Be Excellent To Each Other

I'm doing an article of "The ones that got away"

Essentially, a list of games that are excellent from the last decade, that don't get any recognition.

If any of you lot would like to contribute, please do (either PM them to me, or just post here)

I need basically the name of the game, when it was released (year is fine), and then a paragraph or so about why you think it is awesome.

Awaits expert legal challenge.

Unreal Tournament 3 and Riddick need to be on this list.

Then make it so.

I might write up riddick, but I've barely played UT3

EDF, Two Worlds bagsy up.

Two Worlds

There are reasons that got ignored. Mainly due to being a horrifically juddering and poorly scripted mess.

Oh, I am planning in putting this up tonight, at midnight, so if you want to contribute, please do sharpish.

Ratchett & Clank (especially 1 & 2 on PS2)

My favourite series of games EVAR, silly blasty platformy fun. Doesnt seem to ever win any awards tho

Little Kings Story on the Wii is genuinely one of the best games of the last five years.

Any more? I am determined to actually post this today, instead of just saying I am.

Digidrive.

If you put Two Worlds in this list I'll hunt you down and spank you raw.

Overlord and Overlord 2. Lovely quirky Pikmin-alike that came into it's own on the second installment and got roundly panned by silly critics.

Ninja Cop.

Can't think of any real injustices on the critics part, but...

In the 'Approved by critics at time but cruelly ignored by public and most list-makers subsequently...

PC:

Mechwarrior 4: Vengeance (Feb 2002)

An accomplished entry in the series, yet despite good reviews was quickly forgotten and seemingly neglected, leading to the inexplicable demise of the big-stompy-mech genre. It's a shame as it was damn good fun and the perfect balance of arcade and sim. The cheesy FMV that compromised the plot was also oddly engrossing, and the path you took in the game made you feel like you really were gathering a rebellion of loyal subjects to oust your evil cousin and avenge your murdered parents. It all climaxed in a thrilling conclusion mixing a palace assault and taking down a giant drop-ship. Shame the sales didn't make as big a footprint as the mech's.

Freespace 2 (1999 - First of the great updates 2002)

Technically the game was released over ten years ago, but I feel it should be included. Why? Because Freespace 2 didn't sell, but quickly grew a dedicated following. When the developers tanked, they released the source code in 2002 and what followed were a series of excellent mods, such as of BSG and Wing Commander and Babylon 5. But more importantly, the Freespace 2 engine was utterly overhauled, acquiring new advanced effects and features, new high-poly models and gleaming textures. Basically it was made beautiful, and the dedicated team of modders still continue to update it to this day. It's the last truly great space-sim on the PC, and it's virtually unknown - despite still looking pretty damn impressive.

http://www.hard-light.net/

Crimson Skies (PC - 2000) / Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge (X-Box 2003)

Seriously, why wasn't there more of this? Taking the lead from the RKO matinee serials of the 30's and welding its sensibilities to an arcade flight sim, this game had all the ingredients to spawn a worthy line of rollicking sequels. Action packed, funny and with excellent voice acting with characters you grew to enjoy; Crimson Skies was as much a radio-serial as a flight sim. An X-Box sister title, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, was also neglected. Though lacking a little in the engrossing customisation of planes that the PC version had, and though the mission plotting wasn't as amusing, it was still a very fun game with the compensation of cracking multiplayer. The only thing the game got wrong basically (aside from nasty loading times) was that heroic lead Nathan Zachary needed a moustache to go with THAT voice.

Fallout Tactics, 2001, PC

Dismissed by reviewers (and it seems gamers) because it's not a RPG, it is rather a TBS game based in the FO universe. Disregarding the setting however and you have a really good Turn Based Squad level game with some really quite fantastic levels (the Deathclaw attack on the Mutant village and the assault of the Super Mutant fotress being examples). Excellentness.

Combat Mission Series 2000 - 2007, PC

Sublime platoon level strategy games with an interesting 'We Go' mechanic (both players plan their turn and then the turn is played out after the players have submitted their orders). The initial three games covered: The Western Front, The Eastern Front and the African Front. The modern version wasn't quite as interesting as the WW2 games.

Others? Chaos League, DAOC (over shadowed by Everquest and subsequently WoW) EDF and GDF (as mentioned above), Freedom Force 2, Etherlords.

Overlord 2 - 2009 - Xbox 360

Man makes increasingly powerful hats aided and abetted by impish scallywags.

Kururin Doughnuts: Okashi Recipe.

Johnny Platform's Biscuit Romp

EvE Online. Anyone that doesn't like it is a whiney, hateful cretin.