[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: The Best Xmas Gift!

[Iggy McSnurd]

> Annemehr:
> 
> All you people talking about playing video games makes me feel better,
> because I'm a 43-yr-old who felt strange about liking them.  I have a
> copy of HP - CoS for PS2 that I bought for *myself* because my kids
> decided they wanted the PS1 version.  *I,* however, wanted the PS2
> version because the graphics are so much better and Harry is, well, so
> much more adorable.
> 
> 'S long as I'm 'fessing up, I also like the Pokemon gameboy games and
> trading card game (an excellent strategy game), and for pure
> relaxation and fun, nothing beats Crash Team Racing on the PS1.
> 

Iggy here:

Ok, here we go with my basic list for the all-time greatest games for
the PS2  (I'm including PS1 games, since Sony is the only company ever
to be intelligent enough to make their newer game system "backwards
compatible..." meaning that you can play games from previous systems on
the newer ones.)

Final Fantasy... I'm not numbering any of them, since ALL of them
qualify as ultra cool.  (Let's face it, Squaresoft is, and always has
been, the reigning champion when it comes to RPG games for console
systems.)

Suikoden I and II... both are very strong games with an innovative story
style.  You have the main goal of defeating the bad guy, but your side
goal is to find out how to recruit the 109 "Stars of Destiny."  Not only
do they have a good main combat system, but the battles between armies
in both are neat too.  Suikoden II also has a few, really fun, "Iron
Chef" style competitions to boot.

Castlevania - Symphony of the Night... IMHO, this is the best
Castlevania game on any system, and of the ones that came before and
after.  Yes, it's a side-scrolling game, but it's not only fun, but very
challenging.  The replay value on the game is good, and if you handle
the "final battle" one way, you win the game... but if you play it
differently, you discover that what you thought was the last battle, was
only the halfway point in the game.

Jak 2... While Jak and Daxter is a cool game in its own right, Jak 2
beats it hands down.  The graphics are a little better, but the
game-play and semi-linear style are a blast to play... especially with
the ability to "hover-jack" people's hover cars and cycles.

Ratchet and Clank... A very fun game with a lot of replay value.
(Especially when you take into account the ability to start over with
all your end-game stats and weapons from your previous play through...)
The side quests and special conditions add a lot of depth into the game,
allowing you to simply complete the game, or spend a lot more time with
more in-depth play.  Some people, of course, may want to play through
normally once, and then a few times after that to beat all the side
quests for special weapons and unlocking options.  (I haven't played the
second R&C game yet, but if it's at least as good as the first, it will
be a good buy.)

Chrono Trigger... A rare and hard to find game from Squaresoft.  It's
much like the FF games, but has some interesting twists in combat...
like the ability to learn "duo" and "trio" moves where more people join
into a special move to add a lot more power.  It's the game that really
introduced the "new game +" option of starting a new game with the eq
and stats from your prior game.  (You still have to re-gain characters
and quest items, but the stat, eq, and cash boost at the start is a big
help.)

Chrono Cross... This isn't a sequel to Chrono Trigger, per se, but there
are a few important things that have some carry-over into the Chrono
Cross game to set it in the duo.  The magic and skill setup is pretty
innovative, as well as how you increase in power.  The replay value is
great, since certain decisions you make during the game determine what
characters you can recruit... and if you use the "new game +" option,
you can recruit a different set of characters.  With the proper items,
and meeting the proper conditions, you can eventually have the entire
cast of major playable characters on your side.  (Ok, well, there's one
you can't have that you play for a while, but I won't spoil it for you
by revealing their identity.)

Quidditch World Cup... For Harry Potter and sports fans alike, this game
is fun, fast paced, and challenging.  Different teams can get different
special moves, and even going up in one skill level of difficulty can
make a big difference.  While I don't normally like sports style games,
this one combines them with the HP universe, which is definitely a solid
draw in for me and many others.

Metal Gear Solid... all the PS versions.  Challenging "special
operations" games with strong storylines in their own right.  You can
decide whether or not you want to be stealthy, or go through the game
with guns blazing.  (Personally, I prefer stealth mode... using your
hands to break a soldier's neck and drag them out of sight, or hitting
them with a well placed bullet from your silenced sniper rifle.  There's
a certain satisfaction on working your way through an enemy camp like a
vengeful ghost.)  The graphics are great, the story is well written, and
each boss poses its own challenge.

Max Payne... This is a film-noir style game about a New York cop who
much become part of the underworld to dismantle it.  With a very well
done, graphic novel style of telling major storyline segments, and the
introduction of "bullet time" to the video gaming world, Max Payne is a
very innovative game.  For those who like "shoot-em-up" police games
that don't consist merely of dodging and shooting, this is a game to get
your hands on.  (I haven't gotten a chance to play Max Payne 2, but the
screenshots look good, and my brother-in-law has it for the X-Box and
says that it's even better than the first one.)

WWF Smackdown - Shut Your Mouth... You can't set up a list of games like
this without including at least one fighting/wrestling style game.
While I haven't gotten the opportunity to play any of the more recent
wrestling games, this one is still a strong contender.  You can play
many different styles of matches with special conditions added in, or
even select a wrestler to play out an entire television season from the
draft picks on up.  One of the best aspects of this game is the ability
to construct a custom wrestler from scratch.  This not only includes
their costumes and color schemes, but even to physical dimensions, eye
color and shape, and even all of their wrestling moves, victory actions,
and entrance sequences.


I think that pretty much covers it for now.  *grin* Some time soon, I
think I'll do a list of games to avoid.  = P



Iggy McSnurd
(Who actually used to manage a retail video game store, and had to be
able to review games like this for customers.)