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sb:recommended:playstation2 [2020/06/19 11:33] meauxdal |
sb:recommended:playstation2 [2024/02/18 22:51] (current) wourme A couple additional comments. |
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| ***//Beyond Good and Evil//** (also on: GC, Xbox, Windows. HD Re-release available on XBL, PSN) | ***//Beyond Good and Evil//** (also on: GC, Xbox, Windows. HD Re-release available on XBL, PSN) | ||
| - | * Wourme: A very memorable game. I find it hard to criticize even the aspects that may deserve criticism. | + | * wourme: Charming and memorable. I find it hard to criticize even the aspects that may deserve criticism. |
| * Rudie: I find it a nice little game. | * Rudie: I find it a nice little game. | ||
| * Felix: this is what the plebs call an underappreciated classic. A good game that can be easily mistaken for great; feels like //[[game:the_legend_of_zelda_series|Zelda]]// + (the first) //[[game:jak_and_daxter|Jak & Daxter]]//. | * Felix: this is what the plebs call an underappreciated classic. A good game that can be easily mistaken for great; feels like //[[game:the_legend_of_zelda_series|Zelda]]// + (the first) //[[game:jak_and_daxter|Jak & Daxter]]//. | ||
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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." | ||
| - | |||
| - | ***//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. | ||
| - | |||
| - | ***//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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| ***//Gitaroo Man//** (also on: PSP (with 'Live!' moniker attached)) | ***//Gitaroo Man//** (also on: PSP (with 'Live!' moniker attached)) | ||
| - | * Sniper Honeyviper: Pretty much the same thing as //[[game:parappa_the_rapper|Parappa]]// with a better note display and an added analog-fiddling mechanic that doesn't work too well. Fun for a while, but the English voice acting may drive a person insane. | ||
| * This Machine Kills Fascis: Man. //[[game:Gitaroo Man]]// is so good. Like, I really thought it was going to be a deeply flawed game that people only like for the aesthetic, but---man---I really loved the non-stop stimulation of it.\\ So much fun! Just sheer enjoyment from beginning to end, even when the imprecise joystick made it unduly frustrating.\\ If only you could use arcade sticks, it would be a perfect game. | * This Machine Kills Fascis: Man. //[[game:Gitaroo Man]]// is so good. Like, I really thought it was going to be a deeply flawed game that people only like for the aesthetic, but---man---I really loved the non-stop stimulation of it.\\ So much fun! Just sheer enjoyment from beginning to end, even when the imprecise joystick made it unduly frustrating.\\ If only you could use arcade sticks, it would be a perfect game. | ||
| * haze: I really liked //Gitaroo Man//'s approach to the [[genre:rhythm_games|rhythm game]] genre. A little bit less "pretense of simulating a real guitar/keyboard/dance floor" and a little bit less "Simon Says press these buttons" following a curved line with an analog stick is so satisfying in a mysterious way. It has nothing to do with playing a guitar, it's just the raw music being fed into you.\\ It's like a predecessor to //[[game:rhythm_heaven_series|Rhythm Heaven]]//? at least in my mind. | * haze: I really liked //Gitaroo Man//'s approach to the [[genre:rhythm_games|rhythm game]] genre. A little bit less "pretense of simulating a real guitar/keyboard/dance floor" and a little bit less "Simon Says press these buttons" following a curved line with an analog stick is so satisfying in a mysterious way. It has nothing to do with playing a guitar, it's just the raw music being fed into you.\\ It's like a predecessor to //[[game:rhythm_heaven_series|Rhythm Heaven]]//? at least in my mind. | ||
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| ***//Gungrave: Overdose//** (also on: PSN) | ***//Gungrave: Overdose//** (also on: PSN) | ||
| * Lainer: After the end of the //[[wp>Trigun]]// anime series [[wp>Yasuhiro Nightow]] tried to make a video game adaptation of it. The team eventually conceded that they could not make a video game about an immortal man who refuses to kill anyone, so instead they made a game about a dead man who kills everyone and anything those people happen to be standing next to as well, just because it's there. This is the sequel to that game. One of the player characters is a haunted guitar that fires lightning. Has about five hours of anime bullshit cutscenes, but you can skip that if you want to for the two hours of fuck-awesome gameplay. | * Lainer: After the end of the //[[wp>Trigun]]// anime series [[wp>Yasuhiro Nightow]] tried to make a video game adaptation of it. The team eventually conceded that they could not make a video game about an immortal man who refuses to kill anyone, so instead they made a game about a dead man who kills everyone and anything those people happen to be standing next to as well, just because it's there. This is the sequel to that game. One of the player characters is a haunted guitar that fires lightning. Has about five hours of anime bullshit cutscenes, but you can skip that if you want to for the two hours of fuck-awesome gameplay. | ||
