Playstation 2 Reviews O-R

Much has been made of Okami's unique visual style, but underneath the artistic facade lies a rather conventional 3D adventure. And while its verbose prose and leisurely pace tried my patience, I can still appreciate its thoughtful design and touches of originality. Like interactive folklore, you control an ethereal white wolf saving the land from darkness and evil. An excellent lead character, your wolf has been bequeathed with godlike powers, and is accompanied by a feisty bug that provides the obligatory comic relief. Okami's characters and landscapes are rendered in an unusual Japanese style that combines several art styles including rough sketching, cell shading, and watercolor. As you banish evil from various locations, the land bursts forth with colorful flowers, rolling green hills, splashing waterfalls, and bright blue skies. The game's most innovative feature is your ability to "paint" the screen in order to battle enemies and solve puzzles. You'll paint suns, bridges, and bombs to achieve your goals, as well as slash monsters in half. The concept is ingenious, but the analog stick makes for a clumsy drawing device, and most of my circles ended up looking like squares. If the game were not so forgiving in this regard, it would have been monumentally frustrating. Otherwise Okami's gameplay is not exceptional, consisting of the typical exploration, item collecting, mini-games, platform jumping, and hack-n-slash fighting. The controls are responsive, and I like how you wolf gradually picks up steam as he runs across long stretches. Definitely on the easy side, the game actively "holds your hand" to keep you headed in the right direction. Okami's main fault is its excessive verbiage. The narrator and characters have a lot to say, and they tend to go on and on as you scroll through their endless, redundant text. Heck, you have to scroll though about a half hour's worth before you can even get started! Gamers with short attention spans probably won't last long. In addition, I thought number of attributes, tools, artifacts and other items was a bit excessive. For patient gamers who savor every moment of their adventures however, Okami can be a very fulfilling quest. It struggled to hold my attention at times, but in this day and age, a healthy dose of originality is worth celebrating. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

This respectable hack-and-slash adventure was initially hailed for its gorgeous visuals, and I can't argue with that. The jaw-dropping intro video is immensely entertaining, with special effects that rival those in motion pictures. You assume the role of Jubei, a ninja warrior out to avenge his family by recovering five sacred orbs. Along the way you'll encounter gruesome monsters, brain-teasing puzzles, and secondary characters you can sometimes control. The traditional Japanese scenery (including some that appears Mortal Kombat-inspired) is gorgeous and nearly photo-realistic. The water effects are particularly impressive. Character outfits possess astonishing detail, and even the faces look realistic. A wide range of locales include a bright marketplace, mysterious haunted houses, and dark caverns. Since the scenery is pre-rendered, you can't adjust the camera on the fly, but that's okay because the game automatically switches views as you move. This does present a problem during combat however, since the abruptly-changing angles affect the directional controls. You absorb souls of defeated foes for power (a la Soul Reaver) and consume herbs for health (a la Resident Evil). The exploration and combat is fun enough, but the item management aspect slows things down. A major part of the game involves presenting "gifts" to various characters in exchange for items and information, but this requires an awful lot of trial and error. Characters can have comical reactions to odd gifts like a chicken, love potion, and grilled fish. Ominusha 2 provides a generous number of save points, which also allow you to enhance weapons and armor. Still, it's painfully easy to get stuck, and constantly respawning monsters ratchet up the frustration level. Another issue involves having to use the digital control instead of the analog stick to move. You either run or stop - there's no walking, which is disappointing. The voice acting is pretty bad, although dialogue like "My daughter has been taken by monsters!" doesn't help matters. Still, those who enjoyed the first Ominusha will find this good-looking sequel worthy of their attention. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

