Special Openings!
This is the page where I will review games, movies and anime I come across. For now,
I'm just going to include some more recent things, but I hope to one day have a
review up for everything featured on my site. Am I insane? Probably. Anyways, here are the reviews.
Each item is graded on a variety of factors:
Overview: Not graded, just gives a little general background.
Graphics: Is it beautiful to look at? Also, is movement smooth or are characters stuck in mud?
Sound: Includes music, sound effects, voice acting (if any) and other things
Gameplay: For games only. This includes techinal things like control.
Storyline: Is the story engaging or was it an afterthought?
Characters: Are the people involved deep and real? May not apply to certain games. (ie Strategy,online RPG)
Extras: Is there anything extra included that expands the product. Again, more for games
Originality: Is this product a unique experience or just rehash. Older stuff will be rated for its release date.
Replay/Rewatch: How long will the game/show keep your attention?
Fun: Simply, it is fun to watch/play?
Overall: The grand total. This is a total of all other categories
Each area is graded from 0 to 10. The total is not simply an average, though. Each genre
of product has different requirements. While RPGs must have good graphics and a good story,
fighting games rely more on responive control and fun value.
Overview:
Graphics
Sound
Gameplay
Storyline
Characters
Extras
Originality
Replay
Fun
Over All
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Systems:
Playstation 2 |
X-Box |
Gamecube |
Dreamcast |
PS2:
Dynasty Warrior 3|
Final Fantasy 10 |
Guilty Gear X |
Virtual Fighter 4 |
Metal Gear Solid 2 |
Capcom vs SNK 2 |
Devil May Cry |
Tony Hawk 3 |
Rez |
Playstation
Valkyrie Profile |
Final Fantasy 10
Overview:
The latest and greatest Final Fantasy of all time. The story is about a blitzball player
named Tidus who is sucked into a giant creature known as Sin and finds himself
in another world. Although the premise sounds a little weird, this FF has the best story
yet to come from Square.
Graphics: 9.5
Quite simply, this is the most beautiful game
ever made, at least so far. The main characters are FMV quality. Also, they move
like real people, making the attachment much stronger. Some minor glitches, like hair going through an arm, kind of dulls the effect in some cut scenes.
The landscapes are incredible. Lines of trees look photorealistic as they blow in the wind. Zanarkand at the beginning looks amazing.
Sound: 9
The game contains well over 10 hours of spoken dialogue that
draws the player into the game in a way never done before. You feel like the characters
are talking to you. The in-battle comments often mirrored my own thoughts as well. Some of the voice actors
are a little clunky sounding, namely Yuna and Tidus, the two main characters!
The sound effects always reflect the action in the way they would sound in real life.
The dull thud of a sword against a hard shelled monster and the ping of metallic creatures are superb.
The music in the game is possibly the best soundtrack for a game ever. The music always evokes a powerful
emotional response fitting for the given scene. When walking the path to the final aeon,
you'll know what I mean.
Gameplay: 8
The controls work fine, but since the game is turn based, fast reflexes
aren't exactly a must. One problem is the game is simply too easy, especially for veteran RPGers.
Since you can switch fighters at will, it gives you 7 (17 counting aeons) different fighters who you can use in each battle.
While this is more realistic than the "You guys stay here" method, the game needed to take more
advantage of the setup.
Storyline: 10
By far the strongest feature of the game. Once the intro section (which takes about 2 hours) is over,
the story finally begins. Since Tidus isn't from Spira, the other people are always explaining customs and behaviors
to him. Since you don't know either, it feels like the characters are talking directly to you, the player.
There are no unsolved mysteries like some RPGs. Every fact the player is missing about the world is hinted at
throughout the game before the player is told the whole story. The story is continuous, not broken up in chunks like some RPGs.
The world of Spira simply seems alive due to the level of detail given to the worlds' cultures.
Characters: 9.5
All of the main characters stand out. Each has their own personality, background,
and even accents. Wakka's accent and name for that matter upset me at first, but within 10 minutes
I began to really like the character, even tried to learn the accent. Each and everyone one has at least one annoying habit
or mannerism, but these fit the characters so well they add to the game instead of pissing off the player. The one exception to this
is Yuna, who is constantly apolozing and she sounds plain dumb while doing it.
Extras: 10
One word, Blitzball. This mini-game is more enjoyable than some whole games I've played (read the Bouncer).
Also, there are many hidden items to boost your character's power levels, two hidden aeons, and customizable equipment.
