Product Description

Get behind the wheel of the fastest and most dangerous dirt track vehicles in the world. Race in 3 vehicle classes including Street Stocks, Dirt Midgets and Late Models in this amazing game. ... Read more

Features

• Experience real-world graphics, car physics and damage from award-winning Ratbag Difference Engine
• Race in 3 vehicle classes including Street Stocks, Dirt Midgets and Late Models
• For 1-2 players
• Test your driving skills on 13 real-world tracks and 6 fantasy tracks
• Race in 5 different game modes: Practice, Time Trial, Single Race, Championship and Career mode

Reviews (1)

Good - But not as good as WoO
For any dirt track racer or fan out there this is a must have. The gameplay is as good or better than WoO but unfortunately this game doesn't offer much that's new as far as tracks etc goes. A create a track feature would be nice and a variety of cars in the pure stock class would keep it more interesting. It is more realistic with it's engine damage but the car damage is still very unrealistic. I would also like to see more physics introduced like tire pressure, tire compound, toe and castor/camber settings etc. Good game with lots of areas to improve upon for the next release. ... Read more

Product Description

It's been over four centuries since 12 heroes saved the universe from evil in Star Ocean The Second Story. The Galaxy Federation lives in splendor and has obtained incomparable power across the known universe. It has finished probing into one-third of the entire Galaxy and continues extensive research activities to build ever more power. Fate Linegod, from Earth, journeys with his family and friend, Sofia Esteed to a prote ... Read more

Features

• Star Ocean overflows with action, exploration, fast-paced combat and an intricate plot, which results in an immensely deep gaming adventure.
• Character development is versatile and open-ended, allowing for true freedom in character growth through battle.
• 3D battlefields allow players to move freely and control a party of three simultaneously, utilizing the advanced real-time battle system.
• Players can execute synchronized attacks and collaborate to unleash a deadly blow to the enemy. While moving from one section of the game to the next, fully polygonal graphics create a magnificent environment for one to explore.

Reviews (37)

Largely Disappointing
Probably one of the biggest surprises I've ever enjoyed during my years in front of a video game console came when I first tried my hand at an unsuspecting little package dubbed Star Ocean: The Second Story. This old, overlooked two-disc pack for the PSone had been literally gathering dust on my shelf for years before I bothered to even test it out, and I suppose that complete lack of any kind of previous expectation was a big part of why I was so totally impressed and engulfed by what I found within the game itself. Unfortunately, by overwhelming me so effectively in its first American offering, my expectations for the future of the Star Ocean franchise went through the roof. In a way, it's funny; I loved the precursor because I expected nothing of it and received everything I ever could've wanted, and then subconsciously built up the sequel to the point that nothing it could muster would ever be enough to appease me.

To start with, the story is beyond terrible and the characters are even worse. When I first met Fayt and Sophia, the two leads, I couldn't help but grimace. They're so paper-thin, so incredibly dull and intelligence-insultingly bland, I initially mistook them for a heavy-handed satire of the role playing genre in general. This is, honest to god, the most uninspiring cast I've seen since console RPGs were just gaining their footing in Final Fantasy I back on the NES. They'll say and do things that'll just make you stare blankly for a few seconds and then explode into unrelenting laughter. Fayt, in particular, is the very epitome of a stereotype. He has no flaws, and as a result he makes an incredibly boring leader. The characters seem so out of touch with reality that nothing ever seems to carry the kind of magnitude you'd hope for, even when entire worlds are exploding and individual races are being completely wiped from existence. By the time the third act comes around, bringing with it the one really interesting revelation in the storyline, you're forty hours in and have cemented your opinion of the game as a whole. Before that, it's cliche after cliche, with absolutely no originality thrown in to keep things halfway interesting.

Like its predicessor, TtEoT's gameplay is its greatest triumph. The battles have remained every bit as enjoyable and strategically brilliant as I remembered, and the controls are incredibly easy to comprehend. You'll have, at most, three characters in your party at any one time (which is a major gripe I've had with the RPG genre in general for years now... why would six people stand by and watch their three buddies struggle in a fight with monsters, rather than joining in and cleaning house?) and they're all performing individual actions at the same time, to say nothing of the monsters on the other side of the battlefield. At a glance it would appear to be mildly organized chaos, but in action it's really pretty simple. Before, after and during the battle, you can set a specific attack style for the characters you won't be directly controlling, so they aren't wasting all of their strength on a meaningless enemy while a tough boss fight is just around the corner. If you want your weakest character to avoid physical confrontations and concentrate on healing, it's as easy as changing a setting. Usually, two members of your party will be following these instructions at any time, while you'll be directly in control of the third. Yet, despite the seemingly-obvious directions, the computer AI will occasionally find a way to screw up. Whether they're running headfirst into an explosion with low HP or repeatedly casting heal on a teammate who doesn't need it, your comrades will generally leave a lot to be desired. I even ran into a few instances where I'd found myself single-handedly taking on half a dozen enemies while my two teammates stood off in a corner somewhere and cheered me on.