| - | * Sniper Honeyviper: Some serious control issues, unfair enemies (suicide bombers with way too much health!) and sloppy graphics hold this over-ambitious little gem back from becoming //[[game:God Hand]]//'s firearm-wielding counterpart. Feels a lot longer than it is (that's a good thing), even when skipping all the aforementioned anime bullshit. Mash that square button for a screen-filling display of ballistic carnage that far surpasses anything seen in //[[devil_may_cry|DMC]]//. | ||
| ***//Haunting Ground//** | ***//Haunting Ground//** | ||
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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. | ||
| - | |||
| - | ***//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. | ||
| - | |||
| - | ***//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. | ||
| - | |||
| - | ***//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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| ***//Rez//** (also on: 360; Dreamcast) | ***//Rez//** (also on: 360; Dreamcast) | ||
| - | * Sniper Honeyviper: A glorified tech demo with some spectacular visuals and great music. Don't expect //[[game:starfox_series|Starfox]]// or //[[game:panzer_dragoon_series|Panzer Dragoon]]//. | ||
| * Felix: I think people criticize this one too much in hindsight. The early aughts were a pretty heady era of artsy game design and this game is still just really darn cool. | * Felix: I think people criticize this one too much in hindsight. The early aughts were a pretty heady era of artsy game design and this game is still just really darn cool. | ||
| * The Blueberry Hill: Don't expect //[[game:starfox_series|Starfox]]// or //[[game:panzer_dragoon_series|Panzer Dragoon]]//, but do expect a game that is carefully designed and does a good job of linking gameplay actions to music, which enables---for me---a concentrated state similar to what I experience when playing bullet hell games. It may have received some ridiculous praise, but it is still a fucking tidy game and you should play it (with headphones or a nice stereo). | * The Blueberry Hill: Don't expect //[[game:starfox_series|Starfox]]// or //[[game:panzer_dragoon_series|Panzer Dragoon]]//, but do expect a game that is carefully designed and does a good job of linking gameplay actions to music, which enables---for me---a concentrated state similar to what I experience when playing bullet hell games. It may have received some ridiculous praise, but it is still a fucking tidy game and you should play it (with headphones or a nice stereo). | ||
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| * TOLLMASTER: Advertised as “King of the Shooters.” Unless you are a bullet-hell fan, then this is definitely the case. It's the first shooter to really reward you for playing, even if you suck–there are 101 different ships to unlock. As you practice blasting off and striking the evil Bydo Empire, you'll improve in skill and not feel guilty about it as the number of craft you have slowly rises. As with most R-Type games, Final is a “tactical” shooter–success depends not only upon your skill at shooting and dodging, but making the most use of your power-ups and Force Pod configuration. | * TOLLMASTER: Advertised as “King of the Shooters.” Unless you are a bullet-hell fan, then this is definitely the case. It's the first shooter to really reward you for playing, even if you suck–there are 101 different ships to unlock. As you practice blasting off and striking the evil Bydo Empire, you'll improve in skill and not feel guilty about it as the number of craft you have slowly rises. As with most R-Type games, Final is a “tactical” shooter–success depends not only upon your skill at shooting and dodging, but making the most use of your power-ups and Force Pod configuration. | ||
| * LaserGun: Boring and uninspired, only play it if you like collecting/unlocking shit for no real reason. | * LaserGun: Boring and uninspired, only play it if you like collecting/unlocking shit for no real reason. | ||
| - | * Sniper Honeyviper: Only boring because of its absolutely glacial pace, it makes the original R-Type seem like a Gradius speed stage. Definitely not uninspired: the last stage has people fucking in the background. You can ignore the collectathon unlockable shit and play it on maximum difficulty like an arcade game if you want, though some of the ships (many of which reference classic Irem games) are really strange and fun. | + | * wourme: Such a nice atmosphere of desperate futility, and that final stage is something else. |
| | | ||
| ***//RAD: Robot Alchemic Drive / Gigantic Drive (JP)//** - [[http://www.selectbutton.net/archive/topic/5031|IC forum thread]] | ***//RAD: Robot Alchemic Drive / Gigantic Drive (JP)//** - [[http://www.selectbutton.net/archive/topic/5031|IC forum thread]] | ||
