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Most overrated/underrated adventure games?
Underrated: The Last Window. This is the best adventure game since Grim Fandango. Most people will never experience it because it’s only on DS and had a limited release.
Overrated: Um, possibly Broken Age.
Oh, the stylus is much worse than the mouse. It’s a failed technology if you ask me. If it worked like it was supposed to, it would be fine, but it doesn’t.
Commercially it was one of the most profitable gaming Mobile device. The touchpad
sensation carried over to Ipad craze.
Critically Phoenixwright series, Cing Games,JHunter series,Layton series,
Ghosttrick, FSR, Timehollow, 999/VLR etc. are more diverse and better than PC PnC
Adventure games output in last decade(without begging for backers money) .
Commercially it was one of the most profitable gaming Mobile device. The touchpad
sensation carried over to Ipad craze.Critically Phoenixwright series, Cing Games,JHunter series,Layton series,
Ghosttrick, FSR, Timehollow, 999/VLR etc. are more diverse and better than PC PnC
Adventure games output in last decade(without begging for backers money) .
^ This. Except Flower Sun and Rain - that was mediocre imo.
Games that make full use of the DS’s functionality can beat point-and-click hands down. You have pointing and clicking with the stylus but also the opportunity to mimic certain movements with it, you can give voice commands through the microphone, or blow in-game dust away by blowing in the mike, you can close the lid of the DS to see stuff mirrored in the screens (or for another in-game purpose), etc.
The options are legion, and especially Cing made great use of them.
The truth can’t hurt you, it’s just like the dark: it scares you witless but in time you see things clear and stark. - Elvis Costello
Maybe this time I can be strong, but since I know who I am, I’m probably wrong. Maybe this time I can go far, but thinking about where I’ve been ain’t helping me start. - Michael Kiwanuka
I think the main problem with the DS were western developers looking at it like a mini-PC creen rushing bad adaptations of point-and-click mouse games. When the software was created with the DS in mind the stylus worked great.
Commercially it was one of the most profitable gaming Mobile device. The touchpad
sensation carried over to Ipad craze.Critically Phoenixwright series, Cing Games,JHunter series,Layton series,
Ghosttrick, FSR, Timehollow, 999/VLR etc. are more diverse and better than PC PnC
Adventure games output in last decade(without begging for backers money) .^ This. Except Flower Sun and Rain - that was mediocre imo.
Games that make full use of the DS’s functionality can beat point-and-click hands down. You have pointing and clicking with the stylus but also the opportunity to mimic certain movements with it, you can give voice commands through the microphone, or blow in-game dust away by blowing in the mike, you can close the lid of the DS to see stuff mirrored in the screens (or for another in-game purpose), etc.
The options are legion, and especially Cing made great use of them.
Finally someone who got my point, that mirror reflection, and stamping the upper screen, Hoteldusk’s vertical use of hardware giving Novel feel etc.
Its the same debate as Analog vs Dpad. Once you go stylus you cant go back.
Ouendan and The world ends with you made me love stylus. Few people thought around it
but its great tech.
oh and yeah FSR, i dont blame you , its hard to love Suda51 if you dont know his previous works, infact FSR was linked with Silvercase (which never made it to the west). Also FSR DS ver graphics were super crap, still Suda’s crazy flavor was apparent.
Except Flower Sun and Rain - that was mediocre imo
I have a box with 80 adventure games and Dsi XL in it. A lovely system period. Games written for the system are amazing - and make full use of the system’s attributes.
Flower, Sun, Rain is a port from the PS2 and did not originate on the system. Ports to the DS were sometimes OK (Last King of Africa, Runaway 2 and 3, etc.) but sometimes not so.
Anyway, I’m currently collecting adventure games on the PSVITA and I hope it holds a candle to the Dsi XL when this generation is over.
I can’t recommend collecting the Nintendo DS adventure games highly enough - they are inexpensive now but they will eventually go up in value.
Underrated: The Last Window. This is the best adventure game since Grim Fandango. Most people will never experience it because it’s only on DS and had a limited release.
I just played this game for like, the sixth time - great game and my second favorite adventure game of all time behind Danganronpa.
I enjoy playing adventure games on my Alienware M17 r4 and my Nintendo Switch OLED.
I completely agree with Another Code and Hotel Dusk being underrated. As far as DS games, I’d actually add Time Hollow and Ghost Trick to the list of underrated adventure games.