Aside from the cutscenes, this is generally a visually uninspiring game. The characters look about as stale and unexciting as they act, and the environments and spells are nothing that hasn't already been done better by a previous title. To be frank, the Sega Dreamcast could have more than likely produced graphics equal to the ones seen here, and that's a tremendous knock at this stage in the PS2's life cycle. With the PS3 peeking over the horizon, this should be the point in time when game developers are really starting to stretch Sony's aging console to the limits with amazing graphical effects, not leaning back and kicking out weak, flat displays such as this. Occasionally you'll run into an enemy or dungeon that's up to par visually with its contemporaries, but on the large I wasn't impressed. The graphical direction and wardrobe designs are solid enough, but it looks like a lot of the charm was lost in the translation from pen and paper to fully interactive three-dimensionality. As I alluded to earlier, the cutscenes are outstanding, but you'd expect that from a Square-Enix RPG.

This current-gen revisiting of developer tri-Ace's shining star feels like a hollow, emotionless shell more than it does a sequel five and a half years in the making. Rarely have I been more disappointed in a big follow-up title than I was with this one. It's strictly average, with passable graphics, weak voice acting, horrible characters and a mind-numbingly slow story killing any forward progress made by the battle system, which is still quite a blast. I feel dirty for considering this as a contemporary to The Second Story, although I'm beginning to question if even the PSone rendition was actually as good as I remember it. I don't think the ultimate goal of a sequel should be to force its fans to re-evaluate their feelings about the original.

Nooooooooooooooooooo!
The title of my review is a direct quote from our hero, Fayt Leingod, having one of many Star Trek moments. It's also what you should shout at anyone who suggests that you play this game.

For starters, the plot is a mishmash of video game and movie cliches (there is liberal borrowing from Star Trek and Final Fantasy), strung together without regard for rhythm or structure. There was one twist I didn't see coming, but it was ripped off from a major Hollywood blockbuster so it wasn't a huge surprise. Plus, this twist actually undercut the drama to the point where I could not care about anything that had happened or was going to happen anymore. That's when the plot stopped being vanilla and started being offensively bad.

However, a poor plot to me is annoying, but not a dealbreaker. Too bad the characters are also dull (when they aren't idiots) and the dialogue is positively maddening. It's like the writers were trying to see how many words they could use without advancing the plot, characterizing a character, or being entertaining in any way. I stopped listening to the voice acting a couple hours in, because although it is quite good for a video game, nobody had anything interesting to say.

So it's unforgiveable that the dialogue also leaves out important information. For example, at the end of disc 1, you are set loose in a city and told to go to a particular spot when you want to advance the plot. No problem. But if you just go, nothing happens. You don't even get a hint as to what you need to do to proceed. Here's a hint from me: it's totally inane.

I also disliked the battle system, although I acknowledge that some people might enjoy it. I found combat to be unresponsive and frustrating until I switched over to a strategy that was merely boring (playing as the party healer). Also, the difficulty ramps way up with every dungeon, so you'll have to spend hours leveling. This is 2004, Tri-Ace. Leveling is not challenge. It's just tedious.

There was one thing I really liked, and that was the aesthetics. The graphics are spectacular (and no slowdown or excessive load times!) and the music is very good, especially the final boss theme. It's just not enough to save the game, though.

My final verdict is that this game isn't unplayable, it just isn't fun. It's a grind. Why spend 50 bucks when you could be bored and frustrated for free?

well i expected just a little more
well, the game is decent but thats all it will ever be. the positives are the amazing graphics. Square Enix has always been the best RPG makers. The worlds are very detailed and the characters are pretty cool.the battle system is also very cool but will take some time to get used to. But the story lacks interest, i mean i couldnt even finish the game because it was kinda boring. I mean this game is no match for the final fantasy series. It is extremly easy to get lost which is extremely annoying. It took 5 hours to find my way around this one cave thing. well like i said its decent but thats all. if you decide to buy this game you should buy a strategy guide.

I wanted to like this game but the difficulty turned me off
The cunning new addtion which would be numeral "3", as the name suggest is finally here. The Star Ocean series has been around for quite some time, originally plotted by the Enix bit of the SquareEnix combination. The roots of this series are largely stemmed from anime and manga, Enix even had an anime series released by the name of Star Ocean EX. But just because this game is number three in the series, and even though it takes center stage in the same world; having to play the first two games isn't mandatory in order to enjoy or understand the storyline.

