Cult Classics are in all forms of art, and video games are no exception. These are the games that didn’t get invited to prom, but ended up being pretty cool regardless of how popular they were.
Unfortunately, critics often miss the boat on these hidden gems, as they usually don’t have the production quality required to be one of the “it” games. They are often left behind with less than impressive sales and very little word of mouth.
Time is generally kind to these kinds of games though, as slowly, more and more people discover just how good the game was, even if it was overshadowed or just unappreciated when it released.
We’re going to check out a bunch of games that fit that mold and received less than a 75 on Metacritic since that’s the threshold where other review websites categorize games in the “Fair” range or worse.
10 God Hand
Metacritic: 73
God Hand was a game that came far too late in the PS2’s lifespan to be a hit, but it got unfairly criticized for not being what critics expected out of Capcom. It wasn’t Devil May Cry, it wasn’t Resident Evil, and what it was, was truly bizarre.
God Hand is a straight-up action brawler that drips with ’90s anime energy. Considering it came out in 2006, the tone might not have sat too well with that era’s gaming audience.
That era was addicted to graphics and big, bombastic storytelling. That is not what God Hand does. Instead, it offers some kick-ass action, over-the-top attacks, and a hilarious tone that got lost for many while playing. If you’ve got a PS2 lying around, God Hand is still one of the most fun times you can have on it.
9 Legend of Dragoon
Metacritic: 74
The Legend of Dragoon came at the tail end of the golden era of JRPGs. There were so many classics from year to year, and when Sony finally felt like joining the party themselves, there was a critical burnout of sorts. Oh, another blonde, spiky-haired protagonist who doesn’t remember his past? Oh, another silver-haired swordsman antagonist with a mysterious link to the main character?
They weren’t wrong, but imitation is flattery, and what Legend of Dragoon does is completely different from your run-of-the-mill JRPG. You get a unique combat system that relies on timed button presses, awesome Dragoon transformations, and a sprawling, epic story that feels unlike pretty much any other JRPG outside of a few tropes here and there.
This should’ve been a series, but the reception wasn’t good enough. These days, the game has cult classic status and is one of the highlighted titles when talking about how great 1990s JRPGs really were.
8 Alpha Protocol
Metacritic: 63
Alpha Protocol really is a one-of-a-kind game. An RPG that implements elements of Splinter Cell, Mass Effect and James Bond all in one weird and quirky package? It should’ve been gold.
But the problem was Obsidian didn’t really have the budget capable of delivering on what is one of the most ambitious games ever made. The story was compelling and the choice and consequence system was Obsidian working at the height of its powers, with great writing and surprising twists and turns along the way.
The gameplay, however, was a bit rough, with awkward animations and a shooting system that did not feel good, which did not help matters. But despite the mediocre gameplay, the entirety of the package was still a very cool experience and one that deserved better from critics.
7 Deadly Premonition
Metacritic: 68
Deadly Premonition is one of those games that will work for a select few people, and those people will defend the game to the grave. That’s what makes a cult classic, which is truly personified here.
It’s weird, awkward, and unsettling in all the right ways. The controls are janky, the aiming is mediocre, and the story itself is told in a way that makes you wonder whether the developers were in on the joke or not.
It’s such a medley of ugly chaos that it works in ways that speak to fans of niche shows like Twin Peaks. It was the video game answer to that. I’m not saying it was game of the year, but there was something special here in a so bad, it’s good kind of way. The critics did not see that special kind of magic that pieces of media like The Room can sometimes grip, and they missed out because of it.
6 Wet
Metacritic: 69
Wet is a short but sweet action romp from 2009 that got lost in the midst of overly edgy action titles that flooded the scene at the time.
Wet was on the unpopular side of those, giving us a fast-paced hack and slash with some stylish elements that capitalized on movies such as Kill Bill and The Matrix to make something that felt pretty unique.
