Product Description

Namco (10024) Katamari Damashi PS2 ... Read more

Features

• Simple play controlled with analog sticks only; no buttons to press
• Dimensions change drastically as clumps grow; 2-player battle mode
• For 1 to 2 players
• Ball-rolling and object-collecting gameplay with quirky, infectious humor throughout
• Insanely cosmic animations; wacky musical stylings; royally contagious storyline

Reviews (98)

Roll with a goal!!
Upon hearing about this game, my knee-jerk reaction was that it would be the most boring game in existence.I mean, seriously, how fun can it be to roll around a ball, picking up various items along the way?!Apparently more fun than anyone anticipated (judging by others' reactions and ratings)!

Other reviewers have been doing a great job describing the goal of the game; that of rolling around a sticky ball (katamari) and picking up progressively larger items.Once you get the katamari a certain size (as determined by what mission, stage, level you're on) the King of the Cosmos turns your katamari into a star or constellation.

What many of the reviewers seem to have missed is the goal of each level.The overarching theme is to make stars and constellations, in order to restore all of the stars to the sky.However, each level has specific nuances.For instance, when trying to make the constellation Taurus, the goal is to pick up the largest cow you can find.Additionally, you may want to try working on making the constellation of Gemini.In this level you need to try and pick up two (a pair) of each item.Your score is then calculated for however many pairs you have.

The game is fantastic, simple (in controls and purpose), but still challenging... with time limits to produce a certain-sized katamari.I do not own this game, and have only played it once, but I guarantee that I will be purchasing this game in the near future!It's a great game.Give it a chance!I think you'll like it!

Humorous, infectuos and weird
So, you are pint sized prince who rolls katamari, a ball that everything sticks to. As things stick to katamari, ball grows and larger are the objects that you can merge with katamari. Almost all levels are time trial (I dislike time trials) and you have a size ball must reach, so you roll around and learn what levels look like in order to make katamari grow faster. All levels are medium or easy, except Poland.

Game is logical, which we haven't seen in a long time, and it is really attractive: imagine rolling 5 cm big katamari to pick up nuts and batteries in the beginning of the level and , after some time, rolling katamari big enough to pick up people, cars, buildings, and , finally, clouds and rainbows.

There should be a sequel soon, and I'd like to see levels that are different visually (Saudi Arabia looks like Russia). Some levels could have special restrictions, like it is forbidden to roll people, some levels should have interesting geometry, let's say sliding down the street or possibility to roll down the roller coaster. It would also be nice to have more levels with large katamari, and more levels in general.

The main reason game got 4 stars is camera...but, BUY! Game is weird but also really fun to play!!!

????????????? But FUN!
the developers of this game were obviously on an overdose of every drug ever created! This is the wierdest game i have ever and ever will play in my entire life! But in a good way . . . the game actualy has shadow of brilliance combined with block and and solid objects. The game however is VERY fun! which makes me wonder about drugs . . . (just kidding, drugs are bad!)all ages will find a whimsical joy in this odd, fun, and blurry brilliance. Its a bragain, u have no excuse!

Fun, Fun, Fun!
This is a great game for anyone, no matter the age.
If you can use the Playstation controller, you can play this game.

Plenty of others have given good descriptions of it, so I just wanted to echo a 5 star review.

If you have kids, you will be playing right along with them, I'm sure.

Tripped Out
I first played this game at a buddies house and was hooked on of all things, the tunes.Basically this game is like the others have said - the stars are gone and it's the son of the King of Cosmos' job to put them back to the sky, and re-create the constellations.So, the son goes to earth and with a ball called a Katamari, he rolles up anything from ants to skyscrapers so that a giant ball of stuff they can be elevated into the sky and turned into stars.

The thing about this game that's so addictive are the little challenges to it and finding different things that you missed the first 4 times you rolled on a level.You wind up enjoying watching others play it because you look at the details of all the objects that are around you in the game - and how impressive it is!(the amount of detail)The gameplay to this is simple and fun - one of my friends likened rolling the ball to driving the Warthog in Halo 2; not so bad of an analogy.But that's all you really need - you don't use the buttons really or anything else; just the analog sticks, which make it a game that almost anyone can play and enjoy.

Definitely recommend it.I enjoyed the game and the tunes in the game were cute if anything else.Try not to think too much of the 'plot' of the game... there really isn't one although there is a small story to carry along which is more of a gag for the tripped out herb heads.But this really is a pretty easy game that you can just pop in, take your mind off things, and play.I guess my only gripe would be that it wasn't very long at all... even though I wound up playing it for about 3 hours straight when i got it.Check it out! ... Read more

Product Description

Working with award-winning science fiction author Orson Scott Card, GlyphX Games has created a gripping storyline that will thrust gamers and readers alike into an incredible intergalactic saga.In Advent Rising, players make decisions that effect not only what they experience in the first game, but the entire Advent trilogy.Storyline:In Advent Rising, a common legend pervades the galaxythat of a powerful, highly intelligent ancient race that will one day deliver the universe.They ar ... Read more

Features

• Single-player game play presented in stunning, cinematic format;
• Switch between 1st and 3rd person point-of-view;
• Built using next-generation Unreal technology, integrated with the Karma physics engine;
• Unprecedented collaboration with Hugo and Nebula award-winning author Orson Scott Card on sweeping storyline;
• Develop amazing superhuman powers;

Reviews (6)

Technical problems keep it from being great
Advent Rising was announced a few years ago as the first in a trilogy that was epic in scope.It has all the workings of a great project as well.The original story began in the director's mind and he knew it would be such a grand story that he enlisted the help of notable sci-fi scribe Orson Scott Card to help work the script.Card worked on the script, getting the dialogue right and also assisted with the overall story.On top of an excellent author, they employed an orchestra and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir to perform.All of these should spell out to be a recipe for sucess.And it does, sort of.

What holds this game back from glory are the myriad of technical issues.To begin with, the game is beautiful.Graphic-wise, it reminds me of Halo 2.Halo 2 had no loading after the initial load and the graphics, while nice, suffered at times from having to be rendered quickly.The same goes for Advent Rising.In fact, while you are watching a cutscene, the game is busy loading the next sequence.What this does is put a tremendous strain on the engine.If the engine is strong, it shouldn't pose much problem.But, unfortunately, this sometimes spells disaster for Advent Rising.

The first 40 minutes of the game did not give me a great first impression.During the training sequences, the game locked up three times.I had to replay the same sequence about 4 times to get through it simply because I did something the game didn't like and it froze.The game auto-saves onces you hit certain check points and if you have to reset the game, you're starting back over from the beginning of the checkpoint.Things became much better as the game progressed and I don't remember the game freezing again.

Added to the lock ups, the game stutters when there's too many things going on at once.I don't mean when little things are happening, I mean when you have a squad of 3-4 people on your team shooting at 4-6 enemies and there's two drop ships coming in and launching missles that explode with huge flames.When that happens, the game's audio begins to "click," the frame rate drops very noticeably and things become a bit annoying.But again, this only really happens when there's a ton going on.

Unfortunately, more technical issues abound.Namely in the sound.With the beautifully orchestrated music pounding, the screams of people fleeing certain destruction, the explosions, the lazers tearing apart buildings, you'd expect to have a lot of sound.Unfortunately, in the cutscenes the sound tends to be muted.To give you an example, on my surround sound receiver (which the game supports by the way), I usually keep the sound at 10-11 for a decent, full sound that doesn't also piss off my neighbors.For this game, generally I have to have the sound on at 16-17 and it's still muted.I know the reason is probably because the game is loading the next scene and the engine is faltering because of it.

A love it or hate it device is used for targeting.Called "flick targeting," you use the right stick to change between your targets, effectively "flicking" it in their general direction to lock onto them.For those who use their right stick to change the camera constantly, like me, this can take some time to get used to.But, if you can train yourself not to change the camera as much will find it works pretty well.Where it can get into a problem is when you are trying to run from the enemy to get to cover.When this happens, and you try to reorient the camera to find some place to run, it can become frustrating to continually lock onto targets.Also, when you receive your power to levitate objects, this becomes even more of a hindrance as you not only lock onto enemies now but also moveable objects.Click the right stick (R3 button) helps with this problem because it releases the camera but it still causes moments of annoyance.Honestly, though, it's a great system to handle more than one enemy at a time.

