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Give me some...err...PS2 recommendations.

S

Speevy

Banned
I haven't bought the system yet, but I plan to do so before the end of the year. I have some very general ideas about the games I want, but I want some insight from the forum. Don't direct me to a list from another thread. I don't care. I can read a list at Gamerankings, IGN, Gamespot, or any number of other websites.

I just want to know what you think based on the following criteria.

1) Most of the games I play are third-person action/adventure games, RPG's, platformers, fighters, strategy-heavy titles, puzzle/party games, beat em' ups and basically anything that's unique.
2) Great art is awesome, but technically competent is nice too.
3) I love RPG's. Don't care for anime or games that are obsessed with overly long cutscenes. I love good dialogue and good stories however. Clever and funny, or moving even.
4) The more colorful or animated the better.
5) This part is likely to bother at least one person, but I don't want games that lack a clean look. Shimmering, aliasing, etc. You may have developed a tolerance for it. I have not. I don't mind simple graphics, but I don't want technically compromised visuals.
6) Bad framerate = No sale.
7) If I could have played it on another system already, I would have. Exclusives only.
8) The deeper the better. The more strategy the better. The longer the better.
9) Wonky controls/interface = No sale.
10) Stealth gameplay = No sale.


Games I'm definitely planning to buy no matter what.

1) ICO
2) Katamari Damacy
3) God of War
4) Devil May Cry 3
5) Shadow of the Cololossus (when it comes out)
 
S

sangreal

Member
Kingdom Hearts. Easily meets all of your requirements.

5) This part is likely to bother at least one person, but I don't want games that lack a clean look. Shimmering, aliasing, etc. You may have developed a tolerance for it. I have not. I don't mind simple graphics, but I don't want technically compromised visuals.
Click to expand...

Get used to it :)
 
P

PC Gaijin

Member
Speevy said:
3) I love RPG's. Don't care for anime or games that are obsessed with overly long cutscenes. I love good dialogue and good stories however. Clever and funny, or moving even.
Click to expand...

Say goodbye to most of the PS2 RPG library then :). Give Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne a shot though.

Speevy said:
5) This part is likely to bother at least one person, but I don't want games that lack a clean look. Shimmering, aliasing, etc. You may have developed a tolerance for it. I have not. I don't mind simple graphics, but I don't want technically compromised visuals.
Click to expand...

Sadly you'll just have to get used to image quality problems in a lot of PS2 games. No way around it (I imagine dark10x or some other PS2 apologist will make an appearance soon to point out all the examples of PS2 games that don't have IQ issues: yeah, they exist but there's plenty of games that have problems too).
 
E

evil ways

Member
For real playboy. We're talking about '2000 hardware which only a selecty few gaming developing gods have mastered.

I say give these a shot:

Tekken 5
Maximo vs Army of Zin
Zone of Enders 2nd Runner
 
C

Cheesemeister

Member
Set aside your thirty bucks for We Love Katamari, as it offers what seems to me like a much deeper experience than the original, and is again worth every penny.
 
M

MrAngryFace

Banned
I only buy what I love to play these days. Here's some recommendations from someone picky.

Dark Cloud 2 (RPG)
Amplitude or Frequency (Music)
Wipeout Fusion (Racing/Combat)
Shinobi (Action)
Dynasty Warriors 5 (Action)
Klonoa 2 (a must have, hard to find tho) (adventure platforming WAHOO STOMP)
Virtua Fighter 4 Evo (Fighting)
PhantomBrave/Disgaea (RPG/Strategy)
Breath of Fire V: Dragon Quarter (another must have, cheap, may be hard to find) (RPG)
 
V

vatstep

This poster pulses with an appeal so broad the typical restraints of our societies fall by the wayside.
Well, Mark of Kri fits everything, except it has a little bit of stealth. I still say buy it, it's freaking $10 new and has awesome art and presentation.
 
