Graphics: Personally, I think that these graphics really show off what the Playstation 2 is capable of! The very first time I played Airblade I couldn't get over how good the graphics were. Even today, they still stir a sense of awe. The graphics are bright, colorful, and flawless. Everything is so solid, that you never lose your arm in a building or crash your head through a street and then stand back up like in Tony Hawk. Even the lighting effect from the hover board is thought out.
Gameplay: If you have trouble with games like Tony Hawk, Airblade is for you my friend. If you dont have trouble with those kinds of games, then this is still the game for you. All the fun of high flying tricks, is here with none of the annoying "landed just a hair sideways so now you break your skull" stuff you find in the likes of Tony Hawk.
Sound: The sound is very nice. The music does get a little old after a long session of play, but other than that, it's all quite smooth and enjoyable.
Price:The best part. A lot of times this was given away with the purchase of a PS2 so expect to pick this one cheap cheap. We're talking Dreamcast cheap on this one.
Graphics: Bloodrayne's graphics are some of the best out for the PS2. Characters look realistic, faces change expressions, and mouths move with what the character says. Sure all of that sounds run of the mill, but this all happens IN the game, not just in the cut scenes.
Gameplay: Rayne's very vampirey. She jumps high, runs on wires, drinks blood, falls from really high up and doesn't get hurt, but she can't turn into a bat, (we like bats, duh) or run through an inch of water in her high-heeled platform boots without taking damage. She can, however, kill nazis and monsters in many new and interesting ways. All in all, very addictive and you will be playing this game years from now, assuming your Playstation 2 doesnt get wet or rattled good.
Sound: Call me an X-Box fanatic, but I like surround sound in a game, even so, the stereo sound is nice. Gunshots sound like real gunshots and different guns sound different. Also, Rayne's taunts and one-liners would make Ash proud. (If you dont know who Ash is, I suggest leaving your cave periodically, get out, see the world, a lot has happened since they invented the wheel.)
Price: $25 for a new copy, less for used.
Graphics: Not the best in the world by far. Think Diablo, only kinda zoomed out from there, all the time. The coolest graphics effect in the game is the lighting effect. Yes it really is that sad.
Gameplay: Where the graphics leave off, the gameplay takes over. This one slipped past under the radar as a really cool hack-and-slash dumbed down RPG for those of us who need that sort of thing. All there is is upgrading a weapon, no breaking your sword in mid battle, and being forced to use the crappy dagger you start the game with. (Which is the only reason I don't like Dark Cloud.) If you want to, you can even equip the character with 4 different weapons at once and switch on the fly, mid swipe.
Sound: Dont look for anything spectacular here. ALL of the work on this one went into making the game fun. There are cool effects with the fighting, and small snipits of cool music that come and go. All in all, you won't be wishing for a soundtrack on this one.
Price: you'll find this one in the discount bin marked 50% off, or behind some other games in the PS2 used rack. Go ahead and spend the 5 bucks, tightwad.
Graphics: The graphics for Dark Cloud are good, but not perfect by a long shot. Take into consideration that this game was an early PS2 title, so don't expect the graphics card pushing effects and seamless gameplay we are slowly getting used to as the console manufacturers are getting closer to releasing their second or third consoles. The best parts to show you the normalcy of the graphics are the cut-scenes. For heaven's sake, I know this is a text reading game, but they couldn't even make the people's mouths move in the cut-scenes.
Gameplay: This game has a lot of replay value. It has very solid gameplay and as far as we can see there are no camera movement problems. If you like tedious games this has that element, if you like collecting things, there's plenty of that, if you like to watch things die at the mercy of your sword you've got that too. However, collecting and placing Atla where you want it to go is fun, but getting all of the poeple's problems solved is like a flash back to 4th grade math.
Sound: Since there is all music, I can't say it's too bad, but there's no real basis for comparison so I'll just move on before I put my foot in my mouth.
Price: 'Tis a very old PS2 title as I said so you'll find it used and possibly in the bargain bin.
Graphics: Even though this game is a couple of years old now, the graphics are very impressive. Devil May Cry set the bar for third person PS2 games. The use of light and shadow is very well done. The character models are on par with much later games.
Gameplay: One could accuse me of jumping on the band waggon, but this was a real ground-breaking title. Devil may cry's influence can be felt as recently as in Legacy of Kain: Defiance. This is one of those must-purchace titles every PS2 owner should have.
