You've probably played big hits like Uncharted 4, The Last of Us Part II and Horizon Forbidden West by now, but there's still plenty of criminally underrated games worth checking out, which arguably don't get enough recognition.
These are titles that kind of flew under the radar, didn't generate enough sales, or received a negative reception on the internet before release, eventually leaving them more or less side-lined by the gaming community.
On this list, we highlight several games which don't get enough credit, whether they feature interesting gameplay mechanics, an absorbing story or something else that makes them unique, here are several underrated games on PS4.
10. South Park: The Fractured But Whole
This fantastical South Park game has become quite an underrated gem since it's 2017 release, where the boys become superheroes. The Fractured But Whole is absurd in every sense of the word, and it's always attempting to outdo itself. Fans who tune into South Park will know exactly what's up.
Moments after the events of The Stick of Truth, the boys quit fantasy and are now superheroes. The reason? So they can launch a media superhero franchise and rake in lots of dough. Cartman has a three-step plan. His ideas are divisive though, like just about everything Cartman does.
Half the boys disagree and leave Coon and Friends to form the Freedom Pals. Lines are drawn in the dirt and it’s civil war. Caught in crossfire is The New Kid, the same silent protagonist from the first game, whose immediately given a tragic backstory
From there, at Cartman's request, he searches for a missing cat so Coon and Friends can acquire the $100 reward, That's the gist of this nonsensical yet rewarding strategy turn-based RPG. From exploring the town, completing odd fetch quests, or farting on baddies in combat. It all feels like a long, quality episode of South Park.
This fantastical South Park game has become quite an underrated gem since it's 2017 release, where the boys become superheroes. The Fractured But Whole is absurd in every sense of the word, and it's always attempting to outdo itself. Fans who tune into South Park will know exactly what's up.
Moments after the events of The Stick of Truth, the boys quit fantasy and are now superheroes. The reason? So they can launch a media superhero franchise and rake in lots of dough. Cartman has a three-step plan. His ideas are divisive though, like just about everything Cartman does.
Half the boys disagree and leave Coon and Friends to form the Freedom Pals. Lines are drawn in the dirt and it’s civil war. Caught in crossfire is The New Kid, the same silent protagonist from the first game, whose immediately given a tragic backstory
From there, at Cartman's request, he searches for a missing cat so Coon and Friends can acquire the $100 reward, That's the gist of this nonsensical yet rewarding strategy turn-based RPG. From exploring the town, completing odd fetch quests, or farting on baddies in combat. It all feels like a long, quality episode of South Park.
9. Sonic Forces
Sonic Forces wasn't well received, mainly for dropping the ball and not completely sticking to its promises, yet the title is filled with bold choices.
The plot begins with Dr Eggman who has finally conquered the world with help from a menacing new foe called Infinity, and the only one who can save the day is your custom created character, along with two versions of Sonic The Hedgehog.
Forces is basically three different games rolled into one. In modern Sonic stages you boost through levels at the speed of light. While Classic Sonic stages leans back on slower paced 2D side-scrolling. Finally, avatar stages incorporate wisp-style powers and fancy gadgets like the grappling hook for swinging and attacking enemies.
Though the player's avatar is shoehorned into the story, Forces' best feature is the character creator which allows players to create their dream Sonic character. That's not it's only high poinr, as the graphics are vibrant, the soundtrack is a pumping backdrop for super-fast cinematics and there are some really fun levels to blitz through.
Sonic Forces wasn't well received, mainly for dropping the ball and not completely sticking to its promises, yet the title is filled with bold choices.
The plot begins with Dr Eggman who has finally conquered the world with help from a menacing new foe called Infinity, and the only one who can save the day is your custom created character, along with two versions of Sonic The Hedgehog.
Forces is basically three different games rolled into one. In modern Sonic stages you boost through levels at the speed of light. While Classic Sonic stages leans back on slower paced 2D side-scrolling. Finally, avatar stages incorporate wisp-style powers and fancy gadgets like the grappling hook for swinging and attacking enemies.
Though the player's avatar is shoehorned into the story, Forces' best feature is the character creator which allows players to create their dream Sonic character. That's not it's only high poinr, as the graphics are vibrant, the soundtrack is a pumping backdrop for super-fast cinematics and there are some really fun levels to blitz through.
8. Ni No Kuni 2: Revenant Kingdom
In many ways, Revenant Kingdom keenly follows in the footsteps of it's big brother, as once again it places a young boy at the heart of an heroic story in a gorgeous cel-shaded world. In other ways however, Ni No Kuni 2 carves it's own path, with a completely revamped battle system and a keen focus on kingdom building.
