Jump to content

What are some of the awesome but low-key games you've ever played?


saisymbolic
 Share

Recommended Posts

Mischief Makers on the N64 is probably my favorite "obscure" game and one of the best games I've ever played, as well as my favorite game by Treasure (sorry Zera). It's a 2D platformer (rare for the system it was on) but has some very unique mechanics with Marina's (the main character) main form of attacking being grabbing and shaking enemies, which could lead to some interesting strategies in order to fight enemies.

And did I mention this game has the most awesome boss battles ever? What other game out there has you fighting a robotic Wolf who drives a Transformer Truck that fires lasers and missiles at you while you yourself are riding on a CAT?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 54
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

The Lunar series for the Sega CD (Silver Star Story and Eternal Blue) and their later remasters on the PSX. These were the first JRPGs I ever played, and I still think they're wonderful games to date. Very fun and light-hearted with enjoyable characters, its own spin on JRPG battle system, lots of humour, and a fun and rewarding plot. Eternal Blue COMPLETE is still one of my most favourite games and I enjoy replaying it every couple years or so.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

my main pick would probably be the danganronpa series those are some really great games there with great stories, a good premise, characters, soundtrack, game play etc. they really get everything right. they are becoming more popular so that's good. they're also of steam and well worth full price.

Also Legend of heroes trails in the sky was pretty good. traditional JRPG stuff and is pretty standard in terms of gameplay and presentation but the nice soundtrack, good world building and most importantly the characters (ESPECIALLY THE MAIN DUO) really pull it through into something great.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Games I love but no one really knows about...

Ogre Battle 64: Person of the Lordly Caliber (N64)

This is my favorite game of all time. Essentially, control a platoon of up to 9 squads of about 5 units each, maneuvering them around the battlefield map. Run into an enemy to initiate combat, which is mostly run by AI and determined by formations and troop composition. Choices in the story can affect characters unlocked as well as what ending the player obtains,

While combat was simplistic, the complexity of equipping individual units, the number of character classes, hidden secrets (Hidden classes, magic of ultimate destruction, recruiting creatures to the party, and so on), amazing soundtrack, graphic aesthetic, and immersive story just make this game for me. This game needs a tutorial to be played properly, and they provide an awesome way of teaching the player outside the main story. The fact that the Tutorial is not contained within the story is a big deal to me as the player can jump right into the ongoing narrative without having to be bothered by gameplay mechanics early game. Heck, even when they introduce a new mechanic about halfway in the game, they open up a brand new tutorial segment just for that!

I know everyone loves to talk about Tactics Ogre (mostly the port) and it's more popular cousin Final Fantasy Tactics. A part of me can't help but resent Square for killing off the Ogre Battle franchise in 2002 by buying out Quest, there was so much to the world left to explore...

Grandia II (Dreamcast)

My second favorite game of all time, mostly because of its battle system. Characters are put on a line waiting to reach the "Command", where the player inputs what the player wants (skill, magic, attack, item, etc), and then they move to the "Act", where they execute the command. If that character is interrupted between Command and Act, the action is canceled. The fact magic was also stored in "eggs" and could be swapped around was also an interesting concept while skills remained character specific. I want to create a game that combines the battle map and complexities of unit management of Ogre Battle 64 with the combat system of Grandia II, but that's a topic for a different day.

I also loved the classic light versus darkness story, especially when things start going crazy after about the midpoint of the game. The character cast are enjoyable, and there's even a proper epilogue where one goes around seeing what everyone is doing when the adventures end. There has been a "recent" release port on Steam (PC), so if you haven't played Grandia II and want to play an excellent RPG, I highly recommend it.

Skies of Arcadia (Dreamcast Version)

I know of the port to Gamecube (Legends) that introduces new content and makes some modifications (and sadly reduces audio quality), but as I have not played that version, I will not discuss it.

Guess what number this game is on my favorite game list? The open world map and sailing in the skies is wonderful. Where Grandia was more about light versus darkness, Skies is more about the classic thrill of adventure and discovery while dealing with the threat of the Empire and ambitions of man. The mythos around each main zone as well as the funny interactable objects where the main character will actually relay his thoughts is pleasing to read (I would check out the town at the start of the game due to this).

