Make no mistake, you will die like a fly playing this game, very early and very often. But the pattern design is good enough that skill and perceptive analysis offers the possibility of mastery for dedicated players. Bringing something new to the table, The Mark of Kri was a refreshing gameplay experience and displayed a unique graphical style. Making use of the dual analog sticks, it managed to make fighting with multiple opponents an accessible and fun, yet challenging, experience, while still giving players the opportunity to try other approaches, like shooting enemies at a distance with a bow or crawling sneakily from behind.
The visual style, the closer you get to an animated look without using cell-shading, is brilliant, and the mix between cartoonish characters and scenes of extreme graphic violence gives this game a unique and compelling look. Even though it went relatively unnoticed by the genreal public it did warrant a sequel on the PS2 by the name of Rise of the Kasai.
For a game that can easily degenerate from a stealth mission to taking on a swarm of enemies single-handed, this is important and the easy to use controls certainly help out immensely. Actually, everything about the game from the story to the music to the characters is funny, wacky and over the top.
Also, all of the things that make the game initially frustrating initially difficulty, randomness, etc will become less and less of a problem as you find yourself slowly mastering the game. God Hand puts the fun back in beating people retarded. The other missing half was a decent combat system that could incorporate timing and reflexes into the traditional button-mashing slop. The challenge can be intense, the music is fabulous, the graphics are beautiful, and it has solid control.
Besides, when was the last time you played through an adventure using a sword wielding gender-neutral marital arts master anyway? After a long line of annual installments and an attempt at bringing the series to 3D, SNK Playmore got back to the two-dimensional roots and ditched the yearly suffix. Since it was designed for the Atomiswave arcade system instead of the classic Neo-Geo MVS hardware, it has a more modern look to it than previous 2D installments.
The PS2 is also the only console to receive a port and has a number of great exclusive characters over the arcade. Leader Desperation Moves are still in there too but XI introduces the Dream Cancel option to make the chances of ever landing some of these more realistic. Possibly the best SNK fighters ever, Fatal Fury: Mark of the Wolves takes place well after the events of the previous games in the series.
This gave SNK the opportunity to explore their creativity in bringing fresh characters and a new style in terms of both fighting and aesthetics. Loading times are almost non-existent.
Arc System Works the development team behind the Guilty Gear series created this stunning anime-based fighter for the Atomiswave arcade platform and it was also released on the PS2 in Japan. If you enjoy the Guilty Gear games, you should get a real kick out of it, but only fans of 2D fighters would find it worth importing. Though Fist of the North Star is generally import friendly, only fans of the license or the most dedicated fighting game fans will find any worth to owning it; everyone else can safely pass it by.
First of all, there are no ring-outs whatsoever; characters must be attacked until they lose their large heart to another player. Hey, why do the dirty work yourself? Items are also used in the same way — just picked up and thrown. There are very few items in the game, but a few are worth noting; TwinBee can generate his own items bells that have different effects , as can Bomberman bombs. If you love quirky Japanese musical adventures, this game is your ticket to funland.
Because of this, it requires a lot of hand-eye coordination with both hands at the same time and a lot of practice. Those of us that own the wonderful Sega Dreamcast are well aware of this duo of wonderful titles it includes both the original SC5 and SC5 part 2.
Space Channel 5 has a handful of simple game elements that make it unique and the game does a good job of starting out easy and gradually getting more difficult. Even when the moves become so complicated you get angry and want to hurl your controller across the room, the quality of the music helps bring you back. Decent to great solitaire puzzle play, but it really shines for frantic multi-player goodness.
The game introduces a new concept to the whole Devil Dice idea: when you match dice, they explode — which creates some chain reactions, and generally causes more regular pain and frustration to your little devil dude.
Here, players take on the role of a nimble footed pixy, the Japanese equivalent of a Hoo of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas fame , that scurries across the face of die in the attempt of connecting same numbers to eliminate them from the square board. The object is to quickly recognize the numbers, roll the dice into place, igniting them, and then to try and create chain reactions, linking them to other sets of dice before they blow up.
