What are the best games you don't think anyone's heard of?

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Nov 12, 2023

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Brogue vs Battleships Forever vs Teeworlds

vs Puzzle Quest vs AI War: Fleet Command vs Myst vs Iji vs Ex-Zodiac vs Earth Defense Force 4.1: The Shadow of New Despair vs Space Run vs Armello vs Mister Mosquito vs Dungeons of Fayte vs Siralim Ultimate vs Secret Panchos vs DROD: Gunthro and the Epic Blunder vs Siralim 2 vs Flamebreak vs Emily is Away Too vs Advanced Wars vs Everblue 2 vs Stratosphere: Conquest of the Skies vs Archibald's Adventures vs Viva Piñata vs Fur-Guardians vs flOw vs Book of Demons vs Laser Raptor Attack vs ArcMaze

Specs

Genre

Roguelike

Co-Op

None

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Shoot 'em up

Co-Op

yes (teams)

Controller Support

Platforms

Windows, macOS, UNIX-like

License

Open source

Game engine

Teeworlds

Multiplayer

Yes

PvP

yes

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Multiplayer Missions

100

Split-Screen Players

1 - 2

Online Players

1 - 4

Weapon Count

801

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Mostly Positive

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Puzzle (turn-based)

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Very Positive

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Genre

Co-Op

Controller Support

Platforms

License

Game engine

Multiplayer

PvP

Graphic design

PvE

Singleplayer

Steam Rating

Multiplayer Missions

Split-Screen Players

Online Players

Weapon Count

Pros + Cons

Pro
Simple and easy to understand design

The graphics of the game consist entirely of ASCII characters which keeps the design simple and easy to understand.

Comment

Pro
Random dungeon generation

With random seeds used every new game, the dungeon layout, as well as the effects for potions etc are different, creating a different and unique challenge every time.

Comment

Pro
Can be played on persons preferred platform

It can be played on Mac OS X, Windows, or Linux, and on mobile devices running iOS or Android .

Comment

Pro
Free to download and play for anyone

Doesn't cost a dime as the game is free to download and play. Which is great as there is no obstacle to one trying the game out.

Comment

Con
No classes

While not having any classes for the main character means that any item can be equipped it does make for less replayability due to not having different classes to try out on multiple playthroughs.

Comment

Pro
Expanded gameplay with a ship maker program that is built into the game

Battleships Forever used to have a large cult behind it, due to people being able to create their own fleets and scenarios.

Comment

Pro
Balances defensive and offensive tactics well

The beginning of the game requires the user to think on where they want to place ships in order to provide defensive as well as offensive ships. From there they are tasked with maneuvering in reaction to enemy ships in order to gain control of a map. It is through balance and forethought that the player will be able to obtain this.

Comment

Con
The game isn't, and never will be, finished

Battleships Forever was big in its time, but that time has passed and its developers have moved on with their lives, as has its community. The final two missions of the game do not exist, occasional game-breaking bugs exist, and other issues exist that will probably never be fixed. While the game is fun and has infinite potential with custom made ships, it will never be complete.

Comment

Pro
Addictive gameplay

[add description]

Comment

Pro
Free and open source

[add description]

Comment

Pro
Varies game types

CTF, DM, TDM, DDRace, among others.

Comment

Pro
Small file size

It's less than 15 MB.

Comment

Pro
Lightwight

Runs well on old hardware.

Comment

Pro
Surprisingly deep combat system

The core of Puzzle Quest comes down to its match-3 combat. You make a move, then your opponent gets a move. If you matched four gems or more in a row by the time your turn ends, you get a second turn. Gems have different colors: red, yellow, green, blue, and skulls. Matching gems of a color gives you that color mana, and instead of making a match, you can choose to cast a spell, which costs certain kinds of mana. Matching skulls takes HP from your opponent, and whoever runs out of HP first loses. Not too complicated, right? Until you realize that your opponent is wearing an item that makes him regenerate life when his yellow mana is full. So you decide to steal all of the yellow mana on the board to prevent him from regenerating life. He casts a spell that siphons your yellow mana and gives it to him. You both go back and forth, retaliating against the other's strategy, until only one person is left. The depth of the gameplay is limited by your ability to see it. Not only does your chosen class dramatically affect your playstyle in the game, but so does your gear and spellbook, often times changing how you play your character entirely.

Comment

Pro
Good PvP implementation

The game supports PvP, where fighting an opponent who is just as smart as you can be challenging due to the great balance of play in multiplayer for evenly matched players. What is even better is that there are optional handicaps for matches between players that have different skill levels.

