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With so many games to play, some are bound to fly under your radar. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're looking underappreciated games from the last decade we think are worthy of checking out.
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00:00Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10
00:15under-the-radar games of the last decade that we think you should check out.
00:19Number 10, Dungeons of Hinterburg
00:37Dungeons of Hinterburg immediately entices with its lush and vibrant cartoony aesthetic. There's
00:42just so much to love with this deep and engrossing indie dungeon diving adventure
00:46set in the bucolic region of Hinterburg, a locale steeped in Austrian Alps beauty.
00:51Stepping into the hiking boots of Luisa, you escape the grind and rat race of the corporate world
00:56in order to have a poignant adventure of self-discovery.
00:59This game cleverly combines elements of RPGs, action adventures, and social sims.
01:04This balance sees Luisa explore myriad diverse mountainous regions, delving into creatively
01:09designed puzzle dungeons, gaining new equipment and magical abilities, and then relaxing back at
01:14the cozy village, chatting up the locals and making friends along the way.
01:27Number 9, Darksiders Genesis
01:37Eschewing its roots as a traditional third-person character action game,
01:41Genesis goes for more of a Diablo-esque style, helping it to stand out from other games in
01:46this beloved franchise. Darksiders Genesis thrusts you into the role of one of the four horsemen of
01:51the apocalypse, Strife. The charred council of tasks Strife to reap vengeance on Lucifer,
01:56a task that sees Strife, as well as war if played in co-op, enter the void and its various realms to stop
02:03the nefarious dark shenanigans going on in this game. Much like the other Darksiders games,
02:08the sense of worldbuilding here is simply top-notch. Each new, highly explorable zone feels distinct and
02:13immersive. Plus, using Strife's pistols, Mercy, and Redemption, alongside his other powerful moves,
02:19is just downright fun.
02:21Number 8, Melodies of Steel
02:41For those looking for a truly solid entry to be immersed in, then look no further than the animal-centric
02:46game, Fuga, Melodies of Steel. The dichotomy of playing through war-ravaged regions as cute-as-heck
02:52anthropomorphic cats and dogs makes for an intriguing and unique tactics experience. But make no mistake
02:58about it, Fuga, Melodies of Steel is a highly emotional and highly intense experience that belies
03:03its otherwise sublime, cartoony-esque visuals. Aboard the hulking, traversing tank, Tyrannus,
03:08it's here that the band of survivors must journey across the war-torn lands in hopes of a better future.
03:14But sacrifice is the name of the game here, especially when it comes to utilizing the
03:18Tyrannus' beast of a weapon, the Soul Cannon. The Soul Cannon requires sacrifice in order to be fired.
03:24As you can imagine, this game throws gut punch after gut punch your way,
03:27both in terms of its tactical battles and its character-driven adventure.
03:41Number 7, Guilt
03:44Pure stealth adventure games are somewhat of a rare breed in the modern gaming landscape.
03:52Fortunately, 2019's Guilt entered the scene to showcase how this type of game should be made.
03:57While it did first release for the failed Google Stadia, it did get a second life on other modern
04:02platforms years later, where many eager stealth fans got to jump in. Guilt is a tug-on-your-heartstrings
04:08adventure all about Sally and Emily. Sally must venture around dark and foreboding environments,
04:13avoiding shadowy baddies, utilizing her various tools, and ultimately hoping to find her cousin,
04:18Emily. Guilt doesn't shy away from challenging subject material, in this game's case, the pain of
04:23bullying. The game handles this subject material with care, grace, and aplomb, all while attaching a
04:29strong suite of stealth gameplay mechanics and great worldbuilding.
04:32What is that thing? Why does it look like me?
04:39Number 6, A Plague Tale Innocence
04:42While its sequel, Requiem, could also be placed on this list in lieu of Innocence,
04:54for our money Innocence is the more under-the-radar experience. A Plague Tale Innocence is a deeply
05:00harrowing and intensely emotional adventure starring sister and brother duo Amicia and Hugo de Rune.
05:06Set in and around the disturbing confines of the Hundred Years' War in 14th century France,
05:10Amicia and Hugo must traverse derelict and decaying lands in order to uncover the mystery behind
05:15Hugo's curse. Yeah, somehow I guess I haven't even mentioned the rats in this game. Yep, this is the
05:21game that sees you encounter hordes and hordes of terrifying bloodthirsty rats, and needs to be
05:26contended with throughout the game. A Plague Tale Innocence is one of those games that strikes a perfect
05:31balance of tight, well-executed stealth adventure gameplay, strong narrative beats, great world design,
05:36and enjoyable character arcs. Number 5, A Hat In Time
05:52Nothing quite brings a smile to my face like a good ol' 3D platformer, one with plenty of charm and
06:07whimsy, fun open levels to explore, and oodles of MacGuffins to collect. 2017's A Hat In Time,
06:13while certainly beloved by fans of the genre, still deserves so much more time in the limelight.
