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Two words: Kick ass. Just like it's main character Dante, this game kicks so much ass, exudes so much style and grace, that it is a joy just to even watch someone play. Although it began it's life as a new Resident Evil game, the series' creator tossed out bits and pieces of the classic formula he didn't like, and by and by he realized, it was absolutely nothing like Resident Evil, and he treated it as such by making it into an entirely seperate series with little to show it's true origins. Devil May Cry is a straight-up action-fest that just plain frickin' rocks. 'Nuff said. |
Let it be known: I am a survival horror fan. So it was with great pleasure that I played and loved the sequel to the greatest game of that genre, Silent Hill. The gameplay is relatively unchanged, except there're no laughing knife babies or bloody crufixions. What the sequel does brings to the table of HELL is an option for Mario 64-style control, which actually makes beating the crap out of demons a joy, and a "villain" so terrifying you'd... well... be terrified. Off course, I'm talking about Pyramid "The Man" Head. But hat exactly makes Pyramid Head so scary? Could it be that he's a large, bloody man with a pyramid for a head? Could it be he's a large, bloody man with a pyramid for head wielding a MIGHTY blade? Which he (He?) scrapes along the floor behind him, chasing you, reaching out for you, in the dark, in the mist, the... Oh, God. I remember when I first saw him, standing there in that dark hallway in the apartment building... waiting.... What I'm trying to say is, this game fucking creeped the hell outta me. The grainy, gritty graphics and fantastic sound effects (and fear-inducing, ambient music) give the game such an amazing, unforgettable atmosphere. Unfortunately, solving banal puzzles and running around looking for keys is pretty poopy. Oh, God!! I'm sorry! Don't come after me, Pyramid Head!!! |
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Perhaps the most anticipated game ever created, this game would have made it to the top of my list if not for it's crippling storyline flaws. That aside though, this is one of the most in-depth, detailed, realistic games ever created, and easily the best spy simulator ever created. Taking the importance of stealth over bravado from the original and bringing it to the next level with extremely interactive environments, incredibly intelligent enemies, and a surprisingly wide array of moves, there's so much to do in this game that you could spend hours on the smallest of things. Definetly a worthy successor to the original (Again, storyline aside). |
Ah, another survival horror game, this time from the masters at Capcom. Actually, I would consider this more action than survival horror, because great emphasis is put upon Samanosuke's ability to KICK ASS. And well, the game isn't scary at all. Although it's basically Resident Evil with Japanese demons and katanas, Onimusha is a great game with a great combat system. I found upgrading Samano-san's three elemental swords is an excellent way to progress through the game, by stealing demons' souls and... well... KICKING ASS. Sure, there's still managing your herbs and ammo (arrows, mainly) but high powered FLAMING SWORDS OF DEATH always make a great game better. The overall presentation is slick and stylish, and the Japanese setting is uber-spiffy. But hey, it still manages to be cool. Onimusha also boasts one of the best, orchestrated soundtracks out there. |
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I suck at Dance Dance Revolution. A lot. Like other rhythm games like PaRappa and UmJammer Lammy, it might have something to do with the timing, or the inability to react quickly, Idunno. But unlike PaRappa and Lammy, I love this game. Despite that I suck at it. Perhaps even because I suck at it. The dance pad is more than a gimmick- it brings the idea of a rhythm game to the entire body, and good lord, is it fun! Despite that Dance Dance Revolution has existed for years and years now in Japan and in arcades, this year was the first time us Yanks could play it on the Playstation and dance like fools in our own homes. God bless Konami for finally taking a risk in bringing us all the Dance Dance Love we can take. |
Now here's something. A good Star Wars game. Well, granted, the Star Wars flight-sims are always the best ones (Tie Fighter is one of the best games EVER), and this one is no exception. A VAST improvement over the Nintendo 64's yawnfest Rogue Squadron, Rogue Leader boasts very, very impressive graphics and really tight controls. Playing this with the Gamecube controller is a dream... controlling the X-Wing (and other various Rebel craft) is just so precise, it's awesome... And how about those space battles (Something the previous game was sorely lacking)? And thank GOD the game takes place during the Classic Trilogy... I don't have much against Episode I, but that Naboo fighter just, well, sucks. Anyway, this and Smash Melee are games worth getting the Gamecube for. Now if only we'd get a TIE Fighter update. |
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On the one hand, THPS3 doesn't do much more than THPS2 did. The level design isn't a great deal better (There, Silver, I said it. You happy?), I don't like the music as much as the first two, and I can't even use the online mode that's supposed to be so cool (My network is using a homeportal, which won't work with the PS2). On the other hand, it doesn't have to. Tony Hawk 2 was so damn good, that even a slightly better game would be incredible, and by default make it the best skateboarding game ever. But Tony Hawk 3 does so much more than small improvements- the revert brings the trick system full-circle, finally making virtually anything possible, even the potential for a never-ending series of tricks. And the added bonuses to unlock as well as the awesome Park Builder would make this game last virtually forever if I had time to play it. For those that think, "How could a skateboard game be that fun? It's a frickin' skateboarding game!", I should tell you, I used to be like you... and then I played it. I defy anyone to play this game long enough to get good at it, and tell me they don't like it. It really is that good. |
