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  • 7 weeks ago
Despite their flaws, these titles are well worth your time.
Transcript
00:00While there's no denying that many games of the last generation certainly deserve criticism,
00:04the fact that so many met a negative or even lukewarm reaction just seems like it might
00:09have been a step too far. This isn't to be confused with some of the PS4's most overlooked
00:13titles either. Though that is a topic worth discussing, games that fell afoul of the
00:18Metacritic average is our primary concern today. It was a time of highs and lows for Sony's
00:23PlayStation 4, but with underrated titles both exclusive and otherwise, the PS4's library of
00:29soon-to-be-forgotten classics grows by the day. I'm Jess from WhatCulture and here are 10
00:33severely underrated PS4 games that deserve a second chance.
00:38Number 10. The Evil Within 2
00:40The sequel to 2014's Evil Within might be able to boast a cult following, but it's yet to achieve
00:46the mainstream recognition it sorely deserves. Though it isn't without its flaws, this Shinji
00:52Mikami sequel is a compelling third-person horror title and one that manages to retain its drive
00:57from start to finish with only a few wobbles in between. Yes, those corridor sequences aren't as
01:02exciting as the title's earlier moments, but The Evil Within 2 is atmospheric above all else,
01:08having picked up three or so years after the finale of the first game. It's not a sequel just
01:12for the hardcore either, as although the lore is certainly deep, it doesn't take long to get to
01:18grips with, lending this particular horror title an appeal others in the genre can lack at times,
01:23particularly so once you factor in its intuitive combat mechanics.
01:27Number 9. Dying Light
01:29Although the first entry in the studio's open-world zombie title reviewed decently,
01:34it fell short of the rating it probably deserved. Yes, there were flaws, particularly in regards to
01:39the title's protagonist and antagonist, but gameplay was intuitive, the environment was interesting enough,
01:45and the deluge of post-release content managed to retain a strong community from which to build the
01:50follow-up. If you're enjoying the heck out of Dying Light 2 and missed the first one, it's worth
01:54noting that the first one's enhanced edition is readily available, so there hasn't been a more
01:59appropriate time to take a trip back into it, potentially with a friend too if you're a fan of co-op.
02:05Number 8. Sniper Elite 3
02:07Though pretty much everyone seemed to hail Sniper Elite 4 as the moment Rebellion Development's
02:12WW2 series finally matured, gamers who dismiss the previous entry in the franchise are only depriving
02:18themselves of an enjoyable title. Sniper Elite 3, which is set in the North African campaign during the
02:24Second World War, succumbed to criticism pertaining its protagonist, storyline, and setting, and though
02:29there's nothing particularly memorable about SOE operative Carl Fairbairn, his inoffensive personality
02:35in no way impedes the crux of the title, killin' Nazis. Following in the footsteps of Lieutenant Aldo
02:42Raine, the player is tasked with wreaking havoc on the Nazi war machine, and without foxing the original
02:47desert fox Erwin Rommel, it's great fun with the series' infamous x-ray animations making each shot
02:53feel just that little bit more important, whether you find yourself sabotaging or causing different
02:58kinds of chaos behind enemy lines. It's not quite Sniper Elite 4, but it's still a cracking
03:03WW2 action game, and one worth checking out all the same.
03:07Number 7. Call of Duty Infinite Warfare
03:10Call of Duty might not be the franchise it once was, but while the series' hardcore audience seemingly rails
03:16against the increasing integration of science fiction into the shooter, some of the best entries
03:21in the series have placed those elements front and center. Infinite Warfare, the 13th installment
03:26in Activision's most profitable franchise, is a testament to that, even if initial backlash to the title
03:32persuaded gamers to look elsewhere for their next FPS. Set in the far future, Infinite Warfare came to
03:38represent everything the series' hardcore had come to loathe about the franchise. Wall-running jetpacks,
03:44lasers, and space combat rounded out Infinite Warfare's mind-bogglingly successful shooting
03:49mechanics, and while a glance was enough to put plenty of people off, those that took a chance
03:54on the title found a competent, if not slightly overstuffed shooter lying in wait. Critics, for the
03:59most part, seem to agree, with the PS4's addition of the title garnering a 77 rating on Metacritic.
04:05Contextualizing this average within past ratings given to COD does, however, illustrate that Infinite
04:11Warfare was underrated by both the series' followers and by mainstream outlets more generally.
04:16Either that or franchise fatigue had begun to set in. In any case, it seems bizarre that the COD that
04:21made innovation a primary concern fell afoul of critics and audiences, more so than its less
04:27adventurous predecessors. Press F to pay respects. Number 6. Infamous First Light
04:33A new infamous game from Sucker Punch hasn't dropped since First Light in 2014, and that's a
04:39massive shame for all concerned. The series, which took inspiration from the superhero genre of comic
04:44books, was a staple of the PS3 before debuting on the PS4 with Second Son, a title that managed to
04:51nail an average rating of 80 on Metacritic. The sequel's spin-off First Light didn't fare as well,
04:56even though it probably should have. Acting as a prequel to Second Son, First Light followed
05:01Abigail Fetch Walker, a supporting character from Second Son, in the events leading to her meeting
05:06with Delson. Criticism at the time came down to the fact that having given players such a wide array
05:12of powers in Second Son, only being able to use one of them with Fetch seemingly presented a step back
05:17for the series. It worked within the context of the story, though, and while First Light isn't discussed
05:22much these days, it's a worthy addition to the infamous lore, and one worth any fan's attention,
05:27especially with the price it's available for these days.