The battle system was also a bit unique, relying on a "Spirit Meter" to use techniques (skills) and MP dropped only by one per magic use. Then, there are the Ship battles which has its own combat system of blasting each other out of the sky.

[spoiler=Honorable Mentions]Quest 64 (N64)

An odd RPG that I got as a hand-me-down. The player controls a boy who has skill with magic (fire, water, wind, and earth) and goes on an adventure across the continent to find his father and solve various mysterious along the way. There is nothing outstanding about the game, maybe the combat system could be considered something, but the story was average and the player only controls the boy throughout the entire game.

Despite its simplicity, Quest 64 had its own charm to it. Granted, it is probably just nostalgic bias since I played it when I was really young, but if you have lots of free time and want to play something a little different, try out Quest 64.

Gauntlet Legends (N64)

Yes, I am talking about Gauntlet Legends for the N64 and not the Dark Legacy version. Sure, the Dark Legacy versions have more content and is generally better, but the N64 version will always be special to me.

Specifically, the N64 version had much larger maps (Dark Legacy chose to keep the smaller versions) and it also had some songs unique to the N64 that was not used in Dark Legacy (for me, the Desecrated Temple N64 > Dark Legacy) Then there is the storyline of the plagued town, which is split into two separate zones in DL.

Sure, Gauntlet Legends and Dark Legacy were not the most complex games in the world, but messing around with couch Co-Op was so much fun. There may be internet multiplayer and LAN connections, but nothing will beat old fashioned couch co-op, especially "co-op" that involves screwing over your friends for entertainment.

X-Men Legends (Gamecube)

I can also say X-Men Legends 2 for its superior gameplay, but the storytelling and cutscenes of the original won me over. There is a game over cutscene if the player fails at the final boss! (Which, surprisingly, I can not find online.)

X-Men Legends is an action RPG where the player controls up to 4 X-Men (one human, rest AI unless playing multiplayer) and they use their superpowers to beat up the bad guys. The combat is enjoyable and if you enjoy the X-Men universe, give X-Men Legends I & II a go!

Clubhouse Games (DS)

I picked this up after a friend who had it recommended it to me. For most gamers, this is probably nothing spectacular as it is a collection of various board and card games. However, it is a valuable collection as I enjoy messing around its variety games when I get bored of traditional video games. The music is also charming, but that is probably just a personal thing.

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars (3DS)

A surprise title during the 3DS launch drought. It is essentially a tactics RPG and one can consider it a more simplified XCOM. It doesn't have an amazing story, but the gameplay and challenge missions were enjoyable enough to justify the purchase.

Populous: The Beginning (PC)

A hybrid between a God Simulator and an RTS game. Play as a Shaman with a variety of different spells that can annihilate your foes as well as shape the world to lead your tribe to victory!

Command and Conquer: Renegade (PC)

My first real PC shooter I was invested in. It takes the classic Command and Conquer RTS universe and transforms it into an FPS / TPS game with a good single player campaign and (at the time) healthy multiplayer.

Renegade is probably the reason why I am not big on typical shooters that rely solely on infantry and guns because Renegade had vehicles, aircraft, and structures to contend with. So, I rely more on shooters that are more tactical in nature as well as relying on combined arms.

Renegade X is a standalone game that focuses on the multiplayer aspect of the original Renegade. It is free and has a decent population (there is normally one server full of 40 people) during European peak hours, so feel free to give it a try! Please note that Renegade X leans towards team play and if one is new, stay away from the support classes.

Natural Selection 2 (PC)

A team based shooter that has RTS elements of base building. Play as either the Marines (typical shooter) or the Aliens and wipe out the opposition! However, like Renegade, this is a team game, so communication and having a mic is useful.

I would also mention Nuclear Dawn as it is also an FPS that has base building, but it seems to be dead nowadays. Besides, Marines versus Aliens is a bit more unique than Human A versus Human B.

