LTTP: Playstation Gaming

[Hardknock]

Getting a PS3 on launch day but I have one problem: The launch games don't really appeal to me (besides Resistance) and the ones that do are multiplatform so I'll probably be getting the 360 versions. BC is something that really intrigues me though, which brings me to my point:

What games would you guys recommend as must haves for the PS2/PS1? Games that have stood the test of time. I mainly love action (Ninja Gaiden was my fav game last gen), Adventure (Zelda, etc..), Fighting games, platformers and a few rpgs.

BTW: I'm already picking up FF XII so don't worry about that one

 

[Ons::lob::]

God of war and Resident Evil 4 stand out in my mind right now.

 

[Angelcurio]

Shadow of the Colossus (you should play it like pronto)
Metal Gear Solid 2 and 3
Silent Hill 3 (some of the best graphics on ps2 as well as one of the best games in the series)
Zone of the Enders 2 (Another Kojima Masterpiece)
God of War
Resident Evil 4
Devil May Cry 3 SE

 

[slider]

For platformers I can't recommend highly enough the first Jak & Daxter (should be ridiculously cheap too!). The 2nd two werent bad either. The Ratchet & Clank series was consistently fun too.

Fighting: DOA 3 (but I'm guessing with a 360 you may not want this) or VF4. VF had a lot of depth.

Not an RPG fan unfortunately (I still haven't done more than 6/7 hours with Oblivion on my 360).

Other games that I remember incl. Timesplitters, Ico & SoTC, various PES', SSX and Smugglers Run. In fact I think cos I got most of that lot early after the PS2 they have a certain emotional effect on me. I'm not a young man anymore.

Anyway, hope that helps a little. Though there's no real surprises there I'm afraid.

Edit: God. Of. War. Awesome. Thanks to Ons::lob::.

 

[London Geezer]

One word:

OKAMI.

And some of the above mentioned. But if there is ONE game that you buy, please make it Okami and be happy forever. Especially seen how you like adventures like Zelda.

I'm 13hrs into it and i'm madly in love, and so are the vast majority of people who were sound enough to give this game a try. Amazing.

 

[Bad_Boy]

For god sakes, Tekken 5!!!

 

[Gradthrawn]

Getting a PS3 on launch day but I have one problem: The launch games don't really appeal to me (besides Resistance) and the ones that do are multiplatform so I'll probably be getting the 360 versions. BC is something that really intrigues me though, which brings me to my point:

What games would you guys recommend as must haves for the PS2/PS1? Games that have stood the test of time. I mainly love action (Ninja Gaiden was my fav game last gen), Adventure (Zelda, etc..), Fighting games, platformers and a few rpgs.

BTW: I'm already picking up FF XII so don't worry about that one

Interesting. I have a 360 and have been holding off on getting multiplatform games for it since I figure I might want the PS3 version. Nothing definitive, of course, but I'm hoping for the normal tweaks and improvements more development time normally brings. I'm just waiting on reviews for them both.

Anyway, to answer your question (in no particular order):

• Okami
• Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
• Shadow of the Colossus
• Tekken 5
• Soul Calibur 3
• Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution (if you like very technical fighting games)
• Dragon Quest 8 (if you like classical RPGs and don't buy this, ninjas will kill you)
• Dark Cloud 2 (maybe, give a rent)
• Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition
• God of War
• The Jack series
• The Ratchet and Clank series
• Zone of the Enders 2

Those of the titles I personally recommend for someone with your taste (that I can easily think of). There are some that really need some sales support just to show that there are Americans out there that enjoy such games. Specifically DQ8, Dark Cloud 2, Shadow of the Colossus and Okami. I do not say that to detract from their quality as a game, because they're all excellent (IMO). But good games don't always sell well. Just look at how many Dragon Quest/Warrior games they actually bothered to bring over here. If the PS3 does end up upscaling PS2 games to 1080p, some of those should be much easier on the (next-gen focused) eye.

