Games that surprised you.

[Jarrito3002]

Me with the AAA blout I find myself subsiding on indie and AA titles on sale here and there. My latest get was two games

Mother Russia Bleeds

This is fun beat em up with good ass music and the atmosphere is out of this world. Plus some modern sensibilitys with check points and AI partner in place of other people was some nice design choice. It can get a bit too busy at times making it hard to keep track of whats happening but I love it.

Second one was Rad

Now I play my rougelike here and there and this is more linear but the mutations are just right and the mix up of them is also just right it makes runs have their own taste to them and I like it.

Any games you got on whim and now you are like this is fire.

 

[happyninja42]

Days Gone.

Picked it up because I was having an itch for a post apocalypse open world kind of game, and I'm a fan of Sam Witwer. Turned out to be a really fun game, with a very endearing cast of supporting characters that got WAY more depth and development than usually awarded such characters in games. The horde mechanics for the infected were interesting, in that you had to deal with swarms of potentially hundreds of zombies at once. Just an overall really enjoyable game, when i was expecting a bland bit of nothing.

 

[BrawlMan]

DmC: DE Edition. After hating the base game so much, I decided to give it a shot and bought it used. With all the new bonuses, modes and fixing most of the problems I had with the vanilla version, I got more hours out of the game than I realized. I'll give much credit to Itsuno and Qloc for the better port. I excluded Ninja Theory, because they did not do much other than promote the game.

Hyrule Warriors and Samurai Warriors 4. They're the most Musou games I've gotten long play time with. What helps is that the maps tend to be shorter and nowhere near as huge as DW. What's even better is that you can switch between two characters in both games to cover ground faster. In HW though, this can only be done in the Switch or 3DS version sadly.

Onechanbara Z2: Chaos. Tamsoft managed to surprise me big time. The combat has improved so much that is almost on the level of Bayonetta and DMC. It was my first PS4 game btw.

Evil Within 2. By Shinji Mikami letting himself step down and some new blood, we got a much better game for it. I like EW1, but it needed lots of patching, and was just RE4 Inception. EW2 takes to new heights with better controls, more defensive and stealth options, side quests that actually matter story, character, and rewarding for doing them or exploring hidden areas. Nearly all of the characters have some hidden depth and are not completely one note or some bland copy of an Resident Evil character. Motivations and reasons that actually makes sense. It's my favorite survival horror game, along with RE2Remake, of this generation. EW2 is a better Resident Evil than 7 or the upcoming 8 for me.

 

[Ghostrick Dorklord]

Nexomon: Extinction

I actually did dismiss this as Pokemon rip off and while yes its very derivative of Pokemon I feel like it does things a bit better than what its inspiration has been doing as of late. It has a story that plays with, parodies, and deconstructs tropes used Pokemon. Yeah its more lighthearted where it pokes fun at these tropes but the story is more in-depth than its inspiration. As for the gameplay its again like Pokemon but its more simple where the only thing that really matters is weaknesses and resistances and while its not clear at first like Water and Fire being strong against Ghost for example you'll figure things out since that's the most amount of depth the game has. Its not a bad thing because Pokemon has too many mechanics added every gen that can make things confusing, so having a back to basics game makes it more accessible. Also I've noticed that all Nexomon are pretty viable, though I do feel like some are stronger than others like the Chocobo and the blue croc.

Its not the best game around and its pretty simple but I think its simple is best approach works a lot and it comes with fun writing. I recommend it if anyone was disappointed with Pokemon Sword and Shield.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Spectrobes.

I was only gonna talk about the first, but halfway through typing this I realized I also wanted to gush about its sequels a bit since they surprised me too.

Whenever me and my family went on our annual 1-2 week summer camping trip, I'd always get a game to keep me entertained on the drive. There wasn't really anything in the DS section I was interested in, and I didn't have a PSP at the time. But then I saw Spectrobes, and I did some quick review googling on my phone. It sounded interesting enough, and it was fairly cheap too, so I knew I wouldn't be a huge loss if it sucked. So I grabbed it, and booted it up first thing in the morning when we left for the trip.

The moment the file select music kicked in I realized I might be in for something pretty sweet. I played through the game... and I found myself really liking it! It hasn't aged super well nowadays, but the universe, the characters, the story and gameplay... It all came together into a surprising little treat. The Spectrobes themselves looked great for a DS title, and there was a pretty good handful of them.

Fast forward several years later and I was gearing up for the next trip. Imagine my surprise when I found out there was a sequel I didn't even realize was out for years after I finished the first game! Spectrobes: Beyond the Portals. So of course I grabbed this one. It blew me away. The jump to full 3D, the new gameplay, the vastly superior music and sound... that title screen theme was a HYPE MACHINE. It's easily one of my fave DS games out there. They added so many more Spectrobes and they looked better than ever. I don't know how they packed so many high quality models on that little cartridge. And heck, my profile picture here is from one of the game's best characters, Maja, albeit an internet artist's version of her actual design.