An action-adventure with an artistic flair and strong Asian influence, Onimusha plays like a cross between Resident Evil and Soul Reaver. You play a lone swordsman who must battle his way through a village of nightmarish monsters in order to rescue a young princess. As you hack up samurai zombies and hideous demons, you'll also collect their souls and use these to upgrade your attacks (a la Soul Reaver). The game also features a series of puzzles which tend to be wildly uneven in difficulty. While most are reasonable, occasionally you'll come across one that's way over the top. Periodically you'll team up with a female partner (a real hottie, by the way), and join forces to overcome obstacles. Onimusha Warlords is remarkable in several ways. The game's awesome cinematic introduction blurs the line between video game and movie, depicting an epic battle between two massive ancient armies. There's quite a bit of gore, but the sheer artistry and brilliant musical score elevates it well above your standard full motion video (FMV) fare. In fact, the sequence looks so good that once you start playing the actual game, it's almost disappointing. There's NO analog control, so you're either running or standing still, and the abrupt movements don't look good. The rest of the controls are better, including a block and a handy 180-degree turn move. When fighting, your warrior always turns and swings at the nearest enemy (thankfully). The graphics are outstanding, with life-like character faces and gorgeous scenery. In fact, I sometimes found myself pausing play just to marvel at the surroundings. The backgrounds are pre-rendered, which means they look super detailed but aren't very interactive, and you can't adjust the camera angle. All in all, Onimusha is a quality title for who prefer a good dose of action in their adventures. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

Video game magazines like every game, and this proves it! How such an unsatisfying, cookie-cutter title like this can earn critical acclaim is beyond comprehension. A bargain-bin title with a license, Legend of Jack Sparrow looks like a first generation PS2 brawler with pirates substituted for ninjas. Initially I had held out some hope for this game. Unlike the first Pirates of the Caribbean (Xbox, 2003) game, this is easy to play and correctly places the emphasis on action. The problem is, its familiar hack-n-slash gameplay has already been done far better in countless other titles including Onimusha, Lord of the Rings, and Pirates - Legend of Black Kat. As you hack your way through a series of confined areas, you'll have to deal with hordes of regenerating clones that spawn out of thin air. The controls can be frustratingly unresponsive, and certain stretches of the game are terribly monotonous. The one feature I did enjoy was the ability to break wooden platforms, bringing enemies camped out on top of them tumbling down. In terms of graphics, there's not much to see and the animation looks choppy. By the time you reach the Shinobi-style Asian stages (not sure why they're even in this game), Legend teeters precariously between boring and unbearable. Instead of following the movie's storyline, the game unwisely follows its own plot, which is all over the place. Two-player cooperative action is supported, and you can play as Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turning, or Elizabeth Swan. The main strength of the game is its audio. Johnny Depp lent his voice to Captain Jack, and the musical score is quite good. Bethesda really needs to call in the VGC as a consultant however, because this game is riddled with design flaws. When you open a treasure chest, the loot inside silently fades away, leaving you wondering what the heck just happened. Did I just get something or not? The "save game" screen offers two options: "continue" and "quit". Huh? Granted, it saves your game in both cases, but that's not intuitive at all. When you load your previous game, it doesn't even take you back to where you left off! Instead you need to navigate a map to locate your previous spot! After a while you get the impression that no one at Bethesda has ever played a video game before; they thought they were inventing the first one! Gamers with super low expectations or clueless magazines might approve of this, but hardcore gamers will see right through it. © Copyright 2006 The Video Game Critic.