The intro video may just be a pre-rendered intro clip to some, but to me it set the tone for the game extremely well. This beautifully directed video gives us a flashy tour of Earth in the distant future, even some popular landmarks like the Statue of Liberty and Toyko Tower are shown in all their glory, residing in a fictitous setting. The intro so arousing pumped my blood up, giving me the impression this was going to be as exhilartaing of a game as once can be. Then...the actual game begins, with Fayt Leigod moping in a hotel with his friend Sophia, whom he constantly bickers and flirts with during the first hour or so of the game. Thankfully, the game begins to pick up some momentum and avoid falling into a total snore-chore. The hotel ship they are boarded on becomes prey to a vicious attack from a dominating empire, soon Fayt must escape, and so he seperates from Sophia riding on an escape pod. After the seperation occurs, Fayt awakes on a backwards planet with pre-medieval technology. At this point, the game really shines giving the player a chance to get aquainted with the controls and overall mechanics. Now visually

Square themselves have never been a stranger at making well-presented products and at the end of the day, Star Ocean remains one of the top tier of flashy rpgs. The games many towns, dungeouns and fields were developed in a completely 3D engine, one in which detail is taken to extreme measures, with incredible touches like desk full of books, candles and manuscripts to running waters sneaking in the rocks at the bottom of a lake. The characters too, look all good, with some really good and pleasently eye-catching designs to accompany the games' overall tone. And I must say, it's been a rarity to witness an rpg in the post-Final Fantasy X era that actually has a compelling soundtrack. Folks, the day is here when a music composer finally took note of this and composed a fine composition lifts the game during key segments. Soothing etheral tunes play joyously in the background during a walk in a forest and heart-thumping war themes will blast out your speakers during the key battles. There is a huge variety here, from grunge to well-suited Cectic...sure it isn't the most consistent soundtrack in terms of theme but who cares, the music is diverse and well-equipped.

Star Ocean's battle system follows the same guidelines set forth by earlier incarnations of the series --battles are completely real-time, you can switch your chosen character on the fly. Attacks are seperated into two sets, strong and weak attacks and there are even some special moves included as well which can be accessed by holding down the X and O buttons. Like Namco's very own Tales of Symphonia, you are given a set of tactical modes to place your uncontrolled characters in. You can have the computer make your characters attack conservatively, using up their Fury or MP only when really needed or you can make them defend only and heal. Unlike Namco's wonder gem, the A.I. isn't where it should be at, I found many times the computer blindly made my character run right into danger or the computer refused to make my character heal even when I was at a low amount of HP. The thing is, this game will spawn to sets of gamers, those who will love the real-time battle system and those who hate it, I fall into the second category since I died on many occassions as a result of poor judgement by the computer. But on the games' defence needless to say, it is a step above from the dismal failure of Star Ocean 2.

Star Ocean Till the End of Time is a great rpg at the end of the day, the story does drip into saggy territory as a result of wishy-washy translations work that took place. Jokes that may have worked in the Japanese version fail here, and the wording becomes in sight a little shoddy in certain parts. The story doesn't dive into new territory and I would've better appreciated had the game took place in more futuristic destinations than the low-tech locations full of swords and socery. Okay, so it works fine for the most part in some places but with that introduction enthralling in a fashion that it does, I was mislead. Though I wouldn't exclaim that nuisance too much, in the then this game works effectively. It looks pretty, has a very good soundtrack, characters that are likeable and it spans well over 60 hours on two dual-layer DVDs. Any rpger should give it a shot.

Nothings perfect
This game keeps it real to the previous star oceans. The good .... and the not so good. The story was simple, then they flip it, but after a little while you'll see that its still simple. The battle system saves the game. Leveling up ..... it kept me playing. There was only one flaw I think this game has. Its a BIG one. Once you get to a certain point in the game. ALL enemies will have at least one instant kill move. Doesn't sound so bad does it ? But even with an item with 100% prevention rate, they can still instantly kill you. As in .... your HP will still be full, but the character is dead none-the-less. Well, so much for all that leveling up you did. HP and Defense become completly useless. Thus leveling up. That was the end of the game for me. ... Read more

Product Description

MODEL- 02120 VENDOR- NAMCOFEATURES- Pac-Man World 2Pac-Man is on a brand new adventure, once again dealing with thepesky Ghost Gang. His new quest takes him through 6 new lands withplenty of new surprises and challenges--including ice skating,rollerblading, and submarine diving!ESRB Rating : E for Everyone Genre/Category: Classic System: PlayStation 2 Number of Players : 1 Compatible Peripheral Features: Vibration Function, Memory Card (for PS2), Multitap (for PS2) Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theNamco 02120 - Pac Man World 2 PS2 and all other Namco Video Game Acc ... Read more

Reviews (24)

pac man world 2 review
I rated this game 5 stars because it is very fun it is just like the original pac man but with more chalenging levels then ever before it is also brighter color and mor mazes and levels to play i recomend you buy this game

Very Fun and Entertaining!
This game was great! It's fun and somewhat challenging too. The ghosts plot a scheme to steal the Golden Fruit off the tree in the Pac Village. While in the process of doing it, they also release Spooky, the evil ghost who has been immprisoned under the tree for years. Now its up to Pac Man to save Pac Land from Spooky and the five ghosts. New manuevers include the flip kick and the ability to shimmy. Travel through 6 vast worlds with over 20 levels. The levels aren't very big but the still offer a bit of a challenge. Collect fruit and coins that help you get min-games in the arcade. The mini-games include all the old Pac Man arcade games. There is also a museum to open up too but you will have to collect alot of coins to get that. The boss battles are pretty easy since they give you clues of how to defeat them but toward the end, they can get pretty hard. The new Pac-Sub levels are great too. So if your a fan of Pac Man or are just looking for a fun game, Pac Man World 2 is the one for you.

