I only ever got them off friends or when traveling into London. Then one day I discovered that you could set up a Streetpass ‘relay’ just by setting your home WiFi’s SSID to some secret string and then you’d be able to meet other people using the same SSID wherever they were in the world. It stopped working eventually, but me and about 6 other people somewhere in the world made good use of it!
I had a N3DS, it was my first handheld and it was great! Really good selection of games. My most played were Monster Hunter Generations (which was my introduction to the series) and Fantasy Life - one of my absolute faves, a charming and colorful fantasy adventure with life sim elements. The story is a bit meh but the gameplay loop is incredibly satisfying and there’s nothing else quite like it. I’ve been replaying it on an emulator (rip Yuzu/Citra devs) recently and it’s still a blast.
Worth mentioning that almost every time, the PS2 is the worst platform for multiplatform titles, simply due to how weak the system was compared to both other consoles and contemporary PCs.
There are a small handful of exceptions. GTA San Andreas has complex lighting and effects (which took advantage of the unique hardware and were not possible on other systems at the time, not even PCs), as well as many details that are completely lost on every single other version. The downside is that the PS2 version has primitive shadows, poor frame rates, a low resolution and a very short draw distance. Thankfully, you can mod the PC version (which was actually downgraded even further several times over the years) to add in all of the missing effects and details, making it the best of both worlds. Don’t underestimate just how much of a difference this makes. The lighting alone turns this otherwise bland-looking title into a game that can provide surprisingly atmospheric and even stunning moments, despite the low poly count and low-res textures. The more recent remaster tries to unsuccessfully emulate this look, but I would stay away from it as far as possible.
Another example is Need for Speed Underground 2: Only the PS2 version has complex lighting and color-grading effects. They were never ported to other platforms, because just like with GTA SA, they were not technically possible elsewhere at the time.
If anyone knows more games this applies to, feel free to reply.
I should add that due to the low resolution of the system, it’s usually a far better idea to emulate PS2 games than to play them on native hardware. On PC, PCSX2 is the gold standard and on Android devices, AetherSX2 is near equivalent, provided you have a beefy enough phone or tablet (lower-end devices might struggle). This also makes it far easier to explore ROMhacks (or should we call them ISO-hacks?), like this upcoming one of Gran Turismo 4:
If you want to stick with original hardware, make sure to use a Component cable instead of Composite cable, if you aren’t already. The difference in image quality is massive, even if it’s rarely ever great due to the messy, highly aliased output of the system in in all but a small handful of titles.
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit 2 was best on PS2 because it was made by a different developer (Black Box) who then went on to make all the NfS game up to Undercover as well as World.
Ah yes, the confusing world of ports that aren’t ports, but entirely different games. There were a number of those on PS2, especially late in the system’s lifespan, during the cross-gen days, when it was lucrative to cater to the huge existing install base.
On top of my head, Splinter Cell Double Agent was a completely different (and according to some, better) title on sixth compared to 7th gen consoles and PC, although I have played neither version myself.
Test Drive Unlimited on PS2 and PSP had the same enormous game world as the 360/PS3/PC-version, the entire island of Oahu at full scale, but ran on a different engine with very different driving physics, which feel bouncy and direct, nearly identical to Gran Turismo 2 of all games, making it more fun to play than the “next-gen” version, which attempted more realistic physics that feel flat by comparison however. I consider GT2 to be the peak of simcade driving physics and thus am a huge fan of this version’s driving physics as well. Graphics are obviously much worse than on seventh gen, customization features, game modes and many vehicles are missing and the GPS is buggy, but it is nonetheless a very interesting and enjoyable version. In my opinion, the visuals have actually aged rather nicely, on PS2 at least, where it even has pleasant-looking car reflections and surprisingly detailed interiors. It has a low-poly charm to it, with just the right amount of detail. Both versions are outstanding at just randomly going on a relaxing drive, since you’ll never run out of twisty roads to explore.