Players earn chain reaction points, they build up levels, and all the while they rid the grid of dice, more emerge from the ground to take their place. The gameplay is tense, electrifying and requires a certain amount of quick decision-making skills, much like Tetris , but in 3D and using die in an entirely different gameplay experience. If you own a Dreamcast or N64, you may be familiar with the game Wetrix.
Well, Aqua Aqua is actually the sequel to that like puzzler. Anyway, AquaAqua puts you in control of an earth-like terrain on a mission to help the Aquas find balance between dry land and water. If the mountains grow too high, a devastating earthquake may occur. If the water flows too freely across the land, you will ultimately flood your terrain and fail. You must balance these forces while dealing with other sometimes helpful obstacles such as bombs, fireballs, and ice cubes.
Interesting, eh? But after giving the game some time and getting deeper into it, I quickly found that Aqua Aqua is a very entertaining and addictive puzzler. Sega has so many awesome franchises under their belt, but in recent years they have struggled to do them justice.
However, their recent resurrection of the Outrun franchise was right one the mark when it came to maintaining the exhilarating arcade feel in a modern gaming world. And if you just want a more arcade-like racer to add to your library, this is a great place to start. Snaking a sideways car through lorries and hatchbacks is what arcade racing should be.
And as you get better, you pick up tricks like the s-bend shimmy and work out how best to employ your slide. Well anyway, they are cool little racers that have a bit of a cartoon styling to them and have some RPG elements thrown into the mix. Road Trip is localized name for the most popular of the series on the PS2 Gadget Racers, mentioned below, would be another one. Road Trip has a stellar amount of customization, allowing you to purchase hundreds of parts, wheels, paint jobs, body styles, spoilers, and wings.
More than a plane-jane RPG, this game has a heavy puzzle aspect that breaths new life into every battle. Meanwhile, the revised and expanded battle system injects additional strategy while eliminating the issues that bogged down the previous game. The Persona series made its PS2 debut with Persona 3 and, as usual, its set in a high school where a bunch of teenagers fight enemies after hours by tapping into the demon personas lurking within. Persona 3 features a day-night cycle that has players focusing on building their social and academic lives during the day, while exploring an alternate dimension at night.
Persona 3 FES contains an enhanced version of the original game, loaded with new Personas and cutscenes, a weapon synthesis system, additional quests and events, among other interesting features. We played it and loved it. Not too long after, it seemed like everyone was scrambling to find their own copy of the game, and the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series and Atlus enjoyed the spotlight.
This eighth installment is yet another quality adventure with a well-developed world and storyline. You even have a 2 player option during battles and a friend can play one of your sub-characters. The dialog can be really hilarious and there are tons of side quests, that are actually worth doing. However, some linear plot directions, long load times and a quirky battle system that sometimes degenerates into button mashing bogs down what is otherwise a thoroughly enjoyable RPG.
At its heart, the game is a mix of role-playing and adventure with a good bit of Pokemon -type fighting sequences thrown in as the battle system. As your skills and experience improve, however, the things you can do with the paint program become enormously elaborate. And while your only limitation is the confines of a multi-speed cursor and a total of 64 body parts, skilled artists will be able to create some seriously beautiful images.
As an added bit of strategy, the types of colors in use, thickness of your brushes, and placement of certain body parts affect the power and attributes of your drawings. Add a touch of blue, and your luck goes up a few notches. Artists are going to love it. The games feature an isometric perspective, squad-based battles between diverse parties, a complicated system of cause and effect as fights play out, and customizable character development.
Growlanser also boasts enormous campaign worlds and open-ended stories that distinguish it from many more familiar strategy role-playing games. The need for good tactics is compounded by certain stages, which change dynamically and often for the worse. Fights can have multiple outcomes, and the level to which you complete a stage has a direct impact to the rest of the game.
