Topic: Underrated Games

@Kidfried @nessisonett @Voltan In my humble opinion, Dishonored is a game that is OVERrated and UNDERperformed. Is that possible? Actually… I guess if I think it’s overrated then it probably performed sales-wise on par with where I’d value it.

Of course, I must admit I didn’t stick with the game long enough to truly qualify to mete out final judgment upon it. But while playing it’s opening hours I kept thinking “When is this game going to reveal why it’s a critical darling?” I was underwhelmed. Not that it’s a bad game by any stretch and I’ve often felt I need to return to it and give it another try. But one of the greatest games of the PS3 generation? Nah.

@Th3solution quite surprised by your opinion here Sol, as generally I have a real similar take to you on the games we play. I loved Dishonored though… and it’s sequel. I know the new Hitman games are great… and while the Assassins Creed games have their faults, I’m still enjoying them but for me no game does performing a hit on a target as well as the Dishonored games… there is just so much versatility and replayability. The world Arkane created is pretty interesting and warped too.

It is a little divisive though… I’ve recommended to a few friends and they struggled to get into it so you’re definitely not alone in your opinion.

This is what I think too. I've played both of the main games and I enjoyed them to a degree. They're solid 8s for me but people talk about these like they're some of the greatest of all times but I don't get it.

@colonelkilgore In fairness, I was in a weird headspace at the time I played Dishonored. The timing was poor while I was fruitlessly trying to straddle the transition to PS4 while holding on to the vestiges of a PS3 library that was quickly losing my interest. I had just come off of playing Metal Gear Solid V and Uncharted 4 and was knee-deep in Dragon Age Inquisition. I remember No Man’s Sky also dropped around the same time (another game that bitterly disappointed me but I wouldn’t yet know that at the time) and I was caught up in the release hype of that. So my attention turned toward DA:I and then NMS and before I knew it I was in the throes of finishing Persona 4 Golden and starting Rise of the Tomb Raider. In fact, looking at my trophy list (a useful recorded history to prick my memory) I think Dishonored was the very last PS3 game I played. It really didn’t have a chance with the gradual increasing onslaught of shiny new PS4 games pulling my attention.

Additionally, me and first person perspective don’t always get along. I’m much more tolerant of the FPS camera now, but didn’t have as much patience then.

It also was a time when I had personal life issues that distracted me from gaming all together so there is a little bit of a void in my history around then. It was a dark time in some ways and perhaps Dishonored just wasn’t the right game for me at that point. Fortunately there is a happy ending and it was a few short months later that I found PushSquare. I suspect if I had the support and interaction of the community here that things would have been different for me with Dishonored.

Apologies for vomiting a soliloquy of my personal history there. 😅

@johncalmc Yeah, I think they’re decent too but not exactly masterpieces. Like they’re touted as being immersive sims like Vampire the Masquerade or Deus Ex but they aren’t open enough for that. It’s not like there’s that many ways of killing the targets like Hitman either, you just stab them in the face or follow the markers to the non-lethal option.

@nessisonett Yeah, that's me, too. You kinda just do one or the other don't you? It's not like you're in Hitman solving a big puzzle, or finding varied, ridiculous ways to bump off your target. It's like, do you wanna go in all guns blazing or are you going to stealth it? And that's the game. I wonder if one day I should play them again to see if I like them more. But then my backlog has like a hundred games in it so probably not.

Sticking with Arkane, I feel Prey is severely underrated. I didn’t have much for expectations going into it but it sucked me right in for a good while. It has fantastic world building, an engaging story, a lot of freedom in how you explore and approach everything and a consistent yet not overwhelming challenge throughout. Not sure if it’s been mentioned here yet but for me it’s a textbook definition of ‘hidden gem’.

@Jimmer-jammer I havent played Prey yet but I'm definitely looking forward to it once I can find the time. As far as the YouTube gaming community goes, it seems to have really grown in stature with the passing of time since it's release.

