With all the gamers on the board, I thought it'd be nice to have an all-purpose thread to recommend some games that might have slipped through the cracks.
But I also just really wanted to recommend this game: NIER, an RPG that came out last year.
I've never been as impressed by such a low-profile game as I was by NIER. First, a couple of down points that led to it generally being ignored in America:
- graphics look a little dated, especially in towns
- sidequests are often tedious (easy solution: don't do them. They don't affect the storyline at all. Do accept as many as you can though as the dialogue that accompanies them is often really good).
- the game throws you into a confusing situation and doesn't explain it fully for a long time. The first couple hours of the main game also move a bit slowly before it picks up steam.
On the plus side:
- the soundtrack, voice work, and dialogue are maybe the best I've ever heard. The banter and rapport between the characters is very well-done without being overwrought or annoying. Even the loading screens help set the mood and develop the story.
- gameplay can be a little repetitive but is generally very fun; the game switches genres constantly along with lots of nods to classic games.
- It's the rare RPG where the main character isn't some whiny androgynous 16-year-old or a faceless mute. Nier is an ugly-looking middle-aged man whose only motivation is to keep his daughter safe. It's a great jumping-off point for the rest of the game.
- The story is maybe the most bittersweet I've ever seen. The main ideas behind the story, and the truth about your situation aren't directly revealed for a long time, and in some cases not until completing a full playthrough. Instead they slowly creep up on you over time through dialogue and plot events.
- When you beat the game, you can immediately begin a second playthrough, starting over halfway through the game with all levels, weapons, and items. The second playthrough completely changes how you view the game, and the second ending is generally considered the true ending. Just don't skip any cutscenes.
- How many games start the title screen by playing a clip of an angry woman cursing out a magic book?
- Nobody bought it so it's very cheap by now.
Anyway, Nier is a great, underrated game, and by far my favorite of the past year or two. I don't generally gush about video games like this, but this was one of the best experiences I've ever had with a game, and almost no one's heard of it. Well worth picking up.
Feel free to use this thread to post your own game recommendations too - I'm always looking for new options.