Originality 9
I admit, there are dozens of FF clone RPG's out there. However, this game pushes innovation to a new level.
The level system is gone, replaced by the Sphere Grid. The in-game walkthrough will make you cry, but it is a lot easier than it looks.
Also, the ability to use all of your characters in a single battle is pure genius. Blitzball is a great distraction.
Replay: 7
The biggest black mark against it. The game is incredibly linear. Until the very end of the game, you have to
keep walking forward, following the arrow on the mini-map. Also, while the voice acted cut scenes are really cool the first time through,
on a second game they usually just end up being annoying. However, there are plenty of hidden stuff and you can always come back
for blitzball.
Fun: 10
This game is a blast. Even fighting is fun, as long as you can use everyone.
Over All: 9.5
RPG fans, buy this now, if you haven't already. Buy the PS2 too! Everyone else, at least try it.
This one would have been a strong candidate for best game of 2001 if its official release wasn't in January.
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Guilty Gear X
Overview:
Finally, a contender for SNK and Capcom. GGX plays much like Street Fighter Alpha.
However, the similarities stop there. GGX features 16 of the strangest fighters ever.
Everyone's goal is to find the Gear and "The Man" who created it. Everything has
the Capcom feel due to the develop, Sammy, is made up of old Capcom employees.
Graphics 8.5
Graphics are 2D, but the animation is extremely fluid, rivaling Street Fighter 3. Being high resolution,
the graphics have almost no jagged edges, making the scenes look much more real.
The backgrounds are nice, but don't move a whole lot. At times, the explosions and other special effects
clutter up the action, making it hard to see what is going on.
Sound 7
Each fighter has their own theme, which fits each of them quite well, without being too
intrusive. The characters talk also sounds quite clearly (though in Japanese). However, the
announcer's voice sound like it was taken from the Street Fighter 2 SNES days.
I believe it was a conscience descision, but it still sounds corny.
Gameplay 8.5
Extremely fast paced. The typical fireball and dragon punch motions are easy to pull off, but the
hyper attacks that require a half circle, then tap forward motions are extremely difficult to pull off in battle.
Storyline 5
Practically non-existant. Each fighter has a typical backstory of revenge, personal accomplishment, or
getting the guy/girl. This is all in the manual, but doesn't add much to gameplay. However, I respect any game where
the Japanese people are treated like royalty to compensate for accidentally blowing up Japan.
Characters 9
While there are only 16 fighters, each one is quite unique. Some examples are a female assassin who kills with her hair,
a British punk from our present sucked ionto a timeloop, and a demon who has his hair in front of his face, with an eye dyed into it who likes billards.
With the exception of Ky, few of the fighters play like any other fighting game character.
Extras 6
The bare bone options are here. Story mode, versus mode, and survival mode. Thats it.
The real extra is the ability to perform one hit kills. Also, each fighter has 8-10 different color pallettes, for a wide range of appearence.
Replay 8
Not much. Once you have unlocked the bosses, which only takes 6 matches or so in Survival mode,
the single player experience is mostly gone. Versus mode is fun until you run out of friends who will play it.
Fun 7
Playing by yourself is pretty boring for the most part. Fighting a friend can be amusing for quite a while though
Over All 8
Fans of Capcom fighting games will want to try this one out. Others might want to give it a second thought or rent it.
The fighting is fairly typical, but quite well done. This is the fastest moving fighting game to date, allowing the players massive combos
that can be done as fast as you can hit the buttons. Also, the difficulty of performing hyper moves
reduce their importance in the fight, making the game play more traditional.
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Dynasty Warriors
Overview:
Take control of a hero in the Three Kingdoms era of China and lead a army of thousands to victory!
Gameplay resembles the classic Final Fight. You walk around huge maps, fighting armies of peons. The catch is
that you have your own army of peons fighting too! There is some strategy involved as well, because your heroic deeds
inspire your troops. If an army is losing, you can high tail it over there, kill an enemy general and give your troops a morale boost,
increasing their performance.
Graphics 8
Taken individually, the people look average. However, when you consider that as many as a hundred of them
are shown at a time, the graphics are quite impressive. The backgrounds are kind of bland, but you hardly have time to look at them anyways.
The FMV movies look ancient because they appear to use the same character models as the battles.
Sound 7
The music is quite well done. Usually staying in the background, the music changes depending on how well your armies are faring.
