5 Best Capcom Games Everyone Forgot

Capcom is one of the most storied developers in gaming history. They are the publisher and developer behind hit series like Dead Rising, Mega Man, Monster Hunter, Street Fighter, Resident Evil, and so many more. With how popular the studio has become, some of its best games are bound to fall through the cracks. After all, Capcom is putting out new games all the time. It’s nearly impossible to keep up with their release cadence over the years. Several of these overlooked classics deserve much more love than they get.

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Here are the five best Capcom games that many have forgotten.

5) Shadow of Rome

Shadow of Rome is an action-adventure game set during a fictionalized version of the assassination of Julius Caesar. In addition to the over-the-top gladiator fights, you’ll also need to jump into some admittedly unimpressive stealth sequences from time to time.

Still, the gladiator combat featured a fair amount of depth, introducing the Salvo system, which tried to highlight the audience factor of arena battles. At certain points, you could pull off more audacious attacks to try to sate the crowd’s bloodlust.

Capcom was so pleased with Shadow of Rome‘s feature set during development that a sequel started production when the original game launched. However, poor sales led to a pivot, scrapping the planning series. Instead, several ideas from that game eventually came together to become Dead Rising, a much more successful Capcom series.

4) Lost Planet

Lost Planet did get two sequels, and there were talks about a live-action movie written by David Hayter (the voice of Solid Snake in Metal Gear Solid). Unfortunately, the sequels were largely a disappointment, and the film project was scrapped in 2014.

That said, the first game was visually impressive and featured combat that forced you to constantly move forward to stay out of the chilling temperatures of E.D.N. III. It was a nifty mixture of mechs and on-foot fighting that stood out from the overly brown color palette that plagued much of the Xbox 360 era.

The second and third games were, as mentioned, a step back from the original, but it’s important to note that many players loved Lost Planet 2‘s multiplayer. That doesn’t make up for the lackluster campaign, but it did help it review much better than the third game.

3) Strider

The original Strider is one of the more important games of its era, thanks in part to its influence on games like Devil May Cry, Ninja Gaiden, and God of War. Strider‘s over-the-top action sequences made it a standout arcade and console game that set the bar for future Capcom games.

It also has a weird lineage because the NES game features an entirely different plot, with some considering it a totally different game. Meanwhile, the Genesis port is much more faithful and was rewarded with Game of the Year awards from publications like Electronic Gaming Monthly.

Decades later, Capcom brought in Double Helix for a reboot project. It was also a stylish action game that felt like the perfect throwback. It sold relatively well, but we haven’t seen anything else from Strider since 2014. It’s high time we get another game in the cult classic series.

2) Demon’s Crest

Ghosts ‘N Goblins‘ enemy character, Firebrand, got his own trilogy of games after becoming a fan favorite. The saga started with Gargoyle’s Quest on the Game Boy and continued with Gargoyle’s Quest 2 on the NES. When the SNES rolled around, Capcom brought Firebrand back for a 16-bit sequel called Demon’s Crest.

Demon’s Crest is a relatively complex action platform that mixes in RPG elements. There’s also a bit of Metroidvania because you’ll need to revisit areas after finding new crests to access rooms, items, and enemies you couldn’t get to before. On top of that, it has a striking look and great bosses.

Unfortunately, Demon’s Crest went largely unnoticed by fans. Capcom deemed it a commercial failure at launch and even scrapped a proposed Game Boy Advance port. It’s too bad because it’s a solid 16-bit action RPG that could’ve been expanded upon.

1) Viewtiful Joe

Viewtiful Joe might as well be the poster boy for “underrated classics.” The GameCube and PlayStation 2 game launched to incredible reviews, with many outlets calling it one of the best action games on the market. It featured gorgeous cell-shaded visuals and an ambitious take on beat-’em-up action.

Using the Viewtful Effects Power, players have access to abilities that mimic camera tricks seen in TV and films. You can slow time, switch to mach speed, or switch to a close-up, where you’ll deal more damage. The powers can also combine to give you plenty of tools to take down your enemies.

Despite all the praise, Viewtiful Joe was a sales disappointment for Capcom. Still, it had a relatively modest budget, so the publisher greenlit a sequel and a few spin-offs. Unfortunately, we haven’t had a new game in more than a decade, and it doesn’t look like that’s changing any time soon.