PS2 Hidden Gems

noodler

With ps2 still going strong (Sold over 10m consoles last year) and play.com and the like starting to sell off quality last-gen games at low low prices, I thought it was time to post a thread where people can tell us (me) some of the games they loved which may have slipped by the average joe (me).

I'll get the ball rolling.

For RPG fans=Dragon Quest 8.
Puzzle/Platformer/Beuatiful Story=ICO

eddiehead

I loved Shadow of the Colossus, not sure how "hidden" it was, but I certainly hadnt heard much about it when I bought it a few years back.

Warren3

God Of War 1 and 2. Brilliant games!!

Also all the Rachets, Devil May Crys and Hitmans

noodler

Ah I still intend on playing SOTC. Hitman tho, theres a series I haven't ever gotten into.

If I were to pick one of the series? Which one?

By the wy, for anyone who wanted and didnt get the MGS4 LImitied Edition last time, play seem to have them back in stock.

http://www.play.com/Games/PlayStation3/4-/5500791/Metal-Gear-Solid-4-Guns-Of-The-Patriots-Limited-Edition/Product.html

steviec

Play SOTC.

There still hasn't been a game as good as it since, on any console.

I wasn't aware the Hitman games came out on PS2, I'd be worried that they're poor ports of the PC games.

Some other PS2 favourites (trying to avoid the really obvious ones):
Katamari
Beyond Good & Evil
Suikoden V

steviec

steviec wrote: »

I wasn't aware the Hitman games came out on PS2, I'd be worried that they're poor ports of the PC games.

The Hitman series is great on playstation. I have the first Hitmaan on PC,it's great and all but I much prefer the console versions tbh.

xeni

steviec wrote: »

Beyond Good & Evil

Played that one on PC ages ago but would defo recommend it, awesome game. Okami is another one, still havnt finished it (extremely long for an adventure game) but really really good and the art style in it is just stunning.

Retr0gamer

To add to the others already mentioned:

Gradius V is the best damn thing on the PS2 and yet nobody bought it. For shame.

Zone of the Enders 2 was also overlooked, it was a fabulous action game and a massive improvement over the admittedly poor first game.

Gitaroo Man was a great rhythm action game from the guys that did Ouendan.

I absolutely loved Contra: Shattered Soldier as did every other contra fan, really very faithful to the old games.

Global Defence Force is hard to come across but well worth checking out. It's basically Earth Defence Force on the 360 except far, far better.

tread_softly

beyond good and evil and, mais oui, Okami, one of my favourite games of all time

rgiller

Metal Gear Solid 3
Prince of Persia Trilogy
Rogue Trooper
Resi 4
Psi Ops

All great!

Kashkai

Freedom Fighters, Battle for Liberty Island. Great 3rd person shooter and strategy game rolled into one. Can't understand why it wasn't a bigger hit. I'd love to get my hands on another copy of it to play it on my ps3.

noodler

Jesus, every game Retro mantioned I never played. What type of game is gradius?

pasta-solo

Psi-Ops I've always thought was a gem, and Kingdom Hearts sounds like it should be crap but it's great

Retr0gamer

noodler wrote: »

Jesus, every game Retro mantioned I never played. What type of game is gradius?

Here's a video of somebody not showing off on the first stage:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-bViNdLDu8

noodler

Looks a bit samey to be honest. Yeah, talk about showing off.

Retr0gamer

noodler wrote: »

Looks a bit samey to be honest. Yeah, talk about showing off.

It's far from it, the first level is very basic. Later ones have you flying through a huge asteroid field and a level filling with liquid (both of which really need to be seen in motion to be believed you wouldn't think a PS2 was pulling it off). You won't find a more intense and enjoyable blast than Gradius V and it's surprisingly accessible despite it's genre. It was released on budget here so you will find it for next to nothing. Well worth taking a chance on. I know when the karma system was in operation I got a load of good karma from people who took a chance on it. Ignore the clueless press reviews, it's at the top of nearly everyones favourite games lists over at shmups mk2.

Aldebaran

Shadow of Memories would be by favourite lesser-known PS2 game, I think I might have finished it more times than any other game in my collection, fantastic story and some neat little puzzles. Even though it has aged a bit I'd still recommend it.

noodler

Is Shadow of Memories a point and clicker in the Broken Sword Vain?

RobertFoster

noodler wrote: »

Is Shadow of Memories a point and clicker in the Broken Sword Vain?

It'd be more like Broken Sword 3 (3D, direct controls, etc.) than the first two (point & click, 2D).

