I never realised the game was so well liked ! A lot of reviews I read at the time didn't rate very highly so I'm quite surprised.
You two, you do realise you totally ruined my thread now
Erm, another game............
Ah yes, Dragon Riders:Chronicles Of Pern

Everytime I play this I hear the terrible reviews ringing in my ears, they almost put me off playing it at all. But not quite. You see, I think if this game had have had a few months of tweaking, it would have become known as the British Shenmue. As it is though, it's many flaws keep it from reaching that status. A poorly implemented combat system really does let it down. Don't get me wrong though, it's still a very good game with a good story, varied characters and superb graphics. A lot has been said about L.A.Noire's realistic facial expressions - well they were a big part of the developement for this game and that was eleven years ago ! The gameplay is quite varied and enjoyable and some of the settings are very memorable.
I'd urge you to play this one through. If you're a DC connoisseur then I recommend that you take in what this game has to offer, ignore it's shortcomings, and just enjoy the experience. A guilty pleasure indeed.