Mission: Playstation 2 Launch

I had an epiphany of sorts last night as I completed level after level of Iron Man for the 360 with my friend constantly suggesting that we do anything else with our time: I'm pretty decent at terrible games and have an odd patience for them for the most part (I say this because I'll swear up a storm and get frustrated, yet insist on playing them anyway). So I got to thinking: what's a treasure trove of terrible games? And the answer came at me almost instantly: the Playstation 2 launch lineup. And so I've decided to try and go through every single PS2 launch title that isn't an annual sports title. The list is:

Armored Core 2 (Agetec, Action)
DOA2: Hardcore (Tecmo, Fighting)
Dynasty Warriors 2 (Koei, Action)
ESPN International Track and Field (Konami, Sports)
ESPN X-Games Snowboarding (Konami, Sports)
Eternal Ring (Agetec, RPG)
Evergrace (Agetec, RPG)
FantaVision (SCEI, Puzzle)
Gun Griffon Blaze (Working Designs, Action)
Kessen (EA, Adventure)
Midnight Club (Rockstar, Racing)
Moto GP (Namco, Racing)
Orphen (Activision, RPG)
Q-Ball Billiards Master (Take-Two Interactive, Simulation)
Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 (Midway, Sports)
Ridge Racer V (Namco, Racing)
Silent Scope (Konami, Shooter)
Smuggler's Run (Rockstar, Racing-Adventure)
SSX (EA, Sports)
Street Fighter EX3 (Capcom, Fighting)
Summoner (THQ, RPG)
Swing Away (Paradise Golf in Japan) (EA, Sports)
Tekken Tag Tournament (Namco, fighting)
TimeSplitters (Eidos, First-Person Shooter)
Unreal Tournament (Infogrames, First-Person Shooter)
Wild Wild Racing (Interplay, Racing)
X-Squad (EA, Action)

That's 27 mostly horrible games, all guaranteed to be pretty cheap. I'll head to gamestop today to pick up the first batch and get this project rolling.

Jump Ultimate Stars Review

Jump Ultimates Stars is a Japanese only release that features characters from throughout Shonen Jump's long publication history. If you don't know what Shonen Jump is, then chances are that you're not in the group of people that will get the most out of the game, although the game is solid on its own merits. Jump Ultimate Stars is fan service at its best, collecting characters from over 40 different manga and placing them in a Super Smash Bros. style fighting game. For a western audience the price of admission is a bit steep, as there is much more text in the game than one would expect, but the game proves well worth the effort.

It seems pertinent to first address what alot of people are probably wondering: who all is in this game? The game covers many properties (47 total) from obscure to world famous, so I'll just mention the few that will excite most people: Dragon Ball Z, Naruto, Bleach, One Piece, Fist of the North Star, Yu Yu Hakusho, JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, Yu-Gi-Oh! and Rurouni Kenshin. If the idea of pitting characters from these manga against one another is exciting to you, then this game will no doubt please. If not, you may find the required guesswork associated with playing a game in a different language too much.

As mentioned, the game is in the same vein as Super Smash Bros., with up to four players battling it out in a 2D arena with platforms scattered around. The arenas are set up as manga panels, and after punching through the side of the panel, players can knock opponents out of bounds for an easy kill. However, unlike SSB, characters have a finite life bar that can be depleted for a KO. Each character has 3 main types of attack, a normal attack, a special attack, and a super attack. The normal and special attacks can be changed depending on if a direction is held, just like SSB. Additionally, each character can block, guard break, and force another player to change characters, much like in Marvel vs. Capcom 2. The action can become a bit repetitive if played for too long (as simple, cheap tactics seem to always work on the computer), but overall the gameplay is solid. The characters you take into battle are determined by a 4 x 5 grid that players make between fighting. Players are tasked with filling the grid with three different types of panels: assist, support, and battle (these are not the actual terms in the game, but rather what I personally approximated them to be (and I have no knowledge of Japanese)). Players need at least one of each type, but for the most part, players are free to create a grid as they please outside of this small restriction.