It's a good game. One of the first ones I got on the PS2. Good story.

rgiller

Retr0gamer wrote: »

It's far from it, the first level is very basic. Later ones have you flying through a huge asteroid field and a level filling with liquid (both of which really need to be seen in motion to be believed you wouldn't think a PS2 was pulling it off). You won't find a more intense and enjoyable blast than Gradius V and it's surprisingly accessible despite it's genre. It was released on budget here so you will find it for next to nothing. Well worth taking a chance on. I know when the karma system was in operation I got a load of good karma from people who took a chance on it. Ignore the clueless press reviews, it's at the top of nearly everyones favourite games lists over at shmups mk2.

Yawn. 5 minutes of entertainment before your head explodes from frustration

Retr0gamer

Well it's your loss. It really isn't frustrating at all. I'm sick of these types of games being far too difficult and catering for only the hardcore audience but as I said Gradius V isn't that difficult at all on the lower difficulty settings and really eases the player into the game very well. The Youtube videos don't do it any justice since it's people showing off and playing it at stupidly tough difficulty levels.

corcaigh07

not a ps2 gem but i love twisted metal:world tour on ps1 and ive been trying to find it at a reasonable price for years now. theres ps2 twisted metal games as well but i dunno how good they are.

best ps2 game: shadow of the colossus. wow.

Kashkai

Another one for the 3rd person shooter/horror fans - The Thing. This was based on the John Carpenter film set in Antarctica. Great game, great storyline, great action and it also went on and on and on........ so that you got your moneys worth. This should be an example to the makers of PS3 games that you can blitz in a weekend.

CapRooney

+1
The Thing is an excellent game. Recently picked it up there on ebay for 7 euro. I was a big fan of the film and this is one of the best movie-licensed games ever i think.

garp

rgiller wrote: »

Metal Gear Solid 3
Prince of Persia Trilogy
Rogue Trooper
Resi 4
Psi Ops

All great!

Would that be the Rogue Trooper from 2000AD fame..?

Dont be at yourself

The rogue trooper is game in fantastic. Based on the 2000AD character, as Rebellion, the developers, bought 2000AD some years ago.

noodler

Trying to get Shadow od the Colossus at the mo and silent hill 2. Ebay for SOC is not very price friendly tho.

guinnessdrinker

CapRooney wrote: »

+1
The Thing is an excellent game. Recently picked it up there on ebay for 7 euro. I was a big fan of the film and this is one of the best movie-licensed games ever i think.

Thats a game I always intended to pick up but never did, must see if I can get it somewhere.

garp

NekkidBibleMan wrote: »

The rogue trooper is game in fantastic. Based on the 2000AD character, as Rebellion, the developers, bought 2000AD some years ago.

ahh man.... Im gona have to get that game.. I was a big fan of the 2000AD story. A big thanks for the heads up on that..

Quint

I've been meaning to get Shadow of the Collossus, have to get it now it's cheap.
Other than PES the games I always end up playing is TOCA Race driver 3 and the best first person shooter ever, Timesplitters Future Perfect.

I also got Katamari (We love Katamari), definitely worth getting for it's weirdness. I got it on e-bay, couldn't find it anywhere else.

Psychonaughts is also a great platform game, i picked it up new for 12 euro in game about a year ago, well worth it.

noodler

Quint wrote: »

I've been meaning to get Shadow of the Collossus, have to get it now it's cheap.
Other than PES the games I always end up playing is TOCA Race driver 3 and the best first person shooter ever, Timesplitters Future Perfect.

I also got Katamari (We love Katamari), definitely worth getting for it's weirdness. I got it on e-bay, couldn't find it anywhere else.

Psychonaughts is also a great platform game, i picked it up new for 12 euro in game about a year ago, well worth it.

Let me know if u see it cheap (SOC)

20 POunds on ebay including p&p but thats secondhand.

Gotta check out the likes of game.

noodler

Retro, what was your opinion on Odin Sphere?

Retr0gamer

I just got back into that game.

Anyway lets just say I absolutely adore it although it might be slightly less appealing to other people. It looks absolutely amazing, Hitoshi Sakimoto's soundtrack is stunning and the combat is fluid and great fun. Love the multi-threaded storyline as well. Really like the levelling up system which requires you to grow your own food and collect consumables to use in the restaurant and cafe.

