Czechmate
03-27-2005, 02:14 AM
I play a lot and get a lot of console games. These are what may be worth your time (if you're into consoles). And note, FPS games on a console are the equivalent of putting sugar in a gas tank. :)
DRIVING
Gran Turismo 4 (PS2)
There's not a lot that hasn't already been said about this series. It's the penultimate of driving games on any console, period. It's pretty damn realistic (sans damage) and well, it makes you think twice about barreling into that corner at 120mph. I think this game really does teach you a few things about driving in general, but the better part is that, over time, you'll be driving cars you could probably never afford. It's a graphic marvel (especially for the PS2) and with over 500 cars and 100 courses, there's an awful lot to do. There is a certain frustration factor (especially if you're used to arcade racing), but once you adjust, there's no experience like it. I should note that
I play with the Logitech Force Feedback Pro (retail $149) and I think it makes a huge difference. While the analog stick is fine for simulating a wheel, the buttons cannot do justice for pedals. And the force feedback on this wheel will have you fighting it if you're skidding too much.
Burnout 3: Takedown (all consoles)
Realism isn't your bag? This is your game. The idea behind Burnout has always been to go faster than you should, and you get bonus points for reckless driving (against traffic, close calls, etc.). Burnout has always been about the crashes as well. The Crash Mode introduced in Burnout 2 is greatly enhanced in Burnout 3. This is an entire mode to causing the biggest pileup you possibly can at major intersections on fictional cross streets. It's an absolute blast, and it's enhanced by "aftertouch", a mode that kicks in when the crash initially starts. From here, everything goes in slow motion and you can tweak the direction of your car while it's in mid-air for added bonuses and even pickups. (I said this wasn't realistic, right?) Regardless, this blows NFSU out of the water and the crash mode means you can play while you're drunk. :)
PLATFORMERS
Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal (PS2)
Made by the same people that graced the PS1 with Spyro, R&C is a weapons-heavy platformer with more guns and ammo than said magazine. The best part about this game is that the difficulty level is pinned down very well. It starts off relatively easy, but by the end, you'll be using every upgraded weapon you have to full effect, often switching out weapons mid-fight. The level design is fantastic and for those that need to get "every last coin" (sort of a trademark of platform games), there's plenty hidden about as well. The humor in the game is squarely in the Shrek genre as well: kids will giggle at the fart jokes, and adults will get what adults should get. They don't come much better than this.
Sly 2: Band of Thieves (PS2)
Markedly easier than R&C (especially if you played R&C first), it's still a great platform game. The music, graphics, and voice work all work to put you into a cartoon, complete with cel-shaded graphics. You'll play as one of three characters at any given point, and the varied gameplay styles are what really push this one toward the top. Sometimes, it's all-out Rambo-style war. Other times, it's some light stealth action. Sometimes, it's running as fast as you can. The variations are paced almost to perfection. (The developer on this series is Sucker Punch, whose Rocket: Robot on Wheels for the N64 was severely underappreciated.) The first Sly was perhaps way too easy, and while platformer veterans will still find Sly 2 fairly simple in its challenges, there are a few tricky parts. The story is also one of the more creative for this genre.
RPGs
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox/PC)
You can always tell a Bioware RPG: it's damn good. The freedom to go with the light or dark side makes this game nothing short of fantastic. The story telling is also on par with the late 70s-early 80s Star Wars movies. The pacing is a tad slow at times, with a few FedEx missions (Deliver A to B and then go back for some trinket), but for the most part, the sheer variety in gameplay styles allowed and the unique and interesting locales make this worth it. It's also around $20 now for either platform, and it's better than its sequel game. (Smell a trend with Star Wars related stuff? :P)
Skies of Arcadia: Legends (GC)
Okay, I'm including this because I was completely sucked into it when it first appeared as an exclusive on the Dreamcast. Anyway, it's an excellent Japanese style RPG that doesn't start with the words "Final Fantasy". The graphics are gorgeous (as they were on the DC) and the story, while someone trite, takes a backseat to the fact that you're the captain of an airship (which looks just like a 19th century warship but it can fly) and you have to travel to various places to handle the standard Japanese RPG things. It's very well put together, and there are a few touching moments. (There's nothing quite like Aeris dying in FF7 in here, but it comes close.) It too, is around $20, and it's a good 50+ hours long.
WEIRD
Katamari Damacy
The Japanese certainly come up with some intersting ideas. This one had to be drug induced, but that's okay. In Katamari Damacy, your kingdom has been ruined and you must collect all the pieces to put it back together again. (That's a severe rewording of the "real story", but that's about it.) In order to do this, you must roll around a ball to which everything sticks. At first, you're picking up thumbtacks, paperclips, and the like. Eventually, you'll pick up the desk those were on. Further on down, you'll pick up the house, the city, and finally continents, all on to a ball you're controlling. Of course, everything you pick up screws with the physics of the ball, making this more challenging than it sounds. It also has one of the most oddly compelling soundtracks I've heard in a long time.
