5 most underrated launches of last generation that deserve second chance on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S

The last generation of console gaming was pretty exciting, with multiple stellar releases for Sony's PlayStation and Microsoft's Xbox.

The former's strategy was to focus more on high-budget exclusives, which would force gamers to choose it. In contrast, Microsoft focused on building a more inclusive ecosystem with an extensive, well-rounded catalog of titles that encouraged cross-play and community building.

As the console wars progressed frantically over the last two decades, the inadvertent casualties were the games themselves, with many being answers to a competitor's title or produced and forgotten before moving on to greener pastures.

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Underrated titles from last generation that will do better with relaunch on the PS5 or Xbox X|S

5) Heavenly Sword

Ninja Theory, the same developers who brought us Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, were responsible for this PS3 exclusive released in 2007. This last-gen hack & slash adventure offering intrigued many with its martial-arts-inspired combat style, but its impressive presentation did not result in the expected level of sales.

The voice acting was fantastic, and the facial animation was far ahead of its time. The lack of different enemy types, however, made the combat feel quite repetitive and drove players to the bigger budget titles, which were anyway given more love by the press.

With a bit of touch-up to the storyline and other improvements to bring it up to date, this action-adventure title from the last generation would be well received with a PS5 relaunch.

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4) PlayStation All-Stars: Battle Royale

Drawing lots of inspiration from Nintendo's Smash Bros, Playstation's All-Stars is a bona fide fighting game from the last generation with a unique take on the heavily competitive, fun, and accessible multiplayer madness.

Featuring iconic characters from PlayStation exclusives, the title delivered a fighting experience where no two characters play the same, but none felt underpowered.

Each level was a bizarre combination of two PlayStation franchises, and the mashups made for memorable gameplay.

The game reimagined many aspects of the genre and did many things differently from traditional fighting titles. The engaging multiplayer experience would be like a breath of fresh air if reimagined for the PS5.

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3) The Darkness 2

One of the darker FPS experiences of the last generation, the comic book-style horrific violence of the game was established by its predecessor. The protagonist, Jackie Estacado, a mob boss, is blessed with demonic powers in the form of two extra unearthly arms that can toss around environmental objects and even tear enemies limb from limb.

The combat system was vastly superior to the first part and empowered gamers to use the destructive abilities in the most imaginative ways and rampage through enemies almost artfully. Though the story felt almost lazy at times, the slower, more story-focused scenes helped the pacing, giving it some less intense moments before ramping things back up.

The premise of this last generation title was infinitely fun and allowed a gameplay and combat experience which challenged players to dismember foes creatively. A PS5 version of this gory experience would be welcome by the violence-loving gamers of today.

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2) The Saboteur

None but the folks at Pandemic Studios guessed that an Irishman with a colorful past wrecking havoc in Nazi-occupied France would be such an exciting premise. This last-generation open-world title masterfully balanced a user's freedom of choice with a storyline that pushed them towards the main objective.

Though designed as a stealth game, players quickly realized that the protagonist was a bullet sponge and could take more than 50 shots from a submachine gun before dying. Couple this with near-instant health regeneration, and they didn't take long to figure out that taking on every Nazi in sight was infinitely more engaging than sneaking about.

Aside from this game-breaking feature which meant that it was played much differently than the developers intended, the title had lots of content with an authentic feel of the times. Originally released for the Xbox One, the Saboteur is a deserving candidate that would shine on the Xbox X|S.

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1) Spec Ops: The Line

Released in 2012, this third-person shooter by German studio Yager Developments was one of the best thriller video games of the last generation. With a stellar storyline that sends players down an ever-worsening rabbit hole of bad decisions, it delivers a memorable plot twist by the end.

Intense encounters across the abandoned and sand-filled city of Dubai and combat that felt different every time made for a solid experience, but what shone through was the sense of regret Team Delta felt at the end of each firefight. It is very rare for a shooter to deliver an emotional experience, and gamers can feel the protagonist's will ebbing by the end of each fight.

Art is often a matter of taste, which is probably why this masterpiece wasn't a commercial success. Today, with a much more mature audience, a remake of this last generation game for the Xbox X|S would surely leave a more significant mark.

Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the writer's opinions.