I've been away from home from so long that I couldn't continue My Ranking topic and Save My Favorite PS2 Game contest. So after a LONG break. I'll try and get to the bottom of this topic this time around. As for the Save My Contest I can't remember where I left off so I don't think I'll reopen the topic anytime soon.
So let's get it underway. I think I still have a long way to go.
Top 300 Guidelines - Ranking is based on my opinion alone so try not to flame too much. - A game is listed and ranked ONLY after I've completed it or got far enough to be familiar with all the mechanics of the game. Even so, I have completed most if not all the games on this list so rest assured (I hate ranking games I didn't beat). - Being a gamer for basically my whole life (my dark and secret side ^_^) I own over 4,000 and I have completed 1093 (yes I keep a list) currently. So this list is like a Top 300 from 1,100 games completed approximately. So don't think me rating a game at #300 is me saying its a bad game. - My list shall remain concrete and will not be changed even if the whole of board 8 riots against me, Its my standalone opinion after all. - I haven't played all the games in the world so expect some great titles to not make an appearance. I'll only rank the game in my list if I've beaten it or got close to it. - With that being said. Lets get it underway!
Previous Entries (Write-Ups will be presented upon request) 211. Pitfall (Atari) 212. Metroid (NES) 213. Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest (NES) 214. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Arcade Game (NES) 215. The Simpsons (Arcade) 216. Diddy Kong Racing (N64) 217. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (PS2) 218. Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3) 219. Viewtiful Joe 2 (PS2) 220. Dynasty Warriors 5 (PS2) 221. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 2 (PS2) 222. NiGHTS into Dreams (Saturn) 223. Ogre Battle: March of the Black Queen (SNES) 224. Harvest Moon: Back to Nature (PS1) 225. Twisted Metal 2 (PS1) 226. Syphon Filter (PS1) 227. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 (PS2) 228. Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (PS2) 229. Pokemon Stadium (N64) 230. Mario Kart 64 (N64) 231. Super Mario Kart (SNES) 232. We Love Katamari (PS2) 233. Castlevania III: Dracula’s Curse (NES) 234. Contra III: The Alien Wars (SNES) 235. Soul Calibur III (PS2) 236. Katamari Damacy (PS2) 237. Tekken Tag Tournament (PS2) 238. Age of Empires II: Age of Kings (PC) 239. Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria (PS2) 240. Gran Turismo 4 (PS2) 241. Gran Turismo (PS1) 242. Plants vs. Zombies (iPad) 243. Dino Crisis (PS1) 244. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (X360) 245. River City Ransom (NES) 246. Castlevania: Lament of Innocence (PS2) 247. Naruto Shippuden: Ultimate Ninja Storm 2 (PS3) 248. TimeSplitters: Future Perfect (PS2) 249. Spider-Man (PS1) 250. Grand Theft Auto III (PS2) 251. TimeSplitters 2 (PS2) 252. Top Spin 4 (PS3) 253. Final Fantasy II (NES) 254. Final Fantasy X-2 (PS2) 255. Beyond Good & Evil (PS2) 256. Dragon Quest IV: Chapters of the Chosen (NES) 257. Valkyrie Profile (PS1) 258. Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (NES) 259. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver (PS1) 260. Silent Hill 4: The Room (PS2) 261. The World Ends With You (DS) 262. Batman (NES) 263. Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro (PS1) 264. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (X360) 265. Aladdin (SNES) 266. Duck Tales (NES) 267. Kirby’s Dream Land 2 (Gameboy) 268. Kirby’s Dream Land 3 (SNES) 269. Halo: Combat Evolved (PC) 270. Doom (PC) 271. Front Mission 3 (PS1) 272. Adventure Island III (NES) 273. Mega Man X2 (SNES) 274. Illusion of Gaia (SNES) 275. X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse (PS2) 276. Crystalis (NES) 277. EVO: The Search for Eden (SNES) 278. Super Mario Land 2: The 6 Golden Coins (Gameboy) 279. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (PS2) 280. Gunstar Heroes (Genesis) 281. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 4: Turtles in Time (SNES) 282. Breath of Fire II (SNES) 283. Soul Blazer (SNES) 284. Mega Man X5 (PS1) 285. Double Dragon II (NES) 286. X-Men Legends (PS2) 287. Tekken 6 (PS3) 288. Metroid II: Return of Samus (Gameboy) 289. Super Punch-Out!! (SNES) 290. WWE Smackdown! Vs. Raw 2011 (PS2) 291. Castlevania: Bloodlines (Genesis) 292. Super Castlevania IV (SNES) 293. Warioware Twisted! (GBA) 294. Adventure Island II (NES) 295. Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (X360) 296. Soul Calibur IV (PS3) 297. Super Tennis (SNES) 298. Chrono Cross (PS1) 299. Mega Man X8 (PS2) 300. Tenchu: Stealth Assassins (PS1)
And my first write-up in what has felt like decades
#210 – Resident Evil: Code Veronica (Dreamcast) After playing both versions of Code Veronica, the Dreamcast version proved to be clearly superior. Even with the PS2 having the more advanced engine, the game looked and played much smoother on the DC. Code Veronica is basically RE 3.5 or RE 2.5 (whatever you’d wanna call it) and plays much like its predecessors. What I liked about CV was its intense atmosphere. The beginning part of the game is where it truly shined. The game then started going downhill but picks up at the mid-to-end parts. Code Veronica was probably the first RE game which screamed for changes. The formula for the RE series and Survival Horror in general was turning horribly stale. While RE2 expanded on the RE universe and polished up the series and RE3 upped the ante with its gameplay, Code Veronica did next to nothing except enter itself as an entry to the series. However Code Veronica is a good RE spin-off to say the least and a must have for RE veterans.
#209 – Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner (PS2) Like many Hideo Kojima fans, I was first introduced to ZOE1 for the sole purpose of wanting to play the demo of MGS2. The first entry had an arcade-y style and was quite good. However it suffered from being extremely short (2-3 hours 1st play through) and had the whiniest protagonist in the history of video games. The 2nd entry ZOE: The 2nd Runner polishes up the gameplay, graphics and the cut scenes and produces far more likeable characters. However I can’t help but feel the game is still overrated. The spike in difficulty around mid to end game will frustrate many and the clunky controls are still ever present. Not to mention the horrid camera. If you can get past all that, ZOE2 is a unique experience and definitely a step up from its predecessor. You will likely receive far more favorable opinions from people who are into the whole Mobile Suit Action genre; I unfortunately never was that big on that genre.
299. Mega Man X8 (PS2) 287. Tekken 6 (PS3) 236. Katamari Damacy (PS2) 237. Tekken Tag Tournament (PS2) 224. Harvest Moon: Back to Nature (PS1)
I was only able to retrieve a file containing write-ups from #230-211 in my office desktop. So I'll post my write-up for #224 right now. I'll check my home desktop for the remaining write-ups and post it then.
