The Most Underrated Games Of 2023 | PS5 Hidden Gems & Xbox Series X Hidden Gems From 2023

[@jeredphillips3424]

Glad I'm on board with you when you have fewer subscribers so I can say I've been watching you since you were a small channel! Awesome finding you! Keep it up man.

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

Thanks so much man!! Happy to have you on board 🫡🙏

[@pandagrog8957]

Here are some of the underrated games that i played this year. Atomic heart while very flawed , has some of the best visual/art design this year. The robots the locations and the theme of the game is very strong visually. Venba is a small game about immigrants and cooking. The art style and the strong cultural elements seemed offputting but when i tried it i was blown away by the insanely emotional story and the very good visuals. It took me by surprise and is one of my favorite games this year. HiFi rush deserves all the noms it got at the game awards but i think that people really underrate how well written that game is. Videoverse has to be my standout this year, and not enough people have played it. Its a social media type game where you like comment and like posts on a forum that harkens back to the 2000s era of video game forums. Its insanely well written with fantastic music, visuals, and a very engaging gameplay loop. The story really hit personally with me and i think it will connect well with anyone who values the importance of this artform in their life.

[@sikevillain]

Yeah the hate against Atomic Heart is crazy. I absolutely loved the game as someone who gets bored of first person shooters rather quickly & found the experience insanely awesome & weird

[@pandagrog8957]

Story is bland and straightforward. Writing and the half baked open world stuff is not good. But the times where it sticks to its strengths in the linear sections and the actions segments with music are some of the most fun ive had this year.@@sikevillain

[@sikevillain]

@@pandagrog8957 agreed 💯 I avoided the open world and just went straight for the story sections & some other puzzle hidden bases guess you could call.. I enjoyed myself much more when it was more structured.. amd the phrase crispy critters will be forever burned into my noggin 😂

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

Love that list! I’ve been wanting to get to Venba, and I haven’t even heard of Videoverse, it’s definitely on my radar now. I played Atomic Heart at launch, and ran into a couple game breaking bugs, and had to put it down for a bit until they got cleaned up… so I didn’t have an overly pleasant experience with it, but no denying it has some of the most striking visuals of the year, the game is gorgeous. Also really enjoyed their brand of humor.

[@MadnlooneyJR]

I’ve gotta say Lies of P is definitely a standout of the year. Went in expecting nothing short of a clone but it had so many unique concepts and ideas. The bosses were challenging but rewarding. The length surprised me the most it’s much longer of a game than I expected. So overall incredible. Tales of Arise DLC should get a little light shone on it. Is the the best thing ever no not really but it’s more Arise which was a tonne of fun to play. A great continuation to the ending of the original story. Wartales though having released on PC a while back it landed straight into Gamepass and it’s the perfect competitor to Battlebrothers. An addictive and rewarding experience that can also be played entirely in Co-Op which Battlebrothers sorely lacks. Blasphemous 2 just like the first seems to have flown heavily under the radar. Offers fluid combat with a rich art style and animations. Something to hold us Hollow Knight fans over for the time being whilst we wait for Silksong. F1 Manager 23 isn’t the greatest management game but it’s essentially the only motorsport manager game on consoles. For what it sets out to do it does it well and while missing desired features like Online multiplayer to play against friends etc it’s still a fun experience for those who are fans of F1. Aliens Dark Descent shows that you can still make real time strategy games be just as enjoyable as turn based. A great foundation that hopefully gets built upon as this IP is the perfect place to set strategy games in. Warhammer 40K Boltgun was a match made in heaven. How they didn’t think to make a boomer shooter in 40K prior to this is mind boggling. Gruesome and gritty with the perfect balance of stomping out HERESY!!!!! Miasma Chronicles was heavily overlooked this year which was the same for the previous title the studio made (Mutant Year Zero) both of which are extremely similar in offering XCOM style combat in an open zone exploration. Allowing for a little more flexibility in tackling each combat area to how you see fit. Redfall………………. Nah I’m kidding 😂 Atomic heart definitely gets a shout. From a rough launch most people passed on it. While it wasn’t entirely unique in concept it was a great game with lots to do and experience. Definitely give it a go if you have Gamepass. Dredge was a nice surprise as I don’t particularly enjoying fishing in any sense. But an extremely simple system made it addictive and wanting to see where the story lead in the end kept me engaged. Plenty of other games I could mention so I’ll stop as I’ve already wrote waaaaay too much as usual 😂 Great video as always and BG3 has to win GOTY no question about it.