@colonelkilgore I’m really curious to know your thoughts on it. I don’t hear much chatter about it at all, especially in my circles. It seems to live deep within the shadow of the Dishonoured games, and while I thoroughly enjoy that series, Prey has always been the better game in my opinion. The amount of freedom you’re given, especially in exploration, is impressive, and Talos 1 is just a phenomenal setting. I was really absorbed into it when I went through it and it’s quite a meaty experience. With all that said, it’s also not for everyone. It’s slower pace and tactical, almost puzzle-like scenario design might be off-putting for some, but if you can get in the groove, it really does offer a unique and fascinating gaming experience. Also, it’s surprisingly challenging, which I dig. Definitely let me know if/when you go through it, it’s one I’d like to replay one day.

@Jimmer-jammer Ah yes PREY is awesome. Got strong Bioshock vibes from that one. Loved using the Gloo gun.

@Jimmer-jammer will do buddy, could be a while though I’m afraid.

@JohnnyShoulder yeah, the gloo gun is a highlight for sure, and another shining example of the type of creative freedom the game offers the player. I love when a game gives me that feeling of, ‘I really don’t think that’s how I was supposed to do that but it worked!’ Prey has that in spades, much like Dark Souls.

@colonelkilgore hey, I’m still patiently waiting for your impressions on The Evil Within series! Pick up the pace, already! 😜

@Jimmer-jammer dude I know… there’s just so many games I can’t wait to play. I’m particularly keen on playing The Evil Within 2 as I have a feeling it’s gonna be something I adore. I am wary of how difficult the plats are for them though… one of my friends on PSN has plat’d some really difficult games and he singles out The Evil Within as the single most difficult one he has.

I get quite stressed when I’m chasing a difficult Platinum, so I like to give a few months between them. Ashen was only last month & was by far the hardest one I’ve achieved. MGS2 will be the next one I attempt that is considered to be very tough, then a few months after that MGS4… MGRising… Devil May Cry (all 5 but again with a few months in between) and the The Evil Within games.

edit. Just remembered that Returnal is gonna be somewhere in there too… probably somewhere within the Devil May Cry games.

@colonelkilgore ooh boy that’s quite the stressful list 😅 well, if anyone can do it my money would be on you. Best of luck and I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts!

@Jimmer-jammer cheers buddy, I’ll need it that’s for sure. What game(s) you got on the go atm?

@colonelkilgore mainly Returnal. I’d like to get back to Skyrim as well but Returnal is an absolute time sink. Work this week has been incredibly busy so I haven’t gamed as much as I’d like. I’ve also been slowly going through Ratchet and Miles with the kids but I’ll be doing proper play throughs of those eventually. Still have to wrap up It Takes Two with my wife...feels like a lot but yeah, mainly Returnal. It’s excellent!

@Jimmer-jammer wow, you got a lot on the go huh? Well idle hands and all that…

Yeah I really think I’m gonna click with Returnal. It just looks so playable. I’m obviously well aware of the difficulties and frustrations it has caused for loads of people but it just looks so much fun too. There is a big part of me that just wants to slot it in once I finish off A Plague Tale… and the more I talk about it that part just takes more hold 😵‍💫

@colonelkilgore if you do start Returnal, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed. It’s a proper challenge but the gameplay is wonderful. One of the best shooters I think I’ve played. Hope you enjoy A Plague Tale, another great one!

@colonelkilgore You’ve been a lot more flexible in your schedule lately. I think it’s good to have some flexibility built in. If Returnal fits your appetite right now, you might need to shuffle a little. It’s certainly in the current zeitgeist, although it will be no less fun I’m sure to play it several months from now. But a futuristic action shooter would fit well after two ancient and historical setting games with a bunch of stealth mechanics…. 😄. No pressure, no pressure.

@Th3solution you are right, in so much that genre-wise Returnal would be perfect given my last few games.

I've started a few games (Doom, Tekken 7 and the original Watch Dogs) in the last month (just nibbled at them really) and now I've got GoT and PT:I out the way I wanna get those done and dusted... otherwise I might never go back to them.

It's all good though, I actually don't have a copy of Returnal yet... but I'm keeping an eye out for a bargain. And when I do manage to snag myself a bargain, it'll be something that I'll probably keep for when I have some time off work.