Top 10 Lists: The Top 10 Underappreciated Games Of The Last Generation

Games come and go. Some games are remembered, most are lost to obscurity. Of those that survive, many survive only because people know the name association, though they are considered sub-par games. Now that we are quite a ways into a generation, with no leftovers from the last nor news of the next, things have quieted down in the video game world somewhat, and I think it is time we take a retrospective look at some of the titles of the last generation that deserve better. These games are either obscure titles that deserve more recognition, or games that got recognition, but lots of it negative, and deserve better for whatever reason. And just what do I mean by the "last generation?" Anything released on the Playstation2, the Xbox, the Gamecube, the Gameboy Advance, the Dreamcast, and all PC games released from 2001 to 2006 are up for grabs in this one. All those systems can be considered the "last generation" from our viewpoint, although the dreamcast faded much more quickly than the others. Ultimately, then, this is a tribute to games that usually don't make it to top ten lists, that may be on the top ten boards or FAQs for a system, but just because of name recognition, and games whose lives simply are not over, even if we do have superior technology now than we did five years ago. Begin!

We begin this list with a game familiar to many. Under-appreciated? It's pretty high up on the boards, you say. But ask any Fire Emblem fan what the worst game in the series is, and this will be the answer more than half the time. There are reasons. For one, the translation was less than perfect, to say the least. For another, the game was pretty short; just 20 chapters. And although there were two paths, it still had less plot than most other Fire Emblem games to date, except for the first one and all remakes thereof. The characters are rather lackluster as well, and the game overall does not seem as gripping as the immediate predecessor. A lot of the hate for this game comes from people who don't think it measures up to the rest of the series. And they may be right. But it is a great game in its own right, and has deeper gameplay than several others in the series. With to sidequest areas, random battles, revisitations of shops, and branched promotion, there are many gameplay opportunities that simply do not exist in other entries in the series. Want a max-stat character for battle arena? You can do that in this game without long hours of grinding for the perfect level-ups. Get a character late and underleveled that you want to use? Go to a sidequest area to train him up. Don't have enough chapters left to get the supports you wanted? No problem; sidequest areas can do that for you. The gameplay has more possibilities than most other strategy RPGs. You can play through the game half a dozen times in different ways. There are more choices to be made than in any other entry in the series. Ephraim or Eirika? Wyvern lord or Wyvern knight? Bishop or sage? The possibilities go one.

Skies of Arcadia was released for the Dreamcast, and then re-released as Skies of Arcadia: Legends for the Gamecube. The games are nearly identical, with just a few things added in the remake as sidequests. This game is at once extreemly cliched and completely original. Pirates? Who rob from the rich and help the poor? We've seen that theme. But on flying ships? in an otherwise industrial-era setting? New. Sea captain who wants revenge on a whale. Captain Ahab anyone? But it is played out extremely well in the game, and it does not feel so cliched by the end. Numerous other examples exist. But perhaps one of my favorite things the game does in the two-type battle system. Most battles are "normal" battles that are fought with characters on the deck of a ship or in a dungeon, equipped with weapons, using the standard RPG turn-based battle system. The second type is called a ship battle, where your ship gets into a skirmish with another. Your four characters can fire cannons, small guns, or torpedoes on the enemy, or even use magic attacks on the entire enemy ship. Every now and then, you can use a special cannon to do massive damage. But watch out! You have warning when the enemy is about to strike you big time. That is a time to maneuver your ship out of the firing zone, if possible. Want to do extra damage? Fire a torpedo so it hits when another cannon is firing. The combination will do bonus damage. There are many other nuances to ship fighting, but I cannot go into detail about them here. Suffice it to say that it is quite fun to have two completely different battle systems in one game. The gameplay is just amazing. But I have not even touched on the story. Or the sidequests. Want to try to guess who's evil and who's not from the start? Want to try to guess who the final boss is? Want to try to figure out what's really happening? It's harder than you might expect. If you pay attention to details, you might figure out more plot points earlier. I can't say much more without spoiling the story. But this game is relatively underappreciated, because the Dreamcast was a flop, and by the time it was re-released, it was already past its prime. Too bad, because it was a great game, and still is.

