Every year especially around Christmas the world’s biggest and well-known games are guaranteed to top the sales charts the world over. Whether it is Call of Duty, Battlefield, NFL or FIFA these games will be huge regardless of the game’s quality.

Then you have games whose development cycle can take years between sequels like Red Dead Redemption, Grand Theft Auto, and Final Fantasy that gets big numbers. This is often because games that do big sales numbers are built on the reputation of one or two major hits from previous entries.

Sadly this isn’t the case for all critically acclaimed games, many get lost in the busy release schedules that conflict with the bigger and more well-known franchises. Even though many of these games win or get nominated for game of the year awards they still end up in the bargain bins and in even worse cases publishers like Square-Enix and EA pull the plug on potential sequels and shut down development studios.

However, even without becoming sales blockbusters some games became a cult hit while others get a second chance through HD and 4K remasters like Okami, The Last Remnant, Namco’s Tales series and more. This is especially true of many games released in the 2010s and even though many games didn’t get the big sales numbers they wanted they were hits in the eyes of those that played them.

Let’s take a look at 15 games from the 2010s that were sales hits regardless of whether deserved to be and 15 that deserve another look even if it means dusting off your old PS3 and Xbox 360.

30 Bad: Final Fantasy XIII

Via Square-Enix

Final Fantasy XIII was meant to be Square-Enix’s biggest PlayStation 3 game and many fans hoped that it would change the face of Japanese RPG’s forever.

Instead, Final Fantasy XIII trimmed away all the things that fans grew to love about the series such as NPC’s, towns, world maps and the illusion of choice.

Final Fantasy XIII is probably the most linear in the series’s history and while the visuals and combat are excellent it feels like you’re running down a corridor for over 90 hours.

29 Best: Resonance Of Fate

Via SEGA

Resonance of Fate was known as End of Eternity in Japan and was received well by fans of the genre. Unfortunately, it was very much overlooked at the time of its release in 2010 because it was overshadowed by Square-Enix’s Final Fantasy XIII.

Developed by the same team behind the Star Ocean series, Resonance of Fate is a superior RPG with an excellent Matrix-inspired battle-system that was far better than FFXIII.

Resonance of Fate’s steampunk setting is original with superior world building. Additionally, the voice acting is top notch with performances from Nolan North better known as Nathan Drake from Uncharted. The game has just received a 4K remaster for the PS4 and Steam for the PC.

28 Bad: God Of War Trilogy

via pinterest.com

The new rebooted God of War on the PlayStation 4 is a vast improvement on the original trilogy. However, it does highlight the obvious flaws with the original trilogy on the PlayStation 3. The first three games (and the prequel) play out like a teenage boy’s power fantasy.

In addition, before Christopher Judge took over the voice role, Kratos’ one-note shouting made him the most unlikeable character in gaming. The set pieces are excellent but they only mask the very basic combat mechanics, and the repetitive nature only became more obvious with God of War 3’s overly long campaign.

27 Good: Bayonetta 2

Via Nintendolife

The Bayonetta series has been re-released for both the Nintendo Wii U and the Switch but the games remain relative unknowns compared to God of War or Devil May Cry. The games were directed by Hideki Kamiya who was responsible for Devil May Cry, Okami, and Resident Evil 2.

Kamiya’s Platinum Games studio has been responsible for some of the best action games this generation and the Bayonetta series is no different. It’s as technical as Devil May Cry, has crazy set pieces to rival God of War but it has more style and flair than both.

26 Bad: DmC: Devil May Cry

via Capcom

DmC: Devil May Cry was released on March 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360 and re-released again in 2015 for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in the form of a definitive edition. It was the first in the series to be developed by a Western team and was meant to be the first in a reboot.

The game sold and even scored well with most critics but the fans were not pleased with this new take on Dante and Nero. While the action was entertaining, the game’s story felt immature, the boss battles lacked imagination, and the seemingly endless platforming segments were incredibly tedious.

