As the people responsible for the interactive experiences we love so much,video game developers are the industry’s backbone.
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These studios composed of tens of thousands of talented workers are the ones who create the games we talk about endlessly on these lists, so giving them credit is always important.
However, many companies don’t get the admiration their quality deserves, whether because they belong to a niche genre or people don’t associate their titles with their brand.
Therefore, to pay tribute to these brilliant enterprises that need more recognition than they get,here are ten criminally underrated video game developers.
A Growing Quality
Most popular games
Of Orcs and Men, The Technomancer, GreedFall, Steelrising
Many studios have created an identity around FromSoftware’s teachings, but few have gone as far asSpiders.
While limiting them to their latest releases would be reductive, the growth they’ve experienced fromBound by FlametoSteelrisingis a testament to their passion for the A-RPG genre.
Likewise,Of Orcs and Menis an under-the-radar classic that captivates fans of medieval fantasy worlds, despite having obvious shortcomings.
Ahead of the upcoming release ofGreedFall 2: The Dying World, I think it’s a perfect occasion to appreciate the development of Spiders, who continue to grow to a limit only they will decide.
9Cyanide Studio
Bizarre and Funny
Blood Bowl, Styx series, Call of Cthulhu
As a big stealth fan, I find it impossible not to putCyanide Studioon this list.
Just because of their work withStyx: Master of ShadowsandStyx: Shards of Darkness, I feel like the developer has gone more unnoticed than it should, as it has nothing to envy of the genre’s greats.
If you add theBlood Bowlfranchise, their participation inOf Orcs and Men, their work withcycling video games, and the atmosphericCall of Cthulhu, I genuinely think they are very interesting.
Cyanide is also far from perfect, but thanks to their creativity and constant attempts to do things differently, I would say they deserve recognition.
8Giant Sparrow
Video Games Are Art
The Unfinished Swan, What Remains of Edith Finch
Walking simulators are one of the most underrated and neglected genres in the video game industry, which explains whyGiant Sparrowis not more popular.
Otherwise,The Unfinished SwanandWhat Remains of Edith Finchwould be more than enough to position the studio among the most prominent in the independent sector.
The narrative skill and ability to convey feelings are immaculate, as they make you feel like a core component oftheir worldsand connect with their characters in a unique and special way.
I’m not one to cry much over video games, but I recognize Giant Sparrow has the ability to destroy me emotionally every time I remember their titles.
7Owlcat Games
A Pure RPG Developer
Pathfinder series
Since the more classic side of RPGs isn’t quite popular, I understand whyOwlcat Gamesflies under the radar.
However, as fans of the genre will know, thePathfinderseries is an absolute marvel, offeringtwo of the purest CPRG experiences you’re able to find on the market.
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Despite the studio being well-known within the niche, I feel the genre’s limited media reach has prevented it from reaching a larger audience, though it deserves it.
Maybe in the future this style of game will become more popular or the developer will try their luck with a more accessible approach, but in any case,Owlcat Games is great.
6Flying Wild Hog
Visceral Games At Their Peak
Shadow Warrior series, Trek to Yomi, Evil West
I’ve been saying it for years, and by the looks of things, it seems I’ll never stop, butShadow Warrioris one of the most overlooked series.
As a result,Flying Wild Hogis also criminally underrated,both for its superb flagship trilogy and for the other notable releases they have.
As the creators of the interestingTrek to Yomiand the greatEvil West(one of thebest AA gamesout there), Flying Wild Hog has been putting together years of quality, but they just can’t seem to win the masses' hearts.
Still, I don’t know the first person who has played one of their games and not felt completely eager to continue to see what else the developer has to offer, andI hope that sentiment is replicated even more.
5Red Candle Games
Masters of Range
Detention, Devotion, Nine Sols
Numerous indie developers can make the list of underrated teams, but few have the range ofRed Candle Games.
Besides creating two superb horror games, as bothDevotionandDetentionare wonderful and create sensations the big productions would love to, they are also responsible for the magnificentNine Sols.
As one of the best metroidvanias of recent years, their latest release alone is enough to make them more highly regarded than the average.
Switching from one genre to another with such quality is rarely seen in the industry, and I thinkit guarantees them additional recognition due to how difficult the feat is.
4Digital Sun Games
Creating Games Truly Worth Playing
Moonlighter, The Mageseeker, Cataclismo
As their motto suggests,Digital Sun Gamesis a small indie studio “creating games truly worth playing”, and I think that sums up my opinion of their work perfectly.
With each new release, the team has proven its ability toapproach different genres with extraordinary imagination and intelligence, producing robust games in different playable and artistic styles.
Above all, I thinkMoonlighteris their highlight given itsroguelite prominence, butThe MageseekerandCataclismoadd an enjoyable variety to their catalog that exemplifies their talent and adaptability.
Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vaultis on the way, and I believe Digital Sun Games will make a leap in popularity that truly reflects the excellent care they put into each game.
Shooters and Puzzlers
Serious Sam series, The Talos Principle series
If both theSerious SamandThe Talos Principlefranchises are underrated, there’s only one way to describe their developers atCroteam.
While the former is a historical classic of shooters and the latter is a modern classic of puzzlers, players hardly know the names of their creators.
Perhaps veterans of video games can recognize them thanks to the huge number of installments Serious Sam has,but that’s not enough given its track record.
Yet, if I have to be honest, the main reason for placing it here isThe Talos Principle 2. Being one of thebest puzzle gamesever, the fact that we’re not talking about Croteam every day is disappointing, though its merit goes beyond its latest gem.
2Gunfire Games
Literally From The Ashes
Darksiders 3, Remnant series
While I’ve always believedDarksiders 3is noticeably underrated,Gunfire Games' work with theRemnant seriesis what most supports my arguments about their undeniable talent.
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Becoming one of themost recommendable cooperative seriesof today,Remnant: From the AshesandRemnant 2are among the genre’s best representatives.
They are also thecreators of the Chronosseriesand have multiple interesting forays into virtual reality, such asFrom Other SunsandHerobound Gladiators. These don’t excite me to the same extent as the first ones mentioned, but they further broaden the developer’s journey.
Now thatDarksiders 4is a reality, I don’t accept anything less than indescribable hype for its release, as Gunfire Games has forged a tremendous path that supports them down to the last detail.
1Deconstructeam
The Best Storytellers
Gods Will Be Watching, The Red Strings Club, The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood
As of today, it isn’t easy to find a studio that tells better stories thanDeconstructeam, one of the best developers of narrative-driven games.
From their first game to their last, this small team has deliveredmany of the most memorable adventures I have had the pleasure of playing.
I’m genuinely surprised at how little support their titles get in light of their consistent excellence.Gods Will Be Watching,The Red Strings Club, andThe Cosmic Wheel Sisterhoodare three masterpieces ofpoint-and-click adventures.
I have faith that Deconstructeam will receive the popular support it deserves. In terms of stories, characters, art, and music,few independent developers can match their level.
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