Either some Ubisoft marketing hottie has been sleeping with all the reviewers (except me, alas), or paying them under the table to write favorable reviews for their games (more likely). Well, it's time somebody set the record straight on the horrendously overrated Prince of Persia. Don't get me wrong, technically the Sands of Time is beyond reproach, with seamless graphics, fluid animation fluid, flawless sound, and controls far more forgiving than most platform games. But unlike most other critics, I judge games in terms of how enjoyable they are to play (I'm funny that way). Prince of Persia feels like the most perfectly programmed mediocre game there ever was. What's the deal with critics who claimed this was revolutionary? Haven't they ever heard of Tomb Raider? I've played my share of adventure games, and Sands of Time gave me the worst case of deja vu ever. Basically you navigate an endless series of huge rooms loaded with platforms to jump between, poles to swing on, traps to dodge, and ledges to hang on to. It's like a compilation of the most tedious parts of every platform game you've ever played. As in Tomb Raider, when you enter an expansive new area the camera pans around to highlight locations and items of interest. But unlike that classic, Sands of Time offers little pay off. The fighting element has its share of problems as well. The sword-to-sword combat looks impressive but is mainly automatic as you tap buttons on the controller. It's irritating how monsters can disappear and reappear directly in your path, and your prince always turns to face them, even when you're attempting to run. I also hate how you're forced to "suck up" the souls of slain monsters using your magical dagger (a la Soul Reaver) before they can come back to life. Lucky for us, the remaining monsters usually stand around like dorks, considerately giving you a few seconds to perform your fancy little dagger move. Prince of Persia's graphics have a slightly cartoonish quality reminiscent of Beyond Good and Evil (yet another overrated Ubisoft title!). The scenery is certainly attractive but repetitive as all hell. I can't count the number times I asked myself, "Wasn't I just in this room?" The crisp sound effects are top notch, from the alarming sound of crumbling rock to the pitter-patter of light footsteps. The voice acting is very good, and the music has an appropriate middle-eastern influence. Sands of Time offers two features worth mentioning: the ability to run along walls and control time. The time control mechanism adds a strategic element, but it's hardly a revolutionary idea (Blinx for the Xbox comes to mind). The controls are exceptionally forgiving, especially with the "time rewind" feature that lets you repeat ill fated leaps. Ubisoft clearly employs competent programmers, but their efforts are largely wasted with this. On a final note, I've noticed that certain magazine editors have been critical of the gaming public for the tepid sales of this game and its successor. I think that just validates this review. © Copyright 2005 The Video Game Critic.

I was a little nervous about seeing a classic shooter like R-Type given the 3D treatment, after seeing so many others ruined by the transition (can you say Contra?). However, I'm relieved to report that R-Type Final is a smashing success, managing to stay faithful to the original game while incorporating every modern visual effect under the sun. You get vertigo-inducing camera angles, liquid-metal bosses, spectacular weapons, and superb water effects. R-Type Final begins with a bang as you're thrust into a war-torn futuristic world that's as disorienting as it is spectacular. The first sub-boss is a crab creature crawling on the bottom of a sphere, and this battle's viewing angle is unlike anything I've seen in a video game before. The second stage is more conventional, as you fly through a jungle environment with a river below. What's interesting about this stage is that you can submerge your ship under the murky water, which exposes new enemies and provides a whole different point of view. Set over a modern metropolis, the third stage lets you battle huge airships among the skyscrapers. As you blast away while facing the ground, you get an awesome view of the wreckage raining down onto the streets below. The weapons in R-Type Final are remarkably original. Take for example the innovative yellow electrical bolt that you can "sweep" from side to side, or the blue weapon that strikes the top of the screen and then rains down lightening bolts. Too bad these weapons can't be powered up. R-Type Final is not for the faint of heart, and certain areas can be frustrating. Like Einhander (PS1, 1997), the large objects fill the screen, and you'll often find yourself running short on real estate. The explosions could be better - your ship looks like confetti when it explodes. R-Type Final is a robust game, which five skill levels, a slew of customizable ships, a virtual "museum", and a gallery of fine artwork. The game records high scores not only for each difficulty level but for each stage as well. And I almost overlooked the "AI Mode", a very original and interesting two-player strategy game that's a nice bonus. In this head-to-head contest, you actually program the behavior of your ship and then sit back and watch the ensuing battle unfold. My one real beef with R-Type Final is the lack of a stage select. In a game like this where the early levels are long and intense, you really shouldn't have to replay all the levels you've conquered. But overall, R-Type Final is still the best pure shooter to come out in years. © Copyright 2004 The Video Game Critic.

