There are many great games out there that never get their chance to shine. I’m sure you can think of a game or two that should have been remembered as great but, for one reason or another, was overshadowed. What’s most frustrating is that this lack of recognition is normally due to circumstances beyond the control of the developers.
12
Guardians of the Galaxy Was Ignored by Many Players
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, which came out in 2021, is a linear, single-player game that stands out because it doesn’t follow the game-as-a-service model that was so popular at the time. Its story, combat, and overall charm made it a memorable title. While the plot fits the usual cosmic comic book adventure style, it also gives Star-Lord a personal story that pulls players into an emotional journey.
Even with its strengths, Guardians of the Galaxy might not have gotten as much attention as it deserved because it came after Marvel’s Avengers and from the same publisher. Many thought the game would lead to the same disappointment, and so it got mostly ignored.
It didn’t have microtransactions, which many assumed it would. It focused on a straightforward, story-driven adventure, which was a great choice. Unfortunately, Guardians of the Galaxy was a fantastic game that was mostly ignored. Unfortunately, Marvel Snap continued Marvel’s bad luck, but at least it’s back for now.
11
Apex Legends Owes Titanfall 2 for a Lot of Its Success
Titanfall 2 was developed by Respawn Entertainment and released in 2016. It improved on the first game in many ways. This fast, smooth first-person shooter experience combines parkour movement with intense battles involving giant mechs called Titans.
The single-player campaign, a weak point in the original Titanfall, became one of the game’s strongest aspects. The story follows Jack Cooper and his bond with BT-7274, a highly advanced AI-controlled Titan.
Titanfall 2 had the misfortune of launching at the same time as major competitors like Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare. Being squeezed between these blockbuster releases hurt its sales, preventing many players from trying the new-age gameplay.
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10
State of Decay 2 Is One of the Best Zombie Survival Games
State of Decay 2 tasks players with leading a group of survivors during a zombie apocalypse. It’s done in a way that remains believable. When the game first came out, it didn’t have difficulty options and had a lot of issues, so Undead Labs added Nightmare mode and fixed a lot of it. Unfortunately, by the time these changes were made, people started moving on to other games.
State of Decay 2 still stands out as one of the best post-apocalyptic games around. The game works best at higher difficulty levels because winning feels like pulling victory from the edge of disaster, and every loss or setback becomes part of the community’s ongoing story.
9
Sleeping Dogs Is a Martial Arts Masterpiece
Sleeping Dogs is an excellent open-world action game that mixes elements of Hong Kong cinema with fun gameplay. Its strengths were frequently ignored because it took so much time to release due to changes in development. That makes it a standout title that never received the widespread praise it deserved. One of the game’s biggest highlights is its story, which sticks with you long after it’s done.
The story follows undercover police officer Wei Shen as he works his way through the dangerous world of Hong Kong’s Triads. This isn’t just a simple backdrop for the action; it’s a gripping, well-written tale packed with unforgettable characters and rising tension. This makes it different from many other open-world games where the story feels like an afterthought. The combat in Sleeping Dogs is intense and satisfying, mixing martial arts, gunfights, and creative environmental takedowns.
8
Marvel’s Midnight Suns Is a Marvel Lover’s Dream
Marvel’s Midnight Suns is an impressive game that combines deep tactical combat with a surprisingly fun RPG-style story. The game features a special card-based battle system designed by Firaxis, which adds a new layer of strategy to the superhero genre.
Players get to use famous heroes like Iron Man and Doctor Strange in creative and exciting ways. It focuses on smaller, character-driven missions instead of following typical superhero game conventions.
That said, even though Midnight Suns has innovative combat, a great story, and enjoyable characters, it didn’t get as much attention as it should have. Part of the reason is that it launched at a very busy time for new games, but it was pretty complex as well.
7
EarthBound Was Influential, But Many Haven’t Played It
EarthBound, which came out in 1995, is a Japanese role-playing game that mixes classic gameplay with a setting inspired by 1990s America. The game balances serious and silly moments, pushing players through tough fights against weird enemies (like living piles of vomit) with plenty of funny situations (like helping monkeys fall in love).
It also used a health system where numbers rolled down, giving players a chance to heal before a character died. Unfortunately, even today, many people haven’t played EarthBound. It’s worth trying out since plenty of fan translations exist.
