Good games not selling.  Not the best games ever, but good games.   Games that should have sold more than they did for their quality.

Urban Reign http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkZDM25FF1I
MS Saga http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRrcvFOd35w
The Saboteur
Yakiuza series http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDlArIv4V0Y http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWK749b-m5w

Also only a few games, not some massive list, but really underrated games for sure. 

*edit*

Haven't read any posts yet, but my ilsting the Yakuza series is kind of hypocritical.  Since they're constant sequels and ripoffs of one another, but s till good games that didn't s ell.

I did originally write up a few paragraphs about how journalists and gamers are there reason for overrating certain games while scoring others poorly for one reason or another.  I deleted everything something short, minus a lot of "what ifs" and such.  I think these games listed are extremely underrated.  All of these games are a lot better than their Metacritic scores make them out to be.

Gaming has become 'mainstream'. Most people are 'dumb', therefore stupid games sell. GTA generates all of the attention while it is at best a decent copy of it's 123 predecessors. Attempts like Beyond get overshadowed by generic sequels. That's what people want. Listening to Bieber and Lady Gaga instead of Beethoven. Not so much pleasing to the ears but easy to process.

/rant

Good games not selling have happened since the 16 bit days, and probably before that.

What is causing this is that the sales treshold to become profitable has increased due to the inflated budgets of today's games, so what we get is tons of games that try to copy and/or mix elements from the best selling games, because everything else seems too risky.

I don't consider games art so I don't buy games just to reward innovative attempts like Beyond. I buy what I like, I'm not doing charity. (I bought GTAV because I like it, and no, it's more than a just decent copy of its predeccessors). People are entitled to buy whatever they want, it's always been like this.

The reason why games are becoming generic ripoffs is beacuse development budgets have grown too much so no one is willing to take risks anymore, also since a great part of that budget is used on marketing, publishers are more concerned to make a game look cool rather creating a deep and innovative gameplay experience. On the other hand, yes I would agree to say a great part of gamers gives a lot more attention to presentation values rather than on gameplay values.

I've only heard that one famous Lady Gaga song and I have no idea how Bieber sounds. I listen to Beethoven almost every day.

IN YOUR FACE!

Cause the core market is overestimated and actually too small to support those kinda games.. the casual market is far more important but when publishers realized that it was too late.. the B, Licensed and shovelware games, which made them good money, and it audience already moved to the glorious mobile gaming platform..

but exclusive indies will save you console peasants.. unless they are overflooding the consoles with indies so that there are too many and no one will buy them..

Some of it is just budget. You can't be as risky with a multi million dollar game.

I'd look out of indies that you like. Then share them here. Help get them an audience, so they can make more games.

It is interesting that you picked Beethoven as an example, who was pretty much a Rockstar (pun intended) of his time and overshadowed other composers with immensly popular work.

Just saying.

This

as someone said, the core market is too small, games are now mainstream so only pop games sell. thats how industries work (music, cinema...) actually thats how uninformed lazy consumers head works

in the past games like W101 wouldve sold a lot more