Mediocre games you enjoyed?

[my_lo]

Even if it has been given a bad or mediocre result by most of the tests, i really enjoyed Untold Legends on PSP. I had always dreamed to have a diablo-like on portable and this was for me the first. I simply had my fun with it... I have downloaded (woot, pirate?) the sequel but i haven't tried it yet...

[Harrison]

There have been quite a few pretty good RPGs on the PSP, that I've enjoyed, but which haven't had great reviews. Not quite sure why as I've liked them. Maybe it's one of those things where they get a non-RPG fan to review them, or these people play so many games that they over analyse games and keep directly comparing them to the greats they are closest to.

[my_lo]

Also, the rating system:

Story: x/10
Graphism: x/10
Sound: x/10
Other criteria: x/10
-------------------
Total: x/10

isn't a great way to measure how good a game is.

I have seen many games with fantastic ideas, a great story, outstanding graphisms and sound but that were simply not appealing.
On the flip side, i've seen many games with a depthless scenario and far-from-being-stunning graphisms but that were plain fun from the first minute to the last.

I find sometimes (often actually) the reviews over-intellectualized, taking too many aspects in consideration, and therefor missing the most important point: the fun, simply, no matter if the game has a potential of 60 hours gaming, an infinite replayablility and the latest, most stunning effects.

But i guess that, in an industry where the standards are being redefined every day, a tester must find some common basis in order to sort what's good and what's less, even if sometimes it isn't efficient...

[Harrison]

That is true, and you have to compare a new game to existing classics in the same genre so that the reviewer can relate to existing games for the reader to better understand the game being reviewed.

However I completely agree that a game doesn't have to have great graphics to be great. A well written story and control/combat system are much more important to me that cutting edge graphics and audio. If gameplay and narrative are right then a game will still be great.

As an example look at Fallout 1/2, Baldur's Gate 1/2, etc. These are now getting quite old, but are all still as playable and enjoyable RPGs as you could hope for. As long as the graphics and audio work well to convey they game's environment and story that is all that is needed to enjoy it.

However I do think that as we have all been gamers since the beginning, and we are all retro gamers, we are more open minded to games that are not at the cutting edge of technology, and we know gameplay is the most important thing in making a game good. Sadly the youth of today just don't have this understanding, or the attention span to cope.

[Cortona]

This is a little embarrassing: Test Drive (C64 and Amiga). This 'Robin Reliant simulator' really sucked, but I felt compelled to complete it in all five cars. It wasn't exactly difficult, either. I must have been really bored!

Is there a topic for games that got rave reviews but you hated anyway? I can think of a few...

[Harrison]

Good idea. I will start one!