Author Topic: Games that were poorly received but were actually good  (Read 9106 times)

dashv

PRO Supporter

Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #15 on: October 28, 2014, 10:55:45 pm »
Nearly any 2D game during the PS1/Saturn/N64 era. Seriously, go back and read the magazines from then. Games like Guardian Heroes, Metal Slug X, and Castlevania SotN were constantly getting reviews like, "16-bit gameplay on a 32-bit system. We were expecting more."

Entitled SOBs. ;)

maximo310

Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #16 on: October 28, 2014, 11:02:49 pm »
Nearly any 2D game during the PS1/Saturn/N64 era. Seriously, go back and read the magazines from then. Games like Guardian Heroes, Metal Slug X, and Castlevania SotN were constantly getting reviews like, "16-bit gameplay on a 32-bit system. We were expecting more."

Entitled SOBs. ;)
2-D wasn't considered to be as good as the 3-D games that invaded the whole market back in day. Ironically today, the 3-D games from that era mostly look pretty dated, whereas the 2D games continue to look great as they did back in the day.

Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #17 on: October 31, 2014, 01:51:18 pm »
Velvet Assassin actually isn't too bad, IF you can get over the AI issues. xD

If you can accept the game's flaws, and play it more like a puzzle game than a stealth game, then it's actually not that bad. It was a good idea, but there's is just so much polish missing... I feel terrible for the person who pre-ordered my copy.  ;D

retroone

Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #18 on: October 31, 2014, 06:24:51 pm »
BUBSY!!!!  8)
« Last Edit: January 23, 2015, 06:31:43 pm by retroone »

turf

PRO Supporter

Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #19 on: November 01, 2014, 12:30:20 am »
People said that Splatterhouse on Xbox 360 was bad. I disagree. It is an over-the-top gory mess, but it was fun to shut your brain off and pummel stuff.


burningdoom

PRO Supporter

Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #20 on: November 01, 2014, 01:25:01 am »
People said that Splatterhouse on Xbox 360 was bad. I disagree. It is an over-the-top gory mess, but it was fun to shut your brain off and pummel stuff.

I haven't played the new one, but that doesn't sound too far off from the original. When I got my copy for TG-16, I have to admit, it was cool at first to see the different horror cliches. But as soon as that novelty wore off, the repetitive gameplay had a hard time keeping my interest.

insektmute

  • Guest
Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #21 on: November 03, 2014, 03:20:20 pm »
I've become a big fan of a number of "bad" games from underdog studios. A few of my faves:

- Ar tonelico Qoga [PS3]
- Bullet Witch [X360]
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex [PS2]
- Hunted: The Demon's Forge [X360]
- Legend of Dragoon, The [PS1]
- Parasite Eve II [PS1]
- Red Star, The [PS2]
- Resident Evil 6 [PS3]
- Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven [PS2]

I'm tempted to also throw Dark Sector and Operation Darkness in that pile too, but I've only played their demos so far because backlog. Honorable mention to Binary Domain as well, which has gotten some really good reviews, some absolutely abysmal ones. Really seems to polarize people, but I had a blast with it.

Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #22 on: November 03, 2014, 03:51:01 pm »
I've become a big fan of a number of "bad" games from underdog studios. A few of my faves:

- Ar tonelico Qoga [PS3]
- Bullet Witch [X360]
- Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex [PS2]
- Hunted: The Demon's Forge [X360]
- Legend of Dragoon, The [PS1]
- Parasite Eve II [PS1]
- Red Star, The [PS2]
- Resident Evil 6 [PS3]
- Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven [PS2]

I'm tempted to also throw Dark Sector and Operation Darkness in that pile too, but I've only played their demos so far because backlog. Honorable mention to Binary Domain as well, which has gotten some really good reviews, some absolutely abysmal ones. Really seems to polarize people, but I had a blast with it.

I really need to play the other Parasite Eve games. The 3rd Birthday has been very nice so far.

Never did get the chance to play Bullet Witch, hopefully I can pick it up sometime! I'd like to try Ghost in the Shell on PS2... I have the PSP version, and it's pretty bad. xD

insektmute

  • Guest
Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #23 on: November 03, 2014, 04:34:31 pm »
I really need to play the other Parasite Eve games. The 3rd Birthday has been very nice so far.

Never did get the chance to play Bullet Witch, hopefully I can pick it up sometime! I'd like to try Ghost in the Shell on PS2... I have the PSP version, and it's pretty bad. xD

Yeah, I was also pleasantly surprised by The 3rd Birthday. Haven't finished it yet, but it was much better than most reviews let on.

Bullet Witch is a tough sell for most people. It's a bit rough and unpolished, and the first level of the game is kind of a punishing introduction, but after about 20 minutes getting used to the controls and realizing you have to learn how to dodge, it really sucks you in. Dittto for GitS: SAC, which is also a third-person action game rather than an FPS like the PSP game.

Both are developed by Cavia, so if you've played Nier or any of the Drakengard games, they're all a pretty good indicator of what to expect in terms of production values.

argyle

Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #24 on: November 03, 2014, 04:44:50 pm »
I really need to play the other Parasite Eve games. The 3rd Birthday has been very nice so far.