When you losing, depressing, mournful music plays. The best of the lot is the "assured victory" music.
Sound effects are passable, but each generic soldier has the same voice samples. The voice acting is a mixed bag. Only a few heroes have good voice
actors that fit the fighter. Most have VAs that are barely passable. And then there are the ones that are REALLY bad.
Gameplay 8
Controls are tight and responsive. The only really cripe to make here
is the archers. Every large group of soldiers have a battery of archers with them.
In early levels, they are nothing but an annoyance. Later in the game, however, they are a deadly
force which can kill you if you stop moving! The camera complicates things, because the archers
are often too far away to be shown if too many enemies are nearby.
Storyline 5
Cut scenes and FMVs open each battle, giving the background information for that fight.
The only thing the player needs to know is who to kill though. Also, the happenings in the game sometimes directly contradict the
historical database included with the game. Certain events are also dropped from the game. In all campaigns, the lead generals just suddenly disappear
with no explaination as to why.
Characters 8.5
44 in total.
Extras 9
There is a lot of things to do here. Originally, only 9 characters are available
for use (more if you have a DW2 save). The other 30 or so need to be unlocked. Also, about 30 or so of the
characters have story mode available. Most are easy to earn, but some are downright impossible.
Each fighter also has 4 different weapons, with the strongest 2 being unique for each
warrior. The ultimate weapon for each warlord must be earned by reenacting a certain
scene that is historically recorded.
Replay 9
This will keep you coming back for a while. Most will play at least until all of the
secret characters are unlocked and their favorite fighters have their ultimate weapons.
However, once this is done, you'll rarely pick it up again. Note that this process
could take months.
Fun 8
The game is surprisingly fun, given that you only need one button to win the game.
You basically keep hitting the attack button, but given the huge swarms and actually requiring
a battle plan, it doesn't seem to bother most people.
Over All 8.5
A good game that could have been better. Everyone should at least rent it
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Virtual Fighter 4
Overview: The very first polygonal fighting game made way back when. This
series is loved for its realism. Note: I don't like this game, I prefer Tekken
Graphics 8
The graphics are pretty good. The backgrounds are breath taking and
tricks like impressions left in snow and sand and castles being blown up during the fight
are very impressive. The close ups leave a little to be desired. The characters faces
are very detailed and realistic, with lots of blemishes and such. The problem is, the faces look really
ugly for the most part.
Sound 4
For a realistic game, the sound is horrible. Only 2 or 3 fighters make any noise
during a battle. Most punch, kick, and get hit in complete silence. The impact noise
is rather generic. The worst thing is the "miss" sound effect. I thought a 747 flew over the ring!
The tremendous whoosh sounds totally out of place.
Gameplay 6
This is where fans disagree with me. The fighting is real, but the characters
lack a variety of moves. Also, the action has a very slow pace, made worse by the "dizzy" effect.
Although each fighter does have different moves, everyone has the same punch/kick combos.
The wrestler and the snake art fighters should have different attacks!
Storyline 0
Non-existant. Its a martial arts tournament for supiority. Nothing more
Characters 5
Lacking. With only 13 fighters (and one secret), the game has barely half
the fighters of most recent fighting games. Tekken 1 beat this number back some 5 years ago.
After nearly 10 years, Virtual Fighter should have more fighters than this. To its credit, most fighters
are unique, except for Jacky/Sarah & Jeffry/Wolf
Extras 5
Only a single secret fighter. The only real extra is Kumite mode. This is a fighting
"league" in which fighters gain experience and are ranked against each other. Its no different that
the other fighting modes, but it does allow some special training modes.
Replay 4
I refuse to play this game again.
Fun 4
I had no fun whatsoever. Too much realism is not always a good thing.
Over All 6
Here's the break down. If you are a Virtua Fighter fan, add 4 to this score.
This is undoubtedly the best VF ever. Dead or Alive fans, leave the score there, because the games
are pracitcally identical. Tekken fans, take off 4 points. The games realism will equate to being totally bored.
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Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Overview: The sequel to the critically acclaimed Metal Gear series. Metal Gear is
a robotic vehicle of destruction. Various government bodies keep producing the units
while terrorists and anti-gear organizations keep stealing or destroying them. The story
of solid snake continues in the latest volume. NOTE: Most reviewers
gave this Best Game of 2001.
Graphics 9
Superb. The graphics are some of the best yet, at least tying, and maybe besting FFX.