The one on the Wii, Spectrobes Origins, was pretty good. It didn't have the same impact as the first and it didn't blow me away like the second. It kinda had more mediocre music overall by taking a more orchestral approach that lacked the charm of the first 2 game's OSTs. But it was cool seeing the game with nicer graphics, full cutscenes and voiced dialogue, and the backstory to the villain of the series, Krux. I love this dude's mask.

The series isn't the most in depth thing ever and is far from perfect. But it's one I am happy to have experienced after taking a little risk all those years ago, and it's a shame we won't see another one in the future. The fanbase is still active in the little corners of the world, though!

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Well, I'm very pleased with Guacamelee. Finished it a little while ago. It's been a while since I played anything quite like it. Other than wishing the game would've had more of one thing or the other I have no real complaints about it. With AAA I usually wish they'd removed this or that; it's a treat that I'm left wanting more of the good stuff for a change. Solid puzzle platformer where combat and movement go hand in hand while the difficulty ramps up without you even noticing. Happy I bought the sequel before even playing the first game.

 

[Chimpzy]

Yakuza 0

Got it on a whim for a fiver, knowing nothing about it aside from being open world, which I'm not into, and believing it "Japanese Grand Theft Auto", which it really isn't, but I didn't know that at the time. Good time was had. Just the right amount of serious drama and goofy insanity, tons of fun characters, and a neatly compact open world dense with side stories and minigames. It's actually on my shortlist for GOTY (when I played it matters, not when it was released)

Speaking of, pretty much all my goty these last years have been games I didn't expect to like as much, like Crosscode, Monster Hunter World and Stardew Valley.

 

[NerfedFalcon]

It's actually on my shortlist for GOTY (when I played it matters, not when it was released)

There was a yearly 'game of the year that didn't come out this year' thread on the old Escapist; maybe we could bring that back in a few months.

OT: Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. I don't know what I really expected from it when I bought it, and I'd heard from the Ace Combat series fans that it isn't that good (compared to the PS2 games, which are venerated in the fandom), but I had a fantastic time with it as a series outsider. Honestly, I'd recommend it just for how unique it is in the 8th-gen market, if not for the fact that it's just a total blast to play.

 

[Chimpzy]

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.

It's on my wishlist. Waiting on a nice sale. Will get around to it tho. Eventually.

 

[happyninja42]

Well, I'm very pleased with Guacamelee. Finished it a little while ago. It's been a while since I played anything quite like it. Other than wishing the game would've had more of one thing or the other I have no real complaints about it. With AAA I usually wish they'd removed this or that; it's a treat that I'm left wanting more of the good stuff for a change. Solid puzzle platformer where combat and movement go hand in hand while the difficulty ramps up without you even noticing. Happy I bought the sequel before even playing the first game.

Yeah I freaking loved the aesthetic of that game. While not actually a fan of wrestling, I find the pagentry and over the top drama of all of it really fascinating. Luchadorian in particular, given the cultural significance of the sport for them. So yeah, the idea of this wrestler being embued with mystical powers, to defeat the embodiment of death to rescue a lover, I mean that sounds exactly like the kind of story their culture would come up with. The music was freaking amazing, the art style was clean and vibrant in colors. The humor was on point. Just a really solid game.

My only gripe was the platforming got a little too much for me. My twitch nerve response isn't as good as it used to be, so some of the more elaborate puzzles got frustrating. That and my controller at the time had a control stick drift, which meant I was literally fighting my controls to try and do precision acrobatics. So less than fun there. Other than that though, that game was really enjoyable.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Mass Effect 3. After all the memes and hatred I'd seen online, I was expecting much, much worse. What I got instead was one of best third person shooters I've ever played (from a gameplay standpoint).

 

[XsjadoBlayde]

Been eyeing up Rad for a while, mainly due to the Double Fine connection, but also the trailer had an appealing late 80s, early 90s theme. Probably should've got it on sale instead of hovering on the fence till the time passed.

Of recent note, I'd say Observation is of way higher quality than anticipated. From the Trent Reznor style opening credits to the voice performances to the sound design to the variety of brain-training-esque puzzles that actually appear to make some logical sense to what they're connected to, and without heading to IMDB I'm going to guess that AI is voiced by the main vampire doctor dude from Vampyr with those distinguishable soothing tones. Being Devolver Digital, it has a higher production value feel to it than their usual output too.

 

[BrawlMan]

Mass Effect 3. After all the memes and hatred I'd seen online, I was expecting much, much worse. What I got instead was one of best third person shooters I've ever played (from a gameplay standpoint).