Never did get the chance to play Bullet Witch, hopefully I can pick it up sometime! I'd like to try Ghost in the Shell on PS2... I have the PSP version, and it's pretty bad. xD

Yeah, I was also pleasantly surprised by The 3rd Birthday. Haven't finished it yet, but it was much better than most reviews let on.

Bullet Witch is a tough sell for most people. It's a bit rough and unpolished, and the first level of the game is kind of a punishing introduction, but after about 20 minutes getting used to the controls and realizing you have to learn how to dodge, it really sucks you in. Dittto for GitS: SAC, which is also a third-person action game rather than an FPS like the PSP game.

Both are developed by Cavia, so if you've played Nier or any of the Drakengard games, they're all a pretty good indicator of what to expect in terms of production values.

I loved GitS on the PS2, but I suppose since I didn't know much of Cavia then I never connected it to the Drakengard dev. Bullet Witch either, for that matter.
"When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed
if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I
became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the
desire to be very grown up.” ― C.S. Lewis


Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #25 on: November 03, 2014, 04:53:59 pm »
I really need to play the other Parasite Eve games. The 3rd Birthday has been very nice so far.

Never did get the chance to play Bullet Witch, hopefully I can pick it up sometime! I'd like to try Ghost in the Shell on PS2... I have the PSP version, and it's pretty bad. xD

Yeah, I was also pleasantly surprised by The 3rd Birthday. Haven't finished it yet, but it was much better than most reviews let on.

Bullet Witch is a tough sell for most people. It's a bit rough and unpolished, and the first level of the game is kind of a punishing introduction, but after about 20 minutes getting used to the controls and realizing you have to learn how to dodge, it really sucks you in. Dittto for GitS: SAC, which is also a third-person action game rather than an FPS like the PSP game.

Both are developed by Cavia, so if you've played Nier or any of the Drakengard games, they're all a pretty good indicator of what to expect in terms of production values.

The 3rd Birthday was actually one of the first titles I bought for my PSP, as recommended by Mark from CGR. I suppose what I like about it so much is that it doesn't... I suppose you might say 'feel' like a handheld game. It's kinda hard to explain. xD It's just a nice game to play.

Yep, idk if it's like this in the PS2 version, but on the PSP, any time you reload, you lose all the bullets in that clip. Now there's a sure sign of a quality game.  8)

Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #26 on: November 03, 2014, 06:13:38 pm »
I know I mentioned this somewhere else on the forums, but I figured I really want to promote the game since I absolutely loved it.  Yu-gi-oh falsebound kingdom on gamecube has average ratings under 4 out of 10 almost anywhere you look.  Regardless of these reviews I played through the game multiple times over finding new things every time and I'm gonna finally buy the strategy guide and have a final play through where I make sure I get everything I can.

insektmute

  • Guest
Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #27 on: November 03, 2014, 06:20:49 pm »
The 3rd Birthday was actually one of the first titles I bought for my PSP, as recommended by Mark from CGR. I suppose what I like about it so much is that it doesn't... I suppose you might say 'feel' like a handheld game. It's kinda hard to explain. xD It's just a nice game to play.

Yep, idk if it's like this in the PS2 version, but on the PSP, any time you reload, you lose all the bullets in that clip. Now there's a sure sign of a quality game.  8)

Same here. It's actually one of the games that made me want to get a PSP, partially because I'd hoped Square might be testing the waters on a possible Parasite Eve return. No luck there, but it's something, at least.

I haven't played the PSP GitS game, but it doesn't look too hot. Says it's developed by some company called "G-Artists" that has no real resume apart from that, so my guess is that they're some weird random outsourcing company. Cavia's low budget, and responsible for their share of cack, but between GitS, Nier, Drakengard, and Bullet Witch, it makes me really sad that they're gone.

I'd read an interview recently with Taro Yoko, the director on some of those games, that was kind of disheartening too. He'd gotten to do Drakengard 3 basically as a labor of love, with a small team and tiny budget, but after finishing it, he's basically unemployed again. The game gets a 34/40 from Famitsu, but like, 50-60 range scores here in the US. Go figure.

burningdoom

PRO Supporter

Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #28 on: November 03, 2014, 07:06:12 pm »
Wait, Red Star was poorly received? Why?! The game is excellent! It successfully mashes a beat-em up and run-n-gun into one solid game!

Re: Games that were poorly received but were actually good
« Reply #29 on: November 03, 2014, 10:42:07 pm »
Since Super Best Friends Play did a video on it, I was reminded of Splatterhouse, the 2010 release. It's not an amazing game, but I remember it getting kinda lower scores and it didn't sell well, but I really loved it.  It's over the top, violent, has a metal soundtrack, Jim Cummings is the voice of the mask, and overall was a very solid 3D beat 'em up game that was mostly just held back by a few technical issues and lack of polish.  Which is understandable as I forgot it had gotten shifted from one developer to another to actually finish it. 

*EDIT*
Oh, I missed Turf bringing the game up also.  Someone agrees :D