Sound: The voice acting is on par with any of the best out there, and the battle sounds are supurb. even high end speakers will get a real workout.
Price: less than 20 bucks
Graphics: Looks like normal PS2 graphics
Gameplay: Here’s a good old hack and slash adventure game. You use a wide range for melee type weapons and can also call your dragon partner for help. Not too much to this game, find enemy kill enemy find another enemy kill that one too and so on.
Sound: After a while of playing you tend to block them out.
Biggest Grip: This game's too short, didn’t know I was on the last battle untill the credits started!
Graphics: These are some very detailed graphics. I wouldn't say they are better than the cartoon, but they are just as good.
Gameplay: Here is the game's real strong point. The single player mode is very engaging. The fighting is broken up with mini-games that test player reflexes. This one takes a long time to get old. All in all, you'll be playing this one years from now.
Sound: Any DBZ fan will love this. Sound clips and voice overs from the show were used throughout.
Price: 20 bucks or less.
Graphics: The graphics for FFX are spectacular consedering its a PS2 game and its release date. Every detail is covered with the characters and their enviroments, from Tidus's hair to Kimahri's teeth. Where the graphics really get impressive is the cinematic scenes (like most FF title released for sony). These graphics are flawless,and enough to make a X-Box fanboy green with envy. NO detail is forgotten here.
Gameplay: Like many RPGs FFX has two modes to it, walking mode (as I call it) and a battle mode. Walking mode gets a little repetitive but its not that bad. Battle at first in very boring but over time it becomes extremely exilerating and fun.a big improvement over previous FF titles is the ability to switch characters during battle (which make them a lot easier). This FF title departs from the conventional level up system and uses a new system called a "sphere grid" on which you move around by gaining "sphere levels". Overall the gameplay is smooth and enjoyable.
Sound: The sound quality is fair but where the game really delivers is the soundtrack. Nobuo Uematsu's perfect blend of haunting melodies is enough to make your soul feel alone while surrounded by ten people. I recomend buying the soundtrack.
Price: I bought the game for 42.99 used a year ago, but I don't know now.
Biggest Gripe: Why did Square-Enix put the underwater sport bliztball in this game? It doesnt have much of a positive effect on the game.
Graphics: Very pretty PS2 graphics. Very colorful, cell-shaded, fully destructable kick-ass, 3d graphics. Bad guy models leave something to be desired at times, but all in all, Grave is very easy on the eyes.
Game play: Gungrave is probably the coolest game on my PS2. nothing compares to being an almost immortal, zombie cowboy, shooting everything in his path with unlimited ammo. No cheat codes needed on this one. Someone must have decided that a fun game should also be beatable. (unfortunately with some games out there, that guy was probably promptly fired.)
Sound: The stereo sound on this one is nice. the deep sound of guns shakes my speakers enough to shake stuff off them. And I'd love to buy the sound track. If anyone lifts it off the game, let me know!
Price: 20 bucks or less.
Graphics: Even by today's standards, The graphics in Gungriffon: Blaze are pretty good. They are by no means the best, but for an older title, they certantly are respectable. The landscape tends to be a bit bland with trees popping up on it. The only part that really matters, though, to me is that the buildings and AWGS (Armored Walking Gun Systems) look realistic and that the landscape isn't laughable. The AWGS are very detailed and, I might add, some of the most military looking mechs I have ever seen. If the government came out tomorrow with human looking walking tanks, these are probably what they'd look like. The explosions are some of the best of any on the PS2.
Gameplay: It takes getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be an ace pilot. My only 2 gripes is that the controlls are reversed from any game with this controll scheme, and their government didn't bother to put a radar screen in these muti-billion dollar fighting units. All you have in place of radar is a density meter that lights up when you are facing another AWGS. This game has a very militaristic feel. You are expected to follow the battle plans exactly. You have the ability to roam if you wish, but it seldom does you good to stray from your unit. Your enemy mainly stays in units, so you'll be overwealmed quickly if you are by yourself.
Sound: Incomprehensible military chatter. That isn't to say it isn't sometimes entertaining. On a desert mission, you'll hear someone say "Help, I can't swim!" Other than that, the music and gunfire are very cool, as are the explosions.
Price: It's old, I'd expect it to be 15 bucks or less.
Last word: If you loved Mobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front, but didn't feel enough like a cog in a military machine, and didn't understand the whole Gundam story, you'll love this. It's all of the military with no deep story.