That was a good example. A bad, but fascinating one is the Alone in the Dark reboot. The next-gen version was by the same developer as the next-gen version of Test Drive Unlimited, Eden Games, an attempt at using the latest tech and tons of innovative and immersive mechanics as well as scale never seen before in a horror game. It didn’t work at all and fell flat at practically everything it tried, from physics to narration, not to mention, it manages to be a horror game that isn’t scary at all, except for the terrifyingly bad controls, but it’s a very interesting train wreck to behold. By comparison, the PS2 version, by a different studio, feels like a demake made by someone who got the rough outline of every scene over a bad telephone line and then tried to cobble something vaguely similar together in six to nine months on a budget of whatever was left from the catering bill of the developer of the costly next-gen version. Sometimes, it just uses screen-recordings of real-time cutscenes from the PS3/360 version. It’s awful to play, but also very interesting, especially next to the overambitious next-gen version.
These days there are mods, such as SkyGFX, that let the PC version of GTA:SA match the PS2’s graphical effects, but these obviously rely on GPU improvements that didn’t exist back in 2005.
I found it to be one of the best games I have ever played with a fantastic story that really pulled me in. If you do decide to play it, look up nothing. As in don’t even google it because it’s a slightly older game and people spoil the entire thing.
It’s actually very granular on the grind difficulty. There’s a story only mode that removes the survival elements and leaves only the material gathering for crafting. There’s also a creative mode where you don’t even have to gather materials and can just build whatever and go wherever and see all the story bits with almost no challenge at all. You choose how you want to go at it.
For me, it wasn’t just the story, but also just randomly going out and exploring, checking things out, and finding cool (and sometimes scary) things.
It’s one of those games that I’m hoping in like 10 years or something I’ll have forgotten enough of it that if I go play it again it’ll be mostly all new again.
I never played Myst as a kid but when I tried it a few years ago, the puzzles seem really hard and abstract by today’s standards.
And I played a LOT of point and click games, and most I can solve without a walkthrough. But the 15 mins in Myst felt like I need to play it with a guide.
I replayed it the other week after not touching it since the original release. Was fun. I managed to forget a bunch of puzzles, and the new graphics made it fun to just explore the Ages.
I feel like the yakuza series is fucking fantastic, but not that replayable. Usually it’s because I seek out all the substories and stuff on my first run, so it takes fucking ages to finish, but I’ve never got the urge to play it again after I’ve completed the stories.
Spec ops: The line. I think this was delisted from most stores though, so you might need to sail the high seas to get it. It might not be as impactful today as it was when it came out, but it’s a great game with a great twist.
Life is strange. It’s a story driven game, sure you can replay it and choose different things, but realistically you probably won’t since the main of the story is the same.
Batman games. Those were my go to for a while when I wanted something linear with an end.
I think it kinda falls into the same sort of category as citizen Kane. Important for what it did when it did it, but not really good by modern standards.
If I played this in 2012 at release I think I’d feel just the same. What do you find is important about this game? I’m curious as I see it mentioned all over the place, but I really don’t see what’s the big deal. Releasing a game where you shoot US soldiers, in the middle of hyper patriotism in the US, seems edgy for the time but that’s about it. The moral choices were few and only had impact in terms of a bit of flavor. No serious consequences.
I did enjoy the music and especially like the detail of the characters getting progressively dirtier as the game went on.
I haven’t played it, I’ve only experienced it through essays. I think it’s because it took a look at war and such from a pretty different perspective than other shooters had before, and examined the messier psychological aspects of it in a way that incorporated traditional shooter gameplay as hadn’t been done before?
Focusing on the gameplay really misses the point. It was practically an interactive story, but they wanted it to be a shooter so you’d feel more responsible for the outcome rather than just watching things unfold. And while the “choices” in game made little difference, that pretty much reinforced the message that some situations are basically fukt and “pushing forward” doesn’t make it any better.
Gameplay is 90% of time spent in the game, which is why it colored my experience so much. Regardless; what do you feel the game does well? Specific examples, please.
