31 Video Game Hidden Gems

[J is Justice]

10. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West



This game was developed by Nnina Theory, pre DmC. Unfortunately, it was kind of a bomb. It's a shame, because I really enjoyed it. Looking at it now, it actually gives me TLOU vibes, what with the red haired girl and the post apocalyptic setting. Actually, now I'm getting Horizon vibes, too.

Anyway, the protagonist is "Monkey", who weilds a staff to smash his robotic enemies to pieces. The combat's pretty basic but enjoyable. There's also platforming and some puzzles, from what I remember.

I enjoyed the story and the two main protagonists' relationship.

This is very solid and deserves a look.

[J is Justice]

11. Folklore



This is another RPG with two protagonists. Again, you switch between them when their chapter ends, although, unlike Arc, you have the option to do so.

In this game, you capture "folk" and utilize them in battle. Feels very similar to Lost Kingdoms, actually (spoiler: that game is also on this list!). You summon them by pressing one of the four buttons on your controller, and they will perform a unique attack. This can be a physical attack, a magic attack or they can even shield you from damage. Each folk is useful against another type of folk, so you have to figure out which one is best for which situation. It's a fun system.

I love the art style, too; there are a bunch of wacky-looking creatures in this game.

This game is quite pricey for a PS3 game, actually, but it's worth it.

[J is Justice]

12. Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon



This is a unique little game. It's a survival horror/JRPG hybrid. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo where you wander around smacking ghosts with a stick.

This is just a charming game that's dripping with atmosphere. The graphics are really nice and the sounds are... actually quite creepy. The characters are likeable and the story is interesting. Combat wise it's definitely more of a survival horror than a JRPG. There's not much to it. But this game is more about enjoying the atmosphere, I'd say. It's certainly a unique experience.

This is another pricey Wii game. It's actually gone up in value since I bought my copy, so you better get it now while you can!



(Also, I was busy yesterday and didn't have time to post a game, so I'll be posting two today!)

[J is Justice]

13. Grand Kingdom



This is another tactical JRPG.

In this game, you play as a mercenary in a guild. There's some war happening between nations and blah, blah, blah. The story is whatever, to be honest.

The battle system is good stuff. It takes place on like a 2D plane and is turn-based. You move your character forward along one of three lanes. Mashing the attack button will execute a combo, and the little animations look slick. There are a bunch of different objects scattered around the battlefield, such as crates you can take cover behind and stuff you can climb.

There are a bunch of different classes and you can create your own characters. I went a bit crazy with that, admittedly.

The game looks great and has a catchy battle theme. I'll post a screenshot below so you can see for yourself.

But, yeah, this is a fun game that looks great and plays great.

[hashtagdaley/JudasDay]

Oct 9, 2022 10:06:57 GMT -5 J is Justice said:

9. Endless Ocean



I don't even know what genre this game would be considered, lol. Basically, you play as a scuba diver and explore the ocean. You discover new types of fish and use the Wiimote to interact with them.

The opening song sets the mood for this game. It might sound kind of boring, but I guess it depends on what types of games you're into. Personally, I really enjoy laid-back games like this. It was relaxing swimming around the sea, and actually quite exciting when you discovered new types of marine species.

There's also a sequel which I haven't played yet. If you're into chill games, check this one out.

I remember this one because of the Grumps and Hayley Westernra.

[J is Justice]

14. Gungrave



This is a third-person shooter. Not much to say about the gameplay except that you just shoot the shit out of everything. The main character is armed with two pistols and a giant coffin which you can use to perform special attacks if I'm remembering correctly.

Most notable thing about this game is the anime art style. I believe an anime was inspired by this game, though I haven't seen it. The game has some cool anime cutscenes between all the gunplay.

It looks cool and is pretty chaotic. Give this game a go if you want some mindless fun.

[pinja]

"Fragile Dreams" is a great choice. It's not exactly "fun" to play, but worth exploring thanks to its thick atmosphere. Plus excellent intro:

[Gecko]

Oct 10, 2022 18:10:12 GMT -5 J is Justice said:

10. Enslaved: Odyssey to the West



This game was developed by Nnina Theory, pre DmC. Unfortunately, it was kind of a bomb. It's a shame, because I really enjoyed it. Looking at it now, it actually gives me TLOU vibes, what with the red haired girl and the post apocalyptic setting. Actually, now I'm getting Horizon vibes, too.

Anyway, the protagonist is "Monkey", who weilds a staff to smash his robotic enemies to pieces. The combat's pretty basic but enjoyable. There's also platforming and some puzzles, from what I remember.

I enjoyed the story and the two main protagonists' relationship.

This is very solid and deserves a look.

 I think I saw this going cheap and bought it without knowing anything about it other than what was on the case. It turned out to be a good choice as I think hidden gem is the perfect description for it. I do remember it being shorter than I was expecting.

It also took me a bit to realise, despite the obvious name, that it's a take on 'Journey to the West'.

[J is Justice]

15. Gunvalkyrie



This is a third-person shooter for the original Xbox. Think this is the first Xbox game, so far.

Apparently, the British Empire has taken over the entire Earth as well as other planets! You have to travel to one of these planets and kill insects. It's kind of like Starship Troopers now that I think about it.

This game is pretty difficult, not gonna lie. The controls are kind of tank-ish from what I remember. There's also a lot of pushing in the analogue sticks, too. It's really awkward, to be honest. But, when you do finally get the controls down, the game is really fun. Flying around blasting insects is definitely a good time. You just gotta be patient and stick with it.

