SeniorDingDong:

...Jazz Jackrabbit 2...

Agreed. Excellent 2D platformer that's been largely forgotten due to being a PC-only game in 1998, since there's never been much of a market for PC platformers and 2D games would have seemed backward at the time. Pity.

The first game was good too. Both games admittedly copied some aspects of Sonic the Hedgehog, but I never really cared.

A third one in 3D was planned at one point, actually, but they cancelled it years ago. A beta might still be floating around in some obscure corner of the internet, though- might be worth looking into.

A little game called Worms. Worms Armageddon or Worms 3D. You're basically an earthworm and you crawl around and blow up other worms with bazookas and grenades. Hands down one of the greatest turn based games.

Terranigma on the SNES
Bangai-Oh on the Dreamcast

danielabens:
A little game called Worms. Worms Armageddon or Worms 3D. You're basically an earthworm and you crawl around and blow up other worms with bazookas and grenades. Hands down one of the greatest turn based games.

Oh c'mon, everyone's heard of worms. Anyone worthy of my almighty presence anyway. We are the elite!

HOMEWORLD 2 FTW. Also Act of War Direct Action and Black and White 2. Both for PC.

Killer Instinct.

Awesome old fighting game for the Super Nintendo, which, in my humble opinion, is as good as Soul Caliber.

I don't know if this counts, but Illusion of Gaia was a fairly unknown (i think) SNES rpg that I've always loved. Never hear people talking about it though.

without RYGAR, there would no branches of pure awesome video games today. take all the beat em ups like god of war and its slightly less fun but slightly more sexy counterpart (heavenly sword). my point proven. do your reasearch. if you look at all the facts, any protagonist in a game that uses a weapon on a string, chain, or any utencil to make that weapon a destructive yo-yo..... can defenately be traced back to RYGAR. thanks for reading.

also..... NBA Hangtime. the funnest basket ball game you'll ever play.

Bowstring:

Zombie_King:
There's this tiny indie MMO that only a couple people play. Maybe you've heard of it, World of Warcraft? It also has an expansion pack.

EDIT:

Monarch of Greenwich:

Pychonauts. For god sakes, nobody bought this amazing game and instead bought more bull-shit like the halo franchise and Re4

Everyone, please stop going on about Psychonauts. Rough guestimate: 3/4 of you didn't know about it until Zero Punctuation reviewed it. I bought the game AT IT'S RELEASE. And you call RE4 'bullshit'? I'm going to give you a big fat slap. I'm not going to defend Halo against Psychonauts, because Halo would lose. I'm going to say that it's not 'bullshit,' though.

Bowstring:
Holy shit, if that's not a mindless Yahztee copy-cat comment then I don't know what is.

What, this?

Bulletinmybrain:
Painkiller - The population of murdertown and its your job to kill every last one of those motherfuckers.

Y'know, you basically quoted him.

xD. I hope you don't think me and Bulletinmybrain are the same person.

Fuck you!!! Your not the only one who bought it at release!!! I was there to!!! The game was awesome and got butfucked in sales number, but won me over just like the kids Micheal Jackson but fucked won him over.

The Kingdom Under Fire series. Except the last one, which sucked balls.

Perfect Dark (N64), this poor little game arrived at the end of this poor doomed consoles lifespan and has always been extremely over-shadowed by it's younger more perky movie-tie-in sister Goldeneye as well as Sony's exciting new Playstation 2 console that was set to make every gamer live in peace and harmony due to how amazing it was with it's emotion engine.

Unless you were one of those fortunate enough to actually have an N64 with the 4MB Expansion Pack, then you'll never understand the sheer experience this game provided. It was a truely graphically stunning game... I mean holy shit it was just amazing what they pushed the N64 to be capable of. Real-Time Reflections, Depth-of-Field, Full Weather Effects, Motion Blur, etc, etc. Only the next generation (well current gen) games boast similar effects. Then there's the gameplay with some amazing elements like full skeletal animation, weapons that can be shot from peoples hands, AI that responded to their situation and how you were playing, witty come backs, physics based puzzles. Let's also not forget the option to view all of the cut-scenes as if the game was a movie after completing it, the co-operative story mode (play together with friends), the counter-operative story mode (play against friends) as well as the multiplayer with BOTS. The only other game to feature bots to play against at the time was Unreal Tournament released a matter of months before. Certainly was the first time for a Console title.