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

Man I just wish you could pause in Lies of P. That’s an instant killer for games with me, because I have to be able to answer my phone for work 24/7. I know these style of games value making the experience as inaccessible as possible, but I don’t feel like a damn pause menu would in any way make the experience easier, would it? lol. But regardless, my complaints are irrelevant to the overall quality experience that is on offer. I’ve heard pretty much nothing but great things about it. Dude have you gone back to Redfall after the patches? I’ve honestly been considering just hopping in for a couple hours to see if anything has fundamentally shifted in a positive direction. Hell, for awhile it was looking like Hogwarts & BG3 was going to come down to the wire. It’s looking like BG3 has definitely pulled away now though. It’s looking like Armored Core 6 and Super Mario Wonder are in a war right now though…. The way it should be 🤣 Great list though man, I appreciate you tuning in!

[@MadnlooneyJR]

@@UnnecessaryRambling No I fully understand those that would like a pause button and do you know what for Lies of P there’s zero excuse. For Dark Souls it’s usually because there’s an online element. For Lies of P it’s entirely single player so you should be able to pause. BG3 is just in a league of its own. A creator I watched summed it up perfectly as it’s one of the very few games die hard sports fans have decided to try out. As in friends he knew who only played Madden even decided to play it and got hooked. It’s got incredible pull like all larian games do. Spend time with it when you have the chance and I’m sure you’ll be sucked in. A lot of people say they won’t try due to turn based but it’s incredibly fast and fluid combat just like Divinity was. As for Redfall no I don’t think I’ll be going back. I watched someone check it out instead and it’s still just sitting there as bad. It’s just an overall disappointment all round. Yes they made minor improvements but it’s just not worth even re-downloading from what I saw. The issues weren’t things you can patch with minimal effort. It would need a complete 2.0 overhaul and I don’t think it’s worth even trying that 😂 Armoured core needs to kick Mario’s ass with some big mech weapons that’s what needs to happen 😂 It’s nice to have a tear where just because a Zelda game released as well it’s not an auto win anymore. Nintendo 1st party IPs are finally receiving criticism instead of being left in a vacuum of their own. Great video as always look forward to the next one 😊

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

You’re prolly spot on about Redfall… those problems are core issues with the game’s design… dude, I think Xbox is about to show up in a big way at TGA’s… just saw that Clockwork Revolution & South of Midnight were officially rated in Australia, so both games are likely a lot closer than I anticipated…. Also really curious if Xbox snags BG3 for Game Pass, with it shadow dropping that night….. 👀 plus we already have Avowed & Hellblade set to release next year… I might be overhyping myself…. But I’m thinking we might see like 2 or 3 big Xbox announcements

[@MadnlooneyJR]

@@UnnecessaryRambling I think after the disaster of how they handled BG3 and finally giving in it would make sense to throw Larian a pay check and get it on the service. I saw someone breaking down how much they’ve spent of getting things into GP and how much it actually generates it’s insane. I thought they were either barely scraping profits or in the red but it turns out they are killing it with profits. It’s crazy how successful it’s been for them. Especially as it’s the platform that’s solidified as third choice. So I can only imagine if Sony doubled down on their service they’d see absurd profits. I’m kind of just reserved on all these studios for Xbox now. This year has been really hit or miss. I’d like to see the bad become more meh. At least with a meh game it can still have its merits and be enjoyable. Like the Order 1886 for example if that launched as an Xbox exclusive day one gamepass it would be have been great. A short game that can pad the game library. As not every game is going to get 90+ on meta critic. Games like Hi-Fi rush are great for the service and I’d like to see more of it. Something that’s a little different but puts fun and enjoyment first. I think their biggest move now would be landing a WOW port for Xbox maybe in collaboration with the ESO team. Then team the StarCraft team to Halo Wars devs to get that on consoles. I’d love to see Hearthstone but card games hold very little market space on consoles and usually die very quickly. If they can manage that in the next few years it sounds crazy but that could genuinely pull a lot more people into their eco system. Especially WOW it’s stayed relevant and alive for sooooooooo damn long now. It’s insane 😂

[@CrystelPlasio-ks3ht]

agree with you

[@rogervega6531]

Great recommendations!!