06:18A Hat In Time sees the cute-as-a-button Hat Kid lose her timepieces from her spacecraft,
06:23which means she can't actually make it back home. This is where the adventure truly begins,
06:28since Hat Kid must now explore the likes of Mafia Town, yes, you actually heard that right,
06:33a level all about the Mafia, Subcon Forest, Alpine Skyline, and many others. Hopping and skipping
06:39around each creatively designed world is a real treat here, all while whacking goons with Hat Kid's
06:44umbrella, donning new hats and badges for new powers and abilities, and hoovering up the game's many,
06:49many collectibles. This game is just a real joy to experience, and it has humor in spades to keep
06:55you laughing all day long. Oh wait, you're not a penguin? That's good! I could use some non-penguin
07:03company around here, as all my penguins are frankly terrible actors.
07:084. Evil West
07:09Evil West is a high-octane, supernaturally infested vampire action game set in the Wild West.
07:25You know, I could probably just leave this entry there with this elevator pitch,
07:28and it will get many gamers excited to play this under-the-radar game from 2022.
07:33Okay, I guess I will avoid some brevity and instead tell you just how fun Evil West truly is.
07:39Apart from the vampire western setting, the Saturday morning cartoon-esque action romp story,
07:44and the all-guns blazing approach to gameplay, Evil West is a pure video game through and through,
07:50hearkening back to games from the PS2 era. Your mission is to guide vampire hunter Jesse
07:55Rentier through a plethora of incredibly over-the-top, supernaturally charged Wild West locales,
08:01pummeling hordes of baddies in the face with revolvers, rifles, electrical powers, and more.
08:06It's just so darn fun and satisfying controlling Jesse in this game, since the combat is chunky
08:11and meaty, the exploration is simple yet refined, and weapons at your disposal are an absolute blast to use.
08:26The most recent release on this entire list, Visions of Mana seems to have been swept under the rug since its 2024 release,
08:48even amongst JRPG fans. Fortunately, we are here to remedy the lack of discussion around this game,
08:54since it absolutely deserves to be played and experienced through to completion.
08:58Now, whether you have played a Mana game or not,
09:00Visions is the perfect place to dive in. It offers a truly gorgeous fantasy world to explore,
09:06with some of the most eye-popping visuals around. I mean, seriously, you are seeing this, right?
09:10A heartfelt and endearing cast of characters, a strong central narrative, and some top-tier
09:15action-RPG combat. Visions of Mana sees you take on the role of Val, a Soul Guard,
09:20who is tasked with guiding his companions the Alms to the Mana Tree, for the traditional pilgrimage of
09:25sacrifice and rebirth. Where many JRPGs are long in the tooth, Visions of Mana is more focused and refined,
09:32always moving you forward to the next narrative beat or new location to discover and explore
09:36to your heart's content. It's a JRPG that respects your time as a player and just wants you to have fun,
09:42a fun, wholesome time, with the strong story occasionally peppering in plenty of emotional
09:47moments to keep you invested. Do yourself a favor and check out Visions of Mana, especially if you
09:52consider yourself a fan of action-RPGs. Yes, it's really that good.
09:56Yes!
10:00Grizzly!
10:06Number 2, Psychonauts 2.
10:10Well, whatever you do, just leave me out of it.
10:14Ooh, is that honey pepper ball bacon?
10:16It's pretty crazy to think that the gap between the OG Psychonauts from 2005
10:21and the release of Psychonauts 2 was a whopping 16 years. While the cult classic first game is most
10:27certainly still worth playing today, Psychonauts 2 takes everything that made the first game special,
10:32such as the quirky story, goofy characters, and fun platforming, and ratchets everything up to 100.
10:38This is a pure and wholesome 3D platforming adventure game with strong world design,
10:42over the top and lovable characters, a memorable story, and tons and tons of heart and soul.
10:47You once again step into the psychic shoes of Raz, a charming character who seeks to prove to his
10:52circus-obsessed family that him being a Psychonaut is of the utmost importance. Psychonaut 2 is
10:58incredibly playful and entertaining, with each area offering up new platforming challenges,
11:03environmental puzzles, and oodles of humor and wit.
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11:271. Vampire, or Vampyr if you prefer
11:32This creature is bedeviled. I must put it down.
11:41That's right, this list includes not one, but two vampire-centric games. You're welcome.
11:46Don't Nod's Vampire is a downright classic that begs to be experienced. Vampire is all about Dr.
11:51Jonathan Reed, a blood transfusion specialist who just so happens to find himself turn into a
11:56creature of the night at the beginning of the game. His transformation is really in your hands,
12:00since you are the one to decide if he should feed more often, and thus become a stronger one as a
12:05vampire and possibly even cut off certain story beats, or hold back his bloodlust in order to
12:11make a healthier and more adaptable early 20th century London. The way Vampire very quickly immerses
12:16you into its gothic, Victorian-esque London locale is palpable. This mostly comes down to the game's
12:22strong writing and great character arcs and motivations. Then, getting to rip and tear
12:26baddies with your vampiric powers is just the icing on the blood-drenched cake.
12:37So, do you agree with our under-the-radar game picks for this list? What are some of your favorite
12:42hidden gems that you think more people should check out? Let us know in the comments!
12:53Did you enjoy this video? Check out these other clips from WatchMojo,
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13:12We'll see you in the next one!
13:13We'll see you in the next one!
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