Games you thought deserved much more based on style alone

[Andy]

Anybody else ever play a game, that while not technically a great game, or not a great selling game, you felt that it deserved much more praise/success just based off of it's style?

GunGrave - I can understand why the game didn't do well because of it's gameplay. While I found the game to be very enjoyable, the game was extremely short, and the gaming media has a very low tolerance for short games as is, let alone straight action titles with little to no replay. However, I felt the game had such an awesome style, both in it's anime presentation and cutscenes as well as it's graphics and music. I'm really happy that the anime series is actually getting made, hopefully the style and music will be retained.

Zone of the Enders 2 - ZoE2 actually had a lot of merit as an actual game, and a very good one at that, but it still failed to be anywhere near as successful as it deserved imo. I did think the story got a bit stupid at times, but the game's fantastic style and music more than made up for it. It also benefited from some really cool anime-style presentation, and amazing graphics. Particle effects were made for this game.

Okage: Shadow King - While Okage's battle system did get quite repetitious and boring, this is one of the few RPG's I've continued to slug it out in despite a boring battle system that accounts for so much of the entire game, and it's because of the game's style and atmosphere. With a really quirky and whimsical story, the game just put you in a good mood while playing, and the humor harkens back to one of my all time favorites in Earthbound (though certainly not on the same level as EB).

Anybody else have any to add?

[Opaque]

Sky Gunner - I don't think nearly enough people tried this game, and all because of the slow down. But really it had an awesome graphical flair and the intro alone makes it worth loving.

Gitaroo Man - By far the best story in a rythm game evar! The controls and quirky designs are awesome as well. Anyone that thinks it's short obviously never gave master a run.

[MarkRyan]

Zone of the Enders 2 is the most perfect video game ever made. The story is excellent for an action shooter, and works brilliantly with the gameplay (thanks Kojima). The graphics and art are amazing--I couldn't believe the PS2 could pull that shit off. And yeah, it didn't get near the praise it deserved.

The Getaway also has some excellent style and storytelling. The potential isn't fully realized yet (I'm hoping the second will do it better) but the game got too many unfair comparisons to Grand Theft Auto. I think it actually sold well, but I don't know many devout gamers that give the game the credit I think it deserves.

[Regus]

Jet Set Radio Future - It's a pretty weak game that could've benefitted from some actual depth and challange to performing tricks and what have you, but I'll be damned if this game doesn't have style coming out of its ass.

[icarusfall]

Ico - Style to spare. It does well enough among people on this board, but it wasn't exactly a blockbuster...

I'll certainly second SkyGunner. Sure the slow-down was annoying, but if you look past that it's such an incredible game with more style in the character names alone than a lot of games. Way too many people missed out on an otherwise INCREDIBLE game just because of that. I know Victrix will back me up on this one...

GunGrave - I loathe this game more than any other, but it did have wicked-cool character designs and gun-play.

[Survival Kid]

I totally agree with you on GunGrave. That game oozes style. Really good game too.

[Sl1p]

Beyond Good and Evil: So much style it makes Walt Disney rise from his grave and say "Kudos". Yes, this is my Rent A Hero to it's Jeremy.

Voodoo Vince: The locales, the soundtrack..Its all just very stylish. Even Vince has a sense of it.

[gravity0]

IMHO, Vib Ribbon's Vibri has more character and style in her simple wireframe model than 80% of the games out there at the mo'.

[FX]

Mark of Kri -

Gungrave - It was short and easy, but I liked that "Liquid Television meets Lobo" style it had going on. I still wouldn't have paid full price for it, but it was pretty good.

[g0zen]

Otogi - No matter what problems you have with the camera, you cannot deny that every bit of this game is beautiful beyond belief. It aims to capture ancient Japanese mythology, and it does so like a champ. I would murder women and small children for this game's OST.