Planetside 2 (PC & PS4)

A free to play FPS focusing on massive battles (48 vs 48, can be more) and combined arms. Use infantry, vehicles, and aircraft to capture points on the map to lock down the continent. There is also an update that allows for limited base building, so one can build walls and fortifications to defend a location.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Legend of Dragoon

a PS1 RPG with a very unique battle system, that being "additions" where you have to string together timed button presses for maximum damage and effectiveness, you can't just mash attack and hope to win, you actually have to learn the timing of your party of choice and their various moves, alongside their Dragoon transformations. Its music is also quite nice, and the characters while a tad corny are quite nice.

breh, this game was actually not obscure at all until around 2007 when people started not caring about PSX games anymore. Trust me on this one, that game had a lot of buzz around it. It was not as popular as like, Chrono Cross or FF, but it was a thing. So it is a bit funny to me when people put this one as "obscure". But it is a great game despite its really shit localization. One thing people do not seem to note when it comes to this game, its how unique the actual art design was. Man...those backgrounds were g o r g e o u s.

>Has some of the more inventive Nintendo exclusives

>Has some really great 3rd party games, like a good set of Star Wars games among a vareity of others

>Has a fighting game that's still played massively at the competitive level

-> Thought Dead at launch? No lmao

Also people thinking Tales is Niche really need to play actual Niche games.

Agreed. Tales hasnt been niche since Symphonia, guys.

Mischief Makers on the N64 is probably my favorite "obscure" game and one of the best games I've ever played, as well as my favorite game by Treasure (sorry Zera). It's a 2D platformer (rare for the system it was on) but has some very unique mechanics with Marina's (the main character) main form of attacking being grabbing and shaking enemies, which could lead to some interesting strategies in order to fight enemies.

And did I mention this game has the most awesome boss battles ever? What other game out there has you fighting a robotic Wolf who drives a Transformer Truck that fires lasers and missiles at you while you yourself are riding on a CAT?

Yes. I have this game. Its pretty difficult but o m g is it fun and unique! Marina was one of my favorite heroes in a game for a long time. She may have been a robot, but it was so nice to see a female hero...

The Lunar series for the Sega CD (Silver Star Story and Eternal Blue) and their later remasters on the PSX. These were the first JRPGs I ever played, and I still think they're wonderful games to date. Very fun and light-hearted with enjoyable characters, its own spin on JRPG battle system, lots of humour, and a fun and rewarding plot. Eternal Blue COMPLETE is still one of my most favourite games and I enjoy replaying it every couple years or so.

Another series that wasnt terribly obscure until the mid 2000s. Nearly everyone i knew who had a playstation had these games. I even have that pendant that came with them. I do not have the games anymore sadly. My ex took them with him along with my copy of FF Tactics. Oh well. I made off with some of his games lmao. These games were fun.

Hey guys, remember Alundria? I kinda wish i could finish that one....

But one of my favorite games that N O O N E has ever played is Shadowgate 64. I love Shadowgate in general. the NES title was my freaking jam back in the day. When a sequel was made for the N64, i yelled so loud and got it as soon as possible. The graphics of this title were actually a bit behind the times even for its day. (1999) The environments looked fine enough if not a little sparse, but the character models were silly af. Didnt matter, it was a great game. Good puzzles and exploration and the worldbuilding is top notch. Its soundtrack is pretty cool too.

this is one of my favorite songs from a video game, period. That rather chilling, but provocative ambience gives you a sense of real adventure, but with trepidation.

<33333

Secret of Evermore for the SNES is another one. It uses the same engine as Secret of Mana, but its a wholly unique and very different adventure. A geeky boy who looks like Marty McFly and his dog go on a world bending adventure. Its hilarious, silly, the first Square game to be made totally in the US, and just plain wtf. I love it. I get to play as a dog, man. A dog.

Edited by Loki Laufeyson
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My next (two) game(s) is (are) Hotel Dusk: Room 215 and Last Window: The Mystery of Cape West for the Nintendo DS.

Now, I actually can't say much about these game, because I actually haven't gotten very far in them. Hotel Dusk: Room 215 is the first game of the series, while Last Window is the sequel that was only released in Japan and Europe due the publishing company for the US when went out of business.

The games are a mystery drama, in which you take the role of an ex-cop going to the titular hotel in order to follow a job (in the first game). More than that, I'll be giving away the story, but I will say that, if you have an interest in the Ace Attorney series, then I think these two games might interest you.

