There are hundreds of titles that come out on consoles every year, unfortunately some of them are eclipsed by more imported games or with a more aggressive marketing campaign. Like all platforms, too Xbox has several games that have been a little mistreated, and today we will see his most underrated games of recent years!
KILLER INSTINCT
The popularity of fighting video games is immense, and a lot is due to the variety of titles that this category offers. Most of the best known sagas originated in the 90s, such as Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and even Super Smash Bros. In 1999 a game gave these titans a hard time, that is Killer Instinct.
Work of the sublime Rare which in that decade saw its golden age, (mainly with the platformers on SNES and Nintendo 64) the first foray of the English software house into the world of fighting was phenomenal with Killer Instinct. What caught the attention of fans the most was its elaborate yet accessible system of combos, featuring the famous Combo Breaker which was something very unique and innovative (like the fatalities on Mortal Kombat). Unfortunately, its sequel did not live up to its predecessor in terms of quality, as if not if the development of the third was enough, it suffered the repercussions of the complicated acquisition of Microsoft.
All these factors meant that this franchise went into hibernation until 2013 when Microsoft released the reboot of Killer Instinct for Xbox One. The title at the time of its release suffered the harsh criticism of fans who saw as the main flaw the small size of the roster and the poor content of the game, this did not remain the fact that on Killer Instinct we found a complex and captivating combat system that helped to make the very replayable and balanced title.
In the 2016 was released Killer Instinct Definitive Edition, which has added many more characters, game modes and even the original titles, so the problem of little content is now a thing of the past. All of this has made this version one of the best fighting titles currently on the market, so join the fight and become a master.
LOST ODYSSEY – BLUE DRAGON
Historically Xbox it does not sell to Japan although currently Series X and S they are taking a small slice of the market in the land of the rising sun. But what is the reason behind the low sales? According to statistics the Japanese are simply not interested in what Xbox offers. In response during the seventh generation of consoles, Microsoft he bet on 2 JRPG that although they failed to sell as expected they have become cult games.
Both titles were developed by Mistwalkera studio founded by Hironobu Sakaguchione of the creators of Final Fantasy. The first title is Blue Dragonwho counted with the help of the teacher Akira Toriyamaenjoying an artistic style similar to that of Dragon Ball And Dragon Quest. Its story may be simple at first, but little by little it adds more and more details making the adventure epic and bewitching so much that it prevents you from leaving the gamepad.
The second title is Lost Odyssey, which is completely different both in terms of artistic style and storytelling compared to the aforementioned title. In this wonderful odyssey you will take control of Kaim, an immortal who lived for several centuries between conflicts and uncertainties of which he remembers little for unknown factors. The interesting thing is that some people in your group are like you, but others will eventually grow up and die.
From a technical point of view, both games are a bit lacking compared to the more popular titles of the Xbox 360, but their combat system and gameplay are much more fun than games on the same platform. In Blue Dragon the wide system of roles stands out, very similar to that of Final Fantasy Tacticswhile in Lost Odyssey the different rings you can equip to your party add a very fun layer of strategy.
Blue Dragon it was one of the games Xbox 360 best sellers in Japan and also Lost Odyssey has been very successful. Unfortunately it was not the same in the West. Either way it’s commendable that Xbox has bet on these JRPGs, since they are 2 diamonds that I consider to be among the best on the console.
SABLE
Anyone who thinks Xbox exclusives are just shooters, violent action-packed explosions and Lovecraftian monsters are wrong. In the stock park of Microsoft we can find pearls like Sablea title released in 2021 developed by the independent studio Shedworks. Already from the trailers we can see that the game world is immense, something extraordinary if we think about the fact that the game was made by itself 2 people. Everything looked great until it was released, as early reviews weren’t very hopeful.
Everyone agreed that the game was beautiful and very fun but a victim of bugs and glitches, among the most frequent errors there was the one related to the camera that made the experience unbearable. Fortunately, many of these issues have been patched, which leaves us with a delightful open world to explore with great platforming zones.
The fascinating art style inspired by the artist Jean Giraud along with the sublime soundtrack composed by Japanese Breakfast make every place you explore leave a mark on the player, certainly it’s far from perfect, but in the end few games are. If you played it when it first came out, the technical errors probably left a bad impression on you, but if you give it a second chance you’ll agree that it’s one of the best titles out there. Game Pass offers.
QUANTUM BREAK
Sometimes a game can go unnoticed or be incorrectly rated due to the moment it is released, which is why many titles are appreciated only years after its launch, finally giving it the recognition it deserved from the beginning. This has been going on for decades and we can still see it today, for Microsoft this happened with Quantum Break.
This title was developed by the people behind it Max Payne And Alan Wake, both recognized and loved franchises. Then why Quantum Break received such bad reviews? In 2016 many people were looking for online or open world multiplayer experiences, the fact that the video game was linear caused a feeling of rejection from most gamers.
We remember that Quantum Break is a game focused more on its history. Among the features of the title we find the use of live action movies to deepen the plot, moreover the combat system revolves around the ability of our protagonist to stop and control time. The campaign lasts about 10 hours and has little replay value, but I can guarantee you that every minute of this experience is worth it given its excellent script.
The plot of the title is so beautiful that we forget the limited exploration as we will be fully captured by the events. Although it is a linear game, the way we progress can be very different from that of other people, this given the mechanics of time which gives us a varied and extended combat that will never bore us. Finally, its graphics are treated in detail, keeping up with today’s productions.
Xbox fans scoff that Sony’s episodes are “movie games,” but they never realized they got an EXCELLENT movie with Quantum Break. This title perfectly achieved its goal, unfortunately, many of its audience did not appreciate it.
SUNSET OVERDRIVE
There Xbox One it was heavily criticized for its library as for many it was weak compared to the previous generation. At the beginning of the console’s life, the best games weren’t exclusives or established IPs, but new franchises that didn’t catch the attention of the public. However Insomniac Games created one that, while not as famous as other studio games, is sublime.
Sunset Overdrive is a charismatic title that counts with a more than surprising visual style, from the clothes worn full of bright and very lively colors that combine perfectly with explosions and frenzied shots. In addition, the game world is huge, always showing something that can surprise us.
The hallmark of the game is the movement, the animations look very natural and it is a pleasure to observe the jumps and slippage which make for a unique feeling of fluidity. The story of the game goes second or even third, as the title favors the gameplay by giving us the freedom to enjoy the city and all that it has to offer.
Another element that shines on Sunset Overdrive is its customization, which allows us to experiment with crazy outfits that perfectly fit the setting and weapons, ranging from shotguns to pistols counting with extravagant weapons such as teddy bears or acid sprinklers. The icing on the cake is the beyond 900 objects collectibles that will keep you hooked for hundreds of hours. Sunset Overdrive it’s one of those games that can last 15 or 120 hours, it’s all up to you. Certainly one of the best Xbox titles in both truth and quality.
Keep up to date with our latest news.