As an old school gamer with a real appreciation for 2D shooters, a new title like Raiden 3 warms my heart. This may look like a generic vertical shooter on the surface, but underneath lies a work of art. The graphics are rendered in 3D, but except for some modest scaling, you'll barely notice. The shooting action is completely 2D, and it's extremely well balanced. Most modern shooters try to throw more objects on the screen than any human could keep track of, but Raiden 3 always offers up a manageable number of foes. Even when faced with waves of projectiles, there's always a clear escape route. Your firepower is substantial from the start, and certain weapons let you to "sweep" the screen with a single beam of energy. Raiden also avoids the obtuse control schemes and complex scoring systems that plague many shooters. You have one main weapon (which operates rapid-fire) and a limited supply bombs that are just as defensive as offensive. Another thing I love about Raiden 3 is how it's so forgiving. Your firepower is insane, but your enemy's is not, and the game gives you "the benefit of the doubt" during close scrapes. Seven stages are available in the main mode, and you can also play them individually for high score (scores are saved automatically). Stage locales include business districts, harbors, and industrial areas. The graphics are modest, with static-looking water, flat forests, and pixelated buildings. I tend to overlook graphics in a game like this, but I have to call Raiden 3 on its unimaginative scenery and enemies. I'm not expecting anything revolutionary, but the locations are forgettable, and the bosses are extremely cookie cutter - usually oversized tanks, jets, or boats. Still, the game is relentlessly fun, and the two-player simultaneous mode is a blast. Raiden 3 didn't blow me away with its visuals, but I know a good shooter when I play one. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

There was plenty of hype surrounding the initial release of Red Faction, arguably the first high-quality first-person shooter (FPS) for the PS2. With the arrival of Halo (Xbox), Faction seems much less impressive now, but you can't question its tight gameplay. With a smooth framerate, realistic sound effects, and a compelling Total Recall-like storyline, this is one of the most engaging shooters I've played on the PS2. As a miner working underground on Mars, you join a force of workers in a rebellion against the oppressive Ultor Corporation. Like Halo, the comfortable control scheme lets you move with one analog joystick and aim with the other. You can crawl through vents or scale ladders as easy and you can walk down a hallway. The dark caves and industrial environments are somewhat bland, but the levels are cleverly designed, and you can destroy (or at least damage) just about everything. When a door is locked, you can literally make your own by blowing a big hole in the wall with a rocket launcher. That's what I love about this game; it gives you massive firepower up front, and you rarely need to worry about conserving ammo. And at any given time, it's easy to tell what you need to do and where you have to go. The gameplay is pretty standard, but there are a few innovations that make Red Faction unique. You can often preview upcoming areas using video monitors, and an excellent "auto-aiming" feature makes it much easier to pick off bad guys. Also, I really like how the game is NOT broken up into individual missions, but instead feels like one continuous journey. The audio is first-rate, with pulse-pounding music and official-sounding announcements over the intercoms. Enemy guards call for backup, and beg for mercy when shot. You can save your place at any time. There's a much-ballyhooed multiplayer mode, but I didn't find it to be anything special. Overall, I wouldn't call Red Faction revolutionary, but it's very solid all around. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

I hear the developers of this third-person shooter had a hard time finding a publisher for their game. Maybe that's because The Red Star focuses on good old-fashioned gameplay over flashy graphics. Although I'd hesitate to call Red Star "old school" (this is the PS2, for Pete's sake), its developers obviously grew up playing their share of classic 2D shooters. Red Star gets off to a slow start, beginning with bland intro explaining how an "alternate" Russia has been overrun with massive technology and futuristic weapons. I couldn't skip through the text fast enough, and the plodding first stage felt every bit like the tedious, extended tutorial it is. Once you hit the second stage however, Red Star starts to gain traction, offering a nice combination of melee combat and rapid-fire shooting. Firing from a distance is generally safer, but your guns are prone to overheating. The action is viewed from a tilted overhead angle, and there's no need for any sort of camera control. Gameplay is similar to X-Men Legends, but Red Star is better. Each stage puts you up against waves of well-armed soldiers, each of which employ their own distinct tactics. Much of the fighting takes place on elevated platforms, and it's satisfying to knock screaming foes over the edge. Oversized bosses assume the form of uninspired tanks, planes, cannons, and robots, but none take very long to dispose of. The first boss appears to emerge from a flat video screen, and this amazing effect is the visual highlight of the game. Bosses shower you with a large number of projectiles, but the missiles tend to be large and slow enough to reveal an escape route. You can play Red Star solo or forge through the game with a friend, and power-ups can be purchased between stages. It may not look like much, but Red Star's gameplay is pretty much on target. Gamers will an appetite for shooting won't be disappointed with this well-crafted budget title. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

