I would suggest Spec Ops: The Line. It didn't sell very well, but it probably was never going to, to be honest, though it did find a fanbase among pretentious twats like me.
What are the cult classics of the current gen?
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I don?t know enough about what games sold well this gen to answer this question but if I were to guess I would say terraria spec ops the line and most paradox and atlus games.
My COD 4 mention was mostly because even though it was played by a lot of people back then it wont be played now by those millions of players that buy COD every year (since the explosion started with MW2) since they have their newest iteration at home, and it wont be played by the other huge amount of players that dismiss the COD series alltogether because of what it has become.GoaThief said:
COD 4 was a really good game that most people that didnt played it at the time probably wont now so for that I think that it could become a cult classic a few years from now.
Bioshock franchise (Bioshock 1 being cult classic)
Witcher franchise
Demon's Souls/Dark Souls
Mass Effect trilogy
Dragon Age (DA2 doesn't count in this particular instance)
These are but a few that come to mind and of course are my picks and no one elses.
And also..this current gen has been going on for 8+years so the list is very significant.
Witcher franchise
Demon's Souls/Dark Souls
Mass Effect trilogy
Dragon Age (DA2 doesn't count in this particular instance)
These are but a few that come to mind and of course are my picks and no one elses.
And also..this current gen has been going on for 8+years so the list is very significant.
Sorry bud but that's just not true, CoD has always been a pretty big deal. Below is an example of the hype from pre-release.josemlopes said:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/139653/article.html
Despite Microsoft's unprecedented advertising push, industry analyst Todd Greenwald expects Call of Duty 4 to sell more copies than Halo 3."Call of Duty 4, which was released last week by Activision, appears to be in extremely high demand and is sold out across the board," Greenwald told the Escapist.
"We've checked with a wide range of retailers (Gamestop, Wal-Mart, Target) and only pre-orders are being satisfied - stores are otherwise sold out of the title.
"The game has an average score of 9.5/10 on Metacritic.com, which is almost unprecedented, and puts it on par with Halo 3. It certainly is the highest-rated game Activision has ever created.
"Keep in mind, CoD4 is launching on four times as many platforms (Xbox 360, PlayStation3, PC, DS) as Halo 3 (360 only). Halo 3 has so far sold about 4 million units. A year ago, Call of Duty 3 sold about 3 million units, and we anticipate this year's version could do four million or more."
It was also the best selling game of 2007 so you couldn't have picked a worse choice for "not played by many at the time". Hehe.
I think CoD 4 doesn't qualify as a cult classic, given its popularity at the time. But I think it still deserves to be mentioned. Say what you will about it, it was most certainly one of the most influentual titles this generation. Moving away from WWII and taking a modern warfare setting what quite a bold move at the time since WWII Shooter where a quite reliable cash cow at the time.
This game singlehanditly spearheaded the whole progression thing in multyplayer and made the MMS genre the new "thing". I don't really appreciate both of those (I long for a multyplayer game where you don't have to put 100+ hours in to have a go with all the weapons. And a lot of MMS tend to be shit.), but you can't deny that it influenced this generation of gaming to a degree not many other games can claim.
On top of that: It was a really good game and the whole nuke scene was really effective. I wouldn't call it a "cult classic" but considering the way it has influenced gaming over years there is no doubt that this game will be remembered as one of the milestones of this generation. Regardless wether you like what it has done.
I'd say Spec Ops: The Line deserves a place as cult classic for showing what dicks we are for letting MMS become as big a thing.
I would guess Journey qualifies as possible cult classic to, given how often it is refered to. Being a PC kind guy I haven't played it though.
I also have the feeling Ride To Hell: Retribution will get a weird small cult following that celebrates its awfulness. Kinda like it happened to Bad Ratz.
This game singlehanditly spearheaded the whole progression thing in multyplayer and made the MMS genre the new "thing". I don't really appreciate both of those (I long for a multyplayer game where you don't have to put 100+ hours in to have a go with all the weapons. And a lot of MMS tend to be shit.), but you can't deny that it influenced this generation of gaming to a degree not many other games can claim.