The main types of play are Story, Mission, and VS., with story being the place where most will spend their time playing solo. Story involves traveling from asteroid to asteroid, with each one being associated with a Jump property. Once an asteroid is selected, players need to complete varying objectives, from collecting coins to straightforward deathmatches. After completing these objectives, players unlock character panels associated with each property. These panels can be developed in Evolution mode. Each panel starts as support, meaning it boosts the stats of the battle character associated with it. From there, it can potentially develop into a support character or battle character. A support character is like an assist in Marvel vs. Capcom 2, where the character appears for an attack and then leaves. A battle character is the character you actually control in the field. These assists and battle characters can be further developed to become stronger as well. However, not all character panels have the ability to become assist or battle characters. Mission mode features certain levels that are unlocked from Story mode that can be replayed for competitive scores, and VS. features combat either against AI or human opponents.

The graphics in this game are perfect for the setting, and they do a good job of offering a medium between many different drawing styles. The backgrounds are also drawn well, and feature locales from several of the properties in the game.The sound leaves something to be desired, as there are plenty of memorable themes from the anime that these manga spawned, but then again this is a game about the manga, not the shows, so its unclear whether the licensing was properly available for that.

Jump Ultimate Stars is a labor of love from Shonen that rewards fans with an entertaining game featuring their favorite characters in impossible fighting scenarios straight out of fan fiction. For Americans willing to invest the time into figuring out which menu does what by memory, Jump Ultimate Stars is a gem of an import.

Overall: 8.8 out of 10

Recommended price: I'd say the full $30 most domestic games cost. Import at your leisure though

M:B #3 Final Fantasy II (Dawn of Souls Edition)

Note: The version of Final Fantasy II I played was from the Dawn of Souls compilation for Game Boy Advance.

Final Fantasy II is a hard child to love. The game is most known for a combat system that, while unique, is fairly flawed. The game is also much more difficult than it needs to be, often resorting to tactics that cannot be described as anything other than cheap. And yet its a bit unfair to write off the game based just on this. Final Fantasy II is an important piece of Final Fantasy history that is enjoyable if you can work past the most difficult dungeons and embrace a system that requires completely different tactics.

The game focuses on a group of friends who are tasked with fighting the evil Empire after being attacked within the first few minutes of play. Their fourth friend goes missing after the attack, and the group are constantly on the lookout for him throughout the adventure. The plot is straightforward, with the group taking the fight to the Emperor in different ways, from taking down his capital airship to rescuing the rebel princess from his coliseum. While the main story thread is simple enough, there are still a few twists that keep it interesting, such as the game's willingness to kill off main characters permanently. The game has the first real plot for a Final Fantasy game (as Final Fantasy I was just an assortment of fetch quests loosely strung together) and hence has that signature Final Fantasy feel. This is also the first game to feature Cid, who was to become a recurring character in the series. The Dawn of Souls edition also features an additional quest starring deceased party members that was also on the Playstation re-release Final Fantasy Origins, and this adds a significant amount of gameplay.

The gameplay of Final Fantasy II is what sets it apart from other entries in the series. Players walk around an overworld map, traveling from town to town until they are told there is a certain dungeon they need to go to for some story based objective. Battles are random in the game, and occur frequently. The battles themselves occur like any other menu-based RPG, and the standard assortment of Final Fantasy spells are all here (from Haste to Blizzard to Ultima). However, unlike most other games in the series, the party does not gain experience from the enemies directly, but rather gains experience in certain proficiencies depending on their actions in battle. If a character uses magic often, then his base MP amount, magic, and intelligence stats will go up. If you constantly just have a character attack, his strength and weapon proficiencies will rise. The system is interesting enough that you'll be trying to level up certain areas just because you know you're close to that next level, and as a result the game has a unique feel to it.

While the system sounds great in theory, its flaws quickly come out. For one, unless you spend time casting spells on yourself, your MP amount will simply not be high enough to make it through the game. Additionally, for some of the more difficult humps early in the game, you'll find yourself attacking your own party because HP increases only when characters are hit. The enemies in any given area can range in difficulty dramatically, so while some enemies will attack for a little HP, others will practically kill your character. I found that I only had to artificially raise my MP and HP like this 3 times total in the game, but the game's design should have eliminated having to do this.

The difficulty spikes are another problem that plague Final Fantasy II. While I know that old school RPGs are meant to be tough, this game can venture in to cheap territory. One dungeon in particular comes to mind in which there is an enemy that can debilitate your entire party with a Confuse spell and you are forced to watch as your party attacks itself without any means of recourse. The other one involves the end boss who is much more difficult than anything in the dungeon that comes before him, but I forgive that particular one because he is the last enemy of the game.