At the heart of the game, past all of the technical problems and targeting woes is a great story.The beginning of the story with the Seeker's attack of your home world reminded me of what Halo 2 was missing.Here we saw devastation on your homeworld, we fought on the homeworld and it generally stressed the feeling of your world at risk.From there, it's an epic event after epic event as the seekers cause untold problems, a few plot twists occur and a few deaths propel our protagonist toward his goal.It's a great story and the dialogue is terrific, bring to mind movie quality.The voice actors are a charm to listen to, and there are a couple funny moments.Card's influenced can be seen everywhere.In fact, I was waiting for the main characters to break out in a discussion of Varelese and Ramen in terms of aliens (read the Ender's series if you didn't get that).

For all that's good in this game, and there's plenty do not get me wrong, I feel semi-disappointed.This game has been pushed back countless times.Mostly, it's been pushed back to help fix the frame rate issues, and other technical problems I've noted.And so when the game was finally released I was shocked when the very things that made it miss release date upon release date were still causing problems.What is most annoying is that we are this far in the Xbox development cycle and bugs abound.We are currently waiting for Xbox 360 to come out and countless games have been made that are more beautiful and less buggy than this game.It's disappointing to see that even this far into the Xbox life problems are still occuring.Maybe the game was too grand for the Xbox and should have been an Xbox 360 launch title.Whatever the case, this game is really good, regardless of the problems.If you can overlook the technical issues above, you will find not only a good game, but a good game with a heart.And that's hard to find today.

A Fun Epic Sci Fi Shooter ,Flawed But Fun.
Advent Rising is a third & first person shooter that is a fast pace Sci-Fi Epic like gaming experience that is best desribed as a star wars/halo2 mix. But Advent Rising is still a unique game in its own right. You play in 1st & 3rd person which can be changed while playing. There are about 11 different weapons ranging from ballistic to the alien variety & they all have great response,sound,& power. You are able to equip & fire from both hands by using both triggerssimular to halo2 ,&most weapons have alternate fire modes. You can perform Melee attacks & will get advanced melee's as you progress in mastery levels 1-5.The Mastery Level is a reward system ,as you use a weapon or power you will automaticly gain level ups such as more damage or better accuracy,also it'll open up alternate fire modes on special power & weapons you can gain up to 5 levels on all weapons & powers.You eventually will aquireSpecial Powers simular to force powers in star wars games. These powers include LEVITATE ,which gives you the ability to levitate enemies & shoot them in mid air ,also liftinanimate objects &you can also throw enemies off cliffs, SURGE which is a type offorce push to damage enemies & if you hold trigger for a stronger surge blast,NEGATE which gives you the ability to make a shield & its advanced stages you are able to put up multiple sheilds ,4 when maxed out,alternatly you can carry a shield ,AEON PULSE which gives you the ability to shoot pulses from your hands in which damages the enemy, TIME SHIFT which gives you the abilty to warp time & attack enemy at a great speed which causes alot of damage to enemy,it basicly looks like a quick sprint into the enemy ,kinda like a running charge at a blurring speed,& finally SHATTER which you can shoot ice shards, which look more like blue spheres on screen, & its advanced stages can freeze an enemy. All Weapons & Powers also have (alternate) modes of fire & powers in which becomeavailable as you advance in mastery levels 1-5. All powers use energy but as you gain mastery levels you will use less energy.You automaticly are awarded the power ups as you fight or use powers,you can look in your weapons & powers menu to see there effects.You have different vehicles to drive that resemble halos warthog, & there is an enemy alien tank that looks quite good. The land vehicle (scythe) 4x4 ,is very responsive & has verystrong boost power. You can also operate anti-air turrets when available.For the most part your on foot.This game is a pure 1st & 3rd person shooter with an added very helpful force type super powers, these powers arent thrown in just for fun or looks you'll definalty use them & need them alot, I found myself prefering to use the force type powers more & morein the later stages ,because in Advent Rising the more you use anything the stronger it gets with the mastery level up system.You can equip a power to one hand & a weapon to the other hand for an endless array of good combinations ,or you could just use the powers ,whatever works for you.The graphics are good & they get better as you advance in the game, but I do have a "S" cable so keep that in mind.Overall Advent is a very fun game ,but could use some polishing up on a few things. The targeting system is a little herky-jerky .You use the right analog stick to change & hone in onto targets . Adversly you also use the right analog for the camera pan & tilt. Things makes things a little unbalanced when in a firefight as sometimes when you are trying to look into a certain direction the targeting ring will lock onto a different target than you intended. But I had no serious problems that hampered my game experince with the targeting system . I think it would have been better to have a cleaner smoother targeting system or even a free form target system like most first & third person shooters have. But you can adjust the Targeting systems sensitivity in the options menu.There is also alot of slow down when the screen gets full & on one occasion the sound got messed up. But even with these game flaws Advent Rising is still a very fun shooter with nice level detail which is 95% linear but still very EPIC movielike in design. I noticed there are some simularities to halo2 in the design of some of the levels in Advent,with vast open spaces & the like.But dont let me mislead you Advent shouldnt be compared to HALO2 .Id say Advent is a loose mix between a star wars type game & halo2. The cutscenes are nicley done with Greatstory content & good voice acting & there are a ton of clips to be seen. Advent gameplay is good but when the framerates slow down ,which is often,is gets stiff. And the camera could be a little smoother,but your still able to see in (3-d) all directions like other 1st & 3rd person shooters. But even with all of these flaws Advent is still a very fun shooter.I beat the game on Normal difficulty in 3 days ,the story was very good ,just make sure to watch the entire CREDITS because at the end there's a surprise Boss battle with another ending & it definatly opens up for the sequel. You have 4 difficulty settings Easy,Normal,Hard,& Ultra. Its a fairly challenging game thats not too easy ,& not too hard ,but you can change difficulty while your playing to suit your needs.Its a very good start to a game series ,hopefully with some fine tuning ,sequels to this game will take note of gamers comments & improve on it. In a nutshell Advent Rising is kinda like watching a very good Epic movie storyline while you get to partake in being the star.Advent Rising is a fun overall Sci-Fi gaming experience regardless of its flaws. Definalty Worth Playing.Im looking forward to the sequel.

Advent Rising- The Beginning of a Legacy
Advent Rising is the first in the Advent Trilogy. This is a great start for a franchise that is sure to have people talking for a long time. The game does have it's glitches, but they seem small and unimportant compared to the game's great aspects. I am really suprised by the low scores that have been given by IGN, GameSpot, etc. I think this trilogy will be a compelling, original experience, that will have it's fair share of glory before it is through.

First, I want to state that Tommy Talarico Studios has done a phenomenal job with the music. The music was what really brought together the whole experience for me. When the humans started to be attacked, I got a real sense of tragedy that only great music can deliver. Throughout the entire game, I was drawn in by the simple, yet effective, melodies. Advent Rising has some of the best audio of this year.

The next thing I want to talk about is the story. You play Gideon Wyeth. The younger brother of renowned captain, and playboy, Ethan Wyeth. The story is that you and your brother are to escort an ambassidor onto an alien shuttle, so that your races can become allies. The aliens, who are called Aurelians, warn you that the Seekers are coming to destroy the humans. The story draws you in so quickly, that you will find it hard to put the controller down, even to go to the bathroom. Some of the cinematics are very long. Advent Rising compensates for this by letting you pause during the cinematics, and letting you skip them, or restart it, but I digress. Back to the story. Very early in the game, you are faced with a tough decision. Both your brother Ethan, and your fiance Olivia are injured. You can only save one. It makes little difference in the end who you choose, but I found the outcome very sad.