Graphics: The graphics for this game are pretty good. One down side are the “infected” areas where they added static for effect, but it’s really just plan annoying.
Gameplay: there are two areas where battles take place, the field and dungeons. In the field it can be hard to keep an eye on where enemies form. In the dungeons it’s a bit different. You’ll be able to see the enemies appear but they'll be harder then the field monsters.
Sound: not much can be said for the sounds when it come to music and spells. The voice parts are good.
The down side: The game is far too short, most of the time you're playing, it’s to raise your level.
Graphics: A funky mix of Final Fantasy and Disney (no crap, right?)
Gameplay: This game is sort of like a Zelda game...but this game doesn't have the same controls. It plays in third person view. In the battles,you can go all out with regular attacks or stand back and cast spells the whole battle. Targeting the enemy is a help but it can throw you off sometimes. Boss fights aren't hard, but at the end it goes in slow motion. Note: Your system is not freezing!
Sound: Sound is good, the music is realistic, but can get choppy at times.
Price: Varies, I bought it for 19.99 at GameStop.
Graphics: It has bright, crisp, simple dreamcast era graphics.
Gameplay: YOU ARE A MOSQUITO! The game consists of you flying around, biting people, and drinking their blood without them noticing you. Some control issues hinder the gameplay, but once you get used to it the game is really fun to play.
Sound: The annoying sound of a mosquito buzzing is well-rendered. The family chatting about you is funny, and its amazing how scared they are of you, the mosquito.
Price: It's hard to find so you're lucky if you find it. $10 +.
Graphics: Not really bad or good, the game runs smoothly except for the view changes and that stupid feature the creators thought would be nice, the fade out effect. That'll get annoying.
Gameplay: The gameplay for Okage isn't bad at all. It's the epitome of your average turn-based RPG. Ari (the young boy you play as) is very depressing, but when he gets hooked up with Evil King Stan, he becomes the bearer of more problems. Evil King Stan is hysterical. He alone is the funniest person (or Evil King) in the whole game.
Sound: The people dont talk, yep... it's another text reading game, but the music sounds good.
Price: 14.99 used, but worth it if you like RPGs.
Graphics: It is important to keep in mind that this is an early Playstation 2 title. The graphics did nothing to push the limits of the hardware, in fact, Oni was originally slated as a Playstation title. Due to programming delays, it ended up being a console-launch title for the PS2.
Gameplay: The best word to describe Oni's gameplay is average. There really isn't anything about this game that stands out as either great or awful. Basically, once you put the disk in, you'll play for a while, but you won't be waiting to get home so you can play it.
Sound: Again, the sound gets the job done, but isn't really good or bad.
Price: Don't be afraid to part with that 5 bucks, you'll get that much fun out of it.
Graphics: Average graphics for the PS2. You'll see some cool effects here and there, but nothing new or revolutionary. Savage Skies does, however, offer smooth graphics that have little or no slow down.
Gameplay: Addictive gameplay that will keep you until you finish! Best of all, this game has a BAT!!! You have to wait until you beat the game to play as Warloth in more than one mission, but that's half the fun!
Sound: Again nothing new or revolutionary. It's all on par with anything on the PS2.
Price: Less than 20 bucks my friend.
Ok, now you may fear the Reaver.
Graphics: If you are like me and hate parting with your much loved X-Box controller, friends, this is the PS2 game for you. If I didn't know better, I'd swear I was playing my X-Box, the graphics are that sharp and vibrant. I don't know why more game developers don't publish more PS2 titles with great graphics like these. I'll bet if they did, you wouldnt hear people say that the PS2 is inferior due to graphics. I can't stress enough how detailed everything is. Even reflections of shiny floors are beautiful. And of course, there is the Reaver, he has never looked better.
Gameplay: Smooth as silk. Everything on the controller works the way you'd expect it to. Every button is configured exactly the way you'd do it yourself. I didn't get a book with my copy, but I instinctively knew what button did what.
Sound: This has long been a strong point of the Legacy of Kain series. Soul Reaver 2 is no exception. I love hearing the people talk. I dont know what it is, but i could listen to Kain and Raziel talk all day.
:Price: 30 bucks for new, 16 for used.
Last word: Do your PS2 a favor, I know most gamers are on a budget, but your PS2 will tell you to buy this game, eat ramen if you have to!