#224 - Harvest Moon: Back to Nature (PS1) I didn’t think farming was that fun back when I played the original Harvest Moon on the SNES. However Back to Nature revamped the formula and made it into an incredibly delightful experience. I loved the choices in marriage and how the mechanism in farming worked. Harvest Moon created a genre of its own and so far nothing has topped Harvest Moon: Back to Nature on the PS1.
#208 – Super Contra (Super C – American Localization name) (NES) Super Contra, the 2nd entry to the Contra series lived up to the huge name its predecessor created in every way. The levels, bosses and the gameplay are as good as the original. Hell, Super Contra provides more challenge than the 1st. Any Contra fan would agree with the fact that the best days of Contra were during the NES and SNES days.
#207 – Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (PS2) The Sands of Time Trilogy has always been one of my favorites on the PS2. The third and final entry did not disappoint. Playing as the Dark Prince took platforming to new heights. While I like the combat system more in Warrior Within, The Two Thrones has more balance in gameplay. However I’m still disappointed by the plot. I was expecting so much more from it after the cliffhanger ending in Warrior Within. It’s not bad but nowhere near what it could have been.
#206 – Super Mario Bros 2 (NES) Why people hate Mario Bros 2, I still haven’t got a clue. Sure it isn’t anything like the classic Super Mario Bros but can’t people embrace change? It’s not like the change was bad. You can select 4 characters each with their own strengths, weakness and moves. The levels provided way more of a challenge than Super Mario Bros could ever dream of. The boss battles were also unique and needed different strategies, not to mention the graphics were really pretty for an old system like the Nintendo. I commend Nintendo for trying something totally new with their famous mushroom eating Italian plumber and I enjoyed it quite a lot.
#205 – Onimusha 3: Demon Siege (PS2) I’m a huge fan of hack and slash games and the Onimusha series were one of the best on the PS2. Many people complain about the time travel aspect and the entry of Jean Reno as a character in the 3rd installment. I however loved playing as Jacques (Jean Reno) as much as I love playing as the great Samanosuke. Critical Hits (Issen) remains my favorite aspect of the game and this game gives you the opportunity to slay massive hordes of enemies within seconds. However like most Capcom series, Onimusha was also turning stale and needed change. I personally wouldn’t have forgiven a ‘clone’ 4th entry because then another Capcom series would have gone the ‘Mega Man’ way.
#204 – Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue (PS1) Do NOT let the title fool you. This Disney game is a masterpiece. I don’t blame people hating on Movie-games because usually they always tend to suck and thus the stereo typical view. I was initially put-off by this game just because it didn’t look very appealing. By the time I was in the 3rd level and then as I started to embrace the mechanics of the game, it was just hard to put down. I would never have discovered how good this game was if it weren’t for my younger cousin. He loved Toy Story and used to play this game a lot and frequently ask me for help on some levels. I decided to check it out and voila I’ve got my favorite Disney game.
#203 – Suikoden III (PS2) ~Dah… Dah… Da Da… Dah ra rada da da da dah~ *hums Suikoden theme song. This was one of my highest anticipated games on the PS2. I’ve probably NEVER overhyped a game before it was even released as much as this. As soon as I started playing the game, my expectations were deflated. At first I couldn’t stand Suikoden III. I even quit playing because of how tedious it was to traverse from one town to another in SIII. The problem however wasn’t with the game. Sure it had its flaws but it was still a very good RPG (As I came to know later on). I was blinded by the fact that the previous two entries were KILLER entries. I expected the 3rd one to follow suit and sure enough I was left disappointed because of the monster expectations I had. I played Suikoden III a year later and enjoyed it SO MUCH more. Konami took some risk with changes (3 main characters, chapter system, switching roles after the end of each chapter) and while it wasn’t executed to perfection, it did more than a decent job. Suikoden III does have its issues with tedious World Map Travel and storyline pacing but it sure is a worthy Suikoden entry after playing the travesty which was Suikoden IV. IMO, Suikoden III also has the best villain from the Suikoden series and THAT is saying a lot considering the one from the previous entry even has its cult of followers and fans.
#202 – Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (PS2) Unlike many who were disappointed by the 2nd entry in the Sands of Time trilogy, I thought Warrior Within couldn’t have been a better sequel to the 1st. Combat wasn’t painful anymore and was in fact one of the best aspects of the game. Many people didn’t really like the story but I beg to differ. The fact that a sinister invincible creature haunts your every footstep created a tense atmosphere. The game keeps you on your toes and the platforming was as good as the original. I liked the story quite a lot and thought they did a good job with the ending. While Warrior Within didn’t break any new grounds like the 1st one did, it totally lived up to it.
#201 – Streets of Rage 2 (Genesis) One of the best side-scrolling beat-em ups I have ever played. I used to clock hours playing Streets of Rage 2 with a friend who was a hardcore beat-em up fan. From all the beat-em up entries like Double Dragon, Final Fight, Golden Axe, etc, Streets of Rage just stood out. It was simply more fun, more polished, more entertaining. SoR2 improved DRASTICALLY from SoR1 which was also a good game. Boss battles kept you on your toes and the level designs were simply awesome. Only complaint I have with SoR2 is that once you figure out some techniques, and start spamming them, the challenge of the game just dies down.
#200 – Legend of Mana (PS1) One of the better Mana games. It’s sad to see the series has been run to the ground by Square Enix. Dawn of Mana was a nail in the coffin. I just don’t see the series ever recovering from something like that. But let’s talk about the good times. Legend of Mana was no Secret of Mana clone (Nor was Seiken Densetsu 3 but that game was never localized). The game offered so much customization which was unprecedented for Action-RPGs at that time. The story was average at best like most Mana games but the gameplay shined like it always did. A classic PS1 RPG deservedly so.
#199 – Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus (PS2) The first entry of Sly was an amazing experience at the time. I probably wouldn’t have even played the game (and thus started the series) were it not for my late purchase of the Gamecube. Basically I ran out of platformers and decided to try this one out. The game was fun right from the start to finish. While I’m not all that big on the plot of the Sly series, the gameplay was always a joy. Hunting the clue bottles and eventually retrieving a piece of the Thievius Raccoonus added more gameplay. The game is quite short and the thieving aspect of the game needs more to be desired. I’m at a stalemate to say good or bad things about the game so I’ll say this; Sly Cooper may not be the best platformer on the PS2 but is worth mentioning in any list considering great platforming games.
#198 – Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 (PS2) Don’t make the mistake of buying Hawk’s 3 for the PS1 like I did. It is a total rip-off and not the same game as the PS2 version. Hawk’s 3 on the PS2 took gameplay (namely create a skater) to new heights. I have to say the game was tougher in my experience than the previous entries (as if the previous one wasn’t tough enough already). I dunno if I was bad at the game but I really struggled with Hawk’s 3 initially. The game remains my favorite skateboarding game on the PS2. Neversoft has never done a wrong as far as this entry.