Next comes the gameplay. This game is very interesting, because it is kind of a Third Person Action Shooter RPG. Let me explain. There are a variety of elements in the game, that keep it diverse and fun. The RPG element comes into play, when you have used a weapon or ability so much, that you become more proficient in the skill. Later in the game, you learn from Kehlem, an Aurelian, how to levitate objects. You gain different unerthly skills throughout the game, which you can become more proficient in.

Overall, Advent Rising is amazing. It is an original, fun, and extraordinary experience. The stunning visuals, beautiful music, and compelling gameplay, come together to deliver a refreshment from the same old games. This is a sure contender for game of the year. Advent Rising is the first in a trilogy that will take the gaming world by storm.

Good Game, but has a few bugs
I am a 24 year old gamer and feel this game is truly unique.It is nothing like Halo except that you are human killing aliens.The game is beautiful constructed and the storyline is captivating--it vaguely reminds me of star wars.I recommend at least renting this game if not buying it.

The only problem with the game is that at certain times your character jams.For example:You use one of your super powers and you float into the air, but then never come back down.It can be very frustrating.Plus the aimng system is very touchy and at times you lose where you are shooting.

With all said, It is a great game and should not be over looked.Rent it at least.

A little buggy, but tons of fun!
I was mesmerized by my first glimpses of the game and had been waiting patiently for Advent Rising to come out.I was overjoyed when it finally hit the shelves, but became bit worried when when I read a few reviews before the fact, and found their verdicts to be mediocre at best, poor at worst.Undaunted, I bought the game to see for myself, and personally, I wasn't disappointed.The storyline, which pits humankind as a race of myth, destined to save the universe against the Seekers, a race that is bent on destroying them(and written by the great Orson Scott Card, no less) keeps you riveted, wondering what is going to happen next; the music is a top-notch orchestral work of beauty, and the gameplay is fast, intuitive, and pulls you in. However, the negative points will severely turn off some more nitpicky gamers, in that there is a major bug in the realm of frame rate.Some areas of intense battle slow down severely, and subtract from the experience.
Also, there is a problem with the targeting system in that it is EXTREMELY tricky and twitchy, switching from one enemy from another at the drop of a hat, and losing sight of the main character in intense combat moments.This can be frustrating, but like the frame rate problem, can be overlooked.Also, the sheer amount of obvious work and love put into the game makes up for these problems.
As it is the first in a planned trilogy, those problems hopefully will be addressed in the later games.All in all, Advent Rising is a game well worth its money, and plagued by overly harsh reviews.I say give it a try; if you're a bit nervous about it, rent it first and see.Aside from the framerate and targeting system, the game is a masterpiece, and like other reviewers have said, NOT to be compared to Halo.If its two major problems had been addressed properly, however, I believe that reviewers would have been kinder to it.But it is a game not to be snubbed for its shortcomings.It's tons of fun and a worthy addition to anyone's Xbox library. ... Read more

Product Description

Citywide blackouts stock exchange sabotages electronic hijacking of national defense systems this is information warfare. To prevent these attacks, operatives must infiltrate deep into hostile territory and aggressively collect critical intelligence, closer than ever to enemy soldiers. You are Sam Fisher, the NSA's most elite black-ops agent. To achieve your mission you will kill from close-range, attack with your combat knife, shoot with the prototype Land Warrior rifle, and use radical suppres ... Read more

Features

• DEADLY AGILITY: Incredibly complete and fluid variety of moves including athletic moves, stealth moves, stealth kills.
• REAL WEAPONS OF TOMORROW: The most complete arsenal of weapons and gadgets from the knife to the experimental Land Warrior System.
• AS GOOD AS REAL: Never see before graphics technology offers the best visuals ever seen on any console yet. Advanced physics engine allowing rag doll physics, particle effects and perfect interaction with the environment.
• ULTIMATE CHALLENGE: Intelligent A.I with personal attributes, natural behavior where NPCs are aware of there environment and remember past events.
• AMAZING REPLAYABILITY: Totally open level design with multipaths and optional secondary objectives.

Reviews (12)

Best PS2 game!
This game is awesome! The single player game's levels are challenging and expansive. All of them have multiple pathways and let you go into the missions with recommended weaponry, stealth weapons, or heavy weapons. On most levels, heavy weapons are your best bet. The AI is very smart. One example is when you disable a light, some enemies will use a torch or flashlight to try and find you. Another great improvement is the ability to save ANYWHERE! This is a great feature and makes it much easier to complete levels. The game also has co-op gameplay, where you and a friend team up to complete levels. When playing co-op, just make sure your friend is good at the game, and if they aren't good at it, make sure they can follow directions. Because if 1 of you dies, its failed mission. Now down to the core of the game: multiplayer online. The multiplayer is why i rated this game 5 stars. It is amazing! You can either be a spy or a mercenary. When you're a begginer, i recomend being a mercenary, because it's much easier to kill spys. When you are a spy, you have to jump on mercenaries or sneak up behind them and brake their neck. Mercenaries just have to shoot the spys. Overall, this is a mustbuy if you like the stealth genre and have a PS2, Xbox, or good PC. If you have a gamecube, but not a good PC, you dont know what your missing with the multiplayer mode.

i love this game
i think this is the best splinter cell game in the universe.The graphics arent a good as the xbox's but its pretty much the same game.

GREAT!!!!!
I love this game and heres my pros and cons
Pros
Now assault mode
More moves like neck break and more weapons of lethalness
Fun to play
Bashing doors open and knocking out the bloke on the other side
Graphics (Most realistic PS2 game)
Tense gameplay
Cons
Hacking computers, keypads whatever is difficult
This is a must buy for anyone except under 15s because theres a horrible torture scene in mission 1, theres strangling, neckbreaking, drowning and blood if u look closley when killing and swearing but not too much only s**t and son of a b*tch and it is difficult. So buy buy buy wether u like it or not. Splinter Cell is now for run and gun fans becuse theres 3 modes u can choose when starting a mission which are stealth, assault and Reddings reccomendation (Reddings repleaced Brunton from Pandora Tomorrow). So theres something for everyone here. I wont be buying anything else for a while because I'll try to finish it 9 times (Mixture of the 3 1st then just stealth mode and then assault mode). I feel like owning a PS2 for just the following games
GTA Vice City and San Andreas
Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow and this
Killzone
50 Cent Bulletproof and The Warriors (When they are released)
Buy this and all the games mentioned above but wait a while for 50 Cent Bulletproof and The Warriors because Warriors is out end of the year and 50 Cent Bulletproof around same time I think. Thank you for reading this review and I hope u found it useful in helping u with your PS2 game choices.
Gangsta man

Incredible
Splinter Cell Chaos theory is an incredible game. It is a stealth game. The focus is light and dark: hiding in the darkness and sneaking up on guards thtanever heard or saw you. You can use non lethal attacks like punches, knees, or choke-holds, or lethal attacks like neck snaps and throat slits. The graphics pushn the ps2 to the limit: many cutscenes can be mistaken for movie scenes. Do not believe any bad review you hear. There is also a co-op mode and an online, spies vs. mercenaries, mode. The level design, sound, and story are great.

Graphics-pushes the ps2 to the limit. 9.9=4.95
Gameplay- stealty, light and dark, play 9.6=4.8
sound- good msuic, but nothing spectacular 8.5 4.25
fun factor- if you do not enjoy stealth games, you will after splinter cell chaos theory 9.5=4.75
note: the game is very hard

Mediocre Version
I own the X-box version of this game and it is incredible. I rented the play station one just for fun. I knew it wouldn't come close, but I just wanted to see how it stacked up. This game is of very mediocre quality by to days standards. The first splinter cell that came out for PS2 is better than this one. The PS2 Chaos Theory sort of looks like an early prototype of the X-Box version before detail, texture, high quality graphics and nonlinear mapping were put in. If you don't have the X-box though, it's still a pretty fun game, so I'd recommend at least renting it. ... Read more

Product Description

Square Enix (90309) Star Ocean: Till End Time PS2 ... Read more

Features

• Execute synchronized attacks coordinated with other characters to attack enemies
• Lush, fully polygonal graphics, cut scenes, and an orchestral score create a magnificent environment
• Contains all the features of the Japanese Director's Cut version
• Set in SD 772, the hero Fayt Leingod searches for his family and loved ones
• Move through fullly 3-D battlefields and control three characters simultaneously

Reviews (29)

I like this game!
My Maria is Still at level 30 and the rest of my party members are levels 40-55.I am up to the Shrine of Kadden on Disk 2.I Like this game because it is cool.