As for price, this one is a little more expensive than other Xbox games, but still nothing too crazy. Original Xbox games aren't too expensive compared to some other systems, but that could change so start collecting now!

[Hurbster]

Oct 8, 2022 11:45:02 GMT -5 J is Justice said:

8. Disaster: Day of Crisis



Okay, this game is batshit. The main character is having the worst day of his life. There are volcanos erupting, earthquakes wrecking everything and people trying to kill him. You use the Wiimote for all sorts of things, such as shooting, jumping and even performing CPR. It's tons of fun and also pretty hilarious. You gain points for upgrading your abilities and weapons, so there is some customization in there.

This game is just nuts. If you wanna turn your brain off and waggle your Wiimote around like a loon, this game's for you.

One of my favourite Two best Friends playthroughs as well.

[J is Justice]

Oct 15, 2022 16:40:49 GMT -5 Hurbster said:

Oct 8, 2022 11:45:02 GMT -5 J is Justice said:

8. Disaster: Day of Crisis



Okay, this game is batshit. The main character is having the worst day of his life. There are volcanos erupting, earthquakes wrecking everything and people trying to kill him. You use the Wiimote for all sorts of things, such as shooting, jumping and even performing CPR. It's tons of fun and also pretty hilarious. You gain points for upgrading your abilities and weapons, so there is some customization in there.

This game is just nuts. If you wanna turn your brain off and waggle your Wiimote around like a loon, this game's for you.

One of my favourite Two best Friends playthroughs as well.

Matt McMuscles made a good video about it, too:

[J is Justice]

16. Job Island: Hard Working People



So at first glance, some might mistake this game for one of those crappy budget titles the Wii had so many of. Oh, so you swing the Wiimote around to perform tasks and the controls barely work? Actually, this game has surprising depth, a quirky story and some fun gameplay.

There's a meteor crashing to Earth, so you must take on various jobs to save up enough money to buy a giant laser beam to destroy it. Yes, that's the story. There are other items you can buy to slow the meteor's descent. You have a limited number of days before the meteor crashes; think of it like in Persona 3 where a new shadow appears every 30 days.

There are a lot of jobs you can take on and more to unlock. You can be an astronaut, a farmer, a babysitter, etc. Of course, you're required to wiggle around the Wiimote. I found it to work quite well, aside from making pizzas, for some reason - that was a nightmare.

Honestly, this game is the definition of a hidden gem. I've never heard anyone talk about it but I really enjoyed it.

By the way, there's another game called Sports Island. That's the crappy budget title. Don't bother with that one.

[zero744]

Up to 16 and I haven’t heard of a single one of these games

[Dr. T is an alien]

Oct 16, 2022 20:35:18 GMT -5 zero744 said:

Up to 16 and I haven’t heard of a single one of these games

I mean, the thread is about hidden gems.

[zero744]

Oct 16, 2022 20:59:01 GMT -5 Dr. T is an alien said:

Oct 16, 2022 20:35:18 GMT -5 zero744 said:

Up to 16 and I haven’t heard of a single one of these games

I mean, the thread is about hidden gems.

Hidden Indeed

[J is Justice]

Oct 16, 2022 20:35:18 GMT -5 zero744 said:

Up to 16 and I haven’t heard of a single one of these games

You might have heard of the next one, lol.

[J is Justice]

17. King Kong



I was debating putting this game on the list because it did actually sell really well. But I feel like if you haven't played this game, you wouldn't expect it to be good considering it's a movie tie-in game. Plus it's been a few years now.

Anyway, this game is great. I played this at a time when I wasn't a fan of FPS games, so the fact that I enjoyed it so much (and completed it) is a testament to how good it was.

My favourite thing about this game is the atmosphere and the environment. Everything just looks so good. It helps there's no actual health bar distracting from the environment.

You get to play as human characters but also as King Kong. Both are equally fun. With King Kong, you get to smack people flying and also wrestle with dinosaurs.

Honestly, I liked the game more than the actual movie, lol. Give it a look.

[J is Justice]

18. Lost Kingdoms



First GameCube game on the list. This is a FromSoftware RPG where you collect cards that you use to summon monsters. The battles are in real-time. It's quite similar to Folklore, actually. Each card/monster has a unique attack and you need to use the right card in the right situation.

The game has stages, and I believe you must complete them within a time limit. If you fail, you have to start all over again. It is a FromSoft game so expect some challenge.

The graphics are kind of weak. It's not a looker, to say the least. But the gameplay is fun and addictive if you can look past that.

[aka Cthulhu]

Oct 14, 2022 9:27:31 GMT -5 J is Justice said:

14. Gungrave

Watched it more than a decade ago without playing the game but kinda knowing the story. Pretty good. Like first half set up the backstory of the game, rest was more or less the adaptation of the game. Former was a lot more interesting, while the latter took a bit to gain momentum.

[J is Justice]

19. MagnaCarta 2



This is a role-playing game and a pretty solid one. It's definitely generic and full of cliches (the protagonist has amnesia) but the battle system is fun enough to carry it. It's in real-time, and when characters attack they'll enter "Overdrive", and when it ends they will enter "Overheat", and this allows characters to use "Chain Drives". It's a little complicated at first but a lot of fun when you get the hang of it.

The graphics are nice and a lot of the attacks look great. The characters are kind of generic but the voice acting is actually really good.

Anyway, just like Brave Story, it's a been-there done-that kind of game but is fun for what it is.