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sb:recommended:playstation2 [2020/06/19 11:33] meauxdal |
sb:recommended:playstation2 [2021/04/24 17:56] alfred Removed some games. Added Jellicle on DMC1 & Sleazy on Jade Coccoon |
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| ***//Dark Cloud//** (also on: PSN) | ***//Dark Cloud//** (also on: PSN) | ||
| * Felix: Billed for some reason as a "//[[game:the_legend_of_zelda_series|Zelda]]// killer" back in its day, it's actually a really boring [[genre:dungeon_crawlers|dungeon crawler]] stapled to a really good 3D //[[game:Actraiser]]//! Unfortunately to this day there's no way to just play the //Actraiser// segments. The sequel is a little less sparse, though it's also one of the earlier examples of Level 5 just shitting a bunch of [[genre:rpgs|RPG]] shit onto a disc and calling it "charming." | * Felix: Billed for some reason as a "//[[game:the_legend_of_zelda_series|Zelda]]// killer" back in its day, it's actually a really boring [[genre:dungeon_crawlers|dungeon crawler]] stapled to a really good 3D //[[game:Actraiser]]//! Unfortunately to this day there's no way to just play the //Actraiser// segments. The sequel is a little less sparse, though it's also one of the earlier examples of Level 5 just shitting a bunch of [[genre:rpgs|RPG]] shit onto a disc and calling it "charming." | ||
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| - | ***//Dark Cloud 2 (US)/ Dark Chronicle//** | ||
| - | * MOAI: This is a game about having an overwhelming amount of things to do. Yes, there's randomly generated dungeons to crawl. But you could also build a town. Or take photographs. Or invent things. Or upgrade your weapons. Or play golf. Or catch some fish, and then put them in a tank together and have them fight to the death. Etc. It was certainly impressive back when I first played it. | ||
| ***//Demon Chaos / Ikasugami (JP)//** | ***//Demon Chaos / Ikasugami (JP)//** | ||
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| ***//Devil May Cry//** (also on: 360, PS3) | ***//Devil May Cry//** (also on: 360, PS3) | ||
| - | * gatotsu2501: The camera, controls, leftover elements from //[[game:Resident Evil]]// and just general roughness of the formula on display all age the game pretty severely at first, but stick with it until you learn its rhythm and it's pretty darn fun. If nothing else, like //[[game:the_legend_of_zelda_ocarina_of_time|Ocarina of Time]]// it's still worth playing to witness ground zero of the beginning of an era and invention of a genre. | + | * jellicle: Dmc 1 is a nice spooky castle fixed angle game and I recommend it. |
| ***//Devil May Cry 3//** (also on: 360, PS3) | ***//Devil May Cry 3//** (also on: 360, PS3) | ||
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| * The Blueberry Hill: This the only contemporary //[[game:final_fantasy_series|Final Fantasy]]// game that has seemed interesting to me. And the appeal mostly comes from the way the combat works. The cast are (probably) still the same intelligence-offending twits, but it didn't grate so much now that the place and interaction with monsters/whatevers feels somewhat sensible and credible. It's also well worth noting that the //Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System// version (which has an [[http://psx-scene.com/forums/f164/ff12-international-zodiac-job-system-english-conversion-62222/|English patch]]) makes some welcome changes, particularly the availability of all gambits without the need for purchase. | * The Blueberry Hill: This the only contemporary //[[game:final_fantasy_series|Final Fantasy]]// game that has seemed interesting to me. And the appeal mostly comes from the way the combat works. The cast are (probably) still the same intelligence-offending twits, but it didn't grate so much now that the place and interaction with monsters/whatevers feels somewhat sensible and credible. It's also well worth noting that the //Final Fantasy XII International Zodiac Job System// version (which has an [[http://psx-scene.com/forums/f164/ff12-international-zodiac-job-system-english-conversion-62222/|English patch]]) makes some welcome changes, particularly the availability of all gambits without the need for purchase. | ||