Extremely Fun
This is one of the funnest games I've ever played during my eleven years of living! It added many new features and 3D effects, but stayed true to the Pac-Man formula(e.g. gobbling up
dots). My favourite level is the Snow level because Pac-Man gets
ice skates and makes manuevering much more easier. My favourite
new feature is the ability to walk, jump, butt-bounce and "rev roll". In the older Pac-Man games, all you could do was travel
along a maze(as a 2-D character) gobbling up dots and chasing
ghosts, which seems pretty boring to me, probably because I'm young. Anyway, I give this an A+. Everyone who owns a GameCube,
Xbox or PS2 be sure to pick it up at your local gaming store. You
won't be disappointed. Trust me!

the many adventures of pac-man
this game also includes all the previouse pac-man games made by namco.not shuree all the levels from the older games are in this game.it would be nice to play the other pac-man games on the disc without having to win tokens to play the older games on the disc.otherwise plenty of fun.

Pac-Man is back and better than ever!
So, Pac-Man is back in a new game Pac-Man World 2.Basically it's the original with a modern kick to it.You have to avoid the ghosts and mcuh more.You get to roll around, ice-skate, bouce off of trampolines, what more could you want in a game?I absolutely love this game.I mean me and my mom can sit there for ever trying to get through the levels to see what's next in the next world.This game isn't very hard, but not too easy so it is the right amount of difficulty.I love this game so if you're thinking of buying it I would definately say, go for it. ... Read more

Product Description

In the 23rd Century, an attempt to develop a new source of energy has gone horribly wrong and 70% of the world's population is instantly wiped out. The survivors learn how to create energy from their own bodies, giving them superhuman abilities. The process of harnessing the power of these abilities is simply referred to as "Skill". For 400 years, the survivors transformed these abilities into a new and deadly fighting art.

Now at the dawn of a new age, simply called the Age of Skill, mankind is faced with a new threat. A rift into a demon dimension has been opened, unleashing hordes of fiends on an isolated island city in Asia.

One warrior, a master of Skill, travels to the city to combat this invasion. Armed with a pair of swords, and an arsenal of magic spells, Lau must combat the demons and try to rescue what's left of the survivors.

• Furious, fast-paced fighting in the tradition of Hong Kong Cinema utilizing a deep, yet intuitive, multifaceted combat system
• Employ sword combat and magic attacks, combined with acrobatics, gliding and wall walking as you fight multiple enemies. Chain attacks together for 100+ hit combos!
• Beautifully detailed graphics and fully interactive environments create an immersive atmosphere to draw the player into the action
• Dozens of "unlockables", including new techniques and additional difficulty levels, new costumes, character profiles, models, video footage and more!

Features

• Fight an army of fiends to rescue a fellow warrior
• Defy gravity by gliding, floating, and running on walls
• For 1 player
• Third person action adventure inspired by Hong Kong martial arts
• Take on the role of Lau, a spell-casting warrior

Reviews (8)

For Soul Reaver, fighting, platformer and puzzle fans
Ok, other reviews said it, fun and short game with deja vu story. It would be nice if they put more types of monsters and weapons in a game instead of so much repeating.

First four levels are really straightforward and simple fighting , but level five requires serious jumping skills, while following levels have a catch or two to discover (that might last), and afterwards you progress easily.

Fighting sistem is no Soul Calibur II, but it is good and three dimensional. You can't just charge and slash always, some bosses require thinking.

The greatest value of the game is illusion of free movement.

Ok, for all of those who didn't get manual rented, here are some moves:

Forward (press and hold) , X(Jump), X(jump), double jump up the wall.
Hold forward, tap X, press and HOLD X quickly-gliding a la Raziel from Soul Reaver.
Walk towards the wall, tap X, tap x near wall -off the wall jump. Can be followed by press and hold Xto get a longer jump.

Jump to a wall and hold X and up and you'll run up a wall.

very short beet it in 2 days!
I love this game! in all the levels you can mostly go anywhere chop down any thing and run on any thing!yep you can run on walls(just like in the matrix!) allthough they could have changed a couple of things to make it better.lou wong looks like a girl i rented this game and i was abou to take it back into the video store until i read about his character in the instruction manual and he was a boy!(thankgoodness!!) and the other thing is that lou of all charcters dosn't talk! he just makes little grunting noises,and i beet the game in two days!