Unlike the first game's story, Revenant Kingdom isn't about Evan’s sorrow or fears about the future, but rather it's about making the world a better place.
One of Ni no Kuni 2's stand-out features is the battle system. Gone is the turned based combat reminisce of Pokémon, from the original game. Instead that's replaced by a tight yet fluid real-time combat system, giving players much more freedom then your traditional turn-based JRPG.
While a large portion of the game is spent in battle, that's not all there is to the game. As prince Evan and his friends embark upon a journey to bring world peace back the divided realm, players will have tons of content to dive into besides the main storyline. This includes Kingdom building, various side quests and the tough Skirmish mode.
7. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
The Lost Legacy is a full-fledged standalone DLC expansion to Uncharted 4 which takes an ambitious step away from the traditional formula, swapping out Nathan Drake for his ex-darling Chloe Frazer, who teams up with ex-mercenary Nadine Ross from the fourth game, to form a deeply compelling duo.
Chloe and Nadine come together for a common goal in "Archaeology" as they murder dozens of henchmen in a bid to locate the tusk of Genesh in India. The game's best innovation is how it affords players freedom to roam freely in gorgeous open world environments, making it a refreshing change of pace from the linear mainline games.
While the game's narrative doesn't quite hold a candle to Drake's previous outings, it's gorgeous visuals, satisfying combat and superbly written quiplash between the dynamic duo Chloe and Nadine is the reason why The Lost Legacy is highly enjoyable and a must play.
6. Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair
If the first game was a heartfelt tribute to 3D platformers like Banjo-Kazooie, then Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a loving homage to bygone side scrolling 2D platformers like Donkey Kong Country.
The colourful worlds, tricky platforming sections, and imaginative levels are engaging from beginning to end as you leap, roll, and twirl your way towards defeating the evil Capital B.
If the first game was a heartfelt tribute to 3D platformers like Banjo-Kazooie, then Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair is a loving homage to bygone side scrolling 2D platformers like Donkey Kong Country.
The colourful worlds, tricky platforming sections, and imaginative levels are engaging from beginning to end as you leap, roll, and twirl your way towards defeating the evil Capital B.
Each level requires fast reflexes using the game's swift and responsive controls, along with a promptness to tackle a fair share of old-hat retro challenges. It's definitely a tough yet fair game. The plot, meanwhile, isn't much to write home about, but the bee puns will surely keep you amused.
5. The Walking Dead: Michonne
In 2016, Telltale's The Walking Dead adventure took a break from Clementine's story in order to deliver a separate three episode miniseries featuring one of the most famous characters from the TV show and books, Michonne.
In contrary to Lee and Clementine's The Walking Dead episodes, Michonne's miniseries makes full use of it's canonical affinity to the comic books by using a piece of story hinted at, but never before depicted in The Walking Dead comic.
5. The Walking Dead: Michonne
In 2016, Telltale's The Walking Dead adventure took a break from Clementine's story in order to deliver a separate three episode miniseries featuring one of the most famous characters from the TV show and books, Michonne.
In contrary to Lee and Clementine's The Walking Dead episodes, Michonne's miniseries makes full use of it's canonical affinity to the comic books by using a piece of story hinted at, but never before depicted in The Walking Dead comic.
The Walking Dead's leading lady has a ton of weight on her shoulders. She has to withstand a zombie apocalypse, find a reason to go on living after her children allegedly perish in a walker attack she was absent from, while fighting inner demons that severely impact her mental health.
Regardless of the amount of action and violence in the game, The Walking Dead: Michonne's narrative is extremely steeped in domestic grief, yet at the same time it features a hard-core katana wielding heroine who takes no prisoners. This isn't your typical zombie apocalypse game and that's what makes it worth a play.
By all means, as is the custom with Bethesda open-world RPGs, the game's main story isn’t nearly as absorbing and riveting as the large assortment of side quests you’ll encounter as you explore the Boston ruins. Either way the journey that awaits is of course whatever you want to make of it.
Regardless of the amount of action and violence in the game, The Walking Dead: Michonne's narrative is extremely steeped in domestic grief, yet at the same time it features a hard-core katana wielding heroine who takes no prisoners. This isn't your typical zombie apocalypse game and that's what makes it worth a play.
4. Fallout 4
Like other Fallout games, Fallout 4 puts you in the shoes of a misfit, tossed into the barren remains of a atomic post-apocalypse. Before the bombs dropped, some residents were able to find refuge inside the Vaults, enormous, hyper-advanced underground cities designed to withstand the end of the world.
You take control of a survivor from Vault 111, who, through circumstances, is sent two hundred years into the future and separated from their family. After leaving the survival shelter, players will eventually begin doing odd jobs for various wastelanders, recruiting new companions and making tons of enemies along the way.