| * Felix: It's a great game in that it provides the most elegant, streamlined take on jRPG random battles (read: a solution to a stubbornly bad thing that makes it pleasantly trivial rather than necessarily exciting) ever made, hands down. Also, as others in this thread have said, the visuals and the world/dungeon design are leagues better than its peers, and while the //Final Fantasy//-esque aspects of the game's main narrative mostly don't work with Matsuno's storytelling, the extraneous callouts to //Final Fantasy// in general are surprisingly nice. Avoid the Zodiac edition though; the job system actually kind of ruins the customization options (apparently the PS4 release fixes this). It also upscales ridiculously well. | * Felix: It's a great game in that it provides the most elegant, streamlined take on jRPG random battles (read: a solution to a stubbornly bad thing that makes it pleasantly trivial rather than necessarily exciting) ever made, hands down. Also, as others in this thread have said, the visuals and the world/dungeon design are leagues better than its peers, and while the //Final Fantasy//-esque aspects of the game's main narrative mostly don't work with Matsuno's storytelling, the extraneous callouts to //Final Fantasy// in general are surprisingly nice. Avoid the Zodiac edition though; the job system actually kind of ruins the customization options (apparently the PS4 release fixes this). It also upscales ridiculously well. | ||
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| - | ***//Freedom Fighters / Freedom: The Battle for Liberty Island//** (also on: GC, PC, XBox) | ||
| - | * somes: //Freedom Fighters// was incredibly awesome. a third person shooter where you could direct a tiny squad of soldiers as you decimated a seemingly insurmountable Russian army.\\ The feeling I got from fighting against all odds, launching a guerrilla war from the sewers, always drastically outnumbered and pressured to get to the target with limited resources, frantically considering strategy while keeping an eye out for that next APC full of enemy reinforcements---has yet to be matched. I'm still waiting for a third person shooter with half the atmosphere. | ||
| - | * Toptube: hey freedom fighters is a fun game. its like dungeon siege but with guns all the time. and you directly control one of them. and I like the controls because you can take cover well, without having to rely on fumbly context controls. | ||
| ***//Genji//** | ***//Genji//** | ||
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| ***//Jade Cocoon 2 / The Story of the Jade Cacoon 2 (JP)//** | ***//Jade Cocoon 2 / The Story of the Jade Cacoon 2 (JP)//** | ||
| + | * Sleazy: if ur at the anime con come to room 305 and bring ur memory cards we doing jade cocoon 2 money matches. minneapolis ruleset only | ||
| ***//Katamari Damacy / Katamari Damashii (JP)//** | ***//Katamari Damacy / Katamari Damashii (JP)//** | ||
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| ***//Metal Saga//** | ***//Metal Saga//** | ||
| * Lainer: Not Mad Max: The JRPG, but about as close as we're going to get in an English release. Collect tanks and outfit them with cannons so big they look like they come from WH40k. Collect bounties on colorful criminals and improbable robot monstrosities. Buy a tanuki statue and some wallpaper for your room, then send a wedding dress to your mother. | * Lainer: Not Mad Max: The JRPG, but about as close as we're going to get in an English release. Collect tanks and outfit them with cannons so big they look like they come from WH40k. Collect bounties on colorful criminals and improbable robot monstrosities. Buy a tanuki statue and some wallpaper for your room, then send a wedding dress to your mother. | ||
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| - | ***//Michigan: Report from Hell (PAL) / Michigan (JP)//** | ||
| - | * Sketch: [[company_grasshopper|Grasshopper]] game. Basically an FMV game except with 3D models. You spend most of your time watching cut-scenes and listening to dialogue. There’s a couple of puzzles, sort of, but really it’s all about watching the footage and listening to people talk. I liked it. | ||
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| - | ***//Mister Mosquito//** | ||
| - | * Sketch: Really cool arcade-style mosquito-sim. Weird, but genuinely fun. Like //[[game:Pilotwings 64]]// in mosquito form. | ||
| ***//MLB Power Pros 2008//** (also on: DS; Wii) | ***//MLB Power Pros 2008//** (also on: DS; Wii) | ||
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| ***//NiGHTS: into Dreams (JP)//** (also: Saturn) | ***//NiGHTS: into Dreams (JP)//** (also: Saturn) | ||
| * Rudie: It looks like you remember, but has the option to play it like it actually did. Includes Christmas NiGHTS. | * Rudie: It looks like you remember, but has the option to play it like it actually did. Includes Christmas NiGHTS. | ||