25 Good: Castlevania: Lords Of Shadow 2

via Konami

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 was released in 2010 and was a very different game to the games that came before it. Although this did disappoint longtime fans of the series the Lords of Shadow series was good action games in their own right. Metal Gear Solid’s Hideo Kojima helped produce and like the first game featured a good story with a stellar voice cast with Robert Carlyle and Richard Madden.

More importantly, the game’s combat system was far more tactical than other western action games like God of War and the game’s visual design was stunning. The modern-day segments left something to be desired but Dracula’s castle was brilliantly designed and fun to explore it didn’t sell as well as the first game but is definitely worth a second look.

24 Bad: Mass Effect: Andromeda

via wcctech.com

Mass Effect: Andromeda was an attempt by BioWare to reboot the science fiction space opera by taking the series into a new galaxy. Unfortunately, the game’s troubled development cycle, change of direction, and the new team’s lack of direction turned fans away from the franchise.

Pre-orders for Mass Effect: Andromeda performed quite well but the negative reaction from fans prompted EA to withdraw development on all planned downloadable content. Ironically, single-player content could have helped tie up loose ends for those who did part with their cash.

23 Good: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

via neogaf

Deus Ex Mankind Divided was the direct sequel to 2013’s Deus Ex: Human Revolution. It didn’t perform as well critically or commercially as the first game in the rebooted sci-fi franchise. As a result, the series will be put on hold while the time works on an unnamed Marvel game.

Criticism fell on the game's story and its themes but Mankind Divided’s open-ended gameplay was every bit as good as the first game. Exploring the Blade Runner-like world and taking enemies out in a variety of ways provides a lot of gameplay variety and it definitely deserves a second look.

22 Bad: Halo 5: Guardians

via 343 Industries

Halo 5: Guardians was released on the Xbox One in 2015 and despite being a big seller fans were left disappointed with the main campaign. The story was short which is fine if you’re telling a good story, but it half-baked and ended on a cliffhanger.

In addition, Halo 5’s artificial intelligence is questionable at best with teammates consistently failing to revive players. Boss battles were also cheap rather than challenging and you’ll find yourself being killed in one shot forcing players to rely on luck rather than tactics.

21 Good: Alpha Protocol

Via Sega

Alpha Protocol is one of the most original attempts at an RPG of the last generation. It was developed by Obsidian and puts players in the shoes of a spy called Michael Thorton. It’s an RPG inspired by the likes of 24, Mission ImpossibleBourne Identity and James Bond giving players a choice in how they approach their missions.

NPC’s can be interacted with using a dialogue system allowing the player to choose between three stances such as suave, professional and aggressive. It wasn’t a perfect game by any means but it can be best described as a diamond in the rough and easily one of the best spy games ever made.

20 Bad: Battlefront 2

Via EA

Battlefront 2 may be one of the most controversial titles in recent years. This was in large part to the pay-to-win style microtransactions purchased through loot boxes. This has been addressed now with the new loot boxes that are purely cosmetic.

However, the single player is still lacklustre and serves as nothing more than a restrictive tutorial for Battlefront 2’s grind-heavy multiplayer modes. The visuals and audio are superb but this only gives the impression that the game has more style than substance.

19 Good: Titanfall 2

Via Igtimes.com

Titanfall 2 may be one of the best pure first-person sci-fi shooters this generation. It’s also one of the few games to not only have a great multiplayer mode but a worthwhile and enjoyable single-player campaign with a decent story.

Sadly, the game wasn’t a commercial success because EA bafflingly decided to launch the game between its own Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: Infinite. Despite this, the developers Respawn Entertainment continued to support the game post-release with free DLC and updates.

18 Bad: Watch Dogs

via Ubisoft

Based on the game’s previews, Ubisoft’s Watch Dogs was meant to be the first game on next-generation machines that showed what the PlayStation 4 was capable of. The reality, of course, was very different because it wasn’t much of a step up from the PlayStation 3 version.