Comment

Pro
Combat, perfected in a match-3 game

The core of Puzzle Quest comes down to its combat. You make a move, then your opponent gets a move. If someone runs out of life, they lose. If you matched four gems or more in a row by the time your turn ends, you get a second turn. Gems have different colors. Matching gems of a color gives you that color mana, and instead of making a match, you can choose to cast a spell, which costs certain kinds of mana. Not too complicated. Until you realize that your opponent is wearing an item that makes him regenerate life when his yellow mana is full. So you decide to steal all of the yellow mana on the board to fuel one of your yellow-colored spells and to prevent him from regenerating life. He casts a spell that siphons your yellow mana and gives it to him. You both go back and forth, retaliating against the other's strategy, until only one person is left. The game is limited by your ability to play it. Not only does your chosen class dramatically effect your playstyle in the game, but so does your gear, often times changing how you play your character entirely.

Comment

Con
AI "luck" is unquestionably unbalanced

There are many instances that see the player questioning the insurmountable luck the AI often receives as it will skip obvious moves that any person would play that end up resulting in a match 4 extra turn when more tiles fall down, as if it knew that would happen. Sadly this can happen often and is how the game increases difficulty.

Comment

Con
PSP version is extremely buggy

Companions have no effects, hovering over a certain Wizard's spell will lock the game (meaning you can't ever use that spell or any spell under it in the list), and others. While the game is fun on PC, and still is on the PSP, one must accept that some of the features are going to be off-limits for PSP users.

Comment

Pro
Requires delicate balancing

The game forces the player to be torn between expanding their army and building their defenses, doing too much of one will weaken the other, which is why it is quite a balancing act.

Comment

Con
Ugly interface

The game is not much to look at with ugly fonts and simplistic graphics. While this may not hold back the fun gameplay there is little polish to the graphics which may turn some people off.

Comment

Pro
Smartly uses environment in boss battles

The game has the user smartly use their environment against a boss which allows for critical thinking while trying to defeat a difficult character. This changes up the gamelpay from the regular platforming and shooting, which keeps things fresh for the player.

Comment

Pro
Simple controls

The game mainly uses the arrow keys to control ones character, which is easy to understand and great for laptops. Other keys that are used are 6 keys together which allows the user to interact with the game while also moving.

Comment

Con
Movement is slow

Walking in the game feels quite slow which tends to drag out the gameplay and make things tedious.

Comment

Pro
Hours of gameplay

Its fun to play the Missions, but it's even more fun to grind for better weapons and there are MANY weapons.

Comment

Pro
Good co-op support

Players can play together locally and online in a cooperative manner, helping each other to defeat giant insect aliens that are attacking the city. The local co-op can be played on different devices (LAN) or even on the same device through split screen. The online multiplayer allows for easy access to friends and random people in order to play together.

Comment

Pro
Solid PC port

EDF is a pretty good port for PC (originally a PS2 game ported to PS4) with a constant 60fps during gameplay (no matter how many giant insects are on screen) as well as good keyboard and mouse controls with a few PC centric settings to be found in the menus such as anti-aliasing (only on or off). This is all able to be done in full HD (1080p).

Comment

Pro
Fun theme that does not take itself too seriously

Much like a B movie, the game is themed as a low quality experience with dated looking graphics and a convoluted/outrageous story. The premise being, you are one of four playable characters whose job it is to destroy the onslaught of invading alien giant insects. There is little beyond this to be fleshed out, it is more aimed at being mindless fun. Luckily the little bit of story and dialogue you do get in the game often is a bit tongue in cheek, as it the game is often self aware of its role to play.

Comment

Pro
Endearing pure action gameplay

The premise of the game is to constantly be blasting giant alien insects in a slightly open world environment. Each level starts in a large sandboxed open world arena where alien insects will swarm the area. It is up to the player and the character they choose to use (of which there are four choices, each with their own skills/powers) on how killing these creatures will be carried out. Some of the available weapons for the different characters will be things like hand grenades, rocket launchers and automatic rifles. These weapons will be used in order to kill as many of the alien creatures that you can. Somewhat of a mindless style of play, blasting away anything that moves, but is appealing in its design due to the destruction that can be carried out. Each stage allows for compete destruction of all of its structures, meaning if there are enemies behind a building, you can just destroy the building in order to get to them. Overall the gameplay is quite fun and quirky in its B movie theme and design that allows for a never ending flow of creatures and areas to blast your way through.