#197 – Pokemon Platinum Version (DS) The Pokemon series is one of the most if not the most consistent gaming series. In that it never disappoints its fans. The secret is no secret. The same formula is used over and over again on consoles with superior engines thus producing a clone with superior graphics and a slightly different angle of story. I personally am against game series which don’t even try to evolve and Pokemon has showed the least interest in doing so. But I can’t deny the fact that Platinum was an engaging experience like all Pokemon games are. Having two different screens on the DS was definitely a plus and catching them all was insanity… as always ^_^. The experience still gave me that ‘consistent’ enjoyment but I can NOT call it one of the best games ever as it doesn’t break the barrier of evolution. I have Pokemon Black in my closet and the non-evolution factor has put me off from playing it (haven’t even tried it yet).
#196 – Syphon Filter 2 (PS1) I already gave a long “don’t judge a book by its cover” speech on Syphon Filter 1. By the 2nd release I wasn’t judging any covers. Instead I had great expectations of the sequel. Seeing two disks was mouth watering and to my surprise the sequel outdid the original. Missions were just more fun in Syphon Filter 2 and the story was overall better as well. I still have many fond memories of the 1st level in the snowfield and the fact that gameplay is so much more balanced in the 2nd one. While Syphon Filter 2 plays almost like the 1st, I believe it to be the pinnacle of the series. A polished and engaging game of an underrated series with no unfair difficulty spikes this time.
#195 – Tomb Raider (PS1) It’s amazing how a single game can be a revolutionary inspiration to the birth of many genres. The first ever Tomb Raider is a timeless and memorable classic. Tomb Raider introduced Survival which in turn gave birth to the Survival/Horror genre. Tomb Raider took the Adventure genre and gave it a whole new angle. Tomb Raider introduced solving puzzles in order to advance to the next level. Tomb Raider featured a now almost Mario-like famous female heroine which many games at that time wouldn’t even dare to put as their company’s model. Tomb Raider…… ^_^. The original just has a special feel to it which was missing in the 2nd and 3rd, hence why the other two aren’t on the list. The original trilogy on the PS1 is one the best the console has to offer. My knowledge beyond the 3rd is limited but I’ve only heard bad things about those.
#194 – Tekken 5 (PS2) Tekken 5 was a huge surprise to me. The moment I started kicking my cousin’s ass, I knew the series was back on track. I’m kidding. No seriously though, Tekken 4 was a step down for me in the Tekken series. I didn’t like the move sets for the characters (and even the limited no. of characters themselves) and I felt the game was really stiff. Tekken 5 offers a huge roster along with customization to boot. The story mode is more or less the same as Tekken 4 which isn’t a bad thing since the story telling in Tekken 4 is one aspect I loved. Looking at Devil Jin’s move set almost brought tears to my eyes (tears of happiness)… And I’ve never lost a match since (well maybe one or two here and there).
#193 – Soul Calibur II (PS2) Soul Calibur and Tekken are inseparable fighting series for me and in rankings as well. I was expecting a lot out of the 2nd release and I wasn’t disappointed. SCII has an awesome list of characters (Heihachi from the Tekken series is also added as a bonus character) and awesome levels just like the original. I can’t really go in depth about a fighting game when reviewing them because it is one of my least favorite genres. Soul Calibur and Tekken are one of those which I actually care about in a genre I’ve never ‘really’ been into.
#192 – Spyro the Dragon (PS1) Did you know that before the famous Ratchet & Clank series, Insomniac’s hero was a tiny purple dragon. A hero he was indeed. Spyro the Dragon started one of the best platforming trilogy on a single console, the PS1. The first entry broke grounds with its unique style of platforming focused on collecting things like gems, eggs and freeing the imprisoned dragons. The feeling of accomplishment is amazing in this game and it’s very hard to put down once you’re in the groove. The 1st entry still holds its own against many modern platformers and deserves a place in any man’s best platforming game lists.
#191 – Twisted Metal Black (PS2) When I first got my hands on Twisted Metal Black I was like “Finally! A Twisted Metal for the PS2”. I mean we had like what 4 Twisted Metals on the PS1 and the 2nd one was actually the only good one because the other ones were more or less a rehashed version of it. Twisted Metal Black brought back that TM2 feel and for once a TM game didn’t look like an eyesore. Trust me I don’t mind bad graphics that much but playing Black and going back to TM2 is rather difficult these days. This isn’t just about the graphics TM Black outdid TM2 in almost every aspect and is simply more fun to play.
#190 – Tecmo Super Bowl (NES) I learned the rules to American Football just so I can play this game (I’m not from the U.S) and man was it fun. This game has that addiction factor where you just keep coming back for more. The Super Bowl seems to be a huge thing in the U.S and I thought playing it on an old system like the Nintendo wouldn’t do it justice. But I was wrong, I don’t know what a real Super Bowl is like but this old game seems a cut above the rest as far as sport games from the older generation consoles go. And just for that it deserves a place among the greats.
#189 – Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones (GBA) I very disappointed by the fact that most of the Fire Emblem games haven’t been localized. The Sacred Stones on the GBA is one of the few which have been and I’d say good choice. Fire Emblem’s bread and butter is the addicting turn-based strategy battles and The Sacred Stones has a polished battle system to say the least. The plot interested me a great deal (although I have seen many say otherwise) and so did the characters and their interactions. If you’re looking for a great SRPG on the GBA look for the Fire Emblem series not a poor man’s Final Fantasy Tactics i.e Final Fantasy Tactics Advance. *Shudders*
#188 – Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back (PS1) I was initially put off from buying Crash 2 because the first one was a torture. I’m glad the horrible save system and the next to impossible platforming is gone from the 1st game. Crash 2 is like Crash 1 except that Crash 2 is better in EVERY single aspect. From the boss battles, to the levels designs to the platforming to the… EVERYTHING! Crash 2 is the turning point in the series, in that it revamped and evolved the platforming aspect of the game by making it fun. Crash Bandicoot 2 is one of those PS1 platforming classics which you’d wanna get back into every now and then.
#187 – Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves (PS2) Sly 3 is more or less the same as its previous entries but I found myself enjoying the third entry a lot more than the second and little bit more than the first. I thought Sly 2 was quite unbalanced and did a lot of wrong but Sly 3 remedies that by making the game actually challenging (in a fun way) and requires you to actually use the skills available with Sly. Sly has a few more abilities and I’d say great addition. I think this is the pinnacle of the series and also the time the series needs to end (sorry Sly fans). I just don’t see any other way for the series to evolve unless the development is taken as seriously as a major franchise. Sure Sly could have a 4th clone which I’d probably never forgive. But it is better to end something on a high note rather than ending after being run down to the ground with numerous failure projects.
#186 – Viewtiful Joe (PS2) At first Viewtiful Joe didn’t look very appealing to me. Well I found the artwork anything but Viewtiful. As I started playing the game it started to grow on me, the game grew on me and the difficulty grew on me literally. It is true that Viewtiful Joe is a side scrolling DMC type game which is as hard as DMC itself. I found it harder since I’m better with 3D action. The moves and abilities become so fun to use and that is when the game starts to get addicting. The superhero plot was hilarious and the game just spells fun or rather… VIEWTIFUL game man VIEWTIFUL game!