| * 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: Worth playing through multiple times to get the full story. This is basically the only video game I will say that about. |
| - | * wourme: Definitely worth playing through multiple times to get the full story. | + | |
| ***//[[game:Shadow of the Colossus]]//** (also on: PS3) | ***//[[game:Shadow of the Colossus]]//** (also on: PS3) | ||
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| * Teflon: And the guy after Matador. Not to mention the one after that. Nocturne would be a lot less frustrating if only the bosses would be say, two levels above what a non-grinding player might be expected to show up at. Instead of six. | * Teflon: And the guy after Matador. Not to mention the one after that. Nocturne would be a lot less frustrating if only the bosses would be say, two levels above what a non-grinding player might be expected to show up at. Instead of six. | ||
| * HarveyQ: It is one of the smartest, least obnoxious JRPGs ever devised. Hard as hell, but not due to grind or any sort of unfair bullshit: if you're smart and patient you will succeed. Gorgeous art direction, awesome soundtrack. | * HarveyQ: It is one of the smartest, least obnoxious JRPGs ever devised. Hard as hell, but not due to grind or any sort of unfair bullshit: if you're smart and patient you will succeed. Gorgeous art direction, awesome soundtrack. | ||
| - | * Sniper Honeyviper: Guys, Matador is a cinch with speed buffs and Bright Might abuse, like most of the bosses. | ||
| * Persona: Tokyo becomes a demon hell and only you have the power to punch gods in the face (with the most visceral SMASH sound ever) and then make them beg on their knees to join you. | * Persona: Tokyo becomes a demon hell and only you have the power to punch gods in the face (with the most visceral SMASH sound ever) and then make them beg on their knees to join you. | ||
| * Felix: Almost every other PS2 RPG is just too //slow// for my tastes and Nocturne is one of the few that seemed to be built with the console's limitations in mind. Plus it's frequently gorgeous. | * Felix: Almost every other PS2 RPG is just too //slow// for my tastes and Nocturne is one of the few that seemed to be built with the console's limitations in mind. Plus it's frequently gorgeous. | ||
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| ***//Silent Hill 4: The Room//** (also on: PC, PSN, Xbox) | ***//Silent Hill 4: The Room//** (also on: PC, PSN, Xbox) | ||
| * Rudie: While the other Silent Hill games lend themselves to multiple playthroughs, a lot of this game hinges on surprise and not knowing what to expect. You explore the titular room in first-person, and totally hit the shit out of dogs with a charge meter and typical third-person. | * Rudie: While the other Silent Hill games lend themselves to multiple playthroughs, a lot of this game hinges on surprise and not knowing what to expect. You explore the titular room in first-person, and totally hit the shit out of dogs with a charge meter and typical third-person. | ||
| + | * wourme: This is the only video game that's ever given me a nightmare. It was the first Silent Hill game I played and I still think about it a lot years later. | ||
| ***//Siren//** | ***//Siren//** | ||
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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. | ||
| - | |||
| - | ***//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) | ||
| - | |||
| - | ***//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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| ***//Viewtiful Joe (1 and 2)//** (also on: Gamecube) | ***//Viewtiful Joe (1 and 2)//** (also on: Gamecube) | ||
| * Rudie: They are pretty much the exact same game. Cool 2d platformer/beatem up with super powers. I liked the Boss Rush because it made me go zen and I got the highest score possible on that stage. Viewtiful. | * Rudie: They are pretty much the exact same game. Cool 2d platformer/beatem up with super powers. I liked the Boss Rush because it made me go zen and I got the highest score possible on that stage. Viewtiful. | ||
| - | * Sniper Honeyviper: Doesn't deserve all the praise it gets, but it's a highly entertaining and wonderfully quirky attempt at re-conceptualizing the beat-em-up. Terribly hateful stage late in the game where you have to re-fight all the bosses except everything's covered in purple--I thought they stopped pulling this crap in the SNES era. The sequel unnecessarily tacks on to the mechanics but offers more varied level design. Worth noting that the PS2 version of VJ1 has a playable Dante, although the GC has better graphics, controls and load times. | ||
| ***//Virtua Cop: Re-Birth//** | ***//Virtua Cop: Re-Birth//** | ||
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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. | ||