Summary
The PS3 was a bit of a disaster for Sony at first, but it got better. The PS4 was like an apology tour with a lower price point than its competitor and a ton of great features likethe controller’s Trackpad. The console had some of the best games, too, and it is still being supported, which is wild since the PS5 launched in 2020.
With so many games to play, from AAA titles to little indie darlings, there was bound to be some that flew underneath the radar. Let’s get to some standouts that should be checked out, even though they are a little weird.
Arslan: The Warriors of Legendis a spinoff made bythe Musou teamat Koei Tecmo, Omega Force, that flew a bit under the radar. It’s based on the 2015 anime,The Heroic Legend of Arslan, which is an adaptation of a series that started in 1986.
The anime visuals are overflowing in the game, making it still stand out a decade later, and the action is as engrossing as ever. It’s a good conversion of the anime too, with a complete story that fans are still itching to see finished, as it only has one season.
City Shrouded in Shadowis one of the most unique ideas for a survival game, and it’s a shame it’s still stuck in Japan. The idea is that players have to get around a crumbling city in Japanwhile famous Kaiju, like Godzilla, and heroes, like Unit-01 fromNeon Genesis Evangelion, duke it out.
It addresses questions raised by Kaiju fans for years, as citizens have to try and scramble to safety while buildings explode. It does make sense why it never came over, as there are so many properties to license, but Bandai Namco could make it work if they wanted.
6Dragon Quest 10 Offline
A New Version That Is Still Missing
Dragon Quest 10: Rise of the Five Tribes Onlinewas the first game in the seriesto become an MMO, and it was originally released for the Wii in 2012. Since that launch, it has hit nearly every console under the sun and yet but a single one was ported to the West.
Fans may not have noticed that an offline version,Dragon Quest 10 Offline, was released in 2022 for various platforms. It removed the need for subscriptions, which is one hang-up that could have prevented its launch in the West earlier. Unfortunately, there is still no word on it ever coming over, even in this state.
To callEverythinga game may be a bit misleading, although it is fun to toy around with in its big sandbox. Players will start a seed when they enter the game, and then they can explore freely as nature itself. They can inhabit various life forms like deer or wolves, all of which look beyond derpy.
There are tasks players can accomplish, but, again,Everythingis better described as an art project than a game, but that being said, it deserves to be played at least once.
4Gal*Gunvolt: Burst
From Thirsty Cupids To Mega Man Platformer
Mighty Gunvolt Burstwas a crossover game made by Inti Creates, combining characters fromAzure Striker GunvoltandMighty No. 9, both of which were like spiritual successors to theMega Manfranchise.
Later, the game was re-released asGalGunvolt: Burst, which added characters fromGalGun, also developed by Inti Creates, to give fans some old-school platformer action from the NES days.Gal*Gun, to note, was more akin to an on-rails shooter and a thirsty one at that, as a teenage boy had to shoot love arrows at raging teen girls going after him.
Level-5 is attributed to many great RPG franchiseslike variousDragon Questgames,Ni no Kuni,Dark Cloud, and many others.Megaton Musashiis another one of their projects, which was released first in 2021 in Japan, and then got a digital-only launch in the West, retitled asMegaton Musashi W: Wiredin 2024.
Despite their legacy, the release went by relatively unnoticed, which is a shame because it has that level of quality that Level-5 is known for. It’s very anime-influenced as players control mechs and bash the metal out of others in real-time combat.
2Mistover: Dr. Faust’s Otherworldly Adventure
A Bizarre Tie-In With Guilty Gear
Mistoveris so obscure that players can’t even purchase it anymore, as it was removed from all digital storefronts in 2022. The gameplay was similar toDarkest Dungeonif it had an anime vibe. It was a turn-based roguelike that was beyond brutal but rewarding all the same.
Besides the short digital life, the game is notable for its DLC calledMistover: Dr. Faust’s Otherworldly Adventure, which brought over Dr. Faust from the Guilty Gear series as a party member.
The Volleyball Spinoff Is Still Alive
Venus Vacation Prism: Dead Or Alive Xtremeis actually a brand new game as of March 2025, and most probably have no idea it exists. In fact, fans of theDead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyballseriesmay not have known there was a third game, or various spinoffs like this, following the second game on Xbox 360.
Venus Vacation Prism: Dead or Alive Xtremeis more of a dating sim than a series of mini-games. It was released on a few platforms but only in Asian territories. Based on those aforementioned sequels, it’s hard to believe this will see the light of the West anytime soon, but stranger things have happened.