The story was absolute nonsense and the writing was sophomoric at best, but it didn’t matter when the action was well done, with awesome animations, blood effects, and overall, a feeling of power that games like Wet are meant to deliver. It’s one of those games you play today and are impressed by due to how ahead of its time it was in a bunch of ways.
5 The Punisher
Metaritic: 69
The Punisher didn’t have the kind of momentum as a character to carry a game back in 2005, and that’s part of the reason this game never made much of an impact.
It’s unfortunate because even by today’s standards, this is a fantastic realization of The Punisher. It’s a dark, gritty tale based on the movie of the same name, and that movie alone is underrated and a cult classic in its own right.
The brutality of The Punisher is on full display here with several gory moves at your disposal. It might’ve been a bit too violent for its time period, as the Edgelord games of the late 2000s would’ve welcomed a game like this far more than the PS2 era did.
4 The Bouncer
Metacritic: 71
There was a time when Square Enix could do no wrong, and The Bouncer was a prime example of it. A brawler without multiplayer at a time when the genre was packed and full? Sure, why not?
Well, the critics didn’t exactly think this was a good idea. The story was panned, as was the limited playtime and overall, underwhelming presentation.
But what they missed was a surprisingly deep brawler that had a ton of moves to unlock, multiple playable characters, and a bunch of unlockable characters on top of that, adding to the replayability by a good amount.
The story wasn’t anything to write home about, but it was good enough to fuel you from level to level and the enemy variety was pretty wild and felt like it had that signature Square Enix vibe to it, making it stand out from other brawlers at the time.
3 Nier
Metacritic: 67
Nier is a wild experience and one that definitely sits on the more janky and unpolished side of things. However, inside that is one of the more profound and deep stories that gaming has ever shown us.
You play as Nier, a father trying to cure his daughter of some mysterious illness. Your journey takes you to all sorts of mysterious villages and ruins along the way, and creatures that are both bizarre and endearing as well.
The gameplay was rough, making critics hate it more than it should’ve been, but the combat actually gets pretty deep the further you get in the game. The creativity of the bosses and scenarios are nearly endless.
Luckily, the game is looked back more on more fondly now for its innovation and how it paved the way for the mega-hit NieR: Automata.
2 Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
Metacritic: 68
Despite the over-the-top hamminess of the characters and rather all over the place plot, Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin is an absolute blast to play. It’s got Team Ninja behind it, so immediately Nioh fans will feel right at home with the incredible combat system. But it’s really the job system that makes the game so special.
There are tons and tons of different classes to switch to throughout the game, and each one changes your weapons, abilities, and even health and attack power.
While the levels are pretty linear, the enemies are all manner of classic Final Fantasy creatures. This is the most brutal and up-close and personal it’s ever been against them. It’s also brutally difficult, so you can expect to see a lot of Game Over screens when playing it, which will satisfy the Nioh fans out there.
You can also play the whole thing in co-op, which is a huge bonus. The bosses are all fantastic and incredibly varied. The story has a kind of B movie quality to it, but the actual direction the plot goes in will definitely satisfy long-time fans of the series.
The 68 on Metacritic is an insult here, as the combat alone should earn it a high 70. But as a total, content-packed package, this is easily one of the better action games in recent years.
1 Days Gone
Metacritic: 71
Days Gone came at a time when zombie games were just a forgotten about genre. People were over it, from TV, to movies, to games, the writing was on the wall that we needed something new. Days Gone instead took an old formula and made it open world and, against all odds, it was actually a pretty great game.
Not only that, but Deacon St. John is among the best protagonists out there, with a ton of character development, superior and unhinged voice acting from Sam Witwer and, overall, just a compelling character to play as.
The story is also pretty interesting, with some great twists and great side stories to follow throughout that suggest something far more nefarious is at play. The gunplay here was sharp, and the melee was impactful as hell to boot.
The highlight of the game, the Freaker hordes, outdoes any other game in the zombie genre and provides some of the biggest thrills you can find in a game like this.
Despite all of this, the game was roasted by critics, though these days it has a far better reputation.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
