Best Games Nobody played

[LGM]

I mentioned it in a couple other threads but it fits here too:

Gridrunner Revolution - it's a shooter in the sense that you're shooting stuff but your ship shoots by itself, constantly. You don't have to worry about pressing a button to shoot. You move your ship with the mouse and turn with LMB/RMB. Sounds weird, I know, but it works pretty well actually. I don't think it got really popular, which is odd because it was made by Jeff Minter, who's pretty much a legendary game developer. I was playing his games in the early/mid 80's on a Vic 20! :) Don't forget to grab those sheep! :D

American McGee's Scrapland - so underrated, flying ships around that city was just awesome. Definitely needs to be remade in a newer engine.

[FuriKuri!]

RE: Gridrunner Revolution - I felt Gridrunner++ was a much better game really, although people should definately check out both. One of the things I really liked about ++ is that you could be playing it in literally one second of launching the game - great for a quick 5 minute blast.

[squareking]

Can't remember anyone but me, my friend and the reviewer in the game magazine who's review we read to have ever mentioned Outwars after its release.

That was the name! Couldn't remember for the life of me and never remembered to search/ask around. I played the demo forever and ever on my old Win95 system.

One that I bought but couldn't run on said system (and I think was either returned or sold, eventually) was Stratosphere: Conquest of the Skies. Looked like a great concept at the time -- outfit and customize a class-based flying fortress with various offensive and defensive capabilities, float around and complete objectives/generally kick asses. May need to track down a demo.

I was definitely suckered in by the cover art:

513PCX1TZFL.jpg

Intro video en Deutsch:

[Spider Jerusalem]

hmmm...does outlaws qualify?

i remember playing it to death when i was about 12, but i've never come across anyone else who played. it was a lucas arts game (another one i hope gets on gog!), but i don't think it came out to much fan fare (it was kind of buried in between mega-popular star wars releases).

[neema_t]

I'm pretty sure none of these games really qualify for a site like this, but I'll chime in with a few that I feel 90% of the general gaming population of the world won't have played, even if most on this site will have or will have heard of them.

Escape Velocity series
Marathon series (Google Aleph One if you want free open-source versions of all three games)
ONI (which has been mentioned) (I had a demo of it way, way back, I thought it was Ghost In The Shell, which I'd never seen at that point but I thought it looked really, really cool, which it was and is)
Ghost Recon (which has also been mentioned)
And this one wasn't on PC but I loved it anyway: Front Mission 3.
Oh and Star Wars: Dark Forces.

Like I said, I'm sure everyone here will have played at least one of these games, but these are the lesser-known (or -spoken about) games I grew up with.

[Gnashy]

King's Field was definitely a ground-breaking game (even if the US release was really a import of King's Field II; the original was only released in Japan). It was by the far the best 1st generation title for the US release of the Playstation (Battle Arena Toshinden was a distant second).

Some games I would append to the current list:

1: Ballblazer on the Atari 5200: While there have been sequels, ports and clones, this seminal classic qualifies for inclusion based on its debut system(s), the 8-bit Atari 5200 ( I think it came out on the Atari 800 PC first, but was developed simultaneously for both, as the 800 and the 5200 had the same hardware ): This game had it all: Awesome first person perspective, unparalleled audio and superlative one-on-one game-play -- at the time, only rivaled by the coin-op version of Karate Champ for sheer PvP intensity.

The real reason all of the 5200 joysticks broke? The same reason your best friend/sibling/gin-soaked godmother tried to assault you with a RISK game board. A sore loser got frustrated after losing a match.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXX_g7Au-5w



2: Alien vs Predator on the Atari Jaguar: If you played, you know every fawning review and fanboy exhortation is AN UNDERSTATEMENT! The only retail game to justify the purchase of a Jaguar. Too bad almost nobody bought either. Well, I did, but what about you?

3: Chaos Overlords on the PC: This came out in 1996 and it's one of the turn-based games that completely supports Vince D. Dweller's (Age of Decadence, Iron Tower Studio) vitriolic spleen regarding the worth and value of Turn Based Strategy games. The game didn't get much support when it came out, despite some love being being shown by the major game reviewers of the time, but it has a cult following for a reason.

You can -- and SHOULD -- download it from Abandonia: http://www.abandonia.com/en/downloadgame/339.

The graphics were dated in 1996, but the game play is timeless without being overly time-consuming. You can play this game for hours but it feels likes mere minutes because you are compelled to take one_more_turn...

