Since I gave up on Youtube (it's not a good time for somebody to start going public because of Youtube's new promotion of long videos uploaded EVERY DAY, plus I had a hard time finding decent quality videos for what I was trying to portray), and I really wanted to make countdowns, here was what I was working on for the past two weeks.There have been many a game that have been ignored, disliked for the wrong reasons, or shoved aside because of more anticipated titles. Today, I will be commending what I believe to be the best of those games that are, well, underpraised. Whether being due to bad ratings, stubbornness in specific circles, bad sales, being outside of the publics comfort zone, or a poorer reception than what I personally feel is appropriate. A few disclaimers and rules to keep in mind:

1. I must have played the game MYSELF, enough to acquire an opinion of the game.
2. These are rated by how well they fit the description of “Underpraised.”
3. Understand that this is my personal opinion. This isn’t in any way “factual.” (Don't think it is!)
4. I will try as hard as I can to not reveal too much about any of these, no matter how old they are.
5. I will describe what I think makes the game underpraised due to these factors in order if applicable: plotline, gameplay, characterization. I will try to avoid that later. Try is the key word
6. The cover art is after the last text of each segment, which I will mark with an asterisk.
   

LET US BEGIN!

Number 6

This title has always been disliked by a specific community of stubborn people (I would so love to say what I really think about them) that has a problem with anything that differs from their ideas, and they end up calling it bad outright without ever giving the game a chance to impress them. At number 6, we have Final Fantasy VII: Dirge of Cerberus. This game gets poorly received by the majority of the Final Fantasy fanbase (particularly those who obsess over Final Fantasy VII). I’d disagree.

The plot takes place 3 years after the events of Final Fantasy VII, which I won’t spoil. You play as Vincent Valentine, trying to stop a group of SOLDIERs (let’s say terrorists, somewhat appropriate) known as the Deepground who intend to summon a Weapon (creature that can create fairly serious havoc) known as Omega, though they intended Vincent to aid them, that didn’t happen. That was because he was pursued by the elite of the group; He ran and eventually consulted the WRO (an organization that wants to save the world from the havoc of Omega). This is who you work for the entire game, well most of it. As you can see, the plot isn’t easily understood, and it’s worse trying to avoid spoilers. The plot makes more sense after playing the game for a while.

The game plays like a combination of a Final Fantasy game and a third person shooter. You can shoot people with a gun. You can still go a melee route as well if you want to deflect attacks or if you wanted to save ammo (as it is limited). There is also a stealth segment in which you actually play as Cait Sith, some sort of goofy looking stealth operative cat, I guess. Defeating opponents gives you Gil, (Final Fantasy’s term for money) and experience which can be used to level-up, but also to be exchanged for Gil to buy Potions and Ethers from jukeboxes… That is interesting to say the least.

Character development is a quintessential part of the game’s plotline, as you discover who Vincent as you play through the game and watch cut scenes, some of which are flashbacks. Vincent Valentine is a character that’s somewhat secretive, and usually speaks of his past in a cryptic way that is difficult to understand. Though part of that is just his quiet personality, as he says fairly little in-game unless it’s of some importance. His moral compass is what guides him to the quest at hand, as he despises Hojo (who is the actual main antagonist of the spin-off title) for his immoral actions, some of which are revealed to you as you play the game.

If you missed out on this game because you heard that it was bad without a real explanation behind the answer you were given, give it a chance. You might like it. *

Number 5

This is one example of a game that got vastly overshadowed by other games that outperformed it in sales. It is a platformer from the days of the N64, so of course if it isn’t Banjo-Kazooie, DK64, Super Mario 64, or Conker’s Bad Fur Day it will be overshadowed, as those were quite the contenders. Number 5 is Gex 2: Enter the Gecko. The game hardly had a chance when it released with the others it had to compete with and got ignored by the masses therefore. Let me tell you, this game is quite the gem. If you haven’t played it and you’re curious, IT IS WORTH YOUR TIME. Stop watching TLC or Duck Dynasty or whatever supposedly reality piece of junk.

The game’s story is about a TV-obsessed anthropomorphic Hawaiian gecko who was summoned by secret agents to stop the evil Rez from controlling the Media Dimension and… ensuring the longevity of bad TV? Yeah Gex as a series does not take itself seriously, as you can tell.