On top of that: It was a really good game and the whole nuke scene was really effective. I wouldn't call it a "cult classic" but considering the way it has influenced gaming over years there is no doubt that this game will be remembered as one of the milestones of this generation. Regardless wether you like what it has done.
I'd say Spec Ops: The Line deserves a place as cult classic for showing what dicks we are for letting MMS become as big a thing.
I would guess Journey qualifies as possible cult classic to, given how often it is refered to. Being a PC kind guy I haven't played it though.
I also have the feeling Ride To Hell: Retribution will get a weird small cult following that celebrates its awfulness. Kinda like it happened to Bad Ratz.
Shoot that's what I was gonna say. I certainly second Spec Ops at any rate very good game. Ironically not for everyone.optimusjamie said:
Deadly Premonition is honestly your "real" answer OP. Though I'll also back up Valykria Cronicles and Alan Wake as big ones that people tend to talk about a lot.
After reading answers so far, I didn't know Catherine or Viva Piñata were considered cult classics, but I can't argue with that.
I also want to add Square Enix's The World Ends With You. I really great game that's now on iOS. I'm not sure if it sold but it certainly was one of the best games at the tail end of the Nintendo DS's life cycle.
To be honest most of the games mentioned here are not "cult" classics, though some of them seem like they could have been in previous generations. For example the "Souls" series (Demon's, Dark) is fairly hardcore but also performed incredibly well, the servers for the first game were kept up a long time due to people playing it despite initially being planned with a tight expiration date, it got a sequel, and yet another game in the series is being planned due to it's success and player base. "Alan Wake" performed below expectations, but still did well enough to get a sequel ("American Nightmare") and another game is still apparently in the works, "Alan Wake" got heavy distribution due to sale, bundles, and similar things and managed to achieve well beyond a cult-like fan base. I also hate to say it but Suda 51 isn't really a cult producer, he's incredibly well known nowadays, and tends to largely fail more than he succeeds now because he's "quirky within socially accepted limits", "Killer 7" was arguably a cult classic, but one that made him fairly main stream, his other games have sold pretty well based on his name alone and have simply not become blockbusters because they wound up lacking, or seeming like he was dialing it in.
I think part of the problem is that this generation has been plagued by the whole "go big, or go home" school of thought which means that nearly every game produced has been some monolithic, big budget production, or at least heavily pushed to it's target audience. Even Nippon Ichi and Atlus who have traditionally been underground have become well known to gamers because of Disgaea and Persona, and tend to get mentioned on pretty much every game site fairly regularly and have other games compared to their usual style. As a result we've seen few, if any, cult classics, and merely games that underperformed, most of which would have been considered successes before this generation. Indie games might wind up with smaller audiences, but that's because they are smaller productions, and are really not "cultish" as much as simply being traditionally successful on a smaller, but still sizable, playing field.
At one time I think "Deadly Premonition" could have been considered a cult classic, but word of mouth and exposure through things like "Let's Play" videos changed that after a while. It went from an ambitious last gen game pushing the envelope of a very limited budget, released later in the current gen, that only a few people cared about, to something quite mainstream as it's become a go to title for pointing out what's possible with games. Part of the problem with "Alan Wake" is that the team doing it claimed they could not make the idea of a sandbox like horror game work, yet "Deadly Premonition" showed how it could very easily work. "Deadly Premonition" succeeded to the point where it's being fixed, graphically updated, and released today on STEAM for the PC largely because of the demand for it. It's pretty much a cult classic that managed to crawl into the mainstream despite some steep odds.
I think part of the problem is that this generation has been plagued by the whole "go big, or go home" school of thought which means that nearly every game produced has been some monolithic, big budget production, or at least heavily pushed to it's target audience. Even Nippon Ichi and Atlus who have traditionally been underground have become well known to gamers because of Disgaea and Persona, and tend to get mentioned on pretty much every game site fairly regularly and have other games compared to their usual style. As a result we've seen few, if any, cult classics, and merely games that underperformed, most of which would have been considered successes before this generation. Indie games might wind up with smaller audiences, but that's because they are smaller productions, and are really not "cultish" as much as simply being traditionally successful on a smaller, but still sizable, playing field.