On a side-note: The registration software/options for the forums are in need of a humor update. I was asked who the protagonist of Half-Life was when I was registering my account and my first attempt got canned because I entered Barney instead of Gordon Freeman. Come on...

[sabrage]

2: Alien vs Predator on the Atari Jaguar: If you played, you know every fawning review and fanboy exhortation is AN UNDERSTATEMENT! The only retail game to justify the purchase of a Jaguar. Too bad almost nobody bought either. Well, I did, but what about you?

How does this game differ from the PC port?

[Gnashy]

The PC game isn't a port of the Jaguar title. There was a SNES and arcade title as well, but the only shared link between them is the franchise.

[sabrage]

My mistake; I just assumed from my baseline knowledge that they were both first-person shooters that they were the same game. I didn't take into account the fact that they were released 5 years apart.

[LGM]

Not a PC game, sadly, but Baja: Edge of Control is an excellent racer for 360 that was largely overlooked and as far as I know didn't sell many copies. The physics between the vehicles and the tracks is amazing, the roads are incredibly bumpy and rocky and your vehicle literally reacts to every single bump. It's not a "press and hold accelerate button, let go for a second at corners" racer like most are, you have to be constantly working the throttle, clutch and brakes and while reading the track ahead and trying to keep your buggy/trophy truck/4x4 on the road. If you have a 360 or ps3, I highly recommend it if you're a racing fan, it's probably dirt cheap now. You won't regret it! It does have a pretty steep learning curve at first though, but it's worth getting the hang of.

[hamster]

Chaos Overlords on the PC: This came out in 1996 and it's one of the turn-based games that completely supports Vince D. Dweller's (Age of Decadence, Iron Tower Studio) vitriolic spleen regarding the worth and value of Turn Based Strategy games. The game didn't get much support when it came out, despite some love being being shown by the major game reviewers of the time, but it has a cult following for a reason.

You can -- and SHOULD -- download it from Abandonia: http://www.abandonia.com/en/downloadgame/339.

The graphics were dated in 1996, but the game play is timeless without being overly time-consuming. You can play this game for hours but it feels likes mere minutes because you are compelled to take one_more_turn...

How do I run the game? When I load the .exe i just get a window with "file", "options", "comm", "help," and it just stays stuck there.

[Caleb367]

How do I run the game? When I load the .exe i just get a window with "file", "options", "comm", "help," and it just stays stuck there.

IIRC, you have to set your color to 256 or less and / or right-clicking on the exe and setting it in compatibility mode. You're bound to get the occasional graphics error or CTD, so save often.

Also, you people reminded me of Terminal Velocity.
Pretty obscure shooter game of the Duke 3D era, open world with lotsa stuff to shoot at, lotsa weaponry, awesome boss battles, epic music and especially the tunnel sections. Which were 50% awesome, 50% badass, and 50% acid trip (yes that's 150%, problem?).

[Tikey]

I still have my boxed copy of Terminal Velocity. I think I even have the floppy disks in there.

[b0rsuk]

The Horde (DOS, 1994)

Twitch game / strategy hybrid. Fantasy setting. In strategic phase you raise money and plan the defense of your village until the time runs out. Once the horde arrives, you fight them with your swords trying to keep casualties (crops, villagers, houses) as low as possible.

For 1994, it has amazing graphics, fluid 3D rendered isometric view.

It works in Dosbox. Look at these few videos:

First level (the simplest) (Shimto Plains):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdP7wsvbyQs

Last zone, Frozen Wastes of Vesh. Unfortunately the video was recorded without music. Fortunately, Sir Chauncey can play an enchanted flute to attract hordlings !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEtaBfv8-9Y

Second zone, Tree REalms of Alburga. You might want to scroll to combat because the player plans almost exclusively on map view.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4fVw...eature=related


Third zone - Fetid Swamps of Buuzal. You can see Sir Chauncey call air support !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH63HSgVhIs
And finally, some hot desert action !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mVMcf3bRvc

[Starry Vere]

Really glad to see someone mention Dominions 3, which is the best strategy game I have ever played and really should get more attention. Also Startopia, fantastic management sim with a lot of personality and humor, and generally still runs well on my system. I'll throw in Redneck Rampage, an old shooter from 1997 which as a shooter was kind of standard fare, but the humor and bizarre atmosphere (aliens and redneck trailer parks) I thought was pretty inspired. And going wayyy back, a game I played on the early generation of home computers (I had an Atari ST or something I think) was something called Crush, Crumble, and Chomp, where you played a 'movie monster' like Godzilla or a Kraken or a few others and went around terrorizing cities. That idea is still a great one and I would love to see it done right in a modern game.