The surroundings get a little repetitive, but everything is rendered so well you hardly care.
Also, there are only 2 types of enemy soldiers, meaning more repetition.
Sound 10
Greatness. Every sound effect sounds totally real. The game has lots of voice acting as well.
The voices are top notch, NEVER annoying like FFX can be at times.
Gameplay 10
Its all about the detail. Every item in the game can be used to your advantage. Shooting
pipes releases steam, knocking on walls alerts the enemy, leaving a locker open with a picture pic of a half naked girl on it
will make guards stop and stare for a while. Your footprints can be seen, you can break ketchup bottles, and
you can get an enemy uniform. This is what realism should be used for. My only complaint is the
enemy's line of sight and hearing range are sometimes a little difficult, changing by a lot at times for no reason.
Storyline 8
The story of the game is incredibly detailed with many, many twistes
and turns. Every character has a detailed and believable past that you are given as much detail as
you want to dig up. Calling Plisken and the Colonel on the Codec system will often give background
info on the enemy leaders, as well as important clues on their weaknesses. The only problem with the story is the pacing.
Often, the story will ramble on for an hour or so, then you play for 10 minutes, followed by another hour of story!
Thankfully, its all skippable for the second time through.
Characters 9
There are only a handful of extra characters, but each is fully detailed with plenty of life
in them. Your allies are all helpful or likeable, while most of your enemies are terrifying in every way.
Extras 8
Dog Tags. To completely finish the game, a player needs to beat all 5 difficulties
and collect ALL of the dog tags from the games soldiers. Since there are around 70 in each difficulty,
it takes quite a while to get all of them. Also, at certain number of tags, secret items are given to the player,
like infinite ammo headgear and stealth cloaking.
Replay 9
You'll play through this again. To unlock the extras and secrets, you need to mug
soldiers for their dog tags. Since each difficulty has its own set of dog tags, avid players will clear the game
at least 5 times to collect all of the tags. Plus, then you need to play to enjoy your special items!
Fun 9
This game is damn fun. You will notice some new detail every time you play, which makes the
game even funner. The only downer is the long cut scenes. These can be skipped on
the second time through (and beyond), but it still takes a while. The boss fights are amusing
once you know how to beat them.
Over All 9.5
Quite possibly the greatest video game made to date. Even if you haven't liked previous
stealth games, give this one a try. It definately deserves the title of best game of 2001. The only possible
compitition for this would be FFX (Jan 2002).
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Capcom vs SNK 2
Overview:
Capcom's latest entry in the Versus series. Once again, SNK's greatest fighters
from Fatal Fury, King of Fighters, Samurai Spirits, and Last Blade (among many others),
take on Capcom's Street Fighters. With only a couple of non=Street Fighter Capcom characters,
this game should be called Street Fighter vs SNK.
Graphics 5
Spew. These sprites are starting to look archaic. The problem is one of comparison.
Compared to the high-res 2D sprites of new fighters like Mark of the Wolves and Guilty Gear, the fighters
look incredibly blocky. Most of the graphics for the fighters are well over 5 years old. SNK fighters were taken from
KOF96-98, while most of Capcom's are from SF:Alpha 3. The SNK warriors look a little better, appearing touched up a bit,
but Capcom's Morrigan looks absolutely terrible, being the original graphics from Darkstalkers 3, a game nearly 7 years old!
Plus, the new fighters even look blocking.
Sound 8
Things sound like the things they sound like. The voice samples are quite clear, though most
are still in Japanese. Even some of the background music is really catchy. Nothing wrong, but nothing really great either.
Gameplay 4
The black mark rears its ugly head. This game balance is terrible given Capcom's track record to date.
All the fighters could be put in 3 categories: Gods,Fighters, and The Worthless. Even the new "Free Ratio" system
cannot change a fighters category. A ratio 4 worthless will still get crushed by a ratio 1 god. The controls themselves
are also a little spotty, for some reason, the double motion hyper attacks are nearly impossible to do on the first try, at least with the d-pad.
Train yourself to use the analog stick if you want to be really good. Also, the timing system is completely different. Before, you could do a Dragon Punch while standing up to counter against
an aggressive fighter. Now, you can't do that. The feel is totally different, and not in a good way.
Storyline 0
There is no story, its a tournament. Admittingly, writing a good story for a crossover games is difficult,
but there is no evidence of even an attempt.
