Kind of going off the "good soundtracks to bad games" thread I was wondering what are some games that the masses tend to deem as junk but you think the world of?

I kind of got the itch to ask this one as I recently got my PS2 out and started to play SaGa Frontier again after buying a new used PS2 due to some hardware failure. I would have just played it on the PS3 but all my files are on memory cards and the PS3 memory card adapter (which I do want to get... eventually) is a whopping $50 to $100. Ouch! But kind of pointless to play on PS3 since I don't have an HD TV.

Anyway, I don't really know why I like SaGa Frontier as much as I do. I've probably but more time into it over the years than any other game (the only exception may be Diablo II which is more understandable) and that's saying something. Still, I'll never forget EGM giving this game a 10% out of 100 or GamePro actually giving it fairly good ratings... for some reason??? Additionally, I'll never forget how horrible Brady's strategy guide for this one is, with error after error and having NO gameplay mechanics section but somehow becoming as important to have for me as the damn game. I also love how close knit the SaGa Frontier fanbase is on gaming sites, even on GameFAQs.

Last but not least I kind of have to thank Final Fantasy VII here as well because without it's success we probably wouldn't have gotten this game here in the states.

Also, many people tend to like Frontier 2 more than the first one (which really isn't the "first one") but in all honesty I thought it was A LOT more annoying than this one. But like most SaGa games, this game is kind of a mess... but I like the mess because... it is interesting...? I guess that's how I'd put it.

Drakkhen for SNES comes to mind. There's just so many odd/unique moments in that game its a shame most won't give it a chance because of the combat. The music is so damn catchy, easily its best feature. Wish someone would cover/remix it.

Every person I've shown Yume Nikki to doesn't understand why I would like it. I guess I can understand, it's a treasure hunt in a largely empty sandbox, but the surreal imagery hooked me. Sitting in the dark while playing it the first time, I found myself getting lost in its world. I've never experienced anything like that before in any other game. Hard to describe.

Tail of the Sun

Really I feel like the PS1 wrapped up video gaming very nicely for me. The snes was the consummate 2d machine and though there would be loads of refinement to come, the PS1 made just about every type of genre game imaginable in 3d, though rough, but I still love those sawtooth-edged polygons.

So thats where Tail of the Sun comes in, the game with little purpose but a sense of freedom, exploration, atmosphere and silliness. Also with a stellar soundtrack.

I mentioned it in the other thread, but Megaman 6 has stood the test of time despite being seen as the lowest point of the classic series. I dig the atmosphere and music and the level themes (representing different countries). I would probably plug this right in the middle of the various games for my Megaman fix (behind 2 and 4, probably tied with 1 and 3, definitely ahead of 5).

Zelda II remains my second favorite Zelda game (behind Link to the Past). It is definitely my most played Zelda game. I highly recommend watching a speedrun of the game, the route is definitely entertaining. I can't handle the combination of no candle and doing Death Mountain at low levels yet...The red gators mess me up. This is one where I feel a lot of people have judged it based on its reputation and haven't really played it. Not dissimilar to ET (which IS bad, but the people who've actually played it are few and far between)

Lastly, Back to the Future on the NES is nowhere near as bad as people make it out to be. Repetitive, yes, but it feels good to play once you get rolling. The walking parts are not unlike a decent schmup once you get the bowling ball/skateboard.

Final Fantasy XIII

While the internet seems to have settled on this being some kind of abomination, and it's not even in my personal top three FFs, I really liked the game. I loaded up a few saves again just the other day and was still bowled over by how beautiful and lavish it was even compared with newer games. To be fair, there are a high number of good reviews on Amazon, for instance, it just seems to be specifically on gaming websites that commenters rain venom down on FFXIII.

A less high-profile example would be the Zettai Zetsumei Toshi series of games (Disaster Report, SOS: The Final Escape, Raw Danger etc). They are barely-functional and bug-ridden, but extremely fun, somehow very atmospheric, and full of old Irem charm. The PS3 installment that was cancelled could have been brilliant.

Gundam vs Zeta Gundam (PS2) - Almost universally reviled. Every professional review I've ever read has been scathing. It's probably because I'm a fan of the series, but I thought it was awesome! I loved that each Mobile Suit had specific battle damage that could be inflicted, and very specific movesets based on specific button presses (like the Gundam MK II's tricky-to-execute flying kick from the Zeta Gundam movies). I loved that it used the orchestrated music from the show. Truly a fan's game.

Tokyo Xtreme Racer Drift 2 (PS2) -  Another one that did poorly in reviews. It was a street racing game with a heavy focus on touge racing in Japan (a la Initial D), but with a lot more strategy involved. Car customization wasn't quite as deep as Gran Turismo, but it was nowhere nearly as barebones as something like Ridge Racer. I really liked that to actually pull off a drift (not always the best maneuver, despite the cynical title), you really had to work the gears and accelerator; You couldn't just turn and tap brake like so many arcade racers.

Assassin's Creed (Xbox 360) - This is probably my favorite AC game of all time. Sure, Altair moves like a snail compared to his contemporaries, and the side missions were repetitive, but the game truly oozed atmosphere and tension. The assassin targets themselves were full of personality, and the missions to get to them all required very different methods of play. In a way, the deliberate pace made me think of the first two Thief games.

Koudelka (PSX) - The game is mediocrity redefined. There was precious few aspects of this game to like, but among them were the interesting setting, the tone and mood, and the grisly aesthetic. I really like Koudelka in spite of it's many faults, but I am sad over how it turned out. With just a little bit of forethought on the developers part, it wouldn't at all be ending up on lists like this.

Strange that I should have thought about these games again - turns out the first two games have just been re-released as PS2 Classics on the Japanese PSN. I'll be buying them again as a show of support to Granzella (ex-Irem staff who worked on the games) who seem to have acquired the rights to the IP. Since Granzella can no longer squander their talents on PlayStation Home content, maybe they've decided to put the focus back on the disaster simulation genre ZZT4 reimagined for PS4, please!