Welcome to Games Obscura......

Howdy, internet wanderers, and welcome to Games Obscura; a blog dedicated to the underrated, the forgotten, the under-appreciated, and the downright weird. I'm The Gameslinger; lifelong gamer and video game aficionado. I've been wielding a controller since I was just three years old, when my parents dusted off their old Atari 2600 and gave me a shot at it. Since that day, video games grew to be one of my greatest and most passionate interests, and a huge influence on my life and who I am.

In my gaming travels, I've played many games, and learned a decent amount about them; including their industry, their history and the talented people who create them. I’ve played many of the classics and mainstream hits; from Mario to Gears of War to Final Fantasy. But, as a curious and adventurous gamer, I also have made it a point to stray from the beaten path, to seek out the lesser known, the under-appreciated; even the poorly received or panned; and to give them the honest chance many of them deserve. There is more to the gaming scene, or even to an individual game, than one might see at first glance….


Some games were truly great, but fell by the wayside. Some are barely even heard of. Others were flawed, but had some very interesting ideas or elements to them. And some are just so weird you have to love them.

In that spirit, that is essentially the mission of The Gameslinger, and the topic of Games Obscura; to seek out games that are, for one reason or another, forgotten, under-appreciated, strange, or even poorly received, and give them a good, honest second chance. Some of the games I’ll talk about are amazing games; simply lost in the shuffle and left behind. Others are just plain weird; and yet still unique and enjoyable. Yet others are games that have been poorly received, meeting with lackluster reviews and press; and yet have positive, interesting or original concepts or aspects that make them worth a second look, even despite their flaws. (So, no, this won’t be a blog for discussing ridiculous dredge like Cheetahmen.)


Deadly Premonition is a perfect example. Quirky, low-budget, technically flawed, and met with a mixed critical reception. Yet it carved out a hardcore fanbase among gamers who picked it up, and found a game that was far more than meets the eye.

This blog will cover at least one game each week, with the objective being an in-depth, honest look at the game in question. I’ll discuss flaws, but emphasize the positive aspects of the game and what makes it worth a look. I’ll also discuss the facts and/or history of it, and my personal opinion on it. The goal is to remain objective and honest, but to keep a positive overall; there’s enough bashing and negativity towards games on the internet already, so this blog will attempt to remain positive instead. Readers can also rest assured that any game covered will be well-researched and played thoroughly; in addition to negativity, there’s also too much uninformed or under-informed ranting and raving on the internet, and this won’t be another place for that. In most cases, to fairly judge and discuss a game, one needs to invest time and effort into it. With this blog and the articles in it, I’ll do my very best to do just that.


Illbleed for the Dreamcast. A truly bizarre and incredibly unique game.

With all this in mind, I also would also like to say that I encourage community involvement on this blog! If you have anything to say about a game I’m discussing, feel free to comment and express your opinion on it, or discuss it with others. Love it? Hate it? Never played it, but think it looks interesting? Got questions? Think I’m nuts? I encourage discussion, just as long as it’s (obviously) nothing hostile.

Most importantly, if you have suggestions of games you think I should look into and write about in this blog, then let me know. I’m completely open to suggestions and requests for games to cover. And while I might not cover them the very next day, ( like I said, I like to spent time and effort to fairly discuss a game), rest assured I will respond to all requests and do my best to research, play and cover as many as possible.

Send any requests to: gamesobscura@hotmail.com

So, if you have an interest in the underrated, the forgotten, the strange, or the obscure side of gaming, then stick around, and keep an eye on The Gameslinger and Games Obscura. I’ll be updating regularly. Hope to see you here.