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

Thanks homie

[@jurtheorc8117]

Thirsty Suitors definitely looks like a very unique time. The animation for the meteor hammer/rope dart weapon caught my eye the most, not so much the dating sim aspect. Lots of color and style to that one. Hope it gets more known, videos like these are very important in getting the word out on that what gets overlooked. I may still look more into Thirsty Suitors later on. Only new releases i played this year were Clash: Artifacts of Chaos and more recently, Cookie Cutter. If you want a bizarre world full of monsters with nary a human in sight, set in a near-anarchic prehistory with only one law bringing some semblance of order, and a buttload of martial arts performed by a main character who looks like a humanoid carrot with a sore, nail-less, grumpy hairy thumb for a face and has traffic gridding for tattoos, then Clash: AoC is exactly what the doctor ordered. Solid combat and a presentation that's something else, not just in looks and colors but also in music. And Cookie Cutter's a fantastically animated 2D metroidvania about an angry android seeking to rescue her lover from the hands of an evil megacorp, in a world that grew around a sapient energy source with all manner of monsters, mutants, robots and oddities. Solid gameplay, yet again really good presentation both visually and sound wise. The art style and aestethics hit hard for me but may not be for everyone, it gets pretty over-the-top, violent and adult (there's some suggestive humor here and there, with an afro-wearing skeleton robot merchant being on the forefront of innuendo and dirty jokes, and the main character is not having any of it). The devs are also very active on communicating with fans on feedback and criticism, to make it as technically solid as it can be. I would've also mentioned The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile, Charlie Murder and Soulstice, but the former two released years ago (still solid) and the latter released about a year and a half ago. Also No Straight Roads, which released around three years ago.

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

Dude I’m glad you recommended Clash, I was debating picking that up earlier this year, but I didn’t really hear anything about it. I know it has a physical copy tho, so I’ll likely scoop it up, if it goes on sale soon! I picked up Soulstice this year, but unfortunately haven’t had the chance to get to it yet. I appreciate the recommendations! 🫡

[@molo1122]

Great video and list. I would suggest adding a title card while you roll footage. I found myself rewinding a few times because I didn’t hear the name or remember it after you said it.

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

I’ll add box art photos of each game next time I do a list video, apologies on that! Thanks for tuning in tho!

[@anthonyharding4380]

First video of yours I’ve watched. Really good! Subbed 😊👍

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

Thank you so much, I’m glad to have you on board!

[@user-pl5vy4kc4q]

Definitely built up some excitement for games I had no idea about!

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

Enjoy homie 🫡

[@fmilton20]

I was like "If this dude doesn't have Dredge on this list, he has no credibility" LOL Good list!

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

Haha love that game! Thanks for tuning in

[@brendankerr9570]

Keep up the great work. Your channel is for me, up there with the best gaming accounts

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

That’s a huge compliment man, thank you so much! 🙏🫡

[@moandaindesigns]

Great videos, I have not really purchased a lot of new games this year.

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

Thanks for tuning in brother!

[@fizakl]

I've backlogged a number of these games now, including Killer Frequency and Viewpoint. I need a few quick games like these to play in-between the larger titles and these seem fun and different. This is Shaun btw. Decided to create a new account for just gaming stuff 👍

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

Man short games are becoming a huge selling point for me, especially with games I’m checking it out on a whim. Killer Frequency & Viewfinder I finished in around two sittings. Appreciate you tuning in homie!! 🙏

[@fizakl]

@@UnnecessaryRambling Always. How has your 'clean up' of your collection been going lately by the way? Any progress?