 

[LunchBox]

RPGs

Dragon Quest 8
Disgaea (Tactical RPG)
Disgaea 2 (see above)
Star Ocean (it's quite boring from the start but it gets really good)
Xenosaga 1 and 2
Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2
or any Nippon ichi PRGs... haha except maybe La pucelle... hehe

Action

God of war
Zone of the Enders 2
Bujingai
Primal
Shadow of the Colossus


Fighting

Tekken series (except 4... lol)
Soul Calibur 3


any Naughty Dog or Insomniac games are pretty fun.
If you like it a little weird but fun... get katamari Damacy
if you like something that looks really good but is short and has cheesy lines... get Ghost Hunter

 

[Arwin]

Games that have stood the test of time. I mainly love action (Ninja Gaiden was my fav game last gen), Adventure (Zelda, etc..), Fighting games, platformers and a few rpgs.

BTW: I'm already picking up FF XII so don't worry about that one

Action: DMC3 Special Edition, God of War
Adventure: Okami, Resident Evil 4 (even if you loved the GC one, you might like this one which is proper widescreen and has additional missions), MGS3: Subsistence, Shadow of the Colossus
Platformers: Jak & Daxter, Ratchett & Clank 3: Going Commando (the one with the online play)
Fighting Games: Tekken 5, Virtua Fighter 4: Evo
RPGs: Too many! Recent ones are Final Fantasy XII and Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria also apparently very good

There's lots & lots more, but you don't really need more?

Anyway, most of these are also available as platinum (the cheap re-releases), and look out for the special editions (like MGS3: Subsistence and DMC3: SE) because they have lots of extra stuff and are also often as cheap as platinum games.

 

[PeterT]

For the other genres: What my predecessors said (Okami!!). In terms of RPGs - the area of my expertise - there's a whole lot of quite good titles out there, but these are both great and completely underrated:

- Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 1+2
- Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter

The best console RPGs last generation if you don't mind a bit of a challenge

As you said PS2/1: Xenogears
Too bad you probably won't be able to find any of these 3 games for a reasonable price...

Also, as you mentioned fighting games, I want to add another vote for Soul Calibur 3. Congratulations on aquiring the means to play 90% of the most interesting console titles of the previous 2 generations

 

[Bobbler]

Based on the genres you specified, I think Gradthrawn has a pretty wicked list set up -- I'd say it's pretty much required you try them all. When I get home and am able to look a bit deeper, I'll maybe add something... for now I'll just agree with what's been said. The list stated should keep a person busy for a while.

Only hard one to find might be ZOE2, and that had a reprint recently so you should be able to pick it up from a gamestop used (at least 3 used ones have come into my local gamestop in the last month or two). Definitely grab it if you're an action fan though, probably one of the coolest action games ever made.

Better late than never!

 

[Bad_Boy]

Kinda OT... but some hints of sony's backwards compatibility have been hinted around.
http://blogs.gamedaily.com/blogs/Pe...3979.aspx?category,Old School In Session.blog

However, I was intrigued when I was roaming around my recent forums. It turns out that someone who works for Sony (and didn't reveal their real name- go figure) hinted that something "special" might be happening with the PS3 backwards compability. And when he said "special", he insinuated something good.

Now we've seen what Sony's done for backwards compatibility before. With the PS2, they enabled PS1 games to appear just a slight bit sharper in textures when they loaded up. Granted, this was overshadowed by the constant "disc read error" problems that came up with a number of the systems. Still, for when it worked, it was a pretty good feature.

So then...what could possibly be added for backwards compatibility for the PS2 and PS1 games on the PlayStation 3? 1080i support? Widescreen enabled features? Or is it just a bunch of hooey to try and lure us once more into the technical know-how of the system? Unfortunately, I dug all I could with my virtual shovel and came up empty handed- the rep had said too much as it is and wasn't saying anymore. They just said we would be impressed.

Makes you wonder what they have planned.

 

[DieH@rd]

you are forgetting GUITAR HERO!!!