A tremendous disappointment and the worst Star Ocean ever...
It seems that Till The End of Time has garnered much praise by reviewers. Why? I don't know. Star Ocean: TtEoT is the one of the biggest RPG disappointments I've played for the PS2.
I'm a pretty hardcore RPG fan, but after exhaustively playing everything in the PS2 RPG world, I was on my knees begging for a decent RPG until the good RPG's begin release in June 2005. I stumbled upon Star Ocean and fondly remembered the Star Ocean for the SNES, a remarkable adventure, so I picked it up. At the beginning, I was amazed with the game's setting. It takes place in the distant future between federations of planets and insane technology, which you would think would lead to a good story and environments. Unfortunately, I spent 95% of the game in dungeons that seemed to come straight out of Diablo.
Back to the beginning, I noticed one thing immediately: the characters are flat as cardboard. They are complete stereotypes of RPG's, and react the same exact way as their stereotype dictates. Don't expect any character development, you're looking at the wrong game. The game's story and dialogue is altogether amazingly cliche and lame, with the typical selfless teen hero and his girlfriend who hangs with him everywhere who need to save the world from a terrible force. Awfully familiar, isn't it? If you've ever played an RPG, you've played this game.
What people consider the saving grace of Star Ocean is the battle system. In a nutshell, it's real time and you can switch between your characters as you attack the enemy. Unfortunately, you can't even see all the enemies on the map from one viewpoint, and the other is too far with the camera to properly battle. To add to the problem, the Comp controlled characters are iddiots and require almost nonstop attention to keep them from dying, because dying is permanent until you can get to a heal point.
What really kills the game besides the story, the characters, the somewhat glazed graphics, the stupid AI, and the somewhat unpolished feel is the save system. There are not nearly enough save points. Probably about 2 for the entire game. The dungeons in this game are huge and unmapped, as in YOU explore them and YOU map them out. The dungeouns are huge and littered with enemies. Because of the difficult battles, huge dungeons, lack of save and healing points and unmapped dungeons, I had to run back to town often to save my characters from certain death and to get healing products. If they had just approached this like they did FFX, where the map is clear and linear right in front of you, and there are plenty of save points which also act as healing points, this game wouldn't have been nearly as frusturating, but after dying from the umpteenth time due to no save points, I completely lost interest.
What could have and should have been a great game falls completely flat. Unchanging stereotypical characters, a terrible story, frusturatingly large dungeons and lack of saving/healing points, terrible AI and a general lack of polish relegate Star Ocean to a disgrace, a game not fit to carry its series' name similar to Final Fantasy 8 or Sword of Mana. I guess I'll have to wait Till the End of Time to play a good RPG.

Star Ocean
This game was not as good as the second one. since the dungeon designs looked same, the battle system was not that fun. still the story makes up for it and the background visuals.

Star Ocean is full of Five Star value
The game has excellent graphics (though sometimes they may look a little off...) and the story is also very good. The characters are pretty likable, and depending on which characters you prefer depends on which ones go with you til the end of the game. Depending on your relationship with them can also change the ending. The game has a ton of cut scenes, but I have yet to find one cutscene I didn't like. BUT, the switch from the "easy" level to "normal" is a hard one-I felt like there was a huge difference in the monster's power. Overall though, it's still a great game.

it's official
i got a chance to play this game when i first played it in my friends house. it wasn't the best rpg ever made. but the gameplay is worth playing and the graphics are nice. ... Read more

Features

• Massively popular online RPG
• 10 races and 15 classes with unique abilities
• New race, class and areas
• Hundreds of new items to acquire and trade
• For 1 or more players

Reviews (16)

Eh
Alright, I had my sare of addiction towards this game and it was actually awhile ago, but I'll try to explain what I liked about this game.

From the start of this game, you'll most likely notice the very bad graphics that are displayed... or maybe the bad sound.. or maybe the decent number of people online at one time

Well, i think this game was the best game in the world to me at one time, I had a level 27 Warrior Halfling ( Hobbit ). But simply, I stopped playing ebcause I stopped paying the 10$ a month. And after that, a few months leter i went to the computer version, Everquest II. ( see my review for that. )

There are some good things about this game. It is online so you can play with other players, it's overall a fantastically made RPG, ( in my opinion better than FinalFantasy by a long-shot. ) And improvements over the first one for the PS2, there is a new Race. ( The Ogre. ) and new class. ( Alchemist. ) There are also some new areas to explore, with new creatures. The team also updated you're leveling, so instead of the highest level being 50, it is now 60. The final thing that was updated, was a very very slight update in graphics. They are hard to see, but they are there. Anyways, if you do play this game and begin to like it, trust me; your hours will be FLYING by. My summer in 2003 and part of 2004 was gone before i knew it. ( I played the first one too. )

Anyways enjoy yourself with it. This game can be enjoyable to you, or a piece of junk.

Good game but.......
It would seem SOE has turned their back on this game.It is a good game,It needs a lot of updates,and definitely a NEW expansion!!Overall this game rocks,but customer service is horrible!Talk to anybody who plays this game,they love it,except for the way SOE treats us as customers.Be prepared for lots of xp grinding,which can get tedious after a while.But xp grinding is not unique to just this game.There is plenty to do on frontiers for a newbie...but beyond that it's past time for a new expansion.I think SOE needs to remember they do have other games and customers other than those on EQ2.I also play regular EQ,so i am a fan of the series,SO....I think the future of eq frontiers is uncertain,have you seen it on the shelves anywhere?That in itself speaks volumes.So let the buyer beware!GOOD game,bad support,uncertain future.

Need no life to play
Everquest is a valiant attempt at an online rpg hypbrid but is far too encompassing for its own good.One must have no life and play constantly to really get the most out of the game and advance.I like the characters and idea but i just cannot get into it, i am looking forward to similar games with what i feel will be better online capabilities and better enjoyment and value. I would recommend Capcom's Monster Hunter or even the obligatory FF but that one has monthly fees whereas Monster Hunter is free.

Just Read
(...) i am 16 and i dont want to go though that stupid sign up thing. Anyway..... This is a great game but it comes at a price u do have to pay (...) but its well worth it. Be careful of everquest because it is very addictive some ppl play it for days straight. In fact a lot of ppl call it Ever Crack. Its such a fun game dont wry but be contious of what time it is because hours go by like minutes.

Can you improve on perfection?
Surprisingly, the answer is, 'Yes.Yes you can.'

The original EQOA is the best of the overcrowded MMORPG herd.It's simple and fast paced, inexpensive and addictive.From a technology perspective it does amazing things on a PS2 without a harddrive.When I first played it, I couldn't imagine making a better RPG without waiting for the next generation of consoles to come out.

But SOE did it.EQOA: Frontiers is that better RPG!It's the same shared world as the original- both sets of players can fight side-by-side.Most of what SOE improved on are the little things, things that you'd never even notice until you played both.The imagery and music is better.There are ambient effects like fog and raining brimstone in the right places.The skies and the weather are just a little bit more present and real.

Best of all, though, your character is more customizable with better textures and an absolutely fantastic 'Class Mastery' system that lets you choose what path you want to take to power.Even within the same class and race, two characters can end up with very different strengths and weaknesses.

Add all that to making what is already a huge online landscape even larger, and you have more than a great game.It's an achievement.

And so I'd have to say that EQOA: Frontiers is my new pick for the finest of the MMORPG genre.Start with the original if you're skeptical- it only costs as much as a month's subscription.But mark my words, you'll end up buying the upgrade to fuel your addiction.

