Best 5 Games You've Never Heard of (In No Particular Order)

Not all games can compete with a tour du force like Halo, Call of Duty, Final Fantasy, etc. Many releases out there are, because of this, unfortunately overshadowed by these games, even though some of them can be much, much better. Here are some games the many gamers have not actually heard of, but that are incredibly great titles that should not in any way be missed.

1. Indigo Prophecy (PS2 and Xbox)

This is the spiritual predecessor to Heavy Rain, the recent game on PS3 that released to widespread critical acclaim. Many who have now bought Heavy Rain have probably at least heard of Indigo Prophecy, but many have not bothered to play it. It works in a similar way, using basic tasks and little everyday activities to create immersion in the gameplay. But this story has the main character waking up in a bathroom after supposedly killing somebody, and then needed to cover it up while they find out why they did so, and why they don't remember any of it. It's a great story with some interesting gameplay that should not be missed.

2. Freedom Fighters (PS2, Xbox and Gamecube)

I have talked about this game a lot in previous articles, but it bears repeating - this is one of the best squad-based games to ever be released, to this day. And it has something that other squad-based shooters like Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six desperately lack - immersion and a good story. This game takes place in an alternate timeline in which the Soviet Union never fell, and is now trying to take over America. You lead an underground rebellion that's trying to retake the country. The game is great, with wonderfully rewarding squad-based gameplay, a great, dreary atmosphere and an interesting story. The only flaw, I'd say, is the fact that it ends on a cliffhanger because it set up for a sequel that never came.

3. John Woo's Stranglehold (Xbox 360, PS3)

Also a game I've mentioned before, Stranglehold is a third person shooter with slow motion elements (which does not sound original, I know). However, what's original is the incredible amounts of environmental interactivity there are, some of the special moves, and the fact that you can perform unbelievable acrobatics while shooting (running along railings and swinging from chandeliers are just a couple of them).

4. Okami (PS2, Wii)

This is probably one of the most original games I've ever played in my life. Okami looks like a watercolor painting in which you play as a wolf god that must stop forces of evil coming to destroy his land. The game is fantastic and absolutely gorgeous (easily comparable to many current gen games in terms of visual beauty. The combat is also great (you can attack enemies by freezing the screen and drawing on them with a giant paintbrush, using different patterns to mean different things). The game is so original that any of the many gamers who didn't pick it up should check it out.

5. Psychonauts (PS2 and Xbox)

This is one of the most funny games I've ever played, and the gameplay was really interesting too. The sales for it weren't too bad, but there are still many people who own an Xbox or PS2 and haven't played it (it's backwards compatible for 360 also). The game takes place at a psychic camp where some strange things are going on, and as a new resident of the camp, you start to investigate it. It's a great game that should really be played, as you get to go inside the minds of different people, many of which are very crazy-looking.

If you haven't played any of these games, I would recommend giving it a shot. They are quite overlooked, and happen to be different and interesting enough that since they're so cheap now, everybody should give them a shot. Enjoy!