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

@@fizakl First off, I’m a f’n idiot… now I’m re reading the name of your channel, and I get it lol. Totally went over my head at first 🤦. But yeah. I have two huge bags piled up, and ready to be sold…. Still haven’t quite gotten around to selling ‘em tho lol. I’m planning on taking em to a store that’s about an hour & 30 min away from my house , they give WAY better deals than any of the stores closer to me. So I just have to plan a full day around it sometime soon.

[@fizakl]

@@UnnecessaryRambling Yeah most possible channel names have been taken so I tried to think of something a little different. Surprisingly difficult. Nice, just don't get store credit and go home with a different stack of games haha.

[@danvmaul]

Another great video bud! I'm literally going through Dredge right now and couldn't agree more. I'm absolutely loving the game, what an addictive gameplay loop and awesome premise! I still have to see if I can squeeze in a few more potential GOTYs before the year is over, but so far it sits neatly at #3 in my GOTY list. Also fully agree with your takes on Hi-Fi Rush, Bramble and Planet of Lana. Out of the ones you've mentioned that I haven't played yet I want to try Robocop (Terminator Resistance is awesome especially if you're a fan of the 1st two films so I'm hopeful), Killer Frequency, Viewfinder, Trepang2 and El Paso Elsewhere. A couple of those are already on my backlog, it's just a matter of finding the time to play them lol. As for me, there are 3 titles I'd say got more snubbed than they deserved: The Last Case of Benedict Fox - it was a bit rough around the edges when it came out (it's a lot more polished now) but dude, talk about a striking art style. Visually it's one of the most impressive games I've played over the past 5 years, the story's pretty solid, the soundscape is awesome and gameplay's a lot better now. Despite a couple of issues it's one of the standouts of the year for me; Atomic Heart - for some reason I keep thinking back to this game. I don't exactly know how to explain it, but there's this almost existentially contemplative feel to it. For the most part it's just you and a bunch of robots in a massive world and really weird stuff going on, and I love that vibe. Thought the shooting was pretty good too. I enjoyed it a lot more than most it seems; Amnesia: The Bunker - what an awesome survival horror experience. It's short, to the point, and after the Halloween update it allows you to customise virtually everything about it which adds a ton of replayability. I want to get another couple playthroughs in at some point. Stoked for your GOTY awards dude! TGA who lol

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

Really curious to hear your ranking at the end of the year man! I’m glad Dredge is landing with you in a major way. It’s in my very short GOTY list. I feel like I have 20 games in my “very short GOTY list” tho lmao. The Last Case of Benedict Fox is beautiful. I wasn’t crazy about the gameplay loop, but the art style is phenomenal. I still need to jump back into Amnesia The Bunker, I doubt I’ll have time to this year, I’ve got like 5 things I still need to boot up for the first time lol. Absurd year of new releases… Dude, I can’t shake this feeling that The Game Awards is about to have an insane show, in terms of new reveals… I have zero insider info obviously, but I just have this weird gut feeling that some big shit is about to be revealed…. But don’t get it twisted the Unnecessary Game Awards is still the only game award show that matters…. even though it doesn’t even officially exist yet🤣 Appreciate all your support homie 🙏

[@danvmaul]

@@UnnecessaryRambling For sure, with TGAs, GTA 6 and the other announcements that have already been confirmed we're about to have a massive week in gaming. Can't wait to see what's coming, hopefully like you said it's something big! But yes, as far as GOTY stuff I'm 100% unironically more hyped for your content dude 🤣

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

You a real one man! 🫡

[@pier-lucdanis5020]

Very nice list. Thanks

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

Glad you enjoyed! Thanks for tuning in 🫡🙏

[@tatedenbeste4007]

Adding to my list: A Space for The Unbound Bramble Wild Card Football (Shockingly)

[@UnnecessaryRambling]

Wild Card Football is actually a really good football game, for non football fans haha. You don’t have to know much about the sport at all, and have a good time.

[@tatedenbeste4007]

@@UnnecessaryRambling well I’m the same guy who runs The TDTV channel so knowledge of the game is not my worry haha Honestly Madden’s inability to simulate the game at the level I’d prefer specifically around play calling strengths/vulnerabilities is what makes me interested in more of an “arcadie” game