Games that have surprised you

[Sushi_b]

What are some games that you played that were really impressive but you never expected them to be anything special? I guess this would be the place to showcase some sleeper hits that few people know about but you really enjoyed.


Here are a few that I never knew what to expect but was really happy to play.

Hotel Dusk: Room 215 (DS) - Just a great point and click adventure game that I just picked up and started playing. One of the best on the DS that probably nobody has played.

Decathlete (Saturn) - It's one of those games I knew so little about but had read the name in a magazine and was interested. Walked into a local game store one day, saw it for 10 dollars and loved it since then.

Cooking Mama (DS) - Again, wasn't sure if I would really like the game but I just fell in love with it and loved every second of it.

Well I gotta run, but I've got more to post later. What about everyone else?

[Atlas]

Halo was a big one for me. Back in the days when it was fairly new, I hated even the sound of it. I thought everyone made such a big fuss over it. Well, now it's one of my favorite FPS games ever.

[~Chachamaru_Karakuri~]

Halo 3 gave me a shock definatly,
i do not know what it was, i guess it was just all of the new features that made it superior to halo 2, although the first 2 still get the same marks on my list

[moogle]

Jumping Flash (PSX) - To be honest, the game's graphics were horrendus. But once you pick it up, you're addicted.

Grand Theft Auto 3 (PS2) - Wow, was I wrong about this one. I liked the top-down games, but the move to 3D looked like a shitty Driver ripoff to me. Then I played it and really haven't looked back to the old ones since.

Outrun 2 (Arcade, Xbox) - I liked the original but just had a blast with the sequel. I don't usually expect great things from revivals like that. OutRun Coast 2 Coast is really one of my favorite racing games now.

[Cyrus the virus]

Guitar Hero, honestly. When it first came out I could not believe how good it was. Even more, I couldn't believe how good the set list was.

[Poofy]

Jumping Flash (PSX) - To be honest, the game's graphics were horrendus. But once you pick it up, you're addicted.

Oh. My. God. YES!

[Less Than Liz]

The only reason I ever picked up Metal Gear Solid was because I'd seen some letter to the editor in a game magazine and didn't recognize any of the other games on the rental shelf. Imagine that.

[Atlas]

Thus beginning your beautiful obsession.

[Sushi_b]

Outrun 2 (Arcade, Xbox) - I liked the original but just had a blast with the sequel. I don't usually expect great things from revivals like that. OutRun Coast 2 Coast is really one of my favorite racing games now.

Me too, Outrun 2 captures the beauty of the original but has updated graphics and sounds. The game is the perfect arcade style racer and I don't think any game out there now or in the past 5 years has come close to matching it at all.

2 more come to mind.

Mass Effect (Xbox 360). I just didn't know what to expect. I'm not a big fan of Sci-fi but I really fell in love with the game and am anticipating the next 2 games as well. I've gotten a lot of respect for Bioware and the quality that they put into their titles.

Golden Sun (GBA) - The first real RPG released on the GBA. I didn't have high expectations, I was just interested to try the first RPG on the GBA. Couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised at how fun and cool the game was.

[Jarrid]

I agree, Sushi. Golden Sun surprised me as well, and I really enjoyed playing that game. I wish I could find my copy of it. I know it is around here hidden amongst everything.

[Void]

Pokemon Pearl suprised the hell out of me.

[Poofy]

Why is that? I ask because I was thinking of buying it, but I can't seem to bring myself to purchase a game that I've played 2 times before.


While we're on the subject of DS games.

The entire Ace Attorney series. All the reviews I've read for the games give 'um an average of 7/10, but seeing as how quickly I got addicted to them, I must say I was surprised that they were far better than what I was led to believe.

[Jarrid]

Why is that? I ask because I was thinking of buying it, but I can't seem to bring myself to purchase a game that I've played 2 times before.

This is my problem with Pokemon games. I get bored with them easily these days. I have the same problem with the Dynasty Warriors series.

[Void]

Why is that? I ask because I was thinking of buying it, but I can't seem to bring myself to purchase a game that I've played 2 times before.

I hadn't played a Pokemon game since Silver and Gold, and I wasn't even able to really get into those. I was expecting to be underwhelmed, but instead found out that it was quite different from the original Pokemon games.

[~Chachamaru_Karakuri~]

I hadn't played a Pokemon game since Silver and Gold, and I wasn't even able to really get into those. I was expecting to be underwhelmed, but instead found out that it was quite different from the original Pokemon games.

it was because of the slight graphical enhancements that puts its predecessors to shame i bet.

I was the same with the D/P games, sure it is still the same core concept, but a lot of new features were added to the overall heart of the game

and FF3 for the DS surprised me too, i mean, why would you have a game that only uses one screen on a gaming handheld that has two screens?

[Jarrid]

Xenogears.

I had read and heard so much about this game years after it had came out, and it was something I always wanted to play. I had the OST and Creid, already, so I was already a huge fan of the music. Well, I finally picked my copy of Xenogears up at a store, and I remember buying for a very good price.

Yup. . . I still have not finished the game. I become very bored with it, and it was not what I was expecting at all. I like it some ways, but I become tired of playing it and uninterested in even turning it on again. This game is probably my biggest surprise.

I still love the music, though. :)

By the Banned Person:
and FF3 for the DS surprised me too, i mean, why would you have a game that only uses one screen on a gaming handheld that has two screens?

O_O

[Void]

it was because of the slight graphical enhancements that puts its predecessors to shame i bet.

Not even close. The graphics are still horrible compared to other DS games. The variety in creating your team, the mini-games and sidequests totally make the game.

[Cyrus the virus]

and FF3 for the DS surprised me too, i mean, why would you have a game that only uses one screen on a gaming handheld that has two screens?

I appreciated the map.