Reappraised and Remembered

Poorly received or forgotten games that went on to see some form of second wind via their reappraisal by members of the gaming community.

Does that mean every game on this list is secretly really good? Not really, but it never hurts to give them a try.

It's important to note that I haven't played every game on this list, meaning that I'm likely to make mistakes and include games that ill-fitting. Let me know in the comments if that's the case, and I'll gladly rectify it.

Is there a game missing from this list that you think would fit? Leave a comment, I'll make sure to add it once I see it!

Wanted: Dead
Wanted: Dead
Gungrave G.O.R.E
Gungrave G.O.R.E
Oninaki
Oninaki
Left Alive
Left Alive
Crystar
Crystar
Metal Gear Survive
Metal Gear Survive
Lost Sphear
Lost Sphear
ReCore
ReCore
Toukiden 2
Toukiden 2
I Am Setsuna
I Am Setsuna
Devil's Third
Devil's Third
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die - Season 1
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die - Season 1
Toukiden: Kiwami
Toukiden: Kiwami
Lost Dimension
Lost Dimension
Short Peace: Ranko Tsukigime's Longest Day
Short Peace: Ranko Tsukigime's Longest Day
Drakengard 3
Drakengard 3
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed
Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed
Armored Core: Verdict Day
Armored Core: Verdict Day
Fuse
Fuse
Zeno Clash II
Zeno Clash II
DmC: Devil May Cry
DmC: Devil May Cry
Black Knight Sword
Black Knight Sword
Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil 6
Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor
Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor
Armored Core V
Armored Core V
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Bodycount
Bodycount
Shadows of the Damned
Shadows of the Damned
Child of Eden
Child of Eden
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
Hard Corps: Uprising
Hard Corps: Uprising
Splatterhouse
Splatterhouse
Quantum Theory
Quantum Theory
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days
Lost Planet 2
Lost Planet 2
NieR
NieR
Red Steel 2
Red Steel 2
Deadly Premonition
Deadly Premonition
Resonance of Fate
Resonance of Fate
Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Wet
Wet
Bionic Commando
Bionic Commando
Zeno Clash
Zeno Clash
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
50 Cent: Blood on the Sand
Ninja Blade
Ninja Blade
Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon
Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon
The Last Remnant
The Last Remnant
Castlevania Judgment
Castlevania Judgment
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
Golden Axe: Beast Rider
Golden Axe: Beast Rider
Infinite Undiscovery
Infinite Undiscovery
The Void
The Void
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Stranglehold
Stranglehold
Folklore
Folklore
Eternal Sonata
Eternal Sonata
Vampire Rain
Vampire Rain
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
Blue Dragon
Blue Dragon
Red Steel
Red Steel
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog
God Hand
God Hand
Kengo: Legend of the 9
Kengo: Legend of the 9
Blood+ One Night Kiss
Blood+ One Night Kiss
Bullet Witch
Bullet Witch
Prey
Prey
Rengoku II: The Stairway to H.E.A.V.E.N.
Rengoku II: The Stairway to H.E.A.V.E.N.
Rule of Rose
Rule of Rose
Enchanted Arms
Enchanted Arms
Perfect Dark Zero
Perfect Dark Zero
Shadow the Hedgehog
Shadow the Hedgehog
Urban Reign
Urban Reign
Drakengard 2
Drakengard 2
Tear Ring Saga: Berwick Saga
Tear Ring Saga: Berwick Saga
Project: Snowblind
Project: Snowblind
Altered Beast
Altered Beast
Rengoku: The Tower of Purgatory
Rengoku: The Tower of Purgatory
Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity
Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity
Phantom Dust
Phantom Dust
Second Sight
Second Sight
Michigan: Report from Hell
Michigan: Report from Hell
Silent Hill 4: The Room
Silent Hill 4: The Room
Gungrave: Overdose
Gungrave: Overdose
Kuon
Kuon
The Suffering
The Suffering
Breakdown
Breakdown
Bujingai: The Forsaken City
Bujingai: The Forsaken City
Spy Fiction
Spy Fiction
P.N.03
P.N.03
Chaos Legion
Chaos Legion
Lifeline
Lifeline
Unlimited SaGa
Unlimited SaGa
Gungrave
Gungrave
Gundam Battle Assault 2
Gundam Battle Assault 2
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
Gunvalkyrie
Gunvalkyrie
Forever Kingdom
Forever Kingdom

8 Comments


8 months ago

Cool list! How is this phenomenon different from a "sleeper hit?" I have a couple in mind (like maybe Dragon's Dogma?) but I'm not sure I've entirely grokked the criteria.

8 months ago

@cowboyjosh

A sleeper hit is when something seemingly unpromising releases but it actually ends up being a well regarded hit. The difference with these games is that they were either lambasted or completely forgotten about on release, only to be rexamined sometime afterwards by other people in the community. Sometimes this results in games becoming cult classics and developing quite a following of their own (Kane & Lynch 2, NieR Gestalt, Deadly Premoniton) but a good amount of games that fall into this list haven't quite seen that same degree praise. In fact, most of these games are still despised by a large majority of the community, with only small subsets of people really vouching for them. My main goal with this list is to help people discover more games like this, and maybe they'll find one they really like!
Here a few suggestions, I just don't know if they would fit your criteria.
You have the redemption stories like final fantasy XIV, no man's sky and cyberpunk 2077. Pretty sure fallout 76 had decent playerbase a few years after launch.

And some others to consider:
- Final fantasy XV
- Call of duty infinite warfare (mainly due to its campaign)
I can't grammar to save my life
one of the best lists on the site. banger ass games

3 months ago

This comment was deleted

3 months ago

@pronounspronouns

thank u bestie <3
Good list. I've only played exactly one game here and its NieR and can confirm, definitely a banger


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