The 2000s was a magical decade for games. Developers had spent the latter half of the '90s getting comfortable with 3D and this decade saw the results of their hard work. The graphical jump was one of the biggest between generations, and saw hits like Metal Gear Solid 2, Halo, and Final Fantasy X. However, many games from this decade deserving of praise didn't get the appropriate love from audiences. The following list will highlight ten unsung heroes of this millennium's first ten years. Thanks to ports and remasters, most of these are still fairly easy to play on modern consoles.
10 Shenmue II
The first two Shenmue games were the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by a development studio at the time. Both games were doomed for commercial failure from the start because of their high development cost and Dreamcast's low install base.
While the first Shenmue sold a decent amount of units, the sequel only managed a small fraction of its predecessor's sales. It is bigger and more ambitious, but it came out just as Sega's final console was dying off, and not even an improved Xbox port could save the game from financial ruin.
9 Bionic Commando
The 2009 remake of this classic arcade and NES title got a bad rap upon release. People unfairly judged its linear design and bemoaned its shocking revelation involving the main character's arm. An honest look at the title reveals a fun and engaging third person action-adventure title.
The plot plays out like a political thriller, complete with twists and betrayals. The saddest thing about this game's failure is the cliffhanger ending which fans will never see get resolved. The brand has kept quiet for a while, so maybe a new game will come in the future.
8 Shantae
Fortunately, the Shantae series has been on the uptick in this decade, but an eight year gap exists between the first and second game. 2002's Shantae came out extremely late into the Game Boy Color's life, when it was all but replaced by the technologically superior Game Boy Advance. As a result, the game sold poorly despite mostly positive reviews. 2010's Risky's Revenge breathed new life into the character, and two more sequels have been produced since then, with a fifth entry on the way.
7 Beyond Good & Evil
Michel Ancel is notable for creating the Rayman series, but he also made an action-adventure game in the early aughts called Beyond Good & Evil. This charming game was intended to be a trilogy, but poor sales stopped any franchise prospects. Over the years however, it has developed a cult following, and a sequel had been in development in the early days of the PS3 and Xbox 360's life cycle. It was seemingly stuck in limbo before a big reveal at E3 2017 confirmed its existence once again. While waiting for the ambitious second entry, take a look at the original game.
6 XIII
Based on a Belgian comic book series, XIII follows the exploits of a man who washes up on a beach with no memory. Shortly after waking, he finds himself wanted for the assassination of the president of the United States. While he is on the run trying to clear his name, he unearths a large conspiracy led by a shadowy organization. The cel shaded graphics made it standout from other first-person shooters, but it wasn't enough to make it a success. Miraculously, more then fifteen years later a remake of the game is coming to modern hardware. Hopefully this renews interest in the series and spawns a continuation of the story.
5 Jet Grind Radio
Many interesting, unique games fell victim to the Dreamcast's commercial downfall; Jet Grind Radio was one of them. The rollerskating game isn't focused on doing big tricks or stringing together combos, and instead tasks players with tagging graffiti spots while evading the law. Like many quality games from the doomed console, it has become a cult classic. It spawned one sequel and more modern consoles have seen ports, making it relatively easy to play these days.
4 Lair
Lair was ruined by Sony's hubris when entering the PS3 console generation. Their controller had motion sensing capabilities and Lair was to be this feature's prime showcase. Controlling the dragon with the sixaxis never felt comfortable, putting a damper on the whole game. A later patch eventually allowed for the game to be played using the analog stick, which was said to improve the whole experience. It's unfortunate Factor 5, notable for their excellent work on the Rogue Squadron series, didn't hit the bullseye with their first PS3 title and has since shut down.
3 Brutal Legend
It's a miracle Brutal Legend made it to release in the first place. It switched publishers from Activision to EA, and never got an honest marketing plan. The actual game is a clever mix of action and real-time strategy elements, but previews and demos only ever showcased the action segments. Fortunately, Double Fine lived through these turbulent times and still exists today. Recently they were bought by Microsoft, though their upcoming Psychonauts 2 is still set to come out on multiple platforms, including PlayStation 4.
2 Max Payne 2
Max Payne's breakout success put developer Remedy on the map. Its sequel is better in virtually every respect, but didn't manage to sell as well. Perhaps it was the timing or the fact that its console ports, especially the PS2 version, ran poorly compared to the PC. Whatever the case, anyone who missed out on this nearly perfect game shouldn't sleep on it any longer. While Max Payne 3 is more technologically advanced, the second game still impresses with its hectic shootouts and explosions that send particles flying in every direction.
1 Legaia 2: Duel Saga
Legend of Legaia is the best PS1 game most people reading this have never played. It has a unique combo-focused battle system, and its world is incredibly fleshed out. The sequel for the PS2 retains a similar style of fighting, but takes place in a new world with a new plot.
It's longer, bigger, and more open than its predecessor, but didn't manage the same critical success nor even similar sales. The first game is still superior, but Legaia 2: Duel Saga is a worthwhile successor, and still one of the few games to have this type of battle system.