It’s possible that Ubisoft’s decision to support older hardware held the game back but that wouldn’t have changed the core game. Watch Dog’s main story wasn’t very interesting and its side content was repetitive and dull.

17 Good: Sleeping Dogs

via kotaku

Originally released in 2012 Sleeping Dogs was a spiritual sequel to the True Crime series on the PlayStation 2 and a love letter to Hong Kong action movies. The game was received well by critics and performed well on its launch week. There’s even a film in the works starring Hong Kong superstar Donnie Yen. Despite this, the game was considered a commercial failure and Square-Enix dropped any chance of a sequel.

Sleeping Dogs’ Hong Kong setting was visually stunning and its combat system far superior to other open world games like Grand Theft Auto 5, Watch Dogs, and Mafia 2. Additionally, the story is well told and features engaging characters.

16 Bad: L.A Noire

via Rockstar Games

While not a bad game, L.A Noire is a game of two halves. The game has an interesting 1950s detective story that feels like it should have been set in a more compact graphic adventure game due its detective mechanics.

However, possibly due to its much publicised developmental problems it was set in a large and unfinished open world with very few things to do in it. As a result, the beautifully realized 1950s, LA feels little more than window dressing and a gimmick.

15 Good: Sherlock Holmes: Crimes And Punishments

via frogwares

As a detective game Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments is everything that LA Noire wasn’t. The game is filled with different investigation mechanics to help you solve cases, each with varying outcomes which encourage replays.

Connecting all the dots and solving the cases in the deduction board help Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments feel far more organic than LA Noire too. The game’s environments are atmospheric and full of puzzles and clues for you to deduce before you come to own conclusions.

14 Bad: Detroit: Become Human

Detroit: Become Human was one of the PlayStation 4’s big exclusives in 2018. It’s visually stunning and the voice acting is superb.

Arguably it is probably the best Quantic Dreams title since Omikron: The Nomad Soul.

However, the game’s story takes precedence over the gameplay and you’re essentially just hitting buttons to advance the plot. The Quantic Dreams games are looked upon as modern day point and click adventure games, but they completely lack the flair and gameplay of that genre which pushed gamers forward through the plot.

13 Good: Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse

via Revolution Games

Point and click adventure games are sadly becoming a thing of the past. The nearest we have to the genre are interactive dramas like The Walking Dead and Life is Strange which can be seen as an evolution of point and click titles like Grim Fandango, Blade Runner, and Broken Sword.

With Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse the developers Revolution brought the series back to its roots via a Kickstarter project.

The game combines the classic hand-drawn backgrounds of the first two games with cel-shaded character models bringing together the old and the new. More importantly, Broken Sword is filled with puzzles, a great story and enjoyable characters to keep you entertained from start to end.

12 Bad: Assassin’s Creed: Unity

Via Ubisoft

Assassin’s Creed: Unity is quite possibly the worst received entry in the series. This is in large part due to the game being riddled with bugs, a terrible side quest system forcing players to use a mobile app and microtransactions.

It’s a shame because Unity’s French Revolution setting is appealing and the visuals are stunning even compared to the likes of Assassin’s Creed: Origins and Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey. Many of these issues have been addressed but issues are still being reported with the game such as wiping over player saves on the Xbox One potentially losing hours of progress.

11 Good: Assassin’s Creed: Rogue

via Ubisoft

Assassin’s Creed: Unity was the first truly next-gen entry in the series and resultantly, all of the marketing and hype went into promoting it. So Assassin’s Creed: Rogue was treated more like a consolation prize for fans who hadn’t yet made the transition to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 and was largely ignored.

Yet, Assassin’s Creed: Rogue was the better game despite recycling and refining the mechanics seen in Assassin’s Creed: Black Flag - one of the series’ most popular entries. It put gamers in the shoes of the Templars which allowed for an interesting gameplay dynamic forcing you to fight off assassination attempts. The game was remastered for modern consoles and definitely worth a second look.