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| - | ***//Odin Sphere//** (also on: PSN) | ||
| - | * Sniper Honeyviper: A side-scrolling action RPG with some pretty graphics and a well-told story. However, they incorporated an awful system that punishes you for stringing together long combos, as a crutch for the damage balancing. Doesn't help that it's extremely repetitive, and crippled by loading times and slowdown. Play it through on Easy to see the best 2D visuals on the PS2. | ||
| - | * Sketch: The repetitive nature of the combat and item creation renders this a bit of a grind. But oh my god, is it pretty to look at. | ||
| ***//Onimusha//** | ***//Onimusha//** | ||
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| * Tollmaster: Exhilarating action game that actually makes you feel like you are driving a giant robot. Probably the first game to give the player the sense of scale involved, by forcing the player to drive the robot from the perspective of the pilot, who flys around from building to building on an antigrav device. The combat is deeper that it first looks, but perhaps not deep enough, and the production values–graphics, VAs, etc.–are terrible, but the game is fun enough to recommend a playthrough. The 2P Battle Mode can be fun, if chaotic. | * Tollmaster: Exhilarating action game that actually makes you feel like you are driving a giant robot. Probably the first game to give the player the sense of scale involved, by forcing the player to drive the robot from the perspective of the pilot, who flys around from building to building on an antigrav device. The combat is deeper that it first looks, but perhaps not deep enough, and the production values–graphics, VAs, etc.–are terrible, but the game is fun enough to recommend a playthrough. The 2P Battle Mode can be fun, if chaotic. | ||
| * The Blueberry Hill: Toll's summed it all up. I just want to add an endorsement for this, and everything else [[company:Sandlot]] has made. Well, I dispute the 'terrible' graphics comment. | * The Blueberry Hill: Toll's summed it all up. I just want to add an endorsement for this, and everything else [[company:Sandlot]] has made. Well, I dispute the 'terrible' graphics comment. | ||
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| - | ***//Sakura Wars: So Long, My Love / Sakura Wars V ~Farewell, My Love~ (JP)//** (also on: Wii) - [[http://forums.selectbutton.net/viewtopic.php?t=26932|Read the thread]] | ||
| ***//Samurai Western//** | ***//Samurai Western//** | ||
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| ***//Shadow of Memories / Shadow of Destiny//** | ***//Shadow of Memories / Shadow of Destiny//** | ||
| - | * Sketch: The main game takes about 4 hours with subsequent playthroughs less than hour. After seeing 2 endings you probably won’t bother playing further, but it’s a game everyone should play once. It’s basically a graphic adventure about time travel, except you’ve a 3D avatar to control. Not much interaction, but still interesting. | ||
| * wourme: Definitely worth playing through multiple times to get the full story. | * wourme: Definitely worth playing through multiple times to get the full story. | ||
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| ***//Siren 2 (PAL/JP)//** | ***//Siren 2 (PAL/JP)//** | ||
| - | * Sketch: Much easier than the first installment, and probably my favourite game on the system. It does things with light and darkness which I’ve only ever really seen in Chronicles of Riddick, and even then not as good, since here you sometimes need to cling to the light for survival. | ||
| * Rudie: Yes it is easier! | * Rudie: Yes it is easier! | ||
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| ***//Skygunner//** | ***//Skygunner//** | ||
| - | * Sketch: Fantastic aerial shooter with anime stylings and a rock solid combo scoring system. I wrote about The Gamer’s Quarter, and it’s definitely in my top 5 games for the system. | ||
| * nocturnedelight: Only game on PS2 I felt bad for selling to Gamestop. | * nocturnedelight: Only game on PS2 I felt bad for selling to Gamestop. | ||