Graphics: Really good PS2 graphics. This game, for a change, pushes the Playstation to produce better graphics instead of having all the other consoles produce lower graphics. Spider-Man is a real pleasure for the eyes.
Gameplay: This is amazing! What little boy didn't want to be like Spider-Man? Spider-Man automatically climbs walls and ceilings, has special web powers, and jumps really high. You'll fight the same bad guys over and over again, but you'll enjoy every second of it.
Sound: Very good voice acting all around. Even the bad guys are well done, and of course there's Bruce Campbell as the guide in the training level.
Price: 30 well spent dollars or less.
Graphics: The Graphics for the Sims are relatively decent, if you are comparing to the PC version they could use some polish. When or if you ever go into first person view mode, you can really see how OK the graphics are. I mean the people look like people, but uh... thats about it. ( I try to stay away from that mode because it always makes my house look ugly.)
Gameplay: VERY VERY REPETETIVE! If you just hate the thought of staying home to build a house, create a human life, and live through that particular human all the things you wish you could do, then this game would suck to you. But for the rest of us who think its absolutely hysterical to totally destroy someone else's life without being punished, it's perfect. There's nothing better than taking a good pee on the floor in front of your girlfriend is there guys? Or having your bathroom be open air out front? A definate necessary purchase for secluded shut ins like myself. (Just kidding!)
Sound: Not bad. Not good either. Who the hell came up with that really stupid annoying language of theirs? A free hint for all you game manufacturers: We NEED to know what the hell they are saying (preferably in ENGLISH!)
Price: $29.99 or less depending upon where you go.
Graphics: Really good graphics for a 5 year old PC title. I personally think a little more spit and polish could have gone into making this at least LOOK like a good game. As if you even care after the first 10 minutes or so, but it would be nice to be able to clearly see what the annoying little gibberish speaking human parody is doing with his meaningless existance.
Gameplay: After extensive research I have decided no one with male genitalia can stomach more than about 10 minutes at a stretch with this game. I find myself asking if this is what all that computing power of the Playstation 2 was really designed to do. I hear that the guy who created this stinker (yes I'm sad to say a guy created this game) actually spent 10 years making the first Sims game. All in all, it seems like a decade of wasted time.
Sound: All I'm going to say about this aspect of The Sims is that Im sure that the Almighty is glad we'e all wasting the gift of ears on the annoying sounds of people who cant speak English. And this time I don't even mean foreigners!
Price: Don't waste hard earned money on this, get it as a Christmas present from Grandmaw who's completely out of the video gaming loop.
Graphics: They're great, everything from the dungeons to the towns.
Gameplay: Like in the first two Suikoden games, there are 3 fighting modes, duel, group fights and large-scale battle. Once again, the system for the large scale battles where changed, for the better I may add (well better than Suikoden II any way). And as always, there are still 108 charters.
Sound: Pretty good I must say
The down side: The one down side to this game is getting all 108 charters to get the best ending. Which, I might, add isn’t too good. And another is the fact you keep switching main charters.
Graphics: Extremely poor. All the people look sick, and when you have to look for an item on the ground, good luck, because you can barely tell the difference between the item and the ground surrounding it.
Gameplay: Well, after you get past the poor graphics and lame sound it’s not too bad of a game. Of course that's until you get to the story line, when you step back and look at it, the whole game is centered on some bazaar religion (some made up one that is).
Sound: Nothing special.
Biggest Gripe: Way too many plot twists, Hollywood could take notes.
Price: $15 used at EB games.
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Graphics: The graphics are decent, definately better than the Mac version of the same title. In some cases (i.e. the Halloween theme levels) you can see giant graphics at night in the sky.
Gameplay: For those of you who hate games like the Sims or Animal Crossing, I suggest you not turn to this game to get you to stop hating games like those. This game is very tedious, and for some of you it may seem a little on the boring side. However, if you are like me you'll love this well thought out game, and have all the fun of creating and riding, your own park rides and even your potential masterpiece of a rollercoaster.
Sound: Very good, you can even hear all of the little people screaming and shouting their praise for your good work (or crying and complaining if you aren't doing so good).
Price: I bought it used at GameStop for $15.99.
Biggest Gripe: Actually there are two. Why didn't they make the game so that eventually the stupid ant would shut up? And why cant you keep all the money you've made at one park to rollover to the next one? I could have been a billionaire by now!
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