Review Archives (All Reviews)

You are currently looking through all reviews for PlayStation 2 games. Below, you will find reviews written by all eligible authors and sorted according to date of submission, with the newest content displaying first. As many as 20 results will display per page. If you would like to try a search with different parameters, specify them below and submit a new search.

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	The Getaway review (PS2) Reviewed on July 14, 2008 Multiple accidents and numerous carjackings later, you’ll find the gang’s hideaway. There you have to kill everybody while seeking the child’s location. Accomplish this and you’ll be rewarded with another lengthy cut scene where you learn that Mark is in way over his head. Blackmailed by Bethnal Green boss, Charlie Jolson, and his henchmen, Hammond is forced to obey the man’s every whim or else lose his boy forever.
	XIII review (PS2) Reviewed on July 09, 2008 XIII is a game based off the famous Belgian comic book of the same name. It is an adaptation of the first five volumes of the comic series (a series with 18 volumes and a lot of plot). In line with this, the game combines cell shaded graphics and comic style effects in order to make the player feel that they are inside a comic book. While this isn't the first time such a media cross has been attempted, XIII is notable for being one of the few to attempt it in a first person shooter genre. Unfort...
	Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII review (PS2) Reviewed on July 08, 2008 Square Enix had this long standing policy about sequels and remakes... they didn't make them. This has obviously become more of a guideline these days, with several remakes having come out, and some sequels, one of which is Dirge of Cerberus.
	Kingdom Hearts II review (PS2) Reviewed on July 08, 2008 Kingdom Hearts 2 is the third game in what is currently a trilogy (the second game being Chain of Memories for the GBA). It is perhaps one of the most bizarre concepts to hit the RPG market: Disney characters mixed with Final Fantasy characters in an action RPG. Back in 2002 the first Kingdom Hearts was released with an air of trepidation. Donald Duck mixed with Cloud Strife? Such a mix had not been attempted since the creation of brunch. It proved to be a success (the game, not brunch). Now Kin...
	Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection review (PS2) Reviewed on July 04, 2008 Three games in one box for a mere $29.99 (plus tax) would seem like a situation that is full of win, likely epic win, especially when those games belong to such an auspicious series as Metal Gear Solid. Having only experienced the series enough to know that there is some guy named Snake and that everyone he meets is excessively chatty, part of me has always wanted to understand why so many fans are so loyal to this one-man army. I initially thought that the spastic amounts of plot devel...
	The Bouncer review (PS2) Reviewed on June 26, 2008 On the back of DreamFactory’s The Bouncer (developed by makers of such fine software as Tobal No. 1 and Ehrgeiz), the tagline “Play the Action Movie” is prominently displayed. When I unloaded a whole six dollars on this game, I didn’t realize that it literally felt like playing some forgettable popcorn flick with the occasional 30 seconds of brawling. Alas, I was tricked by the vaguely homoerotic cover art adored with the main character Sion Barzahd. I mean, Japan has...
	SpyHunter review (PS2) Reviewed on June 26, 2008 I'll admit it. I was skeptical when I heard of Spy Hunter, developers had been butchering arcade classics since back in the PS1 days. Frogger? Tedious platformer with atrocious controls. Contra: Legacy of War? Dull action game with awkward controls. Galaga: Destination Earth? Contender for the title of most monotonous shooter ever, and I payed for Shienryu with fucking money. I'm not sure why I even bought the game, really. I guess I was young, dumb, and stupid. But it worked out for me in the e...
	ICO review (PS2) Reviewed on June 21, 2008 Though intimacy between individuals is one of the most important experiences of the human condition, video games have remained understandably silent on the subject. When attempting to mimic the narrative techniques of films, video games can only come so far – evoking real attachment to polygonal actors is an enormous feat, and one in which most games comically fail. In addition, there are so many negative, misunderstood (cf. Mass Effect on Fox News), and downright misogynist representat...
	Medal of Honor: Vanguard review (PS2) Reviewed on June 11, 2008 Now, instead of using canteens and first aid kits to restore health, all you have to do is duck out of the fray for a bit. Keegan can completely regenerate his health in a matter of seconds if he is able to avoid getting shot. To make this easier than you might expect, a good number of Nazis seem content to stay in one place and wait for you to enter their shooting range, as opposed to pursuing you in order to deal that killing blow.
	Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis review (PS2) Reviewed on June 04, 2008 Mana Khemia: Alchemists of Al-Revis takes you to school. In its world, ordinary people can't begin to understand the basic principles of alchemy. In fact, strict laws prohibit the practice of the art by anyone without the proper training. That's why Al-Revis Academy exists; its hallowed halls are the only place gifted youth can grapple with mastering this powerful craft. Students explore the best locations to mine for valuable, rare ingredients. They hone combat techniques to slay th...
	Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring review (PS2) Reviewed on May 31, 2008 It’s a game with multiple imperfections, but its overall easiness, the satisfaction of battle (despite the flaws there), and, most notably, the sheer nostalgia and wonderment of playing something modeled after one of your favorite novels makes the experience much more enjoyable. It may not be the greatest adaptation ever made, but it still leaves me filled with a profound sense of contentment.
	Resident Evil 4 review (PS2) Reviewed on May 29, 2008 Those early-game villagers utilize all sorts of farming implements, such as pitchforks, sickles and hatchets, in their attempts to end Leon's mission prematurely. And they're the patsies. Just wait until one of their heads explodes to release a tentacle-flailing parasite seemingly crafted in the darkest recesses of H.P. Lovecraft's imagination. Or a gigantic ogre lumbers into the fray, rips a gnarled tree out of the ground and starts swinging it around like it was light as a feather. Or a monstrous semi-invisible bug pounces, spraying Leon with acidic secretions.
	SNK Arcade Classics: Vol. 1 review (PS2) Reviewed on May 25, 2008 It’s a great time to be a SNK fan. With the lull between King of Fighters titles, the company has apparently decided to re-release all of its major old school titles in the form of anthologies and collections. The lack of originality isn’t a bad thing, of course; it gives gamers who couldn’t afford a NeoGeo (which probably amounts to 90% of the gaming world) a chance to play the games that made SNK so famous. The problem is that the company keeps reusing the same games for multiple collections; ...
	Fatal Fury: Battle Archives Volume 2 review (PS2) Reviewed on May 22, 2008 It’s over. The Lonely Wolves failed. They had all the right moves, the plans, and power to win the day. But in the end, they were outsmarted. Contrary to popular belief, Geese Howard wasn’t killed; in fact, he’s back and better than ever before. Considering the fact that he’s stolen the Jin Scrolls – the mystical writings that can grant him immortality – it’s little wonder why he’s in such good shape now. Armed with his newfound powers and a lust for vengeance, he’s poised to bring Southtown to ...
	World Heroes Anthology review (PS2) Reviewed on May 22, 2008 The two main Heroes are SNK’s answer to Street Fighter II’s Ryu and Ken, right down to the fact that the ‘alternate’ choice is the guy in red. Even their moves are rip-offs – a rising uppercut, a spinning attack, and a projectile attack – all effected in the exact same way as in Capcom’s game. This wouldn't be so bad if the newer game actually improved upon the source material. As it is, the moves that enaged, that elicited such a gut feeling of satisfaction in the execution, here come off with little pay-off for the player.
	Fatal Frame review (PS2) Reviewed on May 18, 2008 Challenging a player, and challenging them at just the right level, is at the core of any game. For a horror title, however, just challenging the player is not enough; they must be scared, first. There are psychological tricks for this, and Fatal Frame employs them to good effect. At other times, however, shaky aspects of the gameplay make things harder than they need to be, threatening to annoy you more than frighten you. As such, Fatal Frame walks a fine line between fear and frustration.
	SNK Arcade Classics: Vol. 1 review (PS2) Reviewed on May 10, 2008 SNK Arcade Classics Vol. 1 collects 16 arcade classics, which doesn't sound like a significant number until you realize that a lot of what's here is much beefier than the norm. There's nothing wrong with a bunch of puzzle games, something we often get from other such compilations, but sometimes you want something more substantial. Fortunately, that's exactly what you get here (along with virtual medals to collect that let you know you've well and truly conquered each individual title).
	Fatal Fury: Battle Archives Volume 2 review (PS2) Reviewed on April 25, 2008 It seems unusual to see the high-quality backgrounds swapped out from one game to the next, rather than simply finding them supplemented by a few new ones. Just the fact that things work like that, though, is a point in this compilation's favor. The genuine differences between each entry—including a final boss in the first one that is swapped out by the time the second and third arrive—mean that you really are getting three distinct titles instead of one thrice repeated and barely modified.
	Obscure: The Aftermath review (PS2) Reviewed on April 22, 2008 All the kids are planning to hit up some exclusive frat party, but first — it's time to partake of the new awesome college party drug. Some mysterious new flower's pollen, if inhaled, bestows a really good buzz and some wacky hallucinations. In fact, they're so wacky that Corey and Mei find themselves in a creeped-out locale ripped right out of any number of hellish Silent Hill locations. After enduring a few experiences nightmarish enough to convince just about anyone besides me that drugs are bad, Corey wakes up a bathroom with the hangover to end all hangovers.
	Star Ocean: Till the End of Time review (PS2) Reviewed on April 07, 2008 I'm going to begin this review saying that I pretty much like, or tolerate everything about this game. The Star Ocean universe is engaging and after playing the game for a few hours, it will occur that you've fell upon something quite grand.

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