6
Everspace 2 Is a Fun Space Dogfighting Game
Everspace 2 is a fast-paced, vibrant, and action-packed game that blends looter-shooter RPG mechanics with arcade-style space battles. The game has smooth, glitch-free flying and has a classic take on close-range dogfights. You have to carefully choose the right damage types to break through enemy shields and armor.
What really makes Everspace 2 stand out is its emphasis on space combat and the huge amount of customization available for your ship. Players can equip different modules like boosters and shields, choose from 10 primary weapons, and pick from a wide selection of secondary weapons, along with various devices that can all be upgraded and fine-tuned.
While the combat and ship customization are excellent, the story and characters aren’t very memorable, with repetitive dialogue and missions that mostly focus on fighting without much variety. This caused it to receive worse reviews than it could have had, and it tends to be overlooked by many.
5
Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars Came Before Rocket League
Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars was a one-of-a-kind car soccer game that should have gotten much more attention than it did when it first came out. I am more sure of that than any other game on this list because the next game in this series was Rocket League, which took a lot of the original and made improvements.
The game took the basic idea of using cars to score goals and mixed in physics, letting players pull off amazing midair tricks and skilled moves. Despite being a really great game, the long title did not help. Rocket League got its bit break at launch by being free on PlayStation Plus, so it’s possible that Rocket League could have suffered the same fate.
4
Old World Is a 4X Strategy Game That’s a Ton of Fun
Old World is a strategy game that skillfully combines the 4X genre (explore, expand, exploit, exterminate) with elements from Crusader Kings. It stands out by focusing closely on ancient Mediterranean history, emphasizing the personal side of leadership through named characters and noble families. The choices you make matter, affecting not just your nation but also your ties to powerful families, leading to tough decisions with real consequences.
Old World might not have gotten as much attention as it deserved because of its initial complexity and a user interface that presented information in a heavy, text-focused way. Compared to broader strategy games like Civilization, its specialized historical focus may have also limited its appeal. The steep learning curve at the beginning and the complexities of managing internal politics and order resources are likely still off-putting for some players.
3
Spec Ops: The Line Is an Unforgettable Experience
Spec Ops: The Line is a standout shooter because it makes violence feel meaningful, which few games manage to do. The story is one of its biggest strengths, following Captain Martin Walker and his Delta Force team as they navigate the morally gray ruins of Dubai. As the plot unfolds, Walker changes from a typical hero into someone much darker, forcing players to face the consequences of their actions in a way most games avoid. It’s a really misunderstood game you should give another chance.
The issue with Spec Ops: The Line is that it had to compete with an already huge catalog of shooters. It also didn’t have the marketing to stand out. Despite an incredible story, the likes of Battlefield, Call of Duty, and Ghost Recon ultimately drowned it out. Despite daring to make players feel guilty for their violence and encouraging them to reflect on their choices in a way most games don’t, Spec Ops never quite got the recognition it deserved.
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2
Blur Fused Real-World Cars with Kart-Racing Power Ups
Blur mixed arcade-style racing with combat elements in a way that set it apart from other racing games of its era. Its single-player Career mode was tough but it had destruction levels and checkpoint stages that were especially fun. The game also had a system where players earned “fans” by driving well, completing goals, and attacking rivals, adding a progression layer similar to competitive first-person shooters.
However, Blur never gained the widespread popularity it should have. Unfortunately, the bigger races, whether single-player or online multiplayer, often felt too chaotic and frustrating. Computer-controlled opponents sometimes attacked too aggressively, and the unpredictability of 20-player online races took away from the enjoyment of pure racing. Even though Blur included team races, battle modes, and a great four-player split-screen option, it failed to build a steady fanbase.
1
Brutal Legend’s Marketing Team Let the Game Down
Brutal Legend is a one-of-a-kind funny action game that a lot of people think should have gotten more attention when it first came out. The game does an amazing job of mixing comedy, heavy metal music, and a story that turns out to be deeper than you might expect, all wrapped up in a well-crafted experience. One of the best things about the game is how original it is. It mixes real-time strategy, action combat, and open-world exploration in a new and exciting way.
Unfortunately, the marketing for the game mostly misled players. It seemed like a hack-and-slash that had Jack Black front and center, rather than a clever fusion of RTS and action. The game was rough but never took off because players were expecting something else.
Despite all the issues and the lack of recognition, these games were great, and it’s a shame that they never got to take off the way they should have. Still, if you’re looking for a fun older game, make sure to try the games above.
