Five Games You May Have Missed But Should Play Before This Generation Ends

Thanks to backwards compatibility and shared libraries, most of the games on this list will likely make their way to Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5. If that rings true, you should be able to play them on new hardware for years to come, but there's no better time than now to cross them off of your list. We're at the end of a generation, there's not much new stuff out there to play right now, and when the machines hit, there's a good chance you'll want to play new releases that show off what next-generation gaming is capable of.

If you have a list or pile of backlog games, dive in. If you haven't compiled one and are hungry for something new to play, here are five games that I feel flew under the radar, yet are worth seeing through from start to finish:

SUNSET OVERDRIVE
Developer: Insomniac Games
Systems: Xbox One, PC
Release: October 28, 2014
Before Insomniac Games made the best Spider-Man game to date, it, well, made a ton of other great games like Ratchet & Clank, Resistance, and Spyro the Dragon. Most of Insomniac's games were critically acclaimed and sold well, but for whatever reason, Sunset Overdrive didn't make many waves. It should have. I adored it, and ended up giving it a 9.25 out of 10 review score. In my review I said "On the one hand, it plays out like your typical super hero game, where city traversal is the backbone of most of the action. On the other hand, it’s a shooter, placing heavy emphasis on skillful running and gunning. On an unexpected third mutant hand, it’s a sprawling collect-a-thon, pushing players to hunt for hundreds and hundreds of hidden goodies spread across Sunset City’s colorful architecture." If you want a fun, colorful, and often humorous game to play, give it a shot.

TEARAWAY UNFOLDED
Developer: Media Molecule, Tarsier Studios
Systems: PlayStation 4
Release: September 8, 2015
Tearaway was a fantastic game on Vita. You couldn't ask for a more charming world to dive into or character to champion. The game eventually made its way to PlayStation 4 in the form of Tearaway Unfolded, a love letter of sorts to the original handheld offering. Some elements are the same between the two versions, but since the Vita relies heavily on its touchscreen and camera, the gameplay is different in the PS4 version, but it still works and makes for a journey that is every bit as fun. As a parent of a daughter who is just getting into games, I loved revisiting Tearaway on console and watching her have no problems playing it.

LORDS OF THE FALLEN
Developer: Deck13 Interactive
Systems: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Release: October 28, 2014
I called Lords of the Fallen one of 2014's nicest surprises, and Game Informer's Dan Tack echoed the sentiment with a review score of 8.5 out of 10. While drawing heavy inspiration from the Dark Souls series, Lords of the Fallen still manages to have its own pulse and puts on a show with its bosses and world design. Being able to add runes to weapons and armors is also a nice carrot that will push you to explore everything.

PREY
Developer: Arkane Studios
Systems: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Release: May 5, 2017
I thought for sure everyone would play a new game from Arkane Studios, but whenever I bring it up with friends, they say they haven't touched it yet. Yes, Prey's introductory moments are a little rough, but the adventure evens out and becomes deep and engaging as player freedom is embraced for both combat strategies and missions. The enemies are also terrifying. You never know where mimics may be hiding – perhaps they've taken on the form of a coffee cup or a chair. You won't know until they jump out at you. Empty rooms could suddenly be crawling with them. If you like the BioShock games, Prey is well worth a look as it flows similarly and gives you plenty of fun weapons to wield.

CHILDREN OF MORTA
Developer: Dead Mage
Systems: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC, Mac
Release: September 3, 2019
I'm not going to stop banging this drum. You need to play Children of Morta. Play it for the story. Play it for the action. Play it for the family bond. Play it for the RPG elements. Play it for the visuals. Play it for the narration. Developer Dead Mage has a special game on its hands and you can experience it on nearly every system out there. I was thoroughly captivated by everything Dead Mage set out to achieve in this 15-hour journey.