It dictates who you meet, how the story unfolds, and ultimately which ending you receive. The world map for GII is just like Final Fantasy Tactics, where you move from town to town through a series of checkpoints. Shops and conversations all happen by way of menu choices at said checkpoints.
There is a subtle difference in area-of-effect type magic between the two, and GIII also allows the use of items in battle, where they are unavailable in GII. La Pucelle Tactics is surprisingly deep and has plenty of hours worth of adventure and battles.
The tactics in the game are fun and advanced, however most players can easily enjoy the system. The only time you may complain is when you do not get the good ending. However, as opposed to only having end-of-game endings in Disgaea, La Pucelle has different endings for each chapter.
With its better storyline, heavier emphasis on characterization, and stronger verbal and musical approach, it can be a lot more endearing than its more technical younger counterpart. The action is presented in a slick, comic panel style, with kills popping up as separate panels for added effect. It was a long and enjoyable title that delivered a different take on the standard FPS formula, but it was sadly never revisited.
This was an impressive, and sprawling RPG set in a futuristic, Wild West-themed world ruled by invading aliens. As protagonist Dean, players teamed up with various other characters, and used the ARM weapon system to combat foes. Protagonist Jericho Cross was an outlaw on the verge of one of his biggest train robberies. Unfortunately, he targeted a train belonging to the Darkwatch, an order of monster hunters, and he released a powerful vampire lord.
Darkwatch featured solid FPS gameplay with horse riding shooter segments and some useful vampiric abilities, which were unavailable in missions set during the daytime, making the player rely on standard tactics. It had a great art style, and was originally planned as a series, but this never happened as the sequel was canned.
The Shin Megami Tensei series is popular in Japan, but has failed to make as big of an impact in the West. This is odd, as it was similar to Pokemon , in that you could tame and recruit enemies, selecting them to fight alongside you in battle. This was achieved using a negotiation system in which you had to persuade a demon to fight for you. Some demons were easy to recruit, while others were far more difficult.
These demons could also be fused together to create more powerful creatures. Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne had great presentation and the traditional turn-based combat was helped along by the unique demon-taming features and dark story. Dante from Devil May Cry even made a cameo appearance.
Perhaps it was the meticulously recreated map of London, the Snatch -style adult dialogue, or the photo-realistic visuals. The Getaway was an entertaining, if often frustrating experience remember that hair-pulling laser security bit?
Oh, good lord. A good story and decent delivery can make all the difference, and The Getaway , although certainly not Oscar-winning material, had a good, Cockney-laden crime story. Racing through the streets of London instead of the usual American cities was a breath of fresh air. Oh, and ignore the sequel, it was rubbish. Primal starred Jennifer Tate, a girl who finds herself involved in a battle of chaos and order. Travelling through four different demonic dimensions, Jen and her partner, a gargoyle called Scree, fought all sorts of creatures.
As she entered each realm, Jen gained the ability to transform into a demon representing that realm. These forms granted her various abilities, such as powerful attacks, long range strikes, and the ability to breathe underwater. Visually stunning for the time, Primal was a brilliantly polished game, and although the gameplay got a little bit repetitive, it was an enthralling adventure, and one that simply fell off the radar.
Torque is sent to Abbot State Penitentiary, which soon gets hit by an earthquake, unleashing all sorts of hellish creatures, which Torque has to deal with. The Suffering featured some great creature designs, not surprising as they were created by Stan Winston the make-up effects master behind Aliens , Terminator , and Jurassic Park. Each creature personified a method of execution used on the prisoners of Abbot State over the years.
There were some genuine scares to be had, and the mixture of shotgunning nasties and solving various puzzles worked well, all supported by a good story. Have you played Gears of War , Mass Effect , Uncharted , or any one of the myriad of cover-based shooters that saturate the market? You probably have, but without Kill Switch , you may not have had the chance. You see, this relatively unknown third-person shooter from Namco is widely credited as creating, or at least popularizing the cover mechanic we now see so often.
