Talk about a game that you like but you're sure no one else knows about

[Erttheking]

The popularity of a game doesn't always reflect it's quality, and sometimes there are really good games out there that no one has heard of. One game that I'm pretty sure not that many people know about is a game all the way back on the SNES made by Square Enix (Just Enix at the time) called ActRaiser. I can honestly say that I've never played another game like it, considering that it's 1/2 side scroller and 1/2 city sim. It's a little different from sim city though, because in the side scrolling sections you're clearing out demons so that Humans can establish settlements (by the way, you're literally GOD in this game) and in the sim city sections of the game, you take control of an angel, who directs the direction that the people should expand, using things like thunderbolts, tempests and earthquakes to change the environment to better suite their needs, oh yeah and fighting off demons that attack the city and directing the people towards the portals that they come out of so that they can be sealed. You also grow stronger when more people are in the cities because of their prayers. The game consists of six cities with twelve side scrolling levels, one to clear out each city for settlement and one to save the city from a great threat. Like I said before you're God but most of your people have forgotten about you and a demon king is on the loose, so you have to restore order to the world, and DAMN is it fun...oh yeah and there was a sequel...I like to pretend that it doesn't exist.

Really all that you need to do to know that this game kicks ass is listen to the soundtrack of the first level.

So, what obscure games do you like?

 

[Myndnix]

ActRaiser? You're going to have to get more obscure than that, my friend. But I agree that the sequel must not be discussed.

When it comes to obscure games, I like to pull out an old DOS game, and maybe it's sequel.


A childhood favourite of mine. The sequel was fantastic too.

 

[Erttheking]

ActRaiser? You're going to have to get more obscure than that, my friend. But I agree that the sequel must not be discussed.

Seriously? I read that only 200,000 copies were sold outside of Japan.

 

[Myndnix]

ActRaiser? You're going to have to get more obscure than that, my friend. But I agree that the sequel must not be discussed.

Seriously? I read that only 200,000 copies were sold outside of Japan.

Yeah, but it's become something of a cult classic. That's how I heard about it, anyway.

 

[Erttheking]

ActRaiser? You're going to have to get more obscure than that, my friend. But I agree that the sequel must not be discussed.

Seriously? I read that only 200,000 copies were sold outside of Japan.

Yeah, but it's become something of a cult classic. That's how I heard about it, anyway.

Huh. Wouldn't know about that. I played it on my Dad's SNES when I was a kid.

 

[Myndnix]

ActRaiser? You're going to have to get more obscure than that, my friend. But I agree that the sequel must not be discussed.

Seriously? I read that only 200,000 copies were sold outside of Japan.

Yeah, but it's become something of a cult classic. That's how I heard about it, anyway.

Huh. Wouldn't know about that. I played it on my Dad's SNES when I was a kid.

I never had a SNES as a kid, nor did anyone I know (My town seemed to be a Sega-only town), but that didn't stop me from playing it after the advent of the internet. I'm not sure forum rules allow me to discuss how I played it, though.

 

[DoPo]

ActRaiser? You're going to have to get more obscure than that, my friend. But I agree that the sequel must not be discussed.

When it comes to obscure games, I like to pull out an old DOS game, and maybe it's sequel.


A childhood favourite of mine. The sequel was fantastic too.

Wat? How is Jazz Jackrabbit obscure? I know a very large number of people who played it and/or have seen it. I'm talking at least 50. Well, yeah, not so large a number on the internet, but those are all IRL people I know and have met.

I guess the problem is that the Net is a large place and every game would have at least some representatives of its fanbase. Especially on a gaming website. So you can never be sure that there would be a totally obscure game.

Well, with that, I'll just go for one game I very recently remembered and haven't heard anybody talking about in years. I've literally haven't heard people mention it for about 8 years, only the day before somebody here on the Escapist reminded me about it indirectly - by using a phrase that was close to one of the lines in the game.

The game is Deer Avenger 4 (well, there are obviously other games in the line, but I haven't played them) and I have no idea why it hasn't had any new releases. You play as a deer. Who is hunting hunters.

His name is Bambo. And the game is utterly hilarious. He's the Duke Nukem of deers, only he has fart powers along the epic lines. Yes, you read that right, he has fart powers - that screenshot there, bottom left, F1-F4 are the different ways he can utilise farts.

That game came out in 2001, and I don't know why there isn't a newer one. I mean, there should have been, the game was pure fun and an awesome take on both shooters-y action games and also hunting simulators.

Also, I don't really know why nobody talks about it. There is bound to be people who know the game.

 

[Myndnix]

-Snipsnip-

That many? Damn. I'd never encountered anyone before now, in person or via the net, who has even heard of Jazz Jackrabbit. My hat is off to you, sir!

 

[DoPo]

-Snipsnip-

That many? Damn. I'd never encountered anyone before now, in person or via the net, who has even heard of Jazz Jackrabbit. My hat is off to you, sir!

I recall somebody mentioned it here on the Escapist, about once. Well, it's not really a game that you'd bring up very often. It's fun and all but...yeah, just not something you'd bring up often.

