10 Cult Games That You Should Play

Unconventional and impressive.

 In anticipation of Suda51's 1999 cult classic, The Silver Case, getting a long-awaited HD remaster tomorrow, I though I'd take the time to list 10 great cult games. These were games introduced new concepts or ideas and were fun and unique, but sadly didn't do well in terms of sales or didn't find their audience. There's a chance that you didn't even hear of these games before, which is a shame since they're mostly well-made games. Additionally, these games can also be considered as overlooked and underrated as well. Anyway, without further delay, let's take a look at some hidden gems of the past couple of years.

The Silver Case (1999)

A mystery worth solving.

 The debut title of developer Suda51's game studio, Grasshopper Manufacture, The Silver Case was a Japan-only visual novel game released back in 1999 for the PlayStation. We follow two detectives as they must uncover the truth of the killings by a serial killer who has supposedly died years ago. Packing a well-written story, neat gameplay sequences, and an eerie atmosphere, it was among the original PlayStation great games. It reviewed well in Japan too, however, issues regarding on how well the story and gameplay might translate in English prevented Suda and Grasshopper from releasing it to the west and gaining added popularity. Thankfully, it's finally releasing in English and in HD this week on the PS4, so those who haven't played this gem can finally rejoice.

Snatcher (1988)

A point-and-click classic.

 Hideo Kojima's Snatcher is a point-and-click, visual novel adventure game that he made in his early Metal Gear days. We follow detective Gillian Seed as he investigates the mystery behind the snatchers, robot assassins that are killing humans and replacing their rules in the general public. Released way back in 1988 for the PC Engine, it manged to find its way to the west in 1994 for the Sega CD. However, due to the system's declining sales and interest, Snatcher suffered in terms of sales as a result and its genius was never fully realized. These years I've been hoping for a port or an HD edition but seeing the way Konami is these days, it's a dream that's not coming true.

Ikaruga (2001)

Dark Souls meets shoot 'em ups.

 The classic from developer Treasure, Ikaruga is often cited as one of the best shoot 'em ups and one of Treasure's finest works. Ikaruga has you controlling a pilot named Shinra as he combats enemy forces. The game is an all-out bullet festival since you'll shooting and evading enemy bullets while switch between two polarities, which the game's main mechanic. A damn difficult game, Ikaruga will demand the best of you and more in order to survive the tough levels and quick enemies. Consisting of only five staff members, one has to admire the amount of work and effort that's been put into the game.

Zone of the Enders 2: The 2nd Runner (2003)

High speed robot action redefined.

 The action-packed sequel to 2001's Zone of the Enders, The 2nd Runner improves upon everything the first game offered. Developed characters, slick gameplay, and stylish looks made it among the best the PS2 has to offer. However, mediocre sales crippled the game's chances at expanding the series and was left un-touched since then. It wasn't until 2012 that an HD remaster of the ZOE2 and its predecessor was made for the PS3 and Xbox 360. Once again, mediocre sales of the HD collection ruined the series chances of blooming. Seeings the current state of Konami, the series' future is currently unknown...


Killer7 (2005)

Killer looks.

 Another Suda51 gem, Killer7 was a first-person adventure game relased for the PS2,GameCube, and Xbox in 2005. We follow a group of assassins calling themselves the "killer7" perform hits on behalf of the US government. Killer7 was a divisive game. Some critics praised the story calling it "complex while others called it "dull". The unconventional style of the gameplay drew praise and criticism as well. That being said, Suda considers Killer7 his proudest achievement and is "part of his soul". Last year, he expressed interest in remastering the game and was in talks with Capcom, who hold the rights for the game. So far nothing has been announced yet.

Deadly Premonition (2010)

A surreal, interesting mystery.

 The most divisive entry on the list, you either loved or hated Deadly Premonition. It even has a world record to prove so. FBI agaent Francis York is investigating the murder of a woman in he rural town of Greenvale, Washington. Deadly Premonition is a survival horror game in which you control Francis from the third-person perspective. The game's noted for adding a comedy element to the survival horror genre, which is something may sound out-of-place but is actually refreshing. There's tones of cheesy and awkward moments in the game, which makes it memorable. In its first three months, the game only sold 50,000 copies on Xbox 360 on Amazon. According to creator Hidetaka Suehiro, it had "no economic success", obviously. Still, if you're looking for a interesting take on the horror genre, then give the game a try.


