11-01-00

Brad's PS2 Game Review Roundup

That's right, kids, I'm back.  And, what better way to punctuate my glorious return to Gamehits than with a rundown on all of the launch games for the "revolutionary" Playstation2?  I'm sure there are at least a few people out there that managed to get one (although how many resisted selling it on eBay is anyone's guess), and when you're not watching movies on your shiny new box, you may actually want to play a game or two.  Sony managed to get an astounding 28 titles ready for launch (although I have yet to see Gungriffon anywhere), so there's quite a variety of games to pick through.  As with any system launch, these titles run the gamut from pretty good to laughably bad, but unfortunately, the majority of them seem to be skewed toward the latter.  Anyway, after spending some quality time with some of the launch titles (sorry, I'm not wasting any time with that billiards crap), I'm here to spread some sunshine in the form of reviews for the majority of the Playstation2 launch titles.  Let the bloodening commence!

Madden 2001 - Electronic Arts.  There's no bones about it, this game looks and plays great.  Comparing it to its closest competitor, NFL2K1, the visuals are definitely a step above, with beefier players and refs, gnarly reflective helmets (with freaky demon-eyes), and, um, nicer looking grass.  I guess that's about it, though.  The stadiums still look better to me in Sega's pigskin title, and I just prefer the play control of NFL2K1 over that of Madden (although that last one is simply personal preference).  However, with Sega's game sporting amazingly quick online play this year, it's pretty obvious that Madden can't compete here. Madden does have deeper stat tracking and those silly unlockable trading cards, but that's about it for the extras.  Basically, this a graphically improved version of the PSX game with some buttoned-up gameplay.  However, if for some reason you chose to get a PS2 instead of a Dreamcast, this is your only real choice for next-gen football (word is that PS2 Gameday is one of the worst football games ever made).  This is also easily one of the best games of the launch, so it does come highly recommended.

My score:  9.5.  It sure looks better than its namesake.

Dead or Alive 2:  Hardcore - Tecmo.  Yes, it's pretty much the same as the DOA2:  Limited Edition released for the Dreamcast in Japan.  But, if you can't get your hands on that one <grumble, grumble>, or just don't feel like importing, then this is pretty much the best version you can get.  The DC version still features slightly smoother characters, but the PS2 version has a few extra costumes over the Limited Edition, and Tecmo did anti-alias some of the background elements and whatnot, so the American version is definitely better than the already attractive Japanese rev.  The same issues that all of the DOA2 versions have had (small character roster, not much to unlock) are still here, but they are hardly damning.  Anyway, this is, by far, the best fighting game available for the PS2 as of yet, so you really can't go wrong with this one.  Smooth control and silky visuals combine to become a great game to show off your new PS2 with.  Me bouncy!

My score:  9.5.  The bounce is back!

Tekken Ja...er, Tag Tournament - Namco.  Well, Namco proved me wrong by being the first company since, well, ever, to give a game a massive graphical overhaul in localization.  This game now only vaguely resembles its jag-heavy Japanese brother, with full-screen anti-aliasing in full effect.  The resulting boost in graphical power is amazing, but, unfortunately, it can't do anything to help the clunky, dated gameplay.  Yup, Tekken plays like a freakin' dinosaur compared DOA2 and Namco's own Soul Calibur, and I simply cannot get excited about a franchise that hasn't evolved in five years.  What's worse is that this is basically just Tekken 3 with nicer textures and a few extra characters, so chances are that you've already gotten your fill of this one already.  This only comes recommended to those that still feel that Tekken is still the best fighter around, and hopefully, there aren't many of you.  If you want a fighter, do yourself a favor and get DOA2 instead.

My score:  7.  And we were having so much fun calling it Tekken Jag, too.

SSX - Electronic Arts.  Being billed as Tony Hawk on snow, many have proclaimed this as the best PS2 launch game, and one of the best games around, period.  Now, I wouldn't go that far, but there's no denying that this is pretty awesome.  These visuals are amazing, with a huge variety of hyper-detailed courses that fly by at a silky 60fps.  The controls are just as good, complete with a variety of tricks, and even some punching thrown in for good measure.  Yup, this is a straight arcade-style racer that just happens to be set on snowboards.  Each level has a multitude of shortcuts, and there are eight different 'boarders to choose from, each with their own stats and characteristics.  With time-attacks, trick mode, and standard races to get into, the game is pretty well-rounded.  I did find myself getting bored with it much faster then the reviewers have suggested, though, and you really do have to have some interest in this style of game to get any lasting enjoyment out of it.  It's certainly a very good game, but there are other games in the PS2 launch stable that I would take over this one.

