Top 10 Most Underrated Games of 2012

Cheatcc.com gives their opinion of the top 10 most underrated games of 2012…

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

The open world RPG Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning certainly wasn't a failure; in fact, it actually sold well enough and scored some solid reviews. Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by a few things, like releasing within a year of Skyrim, and its developer's very public demise. Reckoning is a great game with a gorgeous art style, some neat loot, and great DLC, and it could've marked the beginning of an MMO with fantastic potential. Unfortunately, it didn't do well enough to save the sinking ship that was the studio that created it.

Dear Esther

From the beginning, Dear Esther was destined for a very modest reception. It's not so much a game as it is a small slice of another world, driven entirely by dialogue you hear as you explore an empty and hauntingly beautiful world. It's short, taking roughly 30 minutes to complete, but it's also unforgettable. On the bright side, Amnesia: The Dark Descent developer Frictional Games saw the potential in indie studio thechineseroom and now they're hard at work on Amnesia's sequel, A Machine for Pigs.

Syndicate

Syndicate was doomed from the beginning. It was a bizarre attempt to breathe new life into a long dead RTS franchise. The only problem is their "modernizing" of the game transformed it in a FPS, so fans of the series weren't interested because it was changed too drastically and newcomers who would buy an FPS had no idea what it was. With that said, Syndicate was still a fantastic shooter with brilliant co-op that makes it more than worth your time if you're looking for a fun way to get your shooter fix.

Quantum Conundrum

Kim Swift, one of the minds behind the original Portal, left Valve to pursue new video game opportunities, the first being Quantum Conundrum. At first glance it looks similar to Portal in that it's a series of rooms filled with puzzles you need to solve to progress to the next room. One of the twists involves your ability to enter different dimensions, and each dimension changes the environment around you. For example, in the Fluffy Dimension, objects are ten times lighter than normal. It's a quirky, brain-bending game that isn't likely to see the success or attention Portal received, but it's definitely worth your time.

Deadlight

This is the only game on the list that isn't out yet—Deadlight releases on August 1st—but because of its 2.5D post-apocalyptic horror nature, this game will probably get overlooked by many when it comes out next month. So far the game looks incredible. It's haunting and atmospheric, and the puzzles look pretty challenging. The zombies are certainly a part of it, but they're not the driving force of the horrors you'll come across during the game.

Lollipop Chainsaw

At this point, pretty much anything Suda 51 makes is going to be overlooked. He's known for his quirky games that attract cult followings, but go largely unheard of by the mass gaming audience. His work includes Killer7 and No More Heroes, and more recently a collaborative effort between him, Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil creator), and Akira Yamaoka (Silent Hill composer) birthed the fantastic Shadows of the Damned and Lollipop Chainsaw. Suda 51 games are always lean heavily on the raunchy and the bizarre, and you're not likely to see anything quite as spectacular as a chainsaw-wielding cheerleader with a severed head for a boyfriend and a penchant for sawing zombies in half.

Silent Hill: Downpour

As one of the few remaining survival horror franchises, Silent Hill hasn't fared too well over the years. Part of the problem lies with Konami's generous handing out of the IP since The Room back in 2004. Since then, three different studios have developed installments in the franchise (four, if you include the upcoming Book of Memories). After a few failed attempts at reinvigorating the series, Vatra Games finally came close to bringing Silent Hill back to its roots with Downpour. It was a fantastic game that reintroduced the foggy town while changing things up a bit. If you're a horror fan, this is a game you really shouldn't miss.

Binary Domain

Binary Domain caught many of us by surprise when it released earlier this year and ended up being great. Its lack of commercial success was in part thanks to SEGA's inability to adequately promote their games, and that's too bad because this is a genuinely fun squad shooter. I'm a big fan of anything that revolves around creatures rebelling against their creators—a theme that's used brilliantly in works like Mass Effect and Battlestar Gallactica—and Binary Domain does it well, even if the story and characters could've used more work.

The Walking Dead

I'm sure these games are doing well what with the legions of The Walking Dead fans that are out there and the critical acclaim the series has received so far, but I still feel this is going to be overlooked by many gamers. Visually, it's not very attractive, but when it comes to Telltale games, it's really all about the characters and story. The most recent episode took everything to an intensely dark place that will have you thinking about it long after the credits have started rolling. It's a great game, and I recommend it to anyone who's searching for something a bit more mature and thought-provoking than the typical video game faire.

The Darkness II

The Darkness was one of the most underrated games of 2007, and despite a significantly stronger marketing push, The Darkness II didn't fare as well as it deserved to. It's a stunningly beautiful game with an art style that makes it look like you're playing a graphic novel come to life. The combat is superb (two words: "quad-wielding"), and the story, while not as strong as the original, is still fantastic.


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