Final Fantasy I & 2: Dawn of Souls features ports of the first two games in the series from the Wonderswan color. The visuals are about equal to those in the SNES Final Fantasies, and the sound effects are as well. While there isn't a particular theme that struck me in the game, this is one of the beginning Final Fantasies, and as such many of the themes were repeated in subsequent games (such as the title screen music that was repeated from Final Fantasy I).

Final Fantasy II is a flawed game, and yet its also one of the more interesting entries in the series because of it. This is not to say that it is better than Final Fantasy IV or VI, but rather that it has its own unique flavor that allows it to shine in its own way. The difficulty of the game will keep it from being appreciated (or finished, for that matter) by most, and yet the game lives up to its pedigree.

Overall: 7.4 out of 10

M:B #2: Little Big Planet: Game of the Year Edition

A person's enjoyment of Little Big Planet will be almost entirely based on their willingness to create custom levels using the fairly extensive level editor. Unfortunately, this isn't really what I'm looking for in a game, and hence my underwhelming response to LBP. I spent time strictly in the campaign mode, and walked away fairly unimpressed with what I saw, although to the creators' credit, the game is most known for the level creation tools.

Little Big Planet is, at its core, a simple 2D platformer where one can move Sackboy, the main character, between 3 different planes. The game has a makeshift feel to it that suggests all the levels were made from props and cutouts, which once again feeds into the creation aspect of the game. Sackboy is also able to grab onto certain objects as he collects bubbles that contain objects. These objects range from costumes for Sackboy to items to be used in the level creation mode. Collecting these bubbles forms the core of the single player campaign, for while it is not necessary to collect them to proceed, the game places a heavy emphasis on the level creation that will come after. The campaign itself is fairly challenging, with many obstacles that threaten to burn, stab, or crush Sackboy.

However, much of the game's difficulty is unintentional, as several aspects of the core formula of the game are flawed. For one, the tauted physics engine the game uses seems inherently off, as nothing seems to have the proper weight associated to it. This makes some of the platforming sections much more difficult that they need to be. One in particular comes to mind in which you're tasked with climbing a tower while clinging to rotating wheels. However, Sackboy has little to no weight associated with him, and as a result timing when to let go of the rotating wheels is near impossible. Additionally, jumping between planes is a wonky system, for jumping automatically will switch you back to the plane behind you if there is an object to land on, even if you do not want to change planes. This created several moments of unnecessary frustration for me that could have been avoided had the game simply left this feature out.

The visuals in the game are solid, with a cutout and props aesthetic that was mentioned earlier. The game by no means pushes the PS3, but at the same time the visuals serve the game well. The soundtrack for the game features licensed music from Atlas, Go! Team, and other artists, and the sound effects for the game are unremarkable for better or worse.

Overall, Little Big Planet was a bit of a disappointment to me. LBP was supposed to be a system seller, and yet to me it is simply a deeply flawed game that could have used more time to develop the basics. I realize that the physics system needed to be fairly flexible for the level creation, but when it sacrifices gameplay, its inexcusable.

Overall Score: 7.2

Recommended price: $15

Note: I really didn't spend any time with the level editor, but if I have time, I'll do an updated impression of the game and change the score accordingly if it's required.

M:B #1: Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time

Insomiac Games has had a solid track history with its Ratchet and Clank series of games. With few debatable exceptions, the series has constantly given us solid platformers that are heavier on the action than the Mario 64 class. And while I typically enjoy platformers, the series never appealed to me for some indefinable reason, and as a result I've stayed away from the series. The only reason I came to own Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time was because it came free with my PS3, and Mission: Backlog gave me some incentive to play it. Thankfully, the game proved much better than I had given it credit for, and is a solid game overall.


The story in the game apparently picks up where the last game ended, with Clank being kidnapped and Ratchet trying to find him. Clank was transported to the Great Clock at the center of the universe as its new guardian, but is soon tailed by the antagonist from the first Ratchet and Clank, Dr. Nefarious. Dr. Nefarious wants the Great Clock because of its time travel potential, and Ratchet and Clank must stop him while trying to reunite.

