2016 has come and (almost) gone and with it has gone another year of gaming. We all have our lists of best games, but what about the games that were great but didn’t get the attention they deserved? So to do our part to correct this, here is our list of 5 games that got overlooked during 2016 in no particular order. This does not include indie games as I plan another list for those at a later time.
5)King of Fighters XIV
Street Fighter V got all the attention this year, but King of Fighters XIV was a complete game at launch. Multiple modes for single player and SNK handling the issues with online in a prompt manner made this a must have game. With a large roster and actually moving forward in an interesting way that will most certainly affect the future games in the series, KOF XIV was a turning point for the series. Sadly too many people saw the visuals and looked away and missed out on an amazing game in the process. I must emphasize that this game felt like a game meant to be played by both hardcores and casuals, with the game doing its part to help get new players in without alienating veterans. With the visual update coming soon, I hope this game can get the attention it deserves.
4)World of Final Fantasy
This one sadly was the victim of bad timing. Final Fantasy XV had such a large amount of hype and momentum behind it that World of Final fantasy ended up being almost completely ignored. This is a shame because aside from a long opening sequence, WoFF is a great game that uses both classic Final Fantasy gameplay along with mon collecting and a good dash of humor. With tons of classic characters appearing and likeable protagonists, as well as intelligent writing and great visuals, this game has something for everyone. I feel if this had come out another year, this would have gotten a lot more attention. The sad thing is that this could have been marketed well to fans of the classic style of Final Fantasy but Square Enix didn’t, and I feel that was a missed opportunity. If you feel Final Fantasy has drifted too far into another direction, then I suggest this game.
3) Shadow Of The Beast
Shadow Of The Beast originated on the Amiga and was made by Pysgnosis, who were later acquired by Sony. The game was a sidescrolling platformer that was noted for its difficulty and amazing visual effects. The game received a remake on the PlayStation 4 earlier this year and like the others on this list, it was sadly not given the attention it deserved. A brilliant game that used beat em up elements along with rhythm game elements. It had amazing visuals and engaging gameplay and even included the original game as a bonus. It was brutal and fun and should have been a much bigger deal than it was. Even if you do not know much about the original game, that is fine since the game is very inviting. This is a game that is short but designed for replays and allows it to be done in new ways. I suggest checking it out.
2) Odin Sphere Leifthrasir
This game actually had a lot of hype before it came out, especially from fans of the original game. Once the game came out however, it seemed to utterly fall from the public mind. This game was utterly brilliant with amazing visuals, refined combat and excellent RPG mechanics and storytelling. A beautiful metroidvania, Odin Sphere Leifthrasir was the complete package. A game that requires multiple playthroughs to understand fully and appreciate, and it is fun each time. The original game also did not get the attention it deserved and so it was hoped that this re-release would be a different story, but it sadly has gone the same way. I cannot understand why that is, as the game has so much to offer and it should have been a hit.
1- Exist Archive
This one hurt the most. A spiritual sequel to Valkyrie Profile that went completely ignored. After we posted our review, I heard from people who told me they love what they read about the game and are disappointed that they had not heard of it before the review. I am going to quote this from the review.
Exist Archive is played in a side scrolling 2D plane, much like the earlier Valkyrie Profile series, along with metroidvania elements as well. The world is one of the most beautifully detailed video game worlds this generation, with artwork and visuals that truly must be seen to be believed. The music is also excellent, especially by JRPG standards, and I recommend listening to it fully as best as you can. In addition, both Japanese and English voice acting is included, which is great for fans of Japanese voice acting.
The game actually delivered something to the gaming world that people had been asking for. It was a brilliant RPG when many RPGs had gone stale, it was a spiritual revival of a classic IP, and it brought something new to the genre. I wish this had been promoted more, because this is a fantastic game. Since I wrote the review originally, it has grown on me even more and many of the flaws I had seen in it, I don’t see anymore. This is a truly unique masterpiece and the fact that it has been overlooked this year is a travesty. This is the most overlooked game of 2016 in my opinion.