Comment

Pro
Quick yet complex gameplay

Games usually last around a half hour in my experience, yet have so much going on in them. Your goal is to satisfy one of four conditions: Collect 4 spirit eggs and bring them to the king, freeing him from his corruption Become more corrupt than the king, replacing him on the throne Slay the king, taking his place the old fashioned way Have the highest influence upon the king's death, leading to him appointing you in charge Through this system, every game will be drastically different, as sometimes multiple players will compete to meet the same goal, and other times each player races to complete their own.

Comment

Con
Lots of tutorial

This is not a game one can just download and play; the required tutorial explains each and every detail about the game rather than letting the player learn through experience.

Comment

Pro
Fun battle segments

If the player is spotted by one of the family members in the house a battle will commence where the family member will try to kill the player through insecticides or swatting. It is up to the player to hit certain pressure points on the family member in order to subdue them. This takes a good balance of control skill and timing, which is challenging and fun.

Comment

Pro
Unique gameplay

The gist of the game is that the player plays as a Mosquito inside of a families house, whose goal is to drain them of as much blood as possible without getting killed.

Comment

Con
Poor collision detection

Many parts of the game have sub-par collision detection where even if the player is visibly away from an object the game still see them as too close meaning they may run into objects that are not there, depleting their health. This can be really frustrating as you never know which areas are going to have this problem until you have already run into them.

Comment

Pro
Challenging survival mode

There is an optional survival mode in the game that ups the challenge of the normal play for those that want more challenge out of the title.

Comment

Pro
Easy casual playstyle

The game is not all that difficult and can be completed in about an hour and a half, so makes for a good casual game to play in a short amount of time.

Comment

Con
Has glitches

Due to the game being made during a game jam type event there are a few bugs and glitches, though they do not make the game unplayable, just can be annoying.

Comment

Pro
Active community

Secret Panchos has a growing active community that has helped the developer refine the game over the course of early access this last year.

Comment

Pro
Indie developer

The Indie developer group Switchblade Monkeys is a small group of friends working on this game over the last 6 years, creating quality content. They put a importance on player feedback and have used the community to refine the game over the last year, and are very active and vocal in the community.

Comment

Pro
Outlaw customization

Play to earn perks, skins, and reputation classes, all while seeing your outlaw grow in notoriety with a bigger bounty on your head! 10 Outlaws with different abilities, weapons and play styles make for diverse team make-up!

Comment

Pro
Spaghetti Western setting

Secret Panchos is set in a Spaghetti Western universe with colorful settings and characters.

Comment

Pro
Fast and fun gameplay

Secret Panchos is an isometric top down PvP shooter that pits teams of 3 against each other in several different modes of play. Games are quick, and the game mechanics are based on skill shots using a primary or secondary weapon that differs depending on which character you use.

Comment

Pro
Unique gameplay mechanics

It's turn-based puzzle, each turn you can either walk in one of 8 directions or turn by 45 degree.

Comment

Pro
Many puzzles have additional optional challenges.

Challenges are not required to complete the game, but provide many hours of gameplay for hardcore players.

Comment

Pro
Each room is handcrafted puzzle

Each puzzle requires you to think.

Comment

Pro
Games are long

There are many levels, and each level can easily take many hours to solve.

Comment

Pro
Series of 5 games

Original order is following: DROD: King Dugan's Dungeon - remake of original game: Deadly Rooms of Death. DROD: Journey to Rooted Hold DROD: The City Beneath DROD: Gunthro and the Epic Blunder - prequel to all series. Remakes of parts 1,2,3 are available as DLCs. DROD: The Second Sky - available as standalone game.

Comment

Con
DROD is not a softcore or casual game.

If you're looking for easy puzzle, DROD is not your game of choice. Puzzles difficulty range from midcore to super-hard.

Comment

Pro
Hundreds of creatures to fight and capture

There are hundreds of creatures in the game, with their special abilities, strengths and weaknesses, that you will fight and capture.

Comment

Pro
Deep game mechanics

Craft powerful artifacts, learn new spells, customize your monsters, team them up strategically, breed them, capture creatures, complete quests, gain the favors of gods, upgrade your castle, complete challenges, find rare treasures, collect resources, etc.

Comment

Pro
Tactical combat

Fight monsters in tactical battles with up to 6 monsters in your team, cast spells, buff your team, debuff the enemies, exploit your monsters' special abilities, and the synergies between your monsters to win.

Comment

Pro
Randomized loot

Loot have randomized additional properties, similar to the loot in Diablo.