The game plays like the swell platformers of its day, except YOU ARE A FLIPPING GECKO! You can climb on walls, using your tail to hit enemies, and bouncing on your tail to perform some sort of high jump. In the levels you collect remotes so you can access later channels by reaching certain areas of the level or doing something that grants you the remote. So you’ll probably enjoy it if you played other platformers of its time.

Gex’s character doesn’t really have any dynamism, though he is a gecko that has been sheltered to TV for his entire life. What would you expect? I would expect TONS of fourth wall breaks that allude to media, and an extremely comedic personality. In other words, Gex is the Lizard Pinkie Pie with a TV obsession. even though he’s really the only character in the game other than Rez, I think Secretly Reptilian Pinkie Pie is enough to enjoy.

Yes it is a simple game, but it is a great example of how simple works. With the tons of fun pacific islander gecko as your main character, I can’t see (supposed to reference TF2, but sound didn't work :-/ ) how you can go too wrong really.*

Number 4

I have no idea why everyone seems to ignore this game and mention it so rarely. IT’S A SPIRITUAL SEQUEL TO A CLASSIC (No not THAT Classic!) , and IT WAS RATED 9.7/10 BY IGN! The subject of discussion today is Chrono Cross, the sequel to CHRONO TRIGGER (Which is constantly raved about by RPG lovers everywhere if you somehow don’t know about it).

The story takes place twenty years after the events of Chrono Trigger and centers on a young man named Serge. He goes out to collect scales for his girlfriend. They get to the beach and Serge is transported to an alternate dimension. Of course, this dimension being a dimension where he should not exist because he drowned ten years earlier. This is Serge trying to get back to his former life. It takes quite a few steps.

Now for the better reason it’s underpraised: the game’s mechanics. Good job foursides (or Square).

The game is obviously an RPG. The navigation system works similarly to the Tales series and some Final Fantasy games where you have scaled-down 2D over worlds (two of them in one game here, actually), but unlike it there are no enemies in the games two over worlds. When you get in an area, of course, it returns to 3D and normal size. The battle system is turn-based, allowing a strategical approach, with abilities that function similarly to Final Fantasy VII’s Materia, as in you find and buy abilities that you can equip to use in battle, which have elemental typings and STAB boosts based on your characters innate typing like in Pokémon. Also, these abilities are cast from a Stamina meter, which can go up to 7. Abilities cost one stamina for each level. Stamina also regenerates over time, of course. There are also character specific techniques that use this meter.

A unique element of this game that was rare for RPGs at that time is something like crafting in Fallout or Skyrim where you get materials to make weapons and armor. Though in this game, you cannot buy weapons and armor from vendors. Only consumable items and abilities (called Elements).
In other words, those who love the RPG genre should come to the yard for this. Well if they gave it an actual look.*

Number 3

This next game has been talked about a little bit by some people, but a little bit, even from the people who agree with my opinion here, hasn’t quite given it the justice it deserves. Perhaps the only TV-inspired game I really liked, it’s SpongeBob: the Battle for Bikini Bottom.

The storyline flows somewhat like a Spongebob episode or two, where Plankton attempts to steal the secret formula, this time sending out hordes of robots (which of course backfires, somewhat as they kick him out and take over Bikini Bottom for themselves). SpongeBob wakes up the morning after to realize his house has been destroyed, and sees Plankton distressed, and wants to help him in his childish nature. The game chronicles his adventure to stop the menace of the robots to save the town.

This game is a somewhat normal 3D platformer in some respects. You go through areas that should be familiar to you if you have watched a few of the fairly aged Spongebob episodes that released forom 1999 to about 2002-2003 and collect objects that you use along your journey. These objects include: Golden Spatulas that allow you to access new levels if you have enough, Golden Underwear which can grant you 1 additional maximum health, and SHIIIINNNNYY THIIIIIIINGS that are used for currency, because THEY’RE SHINY. You can go through these levels as one of three different characters: SpongeBob, Sandy, or Patrick. Each has different skillsets that can allow you to clear levels that others can’t.

