Battlefront II launched in a rough state, but years of free updates turned it into one of the best Star Wars games out there. Cheaters have been dealt with, modes are more balanced, and the class-based shooting feels great across its wide set of maps. Few things compare to charging into a fight with Luke’s lightsaber or dropping a seismic charge from Slave One. | © Electronic Arts
Psychonauts is a weird and wonderful platformer that follows Raz at a psychic summer camp as he stumbles onto a plot to steal kids’ brains. Every stage drops you into a different character’s mind, from a paranoid conspiracy maze to a twisted circus full of warped memories. Its bizarre style and fearless creativity make it stand out as one of the most original games of its era. | © Double Fine Productions
Titanfall 2 got buried between Call of Duty and Battlefield, but it’s still one of the best shooters most people skipped. The single-player campaign is a standout for the genre, while multiplayer shines thanks to the Titans that change every fight. With all DLC free and only cosmetic extras paid, it’s a game that deserved far more attention than it ever got. | © Respawn Entertainment
VVVVVV looks simple but quickly proves to be a brutally tough platformer with a clever gravity-flipping mechanic that lets Captain Viridian walk on floors or ceilings. Its retro 8-bit style hides levels that demand precision, creativity, and patience in equal measure. Once you’re done with the main story, extra stages made by other developers add even more reasons to stick around. | © Distractionware
Mirror’s Edge is a parkour game like no other, and still stands as the best example of the genre. You play as Faith, running across a spotless futuristic city after her sister is framed for a crime she didn’t commit. It’s short, but every moment is intense, and even now, no other game has managed to replicate the same feeling. | © IronMonkey Studios
F.I.S.T. got lost in the crowd of bigger Metroidvanias, but it holds its own with sharp combat, strong storytelling, and some of the best visuals in the genre. You play as Rayton, an ex-soldier rabbit fighting through Torch City with a dieselpunk twist. His mechanical fist steals the show, transforming into a drill or whip that makes every fight feel fresh. | © TiGAMES
Wildermyth takes the X-Com formula and swaps out heavy base-building for endless storytelling, dad jokes, and evolving characters. Heroes grow old, retire, and even pass their traits to the next generation, giving every campaign a sense of history that carries forward. The combat and events can get repetitive after a while, but the charm of watching your blank-slate adventurers turn into legends is what keeps it special. | © Wildermyth
Ninja Theory is known for Hellblade and DmC, but Enslaved never got the same recognition. The story, loosely inspired by Journey to the West, follows Monkey and Trip as they cross a ruined New York full of hostile machines. It blends a strong character-driven narrative with tactical, beat ’em up style combat that still holds up today. | © Ninja Theory
As Dusk Falls slipped under the radar, even though it’s as gripping as big names like Life Is Strange or The Walking Dead. The story follows two families whose lives collide during one dramatic day that changes everything. Every decision you make shapes how their story unfolds, giving it huge replay value. | © Interior Night
The Medium was hyped as a next-gen showcase, but what it really offers is a moody, story-driven horror game that sticks with you. The split-screen mechanic is clever, yet the real strength lies in its unsettling atmosphere and how it blurs the line between human pain and the supernatural. It’s clunky in spots, but if you treat it as a narrative experience, it becomes a haunting and memorable ride. | © Bloober Team
Pathologic 2 is less about smooth gameplay and more about raw experience, mixing art and storytelling in a way few games dare. It’s punishing, slow, and often frustrating, but that’s part of its design. If you’re patient enough to embrace it, you’ll find one of the most unique and unforgettable indie games ever made. | © Ice-Pick Lodge
Brutal Orchestra is a roguelike JRPG with turn-based combat that looks like an old Phantasy Star game but plays unlike anything else. Battles revolve around managing “pigment,” a tricky resource tied to both enemies and your own party, forcing you to think carefully every turn. With over 20 unique characters and 100 items to unlock, every run feels different, and the challenge always stays fair. | © Hellbent Games
Grim Dawn hooks you fast – one moment you’re dabbling, the next you’ve sunk hours into building five different characters. The gothic world has atmosphere to spare, and the combat stays fresh thanks to endless build variety, whether you’re blasting lasers, summoning pets, or going full spin-to-win. It may not be as complex as Path of Exile, but it nails that addictive mix of experimentation and monster-slaying. | © Crate Entertainment
MAG was way ahead of its time, packing 256-player battles with tight gunplay, a brilliant command system, and servers that actually held up. It lets you build your own class from the ground up, making every role feel unique, whether you want to be a stealth sniper, demolitions medic, or juggernaut heavy. The servers shut down in 2014, and Zipper Interactive is gone, but fans still remember it as one of the best large-scale shooters ever made. | © Zipper Interactive
Chrono Ark combines roguelite deck-building with story-driven design, making its time-loop mechanic feel central instead of just a reset button. Combat blends cards, timers, and character interactions in a way that’s both strategic and fast-moving, while maps add real choices to every run. With striking art, music, and a surprisingly deep story, it’s one of the rare games that feels just as strong to replay as it does the first time through. | © Al Fine
Most players stick to the big names, but plenty of incredible games have slipped by almost unnoticed. These are titles with smart design, memorable stories, or just plain fun that never got the attention they deserved. Here are 15 of the best video games you probably haven’t played, but absolutely should.