I knew right away, from the game's l33t opening intro, it's gonna kick ass. "Let's rock, baby!" has never meant so much before Dante and his bodacious arsenal exploded into my life. What once started out as Resident Evil 4, is now one of THE GROOVIEST action games around. Though it staggers a bit near the end, this game never lets up, by giving Dante a ton of rad weapons to use. Playing as the half-man, half-demon is an exercise in BADASS. It's an xtreme joy to manipulate the man with grrrrreat, tight control. And those handguns of his? Tres chic. Like friggin' machine guns. The realtime graphics are superb, the difficulty challenging, the music techno... I suppose the only setback is the plot. It has more cheese than France ("TRIIIIIIIISH!"). Looks like Capcom's got YET ANOTHER kickass franchise. |
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The Gameboy Advance's killer app wasn't Mario or F-Zero, it was Castlevania. For years after CV: Symphony of the Night, players cried out to Konami for another game like it, and Konami finally delivered. While a bit closer to it's roots than it's predecessor, this game still retains the Super Metroid-ish level structure and wide variety of items (This time in the form of magical cards), and although it's not quite up to par with it's PSX big brother, the fact that nearly the same kind of depth and variety in a portable game is a testament both to the Gameboy Advance's power and to Konami's resourcefullness. This is a game so good I'd reccomend it even to those that don't like Castlevania games. If you got a Gameboy Advance for Mario Kart, you got it for the wrong game- this is THE reason to own the Gameboy Advance. |
Oh yes. We all know about Metal Gear Solid 2. What more is there to say, really? This is a great game, and would have scored higher on my list if it weren't for the fact that the only reason to replay this game is an exercise in patience. To better understand the labrynthine plot means you have to sit through Rose's whining, and collecting dogtags gets boring. Fast. Otherwise, this is an excellent game that every gamer worth his salt should own. The gameplay is tweaked to perfection, adding an absolutely necessary first-person aiming view, a ton of new moves and items, and spot-on acting. As for the controversial plot... well, overall, I like it. Sure, some editing would've been welcome (Shut the FUCK up, Rose! I'm saving the world here!) in a few parts, but otherwise I'd call it solid (Ha. Ha. Ha.). |
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I know it's been said by other websites, but only because it's so true- this game is a perfect argument for videogames as an art. So beautiful, so perfect in design and yet so subtle, and with few words it weaves an incredible story that invokes the player's imagination. The gameplay seems ever so slightly like Prince of Persia, and what really pushes it is the extremely well-designed and realistic puzzles so brilliantly concieved that other game designers need to take notice. Ico doesn't make puzzles with cryptic clues and out-of-place symbolism, but rather common sense puzzles based simply on the area's layout- namely, navigation through a run-down crumbling castle. It's important to note that perhaps the most striking thing about the game, even moreso than it's hushed and dreamlike atmosphere, is the attachment you feel for the characters, despite their lack of speech. Despite no motion capture, the characters move and act more realistically than any seen in a videogame. Tiny things tell us so much about them, like Ico tugging on Yorda's arm or Yorda wandering off to chase birds. Unfortunately, there is a downside. Like Metal Gear Solid, this game would have been number one on this list without hesitation, were it not for a glaring flaw. The game is just too damn short. Lasting only six or seven hours (And that's giving for time spent thinking on puzzles or doing nothing more than admiring it's sheer beauty), it isn't a game that I can reccomend everyone buy. On the other hand, it is a game that I believe everyone must play- rent it, buy it used, borrow it from a friend. I don't care. Whatever it takes. Ico is, simply put, one of the most beautiful experiences I've ever had. |
The spiritual successor to the Playstation classic, Symphony of the Night, it was by Nintendo's hand that paid us tribute! Circle of the Moon steals every handheld gamer's soul. A longass adventure made me its slave with deep gameplay, classic 2D graphics, and a keen musical score. Perhaps the same could be said of all Castlevania games? Not so. The DSS Card system is an absolutlely awesome way of adding special attacks to an otherwise boring whip. Find the right card combination and you've got a spiffy fireball defense. And summon giant electrical birds! And all this... in a GAME BOY game. I mean, mankind ill needs games such as Castlevania 64, a miserable little pile of shit. We've finally got a Castelvania game done right... on Gameboy Advance even. But enough talk! Have at you! |
