It’s fair to say that, while all games strive to be the best they can be and attain global appeal, many simply end up being decent experiences and nothing more.
10 Games You’ll Either Love Or Hate
Games like Death Stranding and Fortnite can be extremely divisive, with sizable groups of both fans and detractors.
As they say, it takes a village, and that is true of video games too, as these average titles shoot for the moon and end up among the stars. Which, in the very saturated world of gaming, is still a pretty big achievement.
A lot of these games have a brief moment in the spotlight and then fade into relative obscurity. However, there are some of these rather lukewarm games that manage to attain huge fanbases and continue to achieve slow-burn success.
So, just in case you weren’t aware, here are some niche games that actually have a huge player base and are still being played to this day.
9Conan Exiles
Sun, Sand, and Survival
Conan Exiles
Excluding those who like to watch Arnold Schwarzenegger movie marathons, not many will be all that familiar with the Conan The Barbarian IP.
However, if you are, you’ll know that it’s a property rich in lore, and that’s something that Conan Exiles taps into. This isa survival game with a huge world, deep systems, interesting locales and much more. But despite this, the game failed to break into the mainstream.
However, despite not achieving the same commercial success as survival hits like Subnautica or ARK, Conan has a very dedicated and surprisingly large player base, which has led to Funcom offering various expansions, updates, and more to keep fans on board.
Whether you’re into commanding thralls and taming beasts, or simply exploring a punishing fantasy world, this one is still worth hoping into today.
An Immersive Sandbox
Speaking of punishing games, we have Kenshi, a survival simulator sandbox that revels in punishing players purely for having the audacity to even dare to exist in its world.
It’s essentially an open-world sandbox that allows you to truly play your way but equally pulls no punches and never holds your hand.
Effectively making it one of the most free and open-ended immersive sims on the market. Albeit one that is as inaccessible as can be.
This inaccessibility makes this one a hard sell to most, but there are a surprising amount of people who still find themselves diving into this experience to see what else it has in store for them.
Sure, it has its flaws, and mods are almost non-negotiable, but overall, Kenshi is a staggeringly rewarding and unique experience worth checking out.
Particle Perfection
When it comes to underrated indie gems, a game that fits the bill pretty well is Noita.A Roguelike experiencethat isn’t afraid to drop you in the deep end and see if you can swim.
You’ll begin with not a clue how to survive in this particle-rich world, but over time, and with the help of a good run and a decent wand you’ll slowly piece together how to survive, thrive and progress toward the finish line.
It’s effectively a game that serves as abit of a Metroidbrainia of sorts, where knowledge is the main thing that will aid progression. With each failure, you gain the info needed to succeed next time around.
This is perhaps why the community for this game is still thriving to this day, as Noita veterans can guide the young blood through this challenging adventure. So, if you fancy a Roguelike with a difference, this is the way to go.
6Project Zomboid
Delay The Inevitable
Project Zomboid
Zombie games go in and out of vogue all the time. They were very popular around the same time as vampires were all the rage. Then after a period away, we are now seeing a renaissance of sorts through games like Dead Island 2.
However, through that dry period, one game found an audience regardless, and that was Project Zomboid. It’s a survival game where it’s not about pushing through a story or building a massive base. The goal here is to survive, and spoilers, you won’t.
8 JRPG Flops That Deserve A Second Chance
Just because a JRPG is good doesn’t mean it will suceed. At least the first time.
It’s all about delaying the inevitable for as long as possible as the zombie hoard closes in. You’ll have some basic resources, and only through exploring the city and taking risks to get gear and protection will you stand a chance of surviving through the night.
It’s well known in the indie scene, but still remains relatively niche, relatively speaking. But, the game retains a very strong player base. So if you maintain you could survive the zombie apocalypse, it’s time to prove it.
5Rain World
A Deadly Ecosystem
Rain World
When a game gets terrible reviews upon launch, this usually means that the game is doomed to be classed as a failure forevermore. Especially if it’s an indie game without the budget and support to fix things after launch.
However, if these reviews are unjustified and the fans take to the game in spite of the reviews, then you have a cult classic on your hands. This is exactly what happened when Rain World arrived on the scene.
The community scoffed at reviewers opinions, blaming a skill issue, and justifiably so, as the game is great. Don’t get me wrong, it’s aggressively difficult and obtuse, but it’s insanely rewarding if you’re willing to struggle through.
And the good news is that there’s still a very active community to guide you through. It’s a steep learning curve in this ecosystem, but if you stick with it, you might just survive.
4Snowrunner
Who’s Got The De-Icer
SnowRunner
When it comes to driving games that have a surprising number ofplayers still cruising behind the wheel, you’re pretty spoiled for choice. You have cult classics like Euro Truck Simulator 2 and BeamNG, but for us, we reckon Snowrunner is perhaps the most surprising.
Alongside its sister game Mudrunner, this game offers areally relaxing second screen gameoffering off-road fun that keeps your hands busy as you switch off.
I can only imagine this simple premise and gameplay with an endless loop is why people continually come back to this driving simulator. You gradually make deliveries, scale your business and progress, but this is secondary to the experience behind the wheel.
It’s one of those games where, if you like the core experience, you’ll never tire of. So, for a game with longevity and replayability, this is a great one to add to your library.
3The Hunter: Call of the Wild
Fresh Tracks, They’re Close
theHunter: Call of the Wild
As someone who grew up during the PSX and PS2 era of gaming, I’m at least somewhat familiar with the Cabella hunting games that seemed to come out as rapidly as developers could feasibly patch them together. So, it’s not a surprise that there is a hunger for hunting games.
Heck, that’s what most people loved doing in Red Dead Redemption 2 instead of furthering the story. But, I thought that era had been and gone as far as out-and-out hunter games were concerned.
Well, it turns out I was wrong, as The Hunter: Call of the Wild offers one of the most immersive hunting experiences on the market and, as a result, manages to retain a sizable concurrent player base.
It’s a gorgeous world to simply exist in, and it offers endless replayability, so if you, too, want to know the thrill of hunting your prey and taking your shot, this is the one for you.
2Goose Goose Duck
Among Us 2.0
Goose Goose Duck
It’s fair to say that online social deduction games had their time in the sun during the global pandemic. With us all trapped inside our homes, these games were the closest thing we had to hanging out, and as a result, they enjoyed unprecedented success.
Obviously, Among Us was the runaway success within the genre, but as interest has wained for the Innersloth smash hit, another game has all but taken its place, and that’s Goose Goose Duck
For all intents and purposes, this is exactly the same as Among Us in terms of the core gameplay, but thanks to more maps, characters, and unique game modes on offer, it seems many have traded in the older model for a plucky new kid on the block with more to offer.
This added variety has ensured that this silly little title has remained popular even if we are all allowed to socialize outdoors again. So, if you’re looking for a new party game, it may be time to try this one and see what all the fuss is about.
1Buckshot Roulette
Feelin' Lucky?
Buckshot Roulette
Then, lastly, we have one that might feel a little premature to call a surprising cult classic, as it was only released this year, but considering the lack of fanfare upon release and the low price tag, we feel that Buckshot Roulette is really punching above its weight.
In a nutshell, we can only assume that the sustained player count this game has enjoyed is down to the artistic and thematic similarities to Daniel Mullin’s Inscryption, offering a strategic horror game that is equal parts addictive and unnerving.
It’s a brilliant game in terms of replay value and for short gameplay sessions, making it a game that keeps on giving. And, It may be a gamble to say this, but we reckon this one will hover around the SteamDB top 100 for many years to come.