#185 – Bully (PS2) Activists actually protested against this Rockstar (GTA series developers) game in various regions stating that it would influence young students to take up violence in school. Well, violence-wise I don’t think it’s any worse than the GTA series. In fact it’s not even remotely close to GTA’s violence, profanity and such. Bully was a breath of fresh air from the GTA series. This time around you’re a school boy who has a striking resemblance to Wayne Rooney. A notorious and frustrated teenager who’s about to unleash his wrath on a school he’s transferred to. Bully just proves to be fun and has a lot of gameplay elements which keeps you entertained. I’ve clocked many hours on this game but I usually only play it while taking break from long RPGs. This game is the pinnacle of relaxing yourself, not taking things too seriously and letting everything out.
#184 – Guitar Hero (PS2) I think my username heavily implies that I’m a huge rock n’ roll fan and that I am, that I am. Naturally a game like GH appealed to me and I bought it the very second I saw it in a nearby store. The problem at that time was that I wasn’t very familiar with the rhythm genre games except for Dance Dance Revolution. As I started playing the game, the very first song was Joan Jett’s “I love Rock n’ Roll” and I was playing on medium. Every time I hit a note the satisfaction was electrifying. Somehow I proved to be a quick learner and went on to love the genre. At present I’m pretty good in the Guitar Hero series as I can finish almost all songs on Expert (w/ my GH Guitar). The first of the GH series holds so many memories but it was lacking Guns n’ Roses songs which I really really desired.
#183 – Star Wars: Battlefront II (PS2) The best Star Wars game on the PS2 without a shadow of a doubt. The first Battlefront game broke grounds by being the first good Star Wars game apart from the KOTOR series. Battlefront II felt more like an expanded, polished and overall better version of the original. The Galactic Conquest was deeper and BFII consisted of newer levels since Episode III. However I can’t say that much has changed except that BFII is more entertaining. I haven’t played multiplayer at all so I might have missed out on some elements the game had to offer. No matter, BFII is great game for both Star Wars fans and 3rd Person Shooter fans. I was both.
#182 – Medievil (PS1) This game is a classic! Playing as a skeleton (a.k.a Sir Daniel Fortesque) protagonist slaying evil minions and traversing from one area to another (The levels designs were superb at the time) doing some platforming. This game had it all! The platforming part is probably the weaker wing of this game as it isn’t too polished. Killing enemies in the game feels rewarding because it adds towards finding a chalice which can grant you a trip to the hall of heroes where you get a new weapon, a health boost or money. Medievil is just a joy to play through and I’ve only got fond memories of it, which is why it is also one of my favorite games on the PS1.
#181 – EarthBound (SNES) I would probably have ranked EarthBound much much higher if I hadn’t replayed it recently. When I was in my teens, it was one of my favorite RPG on the SNES but time it seems has made even a true SNES classic look like a regular joe with the release of SO MANY great RPGs after the era of the SNES RPGs. EarthBound still has that special feel to it. The graphics, characters and story remains a classic. The areas you travel to are as memorable as they can get and EarthBound also has a certain level of challenge (not a walk in the park like most RPGs are these days). EarthBound is the sequel to Mother (Never localized) which was a downright horrible game in my experience. EarthBound also know as Mother 2 in Japan does so well to make itself likeable to the gaming audience. Ness, the main character has become an icon of his own which shows how much success EarthBound has had with its fans. Is this game overrated? IMO Yes! I think fans do give it more credit than it deserves. Is it a good game? It’s a great game if you take into consideration the time it was released and how it was more modern themed rather than being the generic medieval themed RPG (the safe route as I call it for most RPGs).
#180 – Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation (SNES) The sixth DQ game was never localized for the SNES but it had various translation patches. With the recent DS release (Which I haven’t played) the game has gained some popularity. My review is on the Super Famicon version of DQ6. My first impression was that the graphics, character sprites and areas in general looked so different from DQ5. I mean DQ1-4 (On the NES) had similar style of graphics and areas but DQ6 I believe used a separate engine which I commend. Battles in this game were tough initially and like most DQ games, this game requires grinding if you want to advance the game without too much frustration. After playing DQ6 you find out that the job/class system from DQ7 wasn’t its own idea. It only built upon DQ6’s implementation. I have a soft spot for the DQ games. Its traditional RPG style is just soothing and DQ6 was without a doubt one of the best RPGs on the SNES.
#179 – Winning Eleven 10 (PS2) Forgive me if putting a Football/Soccer over your favorite RPG/Game is annoying you. I put this game at this high a rank for good reason. First I love football and have always been a supporter of FC Barcelona since 1998. Second, the gameplay mechanics, depth, and career mode (Master League) was simply fantastic. To this day I can’t think of a better football game than this. Everything was so balanced and the 6 star difficulty added a whole new dimension of challenge and entertainment. This game has so much playability that it’s not even funny. But all in all this is only a game for football fans and football fans only and me being a huge fan played (and still plays) this game for hours and hours.
#178 – Pokemon Stadium 2 (N64) This is just like Pokemon Stadium except that it is better in every SINGLE way. This game was also the talk of the town during its release and I used to have many fellow players hanging out just so we could play Pokemon Stadium 2 after school. Pokemon dueling is so much fun and at that time the craze over Pokemons were staggering. That added so much to the experience and was one of the key reasons why Pokemon Stadium 2 was such a joy to play. This game also pushed the N64 system to its limits and IMO it most certainly goes down in the books as one of N64’s best.
#177 – Starcraft (PC) Starcraft along with Age of Empires remains a landmark in the history of real-time strategy games on the PC. I personally found Starcraft to be more engrossing than Age of Empires and multiplayer Starcraft on a LAN was simply fantastic. The Expansion of Broodwar is also well worth the while as it adds to the campaign which was already really good. As far as I remember I used to play as Zergs most of the time over Terrans. Starcraft brings innovation to a new level thus giving birth to many great RTS games over the years but few could leave a legacy behind like it did.
#176 – Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2) I didn’t really think the GTA series could improve upon Vice City, at least not with the PS2 engine. I was wrong but since I’ve never been huge on GTA, I was probably one of the few gamers who actually thought SA wouldn’t be all that good. My initial impression was the same as Vice City. I didn’t think the plot would be all that great but it turned out to be quite decent and the characters in SA appealed to me much more than either Vice City or GTAIII (CJ >Vercetti >Mute MC). Vice City improved on GTAIII by quite a margin but it still failed to make me fall in love with such an acclaimed series. I didn’t think San Andreas could improve by as much of a difference between Vice City and GTAIII but the game surprised me and was actually entertaining. GTA:SA deserves to be placed this high just because it was and still is the height of its genre (Better than GTAIV). I’ll never to this day know what the craze is over the series but I can’t deny the fact that the GTA series has left its landmark on the gaming industries. San Andreas is a quality game but like all its predecessors (GTAIII, Vice City) and its successor (GTAIV) it is one of the most overrated games of all time.
