9 Critically-Panned Video Games That Players Love

6. Alpha Protocol

Metacritic Score: 63

Obsidian Entertainment has always had the misfortune of being compared to Bioware. Constantly in the shadow of Mass Effect and Dragon Age, the developer's Alpha Protocol, a spy-themed role-playing game that put the focus on espionage rather than combat, was torn apart by critics when it launched for attempting (and in many ways, failing) to be more complex than the action-oriented releases that were dominating the genre.

Admittedly taking a similar approach to Mass Effect with the RPG's focus on conversations and dialogue options to thrust the narrative forward, here these mechanics gelled more naturally with the aims of the game, which was based all around lies and deception, sleuthing around exotic environments and trying to complete objectives with as little bloodshed as possible.

It was definitely rough around the edges, but what Alpha Protocol aspired to be more than made up for its shortcomings, and has since ensured that it's gone down as one of the most underrated RPGs in recent years.