Great hack'n'slash
As other reviews pointed out - not much depth, but extremely fun. You can get by by just hitting the attack button, but there's more to it if you choose to make it more complicated. For example by learning how to do magic reversals, you can finish off bosses much faster then by hacking away at it.

Great Graphics, lots of style, some elements of puzzle-solving. Great game. I would wait for the price drop, though.

Best button smasher yet.
Yes, this game is essentially a button smasher, but it's a very good one. The music is fabulous, the graphics are beautiful, and it's got great control. It still has some elements of Japanese in it, which I personally like. Overall, it's a very fun game, and I would reccomend it to anybody.

Hack and Slash
Well I bought this game in a day. I was browsing Gamespot and tumbled upon a video of this game, the next day I saw it at a local store so I bought it. It's a fairly easy game and mostly you just Press your way to the end. You only have to hit 2 buttons to attack.

The only major problem people have is the hero. He really looks like a girl... Swordplay is colorfull (strikes of blue and green) and blurry... as if the air around the blades moved. Not really worth this much, wait for around 20-30. ... Read more

Product Description

EA SPORTS Dynasty Mode goes even deeper with a new, easier to navigate interface, and more interactive GM/owner relationships, including a new email system. NHL 2005 also delivers all the action of the hotly-anticipated World Cup of Hockey, with the top eight International Teams and venues from North America and Europe. ... Read more

Features

• Compete in the World Cup of Hockey against teams from USA, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Russia, and more
• All new skating engine gives you more speed and control
• For 1 to 8 players
• The most authentic and complete experience for hockey fans around the world
• Seamlessly switch between any players, with or without the puck, with the push of a button

Reviews (12)

for the price, not worth it
This game really isnt THAT different that nhl 2004 (which i absolutely loved by the way)...a few things changed like now the scores are more realistic, you can do the open ice control thing, etc...but overall, there isnt a HUGE change, which disappointed me. When you see the trailers on commercials or online the game looks amazing, but i just dont find that when i am playing it. For one, this game seems more to me like NHL HITZ because you cannot go into the neutral zone without getting your clocked cleaned, very unrealistic. I mean, in real nhl its not like you have tons of ice to maneuver around in while in the neutral zone, but i do know that you dont get crushed everytime you get the puck in real life. I am waiting for nhl 2006 to come out, and hopefully EA will get some of these reviews and improve on their game, and maybe get back into being the #1 video game hockey franchise again...But until then, i would go out and buy espn nhl 2k5 (which is by no means perfect, but DEFINITELY better than nhl 2005) for a meesly $20 and hold off until next year for a better version.

Good Work EA...
After the sad outings the last few years with this title,why would I or anyone go out to pick up this one?Well, I didn't.I recieved it for Christmas, and after letting it sit in the shrink wrap for almost a week, I reluctantly put it in and checked it out. And to my surprise, it has been much improved.The unrealistic scoring has been fixed, although sometimes a team will still put up big numbers on your goalie.But for the most part, it is much better than it's been in years.Thanks EA.This is a big improvment.Even the goalie actions have been tweaked.My only concern is for EA Sports.Have they lost all the hardcore hockey guys like me as a result of putting out horrible hockey games for the last3 - 5 years?I had even sworn that I would not buy this one again until I saw a big change.This game is alot of fun, and alot more realistic than it ever has been.So if you have sworn off EA Hockey like I had, go out and check this one out.You will quickly see there is a difference.

NHL 2005 is very underrated.
Well, I finally got my hands on a copy of NHL 2005 for EA Sports. So, after a week of exploring all of it's new options, gameplay, and simulations, I am prepared to give my review and endorsement.

The first things that I noticed up front about this years version of the game is the updated realism. No doubt, the EA Sports company canvassed the hockey fan gamers' opinions and did their best to accommodate their requests.

The first new addition to the game is the upgrade to the arenas. The design team licensed 28 out of the 30 NHL arenas along with several European sites. The game's programmers did their best to capture the realism of each arena. For whatever copyrighted reason, the Fleet Center in Boston and the on the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, NY aren't named. Also, the efforts for realism is found in the 600 players' images scanned in the game. The players actually look like the players! Also, If that wasn't cutting edge realism, they updated the season and dynasty modes. As a GM, you get all the updates via a special e-mail screen and league news in a fax wire. The last thing they issued was the mini-game mode called "free 4 all". You can play as your favorite NHL all-star against 3 others in a time limit mode or quickest player to x number of goals. It's a silly little challenge especially when they use the "big head" option. It looks like a bunch of bobble heads playing hockey.

Of the new additions to the game this year that I like, I am glad they did something more with the International teams. You can now play a season in World Cup 2004. They did a great job using the World Cup logo and incorporated the on-ice design in the game. Secondly, the rosters are very well updated, but a few adjustments were needed to reflect the off-season free agent signings. Also updated were the team jerseys. While playing the game, you can't help but notice the detail in each player. I guess they struck a deal with Nike, the manufacturer of the international team jersey's. There is an unprecedented detail in the international team jerseys. They have the nice Columbus third jersey that is completely purged of that cartoonish yellow jacket mascot. Speaking of cartoonish, they have the Dallas Stars "Taurus constellation" third jersey. But if you cycle through the choice of Stars team jerseys, you can also select the Cleveland Barons and two versions of the Oakland Seals jerseys.

