Video gamers are a bunch of pampered folks. Closing the year, we will be greeted with another upcoming Pokemon game that we are sure would be another hit. But today, we’re not going to talk about games that are hugely popular. Instead, we will be looking at games that are well-known but flew under the radar when they are released.
Without further ado, here are 7 sleeper hit titles that you should be playing or at least experience once in your video game career!
1. Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights
When we first saw the trailer for Ender Lilies, we were all bewitched by its gothic art that paints a very melancholic tone to a very unique story.
Here you play as a little called Lily and who is tasked to cleanse the kingdom from an evil curse. While this sounds extremely cliched, the gameplay and art direction work flawlessly together for a solid dark fantasy game.
But to be honest, it is its combat system that stole our hearts. Lily doesn’t fight on her own. Her main assets in battle are her fallen guardians that have their own quirks and strengths. How you make them work seamlessly together is up to the player’s creativity.
It’s dark, unique and actually very different for its genre which is certainly overlooked by gamers worldwide.
2. Undertale
Sadly, indie games like Undertale rarely have the marketing funds to promote their games. That said, Undertale is a work of art and we’re super happy that it got the love it deserves despite a quiet release.
At first glance, Undertale looks like a game that is created by an intern game developer or someone who is completely buzzed. Sure, the graphics may seem dated but the core of Undertale’s charm is its depth and amazing character writing.
Every decision and anyone you encounter will leave wondering. There’s rarely a surefire answer for conflicts you encounter. Many of the decisions that you make or the actions you choose to act on will have consequences that you will end up questioning yourself.
With amazing writing and a simple yet convoluting plot, Undertale has truly cemented itself as one of the most underrated indie games out there.
3. Sable
One of the reasons why Sable isn’t as big when it was first released is perhaps due to the mixed reception for open-world-exploration games at the time. The premise was way too good to be true and with a not-so-good opening like No Man’s Sky, we can see why people were wary.
Then again, people are always quick to judge and Sable paid the price despite it being such an elegant game. In Sable, you almost do whatever you want. You are free to explore its vast universe accompanied by some of the best soundtracks. It’s free-spirited and you quite literally play it at your own pace.
Over time, people grew to appreciate the beauty that Sable has produced for the video game industry and we’re so glad that it will be receiving a port over to the PS5!
If you’re eager to get Sable when it releases later this year, be sure to purchase it using our PlayStation Store Gift Cards here!
4. Eldest Souls
Part of the problem that Eldest Souls is that it tries pretty hard to be similar to the Dark Souls franchise. As they say, nothing great comes from imitation, we truly believe that if Eldest Souls were to have its own identity, it could be really great.
As such, Eldest Souls is a game that is ready to come out of its shell and has unlimited potential for what it can achieve. Earlier this year, the game even released a free expansion which made it a lot more popular in the scene.
Hopefully, the developers can keep up the momentum and continue producing new and fresh content for their audience. If they do that, we’re sure that they will become a full-fledged sleeper hit that rose through the ashes.
5. Batman Arkham Asylum
Batman is easily one of DC’s most iconic superheroes but the Caped Crusader rarely makes a noticeable appearance in video games. It was still like that when Arkham Asylum was released but as more modern Batman games were released, people started revisiting it.
Looking back, Arkham Asylum was really a sound game for its time with great visuals and powerful storytelling. Of course, the game has its own faults with a repetitive combat system, but ultimately, it delivered in other departments that mattered.
6. Persona 3
The Persona games are spin-offs that have overtaken its father franchise—Shin Megami Tensei and the one that started it all was Persona 3.
One can argue that Persona 4 is the title that perfected the system and Persona 3 is seen more as a prototype for the Persona games to come. Therefore, the game had a lot of flaws and balancing issues which were worked on for the Persona games to come.
Even so, Persona 3 has some of the strongest themes in video games with many seeing has the heaviest Persona game there is. Definitely worth the visit or even revisit for JRPG fans.
7. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney Trilogy
Truth be told, we have no idea why Ace Attorney was not as popular as it is today before. It boasts a rich amount of interesting characters. The writing is superb with a good blend of seriousness and comedy. What’s not to like?
Well, the unusual rise to Ace Attorney’s popularity is due to the meme culture. The catchphrase “Hold It!” and “Objection!” have been Internet sensations for a good chunk of time. Following that, the game itself has risen in popularity with the game being ported to different platforms.
So that brings a close to our list of the best 7 sleeper hits that you should be playing. Let us know in the comments what you think should be included as a sleeper hit classic that we’ve missed!