The last time Capcom attempted a first-person Resident Evil game (Survivor, PS1), it was a complete disaster. What seemed like a cool concept was marred by poor graphics, shallow gameplay, and no light gun support. Well, apparently Capcom learned a few lessons from Survivor, because Dead Aim is a huge improvement. It's an exciting, highly visceral shooter that's hard to put down. The flimsy backstory is an unlikely tale about someone stealing Umbrella's T-Virus and then hijacking a cruise ship. Having the worst luck in the world, you find yourself onboard this Love Boat of the Dead. Dead Aim is best played with Namco's incredibly accurate Guncon 2 light gun. The control scheme is reasonable, although the directional pad on the back of the gun isn't particularly comfortable. As you wander through the ship, you view the action from behind your character, but once you pull the trigger, the first-person view kicks in. It's great fun blowing away the shambling zombies, which fall back against blood-smeared walls. The zombies look fairly gruesome and move in a very freaky manner. In time, you'll even battle a shapely metallic "terminatrix"-style boss. Dead Aim has its share of scary moments, especially when you get blindsided, or worse, mobbed by zombies. The game made me feel like a character in a George Romero film, although the cruise ship is hardly an appropriate setting. The 3D graphics are rendered on the fly, and while they hardly compare to the pre-rendered GameCube RE graphics, they serve their purpose well. The sparse, low-budget-movie audio effects are chilling, but moments of eerie silence are equally unnerving. You control multiple characters as you play through the game, including a Paul Walker wannabe and a hot Asian chick. Unlike other Resident Evil games, you don't get the "door opening" animations between rooms, and the save points are few and far between. Dead Aim is a nice mix of arcade and adventure, and while not particularly scary, the first person view puts you in the game like no other Resident Evil game can. © Copyright 2003 The Video Game Critic.

This on-line enabled Resident Evil title places the emphasis on teamwork as you attempt to escape zombies in a series of harrowing scenarios. Outbreak's on-line play was panned by critics, but this review covers the solo experience, which I can assure you is equally shabby. Outbreak does have a few things going for it. The separate chapters offer diverse environments like a bar, hospital, hotel, and underground lab facility. Like the original Resident Evil titles, Outbreak uses pre-rendered scenery which offers a terrific degree of detail. Unfortunately, the camera angles change abruptly as you walk, which is disconcerting and mucks with the directional controls. The characters appear extremely lifelike, especially the shapely females (including Jill, described as a "master of unlocking things"). The game generates a genuine sense of desperation as characters become injured and hobble around - just like a real horror movie! Characters have the ability to heal each other, provide cover, or exchange items. The CPU controls your partners in the one-player mode, and while they tend to wander around directionless most of the time, they magically reappear at critical junctures in the story. Outbreak's promise is dashed by a number of serious issues. I found the controls to be unintuitive and often unresponsive. Just like watching a slasher film, you'll be yelling, "run [expletive] run!" as your character meanders around in a daze, totally out of your control. The item management screens are awkward to navigate, which is especially problematic since the zombies keep coming when you're fiddling with your inventory! The collision detection is lousy (see people walk through each other!), and there's a lot of random, inappropriate dialogue like "What a fool!" and "I don't think so!" A few of the puzzles make no sense to me. Why is it necessary to thaw out a frozen wrench before you can use it? But by far the worst aspect of Outbreak is its excruciating loading screens that kick in whenever you enter a new room. These screens don't even give you anything to look at! Recognizing this glaring flaw, Capcom gives you the option of installing this game to the PS2 hard disk, in case you're one of the three people who own that thing. Last but not least, Outbreak is also prone to lock-up. I can appreciate Capcom wanting to take the Resident Evil series in a new direction, but this is one chapter in the saga you can safely bypass. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