 

[London Geezer]

Any kind of image quality cleaning up for PS2 games will be VERY welcome!!

Go on Sony, make a Cell-powered post-processing engine thing for PS2 games that magically cleans up the jaggies and the shimmering and everything else... How hard can it be!?

 

[Angelcurio]

One word:

OKAMI.

And some of the above mentioned. But if there is ONE game that you buy, please make it Okami and be happy forever. Especially seen how you like adventures like Zelda.

I'm 13hrs into it and i'm madly in love, and so are the vast majority of people who were sound enough to give this game a try. Amazing.

I cant believe i forgot to mention that game. Really, do yourself a favour and get that game.

 

[London Geezer]

Two words:


Katamari Damaci.


No words to describe it. Just give it a go and be happy forever. Happier even, alongside Okami. Very short but you can't miss it, it's mental.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I'm going to enter some anti-suggestions.

I think GOW is one of the most overrated games I've played. There's lots wrong with that game IMO. It looks nice and is fluid in action etc., but there's some definite gameplay no-no's. Having fixed save-points and then stupid jumping platform bits with a dodgy camera angle and multiple 'instant death - try again' situations isn't fun in any game.

ICO was atmospheric but way too short. It's good as an experience, great atmosphere, but not too great as a game IMO (in that games are fun, and this was more art, if that makes sense). ICO too suffered from save-point syndrome. I think there wasn't a save-point for the last hour and a half for that game, so I ended up playing it long after I was wishing for a save-point and then *poof* it was ended. Has very little replay value to, in terms of gameplay. If you're really into the atmosphere then it's something you might enjoy revisiting.

SOTC is better IMO, combining more gameplay with that atmosphere. DQVIII is good for a JRPG from what I've seen (got it for a friend). I love the rendering and the monsters! But it's a long game.

 

[Arwin]

I think GOW is one of the most overrated games I've played. There's lots wrong with that game IMO. It looks nice and is fluid in action etc., but there's some definite gameplay no-no's. Having fixed save-points and then stupid jumping platform bits with a dodgy camera angle and multiple 'instant death - try again' situations isn't fun in any game.

It may be over-rated, but so many people I have shown the game to loved it instantly, and so many people actually bothered to finish it, I think it speaks for itself. Just now I borrowed it to an 18 year old female student I'm letting a room to, and she is totally hooked on it.

God of War is just tremendous production value, and there are more than enough high-points to make up for the low point. While most people are agreeing with you on a few of the platforming bits, the fixed save-points are common and accepted in this genre - you'd have to put down the Prince of Persia series for the same reason.

And yeah, wouldn't it be cool if the PS3 had some power to spare to apply some AA filters over the video output? Would be great if you could choose between different filters or no filter at all, etc.

 

[PeterT]

If we're doing anti-suggestions then I have to say DQ8. To me, it's easily the most overrated jRPG in recent memory. The battle system is boring and repetitive, which is twice as bad because of the game's size, length and reliance on random battles. The characters are quite clichéd and some of them are woefully underdeveloped. The story is generic and drawn-out. Really, the only part that's somewhat well done is the open-ended world, and that's why it recieved so much recognition - however, western RPGs still do that a lot better.

Oh, and it's very well done technically, but that's what you'd expect from Level5. There are about a dozen jRPGs I'd recommend on PS2 before DQ8. Now you can commence flaming me.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

If we're doing anti-suggestions then I have to say DQ8. To me, it's easily the most overrated jRPG in recent memory. The battle system is boring and repetitive, which is twice as bad because of the game's size, length and reliance on random battles...Oh, and it's very well done technically, but that's what you'd expect from Level5. There are about a dozen jRPGs I'd recommend on PS2 before DQ8. Now you can commence flaming me.

I'm only early in and not playing it myself, though i can see how that may be the case. But I think a lot depends on how many JRPGs you've played. If you're new to the genre, DQVIII is great. If you've played lots, it's a lot of the same stuff you've seen before I think.