Two things I want to note, however, are these: the art style of the game, which is one that is very unique and one of my favorites to date. The black-and-white with only slight smudges of color here and there really serve to help set the overall tone of the game. Another interesting feature is that to properly play, you have to hold your DS system as you would hold a book; the game makes usage of both screens.

On a side note, if you want a taste of the writer, there is a new game in the 3DS E shop created by the same man who wrote these games and it is called Chase: Cold Case Investigations ~Distant Memories~. It's a short game for only USD5.99, which leads me to believe it will be episodic in nature. Regardless, it was still fun to pass the time with.

So, please, let's discuss the games that are awesome but totally low-key.

I'd like to here how you get on with Hotel Dusk. I've played Cape West and found it mildly enjoyable. I was going to check out Hotel Dusk until, kind of ironically, I heard all the high praise the fanbase gave Cape West saying it was a big improvement on Hotel Dusk. Since I only mildly enjoyed Cape West it kind of reduced my interest. It's good to hear that the writer made another game though. The company that made both those games actually went bankrupt shortly after Cape West was released (in Japan, the company literally didn't exist when the game was released in Europe so we were probably really lucky we got it at all. Someone in Nintendo of Europe must have been a fan since Nintendo themselves published it). Another game from the same company that's pretty good is Little King's Story. It's basically Pikmin with a different aesthetic but if you're going to rip off anything Pikmin's a pretty good choice.

Mandatory Thane recommending Ghost Trick! Hyaa!

Want to know what separates Ghost Trick from a lot of games? It's right there in the trailer: "the fate of a few" - not the world or the universe, you won't be battling gods and demons and then pick up hot anime studs, you simply sort out tragedies as you uncover the truth behind your death, which makes it a much more personal story than the vast majority of games out there. It's so humble in its approach.

Been a few years since I've played it but from what I can recall, the people from that unnamed foreign country had stolen the meteorite by the end of the game and intended to use it to for less than reputable purposes. So yeah, I'd say you are saving the world by the end of it.

*Going to also say Lunar series is pretty good. I still reckon the much maligned DS game has it's fair share of good bits too. Still need to finish Eternal Blue though. Started it like four years ago but stuff kept getting in the way.

*Might tether the line between obscure or not but considering we barely got the third game, I'm willing to comfortably recommend the Zero Escape series here.

*Radical Dreamers, a visual novel sequel to Chrono Trigger is a pretty entertaining read. Especially the noncanon joke endings. Crazy stuff.

*Going really obscure here (the wikipedia article even says it's obscure XD https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flappy), but there's a really good puzzle game called Flappy that, I initially thought was NES only in Japan but turns out it predated even the NES, hailing from 1982. Was a bit hard to find again since Flappy Bird spammed my results -_- It's a simple puzzle game about pushing blocks and utilizing gravity to beat enemies and stuff. My only complaint is that it is possible to screw yourself over and not be able to win a level, very possible. Once you do that, unless there's still some enemies about you can only wait for the timer to run out to start again. There should be some kind of suicide button or something. But hey, finding out it's from 1982 makes that seem like much less a problem. The games pretty impressive given the context. It has like 200 levels. Though it's Japan only there is an English version of it out there somewhere (or at least the password set is in English, not much reading in it either way). I played it on one of those bootleg multi game cartridges on GBA.

*People have mentioned a few but basically any game by Treasure is basically guaranteed to be really good but not really spoken of outside it's community. Aside from the already mentioned Sin and Punishment(s) and Mischief Maks (which incidentally I haven't played yet), other games I can personally attest to the quality of is Dynamite Heady (super freaking weird), Gunstar Heroes (great co'op) and Ikaruga (super freaking difficult, even by Treasure standards).

*Okay so they're not really obscure given the fact that they're Zelda games, but within the Zelda series, the two Oracle games, Oracle of Seasons and Oracle of Ages could definitely get some more attention. They are really solid Gameboy Colour games with ideas and elements that the series should definitely revisit.

