With more than 8,000 games released on Steam alone last year, it’s getting harder and harder to keep up with the best new releases. That’s without even taking into account different consoles and their exclusives. Suffice to say, you might have accidentally missed out on some great games over the last few years!
Fear not, we’re here to catch you up on our 6 most underrated video games you might have missed out on!
Table of Contents
Most Underrated Video Games Countdown
Sadly we’re unable to write an exhaustive list, though we’d like to. Without further ado, these are our hidden gems that deserve their chance in the spotlight.
6. Moving Out
Moving Out was only released in April of this year. Brought to you by publisher Team 17, the same sociopaths that brought you Overcooked… the premise isn’t too dissimilar.
You and your friends are employees of the worst removal company in the world. Head to your unfortunate customer’s home and race against the clock to get the van loaded. Health and safety and destruction of property encouraged.
Like in Overcooked, you’ll have to work as a team to get the job done. With some great map obstacles included like unruly chickens and haunted pianos, the potential for chaos is endless. Grab your mates and begin questioning why you were ever friends in the first place as you play through.
Moving Out is available on PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Steam.
5. No Man’s Sky
Look, before you cuss us out and close the article – hear us out.
No Man’s Sky is the ultimate redemption arc tale. We all make mistakes… and admittedly Hello Games made their fair share during the games’ infancy.
If by some miracle you haven’t heard of the controversy surrounding the game, a quick recap, summarized in one word – hype. Hype was the downfall of No Man’s Sky. A combination of promises unkept and insanely high expectations from gamers meant that when it actually came to the highly anticipated release date, the game fell flat.
Poor graphics, bugs, and a server that couldn’t keep up plagued the game. Negative reviews poured in. At one point the game was the worst-reviewed game on Steam.
But this is a story of redemption. The developers at Hello Games took on board all the criticism and worked on it.
There have been thirteen patches since the original release of the game. The game now? It’s actually pretty close to the original expectations for the game, and well worth a second chance.
No Man’s Sky is available on PS4, Xbox One, and Steam.
4. Wreckfest
Wreckfest might be our favorite demolition derby since Vigilante 8. In case you weren’t aware, that’s some high praise.
Not too dissimilar to the wildly popular FlatOut series, Wreckfest is a slap in the face to realistic racing simulators. That isn’t to say the driving aspect of the game is haphazard, you’ll actually need a decent amount of skill behind the wheel to thrive in the chaos of this game.
With normal and realistic destruction modes, there’s not much you can’t destroy in this game. The realistic mode does what it says on the tin and presents a real challenge. One mishap and you’ll be limping to the finish line.
To get the most out of this game, we’d absolutely recommend playing with a PS4 steering wheel, particularly for the banger racing gameplay feature.
Wreckfest is available on PS4, Xbox One, and Steam.
3. My Time at Portia
For a game that will take over your whole life, look no further than My Time at Portia. Perfect for fans of Animal Crossing, Harvest Moon, or Stardew Valley – this cutesy RPG simulation game is bound to win you over.
Ideal for escaping the horrorshow of 2020, head to Portia instead. You’ll inherit your father’s property and spend your days restoring the property and the town, helping out neighbors, and generally taking part in wholesome goodness.
My Time at Portia also doesn’t leave you constantly on wiki trawling for answers, unlike some simulations – we’re looking at you Stardew Valley. For a refreshingly unique take on RPG simulation, the game is a winner.
My Time at Portia is available on Nintendo Switch, Steam, PS4, and Xbox One.
2. Star Wars Battlefront II
We didn’t say this list wouldn’t be without controversy… and EA had their fair share of controversies with Star Wars Battlefront II. Less of a redemption arc and more of a u-turn, we’d like to think EA has learned their lesson – for now anyway.
Another quick recap for the uninformed, Star Wars Battlefront II was the much-anticipated sequel to the beloved original. Except during the beta trials for the game, players realized much of the content was behind a paywall in the form of loot boxes. You could theoretically unlock this content through grinding if you had a spare 40 hours… per character.
Unsurprisingly players didn’t appreciate this huge change to the game. Nor did they appreciate the EA Community Team response to the backlash which was to tell users the changes were to give them “a sense of pride and accomplishment”.
Fortunately, the continued backlash and boycotting of the game got EA to back down completely before release and disabled microtransactions, as well as reducing the grind time to gain in-game credits.
The result? A pretty great first-person shooter set within the Star Wars universe, with a great online multiplayer mode. Well worth some of your time if you’re a fan of the series or loved the original Battlefront game.
Star Wars Battlefront II is available on Steam, PS4, and Xbox One.
1. Owlboy
Last but by no means least, Owlboy. While Owlboy has had generally pleasant reviews, we’re here to argue it’s actually a masterpiece and everybody should play it.
A vertical underrated video games platform adventure that is a testament to its genre, you’ll play as Otus. The islands of your world have been torn apart and you’re among the last of your people.
But Otus is flawed, he’s weak, and he needs an array of allies to help him through his adventure. That’s what makes the game so endlessly charming. Plus the fact that Otus’ world feels not too distant from a Studio Ghibli movie.
A story of underdogs and unlikely heroes in a breath-taking and sometimes heartbreaking adventure is what makes Owlboy so special.
Owlboy is available on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, and Steam.
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We’ve limited our underrated video games list to a mere 6, which means we’ve definitely missed out some! See our site for more of our latest game reviews, news, and articles.