I'm not even fan of Mass Effect, but even I thought the hatred was overblown, storywise anyway. I rarely saw anyone comlain about the gameplay. People and fans were just nagging about the original endings (essentially being all the same) and story. The story DLCs Bioware released a few weeks after fixed most of this, but you can tell there was a rush job.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

I'm not even fan of Mass Effect, but even I thought the hatred was overblown, storywise anyway. I rarely saw anyone comlain about the gameplay. People and fans were just nagging about the original endings (essentially being all the same) and story. The story DLCs Bioware released a few weeks after fixed most of this, but you can tell there was a rush job.

I just watched Raycevik's video about it, and it does seem pretty obvious it was rushed. I played it maybe 3 years ago? With all the DLC's and everything, so I didn't quite mind. I'm also the kind of scum who researches all the "best" choices to make in the game to ensure getting a good ending.

 

[Dalisclock]

There was a yearly 'game of the year that didn't come out this year' thread on the old Escapist; maybe we could bring that back in a few months.

OT: Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown. I don't know what I really expected from it when I bought it, and I'd heard from the Ace Combat series fans that it isn't that good (compared to the PS2 games, which are venerated in the fandom), but I had a fantastic time with it as a series outsider. Honestly, I'd recommend it just for how unique it is in the 8th-gen market, if not for the fact that it's just a total blast to play.

I wasn't sure what to expect but I figured I've give it a try. I did enjoy it quite a bit and picked up the PS2 games while back so I'll give them a chance when I'm in the mood for more dogfighting.

Also, the DLC missions were quite fun, if rather difficult. That submarine is a giant pain in the ass.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Yeah I freaking loved the aesthetic of that game. While not actually a fan of wrestling, I find the pagentry and over the top drama of all of it really fascinating. Luchadorian in particular, given the cultural significance of the sport for them. So yeah, the idea of this wrestler being embued with mystical powers, to defeat the embodiment of death to rescue a lover, I mean that sounds exactly like the kind of story their culture would come up with. The music was freaking amazing, the art style was clean and vibrant in colors. The humor was on point. Just a really solid game.

My only gripe was the platforming got a little too much for me. My twitch nerve response isn't as good as it used to be, so some of the more elaborate puzzles got frustrating. That and my controller at the time had a control stick drift, which meant I was literally fighting my controls to try and do precision acrobatics. So less than fun there. Other than that though, that game was really enjoyable.

Presentation was great for me as well, again not caring about wrestling myself but the story being so genuine and charming. Folklore was well implemented too without feeling exploitative (you know, Canadian studio making the game). For platforming the only part that frustrated me was the path in the Tule Tree heading for the Chac Mool orb but that was mostly because I was trying before I had the last ability I needed for that section.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I'm not even fan of Mass Effect, but even I thought the hatred was overblown, storywise anyway. I rarely saw anyone comlain about the gameplay. People and fans were just nagging about the original endings (essentially being all the same) and story. The story DLCs Bioware released a few weeks after fixed most of this, but you can tell there was a rush job.

Yeah no, that didn't fix anything. The whole 'organics vs. synthetics' still suddenly became the crux of everything for no reason, and the Reapers were still reduced to just a bunch of big, stupid robots. Though to be honest it didn't come as too big of a surprise, since Mass Effect 2 added nothing to the overarching plot, and its ending made it clear Bioware was going pull something out of its ass for ME3.

OT: Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Almost everything about it made me want to stay away from it; turn-based strategy, part of long running series I was completely unfamiliar with, and an anime artstyle. Yet it became one of my favourite games of 2019. That game made me feel like shit in it's final half in a way TloU2 wishes it could.

 

[happyninja42]

Presentation was great for me as well, again not caring about wrestling myself but the story being so genuine and charming. Folklore was well implemented too without feeling exploitative (you know, Canadian studio making the game). For platforming the only part that frustrated me was the path in the Tule Tree heading for the Chac Mool orb but that was mostly because I was trying before I had the last ability I needed for that section.

I don't remember the various stages much, but the one part that I can recall that irked me, was a part where you had to simultaneously leap back and forth between 2 vertical walls to climb to a higher platform, while blinking between the 2 realms mid jump. THAT got old for me really fast. But it wasn't frustrating enough to make me stop playing. The rest of the game's mood and atmosphere was just too much fun to let that part spoil it for me.

 

[BrawlMan]

Yeah no, that didn't fix anything. The whole 'organics vs. synthetics' still suddenly became the crux of everything for no reason, and the Reapers were still reduced to just a bunch of big, stupid robots. Though to be honest it didn't come as too big of a surprise, since Mass Effect 2 added nothing to the overarching plot, and its ending made it clear Bioware was going pull something out of its ass for ME3.

I can't comment, because I never touched the game outside of watching a playthrough on YT. I know it worked from some people, and did not work for others.

 

[Iron]

I'll be a basic ***** here but OG Bioshock kind of shook me on my first playthrough