---
I know I left a lot out -- this is just what I've been playing. Feel free to add in whatever.
~Czech
DRIVING
Gran Turismo 4 (PS2)
There's not a lot that hasn't already been said about this series. It's the penultimate of driving games on any console, period. It's pretty damn realistic (sans damage) and well, it makes you think twice about barreling into that corner at 120mph. I think this game really does teach you a few things about driving in general, but the better part is that, over time, you'll be driving cars you could probably never afford. It's a graphic marvel (especially for the PS2) and with over 500 cars and 100 courses, there's an awful lot to do. There is a certain frustration factor (especially if you're used to arcade racing), but once you adjust, there's no experience like it. I should note that
I play with the Logitech Force Feedback Pro (retail $149) and I think it makes a huge difference. While the analog stick is fine for simulating a wheel, the buttons cannot do justice for pedals. And the force feedback on this wheel will have you fighting it if you're skidding too much.
Burnout 3: Takedown (all consoles)
Realism isn't your bag? This is your game. The idea behind Burnout has always been to go faster than you should, and you get bonus points for reckless driving (against traffic, close calls, etc.). Burnout has always been about the crashes as well. The Crash Mode introduced in Burnout 2 is greatly enhanced in Burnout 3. This is an entire mode to causing the biggest pileup you possibly can at major intersections on fictional cross streets. It's an absolute blast, and it's enhanced by "aftertouch", a mode that kicks in when the crash initially starts. From here, everything goes in slow motion and you can tweak the direction of your car while it's in mid-air for added bonuses and even pickups. (I said this wasn't realistic, right?) Regardless, this blows NFSU out of the water and the crash mode means you can play while you're drunk. :)
PLATFORMERS
Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal (PS2)
Made by the same people that graced the PS1 with Spyro, R&C is a weapons-heavy platformer with more guns and ammo than said magazine. The best part about this game is that the difficulty level is pinned down very well. It starts off relatively easy, but by the end, you'll be using every upgraded weapon you have to full effect, often switching out weapons mid-fight. The level design is fantastic and for those that need to get "every last coin" (sort of a trademark of platform games), there's plenty hidden about as well. The humor in the game is squarely in the Shrek genre as well: kids will giggle at the fart jokes, and adults will get what adults should get. They don't come much better than this.
Sly 2: Band of Thieves (PS2)
Markedly easier than R&C (especially if you played R&C first), it's still a great platform game. The music, graphics, and voice work all work to put you into a cartoon, complete with cel-shaded graphics. You'll play as one of three characters at any given point, and the varied gameplay styles are what really push this one toward the top. Sometimes, it's all-out Rambo-style war. Other times, it's some light stealth action. Sometimes, it's running as fast as you can. The variations are paced almost to perfection. (The developer on this series is Sucker Punch, whose Rocket: Robot on Wheels for the N64 was severely underappreciated.) The first Sly was perhaps way too easy, and while platformer veterans will still find Sly 2 fairly simple in its challenges, there are a few tricky parts. The story is also one of the more creative for this genre.
RPGs
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (Xbox/PC)
You can always tell a Bioware RPG: it's damn good. The freedom to go with the light or dark side makes this game nothing short of fantastic. The story telling is also on par with the late 70s-early 80s Star Wars movies. The pacing is a tad slow at times, with a few FedEx missions (Deliver A to B and then go back for some trinket), but for the most part, the sheer variety in gameplay styles allowed and the unique and interesting locales make this worth it. It's also around $20 now for either platform, and it's better than its sequel game. (Smell a trend with Star Wars related stuff? :P)
Skies of Arcadia: Legends (GC)
Okay, I'm including this because I was completely sucked into it when it first appeared as an exclusive on the Dreamcast. Anyway, it's an excellent Japanese style RPG that doesn't start with the words "Final Fantasy". The graphics are gorgeous (as they were on the DC) and the story, while someone trite, takes a backseat to the fact that you're the captain of an airship (which looks just like a 19th century warship but it can fly) and you have to travel to various places to handle the standard Japanese RPG things. It's very well put together, and there are a few touching moments. (There's nothing quite like Aeris dying in FF7 in here, but it comes close.) It too, is around $20, and it's a good 50+ hours long.
WEIRD
Katamari Damacy
The Japanese certainly come up with some intersting ideas. This one had to be drug induced, but that's okay. In Katamari Damacy, your kingdom has been ruined and you must collect all the pieces to put it back together again. (That's a severe rewording of the "real story", but that's about it.) In order to do this, you must roll around a ball to which everything sticks. At first, you're picking up thumbtacks, paperclips, and the like. Eventually, you'll pick up the desk those were on. Further on down, you'll pick up the house, the city, and finally continents, all on to a ball you're controlling. Of course, everything you pick up screws with the physics of the ball, making this more challenging than it sounds. It also has one of the most oddly compelling soundtracks I've heard in a long time.
---
I know I left a lot out -- this is just what I've been playing. Feel free to add in whatever.
~Czech