Dark cloud is weird. I want to get that out of the way. And there is virtually no story. Oh, and the characters are pretty generic. A normal boy, a humanoid cat, a small boy with a hammer, a genie, an indian lance-fighter, and a space rabbit. Original, yes, but relatively generic in terms of depth. The whole point of the game is the gameplay. Want more weapons? Make them yourself. Want elemental effects? Put them on your weapons. Everything can be modified. Even the towns. Don't like where that building is? Put it somewhere else. Don't like the look of that totem pole? Move it, or remove it. Of course, this is part of the game; making everyone happy in each town. One person wishes he were closer to a certain store. Another wants to be near the one he loves. One tribe really cares about how the totem poles face relative to houses. And of course, as you make more people happy, you get more stuff. This helps you advance the gameplay even more. Yes, Dark Cloud is certainly an underappreciated game. It may not have a ton of replay value, but you can go on for a long time on just your initial file, as there is so much to do.

Ah, Tribes 2. Only a couple hundred people still play this regularly online, that I know of. Released in 2001, it remains one of the most unique First Person Shooters to date. Don't like walking everywhere? Don't worry, everyone has built-in jetpacks for short-range flying. Think it takes too long to find weapons? Select an ideal load-out and step into an inventory station to get exactly that, as well as get completely healed. Want to have more HP? Switch to a heavier armor, which gives up speed for HP and firepower. Not content with one or two weapons? The heaviest armor can hold five. And there are many more gameplay features for the new player to discover. There is virtually no single-player mode, (five separate missions is all,) but the multiplayer more than makes up for it. There is even a map-maker, where you can design and edit maps to play on against other players. And the best part of all this? It is now free and legal. Dynamix, the maker, went out of business, and you can get the game for free and legally at tribesnext.com which is dedicated to making sure those who want to play the game can continue to do so even though the original servers for online multiplayer are now offline. It may be mostly forgotten, but it is free and fun. Why not?

Say the words "Elder scrolls" to most people, and the word "Oblivion" pops into their heads. With good reason. Oblivion was a true masterpiece of free-form gaming. But somewhat forgotten under the mat is the third game in the series, Morrowind. I think the dungeons are more creative in Morrowind than in Oblivion, and I personally find it a more satisfying experience than any of the others in the series. But it has been all but swallowed up in the fame of its little brother. Morrowind, I think, is more fun, more rewarding, and more diverse than Oblivion. There is far too much in the game to even get started. But suffice it to say that if you like open-ended games, you will love Morrowind. It keeps on going. And going. And seemingly never stops.

The Kirby series hasn't seen much action in recent years, which I think is kind of sad. After all, it is one of the best platforming series ever, in my opinion. Kirby is a pink puffball who can eat enemies and gain an ability off of them. In addition to that and floating, he can roll along the ground kicking stuff, shoot air out of his mouth at high enough speeds to damage enemies, and that pretty much sums it up. The main variety comes from the large number of enemies you can swallow, and the different abilities they give. Nightmare in Dreamland was famous for its time, but now lies mostly forgotten at the bottom of bargain bins in game stores across the world, or forgotten in game drawers of gamers who just never play it anymore. Very sad, as it is an excellent game, exemplifying all those reasons we like Kirby, which all fall under creativity. Love you Kirby, hope you come back soon.

A remake of Final Fantasy Adventure, for the original Gameboy, this game is a total remake. Everything is completely redone. Graphics, sound, even the story a little bit. True, this game is short, beatable in less than 10 hours if you know what you are doing. But it is an excellent Seiken Densetsu game, and is better than the ever loved Secret of Mana, in my opinion. With a very dark story line, surprising plot points, deep characters, and excellent gameplay, this is truly a gem among games. And i you want a completely complete file, you will have to put hundreds of hours into it. That's how much there is here. Sidequests galore, great story, and impressive gameplay. If only the main quest were a little longer, it might have gained more recognition.

