yes parts of the last level is hard, but it wasn't THAT hard. o.o
It's especially fun to search for hidden items and stuff once you have your levitation ball. You can run around on it, gain tons of momentum, jump all over the place, and then use it to glide down slowly.
Levels consist of things from black-velvet mexican bull fighter's mind, to napoleon freak's board-game mind, to a 50's neighborhood-esque world twisted on itself in the mind of a paranoid conspiracy theorist.
GET IT NOW. STEAM, XBOX 360, DOUBLEFINE.COM. I own two copies myself-- my used PS2 copy and my TIM SCHAFER-SIGNED PC VERSION. *snuggles*
I also bought it for all my friends on Steam LAST Christmas when it dropped to like $10 for a sale.
* Graffiti Kingdom for PS2 by AgeTec
An awesome platformer with it's most awesome mechanic being drawing the characters you morph into. Not only is that neat enough, but you can unlock and assign different parts as different thing (leg, arm, tail, wheel, wings, etc...) which each do their own thing. The shape and size you draw them also come into play, for example the larger you draw your body, the bigger certain attacks will be, the longer your legs, the higher you jump (though you unlock several jump types and flying eventually).
You should also check YouTube for some really well-made characters. Mine are pretty rudimentary, but I enjoy playing as a moose with two giant wheels replacing it's hind legs, and a horse that runs backwards and shoots fire out of it's ass. I also have a pikachu and some other things.
Oh, you can also see my cruddy video review here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DqhnmTVTU8&fmt=18
* Dodge That Anvil! for PC by Rabid Labs
Not a very deep game, but a pretty fun ... I don't even know the genre. You go around picking carrots and avoiding anvils. It's really fun. :P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfpFWWhPR38&fmt=18
But I'll buy it off steam when my new comp comes to appease the gods! 