My score:  9.0.  It's not just SSX, it's Big SSX!

Dynasty Warriors 2 - Koei.  I hate to admit it, but of all the PS2 launch titles, I had the most fun with this one (well, at least at first).  Sure, it's just an old-school beat-em-up, but we don't see many good ones these days, so I jump on anything I can get.  The hook of DW2 is that the player is simply one soldier fighting in a war of thousands.  As you're running around beating people up, there are friendly and not-so-friendly soldiers fighting all around you, and the effect is pretty impressive.  There is also some strategy involved, but it basically consists of not trying to take on an entire company by yourself.  You can rack up a body count of a thousand or more per level, which is kinda impressive, but it's also what knocks the game down a notch.  You see, whupping hundreds upon hundreds of guys in every level gets old after a while, even for me.  Add in the noticeable fog and slowdown, along with a conspicuous lack of save points, and you've got some counterpoints to the game's detailed visuals and great control.  It's still a fun game, just don't expect a terribly new and fresh gameplay experience here.

My score:  8.5.  Who knew that slaying thousands of soldiers would get old?

Armored Core 2 - From for Agetec.  I really should like this one a lot more.  After all, I've been an AC fan since the beginning, and any AC should be good AC, right?  Well, it's certainly good, but I wouldn't call it great.  The mainstays of the series are here:  Heavily customizable mechs, sim-style gameplay, and varied missions.  There are some considerable chinks in the game's armor plating, though.  First, the infamous PS2 jaggies abound in this title, and there's some nasty slowdown, as well.  There is still no analog control (?), and that super-slow turning problem has yet to be fixed.  Shawn's pretty peeved that his twin-sticks-o-doom don't work on the game, as well.  What the game does right is some otherwise detailed graphics and the aforementioned missions.  Still, without the ability to import mech designs from the PSX games, and the fact that the link cable needed for head-to-head battles is nowhere in sight, it's hard to imagine this game being embraced by the hardcore AC constituents.  Not bad, but not nearly what it could have been.

My score:  8.5.  Now, how about Armored Core on bleemcast?  Sometime this century, perhaps?

Ridge Racer 5 - Namco.  Oh, man, what did I do to deserve this?  Ridge Racer is my favorite series of racers ever, or at least is was until this stinker showed up.  First of all, Namco should'a saved that full-screen AA for R5, 'cause this is one of the jaggiest games out there.  Sure, the cars and tracks are detailed and all, but the screen is so fuzzy that it's hard to appreciate them.  The worst offense of R5 has to be the new dumbed-down control, though.  Back in the day, the games required at least a bit of skill to pull off power slides, as you had let off the gas a bit going into turns, then gun it and kick the back wheels out into a slide.  Now, however, you simply steer the car into the turn, and the game does the slide for you.  Ugh.  Uncle Brad is not happy with this turn of events, kids.  To add insult to injury, the amount of tracks is much smaller that that of Rage Racer or R4, and the game still employs the "different routes through the same track" cop-out that it's forebears did.  Even the announcer is one of the most annoying I've ever heard.  It pains me to say this, but this is the first Ridge Racer game that pretty much everyone should stay away from.

My score:  5.5.  Wha...what happened?

Moto GP - Namco.  Rounding out Namco's triumvirate of PS2 launch titles is this port of the arcade motorcycle racer, Moto GP.  What we have here is a racer with fully licensed bikes, tons of tracks, and spot-on control.  The problem?  Unless you're a hardcore fan of motorcycle racing, this game will bore you to tears.  All of the tracks look the same, for all intents and purposes, and the races are just not that intense.  At least for me, all the graphics in the world can't make an un-fun game worth a purchase, and that's certainly the case here.  As I said, this one is for hardcore 'cycle racing fans only.

My score:  6.0.  It's sure as hell no Hang-on.