Fallout 4 uses its bleak setting as a canvas for thrilling combat and compelling stories, and when you delve deeper into its post-nuclear-apocalypse version of Boston, defending yourself from violent scavengers and using your wits to climb social ladders, you become attached to the new you and the fate of your new world.
Like other Fallout games, Fallout 4 puts you in the shoes of a misfit, tossed into the barren remains of a atomic post-apocalypse. Before the bombs dropped, some residents were able to find refuge inside the Vaults, enormous, hyper-advanced underground cities designed to withstand the end of the world.
You take control of a survivor from Vault 111, who, through circumstances, is sent two hundred years into the future and separated from their family. After leaving the survival shelter, players will eventually begin doing odd jobs for various wastelanders, recruiting new companions and making tons of enemies along the way.
Fallout 4 uses its bleak setting as a canvas for thrilling combat and compelling stories, and when you delve deeper into its post-nuclear-apocalypse version of Boston, defending yourself from violent scavengers and using your wits to climb social ladders, you become attached to the new you and the fate of your new world.
3. Watch Dogs 2
Before everything else, this is a game about being young and angry at the system, while certain that you know what's best for the world. In similar fashion to the first game, the sequel places you in the hands of a covert vigilante and hacker genius, who abuses security flaws in phones and computers to expose corporate corruption.
Unlike the previous game, however, Watch Dogs 2 dials back on the deadly seriousness, for a more light-hearted and tongue in cheek tone. Watch Dogs 2's setting is San Francisco California, where an hacker from Oakland named Marcus Holloway teams up with a silicon valley hacktivist group, to bring the fight to the system.
The missions you play in this game are about as varied and goofy as it's cast of characters. From infiltrating the amusingly pompous grounds of an in-game Google clone to climbing the Golden Gate Bridge to leave your mark on the city.
Overall there's so much stuff to do in the game, leaving you with plenty of ways to lose yourself in the huge and immersive open world. But at the same time it never feels overwhelming, and that's partly due to smartly designed areas that feel less generic than almost everything from the first game.
Unlike the previous game, however, Watch Dogs 2 dials back on the deadly seriousness, for a more light-hearted and tongue in cheek tone. Watch Dogs 2's setting is San Francisco California, where an hacker from Oakland named Marcus Holloway teams up with a silicon valley hacktivist group, to bring the fight to the system.
The missions you play in this game are about as varied and goofy as it's cast of characters. From infiltrating the amusingly pompous grounds of an in-game Google clone to climbing the Golden Gate Bridge to leave your mark on the city.
Overall there's so much stuff to do in the game, leaving you with plenty of ways to lose yourself in the huge and immersive open world. But at the same time it never feels overwhelming, and that's partly due to smartly designed areas that feel less generic than almost everything from the first game.
2. Assassin's Creed Origins
Assassin's Creed Origins is a grim, versatile, deep dive into the franchise's most fascinating setting yet, ancient Egypt.
As Bayek of Siwa, a warrior who is humane, fearless, and driven by revenge, you’re strung through a contorted story of pharaohs and corrupt leaders, of love gained and lost, and the plights of the underclass who were commonly worked to death.
Through quests and cutscenes, we gain an insight of the intersection between Bayek’s personal affairs and the greater political conflict. Time after time, he helps individuals who have been wronged by the regime, while getting closer to his own desire to complete himself through revenge.
While the main story is charmingly mystical and elaborate on its own, Origins is a deep dive into a truly stunning view of ancient Egypt, with a rich display of cultures, genuine characters, and more mission variety than any other Assassin's Creed game prior. The RPG elements also encourage challenges of their own.
When first announced, this game got a flack for not adhering to a Italian mafioso centric protagonist, but that's what makes the third entry so unique and bolstering. You control Vietnam war veteran Lincoln Clay who ends up becoming a criminal mastermind while seeking revenge against an Italian mob in the fictional city of New Bordeaux.
Despite the game's tale of revenge, Mafia 3 isn't your typical revenge story and that's one of it's strongest merits. The story sucks you right in and keeps you engaged from start to finish.
While the gameplay aspects aren't the most varied, it's still fun. For example.. Taking down baddies gun blazing or stealthily, cruising around town in a Berkley Altamont or recruiting underbosses after taking them off the map.
Lest we forget, the strong yet realistic characters who come from all walks of life, the overall dark theme and classic vintage soundtrack which only adds to the charm that is Mafia 3. Despite all of this Mafia 3 is still an underrated game and deserves more praise.
What in your honest opinion is the most underrated video game on the PlayStation 4?