The game stars soldier Nick Bishop, who is remotely controlled by an operator elsewhere, and as the game progresses, Nick experiences flashbacks of repressed memories, leading to plot twists and a conspiracy.
It was a fairly bare bones, budget game, with minimal polish, but it played very well, and the cover system made it stand out, giving combat a big enough twist, and an enjoyable one at that. This is one of the biggest gaming mascot-type characters to fail to make it as big as it should have. The Sly series is a great cartoon stealth platformer, which has now been re-released on PS3 in HD form the original trilogy.
Initially developed by Infamous developer Sucker Punch, the game is a cult classic and successfully merged 3D platforming with stealth elements. Each game, including this debut outing, saw the titular Raccoon thief pull off various heists and engage in boss battles. Sly could use the world to his advantage, shimmying up drainpipes, perching on vantage points, and hiding so he could execute stealth attacks. He also fought foes face to face, but this was a noisy option.
The end result was a great example of 3D platforming that demonstrated the genre could be more flexible and varied than it usually was. Whereas Second Sight had deeper characters and a more intriguing story, Psi-Ops had by far the more enjoyable combat and selection of psychic powers.
As amnesiac solider Nick Scryer, you embarked on a series of missions to combat an evil regime, at the same time uncovering both your past and your forgotten psychic powers, such as telekinesis, pyrokinesis, mind control, and remote viewing.
These could be used at your discretion during your missions, and you were often allowed to experiment and tackle combat situations as you saw fit. The various powers were handled in a far more fluid and accessible way than Second Sight , particularly the telekinesis, which was very satisfying you could even pick up and throw your enemies.
The game itself, being a more action-oriented third-person shooter, was a little more appealing to a larger audience. Despite this, it still failed to make major waves, and was never heard from again. You played as a young school girl armed only with the Camera Obscura. This was a magical camera that could exorcise spirits, and it was your only defense against the supernatural.
The fear you felt due to being so defenseless made this a very unnerving experience, and as the story was supposedly based on various real events, it only made it all the more effective at getting your heart going and wearing out the edge of your seat. Core Design was the team responsible for creating Tomb Raider , a game we all know, but it also dabbled in various other titles, including this very Tomb Raider -esque sci-fi outing.
Project Eden was a brilliant puzzler in the TR mold, only this time you had four different characters to control, each with their own unique skills. Team leader Carter could interrogate people and access high security doors, engineer Andre could repair machinery, Minoko was the hacker of the team, and Amber was a powerful cyborg, capable of surviving hostile environments.
It never got much recognition on its release, which is a damn shame as Project Eden was arguably far more involving than Tomb Raider at the time, and the four-way split of characters would make for a great online multiplayer campaign today. Although it made its debut on the GameCube, the title also arrived on the PlayStation 2, potentially opening up the bizarre adventure to a new, larger audience, but it failed to do so, and the title remains a polarizing cult classic.
It came out of nowhere, being a random video game of a year-old movie, but The Thing was surprisingly good. Instead of focusing on the actual events of the movie, the game took place a few days afterwards.
A team of U. The game used an AI teammate system, giving player character Blake plenty of allies. These allies were made up of engineers, soldiers, and medics, and their skills were used to progress through the various locations. Eventually, Blake discovered the truth, and after battling an army of alien beasts using guns, flame throwers, and other methods, he located the alien ship and did battle with the big bad Thing itself, with the help of none other than MacReady.
After the murder of Julius Caesar, Agrippa returns to find his father implicated in the murder, and his mother sentenced to death. Agrippa is captured attempting to free his mother, and is sent to the Colosseum to participate in the gladiatorial games.
Shadow of Rome was a game of two halves. The combat engine in the game was, as to be expected from a Capcom game, pretty solid, and the gladiatorial sections were challenging and satisfying.