There is a few things in this game that I don't like, starting with the choice of the music. I was disappointed to hear a collection of punk-alternative songs instead of a harder edged modern rock sound. The second thing I didn't like was the choice of jerseys for the all-star game exhibition. I wasn't too keen on the choice of fashion design that the all-stars wore last season in Minnesota. Unless there are more jersey choices hidden to be unlocked later, the only choice jersey are the uninspired last years. Thirdly, though there aren't very many changes to the game's menu, you'll need some time to get used to the roster changes page. Don't expect the instructions booklet to help you either in that regard. The booklet only explains the gameplay. Lastly, the only one really big disappointment is the discontinuation of the create a character mode. In earlier versions of the game, I was glad I could update the rosters with the new first year rookies that weren't included. Also, I enjoyed creating my own identity into the game and joining the roster of my favorite teams. Now, I can't do that. I hope the 2006 version corrects that mistake.

With all that said, I guess I should tell you about some of the other new things that help make a gaming experience as real as possible. When playing the NHL teams in exhibition mode, the teams that have elaborate entrances like San Jose, Nashville, Colorado, or Dallas now animated skating on the ice through their canopies. That's exciting! Also, instead of a music video introduction to the game, NHL 2005 uses a analytical comparison for the two teams. The two broadcasters for the game weigh the strengths of the teams for hype.

I believe that a lot of people who are saying that the NHL 2K5 is better are wrong and I would disagree. EA Sports continues to be the leader in sports name brand as long as they continue to improve on their quality products.

i wouldnt even rate this game 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i watched the trailer on the internet and it was good. icouldnt wait to get my hands on a copy. when i bought the game i was really excited to play it.i turned it on it seemed ok but then when i saw the main menue i was shocked they changed everything.when i went to go play a game it seemed like i was playing the baddest game ever!!!!!!!!!!.if i had to choose between this and espn wich is $20!!!!! i would choose espn.dont waste your money on this garbage. buy espn!!!!!!

NHL 2005 is not that bad
I enjoy the changes EA made to NHL series since the horrendous outing of 2003: like the GM role, bruise control, upgrades & finances, team chemistry & player morale, wrist shot, each team arena having its' own goal horn, open-ice, AI improvement, the injury slider, and the reduction of the color commentary, etc. I think the omission of the "create-a-player" gives this game more of a challenge, although I wish I could have it instead of the "create-a-team" option which is generic. I, like many others, agree that the EA jukebox sucks, goalies are too quick when they play the puck, and the goal horns don't sustain, and the crowd does not always jump up every time the home team scores a goal.
But overall, I'm having fun playing this game.

This game will grow on you if you just give it a chance. Understand: this is not NHL 2K5 -- don't expect that! NHL 2K series still needs improvement, it is not perfect. NHL 2005 is unique and addicting if you want to play the role of GM and take control of every aspect of the game. ... Read more

Features

• Create-a-fan feature lets you put your likeness into the stadium crowd
• Bonus video content takes you behind the scenes with artists, producers, and musical acts
• Single- and multiplayer online modes
• Football simulation/action sports game
• New storyline central in franchise mode gathers game events into news-story presentations

Reviews (7)

BEST ALL AROUND GAME
EXCEPTIONAL GRAPHICS, TRIVIA CHALLENGES, TRAINING CAMP, AND EVEN 4 OLD VERSIONS OF MADDEN INCLUDED FOR OLD TIMES SAKE.

Nice But...Game is Has Times Where itLags...
Well being the football fanatic that I am I couldn't wait for this title to come out. I mean anyone that likes football games can not wait for the madden series to come out each year. I've been playing Madden since Madden '93 and when I saw the clips and the footage of the extra material for the game and the retro games it brought back a lot of memories. Madden introduces a storyline mode where you have players who although they may be getting paid they may not want to be on your team because of a lack of prestige, winning, or fan support among other things. I like that you have a weekly gameplan for this game and it gives you ways to exploit weaknesses of the other team there are a lot of other great additions to the game. The game adds a lot including formation shifts which I like a lot. Now for the reason it only gets 3 stars...

*Graphically I think the game has made strides and while graphics mean a lot, I would rather have better gameplay

*Anybody seen the running in this game? Why does the runner look like he's about to tip over? Its like the runner is going to fall over (sometimes the people run while they are leanin at a 30 degree angle to either side)

*The passing took a step back in this game. I only play the game in All-Madden Mode but the passing should not be this bad. I've tried to lead the receiver streaking down the field or someone going across the middle and the pass will be completely off! While every quarterback isn't a Favre or a Manning, every quarterback shouldn't look like Ty Detmer or Heath Shuler passing the ball.