I read a ton of positive comments before playing it, and avoided spoilers for years. Turns out there’s much to spoil, IMO. There’s the white phosphorus scene, but you can’t even choose to not do that. It was very disappointing when I sat there and it railroaded me into using WP when my squad mate was telling me not to. I don’t feel it was a pioneer in any way, and feels quite dated even against games many years it’s senior. Bioshock came out five years earlier and has deeper social commentary, more engaging gameplay, and much better graphics.
If you have specific examples I’d love to hear them. It’s entirely possible I’m just not getting it, but I feel this game seemed epic for some console gaming teenagers in 2012 and it’s mostly nostalgia. I don’t feel the game did anything that special.
spoilerMy interpretation and granted it is probably a bit shaking as I havent played in a long time is: I personally found spec ops interesting into the slow descent into darkness, how your team is professional in the beginning and over time they become savage, to the point of blood thristiness, their animations changes, their speech, mannerisms and their models get gradually worn down. You do actions but over time you think wait - am I really doing the right thing, like if you decide to help the cia guy, you find out you’ve been played and just destroyed the water supply for a whole area that is in desparate need of it, this come back to haunt you later on when an angry mob catches up to one of your team. I still remember feeling vindictive of hearing my teammate scream in panic and fear as I was rushing to get to him Then to get there and see him murdered and and an angry mob looking for blood, my first reaction was vengeance not orderly dispersal… The character and the remaining team mate gunned down civilians mercilessly because I felt outrage at them killing one of my own… and the crowd had just cause to be pissed as your rag tag band of misfits have been blowing up commiting warcrimes after to warcrimes justifiying it to some “greater cause” As you play the game even the loading screen are questioning you if you are enjoying yourself and nothing is stopping you from continuing to play. It is quite in your face to say that what you are doing is wrong, but if you keep playing and by finishing the game you are justifying the main characters actions, you are complicit in the acts of violence as you the player are determined to see the game to the end just as he is Their original mission was to just scout… and it somehow turned into this Dubai tour de violence because the main character believes that there was a radio call from someone he idolised If I recall there is that scene at the end that shows all the bullshit, the hanged men, the voice on the radio your character thinks they see and hear is in their head - they have severe ptsd, and have “main character hero syndrome” and none of the game would have happened if they just followed orders
You’ve got a solid recollection of the events. I think my expectations were set too high from what I read online. It was decent, but I was expecting S tier.
I did really enjoy how “degraded” the characters got as they went through everything like you mention. Very nice little touch.
spoilerIt was watching like a train wreck in slow motion, I ended up just going along for the ride to see how far this rabbit hole would go I really tried to be trigger disciplined in the beginning only firing after the point of a negotiation seemed impossible and before I knew it I caught up in this zoned out mentality - no decision is right, all that matter is the mission, just trying to survive and just devolved into killing on sight and in scenes that feel like it is out of some fever dream - still remember that “lights out” section as someone in some sort animalistic fight or flight zone blinking and someone just appears in front of you I guess it stuck with me how the main character kept making excuses and blaming someone else for all the problems and by the end of it and you see that scene with the chair looking out at Dubai and see that “I caused this” and with that call backs to the the choices and saw how it all was just some “cope” it kind of stuck with me
It’s been a while since I gave it a shot myself. I haven’t fiddled with “The Great Old Ones” on Linux since back in the late 90’s. So you’re likely more of a proper authority on the matter than I.
I acquired my 3DS before the first price drop and unfortunately I never really appreciated it while I had it. It was the first place I played Ocarina of Time, which was a really fantastic experience that I was probably too young to really appreciate at the time. I never got around to playing A Link Between Worlds unfortunately. Beyond that my other favourite was Mario Kart 7. There are a lot of games that I now wish I had picked up but didn’t get a chance to.
The 3DS is also really interesting as it’s currently the last Nintendo handheld that can fit in a pocket. That era of portable consoles has largely passed out of favour (this is why I’ve started collecting PSP Go consoles). A lot of the best 3DS games have been somewhat overshadowed by the Switch now. I feel like its game library may be remembered similarly to the Game Boy Advance, more iterating on older franchises rather than having its own hugely impressive identity.
bin.pol.social
Aktywne