#175 – Dragon Quest VII – Warriors of Eden (Jap Title – DW7 in U.S) (PS1) I hate calling the Dragon Quest series Dragon Warrior so I’ll just call this game DQ7. DQ7 is quite possibly one of the longest if not the longest RPG I’ve ever played and trust me I’ve played a LOT of them. The DQ series’ charm remains with its medieval fantasy world and its traditional turn-based style of play. DQ7 does not deviate from the series’ bread and butter but expands upon it. The plot like most DQ is not the strong point of the game and neither are the characters. The fun of DQ7 lies upon the journey and the exploration. Although a grind fest, DQ7 remains fun with a more polished job system of DQ6’s and fighting the monsters in the DQ Universe is always one of the series’ high points. Let me warn fellow gamers that this game isn’t for everyone. From my point of view, I don’t think this is a very good game for RPG beginners because it is a moderately difficult game (Most RPGs just tends to hold your hand, this one doesn’t) even for the experienced RPG gamers. The graphics are also… well hideous but if you can look past that you just might enjoy the game like I did. But don’t listen to me, I’ve always been in love with the DQ series ^_^
#174 – Prince of Persia (1989) (PC) I don’t know how many knew a classic PoP game existed before the Sands of Time Trilogy but I did. Hell my memories of playing PoP are on one of my black and white laptops. I think it was Toshiba black and white but boy did I have a blast with that one. So what is so great about a game from the late 80’s. The fact that PoP did something no platformer/action game dared to do (at least in my memory) i.e putting a time limit to finish the game rather than giving the cliché 3 or 5 lives was pure genius. And it couldn’t have worked better for a game like this. You, the Prince has to rescue the Princess from the evil Vizier in an hour or the game ends. Continues are unlimited and each level requires quick reflexes, smooth platforming and beating the **** out of the palace guards. If you haven’t played this already do so. If you have a Sands of Time Copy, unlock the classic and see for yourself.
#173 – Crash Team Racing (PS1) My honest opinion is CTR annihilates EVERY Mario Kart game. I’m not even kidding. The time I purchased this game I couldn’t believe how good it was. CTR takes toon racing to a whole new level and is arguably the best in that genre. Completing the levels was never more satisfying in a racing game. And what’s best about CTR is that it stands the test of time even with its graphics.
#172 – Ninja Gaiden (NES) I used to have a love/hate relationship with this game. Now I simply love it (Save States, yeah sue me). No matter how hard I used to try I could never get past that ****ing second last boss. Every single strategy I tried simply bombed. Hell even using a guide couldn’t get me through. But years later I finished the game in a single try (I don’t consider save states cheating for games like these). But looking at this game from a reviewer’s standpoint, it has barely any flaws apart from the insane difficulty. Boss battles are all unique, levels look SO good, not to mention action games at that time didn’t have much of a plot but this game did a pretty good job with it. I just wished Ryu Hayabasa could have gained the ability to climb and attack while climbing. The lack of that feature brought upon me… SO many cheap deaths.
#171 – Battletoads (NES) Whew as if things could get any more difficult than the game I just mentioned in the last post. It just did. Hell this game leaves Ninja Gaiden or any NES Castlevania game in the dust if you wanna compare difficulties. I could never for the life of me ever get past “Rat Race” and even getting there took me over a year of perfecting my Battletoads play. I beat Battletoads the same way I beat any of those ridiculously difficult NES era games (save states) and even then I’m ashamed to say I almost couldn’t beat it even WITH these godsend options. Apart from the RIDICULOUSLY RIDICULOUS difficulty this game is an enigma. Each level is their own level much to the gamer’s dismay but when you think about it it’s almost an unprecedented element at that time. Gameplay changes drastically with each level. If you master say level 3 there’s no guarantee you’d even do a decent run in level 4. I don’t know what genre to put Battletoads in because it is like a compilation of beat-em up/platforming/action/racing. Battletoads will forever be remembered for the torture it put me through and for the classic it always will be.
#170 – Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (PS2) A-Spec is my favorite GT game and also one of my favorite racing games. GT3 smoothed out the gameplay so much from the previous entry and looks so much better as well (obviously). The arcade-y feel is still there which adds to the driving aspect. There’s not much I can analyze about this game other than the fact that I still play this game and it still gives me a kick like it always used to which speaks volumes for itself.
#169 – Mike Tyson’s Punch-Out!! (NES) As Little Mac you have to make your way up the ranks beating world class boxers and ultimately have a bout with the invincible Mike Tyson. There wasn’t a single decent boxing game at that time. And Punch-Out 1 was like a genius invention. The best element in the game is the charismatic and funny opponents you meet throughout the game. Figuring out how to beat them is also half the fun and with patience you can see right through your opponents except Mr. Tyson who is just a cold blooded killer. The gameplay mechanics are very simple and quite simple to master as well which adds so much to the entertainment value. Punch-Out definitely takes the award for best sporting game of its generation.
#168 – Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga (GBA) Superstar Saga is my one and only experience with the Mario & Luigi series unfortunately. This game is an RPG, not many places where you can say that about a Mario game but it was much to my delight. I was expecting cliché-isque gameplay and story instead I was treated to a hilarious experience and just an overall very “I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day” vibe from this game. This game isn’t similar to the either Super Mario RPG or Paper Mario and I’m glad it isn’t. The GBA has a great collection of RPGs and classic RPG remakes. This game transcends the norm and is just a great game.
#167 – Super Mario Bros (NES) I’m pretty sure many were expecting this later than sooner and I’m also pretty sure EVERYONE’s already familiar enough with this game for me to not write an explanation of how this game is. Instead I’ll give my take on it. Classic. Played it to death. Impressive as always but many other games outdid it.
#166 – WWF No Mercy (N64) No Mercy is hailed by MANY as the best wrestling game and for good reason. However I’ll spoil the ranking list a little by saying there’s one above this. Some of No Mercy’s best feature lies with the match options and the fabled CaW. The sheer depth of that feature and at that time was more than any WWE/F fan could have ever imagined. Career Mode also kicks major ass because the game was developed in the post-Attitude Era where many Superstars from the Era was at their prime.
#165 – Ninja Gaiden II: The Dark Sword of Chaos (NES) The 2nd entry of the Ninja Gaiden remains my favorite to this day because it was significantly less frustrating than the original. The story also takes a darker turn and during my younger days I used to be creeped out during the cutscenes. Ninja Gaiden II is longer and better than the original. Even the boss fights which IMO were the charm of the series were just more fun.
#164 – Street Fighter IV (PS3) The return of SF after the disappointment which was SFIII: 3rd Strike. I found the characters in SFIII to be extremely bland and very unappealing. SFIV did so much to improve over the 3rd. For one we now have decent storyline segments for each characters. The moves challenge also proved to be fun. But nothing beats a classic Ryu vs. Ken bout. HADOUKEN! SHOURYUUKEN! The one thing which irks me about SFIV is the way the characters are modeled. The blocky Dragon Ball Z like design just didn’t appeal to me. I would have preferred a polished anime model. But other than that playing against a friend is so much fun. Street Fighter is back to its glory days.