Toon Link. The hero of this game. Yes, it was a shock to many fans of the series. Sailing between islands. Long fetch quests. All these combine to make many dislike this game. But beyond that, you have creative gameplay, great music, interesting dungeons, and did I mention the gameplay? If the sailing really annoys you that much, get going in the right direction and read a book while you wait for your isladn to appear on the horizon. This game was so successful that it spawned a sequel in Phantom Hourglass, and word is that the next in the series, Spirit Tracks, will be a third game with the same Link. Unheard of before now. This game is one on the list that everyone knows about, and it has a large fanbase. But it also has more detractors than any other Zelda game, mostly by people who don't appreciate how greatly involving the game is. Once you can get beyond the graphics and sailing, it is an excellent game well worth playing.

This game neither sold well nor got good reviews. It is pretty slow, the characters pretty much fall into stereotypes, and the gameplay can be annoying at times. But not enough people see the good points. For example, this game has the most jaw-dropping plot twist I have ever seen in a video game. I can't go into detail, but it was completely unexpected my first playthrough, and is hardly ever mentioned on the boards for fear of new people accidentally finding out about it without playing first. The gameplay is also interesting. It is card-based, which is nothing new. However, as time goes on, cards change. Unripe bananas cards change to bananas cards, which are a healing item. These then change to brown bananas. Similarly, wine turns to vinegar, flaming swords lose their fire, and water goes stale. Timing can be important. Want a good card for a boss battle? Don't get it right now, or it will be gone by the time you get there. Wait until later to get it so that it is still fresh. While the voice acting is part of what turned many gamers off, you can mute the speaking and leave the excellent music (Composed by the masterful Motoi Sakuraba) running. While this game may not offer a ton of replay value, it is still worth playing through at least once. And if you find it cheap, go for it.

Ah, the number one game on this list. The best Castlevania ever, I think. Yes, that includes Symphony of the Night or Aria of Sorrow. Not that those games are bad, but this game blows them both away. Your weapon is your whip. No sword, knives, or any of that. Just a whip. Your subweapons run on hearts, not magic. Hearts do not replenish when you save or gradually over time. Old-school style here. And the magic system is incredible. You have two types of cards: Elemental cards and action cards. By combining one of each, you get a certain effect. One action card gives the paired elemental card's elemental property to the whip, allowing you to have an ice whip, a fire whip, or any other elemental card that you have in your possession. Another card allows you to summon a beast that flies across the screen doing elemental damage of the type that you have equipped. Yet another gives you different stat-boosts depending on your elemental card. The possibilities are numerous. And the game is hard. Other Metroid-vanias have become somewhat wimped down, allowing you to beat them with relative ease. Not so here. Circle of the Moon is a challenge through and through. (At least until you memorize everything.) And you want to talk about gameplay modes? Aria of sorrow had two. Portrait of Ruin had four. Circle of the Moon had five. Vampire-killer is normal, with average stats all around. Magician mode starts you with incredibly low physical stats, but high magic stats AND all magic cards from the start. No more having to get enemies to drop them. When you beat that, you get fighter mode, who will never get a magic card, but starts off with such high HP and attack (which go up really fast as you level) that you will have a dead easy time beating the game. When you beat that, you unlock shooter, which gets a special subweapon called the homing knife that is just like a regular dagger except it homes in on any enemt in the room. If you manage to beat that, you get the final mode, thief. You have incredibly high luck, which means you are virtually guaranteed drops by everything. Low stats, but you don't need 500 HP when you have 30 potions in your inventory. All these modes are incredibly satisfying. The music is mostly remixes of old Castlevania tunes, so you get nostalgic very quickly. And they don't waste too much time on a story, as that's not what holds Castlevania fans over multiple playthroughs. This game focuses on the gameplay, which it does a fantastic job of. You will probably play through at least half a dozen times before you truly figure out all the secrets of the game. And even then, you may have to use a walkthrough.

Well, that's about it. the games are pretty much ranked in order of how enjoyable the games are, not the amount by which they are under-appreciated. There are tons of other games that could go on the list, but these are the ones I felt most deserved more than they get. Every generation we get games that are underrated. And I just wonder what a list like this will look like next generation.

List by Barbarossa89 (09/11/2009)