10 Critically-Acclaimed Video Games NO ONE Played - Commenter Edition

9. Zero Escape

Another title that received soaring critical acclaim but relatively mild commercial success was Zero Escape: Virtue’s Last Reward and the Zero Escape series as a whole. Technically this kicked off with the 2009 visual novel Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors, where players would complete puzzles in escape-room-type scenarios and read the narrative in a more traditional visual novel format.

The adventure game was praised for its enigmatic and thrilling story as well as its satisfying puzzles.

Despite standing as a strong example of the capabilities of video game storytelling, particularly at a time when the medium’s ability to pull that off was still somewhat in question, the series was actually a commercial failure in Japan. The first two games underperformed, selling only 27,762 copies and 14,023 copies in their respective debut years. Sales picked up with localisation for its Western release and further platforms upon which the series has become available but even over a decade later the three-instalment series has sold only half a million copies in its entirety.

Despite these somewhat lacklustre sales figures, like Jet Force Gemini, the series has become a cult classic with a dedicated fanbase.