A

AniHawk

Member
Ratchet & Clank
Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil
LEGO Star Wars (I hear it's better than the Xbox version for some reason)
 
C

captainbiotch

Banned
Relatively new to Sony gaming, but I think I may have similar taste to you. I've enjoyed so far:

Digital Devil Saga
Metal Gear Solid 3 (play on easy and say fuck stealth like I do :p)
Onimushas
Dynasty Warriors
Front Mission 4
 
S

Speevy

Banned
It doesn't have to fit everything at once, but no stealth, all exclusive, and not hideously ugly is a must.

This is what I'm talking about when I refer to PS2 games.

Look at Mario 64. Then Mario 64 DS. I want games that look more like the former than the latter.
 
L

Lord Error

Insane For Sony
This is an honest advice. Play Ico on some regular TV set - interlaced, non-widescreen TV, with screen no bigger than 24-30". Something like flat screen CRT with small-ish screen and S-video or component input. Don't let the game's lower than normal resolution put you off of what is an amazing game, and amazing looking, actually (if you play it on such a TV set)
 
I

Ironclad

Member
Both Maximo games

Sly Cooper 1 & 2: I prefer the first one, mainly because it focused more on platforming, but still both are worthy purchases.

Ratchet and Clank 1-3

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. Some fun platforming in this one. You can find it cheap too. Play the other 2 at your own risk because they are WAY different.

Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne: Excellent RPG. Definitely not obsessed with overly long cutscenes and has some great gameplay. Brilliant cel-shading too. Even a cameo from Dante.

There's lots more. I covered only a little of what I thought would fit your requirements.
 
K

Kakusha

Member
Speevy said:
1) Most of the games I play are third-person action/adventure games, RPG's, platformers, fighters, strategy-heavy titles, puzzle/party games, beat em' ups and basically anything that's unique.
Click to expand...
+: You may like
-: You may dislike

2) Great art is awesome, but technically competent is nice too.
3) I love RPG's. Don't care for anime or games that are obsessed with overly long cutscenes. I love good dialogue and good stories however. Clever and funny, or moving even.
Click to expand...
+Shin Megami Tensei Nocturne
+Digital Devil Saga
+Breath of Fire Dragon Quarter
+Shadow Hearts Covenant

-Xenosaga...

4) The more colorful or animated the better.
5) This part is likely to bother at least one person, but I don't want games that lack a clean look. Shimmering, aliasing, etc. You may have developed a tolerance for it. I have not. I don't mind simple graphics, but I don't want technically compromised visuals.
Click to expand...
+Zone of The Enders The 2nd Runner

8) The deeper the better. The more strategy the better. The longer the better.
Click to expand...
+Disgaea Hour of Darkness
+Phantom Brave

9) Wonky controls/interface = No sale.
10) Stealth gameplay = No sale.
Click to expand...
-Tenchu...
-Metal Gear Solid...

Games I'm definitely planning to buy no matter what.
1) ICO
2) Katamari Damacy
3) God of War
4) Devil May Cry 3
5) Shadow of the Cololossus (when it comes out)
Click to expand...

That's an interesting list you got there. :D
 
S

Sanjuro

Member
Speevy said:
1) Most of the games I play are third-person action/adventure games, RPG's, platformers, fighters, strategy-heavy titles, puzzle/party games, beat em' ups and basically anything that's unique.
2) Great art is awesome, but technically competent is nice too.
3) I love RPG's. Don't care for anime or games that are obsessed with overly long cutscenes. I love good dialogue and good stories however. Clever and funny, or moving even.
4) The more colorful or animated the better.
5) This part is likely to bother at least one person, but I don't want games that lack a clean look. Shimmering, aliasing, etc. You may have developed a tolerance for it. I have not. I don't mind simple graphics, but I don't want technically compromised visuals.
6) Bad framerate = No sale.
7) If I could have played it on another system already, I would have. Exclusives only.
8) The deeper the better. The more strategy the better. The longer the better.
9) Wonky controls/interface = No sale.
10) Stealth gameplay = No sale.
Click to expand...

All this sums up one game. Mace Griffon Bounty Hunter. Buy it.
 