TimeSplitters - Free Radical for Eidos.  After all the hubbub we've heard about this game over the last few months, you'd expect a pretty amazing game, right?  Well, if you play console games exclusively, that's just what you'll get.  If you play any PC FPS games, though, this baby is gonna seem supremely average.  The environments are surprisingly lackluster, and the character models are pretty slim in the poly department.  The single-player missions are fairly entertaining, and even humorous, but they're not even remotely as good as Half-Life or System Shock 2, or even Goldeneye, for that matter.  The multi-player is okay, but unless you have a decent sized TV, that split-screen is a killer.  There are, however, multiple modes, including knockoffs of Capture the Flag and Assault, that are pretty fun.  It's too bad many of the weapons suck, though.  Really, this game can't hold a candle to Unreal Tournament in overall fun, so I can't really recommend it over UT.  The level editor is a neat little addition, but it can't help with the feeling of mediocrity that permeates the entire game.  If ever there was an over-hyped game, this is it.

My score:  7.0.  Best FPS ever, my ass.

Unreal Tournament - Epic for Infogrames.  Now this is more like it.  As the best FPS ever made, and perhaps the best PC game ever, you couldn't hope for a better game to start your PS2 library with.  Unreal Tournament is, quite frankly, the most fun game I have ever played, and I was overjoyed to see a man's FPS show up on Sony's new baby.  Pretty much everything that made the PC game a hit has been preserved in the port:  Great-looking, fast-moving visuals, excellent sound effects, unrivaled map designs, and the best arsenal of any FPS out there.  All of the game modes are here (Deathmatch and Team DM, Assault, Capture the Flag, and Domination), and the overall atmosphere of the game has made the trip intact.  Now, for the bad news:  There are some hiccups in the engine, resulting in some fluctuating framerates.  Without a modem, multi-player is stuck in split-screen land, and you have to have a multi-tap for four-player, although this game is worth dealing with those annoyances.  Also, the control with the standard controller blows, so ya gotta get a USB mouse and keyboard to fully enjoy the game.  Oh, and the single-player experience is almost nil (which is a bad thing for a console game, I guess).  Still, even with these foibles, UT is one of the best PS2 games out there, and it's unrivaled in terms of sheer fun.  The only reason to pass this one up is if you already have the PC version, or if you're planning on picking up the online-ready DC rev in January.  Otherwise, buy it.

My score:  9.5.  M-m-m-monster kill!

Kessen - Koei for EA.  For the life of me, I can't figure out why this game has been hyped so much.  After all, it's barely more than Romance of the Three Kingdoms with pretty movies, and yet the gaming press has gone bonkers for it.  Basically, what we have here is an old-school military strategy game, with bland map screens and menus-a-plenty.  However, when units meet on the battlefield, one of those fancy movies kicks in, causing everyone to go "Oooo" and "Ahhh".  That's it.  For what it's worth, the story has been competently translated, and the menus aren't as cumbersome as others in this genre, but that's about all I can say about this one.  It's a decent strategy game, but not even remotely "revolutionary".

My score:  6.0.  What do you mean those screens aren't from gameplay?

NHL 2001 - Electronic Arts.  This was actually a nice little surprise for me, as NHL 2001 was initially slated for a November release.  And, since Sega isn't planning a hockey game for this fall, and I simply can't play these kinds of games on PSX anymore, this is pretty much the only real choice for console hockey fans.  This is basically a port of the PC version, which means excellent control, detailed visuals, and great commentary.  The game plays identical to EA's earlier outings, which means a decidedly arcade-feeling experience.  For some reason, though, the PS2 rev has a habit of dropping frames on a regular basis, which means choppiness and slowdown a-go-go.  It's too bad, too, because these graphical quirks are the game's only real flaw.  If you have a decent PC, then obviously, go with that version.  If you "just" have a PS2, though, you could do a lot (and I do mean a LOT) worse than giving this one a go.  Wow, NHL is good two years in a row...who'da thunk it?

My score:  8.5.  Another easy goal for EA.

Smuggler's Run - Angel for Rockstar.  Like a good number of PS2 games, this one falls firmly in the "Okay, but only fun for ten minutes" department.  Basically, the idea is to pick up contraband at point A and get it to point B, while avoiding cops and rival gangs along the way.  At first, it's a fun arcade racer with some unique stuff thrown in and some above-average visuals, but after a couple of missions, it gets kinda old.  Also, while the levels are large and well-detailed, the same few textures are used over and over again, making every area look similar to the last.  With the mission-based gameplay and tight control, I can see where some people would really enjoy this title, but there just wasn't enough meat in there for me.  As it is, though, this is one of the better games of the PS2 launch.

My score:  7.5.  You want me to smuggle that where?