Characters 6
With 44 fighters, there is plenty of variety here. The only problem is stated above, the
balance is total out of whack. Some are pratically unbeatable even in the hands of newbie fighters. Hoahmaru can kill any fighter
with a mere 4 fierce attacks, while Blanka just keeps rolling. With a third of the fighters being nearly worthless, it is hard to
like using all of them. There are only a handfull of new fighters (assuming you own KOF99-2000 or CvSNK 1).
Plus, most of them stink or are too good, either way, being no fun to play.
Extras 4
Not much here either. The free ratio system is good, so weaker fighters stand a chance. The problem
is more in how it is done. Only the fighter's strength is increased, their moves are unchanged (still sucking if they sucked before).
With only 2 unlockable characters, it is easy to be disappointed. The best feature is the color edit mode.
In this mode, you can color the fighters however you like, name them, and then use them in battle. My personal best are
Pantless Yuri, Disco Stu Rugal, and Blight(Batman) Rock. There is also a groove editor, which lets you spend points on
customized grooves.
Replay 8
Despite all of the bad things, you'll keep playing it as long as your friends will
keep coming over to fight you. The single player game is pretty boring though.
Fun 6
This game is still fun, as long as some ground rules are set up. One, no Blanka. Two, no Hoahmaru. These 2 suck all
the fun out of the game immediately.
Over All 6
Since this site is dedicated to a monster Versus game, you would think I would like this one. However, the
graphics and gameplay leave much to be desired. As long as only similarly strengthed characters fight each other, it
still works well. But as soon as a wuss fights a god, the horrible balance is clear.
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Devil May Cry
Overview:
Considered by many to be the first great game for PS2. Devil May Cry is the Resident Evil
for the next generation. Following the quest of Dante, a half-demon, in his quest to destroy the evils of the
Underworld. Set in the present, the game incorporates the use of swords and gauntlets along with some heavy artillery.
Since this game is already a couple of years old, but not old enough to be classic, it is rated by today's standards.
Also, DMC started development as Resident Evil 4, but the title and theme where changed when the
developers realized their game played nothing like the RE series.
Graphics 9
Easily the best graphics of its day. The characters move with extreme fluidity. Also
, Dante's stylish look easily grants a extra point. Compared to recent monster hits like MGS2, FFX and VF4, it looks dated.
However, it still looks good compared to most new games.
Sound 7
The games sound effects are top notch, as expected from Capcom. The background music usually stays in
the background though, usually not being noticed. The exception is the boss battle music, which kicks ass and is very noticable.
The biggest problem with the sound is the voice acting. The monster voices are pretty good, but Dante and
Trish sound really bad at times. The voices are average anime quality for the most part.
Gameplay 10
The best part of DMC is how easy it is to look stylish in battle. Even with 15+ different moves done with
directions on the analog, it is still incredibly easy to pull off amazing combos. The game's difficulty is also believable.
Many professional reviews said the games difficulty was far too high. I disagree. While some
fights are very hard, it seems natural and consisant throughout the game, so it isn't annoying at all.
Storyline 6
Like its root series, DMC is a little thin on the story. Trish drags you to
the island, then leaves you to explore and fight things. Other characters occasionally pop up
to push you along. The story is pretty good, there just ain't very much to judge on.
Characters 9
Dante is the man. With his red trench coat, twin pistols, and sword, he
is probably the most stylish video game character ever. Even the bosses are cool looking and oozing
style. Nelo Angelo, the dark angel, is a sweet looking knight who looks to have escaped from Tron.
Trish is the only real weakness in the characters, but she isn't that bad either.
Extras 7
There are several secrets to be found. One is the secret missions, challenges of varying
difficulty that give rewards for completion. There are about 20 of these to find in the game.
Also, it is possible to unlock Sparda, Dante's demon father, as a playable character. Finally,
beat the game on hard mode to unlock Dante Must Die mode. Ouch.
Replay 8
You'll play through the game as least 3-4 times.
Fun 9
This game is a blast. Even fighting to buy new skills is fun. Fighting in a "fun room",
a room with lots of stronger enemies, can be fun for hours, even with friends.
Over All 9
The first game for PS2 that deserves mass acclaim. This game will appeal
to any action fan. If you are looking for a challenge, then go buy this game now. Its
probably pretty cheap by now.
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Rez
Overview:
A game by Sega released for the PS2. Rez is a flying shooter game, but may
actually be the best "music" game on the market.