Comment

Pro
Create the perfect creatures, and the perfect teams

Customize your creatures with a great variety of spell gems and equipment, level them, breed them, and exploit the synergies between monsters to create the perfect teams.

Comment

Con
Can get grindy

Summoning monsters, customizing, empowering, and breeding them, finding the perfect loot, may require you to grind.

Comment

Pro
Action packed

You pick a race a weapon and 2 skills and battle through a world of monsters and demi-gods.

Comment

Con
Very hard to beat

Game is not for the sleepy.

Comment

Pro
Low system requirments

This game only requires 512 MB of RAM to run. Total file weight is 100 MB.

Comment

Pro
Features in-game apps, such as retro versions of Facebook and Youtube

This game builds upon the original Emily is Away game, but introduces some new interesting feautures, like profile customization in the chat app and new in-game services, like Facebook and Youtube.

Comment

Pro
Your actions meaningfully influence the story

Emily is Away Too plays out differently, depending on the choices you make. The relationships can evolve in different ways, your actions can affect the situations other characters are in, you can discover different details about characters depending on how you approach the situations, etc.

Comment

Pro
Evokes a sense of nostalgia

Pixelated art, Windows XP-style game interface, early 2000's versions of Facebook and Youtube featured in the game, as well as numerous pop-culture references (including Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Eminem, and Red Hot Chili Peppers) will make players (given that they're old enough) nostalgic.

Comment

Pro
Heartfelt story

You take the role of the protagonist who unexpectedly gets contacted by his school crush and gets caught up in a love triangle. Seeing the characters interact, holding back their feelings, voicing their regrets, and figuring out what love is makes for a heartbreaking experience.

Comment

Con
Boring, repetitive gameplay

This game revolves around narrative much more than action. The gameplay mostly consists of typing one of the pre-recorded answer templates into the chat app.

Comment

Pro
The soundtrack is amazing

Composed by Grant Kirkhope, the music in Viva Pinata really puts you in an unexplainable mood. When the sun sets, the animals falls asleep and "Tranquil Hours" plays, you will have a hard time not enjoying it.

Comment

Pro
It's a very casual game

Being a childrens game, it is not made to be played hours upon hours in one sitting, but makes it fun to get back to once in a while, without being boring or repetetive.

Comment

Pro
The feeling of achieveing something

If you're the kind of person that likes to hunt for secret items, hidden achievements, and rare events, this game is for you. You can cross-breed certain animals to get a new animal, feed them certain berries to change their color, make them evolve, and much more. The end goal of this game is to collect all the animals that are avaliable.

Comment

Con
The game is a bit hard to get

You will need a physical copy and a controller to play, because the game was originally made for Xbox 360, and "Games for Windows Live" has been shut down.

Comment

Pro
Completely free

Free to download, free to play, no in-app purchases, no ads as the game is built upon the open-source game called Pandacorps. This is not only great for those that do not like IAP filled games but also a good game to allow kids to play.

Comment

Pro
Easily customized characters

Pick what kind of animal you want to be and your fur color. Unlock clothing options with gems collected in the game.

Comment

Con
Not much variety in the music

The music for the game gets stale fast as there is not much different music to be found while playing.

Comment

Pro
Anyone can contriubute to or view the code

Being open-source means that anyone can download the source code and use it to make their own games or even just pour through the code to learn how the game works.

Comment

Pro
Can play offline

No internet connection is required for any features.

Comment

Pro
A lot of replayability

Each level is randomly generated making for a new experience every time the game is played which makes for a lot or replayabilty due to the game having fresh levels on each playthrough.

Comment

Pro
Achievements and goals

In addition to the normal gameplay of just trying to beat levels, there are one-time achievements to keep the player busy. There are also repeatable goals that can be performed to increase the players rank and earn gems.

Comment

Pro
16-bit style graphics

Fur-Guardians looks like a game from the era of 16-bit consoles.

Comment

Con
Only for Android

[add description]

Comment

Pro
Interesting theme

You are a running raptor who is shooting lasers from your eyes. The theme itself is sci-fi based in that the platform the raptor is running on looks sci-fi themed and contains robots. Also it would not be normal for a Raptor to shoot lasers, which in and of themselves are often sci-fi based.

Comment

Pro
Fun shooting mechanics

Kill robots with your laser eyes as you run endlessly. Instead of the classic endless runner gameplay where one just avoids objects there is an extra shooting mechanic that allows one to shoot at robots in ones path.

Comment