#163 – Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits Von Gut und Bose (PS2) It’s a general consensus from Xenosaga fans that the series went through a bump in the road during the 2nd episode. I’m also one of the many who feel that way. Episode II is obviously a continuation of the first but it hardly plays like it. For one I thought the battle system was changed for the better. It requires a little time for getting used to but it pays off to be fun later on. However everything else just seemed inferior to Episode I. The voice acting was a huge let down but more importantly the unavailability of stores (that’s right no more weapons and armors) and the abysmal character customization system. Trust me as far as I can remember I hardly used any of those ether ‘skills’ because they just plain sucked. Using items to learn skills were alright if those weren’t exclusives (be careful of missables). Despite all that, Episode II still manages to retain that Xenosaga charm with its epic (although not as epic as the first) storyline and is a great game if you don’t compare it too much with the 1st and the 3rd.
#162 – Mega Man X3 (SNES) This is where the Mega Man X series take a turn for a darker Storyline and I loved that about it. Although the following games did a poor job of cashing in what could have made the MMX series’ story reach epic proportions, MMX3 did a great set up for it. MMX3 also has IMO the best overall music from the series. The music also has that Dark feel which I felt was highly suitable for MMX3’s environment. Apart from that MMX3 plays just like its predecessors. The Mega Man series are notorious for being almost the same game and MMX3 doesn’t do much better except add Zero as a playable character (And did a poor job at that). The bosses from MMX3 are more memorable to me somehow than the ones in MMX2 but apart from all that MMX3 is just about the same. I can’t deny I didn’t have a blast with MMX3 but like the previous entry it didn’t bring that much to the table for future purposes.
#161 – Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga (PS2) You can’t say you’re a fan of RPGs if you’ve never even played a SMT game. My main reason for playing this game was not because it was SMT but because I’ve heard from many that this game has the hardest super optional boss in an RPG ever. They were not exaggerating. Demi-Fiend (I won’t spoil the name of the Demi-Fiend to people who haven’t played SMT: Nocturne or this game) makes optional bosses from the Final Fantasy series look like random encounters. Here’s my story. With a max level party and high stats the Demi-Fiend bested me over 20 times before I finally got lucky on him. Believe me, you do not wanna underestimate a SMT’s super boss or its difficulty or else you’re in for a rude awakening. Be ready for many cheap deaths and game over screens if you just play it casually. Enough with the Demi-Fiend, let’s analyze the game itself. The music is just fantastic; I personally love the music in DDS1. The story while not the best is fairly decent, it isn’t anything epic but gets quite good in the latter stages of the game. Now the gameplay is where it is unique in itself. While DDS plays itself like most SMT it has a few tweaks. I don’t wanna get into detail about the mechanics of the battle system otherwise it’s gonna take a wall of text to cover just that. However long story short: exploiting weaknesses and guarding against it still remains the key to victory in battle just like every other SMT game. What’s best about DDS is its demon conversion system which is known as the hunt system, a far more friendlier system compared to Nocturne’s. DDS saga is a moderately challenging game like any SMT game is and any RPG fan should at least give it a spin. Who knows you just might like it as much as I did.
^ Thanks Jeff. Glad to see there are at least a few people reading this ^_^. No matter, I'll try and finish this during a month or two where workload isn't an issue. Cheers.
#160 – Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn (PC) PC-Style RPGs usually fails to appeal me unless it is really good. I first bought my Shadows of Amn copy in the early 2000’s when I was looking for a copy of Daggerfall (because one of my friends kept on telling me how good that game was). I couldn’t find Daggerfall (which I found later on) at that time but in its place I found a PC gem. I’ve never played the first Baldur’s Gate back then so I really didn’t know what to expect from this game. The first time I played it I sucked so much I kept dying in the very first area (Yup I’m taking about that bat or whatever which attacks you). Well as I progressed the game brought on that inexplicable addicting factor. The feel you get when you play Warcraft III or Diablo II. Customization and the amount of choice is just amazing, this game beats the early Fallout entries to the ground in that area. Shadows of Amn also opened the doorway for me towards the Dark Alliance series which was a totally different experience but Baldur’s Gate nonetheless. Oh and in case you didn’t know this game was developed by BioWare.
#159 – Super Smash Bros Melee (GC) The Smash Bros series is one of those series which has some of the best brawling gameplay and mechanics but is overrated way beyond what it deserves. Well, I feel that maybe I’m being a little harsh towards the fighting genre and Smash Bros in general but I can’t deny I’ve played better fighting games than this. First of all, Melee is like a million times better than Super Smash Bros on the N64. I didn’t like the 1st Smash Bros very much but Melee outdid it on every single ground. It may just be the most improved sequel in the history of video games if I dare say so. New features like Tournament and Coin mode added more playability to the game. SSBM is just a unique and a very good brawler and no doubt one of the must-have games on the Gamecube.
#158 – Super Smash Bros Brawl (Wii) Brawl does everything that Melee does and better. I realized I had significantly less off-screen deaths than in Melee which was a huge plus because that annoyed me to no end. The ‘Smash Ball’ feature kept you on your toes and was an exciting new feature added to the game. Not to mention the 35 characters featuring Solid Snake was one of Brawl’s selling point (For a lot fans and myself included). All in all Brawl is overrated beyond the stars just like its predecessor which has always raised a ! and a ? for me. I prefer Brawl to Melee but only slightly because I had a slightly more exciting experience but the two are quite inseparable in terms of ranking.
#157 – Final Fantasy XII (PS2) The Final Fantasy series took a jolt after many claimed Final Fantasy X to be one of the best games of its generation worldwide. FFX-2 failed to live up to the expectations of so many fans (including myself) and FF11 was an MMORPG (average at that) which was unappealing in itself and for some it wasn’t even accessible. FF12 was the next big thing. The game could have very well been the salvation of the series after the departure of the beloved Hironobu Sakaguchi. At first FF12 disappointed me immensely. In fact I was NEVER this disappointed with a game EVER. Everything from the story to the characters to the Lord of the Ring-ish (I love LotR though) dialogue was unappealing. I gave up playing the game after 8 hours or so into it. It was also the first ever FF game to make me do that, none of the previous entries (even X-2) even got me remotely close to quitting. 3 or so years after its release I played through FF12 (wanting to give it a fair chance at least) and not much has changed except that I started to like the game as I progressed further. It wasn’t the story trust me. FF12 has the most uninteresting characters in an RPG. Hell I’ve seen silent protagonists with more personality than FF12’s main (Vaan). The story itself was also laughably bad and my god don’t even get me started on the character interactions. But thankfully story takes up only about 20% of the game (not exaggerating) and it’s the actual gameplay where the game truly shines. In my first play through I was so focused on the story and characters that I totally overlooked the gameplay. The gambit system is a fantastic implementation and I also liked the license system where you can make your character a mage, a knight or whatever (but ultimately everyone ends up being the same) suits you best. The real-time ATB style battle system is also a breath of fresh air. I commend Square-Enix for keeping up the every-FF game is its own game thing and not taking the safe route (Although for once I wish they had done it with the story). The dungeons (and its atmosphere especially), bosses (Gilgamesh, Yiazmat, Behemoth King), side quests (hunting marks, collecting weapons and armors [Danjuro and Grand Helm ^_^]) gives you a very MMORPG feel but in a good and an epic way. FF12 will forever be remembered by me as the game which has one of the best gameplay elements in an RPG but at the same time it will also be remembered as the FF which produced a lackluster story and the most boring yawn-worthy set of characters (I don’t like Balthier either but sadly he’s like the best one in the game). With all that said FF12 is still one of my favorite games on the PS2 and I would love to see certain gameplay elements from FF12 in the future but I sure don’t want Square to ever produce a FF game with story and characters nearly as bad as this
#156 – The Legend of Zelda (NES) The Legend of Zelda is like the mother of all Action/Adventure games. Over the years many games have tried to mimic the Zelda gameplay indicating how much of a success the series was in gaming. Hell this series is most popular right here on gamefaqs. The first Zelda game is a great start to the series. The dungeons, the enemies and bosses (found in many of the later Zelda titles) are all classics. The story is a simple Link must rescue Princess Zelda and collect the pieces of the Tri-Force to stop the evil Ganon from ruling over Hyrule. Zelda 1 has great replay value mainly because after finishing the game you can play “second quest” where the dungeon layout is different and enemies from later dungeons are placed in the earlier ones adding a new dimension of difficulty. Zelda 1 is no doubt a huge landmark in gaming because its legacy still continues with many many great titles over the years.