Graphics 7
The graphics are just plain weird. Nearly everything is either an empty wire frame,
or ships that look like the ones in the SNES Star Fox. There is a lot of stuff flying around the screen,
and the bosses are huge and original.
Sound 10
This will be the games selling point. Each of the stages has its own beat.
However, the player has the ability to alter the music at will. Whenever the player shoots an enemy, a
sound is added to the music during the explosions. This adds a really good feature to an otherwise lackluster
game. I have never been less than impressed at the music.
Gameplay 7
This is old school stuff. You fly around in a third person type view, shooting enemies.
The only real additions are the ability to power up and the lock on feature. While holding the attack button, just
moving the sight over the enemies will allow you to attack them. If the player can collect
8 blue orbs, the player's character will transform into stronger forms, including the Dimensional Buddha.
Storyline 3
What story? During the game, messages keep appearing in the corner of the screen.
By these messages, it appears you are playing a computer hacker trying to hack into a system, but thats about
all of the story I ever saw.
Characters 4
There are no characters. The only reason this game gets any points here
is because of the Dimensional Buddha.
Extras 4
Extremely lacking. Once you beat the game, you unlock time attack and traveling mode. Time
attack is the basic "beat the game as fast as you can". Traveling mode allows you to play any stage completely
invincible. This is kinda fun, but doesn't really equate to an extra.
Replay 8
You'll play this trying to make cooler beats than ever before.
Fun 7
This game may well be more fun to watch than play. Its easier to listen to the music that way.
Over All 7
Anyone who likes rythm games should try this. It is just quirky enough
to get some serious play time. Serious action fans should stay away, but anyone who likes weird games
try this. While I can't help feeling this game started as a DC game, its all good.
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Tony Hawk 3
Overview:
The best game in the skateboard/snowboard craze yet. Once
again, the player must skate through huge levels, accomplishing odd tasks to finish each level.
This game has been released for every system, but I've played the PS2 version. I would bet they are not that different though.
Graphics 9
Not bad at all. All of the character models look great. Even better,
you get a nice feeling of speed while flying around the levels.
Sound 7
The same bone crunching impact noises are back. This game isn't heavy on sound
effects, the music often overshadows them. It's just my opinion, but the sound track in TH2 was better.
The new songs tend to sound alike, while many of them do not run the full 2 minutes of a run, meaning
some songs are never heard, because it starts up with about 10 seconds left on the clock.
Gameplay 8
While the game is fun, it seems much easier to bail than in TH2. The is nothing wrong with the controls,
but there are a few glitches, with things like a box disappearing from under you or jumping, and doing your best Superman
impression right into a pool, for no reason whatsoever. This game has a ton of new moves for your skaters to learn.
The level designs aren't the best and can be pretty confusing at times.
Storyline: N/A
Characters 8
Even though its only a skating game, it still has great characters.
Wolverine, Darth Maul, Ollie the Magic Bum, and a chick in skimpy clothes are all unlockable, and even come with
their own moves, such as the Force Grab or Will Skate for Food.
Extras 9
This game has it all. Unlockable stages, moves, movies, characters, official cheats, new
boards for all skaters, Create-a-skater, and much, much more.
Replay 8
You can bet you'll play this one for quite a while. Most people won't put it down
until they have found all of the hidden stuff.
Fun 8
Like TH2, it is a really fun game. My only compliant lies in the mission objectives. Unlike the first two games,
many missions do not have a clear solution, often making it trial and error on some of the harder ones.
Over All 8
This is a great game, especially if you have never played one of the other skater games.
My personal opinion is that TH2 is actually a better game, if it had the graphics and new moves.
This is more of an add-on to TH2 than a real game, but if you liked TH2, you'll buy it anyways.
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Valkyrie Profile
Overview:
A late generation RPG by Tri-ace. Your character is Lenneth Valkyrie, a low level Goddess
who is charged with collecting the souls of worthy humans to join the Gods in Ragnarok, the
destruction of the world. With her powers to "hear" the souls of the dying, Valkyrie seeks out those
humans of Virtue and Might.
Graphics 8
Not too shabby. Everything is in 2-D sprites, but the background images move at different rates,
giving a real sense of distance and 3-D atmosphere. The Characters are a little small, but are superbly animated,
moving with a fluidity to match most 3-D games, at least most of the time. The face shots, shown while a character is talking,
are quite well done as well. The special effects are fantastic. However, many of the fighters look terribly pixellated around the edges.