 

[anthony87]

Awh man...fucking love ActRaiser! Anyways, my game is one that I've mentioned once or twice around these parts.

Ronin Blade, otherwise known as Soul of the Samurai in America was an action adventure game on the PS1, developed by Konami. It had a few elements that were Survival Horror-esque in nature, such as a similar control scheme to that used in the Resident Evil games and its fair share of gruesome monsters.

From the start the player chooses to be either a young male ronin named Kotaro or a teenage female ninja named Lin (Rin). From then on he or she travels through prerendered levels, killing enemies and fulfilling their mission.
The combat system is quite detailed, and will take a while to get used to. However, when mastered, it is relatively easy for Lin and Kotaro to dispatch multiple enemies quickly from different directions, while simultaneously avoiding the enemies thrusts and swipes. There is a single attack button, but combined with different directional buttons pressed in different combinations and held down for various intervals. There are different attack speeds which correlate to the weight of the equipped weapon, and this is displayed on the sword's 'check' window (also displayed is the sword's length and sharpness, and a brief description of the blade).

Each character has their own story and boss fights, however they cross paths often and come together at the end of the game. The true final boss of the game was unlocked. by playing though as one character, loading the completed save file and then starting as the second character from that save file.

It really was one of my favourite PS1 games. It was short but it was one of those games that I could pick up and play over and over again. As for my favourite thing about the game....


DAT SOUNDTRACK!!!!

That one right there is the best boss fight music for one of the best boss fights in the game.

 

[Stasisesque]

Only because it was on the Amstrad, but I have never met another soul who's ever played Sultan's Maze; a freaking terrifying game I used to play with my mum's supervision as a kid. It really could not be classed as scary these days, with games like Amnesia, but when you're being chased through a maze by a monster... ghost... thing. Ugh, horrifying.


Obviously lots of others have heard of it/played it because of the sheer number of comments. Still, it's the most obscure game (well, that and everything else on the Amstrad - bless you, Alan Sugar) I can think of that I did... 'like'.

Bonus: There was another one... Something Something Goes to Hollywood? You played an egg... dude, and he had to shoot a film of a girl being saved by himself from a speeding train. As it panned out, very often you would fail and the girl would be splattered, or you'd forget to set the train off or you'd not film anything. I never, ever completed it.


I found it! Now, I just need an Amstrad...

 

[Judgement101]

Silent Storm, it was pretty much Jagged Alliance set in World War II but due to a truly stupid plot twist that altered the gameplay massively, its sales suffered. (The plot twist turned the game from a turn based RPG/Shooter/Action game, into a turn based stealth thing)

 

[Autumnflame]

Survival the ultimate challenge.

Early 2000's game.

about a group of shipwrecked or stranded survivors.
you have to help them survive and escape.
Gathering food, water, building tools and shelter, hunting
building means to escape. improving skills.

Was and still is a favourite of mine

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

More or less anything by Wadjet Eye Games. Gemini Rue is a particular favourite of mine. Resonance appears to be getting them a fair amount of recognition now, though, which is great. Haven't played it yet, though.

I'd highly recommend Gemini Rue to any point 'n' click fan, though. The Blackwell Series isn't too shabby, either.

 

[ZforZissou]

There's this game called "Off". It's a French game that was made in RPG Maker, and it's FREE! It was recently translated into English. It's a surreal experience that has both comedy and horror elements. It's truly a special game, and I implore anyone looking at this to check it out.

To get to it, just search "Off mortis ghost" in google, and it should be the first link that shows up. It's a great game.


There's also a link to it in this video's description.

 

[ScrabbitRabbit]

There's this game called "Off". It's a French game that was made in RPG Maker, and it's FREE!

And LPer I'm subscribed called agentjr has been playing this. Certainly looks very interesting.

 

[Skullpanda]

Obscure?

Ok, let's play this game.

Cyberia, released in 1994 for pc, later ported to the Playstation, Sega Saturn, and 3DO. I've yet to find anyone else who has ever heard of the game, let alone played it. I never did beat the thing, if only because the later you got in the game, the more it turned into a first-person bullet hell shooter...

Still, I love the game. Couldn't see myself enjoying anything as much as I did this back when I was a kid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoL2j6dgc5Q (For those curious as to what it actually looked like...This is fairly early on in the game, too.)

 

[shrekfan246]

Yoshi's Story.

People always talk about Super Mario this and Yoshi's Island that, but I never see Yoshi's Story brought up anywhere. I loved that game back on the N64. I mean, it controlled basically like Yoshi's Island I guess with the jumping, floating, egg-throwing and whatnot, but it was about a bunch of baby Yoshis instead of that fat Italian plumber.

Okay, it's not really obscure, but I've literally never seen anyone else on this website mention it. And it's the first thing that popped into my head. Wait!

That game was hard as balls to my young mind. Haven't played it in years though, might be easier now than it used to be...

 

[Death Carr]

Seek and Destroy for the PS2

I haven't met anyone else who has played this game, and I haven't seen it in shops barring the one time that I got it.
Despite being ugly, it is an incredibly fun game.
It even has night time stealth missions.
In a tank.