» Sat Jul 26, 2014 1:07 pm We've had threads like this before, focusing on the games of old, but I'd like to shift the focus a bit. Think about how many games come out that are unpolished, buggy, or less than great, but are still enjoyable. Or the games that were good, but plagued by financial troubles and killed before they had a chance to break out of obscurity. Think about games launched in the shadow of greater, more hyped, or more classic titles, doomed to be compared to them, plagued by bad press and worse jokes when they just didn't stack up. This isn't for the great games that never got enough attention, but the bad or less-than-great ones that deserve more than they got.
I picked up the first Two Worlds off of GoG, and I went in expecting something like a video game version of Mystery Science Theatre 3000. Most of us have heard of it, and most of us know is as the Little Oblivion that Couldn't, a buggy mess, a crap game with a crap story that was pushed out the door unfinished. All of this is absolutely true. The game has tons of problems, from embarassingly bad character models and animation to terrible horse controls less than inspiring combat. What I wasn't expecting was it's charm. The game has it in droves, at least to the right kind of player. The cheesy, Gothic-level voice acting and awful Old English dialogue has a really corny appeal, the world is huge and fairly interesting, and while the combat isn't great, it's serviceable ARPG fare, and I've had a couple of fights that were hella fun and challenging. Is the game great? Hell no. Is it fun? I think so, but you have to give it time and for god sakes don't compare it to Oblivion. It's more like Divine Divinity: A Diablo-style game with a huge world and a quirky personality. It's a different personality, but still charming. It's not as good as Divine Divinity, but it's worth taking out for a spin. I especially like the loot system. It's a lot like Diablo, but you can combine similar items to improve them and repeatedly upgrade them with elemental gems, massively extending the span of usability. Try it with an open mind, get past the terrible opening, and you might just find it's worth $10. And it runs suprisingly stable now.
Speaking of Diablo-ish, another one I was thinking about was an old-ish game I found in a box in my closet: Hellgate: London. You guys probably don't remember this one. Think a 3rd/1st Person Shooter take on Diablo 2 set in London in the modern day. I used to love this game. Unfortunately, it didn't get much publicity, it wasn't amazing, and despite pretty good press (not great), the studio failed and shut down the servers a year after launch. The game was fun, but just not AAA, at a time when if you weren't hyped like crazy, your game was doomed. I think it's time for a reinstall... *wipes a tear and pours a forty on the game box.*
