The Underrated

[Benji]

As I was looking through my collection of games (Read; Tekken/Final Fantasy Collection ) I noticed a few games, but one stood out more than most, Final Fantasy IX.

Now call me crazy, but I started it again recently and realised how brilliant it was, to me, it was even better than FF7 (bar the Necron ending which I ignore). The characters were brilliant and the history and change within them all amazingly detailed, the storyline had logic and lacked plotholes (which can't be said for FF7's myriad) and it had a series of mini-games, side quests and treasure hunts that could keep one going for days IMO.

So yeah, what do you think is the most underrated game?

NOTE: Cheers whoever moved this.

Edited October 22, 2005 by Benjirino~!

[zero]

Skies of Arcadia for the Dreamcast. One of the best RPGs I've ever played, and leagues ahead of the last FF game. Awesome story, a great cast of characters where you cared about everyone, a very cool battle system, and you're a pirate! What more can you ask for? Of course it got no love cause it was on the Dreamcast and then later moved to the Cube, where people cared even less. You owe it to yourself to find a way to play this game because it is just so fucking good.

And Benji, agreed 100% on FF9. It's my favorite one besides FF6 and definitely the best of the last-gen and way better than any FF offering on the PS2.

[lanky316]

I could point to so many games on "Home of the Underdogs" which are underrated and don't get the kudos they deserve. It'd be impossible to list them all. Even now I'm thinking of some games that are deserving and ones that the more I think about the more I wish I could get hold of/would work on mah pc.

[Vilge Duin]

I bought a Dreamcast specifically for Skies of Arcadia. Loved the idea of the game from the moment I first read about it. Air pirates was just too cool. Alas my Dreamcast bit the dust one my second playthrough of the game.

FF9 is shit on mostly by people who never experienced the ones before it... all of them. I can proudly say that I still have my original Final Fantasy cartidge, instruction manual and map. Box is long gone though. It's a whimsical tale of fantasy that serves as a sendoff to the rest of the series. A lot of people who hate it go on about it being a "Rehash" or "Parody" when that's the intention. It incorporates elements from 8 games before and tries to be its own game and does so admirably.

One of my favourite games is Earthbound. I'm shocked at how few people have heard of the game and even fewer like it. The whole quirky and zany world is just to screwed up not to enjoy. Who doesn't like fighting New Age Retro Hippies? A great game with a different sense of humour, endearing characters and a modern RPG setting.

[Enter Blue Guy]

Earthbound was classic. What a great game.

For me it has to Saturday Night Slam Masters for SNES. I rented that game religiously for years. Classic wrestler selection, great music (Capcom always delivered the goods), I loved the world tour aspect of the game, plus it was so much damn fun. It was like Final Fight meets WWF.

Also, for fighting games, everybody always talks about Mortal Kombat, Tekken, Street Fighter, but back in the day I enjoyed no fighting games more then the Fatal Fury series. Joe was the fucking man!

Edited October 22, 2005 by Enter Blue Guy

[naiwf]

Skies of Arcadia for the Dreamcast. One of the best RPGs I've ever played, and leagues ahead of the last FF game. Awesome story, a great cast of characters where you cared about everyone, a very cool battle system, and you're a pirate! What more can you ask for? Of course it got no love cause it was on the Dreamcast and then later moved to the Cube, where people cared even less. You owe it to yourself to find a way to play this game because it is just so fucking good.

[Fanku Kaibutsu]

I loved Earthbound, and am endlessly dissapointed the sequel never got made.

Um Jammer Lammy is one of my favorite games ever, but is constantly overshadowed by PaRappa the Rapper, despite having better songs than both PaRappa games.

[zero]

The death of Earthbound 64 is truly inexcusable.

A Skies of Arcadia sequel needs to happen... I don't get Sega lately, used to be so innovative and creative with their ideas and now they're making games like everyone else. It's a damn shame really.

[probablyoliver]

The original Soul Calibur, which was called something so much more badass on the Playstation... Soul Blade, I think.

Man that was so badass.

[Darloboy]

Earthworm Jim for the Sega Mega Drive, I remember renting it at least 10 times when I was little.

[Mick]

Lufia and the Fortress of Doom, the first one, for the SNES.

It's one of the toughest RPGs I've done, hands done. Not as hard as that God forsaken 7th Sage, but still tough none the less.

[John Stones' Paint Trophy]

Beyond Good and Evil for the PS2. My god, what a game that is. I saw it today for a fiver and told my mate to buy it because it's brilliant.

Never sold much and didnt reach the amount of home it should of.

[fineintent]

Fever Pitch on the Megadrive. No one I know has heard of that beaut.

[fourstarfizzle]

Toe Jam & Earl ruled all. That is all I have to add.

[Fanku Kaibutsu]

Beyond Good and Evil for the PS2. My god, what a game that is. I saw it today for a fiver and told my mate to buy it because it's brilliant.

[ROC]

The Capitalism series on PC.

Think of it as the Civilization of the business world, complete with insanely meticulous detail. It isn't entirely realistic (particularly in the area of electronics), but very fun and yet nicely challenging.

[apsham]

On that note ROC, the-underdogs.org added a version of that to download recently, a deluxe copy I believe.

[Toe]

Earthbound was my first RPG, and the first game that ever managed to create a true emotional response out of me besides laughter. I loved that game, and I want it now. Thanks, assholes.

Again, agreeing with EBG, Saturday Night Slam Masters. Just a great beat 'em up wrestling game that my brother and I could play forever. I would add WWF Royal Rumble in too, as it was awesome fun. Low blowing people with Flair is something you can't beat.

Also, the Spider-Man games on the SNES, Maximum Carnage and Seperation Anxiety. Seperation Anxiety especially wasn't hyped or anything, but it was just great fun. Venom and Spidey vs Carnage and some insane symbiotes.

[Vilge Duin]

Slammasters was great. It had entrances! And the Scorpio boss guy was cool. Any game with Mike Hagger in it is awesome. They so need to make another proper Final Fight with the new surge in brawlers.

Another game I used to love was Rock and Roll racing. That game holds the most rentals of any game I ever played when I was a kid. I think a good straight 3 almost 4 months I had it every weekend. Should have just bought the damn thing.

[ROC]

On that note ROC, the-underdogs.org added a version of that to download recently, a deluxe copy I believe.