| * Mr. Mechanical: It's an arcadey shooter type game with three different main characters who each have their own aircraft with special abilities. You had multiple primary and secondary objectives to complete during the missions, and lots of unlockable stuff if you were good at getting high scores. The only thing I can really hold against it is that it's kind of difficult to control, no matter which control setup you use (I think it had like two different options). It's just confusing because you have to work against the camera sometimes. Very much worth checking out if you're willing to get inside the game and figure out how to really play it effectively. I had it for a while a couple years ago before I had to sell it but I would like to own it again someday. | * Mr. Mechanical: It's an arcadey shooter type game with three different main characters who each have their own aircraft with special abilities. You had multiple primary and secondary objectives to complete during the missions, and lots of unlockable stuff if you were good at getting high scores. The only thing I can really hold against it is that it's kind of difficult to control, no matter which control setup you use (I think it had like two different options). It's just confusing because you have to work against the camera sometimes. Very much worth checking out if you're willing to get inside the game and figure out how to really play it effectively. I had it for a while a couple years ago before I had to sell it but I would like to own it again someday. | ||
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| - | ***//Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves//** (also on: PS3) | ||
| - | * kzkb1: The amount of creativity and variety in //Sly 3// is unmatched by anything else I've seen in a 3D platformer. It seamlessly transitions, for example, from rail shooter to a 3D boss fight above the trees like something out of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (ie unique play mechanics for the game) to platforming above a level with everchanging telekinetically controlled objects as your only path to a ninja-style battle in a destructible bamboo forest (complete with evil magic being thrown about) to a classic adventure game dialogue tree section (with only one character involved) to controlling an RC car to get through a heavily trapped vault. Or another (non-Asian themed) level might involve stealing a pirate ship in a traditional platforming section, then sailing the high seas from an isometric perspective, during which engaging in JRPG-style 'zoomed in' battles against fleets of enemy pirate ships (during which you have to steer, time your cannon shots, fight off boarding parties, keep fires under control, and then board the enemy vessel yourself), while you get to an island where you have to figure out a pirate map puzzle (using a very cool new map system that only shows up at that point of the game) to find where the treasure is buried. Shortly after that you might travel underwater in a first person view to get sunken treasure, or fight a giant seamonster, or break into a pirate fortress, or have to trick some old pirates through dialogue choices into helping you...etc., etc. It's an astoundingly diverse experience. | ||
| ***//SoulCalibur II//** (also on: Gamecube, Xbox) | ***//SoulCalibur II//** (also on: Gamecube, Xbox) | ||
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| ***//Star Wars Battlefront II//** (also on: PC, Xbox) | ***//Star Wars Battlefront II//** (also on: PC, Xbox) | ||
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| - | ***//Stella Deus//** | ||
| ***//Steambot Chronicles//** - [[http://forums.selectbutton.net/viewtopic.php?t=22873|forum thread]] | ***//Steambot Chronicles//** - [[http://forums.selectbutton.net/viewtopic.php?t=22873|forum thread]] | ||
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| ***//Tetsujin 28-Go (JP only)//** | ***//Tetsujin 28-Go (JP only)//** | ||
| * The Blueberry Hill: For me it's the pinacle of [[company:Sandlot]]'s [[theme:mecha_games|big robot games]]. The controls are simpler than the others, which I was surprised to find is a good thing! Something I always forget when I haven't played the game for a while is the great potential for interesting player-created narrative here: partly due to the amount the world reacts to actions of the characters (buildings collapsing, a lot of things can be used as weapons, etc.), partly because of the speed of the game (which gives each action big consequence), and partly because of the low quantity of participants (each enemy is a big personality). I guess this is all true of much of Sandlot's output, and a big part of what I like about them. I'm waffling, but if you like very big robots, [[pattern:fighting_for_control|thoughtfully awkward controls]], [[wp>Gigantor]], and player-created narrative try this game. It's in Japanese, but my lack of it was no barrier. | * The Blueberry Hill: For me it's the pinacle of [[company:Sandlot]]'s [[theme:mecha_games|big robot games]]. The controls are simpler than the others, which I was surprised to find is a good thing! Something I always forget when I haven't played the game for a while is the great potential for interesting player-created narrative here: partly due to the amount the world reacts to actions of the characters (buildings collapsing, a lot of things can be used as weapons, etc.), partly because of the speed of the game (which gives each action big consequence), and partly because of the low quantity of participants (each enemy is a big personality). I guess this is all true of much of Sandlot's output, and a big part of what I like about them. I'm waffling, but if you like very big robots, [[pattern:fighting_for_control|thoughtfully awkward controls]], [[wp>Gigantor]], and player-created narrative try this game. It's in Japanese, but my lack of it was no barrier. | ||
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| - | ***//The Thing//** | ||
| - | * Sketch: I loved the film //The Thing//, and this is as perfect a game-sequel as I could have wanted. The submarine section was a bit shit, and it goes all shooty shooty in the last levels, but for a while at least, this is a fucking awesome, terrifying homage to the original film. You’ve got to keep your team calm and sane, while keeping a watchful eye on everyone, because you never know, one of them might be The Thing. And it’s genuinely random, because once, I used a blood testing kit on myself because my team mates were freaking out and making accusations about who to trust, and you know what? I turned into a monster and it was game over! Guess they were right. | ||
| ***//Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero//** | ***//Tokyo Xtreme Racer Zero//** | ||
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| ***//Wild Arms 4//** | ***//Wild Arms 4//** | ||
| * Lainer: How do you revive a second-rate franchise whose previous entry was perhaps the least interesting game of the decade? Gutting the battle system and replacing it with a new tile based system that is both unique and fun is a good start. Making talking heads cutscenes that are actually interesting to watch is also helpful! | * Lainer: How do you revive a second-rate franchise whose previous entry was perhaps the least interesting game of the decade? Gutting the battle system and replacing it with a new tile based system that is both unique and fun is a good start. Making talking heads cutscenes that are actually interesting to watch is also helpful! | ||
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| - | ***//Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht//** | ||
| - | * Ni Go Zero Ichi: Okay, so don't actually play this game, let alone any of its sequels. They're not good. However, if you really liked the insane world and mind-exploding late-game plot twists of //Xenogears//, an afternoon spent reading a series plot synopsis and/or browsing the [[http://xenosaga.wikia.com/|Xenosaga wiki]], while listening to //Episode I//'s soundtrack (//II// and //III//'s OSTs are extremely hit-or-miss, so consider seeking out recommendations on which tracks to bother with before diving into them) is something I can recommend. Just don't be fooled into thinking that anything in the actual games is even remotely as interesting in its execution as it sounds on paper. | ||
| ***//Yakuza//** (also on: Wii U (JP only)) | ***//Yakuza//** (also on: Wii U (JP only)) | ||
| * Rudie: It's exactly //[[game:River City Ransom]]// in 3D. The random battles really get to you though. | * Rudie: It's exactly //[[game:River City Ransom]]// in 3D. The random battles really get to you though. | ||
| - | * Sketch: Basically //River City Ransom// set in the Tokyo suburbs. This was criminally overlooked, and I’ve seen sealed copies for less than £10. You play a member of the Japanese mafia wandering around Tokyo. Hit people with chains and trashcans. Go to stores and buy food. Do missions. Like I said, just like //RCR//. | ||
| * Felix: I was really put off by this when it came out, because I loved Sega AV's Gamecube titles (Monkey Ball and F-Zero) and Yakuza just felt so damn stiff, with the random battle transitions and all. I guess it's pretty well-regarded but I never got it. | * Felix: I was really put off by this when it came out, because I loved Sega AV's Gamecube titles (Monkey Ball and F-Zero) and Yakuza just felt so damn stiff, with the random battle transitions and all. I guess it's pretty well-regarded but I never got it. | ||