The narrative flows nicely throughout the game and, while not offering jarring twists, is perfectly serviceable. The game ties in alot from the past Ratchet and Clank games, although not to the exclusion of newcomers. I hadn't played a Ratchet and Clank game in the past, and the game was still comprehensible. The game's sense of humor isn't for everyone (a bit too kiddy for me) but it's easily ignored once you concentrate on the action.

The gameplay itself is solid for the most part, offering a platformer that's heavy on the shooting. Most of the game is spent as Ratchet, who has a pretty extensive arsenal that ranges from defensive options (the lightning charged Tesla Spikes) to traps (the ice Cryomine and dance-inducing Groove-a-tron) to straight up blasters (the aptly named Negotiator). The range of weapons and the fact that each one levels up independently based on its use encourages the frequent changed of weapons, not necessarily to fit the situation, but to eliminate the enemies and max out the power of your weapons. It's a system that works, and it's nice to see a game that succeeds in offering a variety of useful weapons yet does not force you to use particular weapon on certain enemies. One minor complaint concerns the design of the required Ratchet levels . These are often small, linear environments that seem to offer branching paths, but really do not. This illusion of freedom ends up adding a slight feeling of constriction to these levels. Of note is also the relatively short playtime. The main story of the game can be completed within 6-8 hours, although there are plenty of optional items to find as well as a coliseum to pad out the game.

The sound in the game fits the atmosphere well with musical themes that would fit nicely in a 1970s space serial. The sound effects can get somewhat redundant, particularly the Mr. Zurkon robot weapon which sporadically spouts phrases. At first these are fine, but they begin to wear on you, especially since this is one of the first weapons you receive in the game. Overall, it does not detract terribly from the game, however, but rather proves a minor annoyance.

The visuals are where the game really stands out, as RaCF: ACiT is one of the best looking games out right now. The art direction itself is terrific, with subtle touches such as space battles occurring off in the distance when on one of the many moon missions. There is not a bland texture in sight in this game, and Insomiac really deserves some credit for their work here. Of particular note are the mnemonic chambers, which basically act as tutorials for the Clank portions of the game. These feature a sterile white environment with platforms that rise to meet Clank's feet, and look simply outstanding.

Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time will no doubt end up selling well overall, as it looks appealing to parents who need a game for their kids. However, the game is much more than parent fodder, however, offering up some of the best graphics that this generation has to offer while featuring gameplay that, while not overly deep, is fun throughout the short main story.

Overall: 8.2 out of 10

Recommended price to pay for this game: $30

Mission: Backlog Begins

I've started on the first game, Ratchet and Clank Future: A Crack in Time, since I figured it would be shorter and because I just finished a JRPG (so basically any PS2 game was out). About finished with it, will post some type of review after I'm done. Also, will tentatively expand the scope of the blog to include TV season/series reviews, depending if the show is ongoing or not. It doesn't seem to make sense to do episode reviews, seeing as how just about every show I watch is a serial. First off would be The Shield complete series review, as I've only got half of the seventh season left.

Mission: Backlog

Alright, the current plan is to attempt to clear out my backlog of unfinished/untouched games. Since I've been pretty prudent about buying decent games, I'm thinking this is doable outside of some that are gonna prove pretty difficult. And I'm pretty sure there are more PS2 games to add to this list. But this is the current list:

PS3

Ratchet and Clank: A Crack in Time
Little Big Planet
Demon's Souls

XBox 360

Iron Man
Grand Theft Auto IV
Viva Pinata
Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (Standard Edition)

Wii

Metroid Prime Trilogy (Most of the way through 1, haven't touched 2 or 3)
Madworld
Deadly Creatures

PS2

Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 2
Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4
Rogue Galaxy
Xenosaga 2 and 3
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds
Clocktower 3

PS1

Final Fantasy V, VII, VIII
Chrono Trigger

PSP

Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops
Dissidia Final Fantasy
Killzone: Liberation

DS

Age of Empires
Final Fantasy III

Game Boy Advance

Boktai
Final Fantasy II

Gamecube

F-Zero GX
Resident Evil 0 and 1
Geist
Paper Mario and the Thousand Year Door
X-Men Legends

I'll probably end up attempting the Final Fantasies first, but we'll see