5 Underappreciated Games You Actually Have to Play

There are a lot of games that get the credit they deserve, but there are also those titles that slip under the radar, get neglected, and just don’t get the praise that they should. The following games are some of the releases that critics and the general public seemed to overlook, and it’s a shame, as there are some seriously good times to be had with these entries:

The Callisto Protocol

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S | PS5 | Xbox One | PS4 | PC

Dubbed as a bit of a copy-cat to EA’s Dead Space series, The Callisto Protocol actually was developed by the original creator of that very franchise, Glen Schofield. The game is a visually-stunning, atmospheric, and terrifying romp through gooey hallways, harrowing basements, and obscure medical labs. You play as Jacob Lee (excellently motion captured and played by Josh Duhamel) as you escape your cell in Black Iron Prison, a maximum security prison on the base of the moon that has some pretty dark secrets beneath the surface. The combat is a little by-the-numbers, but the set-pieces, clever jump-scares, and fascinating creatures make this a must-play for any horror fan.

Evil West

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S | PS5 | Xbox One | PS4 | PC

Evil West feels like a game from a bygone period of the last couple of generations, and I mean that in the best of ways. It’s direct, confident, and delivers simple mechanics but a wealth of ways to combo them together for a fun gameplay loop that sees you take control of a steampunk vampire hunter in this third-person action adventure. It’s weirdly reminiscent of gems like Wet and 50 Cent: Blood in the Sand, and much like those games, Evil West will likely become a cult classic in years to come.

Banishers: Ghost of New Eden

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S | PS5 | PC

How not more people are talking about Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a mystery. It’s one of the most impressive and interesting games of 2024 so far, giving players a heavily narrative-driven action RPG that trims the fat and focuses on fun, engaging combat and a captivating story and world. The result is a brilliant and haunting game that fleshes out its thought-provoking story with some great combat full of interesting ideas. Any fans of the action-adventure genre, should definitely summon Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden.

Indiana Jones: The Great Circle

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S | PC

Yeah, I know. Indiana Jones: The Great Circle got a fair bit of positive praise from critics, but given the game’s December release date, and only arriving on Xbox and PC, it seems to have slipped under the radar of many. I was initially sceptical at first, but the game is a perfect adaptation of what you’d expect from an Indy adventure: gorgeous locations, a 1930s setting, fisticuffs, and some great puzzles. It also doesn’t hold your hand too much and allows you to experiment and explore to solve tricky situations or work out how to progress, which is appreciated. It’s a must-play for any fan of the franchise.

Assassin’s Creed: Mirage

Platforms: Xbox Series X/S | PS5 | Xbox One | PS4 | PC

One of the best games of 2023, and arguably the most overlooked one, is that of Assassin’s Creed: Mirage. The Ubisoft sneak-‘n-stab entry was a return-to-roots for the franchise, throwing gamers into 9th century Baghdad playing as one of the original assassins, Basim.

I loved it, as you can see in my review: “Assassin’s Creed: Mirage is exactly what the franchise has been needing to remind longtime fans and newcomers about what made Assassin’s Creed so great in the first place. It rests on a lot of the foundations of the most acclaimed entries, but adds in modern twists, streamlines the experience, and eliminates the frustrating elements which crept in over the years. There are the odd sticky parkour moments and some of the in-engine cutscenes seem awkward and out of place, but overall, Mirage is the perfect example of why sometimes less is more, and often better.”

What recent games do you think have been overlooked? Let us know by tweeting @MenStuffZA, posting on our Facebook page, or commenting below.