And when you do, you'll be impressed.Very impressed. ... Read more

Product Description

An abundance of new gameplay mechanics give full control over all aspects of the game including new stare-downs, chop battles, submission reversals, match tactics, and upgraded Royal Rumble controls. The Divas are hotter than ever with an enhanced bra and panties match and to polish off the robust roster, from the halls of immortality, come a handful of the most celebrated legends to ever lace up their boots.The influential SmackDown! Series has evolved into one single definitive experience th ... Read more

Features

• New Parking Lot Brawl match
• More detailed characters and attire
• Classic superstars include John Cena, Randy Orton, Booker T, Ric Flair, Batista, Triple H, Chris Jericho, Rico, and Charlie Haas
• Sequel to WWE Here Comes the Pain
• Six-person simultaneous play

Reviews (143)

Stop complaining about the roster!!!
I hate the season mode in this game, that being said, if you have internet access, and if you know how to use a search engine, the weak roster that everyone keeps referring to can be up graded.Many web sites offer very detailed instructions on how to create your favorite wrestlers that did not come with the game, the only catch is you have to beat the challenge mode for full access to all the features in create a wrestler.I suggest buying a turbo controller to help to make Bret Hart tap out to his own sharp shooter.Once you've unlocked all the features, the roster can be upgraded tremendously.Some Websites even offer pictures to show what your created wrestlers will look like.I've managed to add to my roster the following wrestlers: Stone Cold Steve Austin, Sid, Hulk Hogan, Macho Man Randy Savage, Sting, Ultimate Warrior, Viscera, Ken Shamrock, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Brock Lesnar, Goldberg, Heidenreich, Gene Snitsky, British Bulldog, Luther Reigns, Mr. Perfect, and many more, all you have to do is be patient, and follow the instructions, and you can have your favorite wrestlers added to the game which makes the Royal Rumble, and the multi-player mode much more exciting.Just use the internet to help you, and you'll be fine.

The Greatest Wrestling Game ever
Finally, Smackdown has come back to PlayStation 2, and boy, does it look good.Smackdown vs. Raw is on the PS2, and the sixth time's the charm.
The Smackdown games were godly creations if you were a wrestling fan, but they just got better.
Smackdown vs. Raw is the complete package.It has a solid career mode, where all the characters have voice-overs from their respective Superstars (except for you, what you say is STILL captioned).It also has a variety of different matches that dig deep into WWE's history, while still getting the more recently added matches into the picture.Also, if you have an Ethernet modem that can hook up to your PS2, Smackdown vs. Raw has Online capabilities.
Overall, Smackdown vs. Raw stretches the greatness of wrestling.I, myself, began watching wrestling again because of Smackdown vs. Raw.

Both Pleasing and Disappointing
Pros:

1. Improved graphics, with the wrestlers looking like their modern-day selves.

2. Improved music and sounds.

3. Improved animations and moves.

4. An all-new submission hold type that allows the opponent to kick-out or even reverse it (Like turning the Figure-Four Leg Lock into an Indian Deathlock).

5. Better legends, including Mankind, Andre the Giant, and Bret "Hitman" Hart.

6. An all-new Royal Rumble style elimination in which instead of just punching your opponent out, you actually have to push them over the rope. You can even double-team.

7. Voice-over and Online Play

8. An option that allows you to either fight "Clean" (Signature and High-Flying Moves) or "Dirty" (Low-Blowing and Eye-Poking)

9. All new Turnbuckle Chop Battle and Pre-Match Staredown Challenges.

Cons:

1. The Season is very short. You only play in half of a year. (For Example: If you play as J.B.L., you can only fight at Judgment Day, Vengeance, SummerSlam, No Mercy, Royal Rumble, No Way Out, and Wrestlemania because he's a Smackdown! wrestler. Also, the storylines are all poorly made up. You can only win the World, WWE, Intercontinental, and U.S. Titles, and the storyline for one title is the same for the others. There is only 3 possible type of matches you can have at a PPV: 1. Title Challenge, 2. Title Defense, 3. Non-Title Grudge Match.

2. Many modern wrestlers aren't in the game (Spike Dudley, Billy Kidman, Paul London, Eugene, William Regal, Orlando Jordan, La Resistance, The Bashams, Kenzo Suzuki, Nunzio, etc) and the game has some wrestlers who aren't even wrestling anymore (A-Train, Chuck Palumbo, Rico, Garrison Cade, and Sable). Plus, for the first time you can't be Mr. McMahon (?).

3. Create-A-Wrestler is harder than ever.

4. No more Lumberjack or Hardcore Diva Matches. The Parking Lot Brawl is fun for like the first 3 times, but easily gets boring. Also, the backstage area has been reduced to one hallway that has ladders, tables, chairs, and more. What is that?

5. You can't be Kurt Angle in Season Mode because he's the General Manager of Smackdown. How long ago was that? Man did THQ screw up.

6. They included Piper and Snuka as legends. That's no real problem, but they already were in Here Comes the Pain. They also included Masked Kane and Legend Undertaker as legends with the SAME MOVES AS THE MODERN WRESTLERS! THQ is so stupid. Also for some weird reason The Rock is a legend (?!?).

7. There's not even 50 wrestlers in the game. Thank goodness this the last Smackdown! THQ game for PS2.

THQ keeps the hits coming
This game, the latest in the perennial "SmackDown!" series, boasts the best graphics, the most features, the smoothest wrestler control, but lacks in a few areas earlier games excelled in.

The new features arrived with fanfare, but some fall short of their expectations.Online play, albeit fun, is very basic.Only two match types (Single or Bra & Panties) are available; it would have been nice to play an Elimination Chamber match online or even a simple tag team match.The new match style, a "parking lot brawl," is essentially a sugar-coated hardcore match in a special area.There are cars that you can smash your opponent into, but that's about it.

Graphically, this is an amazing game.Entrances are done very well; managers now come down to the ring with their wrestlers while the wrestler's original entrance proceeds.The Elimination Chamber looks very nice, Hell in a Cell looks nice, and we get the added bonus of CAW images on the character selection screen.That's been a pet peeve of mine since the inception of CAWs, so I'm glad to see it.

The game's audio is a double-edged sword.I like the inclusion of real music in the game (especially being a huge Powerman 5000 fan).It adds a lot to it, and hopefully this trend will continue.On the other hand, the superstar voiceovers are at times tacky, unenthusiastic, and boring.Vince McMahon shines in them, but that's to be expected from Vinnie Mac.Eventually, they suffer the same fate as the season mode: repetitiveness.

The season mode starts the day after WrestleMania, and it takes a huge step backwards from WWE SmackDown!: Here Comes the Pain.With the voiceovers, there aren't half as many storylines, so after a few seasons, everything's been seen (and heard).Furthermore, none of the characters used in season mode act as their characters in real life would.Kane and Triple H both coming to Bischoff's office to complain?I've never seen that happen.Also, these storylines are the most misogynistic I have ever seen.The only role of women is to be your superstar's "manager," which implies sexual relations pretty explicitly.Stacy Keibler strips to her underwear for your character and promises to let you "play Santa" later.Apparently THQ isn't down with the whole women's lib thing like the public news station is.

Gameplay is solid in this game.The controls are smooth, easy to understand, and generally effective, save for one irritation.In a match with multiple opponents, say, the Royal Rumble, your character instantly switches focus to the nearest opponent.This is good when you're being attacked, but horrible when you send your opponent to the rope with an Irish Whip and can't re-select him to attack when he runs back to you.Speaking of the Royal Rumble, however, this game features the new "Ring-Out" meter, which means that the Big Show won't be punched over the ropes by Rey Mysterio anymore; Rey'll have to work at it to get him over.It also allows for two wrestlers to team up against another and send him over the top, or for one wrestler to save another from that fate.It's not all-inclusive, however, as the Big Show reserves the right to send you over instantly with a gorilla press.