To me it really is the most under-appreciated title on a very under-appreciated console.

Well with perhaps the exception of my next mention.

Elite

I'm not talking the remake on the PC 5years later, or such but the original BBC Micro wireframe only 1983 release. Most people know don't even know what game this is, many haven't experienced the sheer genius that is this game.
There is no storyline
There are no objectives
There are no missions
There are no goals

All you have is a ship, 100cr.. and an entire galaxy with 150,000 systems to explore, fight and trade between. Aside from it being not only a huge achievement but the first EVER 3D game, the game itself introduced what would later become RPG elements that had absolutely no bareing at all on your character physically leveling up. There was a full and adaptive economy system, based on the trade route you established. It was stragetic, action packed, and was frankly a truely one of those games that no matter how much it pisses you off; you wouldn't quite playing it and you wouldn't turn it off. Hell you couldn't cause there was no save feature!

It had a loading time a little on the uncomfortable side of 10minutes but once you're past that; it was a true gem that moved on to provide the basis for a huge number of space based games to come. None have ever truely matched it let alone surpass it.

The last underappreciated game I want to mention, I'll bet many here haven't even heard of let alone played. It was a budget title for the Amiga 500+ called Sqweek, and by all accounts it was a fairly basic game. Take your little fuzzball creature and turn all of the blue tiles to pink by stepping on them within a time limit. It was a fun, infuriating and all-round kick-ass game that was cool to just casually kick back and watch as the game let you get so close to completing a level before snatching the win away at the last second.

Oh! I forgot to mention what platforms EBA and Persona 3 were for.

Nintendo DS and Playstation 2, respectively.

You guys probably haven't heard of them but if you own either console, at leaste RENT the games for Pete's sake! You don't see such critically acclaimed-yet-overlooked games on a regular basis.

God Hand.

Seriously.

Jet Set Radio Future for the original Xbox. For a launch game, it is incredible. The controls are tighter than a mouse's nostril, the graphics are beautiful even to this day and the soundtrack is awesome.

I can also lay claim to being part of the elite club of people who got Psychonaughts before Yahtzee reviewed it and I loved every minute of the game.

Nomadic:

AlphaWolf13:
-Planescape: Torment

Eh, what?
I even had to register just to contest this. How can you possibly say Planescape: Torment isn't widely known? It's commonly held as (one of) the best CRPGs ever...

Sorry, just making a list of games that people throw on here.
I'm not saying it's widely known, but someone else is. I'll kill it from the list if you really want to...

UPDATE: Less time to update the list again >.<. If someone wishes to help me, please add all the games from pages 3 and 4 and we'll combine the lists. Thanks.

Rob Sharona:

Hanji:

Final Fantasy 8
KotOR 2
Halo 3

Well done for mentioning some of the most hugely popular and biggest selling games of all time. Did you read the thread title?

Yes. Unappreciated Gems. We agree they are hugely popular and best selling, so Gems is covered. They are unappreciated because the appreciation they receive is lesser than that which I believe they deserve.

If you want a vague explanation,
No one names FF8 as one of the best and most unique RPGs around.
People compliment the KotOR series (usually in reference to the first and Bioware), but no one mentions KotOR2's amazing story.
Halo 3 is a very good game a lot of people dislike, which is fine, but without respect to its absolute accomplishments.

You can disagree. Appreciation is purely a matter of opinion, reviews are not. A game can be acclaimed and yet not appreciated. I assumed this thread was asking my opinion, not to compile a list suitable for those pretending to be niche gamers.

[Addendum: Game Systems, in order of original listing, were - PS, PS2, Xbox / PC, 360]

Edit:

Eldritch Warlord:
Yeah, those are great games but definitely not underappreciated (save by haters).

I disagree, perhaps due to my relatively high opinion of those games, but it doesn't matter. As Jack Nicholson said: "If I'm wrong, I win."

Marathon.

Shadow the Hedgehog, A lot of people are always saying that Shadow shouldn't be riding motorcycles and gunslinging but come on be open minded. It was pretty fun after the first few levels.

Hanji:

Rob Sharona:

Hanji:

Final Fantasy 8
KotOR 2
Halo 3

Well done for mentioning some of the most hugely popular and biggest selling games of all time. Did you read the thread title?