Characterization is pretty much on spot. The characters are just like the characters in the TV show right down to WHO DID THE VOICE ACTING FOR EACH OF THEM. The characters keep their humorous traits, like SpongeBob’s lack of intelligence and Squidward’s perfectly reasonable negativity, reasonable as it’s probably hard not to be negative if you have to deal with SpongeBob as a neighbor honestly.

If you like good, old early 2000’s Spongebob at its best, GET THIS GAME IF YOU CAN. I highly recommend it unless you hate platformers (However outlandish that may be).*

Number 2

A game treated in a similar way to number six (except much more extreme), despised for no apparent reason by many more than an entire, HUGE community. In fact, I know a few that will probably trash what I say about Shadow the Hedgehog. Some are even not part of the Sonic Adventure 2 or bust crazies. You should have expected something like this, honestly. You know who you are.

The story of Shadow the Hedgehog is of course about a hedgehog named Shadow, who is in a state of amnesia somewhat soon after the events of Sonic Adventure 2: Battle. He forgot his entire life other than “MARIA!” Which was NOT a love interest (Why are fanfiction-based ships usually disgusting?), but more rather a longtime friend with a serious ailment. The game is Shadow trying to figure out who he is and his past, and trying to cure Maria.

The gameplay is what most people criticize. Sure it’s different than every Sonic title up to date, but can you really say that it’s bad just because it treads completely new ground? That would be like saying Dr. Mario is one of the worst games of all time just because it ISN’T A PLATFORMER. Anyways, this mixes a third person shooter with a somewhat slow Sonic platforming style. This is probably what you’ll get if you mix Sonic Adventure 2 with Dirge of Cerberus. The way the game plays is a prime demonstration of such.

Shadow the Hedgehog is a lot like Vincent Valentine in many ways, though Shadow doesn’t really have as much of a moral compass. His sense of morality is as lost as anyone should be roaming the Sahara without a map(of course unless you're the Ace Cartographer, Phoenix Magellan!) He’s only guided along this journey through a need for self-assessment, embarking on a quest to learn about himself.*

Recap

Before we get to discuss what I believe to be the most underpraised game I’ve played, let’s recap. Number 6 was Dirge of Cerberus. At Number 5, Gex: Enter the Gecko. Fourth was Chrono Cross. In the 3^rd spot was SpongeBob: Battle for Bikini Bottom. Second place was Shadow the Hedgehog.

Number 1

This is a gem from the DS era that I feel like should have sold quite a few more copies than it did, particularly in North America. Here it hardly sold. Few seemed to have payed any attention to this wondrous game. I haven’t even heard much justice done for it by those who’ve actually played it. In my humble opinion, the most underpraised game is Contact for the Nintendo DS.

The story is about a boy named Terry (or whatever you want to name him. He could be named Biggles). The boy is in the park sleeping on a bench, when suddenly he gets thrust into a conflict between a professor and a terrorist organization. The professor lands in the park where Terry was sleeping on a bench daydreaming of his… love interest (who could play a part in the story herself)? The professor pleads for his help in stopping the terrorist organization, known as the CosmoNOTs, and Terry agrees. When Terry gets on the ship and the Professor pilots it into space to defeat the terrorists after him, the ship gets hit with a crippling blow to his power supply of some sort of energy cells that look like emeralds. Afterwards, he merges it with a submerged pirate ship near the isle where they crash-land. Now Terry is to collect all of the cells. With your help, through the DS, this allows Terry to navigate around maps. Eeyup, that is most certainly a fourth wall break.

The game plays like an RPG, but it’s still quite unique in it’s genre. The game features a combat system where you fight individual creature sprites on the map, which include almost everything. This can influence Karma, one of 20 or so individual stats you can augment by doing things that involve usage of the stat. Examples include Speed, Stamina, and Intelligence. Speed determines movement speed and levels up based on how much you move around. Stamina determines max HP and levels up based on how much damage you have taken Intelligence determines elemental damage (from suits you collect in-game from various places), and is leveled up by using elemental skills. You also have stickers you can peel to do specific things, such as to collect cells. All of these facts make a really special game that’s as uniquely, bloody brilliant!*

That was my first countdown about underpraised games, and my final message to you is to get rid of the metaphorical rug and don’t always trust other people’s opinions. You might be missing out on greatness that you had never imagined from something you never thought could be so great. See you in about a week or two with my next list! (maybe?)