Midnight Club - Angel for Rockstar.  While Rockstar's other game for the PS2 (see above, duh) is kinda fun, this game is pretty weak.  It's just another no-name racer, with almost nothing to make it stand out from the crowd.  There are a bunch of licensed cars and a bunch of tracks (which are really just different routes through the same few cities), and there is some racing involved.  However, there's not really anything to make you want to do so.  Aside from the usual "race for money to buy more cars", there's no real goal to the racing, and there's nothing here to differentiate it from the million other racing games out there.  The visuals are kinda nice, but nothing too special, and there is some serious rubber band (read:  cheating) AI on hand here.  I can't think of any reason to buy this over any other PS2 game, except that it's marginally better than R5.  Of course, that's not much of a compliment...

My score:  5.5.  Here we go again...

Fantavision - SCEA.  Um, why?  I'm pretty sure that I played this game 20 years ago, and I think it was called Missile Command.  The gameplay consists entirely of launching assorted fireworks into the air, and exploding them in chains of like colors.  Yippee.  Now, I'm sure it's nice to have a puzzle game at launch and all, but it's not like this is Puzzle Fighter or Bust-a-Move here.  Sure, the special effects are nice, but since there's practically nothing going on in the backgrounds, you'd expect a little pizzazz out of your $300 machine.  The gameplay isn't terribly addicting, as a puzzle game needs to be, so the entire exercise is reduced to just being a show of pretty colors.  You can record a fireworks show and save it on a memory card, but that's only good for impressing your grandmother, and not much else.  No thanks.

My score:  4.0.  Wow, that's a nice tech demo ya got there!

Street Fighter EX3 - Capcom.  Ugh.  I've been putting this one off, but I guess I'll just get it over with.  Now, I'm not accustomed to seeing the name "Capcom" on crappy games, but here it is.  As with the Japanese version, this game looks, sounds, and plays awful.  The graphics are choppy, jaggy, and just generally unpleasant.  Specials are pretty wild, with tons of pyrotechnics, but they only serve to slow the game down to a crawl.  Gameplay is standard Street Fighter, but it seems much clunkier than it should be, and Capcom fighters don't translate well to the Dual Shock to begin with.  The new characters have zero personality, the music bites, and, well, the game just pretty much sucks.  It's not the worst fighting game ever made, but it's right down there.

My score:  3.5.  Now let us never speak of this again.

Silent Scope - Konami.  Okay, we pretty much all knew that this wasn't gonna turn out so good.  After all, without that bulky and ridiculously expensive sniper gun from the arcade, there's not much left to the game.  Played with a standard pad, the analog stick moves the crosshairs, while scoping is done with a right trigger and shooting is done with a face button (this can all be configured to your liking).  Now, while this setup is surprisingly efficient, it's not really much fun, which is a problem.  Light gun games simply suck without a gun - always have, always will.  Throw in the lackluster graphics and super-short game time, and you've got another throw away launch title.  This one is a rental, at best.

My score:  5.5.  Dammit, it's just not a murder simulator without a gun!

Wild, Wild Racing - Rage for Interplay.  Well known for putting style above substance, it seems that Rage's only reason for being is to rack up some easy sales at console launches.  That being the case, I wasn't expecting too much with this one, but, what'dya know, it's not too bad, after all.  As expected from a Rage game, the graphics are great, with tons of detail on, well, pretty much everything.  The environment textures seem to get reused pretty often, but that's my only gripe there.  Gameplay-wise, this is a pretty standard off-road racer, but the controls are tight, and it's an overall fun game, at least for a little while.  The sound department is a very mixed bag, with a downright awful soundtrack and announcer coupled with some decent effects.  All in all, WWR is probably the best straight racer on the PS2 right now, but then again, that's not really saying too much.  This one is probably another rental.

My score:  6.5.  It's not too wild, but it does have racing.

X-Squad - Electronic Arts.  You know, at one point, this game actually looked pretty cool.  Oh, how wrong I was.  What EA tried to do here was to create a fast-paced, squad-based action game, but the game falls short in pretty much every category.  Both teammate and enemy AI is dumber than the proverbial stump, and the missions range from boring to flat-out lame.  Visuals feature washed-out textures and choppy framerates, and the game just looks crappy overall.  Even the music and sound effects are bad.  So, if the graphics, sound, and gameplay all suck, what's left?  Well, the control isn't half bad, if you can believe it, but a nice-controlling turd is still a turd.  This is definitely one of the worst launch games out there, and should be avoided entirely.

My score:  2.0.  It just sucks, plain and simple.