*A lesser known Konami series is Mystical Ninja. I've only played the Nintendo 64 one (Mystical Ninja Starring Goemon) but it was a lot of fun. Some really zany humour, good environments and a great soundtrack. Plays a lot like a Zelda game (especially in the way dungeons are laid out) which is pretty impressive considering it's in 3D and was released in 1997 (so it predated Ocarina of Time). The normal boss battles are a little lack luster but it more than makes up for it with awesome giant robot battles.

Edited by Jotari
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been playing the Nobunaga's ambition series a lot recently. You know something is niche when the majority of the series never leaves Japan.

I appreciate the series for being a happy balance between Total war, which can be a bit bare bones outside of battles, and the Paradox games that are so complex that its downright intimidating. NA gives you some more political options like set policies, negotiate with the emperor or conspire with enemy officers. The military aspects also feels more like an actual campaign.

A good example of that would be my very first attempt at military expansion. I started with one medium sized province and invaded my neighbor in a much smaller province. I trashed their entire army on the field and started besieging castles. I took two castles when my soldiers complained their food was low, then it was up. No problem, they'l suck it up....and then half of my soldiers got crushed. What looked like a steamrolling of the enemy ended with me gaining merely two small castles and a lot of dead troops because I didn't have my stuff in order.

Its not all sunshine though. Diplomacy is fine when you're small and the ability to form coalitions to face a bigger foe or form a counter coalition when you're that big foe yourself is a nice though. If you are the biggest clan the behavior of the enemy starts to resemble that of early total war games. You can have a clan declare war on you when they only have one province and all the others around them are owned by you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

breh, this game was actually not obscure at all until around 2007 when people started not caring about PSX games anymore. Trust me on this one, that game had a lot of buzz around it. It was not as popular as like, Chrono Cross or FF, but it was a thing. So it is a bit funny to me when people put this one as "obscure". But it is a great game despite its really shit localization. One thing people do not seem to note when it comes to this game, its how unique the actual art design was. Man...those backgrounds were g o r g e o u s.

Considering almost no one ever knew what I was talking about whenever I brought it up, until it was put on PSN. I figured it was accurate to put lol.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does The Last Story (Wii) count? I hope so since it's no that known among gamers due to being the less popular localized RPG among the trio of Operation Rainfall.

It's a game with a pretty classic story, a good gameplay that combines skills, classes, abilities and magic, a low cast of characters that were well-developed, and has new game+ feature. Its music and aesthetics are really beautiful, tending to medieval themes, since the core of it is the journey of a mercenary aspiring to be an honorable knight, involving itself with the royal family of the kingdom. So sad it isn't in VC.

Another one is Mercenaries Saga 2, mentioned by eclipse, it's quite a cool indie RPG. Afaik they released Mercenaries Saga 3 so it should be as good as the second one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've heard of Mercenaries Saga, but I've never played it, since it's being recommended, I might actually look into that. Another one that I feel that didn't get a lot of attention was the newest Gauntlet. It's pretty fun for what it is, and it doesn't attempt to be more than it was from before. It's kinda short, but it's fun.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does The Last Story (Wii) count? I hope so since it's no that known among gamers due to being the less popular localized RPG among the trio of Operation Rainfall.

It's a game with a pretty classic story, a good gameplay that combines skills, classes, abilities and magic, a low cast of characters that were well-developed, and has new game+ feature. Its music and aesthetics are really beautiful, tending to medieval themes, since the core of it is the journey of a mercenary aspiring to be an honorable knight, involving itself with the royal family of the kingdom. So sad it isn't in VC.

Another one is Mercenaries Saga 2, mentioned by eclipse, it's quite a cool indie RPG. Afaik they released Mercenaries Saga 3 so it should be as good as the second one.

If The Last Story counts them I'm sure Pandora's Tower counts. From what I heard casually a lot less people checked that out since it came out last. Which is a shame since it's a pretty decent game. Better than The Last Story in my book.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If The Last Story counts them I'm sure Pandora's Tower counts. From what I heard casually a lot less people checked that out since it came out last. Which is a shame since it's a pretty decent game. Better than The Last Story in my book.

I counted Pandora's Tower to be in the middle of the trio since it has a Wii VC version and it's more accessible than TLS. Edited by Quintessence
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mandatory Thane recommending Ghost Trick! Hyaa!