[b0rsuk]

was something called Crush, Crumble, and Chomp, where you played a 'movie monster' like Godzilla or a Kraken or a few others and went around terrorizing cities. That idea is still a great one and I would love to see it done right in a modern game.

Sounds like Rampage on 8-bit computers. There's a fairly recent remake, Rampage World Tour:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTqARR0K9sU

[Bremze]

That was the name! Couldn't remember for the life of me and never remembered to search/ask around. I played the demo forever and ever on my old Win95 system.

One that I bought but couldn't run on said system (and I think was either returned or sold, eventually) was Stratosphere: Conquest of the Skies. Looked like a great concept at the time -- outfit and customize a class-based flying fortress with various offensive and defensive capabilities, float around and complete objectives/generally kick asses. May need to track down a demo.

I was definitely suckered in by the cover art:

513PCX1TZFL.jpg

Intro video en Deutsch:

Oh my... I played Stratosphere, when I was like 6 or so. Can't tell you if it was any good, I sucked horribly at it, but it was a thing all right.


To continue on the flying island note, Project Nomads. A steampunk 1st/3rd person shooter with bits of strategy, arcade flying and rpg. You control one of three characters on a flying fortress, that you can arm and upgrade. You can jump in any turret or plane and control it directly or leave it to the ai, which is usually mandatory to complete levels, but I usually just flew around looking for hidden items and such.

Now seeing Stratosphere reminded me of a game, I used to play but can't remember its name. It was an rts set in a post-apocalyptic world, the resources could be gained through holding supply depots, I think. Graphics where on par/slightly worse than Starcraft. The only units I remember, are a car with a laser on the roof and a grandma with a bazooka.

[Orontes]

Oh damn. Dominions 3 is awesome, but I won't say it's easy to grasp for first timers... it's pretty punishing and lacks a decent tutorial. I always felt (and feel) quite lost at start and more often than not, during a game, I'm pretty sure I don't know what the [insert random profanities] I'm doing. And I'm an avid Dwarf Fortress player, mind you.

Well, you know what, another obscure bundle of awesome just got into my mind: anyone remembering Alien Legacy? It still has no comparison: a space colonization / strategy / adventure / Carrier Command game. I'll explain in brief: you were in command of a colony ship sent to Centauri, I think. Your mothership has plenty of resources, but not infinite, so you have to establish bases on habitable planets for resupplying, sending aircraft to explore the world(s) and pick up stuff to research and improve, plus investigate a disaster involving a lost colony ship and alien activities.

You can get Alien Legacy from Abandonia: http://www.abandonia.com/en/downloadgame/27116. Great game, but too difficult for me.

[Spacewalk]

Wrath Of Earth comes to mind. From what I remember of it it was quite complex to play, with a suit that had many functions (like automatically regulating your temperature, a personal shield and an IR vision mode) which you could recharge by standing in well lit areas and a HUD that took up the entire screen. There were also friendly NPCs but not of the Blake Stone variety who were spies in disguise (there's another one for the young 'uns to look into). The levels look to have little detail touches even if it it's mostly ninety degree walls. I guess it's off to the abandonware sites to reassess the game because watching that video footage has got me in the mood for it.

[Kelron]

I mentioned it in a couple other threads but it fits here too:

Gridrunner Revolution - it's a shooter in the sense that you're shooting stuff but your ship shoots by itself, constantly. You don't have to worry about pressing a button to shoot. You move your ship with the mouse and turn with LMB/RMB. Sounds weird, I know, but it works pretty well actually. I don't think it got really popular, which is odd because it was made by Jeff Minter, who's pretty much a legendary game developer. I was playing his games in the early/mid 80's on a Vic 20! :) Don't forget to grab those sheep! :D

American McGee's Scrapland - so underrated, flying ships around that city was just awesome. Definitely needs to be remade in a newer engine.

My problem with Gridrunner, though it's quite likely deliberate, is that I only have the vaguest idea what the hell is going on. There's things all over my screen, I don't know what scores points, I don't know when it decides I've completed a level, I don't know what I did one round to score massively higher than I did in a previous attempt. All I know is to collect the sheep.