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I hate realistic car sims. Few things can bore me more than the latest Nascar or F1 game, and Sega's offerings get old for me very quickly. But Gran Turismo is just so good, I've come to absolutely love a game in a genre I absolutely hate. The third game in the series takes everything that was great about Gran Turismo 2 and gives it an even bigger dose of reality. The graphics, the control, oh-so-perfect. And for those non-believers out there, this game looks so good, you could easily trick someone not in-the-know into thinking this was actual race coverage on TV. No exaggeration whatsoever. To go even farther, Gran Turismo 3, perhaps even moreso than it's predecessors, has so many subtleties in gameplay, it could take years to master them. In no other game have I seen the use of brakes handled as intuitively and intelligently as GT3's. In other games you use them to slow down. In GT3, they're an integral part of your racing performance, an if you don't master braking skills, you will lose. And despite the lower number of cars than Gran Turismo 2, GT3 more than makes up for it with zillions of options and upgrades, tracks and licenses- it's just the game that keeps going and going. And don't laugh at me for keeping my Miata- I've got a lot of fond memories of that car. A lot of people might point to Project Gotham on the X-Box, but despite the anti-aliasing and the brand-new console, Gran Turismo 3 still looks better, sounds better, lasts longer, and in the end, plays better. I think Project Gotham is a good game, but it just can't hold a candle to the king. Aside from a few games that are nothing like Gran Turismo 3 (Mario Kart, F-Zero, etc.), There is no racing game that comes close to being this good, anywhere. Not ever. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec is the best realistic racing game ever created. Period. |
Living up to its predecessor in just about every way, Smash Melee is fun fun silly willy. Adding more characters (Zelda/Shiek just kicks too much ass), while vastly improving old ones (Fox WILL wreck you), makes Melee a different enough game to stand out on its own. No longer can you just throw your opponent out of the ring, you've got to mercilessly beat the HELL out of 'em... that, and the Z button is sort of a pain to reach up for anyway. Even the soundtrack's been overhauled. Imagine your favorite Nintendo tune FULLY ORCHESTRATED to perfection. I play the Fountain of Dreams and Corneria just to hear those groovy Kirby and Star Fox theme renditions. But there's also a six minute DK Rap. And Donkey Kong. That ape's been sucking bananas of a different variety lately. Uhh, yeah, otherwise, add a ton of extras and huge, HUGE!!! single player mode, and you've got the main reason to own a Gamecube... as you long as you have at least three friends (siblings, whatever) to play with you. |
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Something just doesn't feel right when a Nintendo console launches without a Mario game (And don't even try to tell me Luigi's Mansion was a Mario game). It's a tradition, and it's one I'm sad to see go. On the other hand, Super Smash Bros. offsets this at least in some small part by honoring the traditions of dozens of Nintendo game franchises. Like it's predecessor, half of what makes Super Smas Bros. so good is it's determination to honor Nintendo's classic franchises. Everything- the sound, look, and feel of all the old classics is renewed with such detail and sparkle to make this game represent all the very best that is Nintendo. All down to the tiniest detail, Super Smash Bros. Melee shows off the might and prowess of the Gamecube, all while staying perfectly true to every game franchise displayed. The other half of the game is gameplay consisting of an inventive fighting game/platforming hybrid whose one-player mode is vastly improved over the original, and whose multiplayer mode could very well be the best party game ever created. And though this game's heart is in incredibly fun battles with lots of good friends, their are so many secrets and bonuses to unlock to give the one-player game an incredibly long life of it's own. This is the game to get on the Gamecube, bar none, and if you have three extra controllers with friends and/or siblings to hold them, I doubt anything could be as fun. |
Murder, mayhem, and HOOKERS abound, GTA3 is a great, great game. Really, it's great. I love it. What else needs to be said?? The game gives you so much freedom. Freedom! Freedom. Who knew first two crappy games could make such a GREAT third installment? There is so much detail in this game, it could take days, weeks even to explore every nook and cranny of Liberty City. Just when you think you have the game figured out, it surprises you with a new vehicle to steal, a new weapon to kill with... And how about those radio stations? There's nothing quite like jumping over a barricade of squad cars as opera music blasts through your living room. Or listening to that Spanish bastard Fernando on talk radio. I love Grand Theft Auto III. And you should too. If you're one of the very, very, very few who haven't played this game yet, please. Do so. Before I put a hit on you, ya bastich. |