Want to know what separates Ghost Trick from a lot of games? It's right there in the trailer: "the fate of a few" - not the world or the universe, you won't be battling gods and demons and then pick up hot anime studs, you simply sort out tragedies as you uncover the truth behind your death, which makes it a much more personal story than the vast majority of games out there. It's so humble in its approach.

The fact that a meteorite somehow causes departed spirits to manifest that can also time travel really just throws me off. Though considering the game is meant to be set in the Ace Attorney universe... .

I first read that as "Mandatory theme recommending Ghost Trick", because yeah, the main theme is great.

...Let's see... niche games... .

You know, I don't really see people talk about the Mega Man Zero games. It's all about the Classic and X series, and with handhelds it's mostly just Battle Network that gets thrown around. People seem to forget that the mainline Mega Man games continued on handheld while the X series floundered.

They're really good. They're built around Zero, who has a lot of tools that make the game almost feel more like a platformer/hack-and-slash hybrid at times rather than a platformer/shooter one. The story and worldbuilding are halfway decent, which is much more than what can be said about every other Mega Man series.

Just... get the Collection on DS. That has an "Ultimate"/Easy mode available from the start, and trust me you'll probably need it. The games are HARD. Easy mode is still pretty challenging for me, and I haven't played on anything higher because I absolutely get my butt kicked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You know, I don't really see people talk about the Mega Man Zero games. It's all about the Classic and X series, and with handhelds it's mostly just Battle Network that gets thrown around. People seem to forget that the mainline Mega Man games continued on handheld while the X series floundered.

They're really good. They're built around Zero, who has a lot of tools that make the game almost feel more like a platformer/hack-and-slash hybrid at times rather than a platformer/shooter one. The story and worldbuilding are halfway decent, which is much more than what can be said about every other Mega Man series.

Just... get the Collection on DS. That has an "Ultimate"/Easy mode available from the start, and trust me you'll probably need it. The games are HARD. Easy mode is still pretty challenging for me, and I haven't played on anything higher because I absolutely get my butt kicked.

MMZ was a game that came out when Capcom was beginning on their decline. I remember having the first one, and thought it was pretty solid. The rest of them were pretty good too, with 2 or 3 being the best IMO. And yeah, the games were noticeably more ruthless than any other games in the franchise. And if you think the DS versions are hard, imagine the original ones, they didn't have ANY difficulties except "normal and hard."

Another on I'd say is Digimon Spirit Battle. Really obscure it's a SSB style of fighting game on the Wonderswan. It was pretty good for what it was worth. I wish I had more people to play it with though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I counted Pandora's Tower to be in the middle of the trio since it has a Wii VC version and it's more accessible than TLS.

That doesn't mean it's more popular though. Only that it's easier to access. What goes on the VC comes down to licensing and marketing more often than not. There's plenty of obscure titles that no one cares about avilable to download and plenty of great titles a lot of people want that can't. Course I could still be wrong about Pandora's Tower. It's just in my experience a lot less people played and talked about it than The Last Story (which itself was a significant step down from how popular Xenoblade was).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Considering almost no one ever knew what I was talking about whenever I brought it up, until it was put on PSN. I figured it was accurate to put lol.

ok lemme amend by saying Most Gamers Over 19 Years Old knew what it was long before then.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Pandora's Tower is a great game. It has waaay better pacing than Xenoblade Chronicles.

Does the eShop version of Pandora's Tower have the Dawn/Dusk Towers glitch? I can't find out anywhere and I don't want to risk $20.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd like to here how you get on with Hotel Dusk. I've played Cape West and found it mildly enjoyable. I was going to check out Hotel Dusk until, kind of ironically, I heard all the high praise the fanbase gave Cape West saying it was a big improvement on Hotel Dusk. Since I only mildly enjoyed Cape West it kind of reduced my interest. It's good to hear that the writer made another game though. The company that made both those games actually went bankrupt shortly after Cape West was released (in Japan, the company literally didn't exist when the game was released in Europe so we were probably really lucky we got it at all. Someone in Nintendo of Europe must have been a fan since Nintendo themselves published it). Another game from the same company that's pretty good is Little King's Story. It's basically Pikmin with a different aesthetic but if you're going to rip off anything Pikmin's a pretty good choice.