The Create-A-Wrestler (CAW) feature of this game leaves something to be desired.It's not that it's that much worse than previous games' CAW systems, but that the menu system for it is illogical and that it takes a long time to load.Once you've spent three hours perfecting your character, who wants to actually play?The one good thing I'll give it is the ability to give your created wrestlers separate outfits for their entrances, in-ring action, and cutscenes.

The legends are a nice addition to the game, but they really shine in the all-new Challenge mode, which is easily the most fun aspect of the game.Having goals to beat (some of them extremely difficult, such as winning the Royal Rumble while starting it or beating the Big Show in fewer than three minutes) is a nice touch, and the added money for the in-game WWE ShopZone helps too.

I've a few other problems with this game, starting with the contemporary wrestler selection.Stars like the Hurricane, Rosey, Heidenreich, and Carlito Caribbean Cool aren't in the game, nor are Lita, Victoria, or Molly Holly.Another problem is that the hardest difficulty setting isn't really that hard for experienced players.Finally, the new button-mashing submission system makes it nearly impossible to make superstars with a high submission rating, such as Chris Benoit or Chris Jericho, to tap out; on the other hand, they'll readily tap after a submission move of the old kind.

Though it may seem like I'm tearing this game apart, I still give it 4 stars because it has a lot of redeeming quality and is genuinely fun to play.I've been playing it for a while now and probably will until the next incarnation of this franchise comes out.

A pretty fun game
I rented this game when it came out and I loved it. This sequel to Here Comes the pain is very cool. The story mode has the WWE superstars doing voice overs to add to the game. There are also secret characters to buy like Bret Hart, The Rock, Andre, and more. In this game insted of 5 smackdown icons they've been reduced to 3. This is probably the best smackdown game I've played. If you like this get Day of reckoning for GC. ... Read more

Product Description

The Incredibles Bob Parr used to be one of the world's greatest superhero, (known to all as Mr. Incredible), saving lives and fighting evil on a daily basis, but now he's a clock-punching insurance claims adjuster fighting boredom and a bulging waistline. Forced to hang up his supersuit 15 years ago (along with all the other legendary crimefighters of the day) following an unfortunate string of mishaps and frivolous lawsuits, Bob and his wife Helen (Mrs. Incredible) have adopted civilian identifies and are trying to live normal lives with their three kids. Itching to get back into action, bob gets his chance when a mysterious communication summons him to a remote island for a top-secret assignment. When he discovers that an evil genius bent on diabolical revenge is behind the mystery, his family flies to the rescue for an extraordinary battle of wits and superpowers. ... Read more

Features

• Fighting, racing, and action/adventure game play featuring the characters' unique superpowers
• Live the film's action, adventure, and humor over 18 levels
• Follow the adventures of a family of undercover superheroes wrested from a quiet, suburban life into action, to save the world
• Action/adventure game based on the storyline of the movie The Incredibles
• Play as the film's main characters

Reviews (11)

THE INCREDIBLY IMPOSSIBLE!!
ALL I HAVE TO SAY IS WHY WOULD THEY MAKE A PG RATED MOVIE AND THEM MAKE A TEEN RATED GAME? MY 5 YEAR OLD IS CRYING HIS EYEBALLS OUT BECAUSE HE CAN'T GET PAST SOME OF THE MISSIONS! I FIND MYSELF DOING HALF OF THE MISSIONS! THANK GOODNESS I FOUND A CHEAT CODE OR WE WILL STILL BE STUCK FIGHTING THAT HUGE BALL INSIDE THE VOLCANO! DISNEY REALLY DISSAPPOINTED ME. GREAT MOVIE! TERRIBLE GAME! KID MOVIES SHOULD APPEAL TO KID GAMES! REMEMBER THAT HOPEFULLY WITH CHICKEN LITTLE!

Truly Un-Incredible.
This game is boredom of the week. There are 4 kins of boring levels.

Mr. Incredible: Beat up guys, destroy guys, kill guys, repeat.
ElastiGirl: Okay,I guess but very hard. I like Skyline Strech but I HAAAAAAAATE Finding Mr. Incredible.
Dash: Run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, run, fall, die, repeat. Run away ,Dash you idiotic moron.
Violet: Boring, stoopitt!

Graphics: 5
Sound: 4.5
Gameplay: 2.5
Long lasting: 1.3
Overall: 3.5

Final Verdict:
Movie: Good. Game: Lama, lame, lame! Rent not buy. Or better yet, dont even rent it at all.

It should be called The Impossible!!
I thought the game was fun in some areas, but REALLY HARD to play in other areas. Whats with that huge Ball???It's so hard to beat, it just wasn't fun to play!! IT gets so frustrating and why would they make some areas Impossible to play! I was very disappointed in it. I sure wouldn't call it Incredibles, I would call it The Impossible!! I dont think it's worth the money.

great movie okey game
i loved the movie but the game wasint great because the game
play is very hard the game was almost immpossiple to beat.

Truely Incredible
The Incredibles is one of the best games I've ever played (and trust me, I've got a lot of them!).With all four characters from the movie; Dash, with his super speed: Violet with her incredible invisability: Elasticgirl, with her amazing stretching power and Mr.Incredible with his super strength.All four characters make this game incredible. The game is based on the movie and follows the plot line very well but at the same time taking you into it's own world of the incredibles. The graphics are very good.You can get stuck but you can always manage to do it in the end because it's not too hard, but at the same time it's not too easy.It also shows you funny clips from the movie to keep you on the plot.There are also bonus features like battle mode, the making of the game, pictures and of course movie trailers.I highly recommend you should buy this game (especially if you are a movie fan) because all-in-all the game is, Truely Incredible!!! ... Read more

Product Description

Capcom (26049) Haunting Ground PS2 ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Such a great Game
This is just another great Capcom survival horror game. It was total non stop action. It has a great soundtrack, and the controls are very easy to get used to, definitely pick this game up if you're looking for an awesome new game. The graphics are just incredible also.

Clock who?
First, to get the line straight, I HAVE NEVER PLAYED CLOCK TOWER 1, 2, OR 3! every review I have been reading always says this game is like clock tower. Well, I guess, based on the reviews, I'm playing clock tower for the first time.

The storyline of this game is simple, but a little complicating throughout the game. It's about Fiona, a girl who wakes up in a mysterious castle after a car wreck. She can't remember anything at first, but as she sees familiar people, she remembers moments of what happened gradually. So shes trapped in a castle, doesn't remember anything, and is alone. That changes when she meets Hewie, the dog, who is a white shepard. Hewie helps her get through the castle, and most importantly helps Fiona fend off enemies, such as Debilitas, the gardener, who in my opinion, is the scariest opponet in the game. But Hewie can't help all the time, when Hewie runs out of health,(stanima)or runs low, he goes a lot slower, and can't run. Which is where fiona is left defenceless. If you get hit to much, you'll notice every thing around you loses color, and gets grey. Eventually, the screen will flash white, and she'll go into panic mode, where she can't stop, and moves uncontrollably. If you get hit while in panic mode, it turns even darker, and you can hear the heart beat really loud. Then, well, Acta Es Fabula, which I think means game over.

My point is, this is a great game, and I was shocked how good it was. It is short,(took me 8 hours)but all the challenging mini games make up for lost time. I highly reccomend it, ESSPECIALLY to all resident evil fans, and I guess Clock Tower fans too.

Engrossing and Beautiful game!
I am a huge fan of horror games. I love all the Resident Evil and Silent Hill games and both Fatal Frame games are amazing as well. I was really looking forward to Haunting Ground and it has lived up to my expectations. Its a beautifully made game with great graphics and creepy atmospheric music. I have found myself totally drawn into its spooky world and have loved every second being lost in this sprawling, gothic mansion with Fiona. Highly recommended to fellow horror gamers!

Painstaking but atmospheric
"Haunting Ground" seems to be championing the sub-genre of survival horror established by the "Clock Tower" series...in fact this game has "Clock Tower 3" written all over it. That was a good game, but repetition's not always a good thing. Still there are lots of impressive features to this game that make it fun to play.
The main character of the game is a young girl called Fiona who finds herself waking up in a huge castle after a car accident. Why is she here and why are strange characters pursueing her around the massive building? These are the questions you must ultimately uncover answers for, but there is a whole lot of running and puzzle solving to be done before then.