Yes. Unappreciated Gems. We agree they are hugely popular and best selling, so Gems is covered. They are unappreciated because the appreciation they receive is lesser than that which I believe they deserve.

If you want a vague explanation,
No one names FF8 as one of the best and most unique RPGs around.
People compliment the KotOR series (usually in reference to the first and Bioware), but no one mentions KotOR2's amazing story.
Halo 3 is a very good game a lot of people dislike, which is fine, but without respect to its absolute accomplishments.

You can disagree. Appreciation is purely a matter of opinion, reviews are not. A game can be acclaimed and yet not appreciated. I assumed this thread was asking my opinion, not to compile a list suitable for those pretending to be niche gamers.

[Addendum: Game Systems, in order of original listing, were - PS, PS2, Xbox / PC, 360]

Edit:

Eldritch Warlord:
Yeah, those are great games but definitely not underappreciated (save by haters).

I disagree, perhaps due to my relatively high opinion of those games, but it doesn't matter. As Jack Nicholson said: "If I'm wrong, I win."

Sorry, but at the very least, Halo 3 is not going in... ever...
It's not under-appreciated, and one of the most known games.
I'm trying to build a list on games that are more "unknown" really.

Tjebbe:
He was making a jest at the fact that a lot of games that are mentioned here (including in the OP) were pretty popular and got great reviews at the time.

Why do people keep claiming to know what other people think to me?

AlphaWolf, he's giving his opinion and interpretation of the phrase "Underappreciated Gems." It may be an incorrect interpretation but you don't have to squeeze in mild Halo-hate where ever you can. What you could've done was just post that last sentence.

And under-appreciated doesn't mean unknown, it means not appreciated. He believes (I think) that the legions of haters are unjustified and should just be silent in their dislike of the game not blab incesently just because it's popular.

Eldritch Warlord:

Tjebbe:
He was making a jest at the fact that a lot of games that are mentioned here (including in the OP) were pretty popular and got great reviews at the time.

Why do people keep claiming to know what other people think to me?

AlphaWolf, he's giving his opinion and interpretation of the phrase "Underappreciated Gems." It may be an incorrect interpretation but you don't have to squeeze in mild Halo-hate where ever you can. What you could've done was just post that last sentence.

And under-appreciated doesn't mean unknown, it means not appreciated. He believes (I think) that the legions of haters are unjustified and should just be silent in their dislike of the game not blab incesently just because it's popular.

Sorry, I've never played Kotor, and have no clue how popular it is, and as for FF8, well... I don't know a soul who has played it. But Halo 3? Seeing as it was a world wide hit, I can't see it being "under appreciated". I'm sure the "lovers" far outweigh the "haters".

As for the "unknown" remark, you have me there. In that case then, I will have to add Final Fantasy 8 and Kotor 2, just because I have no clue whether or not they are "under appreciated".

And someone, if you see something that really is a huge "bleep" on the gaming list, and is appreciated, don't hesitate to tell me to remove it.

I've had an epiphany. That's a sudden insight for those who don't know (the word literally means "grand appearance," I'm such a lexigraphical douche).

Any game that's truely great will become popular, unless it doesn't have mass appeal. A game like Psychonaughts or Grim Fandango appeals only to the most avid gamers who will appreciate a fresh experience more than a quality one (no flames, I like them too). A game like Age of Wonders or Galactic Civilizations 2 just doesn't appeal to a mass market because it's such an odd genre.

But games like StarCraft, or Halo (CE, 2, or 3), The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Super Mario Galaxy, or Super Smash Bros. (any of them) have huge appeal to the mass market for being of the well known and prooven "primary genres" (RTS, Shooter, RPG, Platformer, Fighting) and for being games of polish and quality rather than overambition or uniquness.

To be honest, I prefer the latter set. But it's the former that gives me more fond memories and marathon sessions.

Games that got extremely high review scores AND got released under a platinum label or a best seller label or whatever AND have thousands of fan sites based around them have no place in a list of underappreciated gems. Even if it is popular to hate on them now, most of the same people hating on those games have enjoyed them at some point. That point mostly being, upon the original release, during the first time playing through it.

