It’s a hot summer day, and the evening calls for you to relax and have fun with a video game. Nothing too fancy or modern, just underrated games. Titles you can dive into for more than a couple of hours, coming out feeling nostalgic, frightened, or inspired. Maybe all of these?
Regardless of your platform, there’s a unique collection of games that have survived the test of time, and a few titles still hold up as great getaways that should be a part of your to-play list. Here are three titles that you shouldn’t skip out on.
3. Adam’s Venture Origin
Keeping aside the obvious comparisons to titles like Indiana Jones and Uncharted, Adam’s Venture Origin tries to be its own thing. What starts as an absurd narrative about a young man trying to live his life on his own terms slowly turns into an adventure flooded with puzzles and ancient ruins.
My first impressions of Adam’s Venture Origin were rather confusing. Was I going to focus on the story bits here that were garnished with a dose of cringe-worthy dialogue, or was I looking forward to new environments? In between, there were puzzles that would act as connecting bridges between dialogues and narrative pieces.
That’s when it hit me: Adam’s Venture Origin felt best when I was being humbled by its clever and witty puzzle mechanics. From rotating dials to complex environmental puzzles, the game always challenged me in unexpected ways.
Even eight years after its release, Adam’s Venture Origin dares to challenge a curious itch for all that’s unknown, honoring it with a fascinating puzzle design and a short but sweet narrative.
2. Monstrum
Monstrum finds its place between genres like psychological thrillers and horror (that’s in your face). The narrow pathways and corridors in-game reminded me of a fear (Claustrophobia) I don’t think about too often. From its first few minutes, the game throws you into a situation where survival finds an eerie bond with exploration.
If you’re a fan of games like Amnesia and Soma, you’ll find Monstrum rightfully compelling. The fascinating aspect of this game conveys itself in the form of familiar level design. Ladders, staircases, doors, and dim lighting are things you’re likely to cross paths with in real life. However, Monstrum’s unconventional ways of finding a hidden and creepy story arc in these spaces are what make it so special.
The more you delve into these environments and give yourself frequent jumpscares, the more Monstrum becomes a journey about fighting your own fears and making sense of environments that seem to be hiding something.
1. Remothered: Tormented Fathers
Remothered: Tormented Fathers captivated me in the most unexpected ways. The story is told through the perspective of a young woman, Rosemary (voiced by Danielle McRae). The game dives into the mind of a curious woman who isn’t afraid of coming to terms with her anxieties and fears. At the same time, she understands how crucial her quest is.
What starts as a retelling of an important story in Rosemary’s life soon turns into a series of unfortunate events. Throughout the game, I listened closely to Rosemary’s thoughts on everything that was going on around her. As well as her beliefs surrounding the same. For instance, Rosemary’s thoughts on religion came straight from the heart (and perhaps years of wisdom):
I believe in people’s willpower, everything else is not God, but ineptitude or mankind’s cruelty.
Remothered: Tormented Fathers is full of moments like this and feels like a game that fans of psychological-thrillers should be playing without thinking twice. If you remove certain sequences from the game, it can be the perfect walking simulator that may trigger questions of philosophy you don’t usually encounter in real life.
What Makes These Underrated Games Worth Trying Out?
At present, most games in the industry don’t feel exclusively tied to the platform. Keeping aside PlayStation and Nintendo, a lot of titles bring in a larger audience with diverse tastes, willing to dive into games that we may haven’t heard of before. That’s where a few titles may go unnoticed and deserve your attention. They bring a charm that may seem familiar but still stands proudly as a unique experience.
Everything from curious adventures to painstakingly fear-fueled reflections, these games make an attempt at bringing your attention to an art form that’s ever-evolving. So, why skip out on games like these when you can play them regardless of an exclusive platform?
What are some underrated games that have struck your fancy in the past few years? Let us know in the comments below.