Agrippa could use all sorts of vicious weapons, even the severed arms of his enemies, and the arena changed and featured various combat challenges to keep things interesting, including chariot races. There were also sections for Agrippa outside of the arena. As protagonist Roan, you had to brave all sorts of procedurally generated dungeons fighting the forces of an evil genie in order to rebuild the world and its villages.
Once returned, villagers could then instruct Roan on the rebuilding of the area, and once a village was complete after meeting various requirements , you could proceed to the next village, advancing the quest. Dark Could used a weapon leveling system instead of the usual character leveling, and the more a weapon was used, the more powerful it could become. These needed repairing after a lot of use, and custom weapons could be created. The second game, Dark Chronicle , expanded even more on the crafting and RTS nature of the series, but this first outing is where it all began.
Arriving on the market several years before Guitar Hero and Rock Band , Gitaroo Man was a precursor of what was to come. The modes alternated as the song progressed, meaning players had to quickly change from attack to guard, and so on. It was set to a backdrop of a fictional Russian invasion of the U.
Instead, he packed assault rifles and Molotovs, and used guerilla tactics to take down the Red machine. You infiltrated enemy bases, sabotaged supplies, and generally became a major thorn in the side of the invading army. All of this took place within an occupied New York. As you succeeded in your goals, you gained charisma. The more charisma you had, the more followers you could lead.
You could tell these allies to follow, defend, and attack, which was simple squad commanding, but functional. This fast paced mech action is the sport of the future, where players pilot their customized mechs to win cash and worldwide dominance.
Over 1 million possible mech configurations and phantom stealth abilities make this one mech party you'll have to crash. Tune up robots using weapons, armor, and accessories. Use optical camouflage to gain a tactical advantage during battles. Features multiple futuristic, big city battlefields. Single and 2-player battles, as well as a 4-player online mode. Nine Breaker is the 9th overall installment of the Armored Core series, and it features two main game modes: Mission and Arena.
There are more than kinds of airframe to choose from, and there is a web ranking mode for players to post their results in training and missions. The game features an automatic generation function, which allows players to fight against mechs with randomly generated parts at any point. Also known as "Ace Combat 5: Squadron Leader" With more than 50 different licensed planes and an intense storyline extending over 30 missions, players will be put to the ultimate test, including air-to-air combat, air-to-ground fighting, air-to-sea assaults, rescue, recon and much more.
Incorporating ultra-realistic beautifully rendered in-game graphics and cinematics along with unparalleled game play; ACE COMBAT 5 goes a step beyond the traditional air combat gaming experience. One of the exciting new features to the sequel includes Wingman Command, where players can issue directives to their wingmen mid-mission to carry out coordinated group attacks.
Additionally, the in-game radio communications with the squadron and enemies adds to the realism and intensity of the dynamic battle sequences. In the game's premise, it is September 23, on distant Sand Island, a small island in the Ceres Ocean that divides the two superpowers, Osea and Yuktobania.
An entire military base is on red alert--the th Tactical Fighter Squadron intercepted an unidentified aircraft and the entire squadron was decimated. You are a fighter pilot, part of the new squadron that's been called into action to protect your nation of Osea.
Now, the story begins to unfold. Time has long since passed since humans came out of the underground shelters. The Organization of Controlling Corporations OCC , which was founded in order to begin reconstructing society, quickly loses its power as stability returns to the land. But the intention of the OCC is anything but benign. Realizing the power that could be had in controlling the planetary resources, the OCC quickly launches into action a plan that will erupt in civil war and completely destabilize society for their own evil gain.
AC unit customization, a core element of all the games in the series, has been addressed. Players now have access to over different parts that can be used to construct literally millions of different AC designs. Weapons and parts have been completely redesigned from the previous titles and new part types have been added, thereby allowing longtime users to build completely new AC designs.