*After all the step back and throw and slinging the ball around it is apparent that EA and maybe even Mr. Madden himself made it a point not to let certain things happen so easily and make this version a more defensive oriented game. There is nothing wrong with that to an extent. I like the individual audibles on defense as well as being able to pinch in the line or make them rush in a certain direction, the linebackers being able to completely blitz or drop back as well as the addition of the quarterback spy audible and now being able to double team on the fly using the safety to double the teams wide receiver who is giving you problems. However too much emphasis has been placed on defense. I love the options and new features but if you play the game for yourself you will see no name players and safeties making plays on the ball when you have a good quarterback / receiver tandem or just a good pass I don't think some 4th cornerback should become an all pro in one play

*Lack of gameplay innovation or features. I am a true madden fanatic and after Madden 2004 there are a lot of expections I would like to see more things to the running game. How about having advantages for having a power back? Everyone wants to see that speed back slam through the hole and make a big play but what about a power move to bull people over? How about having certain moves or different levels of jukes or even a stutter step for players that are extremely agile like Vick or Dante Hall? Bring back the Defensive Playmaker as soon as the ball as snapped that would really help in stopping the run and could help in some passing situations. But I would really like to see if there is a way to get the lateral in the game. I know you only have so many buttons but I'm sure there is a button or button combination that would allow you to do this. This really makes me a little frustrated, especially when there is a situation where you have to relive the Music City Miracle. You feel kind of dumb not being able to relive the moment and throw the lateral.

No Tuck Rule. If the quarterback fumbles the ball don't waste your timeout. For some reason and I guess it is hard to program that but it is never reversed or considered a forward pass before a fumble.

*Last gripe is about the DB/WR play. Its obvious to NFL experts and analysts and fantasy players and fans alike all know that this will be a big year for wide receivers due to the enforcing of the 5 yard "chuck" rule. It would be nice to actually be able to see that change available in the game, but oh well maybe next year.

But hey it i a good game overall and I will be faithful to the madden franchise as long as they keep making games and improving games

Madden is back, and not so much better
Well, I've waited, bought and played Madden 2005 collector's edition.Unfortunately, I'm not too impressed with it's output this season.

Graphically, the game looks pretty good.The players are relatively detailed, but the fields aren't as sharp as I'm accustomed to.I tend to love ESPN's graphics a lot more, but in reality, I like good playability over everything else.

The offense isn't supposed to be too overpowering this season, though I'm putting up almost 38 points a game with a lackluster Ravens offense.Pass deep, lead the reciever, and it's a TD.The running game gets stuffed a lot easier this year, as the defenses are pretty nasty on the line, it's just unfortunate that the secondaries are garbage.

The defense has been tuned up nicely, and hitting a running back three yards behind scrimmage is a blast.The hits are pretty serious.Again, the deep passing game is still a joke, as most d's get burned.

I haven't gone online yet, as I'm just not impressed with the game overall, so I really haven't bothered too much with it.I'm sure the online capabilities are just as good as always, but I cannot be sure.

The presentation of the games is pretty weak.It has no television feel, and it's the same Michaels/Madden dribble from the last three or four years, so if you've heard maddenisms in the past, be sure to have them repeated over and over and over again.The replays throughout the game happen during the play selection, which means you can watch them, but your play clock ticks away.If you choose a play, the replay ends.Like I said, no television feel.

Overall, Im pretty un-impressed with the gameplay, and will definitely be trying ESPN's foray into the 2005 season, as I've always been very impressed with their graphics, sound and playability.

If you're a diehard Madden owner, this game will probably satisfy you.Unfortunately, the franchise has not gotten better over the past few years, and this attempt shows it.

read this
this game rules but if u have an old playstation the playstation may not read the disc because its such a hitech disc so if u have an old ps2 i recommend the regular version besides that the game is pretty good

Another great Madden Title!
This game is just plain out awesome.The collecters edition comes with some nice features like three old school madden games and videos and a trivia game.For the extra $10.00 it's worth it.I also wrote a review from another good football game called ESPN 2K5.The question everyone asks is which one's better.Well I own both so I can help you out.Madden has a very nice graphic engine in which my opinion is the best for any football game up to date.The gameplay is a little weird at first but there's some many options it's very rewarding when you figure it out.There's also a Tony Bruno radio show every week for your franchise mode but it sucks compared to ESPN's Sportscenter.You also recieve emails which is stupid but my favorite thing would be the newspaper clippings where you can read up about other teams and your team.The clippings are actually from real life newspapers so it's pretty cool.All the mini games are the same which is lame.The offense pretty much controls the same.In other words it's a small transition from madden 2004 to 2005.But 2005 is definitly better.It depends on your taste.If you don't like spending 50 to 60 bucks on a game get ESPN for 20 otherwise if you do have the money and can afford madden I suggest you get it, especially if your a die hard madden fan like me.you won't be dissapointed.At first I wasn't planning on getting this but I saw the collectors eddition and fell in love with it.The collectors eddition is only for a short amount of time so I suggest you get it now if you want it otherwise your going to be regreating it.If you buy ESPN instead still check out this title.It's at least worth a rental. ... Read more