Ready 2 Rumble 2 - Midway.  This game is pretty much identical to last years' but with a couple extra characters thrown in, along with some slightly better visuals.  If you enjoyed the first game, then by all means, go pick up the sequel.  If, however, you're like me and thought that the original was fun for no more than five minutes, then I'd avoid this one completely.  Sure, Michael Jackson (?) and Shaq are in here, and the graphics are indeed pretty nice, but with practically no other changes, I just don't see the point in this one.  The moves are the same, most of the characters are the same, and that stale gameplay is the same.  Don't bother with this one.

My score:  5.0.  Midway - doing their damnedest to be associated with Acclaim and 3DO.

Summoner - Volition for THQ.  Remember a few months back, when Volition was spouting off about solving the PS2 anti-aliasing problem?  How Summoner would be the best-looking PS2 title available?  Yeah, right.  Well, we now know the horrible, horrible truth, and I guess I'm not surprised.  While the character models are pretty detailed and well-animated, the overall picture is, you guessed it, jaggy as hell.  Add in weak levels, low framerate, and tons 'o' pop-up, and you have what is most definitely NOT the best-looking PS2 game out there - not even close.  The world map is truly awful, and the game is also host to the worst...automap...ever.  The story itself is pretty decent, if a bit predictable, and the cast is a pretty varied bunch.  The real-time battle system is decent, as well, but there are enough problems to keep Summoner from playing with the big boys.  If you must have an RPG for PS2, this is the one to go with.  Otherwise, get the good RPG's on Dreamcast and PSX this fall.

My score:  6.5.  The best RPG on PS2, but that sure as hell ain't sayin' much.

Evergrace - From for Agetec.  This game was originally meant for the PSX, and it shows.  Aside from the higher resolution, this game looks indistinguishable from Playstation games, and comes complete with low poly counts and sloppy textures.  Whee!  Throw in some very basic gameplay and a generally bland storyline, and you've got a pretty below-average RPG.  The only real high point of the game is the ability to avoid the mega-dull random battles.  At any other time, this game would get skewered, but since it's a hardware launch, I guess the publisher thinks that they can get away with this crap.  I think not.  Unless you're some kind of RPG masochist, avoid this one.

My score:  4.5.  And the crap just keeps on comin,...

Eternal Ring - From for Agetec.  Continuing our sad parade of crappy RPG's, we have this little number.  Well, kids, this is basically King's Field on the PS2, and you know what that means:  First-person RPG gameplay so slow and monotonous that a bullet in the head seems preferable.  Yup, we're back to plodding around in some of the ugliest environments you'll ever see, all the while following a story so weak that you'll wonder why the hell you're playing in the first place.  There's tons of voice acting in the game, all of it bad, of course, and the control is clunky to the point of insanity.  This is one of the steamiest piles of dung that I've ever had the misfortune to play, and I highly suggest that no one even approach this junk for fear of contamination.

My score:  3.5.  And comin'...

Orphen - Kadokawa Shoten for Activision.  I'm not sure what happened here.  The source material is pretty cool (a dark, brooding anime), and the game looks pretty good in stills.  However, once in motion, as with many PS2 games, the illusion of quality is quite ruthlessly shattered.  This is yet another PS2 game with a choppy framerate, muddy visuals, and shoddy gameplay.  The camera is right up there with that from Blue Stinger, and while some of the animation in the game is quite humorous, it's overall pretty horrible.  But wait, there's more!  Now add in poorly-scripted cutscenes, randomly placed save points, and an almost nonexistent battle system (um, did anyone notice that the enemies don't move?), and you've got another PS2 pile 'o' poop.  Why were we supposed to be excited about this system again?

My score:  4.0.  Orphen?  I'd abandon this game, too...

Well, that's all the crap I can stomach for right now.  There were a few more launch games, but they go like this:  ESPN X-Games Snowboarding and Track and Field are both garbage, the two billiards games are, well, billiards games, and Swing Away Golf is nothing more than a poor man's Hot Shots Golf.  That's it.  As you can plainly see, the Playstation2 launch library has a few gems, but it's made up mostly of throw-aways and cash-runs.  Also note that, while a few games are worth buying, there are NO PS2 games worth buying the system for right now.  So, my advise would be to save your cash (PS2's have sold for over $2500 on eBay) and pick up any of the couple dozen AAA games coming out for Dreamcast between now and Christmas.  It may not be the hip thing to do, but at least those games don't suck.

-Brad Jensen

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