Quite possibly the series? Through Virshia's aggressive assault on the world? In the game, players command a lone Tactical Battle Group committed to fighting the Virshian fleet. The action takes place in two phases: Strategy and Battle. During the Strategy phase, players are briefed on the impending battle.
Based on mission objectives and known threats, players can upgrade and adapt their ship using a full spectrum of integrated weapon and defense systems, propulsion hardware and aircraft. At this stage, players can also invest in new technology, develop new weapons, purchase parts, or choose from over combat-ready vessels based on actual ships from the United States, Japan, Great Britain, and Germany.
With the new TBG Tactical Battle Group system, players have real-time control of a primary warship and gain the option of changing the attack formation of escort ships that provide anti-aircraft, anti-ship, and assault support.
Join a cast of highly skilled pilots and get lost in this gripping universe with multiple endings and non-stop action. AFDS flies into uncharted territory with its unique brand of action flight combat, interplanetary missions, compelling characters and intense futuristic storyline. User Score: 7. An intense, edgy, high-energy space-combat action game set in the dark mirror universe of Star Trek: The Original Series classic-era setting, Star Trek Shattered Universe challenges the player to adapt to a new reality where everything once familiar is now a dark reflection - where the noble Federation is now an evil and relentless foe.
For the first time ever, dive into the combat as your favorite character in this action-loaded space shooter. Fight your way through space, destroying enemy battleships and mobile suits, to defeat the evil dictators of the Principality of Zeon and end the One Year War. The fate of the Universal Century is in your hands - can you handle it? Plus original mobile suits created especially for the game! Experience legendary Gundam battles or execute your own incredible missions.
Choose from 10 of the best Ace Pilots or train and develop your own. Build your own team of mobile suits in the versus mode and battle it out with your friends - who will achieve domination over the Universal Century?
One Man One Universe Thousands of Cylons It is the end of the sixth millennium in the era of the Cylon Wars. The mechanical Cylons, who were once created as android slaves, revolted against the Humans and were exiled into the stars.
Ten years ago they returned The skies over Caprica turned black with Cylon Raiders whose single plan was to wipe out the Human race. For ten years the Colonial survivors have fought a vicious war against the evil mechanical empire. Begin your heroic journey through the Battlestar Galactica universe as the fearless, young Adama, and help lead the fleet of Colonials to survival.
Join a secret squad of pilots dedicated to thwarting the most heinous plans of the Third Reich. Fly over twenty authentic aircraft across thirty daring missions in this new WWII action-flyer. Can you be trusted with the most dangerous secrets of the war? Immerse yourself in intense WWII flight action as you make your way through the ranks of an elite fighter squadron.
Fly more than twenty realistic aircraft across a variety of combat theaters over World War II Europe and other territories as you make your way through the ranks of an elite fighter squadron.
Engage in over thirty action-packed missions featuring air-to-air and air-to-ground battle scenarios. As a result of resentment and distrust, the World Alliance has begun to split and the seeds for a new global war are being planted.
Nowhere is safe, not even the skies. Pick-up and play arcade-style flight shooter, with varying degrees of difficulty for casual and hardcore flight combat fans.
Seven new fighter jets for a total of 19 playable planes, including modern-day combat jets, classified "black ops" planes and futuristic fighters. Over 20 missions that put the player in command of an Air Force amidst an epic war, with unlockable campaigns that let players switch roles and become the enemy. Amazing new features, including split-screen and i. Link 2-player mode, fully interactive 3D battle maps, movie galleries and five different 1st and 3rd person point of views.
Earth has seen the collapse of the machine-controlled society and the return of humans to the surface of the planet. Explorers have uncovered a previously unknown mega-city that is well protected from scouting incursions. All attempts at penetrating the border have been met with destruction as the line literally goes silent.
Once again the call goes out to the Ravens, mercenaries hired by the government to break through the silent line and discover the truth behind the enigma. The gameplay in Naval Ops: Warship Gunner involves two unique phases: design and battle.
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