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!

Zeno Clash II
Zeno Clash II
Zeno Clash
Zeno Clash
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
Zelda II: The Adventure of Link
WinBack: Covert Operations
WinBack: Covert Operations
Wet
Wet
Wanted: Dead
Wanted: Dead
The Void
The Void
Vampire Rain
Vampire Rain
Urban Reign
Urban Reign
Unlimited SaGa
Unlimited SaGa
Toukiden: Kiwami
Toukiden: Kiwami
Toukiden 2
Toukiden 2
Tear Ring Saga: Berwick Saga
Tear Ring Saga: Berwick Saga
Tear Ring Saga
Tear Ring Saga
The Suffering
The Suffering
Stranglehold
Stranglehold
Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity
Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity
Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor
Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor
Spy Fiction
Spy Fiction
Splatterhouse
Splatterhouse
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Silent Hill: Shattered Memories
Silent Hill 4: The Room
Silent Hill 4: The Room
Short Peace: Ranko Tsukigime's Longest Day
Short Peace: Ranko Tsukigime's Longest Day
Shadow the Hedgehog
Shadow the Hedgehog
Shadows of the Damned
Shadows of the Damned
Shadow Madness
Shadow Madness
Second Sight
Second Sight
SD Gundam G Generation-F
SD Gundam G Generation-F
Rule of Rose
Rule of Rose
Resonance of Fate
Resonance of Fate
Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil 6
Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5
Rengoku: The Tower of Purgatory
Rengoku: The Tower of Purgatory
Rengoku II: The Stairway to H.E.A.V.E.N.
Rengoku II: The Stairway to H.E.A.V.E.N.
Red Steel 2
Red Steel 2
Red Steel
Red Steel
ReCore
ReCore
Quantum Theory
Quantum Theory
Project: Snowblind
Project: Snowblind
Prey
Prey
P.N.03
P.N.03
Phantom Dust
Phantom Dust
Perfect Dark Zero
Perfect Dark Zero
Outcast
Outcast
Oninaki
Oninaki
Ninja Blade
Ninja Blade
NieR
NieR
Michigan: Report from Hell
Michigan: Report from Hell
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Metroid II: Return of Samus
Metal Gear Survive
Metal Gear Survive
Maken X
Maken X
Lost Sphear
Lost Sphear
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
Lost Planet: Extreme Condition
Lost Planet 2
Lost Planet 2
Lost Dimension
Lost Dimension
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII
Lifeline
Lifeline
Left Alive
Left Alive
The Last Remnant
The Last Remnant
Kuon
Kuon
Kengo: Legend of the 9
Kengo: Legend of the 9
Kartia: The Word of Fate
Kartia: The Word of Fate
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days
Kane & Lynch 2: Dog Days
Infinite Undiscovery
Infinite Undiscovery
I Am Setsuna
I Am Setsuna
Hard Corps: Uprising
Hard Corps: Uprising
Gunvalkyrie
Gunvalkyrie
Gungrave: Overdose
Gungrave: Overdose
Gungrave G.O.R.E
Gungrave G.O.R.E
Gungrave
Gungrave
Gundam Battle Assault 2
Gundam Battle Assault 2
Golden Axe: Beast Rider
Golden Axe: Beast Rider
God Hand
God Hand
Fuse
Fuse
Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon
Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon
Forever Kingdom
Forever Kingdom
Folklore
Folklore
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Final Fantasy XIII-2
Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII
Evergrace
Evergrace
Eternal Sonata
Eternal Sonata
Enchanted Arms
Enchanted Arms
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
Drakengard 3
Drakengard 3
Drakengard 2
Drakengard 2
DmC: Devil May Cry
DmC: Devil May Cry
Devil's Third
Devil's Third
Deadly Premonition
Deadly Premonition
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die - Season 1
D4: Dark Dreams Don't Die - Season 1
Crystar
Crystar
Child of Eden
Child of Eden
Chaos Legion
Chaos Legion
Castlevania Judgment
Castlevania Judgment
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
Castlevania II: Simon's Quest
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance
Bullet Witch
Bullet Witch
Bujingai: The Forsaken City
Bujingai: The Forsaken City
Breakdown
Breakdown

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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