Take Final Fantasy 8 for example, EVERYONE loved that game when it was first released, the game was received the same way Halo did when it was originally released, and now people hate on it for the same reason. Why do they hate on it? Because the novelty has worn off and/or it didn't age as well and/or the fanboys are a pain.
I'm not saying all Halo or Final Fantasy fans are annoying, but allot of them are. But then again, that's what they are fanboys for.

Thief Deadly Shadows.
I know no one who has even heard of this game and it rules.
and Stubbs The Zombie newer and weird like anti resident evil, funny and good story.

Both on xbox

Reaperman Wompa:
Thief Deadly Shadows.
I know no one who has even heard of this game and it rules.
and Stubbs The Zombie newer and weird like anti resident evil, funny and good story.

Both on xbox

Thief: Deadly shadows was good, but not as good as it's predesseors. Stubbs the Zombie was excellent, though.

Red Faction (not number 2 though) for PS2, Psi Ops (another PS2 game), Cold Fear (I'm begining to notice a trend here), The Thing (Xbox and PS2), Run Like Hell (PS2) and Marvel Nemesis- Rise of the imperfects (Xbox and PS2)

Second Sight.
I wonder if I was the only person in the world to actually play this game.
From the developers of Timesplitters, it had a wonderful plot, pretty good graphics and excellent gameplay. Unfortunately the entire premise was ripped off by Psi Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy which got far more attention because it had more guns in it.

Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction also didn't get nearly enough recognition considering what a technical achievement it was at the time.

Cerebrium:

Reaperman Wompa:
Thief Deadly Shadows.
I know no one who has even heard of this game and it rules.
and Stubbs The Zombie newer and weird like anti resident evil, funny and good story.

Both on xbox

Thief: Deadly shadows was good, but not as good as it's predesseors. Stubbs the Zombie was excellent, though.

I'm too young to be able to appreciate those, i'd think they had crap graphics and bad plots. which only someone who played them when they came out could excuse.
Nostalgia i believe is the word.

And Shellshock Nam 67 that game was creepy, you could explode people into chunks, shoot off limbs and have sex (not at the same time sickos, it was a way to spend your game money), very fun at the time but way, way over the top violence.

I'm also going to add Unirally for the SNES (also called Uniracers overseas).

No-one knows what I am talking about when I mention this game and it is amazing. It was like the first Tony Hawks.
You control a unicycle and you have to race it at mental speeds while doing loads of gnarly tricks. And thats it!

And for gamecube:
Killer 7 (off the hook!)
Battalion Wars (like a real time Advance Wars)
and
Beyond Good and Evil

All extremel under appreciated games on an under appreciated console.

Reaperman Wompa:

I'm too young to be able to appreciate those, i'd think they had crap graphics and bad plots. which only someone who played them when they came out could excuse.
Nostalgia i believe is the word.

It's an attitude like that which means you are missing out on a lot my friend. I'd be annoyed but at the end of the day it's totally your loss. Unlucky.

Rob Sharona:

Reaperman Wompa:

I'm too young to be able to appreciate those, i'd think they had crap graphics and bad plots. which only someone who played them when they came out could excuse.
Nostalgia i believe is the word.

It's an attitude like that which means you are missing out on a lot my friend. I'd be annoyed but at the end of the day it's totally your loss. Unlucky.

believe me i know but my brain is so wired to the whole graphics equals good mentality that i would end up just not giving these games the attention and appreciation they deserve, seriously i wish i was older so i could have the connection to those games back when games were good/original so that i could fully appreciate them.

(I'm talking about the early Thief games and early consoles/games)

I just think it's funny that you post on a serious gaming forum and will dismiss games entirely because the graphics look dated.

jebussaves88:
Mafia on the PC is pretty sweet, and harldy anyone I know has played it.

I'll second that...only gripe is the racing part...it's story was awesome though :P

There was this robot fighting game for the xbox called Phantom Crash...heaps of fun...but hardly anyone knew it existed.
The Punisher for the xbox and PC was pretty sweet too. It wasn't exactly deep...but if you wanted to mindlessly blast bad guys for a hour...it was great :P
Jade Empire? I've not met a single person who's played this. I think it was kinda belittled by KOTOR 1 and 2...but it's story and gameplay were fantastic.
Total Overdose...think Max Payne in Mexico with a Tony Hawk scoring system...and it has the guitar case guns from El Mariachi...got awesome? :P