Resident Evil Outbreak File 2 is more interesting that the original, but since it's saddled with the same underlying engine, it suffers from the same technical flaws. The best part of the game is how its scenarios are all unlocked from the start, making it feel like you're getting four Resident Evil games for the price of one! The scenarios are far more imaginative this time around, including one that takes place in a zoo full of zombie animals. Wait until you see the rampaging zombie elephant - that thing is like a T-Rex! Exploring the zoo is fun, but you're often hounded by annoying insects and zombie pelicans (now there's something you don't see everyday!). Another interesting chapter features a dilapidated abandoned hospital in the middle of a spooky forest, and another takes place in a subway infested with giant vermin. It's possible to play through several of these in parallel. Otherwise the gameplay is the same, which means you'll need to contend with some seriously atrocious loading times. I generally have a high tolerance for load screens, but I've never seen them this long and frequent. It's really unacceptable. Like the first game, Outbreak 2 allows you to play cooperatively on-line with a bunch of racist 14-year olds. I opted for the solo mode, and I couldn't believe how dumb the CPU-controlled characters are! At one point me and two cohorts safely swam across a pond containing a large crocodile. But while I'm heading for the gate on the other side, what are they doing? Heading back into the water! I also find it amusing how these guys seem to forget they have weapons until everybody's almost dead. The collision detection is lousy, and once you sustain injury, it's hard to escape from the relentless animals. Fortunately there are a good number of typewriters to save your progress. Resident Evil Outbreak 2 has its moments, but sloppy programming and horrible load times make this one hard to enjoy. © Copyright 2007 The Video Game Critic.

Rygar is a thing of beauty. I can't tell you how impressed I am with this thoughtfully designed platform game. Originally, Rygar was a popular NES side scroller back in 1987, and fans will be pleased with this elaborate 3D remake. The tone is set with an intro that's nothing less than mind blowing, and the game itself is a work of art on par with Sony's Ico. It's set in an ancient, mythological world of Roman coliseums and Greek temples. It's almost dreamlike, and ruins have never looked so good. One stage in particular (the water stage), features some breathtaking rainbow effects. You know it's good when you actually stop playing just to gawk at the scenery. The gameplay gradually draws you in and refuses to let go. The main innovation in Rygar is his "diskarmor", which functions as both a shield and throwing weapon. Its uses increase as the game progresses, and it eventually doubles as a grappling hook. Do you like to destroy things? If so, Rygar is your game. Not only can you destroy nearly everything, but the game even encourages you to do so! You'll often inadvertently smash things you didn't even think could be destroyed, which was how I discovered many secret areas. Your diskarmor is a devastating weapon, slicing through several enemies at once. Rygar is also loaded with secrets and objects to collect. The bosses are a mixed bag, ranging from colossal rock titans to silly floating masks. I found the difficulty to be just about right, with a generous number of save points sprinkled throughout the game. Best of all, falling will not kill you - you'll just get put back where you fell from. How refreshing is that? While gameplay is excellent in general, I occasionally found myself disoriented on rare occasions by awkward camera angles. I can't forget to mention the lavish classical score ranging from soaring epic compositions to delicate melodies. It gives the game a dramatic tone and a cinematic flair. Likewise the sound effects of rushing water and crumbling rock are uncanny in their realism. Rygar is one of the most addictive platforms games I've ever played on my PS2. Don't miss out on this one. © Copyright 2002 The Video Game Critic.