Now for the bad parts. It can get repetitive since you keep revisiting the same areas with different characters but the enemies remain the same. Another biggy is that the game is tough, really tough. I'm talking harder than Devil May Cry and Ninja Gaiden tough. You will have to go back and play through areas of the game to level up but the combat is great fun so it's not too annoying like other RPG's. By the way it's much more action game than RPG. Slowdown is also a big problem for some of the bosses and can affect the game. There's also a particularly nasty difficulty spike during the Pooka Prince chapter involving green slime enemies that are impossible to kill unless you stocked up on Napalm potions. You'll more than likely have to go back and level up while stocking up.

If you can get past the niggles the game is really enjoyable. Gorgeous to look at with a compelling storyline and great to play when slowdown isn't spoiling it.

noodler

I have a list now.

Kindom Hearts 1 and 2
Odin Sphere
Shadow of the Colossus
Silent Hill 2
GOW 2

pasta-solo

For anyone in Galway City, the toy shop (can't remember it's name) beside the Eye Cinema has a couple of copies of Shadow of the Colossus, or at least it did last time I was in there a few weeks back. Can be hard to find, got it pre-owned in Smyth's one time, with all the ard cards and stuff. Great game.

noodler

25e is the going price on ebay (incl p&p) so I might have a gander on Dawson and Grafton Street tomorrow to see if its there pre owned.

Creature

Vagrant Story. A totally underrated delightful RPG.

Retr0gamer

Creature wrote: »

Vagrant Story. A totally underrated delightful RPG.

Pity it was a PS1 game :P

Still the gameplay in that game sucked big time but the story, atmosphere and soundtrack just made it worth it.

guinnessdrinker

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Pity it was a PS1 game :P

Still the gameplay in that game sucked big time but the story, atmosphere and soundtrack just made it worth it.

Speaking of cool PS1 games, anyone ever play Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee? That was a cool game although pretty difficult and seems to be hard to find now.

rgiller

There were a couple of Oddworld games that were quite good. Abe's exodus I think was the other 2d puzzle/platformer and then there was also an FPS and a 3d adventure game. The original 2d's were the best of the bunch IMO

CCCP^

WipEout Fusion. I know some of you may not agree, but that game is addictive.

noodler

Picked up Silent Hill2 for the princely sum of 12e on ebay there yesterday.

Scratch one of the list.

noodler

Anyone ever bought from softuk.com?

What do they charge for delivery to Ireland?

noodler

Can take Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2 off the list. Picked them up in Game Dawson St. today for 15e each. One preowned and one brand new. (One of the preowned KH1 was 20e suprisingly)

So I have SH2 as well. Which of the 3 should I start first?

rgiller

Go with Silent Hill first, but be prepared to poo your pants :pac:

noodler

Im always prepared!

Ok then, as a nice chnage of pace I will start with SH2.

Trode

If you like old-school beat-em-ups like Final Fight or Streets of Rage, give The Red Star a try. It's a pretty decent concept, the levels are all about smacking varied and challenging enemies in the face, but switches to shmup mode for the bosses, where you're dodging elaborate bullet patterns while firing at weak points. Works better than you might think.

noodler

Never bought a beat em up for the ps2. Funny my earliest 16 bit gaming memories ar SF2, yet now I can't bring ymself to spend the cash for 'just' a beat em up.

noodler

Just started SH2. Im stuck in they already in the aprtment blocks and I am out of ammo!

Retr0gamer

Trode wrote: »

If you like old-school beat-em-ups like Final Fight or Streets of Rage, give The Red Star a try. It's a pretty decent concept, the levels are all about smacking varied and challenging enemies in the face, but switches to shmup mode for the bosses, where you're dodging elaborate bullet patterns while firing at weak points. Works better than you might think.

I have that as well. It's not bad at all. IT mixes the two genres well together. My only problem with it is it doesn't excell in either area. The likes of GoW and DMC do the fighting so much better and the shmup bits are really basic and totally outclassed by Gradius V an co.

Trode

Retr0gamer wrote: »

I have that as well. It's not bad at all. IT mixes the two genres well together. My only problem with it is it doesn't excell in either area. The likes of GoW and DMC do the fighting so much better and the shmup bits are really basic and totally outclassed by Gradius V an co.

I don't disagree, but I think the simplicity works for it. The shooter bits are too short to make any real depth or complexity worthwhile, and while I like things like DMC and God Hand, they're more about style, technique and four-page-long move lists. Sometimes it's fun to run up to a bunch of guys and hammer the 'attack' button until they all fall down. Plus, 2-player coop mode.