#155 – Dino Crisis 2 (PS1) Many thought Dino Crisis couldn’t possibly compare with the likes of Resident Evil 3(which was also released around that time) or live up to its predecessor which gained its own set of fans. I, along with many were surprised by how good Dino Crisis 2 turned out to be. I’ll get the bad things about the game out of the way first. The story isn’t very good (I liked the one in DC1 better) and the atmosphere doesn’t give out tension the way it did in DC1. Now these things may seem huge but the ground DC2 covers up in gameplay will make the first two sound highly insignificant. DC2 with its combo system makes gameplay just plain addictive. The variety of Dinosaurs you see and the boss fights are also so much better in DC2. Not to mention the amount of replay value with the kickass weapons you can buy. DC2 is a more a RE style shooter than a Survival/Horror but man is the shooter style done so well in this game. I could replay the game like right now because of how much fun it is.
#154 – Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny (PS2) Onimusha 2 has always been a clear favorite of mine from the Onimusha trilogy on the PS2. Playing as Jubei instead of Samanosuke wasn’t much of a factor to me because Jubei was equally cool. Compared to the first, Onimusha 2 does so many things better. The story is much more intriguing than the first and the sheer number of paths you can take (leading to different scenarios) adds so much gameplay to the game. You could be playing through the game 10 times and still haven’t seen half the scenes the game has to offer. These scenes potentially lead to who your partner will be and each partner has his/her own unique personality and style of fighting. The levels in Onimusha and some of the epic boss (Gogandantess ^_^) fights are what makes Onimusha 2 a truly fun experience. The best from the trilogy IMO but if you wanna play this game I suggest you play all three of them.
#153 – Dragon Quest III: And Thus Into Legend (NES) Again, I refuse to call Dragon Quest – Dragon Warrior. You will not believe how much DQ3 has improved over the first two. For one you can control 4 party members unlike DQ1 and for two the super unforgiving and unfair difficulty from DQ2 is gone (DQ3 is still moderately challenging for an RPG). Like always story isn’t the main attraction of DQ3 (It isn’t anything bad just generic). This is also the DQ game which concludes the Erdrick or Loto storyline as far as I can remember. However what makes DQ3 one of the best RPGs of the early gaming era is its unique job/class system. Now I dunno whether FF stole this idea from DQ or if it was the other way around but the class system in DQ3 added so many possibilities to the gameplay. Upgrading a class to a higher class is also an original DQ idea and overall DQ3 does everything a DQ game does best, and i.e the wide variety of memorable monsters, great dungeons and overall a fantastic journey or rather a quest.
Cool write-ups man. Shame there's not much conversation going on here. Admittedly I don't have much to say either, only that you're giving me the desire to play several games I missed or intentionally skipped over in the past. And that's always a good experience. :)
^ No worries. I'll complete it. It was a project I started 6 months ago and I'm intending to finish it. If I can somehow promote some of the overlooked and underrated games, taking up this task will be worth it.
I only ever played the first Onimusha but I kinda loved the heck outta it. Ought to follow up with 2 and 3. I hear-tell "Dawn of Dreams" has the sort of cast that wouldn't jive well with a fellow who dislikes 'standard fare JRPG' kinds of casts such as myself... is this true, do you think?
You should definitely play 2 and 3 if you liked 1. As I stated in my write-up I liked 2 much better than 1 and some ways better than 3. But if you look at all 3 games as a whole they are very similar to each other. 2 definitely has the better story from the trilogy. 3 probably has the best gameplay but the storyline is kinda lolworthy really.
Dawn of Dreams is well... different from the first 3 games. Will you like the characters? I don't know. I personally like them quite a bit. Do they have cliche JRPG characteristics? And this is gonna disappoint you. Yes they do. However character development and story isn't the main focus (Although the story is actually quite good and there is a fair amount of character development as well) just like the previous Onimusha game. The gameplay is also quite different from the previous entries because it has RPG elements like leveling up and the ability to equip a ton of weapons and equipments.
I'm gonna spoil the list a bit and tell you that 'Dawn of Dreams' IS on the list and as you can see it hasn't appeared yet. Which can only mean it is my favorite from the Onimusha series. So stick around a little longer and you'll see my take on what is probably my favorite underrated masterpiece.
Speaking of underrated masterpieces. Here's two of them ^_^
#152 – ICO (PS2) Many claim ICO to be the underrated masterpiece of the Decade and why not? It is a unique puzzle game which really requires you to think and grants immense satisfaction when you advance to the next area. The area and atmosphere in the game is breathtakingly beautiful and the game just gives you that strange feeling as if you are isolated from the world (And you are). This game was made by the developers of the famous “Shadow of the Colossus” and so fans even go around saying its better than its successor. I disagree to it. I think ICO is a great game every way you look at it but it doesn’t come without its flaws. First of all the game is way too short, second the combat in the game is one of the most annoying things you’ll experience. Babysitting a girl older than you (Yorda) nails the coffin at that. Not to mention if you leave her alone she’ll be taken by the shadows within mere seconds and then the game over screen will follow very shortly. For around 90% of the game you’ll be with Yorda and at times you’ll be shouting at your TV screen for her to not do something stupid or to follow your orders. If the AI responded aptly it wouldn’t be a problem but just so you know it isn’t perfect in this game. ICO is an underrated gem without a doubt but it has its fair share of flaws and thus bars it from being the underrated masterpiece of the Decade as many claim it to be.
