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Off the beaten track

So I bought Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles and I finished it. Wonderful game that I’d suggest to anyone. The only real downside is that I got through the game in 17 hours. I by no means sped through the game either, only playing it during my 2 hours of commuting each day. So in about 2 weeks time I had it finished up and was ready to move on.

I was about half way through Hotel Dusk, so I decided to finish that one. HD is so very different to any Final Fantasy game. It might as well be part of another world. It’s quirky, dark and just plain odd. Defnitely one for those who like a bit of a mind bender in their gameplay.

So with those 2 games finished it was time to trade them in. Oddly enough Hotel Dusk netted me more in trade than Final Fantasy, but I wasn’t one to complain. Knowing I have £20 in trade I went off to see what I could find to play next.

Nothing in the current chart looked interesting. I do want to get Indiana Jones Lego, but I was feeling like walking off the beaten track and finding something odd and unusual like Hotel Dusk. To the pre-owned shelf for me then. Of course I found a lot of the chart and kids games in there, as always. Hiding in the back of a stack though was a game I’d not seen or even heard of; Secret Files: Tunguska. It’s a point and click puzzle adventure alá Myst and even Hotel Dusk. The story is good and the game makes some good use of the touch screen which I always enjoy. I’m only about 8 hours in and I find myself anticipating loading it up every day.

I’m sure you’re wondering what my point is to this, well here it is. Sometimes the games I find that are unusual and unheard of can be the best chance you take in the game store. I always wonder if I’m wasting my money when I buy a game that I know nothing about. Then I find little gems like this and I’m glad I took the chance.

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Comments

7 responses to “Off the beaten track”

  1. Kirsten avatar
    Kirsten

    I have Tunguska on the Wii but I haven’t started playing it yet. I love hidden gems. In the past I’ve picked up games I don’t know anything about and found a winner. It happened with Dark Cloud which lay on the shelve in my local game shop for years ignored by me, Same with Ico which, like many, it was only when there was a bit of a dry up on the PS2 that I actually picked it up.

    My two favourite finds though have been Metropolismania and SOS Final Escape both on the PS2. Both passed without much interest and both are utterly bizarre.

    It’s a lot harder to dig out the gems now I think. But if they are to be found it’s on DS. I can highly recommend Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales to anyone who hasn’t played it.

  2. Shaz avatar
    Shaz

    I agree. It’s often the lesser known games that are the more fun to play. Usually Gamestation is the best place to spot “odd bits”.

    I loved Elite Beat Agents (DS) though it was short but still sweet.

  3. Michael avatar
    Michael

    Years ago, I spotted Dark Cloud and Dark Chronicle a fair few times and always thought them worth a go (especially after I tried a demo of one of them) but I never got round to buying them. I wonder if they’re still around…

    Well, a hidden gem I found was Call of Cthulu: Dark Corners of the Earth on the Xbox. It was quite atmospheric in that you were vulnerable to going mental (like Eternal Darkness loopy) and were seriously ill-equipped to deal with nasties for a right while; this fact was used for a terrifying chase through a hotel at one point. Some horribly obtuse puzzles in it though!

  4. Dave avatar
    Dave

    The DS is chock full of these kind of curio titles. Draglade is particularly interesting. It’s like a 2D anime scrapper, except you use music to fight.

    Nothing like beating ten shades out of someone to your own rendiditon of ‘living on a prayer’:D

  5. Shaz avatar
    Shaz

    Ah yeah, I saw that at work. Thought Draglade was some relative to Beyblade. Might actually check that out.

    Apparently “The World Ends With You” is good.

  6. Nick avatar
    Nick

    The World Ends With You is an amazing game which should be played by everyone! Catchy J-Pop tunes, cell Shade and fashion affecting fights? Jeez buy it already!

  7. Donna avatar
    Donna

    That’s the other game I was looking at when I got Tunguska and I nearly got it. Definitely next game I buy then.

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