05:30Number 5. Until Dawn
05:32Until Dawn is honestly just about the best horror title the PS4 has. It's one of the best horror
05:39titles gaming has, and yet it's not held in nearly as high regard as it should be. Though the game
05:44fared well amongst most critics, it fell short of a Metacritic average of 80, sitting just below on 79.
05:50Though such a minuscule difference shouldn't denote the difference between a good game and a great one,
05:55it's fair to say that Until Dawn's cult status amongst gamers and horror fans in particular has
06:00cemented its status as a forgotten classic, and as an IP, Sony have failed to ever properly
06:05capitalize on. Any word on Until Dusk at all? A horror title that sides closest to a point-and-click
06:12adventure game and should never be spoiled for those yet to play it, Until Dawn features the likes
06:17of Rami Malek, Hayden Panettiere, and Brett Dalton as a group of teens set up camp in a house on a haunted
06:23hill with a dark past. The game only gets zanier and more terrifying from there on in, with every
06:29decision the player makes having the potential to be a matter of life and death. With star power,
06:34atmosphere, and horror aplenty, Until Dawn is the must-have exclusive PlayStation owners can't afford
06:40to miss.
06:414. Drive Club
06:43Make no mistake, upon its release, Drive Club was not a good game. It released with bugs aplenty and
06:49had a bunch of features missing. But now we're years on from its original release, Evolution Studios
06:54Racer has managed to make a name for itself as one of the best PS4 exclusives. With mind-blowing
07:00weather effects, a compelling selection of racetracks, and a decent array of vehicles,
07:04the Drive Club of today is a markedly different one to the one that released during the PS4's
07:09second year. Sadly, as of the 31st of March 2020, online servers for Drive Club were shut down,
07:16but at least we can remember it as one of the best racers that hit the PS4.
07:203. Assassin's Creed Syndicate
07:23Assassin's Creed Syndicate is just about the best Assassin's Creed game that everybody seems to miss,
07:29and it's all thanks to the fallout surrounding Unity. Unity, which was Ubisoft's first last-gen
07:34Creed title, was panned for numerous reasons, perhaps the largest of which being that it launched as a
07:40buggy, unplayable mess. That reputation unfortunately carried over for Syndicate,
07:45which released just a year after Ubi buggishly broached the French Revolution, during a period in
07:51which annualization was coming under heavy scrutiny. The fact that it innovated in a great many areas
07:56didn't seem to matter, and neither did its fantastic recreation of Victorian London. Franchise fatigue had
08:02set in, and Syndicate, unfortunately, was its first victim. Releasing in 2015, Syndicate told the story of
08:09Jacob and Evie Fry as they navigated Templar-controlled London during the closing decade of the 19th
08:15century. It was a fantastic exploration of the city, and with players being able to switch between
08:20Jacob and Evie at the flick of a switch, each boasting distinct playstyles, the title provided
08:25the rejuvenating kick the franchise sorely needed, two years before Origins released.
08:302. Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Siege
08:33Rainbow Six Siege might not have been the game it is today when it first released, but it's fair to say
08:39that a lot of critics wrote it off without giving Ubisoft the appropriate time to develop it as a
08:44platform. Today, Siege is something of a phenomenon. There are few shooters on the market as competitive
08:49as it, and though the title did divest from the classic Rainbow formula, combat is still tactical,
08:54impactful, and uniquely gratifying, finding the perfect balance between hero multiplayer titles
08:59like Overwatch and Heroes of the Storm, and the tactical building blocks with which Ubisoft
09:04approached each Tom Clancy title before it. Gamers would seem to agree, with Siege having gone
09:09from strength to strength since its launch, cultivating a community that numbers in the
09:13millions and can always be found on Steam's most played list. A lot of this comes down to the fact
09:18that Ubisoft have diligently stuck by the game since its release, producing free DLC every three months
09:24or so, and providing a reason for players to return each and every time they do. Siege has proven that
09:30it's only going to get bigger and bigger. With a roadmap planned for months to come, Ubisoft's essential shooter
09:36is showing no signs of stopping and is bound to exert an influence on military titles currently
09:41in development.
09:42Number 1. Mafia 3
09:44Hangar 13's first foray into the world of 2K's mobster series was anticipated for a whole host
09:50of reasons, not the least of which because LucasArts alum and comic book writer Hayden Blackman
09:55would be heading development. Together with the rest of 13, who assembled colleagues formerly of
10:00LucasArts and 2K Check, Blackman set out to tell the story of Lincoln Clay, a Vietnam veteran who
10:06falls in with the black mob on the eve of the United States' most tumultuous year, 1968.
10:12Gameplay-wise, yes, it did leave some things to be desired. The open world looked impressive,
10:17but gameplay could get repetitive at times. That said, combat felt fast, impactful, and frenetic,
10:23and the overarching narrative surrounding Clay's revenge was among the most compelling the medium
10:27had ever seen. Treat Mafia 3 as a story worth exploring, and it's impossible not to appreciate.
10:33Throw in all the DLC for good measure, and taking another trip to New Bordeaux is pretty much a no-brainer,
10:38even if it didn't look like an enticing prospect in 2016.
10:42That's the end of our list, but let me know down in that comment section if you can think of any other
10:47severely underrated PS4 games that deserve to be on this list. As always, I've been Jess from
10:53WhatCulture. Thank you so much for hanging out with me. If you like, you can come say hi to me on my
10:57Twitter account where I'm at JessMcDonald, but make sure you stay tuned with here for plenty more gaming goodness.
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