10 FORGOTTEN Video Games That Deserve More Love

A full decade before players experienced the punishing torment of Dark Souls, there was Maximo: Ghosts To Glory.

Designed as a 3D iteration of the notoriously challenging Ghosts ‘n Goblins games, this Capcom title sees the eponymous king strike a deal with the Grim Reaper after he's betrayed and killed by his former advisor Achille. In exchange for being resurrected, Maximo must stop Achille from harvesting souls from the underworld to amass an undead army.

What follows is an unforgiving hack-and-slash adventure through creepy graveyards that puts players’ skill and patience to the test. Environmental obstacles and enemies will ambush players at every opportunity, whitling down Maximo's health bar until he's left wearing only his boxers. With the cost of each death raising the price of resurrection, players are encouraged to master each level until they're able to reach the next save point with enough resources to spare.

By learning how to best utilise each of the weapons and power-ups, players will eventually hone their skills enough to progress a little further each time, with each small victory feeling like a massive accomplishment.

For those bold enough to face the masochistic difficulty, Maximo is an underappreciated gem that's more than worth revisiting.