I say running, because for the most part, that's what you are going to be doing. In this game, the main character does not attack her foes. Like "Clock Tower" before it, if an enemy appears you are faced with a few options which consist of running for your life, hiding, or finding hot spots in the castle where one-off retaliation actions can be sprung. This is on the most part well implemented, plus the chase situations seem more perilous than those in "Clock Tower", as the baddies seem far more persistent and less easily fooled in this game. The mechanics of panic are very similar, with Fiona getting more frightened the closer the pursuer gets and the more near-misses she withstands. Expect to see the screen shudder and the colours to drain as Fiona starts to lose her cool, culminating in a total washout of colour and blurring of the picture if she loses it totally. In this condition, Fiona will run at random and fall over most of the time...if you let things get this bad, you're pretty much looking at Game Over, as the baddie will more often than not close in and finish off our heroine for good (particularly nasty death scenes in this game - relying mostly on sounds and your imagination). Cleverly, the use of hiding places is only randomly successful, as Fiona might successfully hide in a closet on one occasion, only to find that the enemy doesn't just walk past the next time she's in it, but comes right up and opens the door!

Luckily there are curative items that you can use during chases to alleviate panic and injury, as well as a few offensive items to throw. Plus of course one major feature that I haven't even mentioned yet - Fiona has a pet dog! Well, it's not really a pet. Fiona befriends the animal early in the game, and he becomes her constant companion. Now this aspect of the game I really like. Fiona has several commands that she can give the dog (Hewie), and it's up to you to decide when, and which things to say and do to get Hewie to provide help. It's during chase sequences that Hewie shows his real worth, as Fiona can set him on the enemy to bite and attack while she gets away. He also helps with some puzzles, requiring some lateral thinking from the player as he can go into small spaces where Fiona can't fit, and she can also go places (climbing ladders, for example) where he can't follow. So expect a bit of fun in working out how to get both your characters around the castle when needed. The dog accompaniment is amajor part of the game, so it is well worth taking the trouble to build a good bond with Hewie, especially as it can affect the ending you get. It's very easy to do, though and much enjoyment comes from training him with constant commands, and watching him explore, sniff around or just lie on the floor if he gets bored - a great character and with perfect AI - responsive, but prone to whims of his own. I couldn't resist having Fiona stroke him and tweak his ears all the time - I'm sure I spoiled him! Just be sure to try and keeps tabs on where he is and interact with him a lot - he'll soon follow you everywhere.

On that note, the castle and all the other locations of the game are very large, and they are beautiful environments, although the castle is very oddly designed, and I don't mean intentionally. Sure the place is creepy and has traps and dead ends that make Fiona's life more of a misery than it already is, but it feels like the designers just built the required rooms and chambers and then linked them up with long passages to suit the gameplay, without a thought as to how this would make a realistic building as a whole. If you look at the in-game map, it resembles a maze for lab rats more than a real building! ( A bit like the mansion in the original Resident Evil, which had loads of rooms completely inside the building with bizarre shapes and no windows). However, as I said, the cosmetic look of the locations is wonderful, especially an elaborate palace in the final stages of the game that looks like something out of Final Fantasy X! The same goes for the characters. Fiona is absolutely beautiful, and her face moves realistically to portray happiness, sadness and fear when required. It's almost a given now that seeing the Capcom name on a game means the graphic quaility is going to be above average, and you can definitely see that company's almost "in house" style and standard present here. Hewie is also wonderfully rendered, and has a real life of his own.

This is not a game for action fans - you won't be using any weapons or firepower here. The constant chasing can be quite wearing, as it can take a good few minutes to escape, which often results in you running a long way away from where you want to be, and backtracking all the way back again to carry on looking at that puzzle. It's also a very lonely game, there castle is totally devoid of life apart from Fiona and Hewie, and there are a mere handful of NPC's, and that includes enemies (there is only one enemy after you at a time). Luckily the two main characters are appealing that you will enjoy the growing companionship of a girl and her dog, and hope they both make it though alive. My only niggle is that Fiona doesn't exhibit a bit more courage, but insists on whimpering and crying during every cut scene when it would have been nice to see here toughen up a bit after dispatching the first few villains. The enemies are all suitably bizarre, my favourite being the icily-beautiful but unhinged maid - watch out for some very twisted cut-scenes featuring her! It also has the same rather sick undertones as it's predecessor and most of the enemies designs on Fiona are pretty despicable!

In closing, it seems to me that this whole game is an expansion of the final castle level of "Clock Tower 3" (which was also set in a castle), and is something of an exercise in refinement for the game creators, who are hoping to make the ultimate version of their unique survival/run away-horror. An immense spiral staircase near the end of the game (still impressive, none the less) recalls the one in that level very clearly. But this game is far, far bigger than CT3, and possibly tougher. All things considered, I would say that it succeeds in being a fairly solid horror game, but it only really comes alive thanks to its addition of dog power. The satisfaction that comes from helping and receiving help from your canine pal echos the subtle joys of the superb "ICO", in which the player also had to interact with a companion to get through the game. In fact, the two games are not dis-similar in several ways which is much higher praise indeed than the comparison to "Clock Tower 3". Fans of both or either of those games should give this a try. ... Read more

Product Description

Magna Cum Laude brings back humor from the most respected funny brand on PC - Leisure Suit Larry. Now this game comes to the PlayStation 2!Updated for the 21st century with 3D graphics, engaging conversations, and a fully realized college campus, Larry is back to give gamers some loving. 2004 Sierra Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved. Sierra and the Sierra Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Sierra Entertainment, Inc. Vivendi Universal Games and the Vivendi Universal Game ... Read more

Features

• In this epic search for sex, you'll travel across aninteractive college campus, searching out women
• Use quick thinking and romance skills to talk your way into women's pants, earning prestige and respect along the way
• Keep a step ahead of the competition and earn that ultimate reality TV prize!

Reviews (4)

This is a half-step below the best
It's a little slow at first but you quickly get caught up in the storylines and challenges.

An enjoyable sexual escapade & 1 of the best games of 2004!!
"Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude" is the first LSL game in about 8 years, and also the first to cross over from the personal computer to home video game platforms on the Playstation 2 & XBox. As a fan of old Sierra games (even though I was too young to have played the early LSL games), I was incredibly pleased to see the series resurrected and brought to new heights!

Important note: "Magna Cum Laude: Uncut & Uncensored" has now been released for the PC, and it features full frontal nudity and none of the pesky "censorship bars" that are present in this version.

Obviously, nudity is the main selling point of this game. Anyone who says otherwise is trying too hard to justify his or her purchase. The college co-eds are voluptuous, they are animated in a sexy, often provocative, ways, and the main quest of the game is to get Larry laid. Because of the time and attention put into creating realistic (though cute in an almost-anime way), this game is more titilating than any of the "Dead or Alive" series of fighting games, more fun than any of the WWE wrestling video games that feature the strip matches, and the females are more desirable than Lara Croft ever has been.

The women are mostly stereotypical "college girls" -- we have the head cheerleader Barbara Jo Bimbo (B.J. for short), the Italian castoff from "The Sopranos" Analisa, the Russian exchange student Zanna, the hot but nerdy college professor Beatrice, and so on. Chasing after each woman requires different approaches, and the result is never the same twice. And no, Larry *does not* get with all these babes. I hate to spoil it for you, but he only has actual intercourse a few times during the entire game. But every encounter is sexy, funny, and most importantly, packed full of eye candy!

The gameplay is fun. It is not very involving and has been criticized for being mostly a string of "mini-games." That is true; however, the variety of the games keeps it interesting as you progress through the storyline. The script is absolutely hilarious, and the comedy is equal to the nudity as a selling point for this game. If you are a guy, or even a gal who likes to laugh at guys, you will laugh at Larry and the things coming out of his mouth. He rambles on a lot, gets off-topic, tries horrible pickup lines, lies constantly, and even staggers around drunk and farts. If you've ever known a man who made you laugh simply because he was, to quote Steve Martin, "a wild and crazy guy," then you will enjoy the story of Magna Cum Laude. And the voice acting is wonderful; there is not a bad actor or actress in this entire game.