T

TekunoRobby

Tag of Excellence
Everything is highly reccomended except: Jak II, Kingdom Hearts, and Dark Cloud II. Seriously, don't touch those games.

Buy them if you can get them around $5 though.
 
T

TheJollyCorner

Member
LittleTokyo said:
Silent Hill 3 is still the best graphical showcase for the PS2.
Click to expand...

I agree.
Besides, you'll get to see the now famous 'real-time awesomeness facial graphics benchmark' that is SH3's Douglas in motion. :D
Overall I prefer SH2, but SH3 is a graphical beaut... and has some of the neatest effects I've ever seen ina a horror based game, especially one particular room in the Brookhaven Hospital.
 
R

Reilly

Member
I hightly suggest Jak 1, very much like Mario 64. I'm currently playing Jak II and it's so different though :(

I liked Twisted Metal Black, not sure if you're big into car combat games. Best since #2 IMO.
 
C

Cold-Steel

Member
SOCOM II: US Navy Seals is by far the best online game on the PlayStation 2 avaliable right now.

Minus the fairly medium learning curve (maps, weapons, whatnot) this game can be a real blast with the right group.
 
R

Radius

Member
Drakan: The Ancients' Gates. It meets all of your requirements (except 8, though I suppose it'll be long enough).
 
D

dog$

Hates quality gaming
I'll mention Bombastic.

Also you might want to try Technic Beat if you can find it for the cheaps.
 
I

Infernal Monkey

Member
DISASTER REPORT. Just uh, think of the slowdown as bullet time.

"OH SHIT A BUILDING'S FALLING OVER"
"I HAVE AN IDEA, WE WILL SLOW DOWN TIME, INCLUDING OURSELVES"
"THAT'S THE BEST IDEA I'VE EVER HEARD"
 
O

Oracle Dragon

Member
Radius said:
Drakan: The Ancients' Gates. It meets all of your requirements (except 8, though I suppose it'll be long enough).
Click to expand...

Wow, someone else PLAYED that? I thought I was the only one ;) And if you do all of the side quests, it is definitly long enough. Im not sure if it falls under "wonky control schemes" though, with how they did combos on the d-pad, and movement on the analog sticks. I didn't find it worked very well.
 
Z

Zylander

Member
Infernal Monkey said:
DISASTER REPORT. Just uh, think of the slowdown as bullet time.

"OH SHIT A BUILDING'S FALLING OVER"
"I HAVE AN IDEA, WE WILL SLOW DOWN TIME, INCLUDING OURSELVES"
"THAT'S THE BEST IDEA I'VE EVER HEARD"
Click to expand...

:lol ...and the reason for the shimmers is that it's a cleverly coded heat effect, to remind you to keep drinking!

I agree with this man. However it doesn't meet your graphical requirements. Disaster Report is not a polished game and particularly at the start you will notice the shimmering and slow frame rate during action scenes, and there is a lot going on at times. You literally have to try and find a way off a island after an earthquake while it's crumbling underneath you, it's a great homage to those epic disaster movies from the 70's.

However despite it's flaws it's also a very innovative and fun game and in fact is one of my favorite PS2 games. You really have to just relax and remember why you started playing video games in the first place (fun, discovery, imaginative settings, great humor, adventure) to enjoy it. Another plus for me was it's not a game I'd heard a lot about, which is kind of nice sometimes.
 
S

Speevy

Banned
I've made a decision:

1) ICO (My first PS2 game)

And my second game will be an RPG.

And strangely, Gamestop doesn't seem to have many of those Atlus RPG's everyone likes. I think I'll get Phantom Brave or Dark Cloud 2. I looked up the highest rated ones on IGN, and I have actually seen the FF games played. What I saw didn't really appeal to me as a gamer. I would buy more games, but I'm making a pretty big investment in the system itself. Maybe some other time. :/

Sorry if bumping this thread is annoying. I just want to make the right decisions.
 
F

flarkminator

Member
Speevy said:
I've made a decision:

1) ICO (My first PS2 game)

And my second game will be an RPG.