Sound 7
The background music is quite varied with more traditional orchestral songs with some soft rock and pop like
themes through in as well. The game also features voice acting, a rare thing in PS days. While some are quite good, like Lenneth and Arngrim,
others are horrible. One random townsperson is recogizable as Ash from Pokemon, another black mark on sound quality.
Gameplay 10
This title is incredibly innovative, especially in the game play. Instead of a top down view wandering though
a dungeon, they instead play more like a Castlevania-esque 2-D explorer. All monsters can be seen and usually avoided if the player wishes it.
Also, a player can always get the first strike if Valkyrie can slash the enemy with her sword. This leads to battle, the best part of this game.
Instead of typical "I hit you, you hit me" game play, your entire party attacks all at once, with each fighter assigned to a different button.
Since each fighter can have up to 3 attacks per round, this makes it possible to juggle your enemies in mid air. Finally, if
you combo enough hits together, your "Weird Soul" powers are useable, basically allowing you to combo Hyper Attacks together for
tremendous damage. The battle system is just plain fun. Beware though, this game is extremely
hard. There are difficulty settings, but unless you play hard mode, you cannot recruit all of the
characters or see all of the story. Boss fights near the end of hard mode may take over an HOUR to win (if you win the first time!).
Storyline 4
The weakest part of VP is the story. The first hour or so is when Valkyrie is given her task and
given training by Freya. After this, there is one a single plot thread for Valkyrie to follow, and that is ONLY if you can acheive the "good"
ending. Each individual character also has some backstory, but you know that each and every one of them will die
if you are sent to recruit him/her. Once a warrior has joined you, don't expect much in the way of character or plot development
from them again. However, Arngrim's adventuring group IS a continuous story, you end up recruit another member every chapter or two.
Characters 9
The Einherjer (Ein-hairy- yar) are quite a colorful bunch, with plenty of variety. Besides the typical princess and mercenaries,
you also get mermaids, samuria, knights, thiefs, etc. Each warrior also has his/her own Weird Soul attack and fighting style.
Each character also has a list of traits, like arrogant, graceful, or pride, for example, that defines them as a hero.
These values matter, because you must sent the warriors to Asgard to fight in Ragnarok, and different situations require
different types of people. One character, Lawfer, is often praises by the Gods for his fighting technique, but
critized for being too gentle with prisoners and wounded enemy soldiers.
Extras 8
For starters, there is a huge hidden dungeon that can only be accessed by beating the game.
Hidden in this dungeon are extremely powerful weapons, 3 more hidden characters, and a cute little fairy monster with
the voice like an action movie hero! The bad part is that you cannot return to the regular game after entering the Seraphic Gate.
Replay 9
Most will play through this twice, once in normal difficulty and one in hard mode.
The new characters in hard mode are worth the second play through, but hard mode is just too hard for the first timer.
Fun 8
Whenever you get a new fighter, you'll want to see their weird soul attack. However, the
story points can get long and tedious, and some later dungeons are just too large. Plus, as cool as the Weird Soul
abilites are, the animations are long. By the time you get sick of using them for fun, you have to start using them to survive.
Over All 8
Any RPG fan should check this game out. This game is great for the simple reason
that it is fresh. Even though it combines several different styles of gaming, sidescrolling, fighting, and RPG, the whole effort
comes off feeling brand new. RPG fans expect a good storyline, which is absent from this game. Still,
the game does have a definate plot and a countdown to the ending, which is actually cooler than it sounds.
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Playstation 2:
Sony's second videogame console. After the first Playstation topped the 32-bit generation at the top of its league, many wondered if Sony could do it again.
Strengths:
Backwards Compatibility. The PS2 can play PS2 as well as PS1 games, automatically giving it the largest game library ever. The system has plenty of power, as seen in FFX and Metal Gear 2. The greatest advantage PS2 has is its game library. It has the most games of all the new systems, as well as far more titles actually worth owning! The old Dual Shock is arguably the best controller of the new systems too. It is also the only console that plays DVDs right out of the box.
Weaknesses:
One problem with having a huge library is that probably half of the games are worthless. Although I doubt the percentage of bad PS2 games is more than Gamecube or X-Box, more games in total equates to more bad games. Also, many developers are disgruntled about the difficulty in programming PS2 games. Due to the backward compatibility, the hardware can be hard to coordinate in the correct way. Finally, the PS2 is the only current system that only has two control ports.