Now a few words on the Mature Audiences rating: This game is about sex, (...) drinking, jokes, and other things guys find enjoyable. For some people, this is disturbing. Those people need to get a life. I can play Grand Theft Auto, in which my character is able to walk down any street and at any moment cut off the head of a pedestrian with a sword. Or gun down dozens of policemen, only to enter a cheat code and get away with it all at the last possible minute. Yet somehow, the ESRB (game ratings board) finds Larry's girlfriends more offensive when they drop their shorts. Give us a break! Violence is much more detrimental to society & to teenagers than sex is, and yet we still can't get over our fear of pixelated private parts. It's ridiculous!

All in all, I give "LSL: Magna Cum Laude" a totally positive recommendation to anyone old enough to purchase it. It was definitely one of the best games of 2004 simply because it is like nothing else on the market today: a fun, sexy romp through college life. 5 stars! 2 thumbs up! Just buy it!

NAUGHTY FUN
this game is a hoot! it is definitely the naughtiest PS2 game out there. it's terribly easy to play, but that's because it really wants you to experience it's witty (and dirty) story. you won't believe the stuff you're asked to do in this game. it's really not pornographic as in this console version "censored" bars cover up the nether regions, though the game does feature topless characters. it's about as dirty as a SI swimsuit issue. one dissappointment was that the loading screen girls, pictures of actual girls in the costumes of the game's characters, don't show as much as you might want, especially after being tittilated by the game's sex-hunt for a couple hours. but, regardless, i was cracking up the whole way through this clever, silly, no-holes-barred game. a definite rental if not a must-buy.

Where's Al Lowe?
I see that there is no mention of Al Lowe being involved with creating this.If he is missing, then I can guarantee you that the humor and gameplay quality will be missing as well, and online opinion would seem to confirm this.

What a shame that Sierra wasn't smart enough to employ him.I was looking forward to a real LSL game, not a rip off. ... Read more

Features

• Will you be able to stop the virus?
• Includes anime DVD
• For 1 player
• The fourth and final series of the .hack saga
• Encounter characters from the television series

Reviews (17)

Final Part
Ok, since Hack I is 15 bucks you'll buy it and start playing series, one game a year :)

This game (hack IV) has a catch: if you have a Wavemaster (Wiseman) who has good spells (different element spells), go to level 85 dungeons and depend on him to defeat enemies. You'll level up just like that.

The story is logical conclusion to series and it unfolds predictably.

Just like in .hack 3, you depend on magic and calculating which elemental attack will be effective. Hangman and Moon scrolls won't help here, unfortunately.

The only thing that I can seriously criticize is that boss battles are waay to long. Graphic is no Final Fantasy X or Tekken but it is ok, and music is OK, although they should add some scores.

An idea: why should one always crawl through dungeon? It would be nice to climb stairs through castles or some kinda forest gardens, like in Bard's Tale 2004.

Just a little getting used to
A lot of people really miss the point of this game so I'm going to lay it out for you.

It's a simulation of a mass-multiplayer online RPG. You meet several players along the way and the game tries to make sure you interact with them as often as possible. However the main characters in the story turn out to be Balmung, Blackrose, Wiseman, and of course Kite, and as such when you're in situations where the story line is progressing they are the characters that you'll probably want to (or have to in some cases) select for your party. A lot of the dry spots in the story is to progress your relationships with other characters.

For experienced gamers the .hack//saga should provide little difficulty. The characters are brilliantly designed, my only complaint is that you don't really get a lot of substance in each individual game. It's fun to progress the story, but before you know it the game is over, which is why I eagerly awaited this installment in the saga. I was pleased to see the story come together the way that it did, and the DVD's that coincide with the game are well done. It's not nearly as hack and slash as some would make it out to be, there is a bit of strategy in the game, several opposing elements, several enemies with both physical and magical tolerance that require some sort of strategy to defeating them. Another lacking quality in the game is the variety of enemies is low, you end up fighting the same enemies over and over again in each level, the lack of variety at each weapon shop is also frustrating, however the trading system and the variety of weapons you find on the field along with the leveling them up with the help of special dieties known as "grandpa" and "monsieur" make up for that.

The story is frighteningly progressive and cutting edge. As I stated earlier the character models are fantastic, and quite honestly some of the best I've seen since Final Fantasy VII. Now don't get angry....this series is by no means of Final Fantasy VII caliber, however its very much worth the play as you can usually find most titles for around twenty dollars. It's a fun and addictive story line. I highly recommend it.

//.hack
If you have played the first three /.hack games...you will prolly love this one.The fact is://.hack rules.1st off, you get to interact with NPCs and trade with them.In games like Final Fantasy, you either buy the worthless pieces of junk, or you go around for hours stealing items from monsters which is a huge time consumer.Well i guess this too considering the numbers of monsters to kill going through the dungeons. I simply got hooked.The games very easy to play plus it has some challenge in it.Its better then final fantasy because you don't have to use the same gay boring menus.I'd rather be able to move the character and do what i want. :-)The story is different but you need to pay attention in games to whats going on.There are LOTS of skills to get which makes it very fun instead of fire, ice, thunder.Hmm? Kinda gets old.LOTS of weapons with cool details is another big gain. i'd rate this serious a 5 anyday.

JUNK
This is the most boring role-playing game I've experienced.The first 5 hours have a great plot, and then *nothing*.Just hack'n'slash and repetitive dungeons for the next 20 hours.I finished the game to see the story's end, but it WAS NOT WORTH THE TIME WASTED.Or the money wasted.

The exact same as the other games.
This is the exact same game as the other games. There's a few new items, but nothing to celebrate. Sure it's a conclusion, but you just spent 200 bucks on 4 games that are all 12 hours(maximum) long. Way to go! ... Read more

Product Description

Sly 2 Band of Thieves ... Read more

Features

• Use stealth, thievery, platform adventure, combat, strategy, and exploration to accomplish your mission
• An enhanced move set includes pick-pocketing, vent crawls, rooftop chases, plus a team of unique playable characters
• For 1 player
• Interpol has excavated the robotic remains of Clockwerk and you need to ensure he is never reassembled
• Explore unique and exciting landscapes in Paris, Prague, India, the Canadian Wilderness

Reviews (48)

The Best Sly Yet!!
This is alot longer and more challenging than the first Sly. I was addicted after the first 5 minutes! In this game, Bently and Murray are actually in the game for you to play with! Stealth is more important and you actually get a chance to pick-pocket!

Entertaining Sequel
I was under the impression that "Sly Cooper and the Thevious Racoonus" failed to find a niche, since it was a bit difficult for kids, and a bit too cartoonish for older gamers.Happily, I must have been wrong - "Sly 2" is as fun as the original, with some added dimensions that add to the entertainment value of the game.The game is more "open-ended" than the original.In each level, several missions are presented - usually a couple for each of the three controllable characters - and you can choose the order in which you tackle the missions.The use of 3 characters, each with his own strengths and weaknesses, is of course new, and in general it's an improvement, although it can be more difficult to get Murray and Bentley to certain places than may be necessary.The graphics are great - if anything, they're a slight improvement over the fine look of the original.
My only complaint about the game would be the repetitive nature of some missions.At times it in necessary to do the same thing 5 or 6 times, which can make the mission rather tedious. All in all though, Sly 2 is a worthy sequel that has apppeal for gamers of all ages.

Sly 2, The return of Clockwerk!
Here is some tips on bosses,
Dimitri, he got the beat, he's mad! once he done with his powers
give him the old one~two
Rajan, he's ticked off! Murray, you get the high jump, you need
to not get shocked from the heart staff!
Contessa, she's twice the battles, when she falls off, take a run! and there are two battles!
Jean~Bison, you probably will get a tip before Brains vs. Brawn <