At one time I think "Deadly Premonition" could have been considered a cult classic, but word of mouth and exposure through things like "Let's Play" videos changed that after a while. It went from an ambitious last gen game pushing the envelope of a very limited budget, released later in the current gen, that only a few people cared about, to something quite mainstream as it's become a go to title for pointing out what's possible with games. Part of the problem with "Alan Wake" is that the team doing it claimed they could not make the idea of a sandbox like horror game work, yet "Deadly Premonition" showed how it could very easily work. "Deadly Premonition" succeeded to the point where it's being fixed, graphically updated, and released today on STEAM for the PC largely because of the demand for it. It's pretty much a cult classic that managed to crawl into the mainstream despite some steep odds.
mirror's edge
sleeping dogs
dishonered
Kingdoms of Amalur
remember me
metro 2033
Most indie PC games
Most vita games
sleeping dogs
dishonered
Kingdoms of Amalur
remember me
metro 2033
Most indie PC games
Most vita games
1) The Souls series (Demon's Souls and Dark Souls). For being great games that spawned a sprawling community and tons of youtube personalities along with several websites dedicated to the lore of the game and organizing community events. Challenge runs, livestreams, (jolly)co-operation events and several other things are what make this game a cult classic. Dark Souls sold a lot, true. But I think the attention it gets from hardcore gamers is kind of a blemish.BrotherRool said:
2) The Binding of Isaac. One of the best indie games out there and offers tons of replayability. It's streamed a lot by lets players and various groups who've done charity events. Northernlion has 650ish videos dedicated to it at this point and the items and synergy make the game really interesting.
3) Mirror's Edge for obvious reasons. It was dragged down by shoddy controls but the concept was novel and has a cult following on many internet forums.
Cheers for the explanation and it clearly answered what I questioned but I didnt write what I meant very clearly. I suppose I just meant when does a game become cult whats the boundary? I dont think their is one its all down to perspective some may see Okami as cult others not so much. Not that it matters I mean a lot of indie games will enjoy cult status and be ignored or more accurately unknown by most people.KingsGambit said:
I will just name Valkyria Chronicles, Xenoblade Chronicles, Puppeteer, The Last Story, Persona 4 Arena, Skullgirls and Guacamelee as a few possibly cult classics from this gen oh and Dragons Crown.
Deadly Premonition.
An FBI investigator who shows a plethora of MPD symptons and a woman whose only characterisation is her horrible cooking ability - which is both mocked in-universe, and is noted as her only personality aspect - investigate the increasingly surreal murders of young women - and one closeted transexual - by a mythological figure, all which the former goes batshit insane, concluded with Twin-Peaks like stealth/combat sections inbetween?
Gauranteed cult classic. I still liked the look of the beta more, though - it was going to be a stealth-focused game, instead of that one bit in the hospital where it's useful, and the, like, 4 hide and seek bits.
Still, great game.
An FBI investigator who shows a plethora of MPD symptons and a woman whose only characterisation is her horrible cooking ability - which is both mocked in-universe, and is noted as her only personality aspect - investigate the increasingly surreal murders of young women - and one closeted transexual - by a mythological figure, all which the former goes batshit insane, concluded with Twin-Peaks like stealth/combat sections inbetween?
Gauranteed cult classic. I still liked the look of the beta more, though - it was going to be a stealth-focused game, instead of that one bit in the hospital where it's useful, and the, like, 4 hide and seek bits.
Still, great game.
I was going to suggest the Divinity series, but it seems to be bigger than I originally estimated.
For me these were all games I loved that I thought would do well, but just didn't:
Kingdoms of Amalur
Brutal Legend
Enslaved
Driver San Francisco
Iron Brigade
E.Y.E.: Divine Cybermancy (Ok, so this one was really fucking weird and Im not surprised it wasn't a hit)
Aquaria
Sleeping Dogs (Hey, I hear its getting a sequel, just a rumour mind, but if it is, that's awesome)
Warp
Kingdoms of Amalur
Brutal Legend
Enslaved
Driver San Francisco
Iron Brigade
E.Y.E.: Divine Cybermancy (Ok, so this one was really fucking weird and Im not surprised it wasn't a hit)
Aquaria
Sleeping Dogs (Hey, I hear its getting a sequel, just a rumour mind, but if it is, that's awesome)
Warp