And we should include Jake Hunter also - I have the Jake Hunter games on the Nintendo DS as well and it is quite good.
I would say underrated on Western PC gaming sites. In Japan, these games sold quite well and adventure games on handhelds are quite common.
This hit me like a brick in 2005, first Europe took over adventure games and then Japan put them out on the Nintendo DS - amazing changes for me.
Now I get Japanese adventure games on the PSVITA - and I’d say Dangaronpa is underrated here in the west.
I’ll have to try Jake hunter. I’m actually considering buying a 3DS XL or a PS Vita to replace my old DS Lite (the connection to the charger seems to be broken), not sure what would be better…
Overrated: Phoenix Wright. I can see the charm for some people and it was genuinely funny at times, but it’s just way way too much reading/dialogue. If I wanted to read a novel I could have read like 5 Pulitzer Prize winners in the time it took me to play through Phoenix Wright 1 (another issue - it’s WAY too long, feels like it took me 40+ hours). The puzzles also wind up being random too often.
Underrated: Pleurghburg: Dark Ages. It was towards the very beginning of the adventure game freeware renaissance, 2001, and it looks like it swept the 2001 AGS awards. I’d still consider it “underrated” because nobody’s really mentioned it in over a decade.
It’s great seeing all the Cing love. They made the best adventure games on the DS, and Another Code: R was probably my favourite Wii game. I’m finally playing The Last Window - despite owning it since launch—and I’m savouring every moment.
I never could get into Time Hollow, and sadly I never gave Ghost Trick a proper chance.
Jake Hunter was cool, but it didn’t feel like much of a game. You couldn’t even examine scenes using the touch-screen—it was all menu-based like a ‘90s visual novel. Good story but wasted opportunity.
Nice thread! Enjoying the varied opinions. I’ll add mine.
Overrated for me was - Gone Home: I found the story a bit tedious. While maybe new to a game it is hardly an original tale. (Just my opinion)
Underrated - Dreamweb: Albeit incredibly unforgiving, it’s atmosphere was second to none. (helped largely by a wonderful soundtrack.)
Might also include Zork Nemesis in underrated. Seems to get less enthusiasm than the others, perhaps likely because it is less humorous. Yet it is another game which is absolutely dripping in atmosphere.
I’ll have to try Jake hunter. I’m actually considering buying a 3DS XL or a PS Vita to replace my old DS Lite (the connection to the charger seems to be broken), not sure what would be better…
Here is the order I recommend them:
1) Buy a VITA - you gotta play Danganronpa 1 and Danganronpa 2 - great games - LOTS more adventure games after those.
2) Buy a refurbished Dsi XL - cheap and plays like new. Very large screens and the bottom screen is larger than the 3DS XL bottom screen.
3) Buy a 3DS XL - a small but solid selection of adventure games on the system and will play all Nintendo DS games.
I enjoy playing adventure games on my Alienware M17 r4 and my Nintendo Switch OLED.
Nintendo just announced the New 3DS / 3DS XL and they come with a whole bunch of little improvements. You might want to hold out for that.
Overrated for me was - Gone Home: I found the story a bit tedious. While maybe new to a game it is hardly an original tale. (Just my opinion)
Underrated - Dreamweb: Albeit incredibly unforgiving, it’s atmosphere was second to none. (helped largely by a wonderful soundtrack.)
Good to see someone mentioning Dreamweb, hardly get any mentions here, but it was
atmospheric and bold. The controls/interface and total overhead view overshadowed its positives.
I’ll have to try Jake hunter. I’m actually considering buying a 3DS XL or a PS Vita to replace my old DS Lite (the connection to the charger seems to be broken), not sure what would be better…
Here is the order I recommend them:
1) Buy a VITA - you gotta play Danganronpa 1 and Danganronpa 2 - great games - LOTS more adventure games after those.
2) Buy a refurbished Dsi XL - cheap and plays like new. Very large screens and the bottom screen is larger than the 3DS XL bottom screen.
3) Buy a 3DS XL - a small but solid selection of adventure games on the system and will play all Nintendo DS games.
Thanks. Yeah I think I’ll end buying the VITA.
Now I’ll stop being off topic :-)
Just thought of another underrated game IMO: Emerald City Confidential. It’s actually my favorite game from Dave Gilbert. The story was great, with a really good atmosphere added to the universe of Oz. The puzzles might be a bit too much on the light side but that actually makes it a great adventure to play after a hard day of work when you just want to relax and enjoy the story.
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