Oh boy oh boy.
Underrated: Alpha Protocol
Obsidian is an under-appreciated studio. Not only did they make sequels that were better than the games they followed (KOTOR 2, Neverwinter Nights 2, Fallout New Vegas) they also are making decent CRPGs in an era where western RPG means 'BioWare or Skyrim'. Alpha Protocol was a little game that squeaked out in the era of moral choice and it was almost dismissed on launch because though it presented itself like a third person shooter it was truly an RPG at heart. It's an espionage RPG where you play as a secret agent and your skill selection influences the way the mission unfolds which is standard stuff for any decent RPG; Alpha Protocol's other quirk was its choice mechanic. Unlike in other games popular at the time, you know the ones, Alpha Protocol actually made choice matter because things weren't a simple red and blue good and bad response plus you were on a time limit with each and every response long before TellTale made that their only gameplay element. Your choices were important and changed the progression of the plot down to different final bosses and endings and even mission scenarios. The femme fatale you meet on a plane could be an ally or not, the mute assassin could try to kill you or help you out down the line or several other scenarios. It wasn't perfect, in true Obsidian fashion there were bugs and the RPG mechanics were easily broken making for a horribly imbalanced game but the writing and strength of the choice system makes this a game worth playing even today.
Overrated: BioShock Infinite
The first BioShock could go here too but that game wasn't up its own ass the way Infinite was. To this day I'm still not sure why BioShock Infinite set the world on fire critically when it came out. The mechanics of it were mind-numbingly simplistic with the supernatural powers having about three different ways to do the exact same thing and the gunplay being absolutely standard. I guess that must mean the story made up for it but that's impossible because the story presented in Infinite not only makes no sense with its own narrative and rules but it's a very poor introduction to many-worlds theory and the way it plays out is like the game begging you to think it's saying something smart when it isn't. Oh look, another game with a bird and a cage metaphor how fucking symbolic. We have characters talking about different worlds isn't that meta and intelligent and art? Infinite feels like it wants to say something about these themes but never commits to them - and that goes double for the whole race angle that the game is too afraid to actually depict in any capacity other than cartoonishly incompetent. It's a generic shooting game with a poorly constructed narrative and paper thin characters. 10/10 GOTY. And Elizabeth is a garbage tier waifu.
Underrated: Alpha Protocol
Obsidian is an under-appreciated studio. Not only did they make sequels that were better than the games they followed (KOTOR 2, Neverwinter Nights 2, Fallout New Vegas) they also are making decent CRPGs in an era where western RPG means 'BioWare or Skyrim'. Alpha Protocol was a little game that squeaked out in the era of moral choice and it was almost dismissed on launch because though it presented itself like a third person shooter it was truly an RPG at heart. It's an espionage RPG where you play as a secret agent and your skill selection influences the way the mission unfolds which is standard stuff for any decent RPG; Alpha Protocol's other quirk was its choice mechanic. Unlike in other games popular at the time, you know the ones, Alpha Protocol actually made choice matter because things weren't a simple red and blue good and bad response plus you were on a time limit with each and every response long before TellTale made that their only gameplay element. Your choices were important and changed the progression of the plot down to different final bosses and endings and even mission scenarios. The femme fatale you meet on a plane could be an ally or not, the mute assassin could try to kill you or help you out down the line or several other scenarios. It wasn't perfect, in true Obsidian fashion there were bugs and the RPG mechanics were easily broken making for a horribly imbalanced game but the writing and strength of the choice system makes this a game worth playing even today.
Overrated: BioShock Infinite
The first BioShock could go here too but that game wasn't up its own ass the way Infinite was. To this day I'm still not sure why BioShock Infinite set the world on fire critically when it came out. The mechanics of it were mind-numbingly simplistic with the supernatural powers having about three different ways to do the exact same thing and the gunplay being absolutely standard. I guess that must mean the story made up for it but that's impossible because the story presented in Infinite not only makes no sense with its own narrative and rules but it's a very poor introduction to many-worlds theory and the way it plays out is like the game begging you to think it's saying something smart when it isn't. Oh look, another game with a bird and a cage metaphor how fucking symbolic. We have characters talking about different worlds isn't that meta and intelligent and art? Infinite feels like it wants to say something about these themes but never commits to them - and that goes double for the whole race angle that the game is too afraid to actually depict in any capacity other than cartoonishly incompetent. It's a generic shooting game with a poorly constructed narrative and paper thin characters. 10/10 GOTY. And Elizabeth is a garbage tier waifu.
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