#151 – Shadow of Rome (PS2) Now here’s a truly underrated masterpiece. This game is set in the Roman Ages where Julius Caesar was the almighty ruler. The story of the game is about the conspiracy regarding the murder of Caesar (*Not a spoiler I hope) and it does more than a decent job at that. This game is like a cross between the movie “Gladiator” and a stealth game in medieval setting. Many have complained about how brutal the stealth part of the game is but I disagree. With a little patience the stealth part requires little to no luck and is very interesting once you get in the groove ^_^. Now the meat of the game is the Gladiator games. The gameplay just goes off the charts and trust me I’ve never had a more thirst for blood once I started to get on a roll. The SALVO points (Points you get from performing different moves) makes each Gladiator game much more replayable (Gladiator games include: Battle Royale, Fighting with wild animals, Chariot races and so much more). Now some of the games (especially mid-way) has a huge spike in difficulty and may annoy the hell out of you (mainly because of broken weapons) but these are about the only flaws I can find in the game. Oh yeah and I thought the Boss battles were simply astonishing. It does require a fair amount of patience (quite a few complained about this) but the satisfaction of tearing your opponent limb from limb is well worth it. If you haven’t already, try this game out. You won’t be disappointed.
Thanks for the feedback. :) Looking forward to that entry in particular.
I can tolerate JRPG tropes to a point. I mean hell, in some ways I'm one to talk; most of my favorite games are JRPGs. But there's something about earlier JRPG characters that doesn't bug me so much. It might have a lot to do with the lack of voice acting in some ways, heh, but I liked FFX too for what that's worth. And that game definitely had a few of those tropes. So yeah, I'm not totally against 'em. :)
JRPG characteristics are bound to be present in any Japanese game which has Japanese characters. So I'm used to it. And I'll take JRPG cliche characters over characters using the 'f' word every single sentence like the cast from San Andreas.
If you wanna see the heights of bad JRPG characters just play Star Ocean 3 and 4. Especially 4. That game has some of the well... corniest VG characters ever, coupled with bad voice acting. Trust me I'm very tolerant with bad characters but man the ones in that game just made me cringe.
#150 – Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (PS1) We are now at 3 Underrated masterpiece games in a row. The first of the Legacy of Kain series remains my favorite till this day. It has a certain charm to it despite it showing so many aging qualities from the not so good graphics to one of the worst loading times in gaming history. The loading times especially have turned off many new gamers and frankly I don’t really blame them. If I hadn’t played this game back in the day I might not have gotten very far. Blood Omen has issues which could easily turn anyone casually playing the game away or playing through to see if the game is any good. Fortunately for me I have experienced the best the game has to offer: the story. How the story unfolds as you play the game and how it actually affects the player is just incredible. Halfway through the game you’re so drawn to the character (Kain) that you actually feel less and less human yourself. I cannot explain how great the story is without any spoilers so I suggest you try it out yourself. If anyone can rise above what would seemingly be a poorly developed game at first, they will find one of the most engrossing experiences in gaming.
#149 – Dragon Quest V: Hand of the Heavenly Bride (SNES) I’ve played 3 versions of DQ5 and all of them are great. The DS version especially is the safest and most pleasurable experience if I say so. However my rating will be based on the original Super Famicon version because I personally hate reviewing a remake over the original. DQ5 is the first DQ game which allows you to recruit monsters and use them in your party. This function alone made DQ5 a very special experience for me more so because I loved the monster designs in the DQ series. DQ5 also has arguably the best story in a DQ game. It leaves its predecessors in the dust and none of its successors surpassed it. I hope this isn’t spoilerific but you can choose between two brides halfway through the game branching out the story and making the game more replayable itself. DQ5 is the perfect DQ game in every way you look at it.
Star Ocean 3 was absolutely horrendous about that but somehow I finished it. I blame being ~13 at the time. Looking back, I have no idea how I managed to pull it off.
4 turned me away from the first trailer and the bad memories of 3.
I couldn't stand Tales of Symphonia either, which I know is kind of a no-no thing to say around here. But the first couple of hours of that game turned me off from that entire series, Phantasia excluded. (I played that around 2000 or so and didn't hate it. But again, maybe the lack of voice acting to drive home my issues with the script was at play.)
ohh yess Legacy of Kain so good so good
worth it for the ace voice acting but stay for the excellent story
Star Ocean 3 was absolutely horrendous about that but somehow I finished it. I blame being ~13 at the time. Looking back, I have no idea how I managed to pull it off.
I'm surprised a number of people actually like this game. The 1st disc was tolerable but the 2nd disc just bombed. With a plot twist worse than FF8's orphanage scene, I lost motives to even finish the game (but I did).
But Star Ocean 2 on the other hand is like the golden egg of the series. The rest of the games 1, 3 and 4 makes it quite possibly one of the worst RPG series for me.
Haha, Star Ocean 2. What the hell happened there? That game was so good but it's totally surrounded by failures, just like you said. Just... weird, man.
SO3 started irking me as soon as Peppita spoke up in her ditzy, longwinded little trails, but Seraphita (er wait, no... that's Xenogears. How dare I mix the two up. Whatever the main chick's name was...) was already getting on my nerves.
I just don't have a particularly high 'lolanimecharacters' threshold. Which is not to be confused with 'anime characters', because they are not inherently bad. 'lolanimecharacters' are a very devious subgenre, infiltrating the ranks with their secular brand of derpism.
#148 – Tales of Phantasia (SNES) Before I begin, DO NOT play the GBA version. Trust me on this. This is where it all began for the Tales series and boy was it a great start. Now I personally think the Tales series went into a dormant slumber after this game until it awoke with a full jolt on the Gamecube. What I’m trying to say is the PS1 Tales games (Tales of Destiny I & II) didn’t really live up to this game, Tales of Destiny II (Eternia) came close but not quite. Tales of Phantasia was beyond its time when you compare it to most RPGs from its generation. Only few was at its level or beyond. Tales of Phantasia is also the first Action-Menu Based RPG I’ve played and I couldn’t have asked for a better one. The Battle system is unique but fun at the same time. Phantasia has a great story and probably the best character interaction of its generation. The characters are also a very likable bunch, each with their own respective class and exclusive moves. You can easily clock around 80 hours on your first play through because this game has so many sidequests. A Top ten SNES game for sure, it’s such a shame that it hasn’t even been localized apart from its very crappy port on the GBA.
#147 – Sonic the Hedgehog (Genesis) A game from my childhood ^_^. First of all let me make this clear. My knowledge with the Sonic series only lies within the Genesis so no Sonic Adventure and Sonic Generations in this list. Ok so, Sonic 1 holds so many memories to me, almost as much Super Mario Bros except I used to prefer Sonic in my early days. The first entry of Sonic was a start to one of my favorite series on the Genesis. A classic game is all I can say, the Bonus Stages in Sonic 1 however is easily my least favorite from the series.
Oh hey, the only Tales game I've actually kept myself interested in long enough to beat! <3 Sadly that 'full jolt' you've described shocked me to the point of returning Symphonia after a few hours. I don't usually give up on RPGs that quickly but oh man, oh my, oh goodness. That game was not for me.
Also, Sonic. First game I ever played. First game I ever beat. First game I ever yelled at. So many firsts. (Also, the Genesis games are pretty much the only good ones IMO, so no sweat off my back there. Colors and Generations are actually somewhat fun though!)