So I'm still a PS2 gamer. I've been tempted to get me a 360, but every time my urge is tempered by one look at the huge amount of PS2 back catalogue on my shelf, almost half of which I've not even scratched the surface of. Many of the games still hold up even in the face of the next gen, and nowadays they come dirt cheap too.
A specific sub-set of games that I've enjoyed lately are the smaller scenario-based games (as opposed to, say, sports or puzzle games), that may have been overlooked when they were first released, precisely on account of their short gameplay length or other (probably budget related) productional shortcomings. They may not have been value-for-money when they were released in a full-price range, but at a few euros they can provide a welcome change from a more epic-size game like Okami- just a few hefty play sessions and you're through, a quick bang for the buck so to speak. Moreover, the limited aesthetics or hampered gameplay may be made up for by providing good atmosphere, or simply a clever and engaging take on the genre. I'd say: I'm looking at the B movies of action adventure gaming.
To recap what kind of games I'd like to see discussed here:
-Overlooked or underappreciated on initial release, but should be worth its actual purchase price.
-Gameplay time to complete story: around 10-12 hrs.
-May show its limited budget in production value, but makes up for that in character
-Can be considered 'genre' storytelling, i.e. horror, scifi, martial arts, western.
-Fairly straight storytelling, not too epic (let's say the game story equivalent of a quality tv genre show episode)
-Mechanics may be ripped off or pieced together from bigger & more esteemed productions
Hope this is clear enough for you guys to post some suggestions. Of course, if you have recommendations on other platforms than the PS2, feel free to contribute as well.
I'll start off with two games I recently played and can heartily recommend to be picked up from a bargain bin:
-COLD FEAR: Resident Evil on a boat, in a storm. No big surprises storywise, but the game handles surprisingly well, and the setting is the real winner here: the ship is filled with claustrophobic narrow passages, and shadowy nooks & crannies for the monsters to emerge from. The roll of the waves also has an effect on the handling of both your character and his aim, which makes for some tense and unforgiving gameplay, since most creeps can only be defeated with a headshot. Artwork and voice acting are not too bad either.
-GHOSTHUNTER: Once you get over the forced cocky attitude of the main character, this is actually a charming title with loads of atmoshere, a bit reminiscent of early Supernatural episodes in its Scooby-Doo Americana. It's practically 'Ghostbusters: The Game' before that one came into reality, and without the voice (or comedy) talent of Bill Murray & co. It even rips a few ghost designs from the movie, as well as the basic ghosthunting mechanic with beamthrower & ghost trap. But who cares! There's a nice Southern Gothic feel to some of the levels, and while camera control is a bit clunky, gameplay is sufficiently smooth to guarantee a quick playthrough.
A specific sub-set of games that I've enjoyed lately are the smaller scenario-based games (as opposed to, say, sports or puzzle games), that may have been overlooked when they were first released, precisely on account of their short gameplay length or other (probably budget related) productional shortcomings. They may not have been value-for-money when they were released in a full-price range, but at a few euros they can provide a welcome change from a more epic-size game like Okami- just a few hefty play sessions and you're through, a quick bang for the buck so to speak. Moreover, the limited aesthetics or hampered gameplay may be made up for by providing good atmosphere, or simply a clever and engaging take on the genre. I'd say: I'm looking at the B movies of action adventure gaming.
To recap what kind of games I'd like to see discussed here:
-Overlooked or underappreciated on initial release, but should be worth its actual purchase price.
-Gameplay time to complete story: around 10-12 hrs.
-May show its limited budget in production value, but makes up for that in character
-Can be considered 'genre' storytelling, i.e. horror, scifi, martial arts, western.
-Fairly straight storytelling, not too epic (let's say the game story equivalent of a quality tv genre show episode)
-Mechanics may be ripped off or pieced together from bigger & more esteemed productions
Hope this is clear enough for you guys to post some suggestions. Of course, if you have recommendations on other platforms than the PS2, feel free to contribute as well.
I'll start off with two games I recently played and can heartily recommend to be picked up from a bargain bin:
-COLD FEAR: Resident Evil on a boat, in a storm. No big surprises storywise, but the game handles surprisingly well, and the setting is the real winner here: the ship is filled with claustrophobic narrow passages, and shadowy nooks & crannies for the monsters to emerge from. The roll of the waves also has an effect on the handling of both your character and his aim, which makes for some tense and unforgiving gameplay, since most creeps can only be defeated with a headshot. Artwork and voice acting are not too bad either.
-GHOSTHUNTER: Once you get over the forced cocky attitude of the main character, this is actually a charming title with loads of atmoshere, a bit reminiscent of early Supernatural episodes in its Scooby-Doo Americana. It's practically 'Ghostbusters: The Game' before that one came into reality, and without the voice (or comedy) talent of Bill Murray & co. It even rips a few ghost designs from the movie, as well as the basic ghosthunting mechanic with beamthrower & ghost trap. But who cares! There's a nice Southern Gothic feel to some of the levels, and while camera control is a bit clunky, gameplay is sufficiently smooth to guarantee a quick playthrough.