And strangely, Gamestop doesn't seem to have many of those Atlus RPG's everyone likes. I think I'll get Phantom Brave or Dark Cloud 2. I looked up the highest rated ones on IGN, and I have actually seen the FF games played. What I saw didn't really appeal to me as a gamer. I would buy more games, but I'm making a pretty big investment in the system itself. Maybe some other time. :/

Sorry if bumping this thread is annoying. I just want to make the right decisions.
Click to expand...

If you're choosing between Phantom Brave and Dark Cloud 2 I woudl really suggest reading up on Phantom Brave. Its not for everyone. I love that game to death, but I realize that I'm a stat-whore. Dark Cloud II is just amazing.
 
D

Doom_Bringer

Banned
Final Fantay X is a good game. The battle system is real good, at least rent the game. And I highly recommend Ace Combat IV! It's the best game on PS2 IMO. It should be really cheap in the US.
 
F

F.Be@PSG

Member
Don't live without:

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (edit: stealth is good!)
Z.O.E 2
Final Fantasy X

Oh, and Devil May Cry 3 is not so good (first one is so much better imho).
 
F

Flo_Evans

Member
get MGS3. The awsomeness of MGS3 is that you don't have to play stealthy. You can go in guns blazin' (the game will be alot harder, but its still possible to win).

also make sure to get ZOE2, pretty much the cleanest PS2 game ever.

and another vote for ace combat. GET IT!

edit: I also recomend the altus SRPGs over anything else in that genre. They are incredibly deep and incredibly long. Disgea seems to be the favorite, but could be pretty hard to track down.
 
B

btutterrow

Member
Your tastes seem similar to my own, so:

ICO
Dark Cloud 2
Klonoa 2
Sly Cooper 1/2
Ratchet & Clank 3
Virtua Fighter 4:Evo
AMPLITUDE (SOOO Awesome)
Katamari Damacy
Final Fantasy X
Break of Fire: DQ
Hot Shots Golf: FORE!
Kingdom Hearts (Not the biggest fan, but it is worth playing through)

COMING UP:
Dragon Warrior VIII
We Love Katamari
Kingdom Hearts II
Grandia III
Shadow of the Collossus
Okami
Final Fantasy XII
 
Finaika

Finaika

Member
Speevy said:
How's Star Ocean: Til the End of Time?
Click to expand...
Its a solid RPG with lots of stuff to do. I personally love it, but most ppl hate it mainly for its story and its supposedly broken battle-system. I found nothing wrong with the battle-system, its great and in real-time to boot (kinda like an Action RPG) but the story does crumbles during the 2nd disc. For me the idea of the story is great, but the execution is faulty. Nevertheless, I recommend it though :)
 
S

sly

Banned
Speevy said:
8) The deeper the better. The more strategy the better. The longer the better.

1) ICO
2) Katamari Damacy
3) God of War
4) Devil May Cry 3
5) Shadow of the Cololossus (when it comes out)
Click to expand...


Sly approves. DMC3 is quite deep. Very, very deep. Deeper than most fighting games. You'll enjoy it.

Let me suggest some more games(in addition to the ones you've mentioned already):


Final Fantasy X: Great turn-based RPG. Great story and the graphics still look good.

Kingdom Hearts: Action RPG. One of the best looking games on the PS2. Great characters(Disney/Final Fantasy VII). The combat isn't deep and it has a horrible camera system but the story and graphics more than make up for it.

The Jak and Daxter series(1, 2 and 3) and the Ratchet and Clank series(1, 2 and 3): Fuck the haters, these games are AMAZING and I enjoyed every single one of them.

Virtua Fighter 4 Evo and Tekken 5: The best fighting games on the PS2(Soul Calibur III as well since its exclusive :p). Very rewarding combat systems.

I know you don't like stealth but please play MGS3. I BEG YOU! :lol This game is simply amazing; The story is just phenomenal. the boss battles are some of the best you'll ever find on any game this gen, the voice acting is top notch, the cutscenes(OMG!), everything about this game is just perrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrfect! Don't forget it was GAF's GOTY!
 
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