Ok, we get loads of these "Top X" threads and all that ends up happening is people post their list, read nothing, and the thread leads to nothing. So no straight lists, in fact; straight lists should be considered spam for the purpose of this thread I'd say. So here's how we do it different.
List your top 5 games from the last generation (PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, and PC circa 2005+), that sold combined over all platforms less than 1 million copies; and explain why it should have done better. Maybe convice other members to pick up games that where perhaps overlooked for whatever reason, unfairly trashed by critics, or unexpectedly attacked by rabid fanboys who didn't even play it. We've all seen games like this. So; what are yours? Here's mine;
DmC: Devil May Cry - Combined sales 1.01 millon (close enough) - Needlessly hated by clucking fanboys who labelled it as shit because they changed Dante's hair colour. People complained that the character lost his carefree and sarcastic attitude, he hasn't... if anything his timing is better and his comments have more subtlety; but then I'm British and apparently Americans, (which accounts for most people on the internet), just don't get sarcasm. The new design for Dante is extremely fitting for the art style and quite cool, fanboys just didn't want to admit it because... fuck knows, they're fanboys. As for the gameplay, it's tight and responsive. The combo system is streamlined without being needlessly simplified, and while it's not quite as smooth as say Devil May Cry 3 or Bayonetta, it's one of the best I've played all generation and easily deserving of praise. Sure, it's easier than previous games, so play on the hard difficulty if you're a fan of the series as easier difficulties won't present a challenge, but it's far from the cake-walk critics made it out to be. As for the storyline and characters, they actually managed to take the outline of Devil May Cry and re-imagine it in a subtle and contemporary way that fits western sensibilities, whilst also having a strong message about fiscal politics, consumerism, media, and modern culture. It's very reminiscent of films like 'They Live' in style and atmosphere and it's done very well. I genuinely feel this is the best Devil May Cry game to date; it's only crime being underestimating how pathetically attached the screaming fanboys where to Dante's fucking haircut!
Spec Ops: The Line - Combined sales 970,000 - The critics loved this but for some reason people didn't buy it. These people missed out. This is a third person military shooter, and it's a pretty average on at that with decent serviceable gameplay. Shooting mechanics work, graphics are nice, level design is pretty decent. It's also however one of the most gripping horror games I've ever played and I consider it a horror game first and foremost, alongside the likes of Silent Hill and such. The story takes you through a warzone as you take control of a soldier going through the harshest and starkest parts of war as he slowly looses his mind in the stress of the warzone, lost and unsure who to trust, what to do, or even what he's done; you get to experience first hand what it's like to make such weightful decisions. This is the only game I've ever played that made me genuinely question my own morality, my philosophy on the value of human life and whether I can count myself as a good and honourable person. This is NOT a game for kids, though the morality of the game; the part that's most disturbing, would likely go over their heads anyway; I'd still claim this game is not for the faint hearted. This is an experience to be had though and it's a shame so many passed it over.
Splatterhouse (2010) - Combined sales 300,000 - Going for something that's pure style and silly fun. This is a solid and enjoyable action game. The critics panned this, and as a result it sold badly and Namco let most of the Splatterhouse team go, and by that we mean they where fired. This means there will probably never be another Splatterhouse game and that's a crying shame because while it may not be a game to make you think it's a fun and stylish game not unlike Lollipop Chainsaw. Jim Cummings does some great voicework, and the art direction is delightfully gory. This is the videogame equivilent of a low budget horror film and it's fun in all the same ways. The music and atmosphere is very evocative, and the gameplay is shocking decent. Sure it's not as deep as others in the genre, but it's not trying to be and it's certainly not the button masher so many critics made it out to be. This game deserved better.
Pandora's Tower - Combined sales 280,000 - This is what happens when great games are ignored by their publishers, refused a translation and international release for almost 2 years, and then only released in a limited number. Most annoyingly this Wii Exclusive is now hard to come by and increasing in price even used, but it's worth it honestly. Now, it's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. The lack of camera control can make combat harder than it should be, and the way you control your chain can make moving around the levels a little frustrating, but these are far from deal-breakers. The characterisations and atmosphere however, are fantastic and here-in lies the draw. The game draws you in with what feels like a mix of Legend Of Zelda and the style from Shadow Of The Colossus. Combat is unique and level design flows very well, with a fantastic difficulty curve. Compared to Xenoblade Chronicles and The Last Story, the other two Wii games that thanks for Operation Rainfall got international releases, this is probably the weakest of the three but the others at least got some attention, (all three of these games sold less than 1 million units which means they all qualify for this list; consider the other two honorary mentions and all three are must haves for Wii/WiiU owners). This game seems to have been forgotten, and it deserved better.
Remember Me - Combined sales 335,000 - How on earth this game didn't sell better I'll never know. I'm a sucker for cyberpunk setting and Remember Me has a genuinely interesting setting and premise. You play as a rebel mercenary in a dystopian futuristic Paris who has the ability to hack into people mind and alter their memories, even wiping them; something that's done in order to brainwash and control people. It's a brilliant concept and the ability to explore philisophical questions of identity, the mind, addiction, corporate control, the fallability of memory, and even the question of consensus reality. It's truly inspired. Sure these concepts aren't explored nearly as well or as much I'd hoped but with so much to introduce the player to they couldn't do the concepts justiice in a single game... it's just a shame people didn't care enough to make this into a franchise because it could have been something special. Still, everyone should experience what little we have of this world because it's genuinely distinct and really does leave it's mark. The gameplay admittedly is somewhat lacking, with the combat and platforming being only somewhat above average, but that's not why we're here, and it's hardly worth missing out on this game just because of slightly mismanaged combat.
So. Those are my five. Honourable mentions go to; Alice: Madness Returns, a fantastic and atmospheric 3D platformer which I believe should have sold better, but managed 1.02 million sales and unlike DmC, didn't have pathetic fanboy backlash holding it back, Dynasty Warriors 8 which sold 610,000 units; the best in the franchise so far but it's only got a niche appeal and most people who want it already have it, Vanquish which managed 940,000 sales, and was a largely overlooked third person action/mech game from Platinum (makers of Bayonetta and Metal Gear Rising: Revengence), currently one of my favourite developers, and Xenoblade Chronicles & The Last Story, both of which are fantastic Wii exclusives which simply came too late, but which every Wii/Wii U owner should own; they sold 850,000 and 590,000 respectively.
So yeah. Hopefully this thread will introduce people to some great games they've not previously tried and get the better overlooked games a little more exposure