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I never played the first two Grand Theft Auto games, but from what I hear, they were decent but unspectacular. If that's so, they must have done far far more to the series than "Just take it into 3D", as many claim. The sheer amount of "Stuff" in this game is staggering. Grand Theft Auto 3's Liberty City is a living, breathing world within itself, crowded with a variety of people, cars, and locations that all follow their own rules and agendas. Start blowing random people away and an ambulance will come by to assist the victims. Set fire to the populace and a fire truck comes to put out the fire. Gun down a "Family man", and all others in the area take notice... with their firearms. That said, one couldn't mention GTA3 without mentioning the attention it's gotten for it's violence and sexual themes. While it's true that GTA3 is far less violent than games like Soldier of Fortune and Mortal Kombat, the fact that you're technically playing a guy in a plausible city that can kill cops, sleep with hookers, and do drugs anytime he wants, it's understandable that people are wary of this game getting in the hands of minors (Although the fact that it was banned in Australia and has stopped being carried in some stores seems to take it a bit far). Let me just say that all the "mature content" is actually appropriate. This is a criminal simulator of sorts, after all. And it succeeds brilliantly. After you tire of playing small-time murder 1 and carjacking, you can do all sorts of varieties of "missions" for any number of organized crime groups ranging from taking out a hit to delivering a bomb, to the safe escort of the mob boss' daughter. Again, there's so much to do and so much variety, and it's all at your liesure- You do what you want to, when you want to, and more often than not, the way you want to. It's all about freedom... even if that freedom happens to be at the expense of the lives of a few hundred people along the way. Hey, I didn't know any of those schmos anyways. |
Ico came out of nowhere. Alright, it came from Sony, but that's the next thing to nowhere. From a developing name known for its Tomba! games, Ico was an extremely friggin' pleasant surprise. As short as the game is, Ico makes up for its length with incredible atmosphere and fantastic, simple gameplay, and its story, or rather, how the story is told. Of what little dialogue there is in the game it's spoken in an imaginary tongue, and there's only a handful of cutscenes that help push the story forward. Most of it is told through the exceptional level design, which is a HUGE, worn out castle, and the interaction between Ico, Yorda, and the smoke creatures (the "spirits" of the castle) sent to capture Yorda. It's just done so... simply, yet so effectively. I really grew attached to Ico and Yorda during the short time the game lasted. ...What I'm really trying to say is, Ico is a beautiful game. It's games like Ico that help establish the videogame medium as a friggin' form of art. Everyone needs to play Ico. It's definitely not a game for everyone, but it's one you should try. At least once. |
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I'm gonna' sound a bit like I'm repeating myself here, because I've said all this before. I love Final Fantasy. Sure, there was a bump or two along the way, but nearly every game in the series has been exceptionally good. And yet, despite that I love them, something seems to be missing with the latest titles. Maybe it's the decreasing quality of the soundtracks, or the battle systems getting less and less fun. Maybe it's a combination of a number of different things, but despite that I love Final Fantasy, I'm less and less excited about each game as time goes on. Perhaps that's why I think so highly of Final Fantasy X. Final Fantasy X is more than just another great game in a great game series- it in effect rejuvinates the series and shakes free the stagnation they've suffered for years. It keeps some of the standbys and traditions of the series, but discards others that were long overdue for retirement. First- you won't miss the absence of the ATB gauge one bit. Second, though the lack of a world map may seem startling at first, in retrospect it makes the game much more focused, and reduces boring walking time. The battle system is perhaps the best of any Final Fantasy game save Tactics, and is a joy to play. The graphics are, as always, incredible. The addition of two extra composers seems to have lifted a great weight off of series composer Nobuo Uematsu's shoulders, as the soundtrack seems much improved over his other recent efforts. The story seems suspiciously appropriate given the Sept. 11th attacks, and deals largely with how people cope with tragedy, change and death. All and all, pretty good. Oh, and the voicework, while at times questionable (Tidus' voice) is overal very good, and in some cases, outstanding (Wakka and Auron's voices). All-around, the game not only shines as one of the best in the series, but breathes new life into the Final Fantasy series, and renews my hope for it's future. Something that momentous deserves celebration, and I think it's only fitting that I give it my personal commendation as Game of the Year. |
Call me a blasphemer but Final Fantasy's the best thing since... well, Jesus, or The Beatles. Sure, the recent Playstation games may have been a bit stale in the gameplay department but Final Fantasy X brings a fresh breath of life to the series, easily making it the best installment since VI. Chucking out tired, old premises like the ATB guage and traditional level building, FFX's got a strategical turn-based battle system and a Sphere Grid as the way to upgrade your character. The turn-based battles are much, much faster and the Sphere Grid allows some (limited) freedom to what you want your character to learn. It's very, very keen. This IS Square I'm talking about so the graphics are, well, also very, very keen. Thanks to two new composers the soundtrack is also one of the keenest I've heard yet. As for the English voice acting? It's all in good hands (so to speak) of a great and varied cast. I even recognized some anime voice actors in there somewhere... KEEN! Issues like loss, death, religion, family, and love are all dealt with and examined in the game's keen story. Add Yuna to the mix and there's not much I can really complain about. I mean, it's Final Fantasy for chrissake. Game of the Year, right here! BOOYAKA! |
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