Overall: 9
PS2 is the best system out right now. Although this may changed in the future, PS2 has games that offer substance rather than pretty graphics. Gamecube and X-box will have these games by next year, but by then PS2 has a two-year lead on quality titles.
X-Box
Microsoft's entry into the Videogame market. The X-Box is technologically the most powerful system on the market, but is that really a good thing?
Strengths:
X-Box has the most powerful innards of all the systems. The X-Box processor is nearly twice as fast as the PS2, the next runner-up. It has more memory, more graphic card power, and a hard-drive for game saves, making memory cards unnecessary. Also, the development community has praised it for being relatively simple to program for while still giving the programmers lots of power. The system also has 4 controller ports built in, allowing for 4 player game play right out of the box.
Weakness:
The biggest one is that the system is made by Microsoft, the company famous for the "Blue Screen of Death" system crash. Second, there are NO games that make the system worth owning yet. The two big games, Halo and Dead or Alive 3, are both incredibly over-hyped. Every other game for the system either stinks or is on other, better systems. The ease in programming is not evident in either the game-play or graphics of X-Box games. The X-Box doesn't have DVD drivers with it either, so you need to buy a "DVD Kit" that comes with a remote and drivers. Finally, the original X-Box controls absolutely suck. They are huge and the button placement is clumsy. The Type S controller is better, but is a complete imitation of the PS2 Dual Shock. Unfortunately, not only the controllers are large, the X-Box is at least twice as big as a PS2, and about 8 times the size of a Gamecube.
Overall: 5
X-Box may have great potential, but no one has tapped it yet. In fact, there have been no games announced in future months that are in any way special or unique. As a final blow, the X-Box is barely moving in Japan at all. Putting "X" in front of a word is supposed to be a negative, basically making the name into "Suck-Box" in Japan. This system has been selling far below projections, and that is unlikely to change unless great games appear soon.
Gamecube:
Nintendo's latest system.
Strengths:
Nintendo's greatest asset has always been their in-house games. Mario, Link, Metriod, DK, Pokemon, etc. Nintendo has a history of making great games that play like a dream. These games can be greater due to four controller ports. Every major Nintendo license has a game scheduled for Gamecube in the near future. The system is powerful, approximately the same as PS2. The system is also tiny, being about 6 inches square, making it easy to carry about. Even so, the system has plenty of power, easily matching the PS2 and X-Box.
Weaknesses:
Nintendo is known for great games, but it is also known for a few other things. Like game delays. It is very rare to see a Nintendo game that has not been pushed back by at least three months or so. The games are great, but it takes a long time to make them. Also, Nintendo often treats their system like a child's toy more than a hard-core gamer's system, prohibiting questionable content in games. The small size of the system is great, but the disks are small too, their diameter is only about half the size of a CD. The disks feel weak and flimsy, meaning you are in constant fear that the disks might break. Also, the disks don't storage much data. When launch games are two disks, something is wrong. Finally, like X-Box, there just aren't many games out yet, and fewer great ones.
Overall: 7
Gamecube has a lot of catch up to do if it wants to top the PS2, but with Nintendo's attitudes (great games, but family friendly), it is likely the system will end in a strong second. Plus, it is the only system that has guaranteed good games. Anything made by Nintendo itself will one day be a classic in the history of gaming. If you have the money ($149), it is worth buying as a second system to play these games.
Dreamcast:
Sega's last video game system.
Strengths:
Dreamcasts were the cheapest game system ever made (if you adjust for inflation) when was first released. But now, the system only costs $70 for the system! Sega's Dreamcast was also the first Next Gen system on the market, giving it a year or two before competitors. The games were a strong point, with most titles being worthy of the system. A high percentage of the games were above average in terms of gameplay. The system had many games that took advantage of the four controller ports. It is also the only system to include networking options, mostly a modem. It was possible to connect to the Internet with any service and play games online!
Weaknesses:
The most obvious one is that Dreamcast is already dead. Sega's hardware division officially went out of business, meaning that no more Dreamcast hardware will ever be produced. The controllers were also among the most hated peripherals ever (though X-Box probably has that honor now). They were large and bulky, and the D-Pad was very hard to use in fast-paced games (like fighting games). Despite the large number of good games, there weren't many great ones.
Overall: 7
The Dreamcast is still a worthy system, despite the fact it is dead. There were many good games, even if great games were lacking. The $70 dollar price tag on them means it can be a good second system, even for us poor folks.