999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors (2009)

Only nine hours to survive and escape!

 Niche developer Spike Chunsoft's 2009 DS cult hit, 999: Nine Hours, Nine People, Nine Doors is among the best the Nintendo DS has to offer. The plot follows Junpei and eight other people trapped inside of a sinking ship and must play a game orchestrated by their captor, Zero, in order to escape. A visual novel, 999 will have you reading walls of dialogue, which isn't bad since the story is well-written and will keep you interested. Puzzles form the gameplay aspect of the game, and you'll be solving  a lot of them in order to reach the number 9 door, which houses your escape. Despite the interesting premise and neat gameplay, the game sold abysmally in its native Japan, selling nearly 40,000 copies. Fortunately, it did find slight success in the West with series creator Kotaro Uchikoshi, stating that it was a surprise. 999 and its sequel, Virtue's Last Reward, have recently gotten remasters on the PS4, PS Vita, and Windows. In case you haven't the chance of playing these awesome games, these are the version s to go.



God Hand (2006)

Give danger a hand!

 The over-the-top God Hand is a beat 'em up and final game of Clover Studio, later reborn as Platinum Games. God Hand is full of over-the-top action and silliness despite it being directed by Resident Evil creator, Shinji Mikami. You control martial artist Gene as he must stop the resurrection of a legendary demon named Angra from destroying the world. Throughout his adventure, Gene will battle all sorts of enemies coming from all direction in lots ways, either just straight-up punching them or awkwardly spanking them. Another cult classic from Shinji Mikami, the obscurity of God Hand probably resulted from the release of anticipated games of the year such as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and Dead Rising. Also, it didn't help that the PlayStation 3 was releasing a couple of months away so attention for the PS2 was already diminishing. All in all, God Hand is must-play if you're a fan of mindless action, you can easily find on the PSN store cheap too.


Beyond Good & Evil (2005)

Underrated & overlooked.

 One of the most criminally underrated games of the sixth generation of consoles, Beyond Good & Evil was one of developer Ubisoft's signature titles. You take the role of a reporter named Jade, whom most investigate the mystery behind an alien conspiracy. As Jade, you'll be doing  a lot of platforming, puzzles, and photography, which make up the core gameplay. Regardless of the positive reviews from critics, the game sold like crap. The game's price was drastically cut in a quick fashion and even Ubisoft admitted that they didn't know how to market the game. Still, Beyond Good & Evil managed to garner a strong cult following, with a sequel (that has a long ways to go) being in demand for years.



Jet Set Radio Future (2002)

A vibrant and colorful ride.

 A re-imagining of the Sega Dreamcast classic, Jet Set Radio Future was released as an Xbox-exclusive back in 2002. The game follows a group of teenage skaters who use graffiti as a means of self-expression, in spite of it being outlawed by the government. Much like its predecessor, the game has you grinding on rails, spraying graffiti all over town, and outrunning the cops. Also, the genius DJ Hideki Naganuma composes many of the game's tracks. While it was unique and loads of fun, it didn't find much success compared to Jet Set Radio. This is mainly due the Xbox failing to keep up with the juggernaut that was the PlayStation 2, which completely dominated the sixth gen. era. Add in the fact that the Xbox brand had-- and still has-- a shaky time with the Japanese gaming market and you have your answer...



 That's all there's to it. Having played most of these games, i can say they were pretty unique and great experiences. I know I missed a lot of other great cult games such as the likes of American McGee's Alice and Grim Fandango. Regardless, what we can learn today from this top 10 is that unfortunately, sales are everything for a game to succeed (and smart advertising in Beyond Good & Evil's case). I hope you some of them got your attention too and it's great that most games here are getting a second chance to shine via remasters and I hope the same will be done to the one who didn't get yet. Until next time!