Now that we are firmly into the latest console generation, it's time to take a look back at some of the most under-appreciated, but totally worth your time games of the previous generation.
Deadly Premonition (PS3/360):In what can only be described as the closest we will ever come to a Twin Peaks video game, famed Japanese creator SWERY managed to adapt all of the quirk, charm, and mystery of the beloved TV series into this fantastic open world murder mystery. While the game may not be a graphical power house, it more than makes up for it by being simply, unbelievably, amazing. Now that's a damn fine cup of coffee!
Remember Me (PS3/360): Before Dontnod found success with their episodic masterpiece, Life is Strange, they created an awesome cyber punk action-adventure that focused on the idea of memories. You can remix enemies' memories in order to solve puzzles, gain intel, or turn them against one another. Memories aren't your only weapon; the game features an awesome build-your-own combo system that allows you to customize the melee style to your liking. Last, but certainly not least, how well you perform in combat directly influences the game's soundtrack. All around, this is definitely a game that deserves another look.
El Shaddai (PS3/360): Inspired by the biblical story of Enoch, this is one of the finest examples of games as art ever! The game's jaw-droppingly beautiful art design, especially its backgrounds, could be taken directly off the screen and hung on your wall; words simply can't describe their beauty. However, El Shaddai is more than just a pretty face. It sports a solid action-adventure gameplay style, thanks to its pedigree of being made by former Devil May Cry and Okami developers!
A Boy and His Blob (Wii): The original NES Boy and His Blob was an innovative puzzle platformer that was slightly spoiled by the ever prevalent and unforgiving NES difficulty curve. Fast-forward twenty years and in comes the self-professed fans of the original, the amazing WayForward. Wanting to keep the platforming basics of the original's ever morphing partner, combined with a more open difficulty curve, and their trademark beautiful hand-drawn art style, WayForward hit a home run. They created a beautiful and charming platformer, with a heart warming story of friendship that harkens back to a bygone era of gaming. Oh, and did I mention that the game has a dedicated "hug" button for Blob? …If that's not enough to make you interested, I don't know what is.
Lost Odyssey (360):After Hinrobu Sakaguchi, the creator of Final Fantasy, left Square and decided to branch out on his own, his first project was creating a JRPG for Microsoft. While Lost Odyssey's game play is your typical JRPG fair, its story is anything but. You see, a famed Japanese writer was brought in to assist Sakaguchi with the crafting of the games overall story and to write a series of visual novel vignettes that serve to tell the backstory of the game's main character. It is these vignettes that make this fairly typical JRPG something special; they are emotionally moving and powerful pieces of prose. For these vignettes alone, this game is worth playing...they do not disappoint.