How did I hear about Hotel Dusk? I was perusing the Wikipedia page on all the released NDS games, and I randomly clicked on it as the name stood out to me. After having just finished the Ace Attorney trilogy and discovering Deadly Premonition around the same time, I was in the mood for mystery/thriller/detective games. The first thing I noticed about the game was its art style, which was very unique and, when I actually played through it, I quite liked the music for it.

Now, while I do like the games, I can admit that they are . . . slow paced. At least the first one as I haven't played the second one. It takes a little bit to actually get somewhere, which would be one of my main complaints about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have two that I'll share with you~

One of my favorite SRPGs that I never hear anyone talk about is Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time. It has it's share of problems (like I pretty much hate the character designs) but it has a unique battle system that doesn't lock you to a grid: instead you basically make a line of what direction you want your character to move in and they do just that. The characters are all fairly likeable and the story is solid, so if you want a different type of SRPG I say give this a go! It's available on the PSP :)

My favorite VN series is the Zero Escape series, but I'm particularly fond of 999. In all three games you're forced to play a cruel game of life-or-death, all being orchestrated by a mysterious figure known only as Zero (oooooh spoooooky). I really can't say much without giving spoilers, which makes it hard to convince others to try it out, but trust me when I say it's completely worth it. The first game, 999, is available on DS while the other two (Virtue's Last Reward and Zero Time Dilemma) are available on both 3DS and Vita. BUT! If you have a PS4 or Vita I say wait until the recently announced remasters come out. Voice acting for the first game, yay!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think I'd qualify the ZE series as necessarily low key, considering its popularity was the reason the third game happened, or at the very least, I wouldn't count it.

I'll take Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time and do you one better; that entire series is low key.

Edited by Soledai
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really enjoyed Tao’s Adventure: Curse of the Demon Seal. It's the spiritual sequel to Azure Dreams, with elements of monster fighting though in. You also can fight with the sword, shield, staffs, or magic, and a big part of all fights play out is how you use the different weapons you have it your disposal, knowing when to use them, and what monsters to bring. I really want to play again, but I don't want delete the save I have…

Unfortunately, it got very low ratings that were really undeserved (to the point where one reviewer said it was the Curse of Low Ratings). So not a lot of people bought it… I did because I was interested in monster collection, and thought it was definitely worth the money…

Another one that I think is low-key Rondo of Swords. It's a strategy game similar to Fire Emblem, but got overshadowed by others that were more popular… Also was a bit rough around the edges (such as a harsh learning curve and overreliance on skills, story triggered by hidden conversations, and a very high difficulty). So not very many people bought it or like it… Which is a shame, it's a good game despite its flaws…

Izuna is another series that's often overlooked, I feel, but at least that game series is popular enough to get a sequel…

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't think I'd qualify the ZE series as necessarily low key, considering its popularity was the reason the third game happened, or at the very least, I wouldn't count it.

I'll take Growlanser: Wayfarer of Time and do you one better; that entire series is low key.

The third game almost didn't happen. It's fan support is what got it made. If it was truly high key then the sales would have got it a third game without issue. First game also didn't get released in Europe at all (at least initially, not sure about the remakes) and the third game didn't even get a physical release over here.

Edited by Jotari
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The third game almost didn't happen. It's fan support is what got it made. If it was truly high key then the sales would have got it a third game without issue. First game also didn't get released in Europe at all (at least initially, not sure about the remakes) and the third game didn't even get a physical release over here.

Yeah, thank you, you've basically explained why I considered it low key :)

If a series needs petitions and consistent pestering of the fans to get a sequel, it's not really "high key."

Edited by MissShake
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if this really counts as low key, but I really found myself enjoying the Xenosaga trilogy. The gameplay was interesting for the first and third games, the music was kick ass, the characters were compelling enough for me and this huge story grabbed my interest through what i could play before my young age and inexperience kicked in when i played it the first time six or so years ago.

If this really isn't that low-key, then my apologies

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...