Product Description

To protect the mythical land of Faerun, Elminster imprisoned the generals of two demon armies. Trapped within a gem, one of the generals, a Slaad Lord, used powerful mind control to call upon three unwitting heroes to free him. Once released, the Slaad Lord pursued the other general, a female Githyanki, across the land. The exploited heroes attempt to correct their wrong. They attempt to seek out Elminster, retrieve a new gem, and capture and imprison the escaped generals. They find the Gith ... Read more

Features

• Take control of a lone fighter, a brash sorcerer, or a hot-tempered rogue in Forgotten Realms worlds
• Sprawling story by N.Y. Times-bestselling author R.A. Salvatore
• Voice performances by Patrick Stewart and Michael Clarke Duncan
• Fight creatures including Bugbears, Slaadi and Yuan-tis
• Unique camera angles and video, delivering an exceptional fantasy movie experience

Reviews (12)

Good concept, ruined gameplay
This hack 'n' slash game looks great, amazing graphics really bring the fantastic world of Fogotten Realms to life in a way never before seen unless you have a computer powerful enough to run Neverwinter Nights at nearly full levels. The various settings ranging from a Wood Elven City in the trees to a lush Jungle to the frozen Mithral Hall just look jaw dropping and the models, especially the Yuan-ti, look totally cool. It's a little ruined by a bad camera though, leaving you sometimes unable to see what you're doing...

The voice acting by Patrick Stewart is great as Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun though it's very, very easy to often just think of him as Captain Picard or Professor X in a funky robe with a funny staff. The other voice actors are ok, though strangely the ones for the actual playable characters are only average...

Finally you also get to not only meet but play as the legendary Drow Ranger Drizzt Do'Urden. I won't spoil too much for you, but it's a blast.

And unfortunately that's where the good parts of this game seem to come to an end. The gameplay itself is repetitive... you get a handful of combos to do, but only a very small number, and they are exactly the same button layout no matter who you're playing as. And even then, it just turns out to be easier to run around mashing X over and over and over again... so you begin to wonder what the point of the combos are in the first place. Also, when you learn new combos as the game progresses, many of them simply replace the older ones, which is a little dissapointing, especially so for the sorceror. I for one would like to be able to choose between fireball, lightning bolt and cone of frost... instead each spell just ends up leveling up to a different one, which takes out a lot of variety.

Second, the overal story is horrible, it is so terribly cliched... you have the: Fighter who tried to save his village from attack but failed and now carries their guilt forever because he refused to just get over it... the sorceror who was born into a family of knights and therefore outcasted because he chose to study magic instead of martial combat... the half Wood Elf who, because of her Drow half, was feared by her village as she grew up and therefore despises her Wood Elf half until she suddenly learns that they're not as week as she thought they were... even the main storyline is straightforward, with hardly any twists or turns in it at all, it might as well not be there at all. Basically it's even worse than a second or even third rate Forgotten Realms novel.

But wait a second... isn't that R.A. Salvatore's name in the credits as the writer? Isn't he supposed to be one of the best Forgotten Realms authors ever? Now I have to admit I haven't actually read any of his books... I've only read a few Forgotten Realms novels, when it comes to Dungeons and Dragons books I've always been about Dragonlance (still waiting for an official Dragonlance game... yep...) but from what I've heard of his novels, he ought to be ashamed for admitting he wrote this game...

The biggest, most obscenely horrible flaw though is the friendly AI. It's not a pain in that you constanty have to save the neck of the other two players you're not playing as, but it isn't effective at all. At first it's only a minor thing, where you can find yourself thinking "Gee, I would have coordinated that a lot better if I actually had real people fighting with me..." but then you get to some boss fights where the sorceror has to blast targets at a distance while the other two protect him from ground troops. Here, it all falls apart. As the sorceror, you start off blasting away but then you're knocked down constantly by ground units. Hey wait a minute, you ask... where are the other two? Aren't they supposed to be protecting me? Instead, you find them slashing away nicely... on the other side of the level! So you have to fight off the ground units yourself... by the time you've gotten clear to start shooting again, your targets have regained all their health, and you're back to where you started except suddenly you only have a fraction of your health!

Ok, no biggie, you think... I'll just play as another guy and let the sorceror blast away on his own. Except he doesn't! He runs around like an idiot attacking the constantly resupplying bunches of ground units, and maybe takes two shots at the targets he's supposed to get rid of!

All in all, if you're into Forgotten Realms than see if you can rent this game, just for the visuals and the chance to see your two favourite characters and the world they live in come to life, but if you really, really want some hack 'n' slash action that'll keep you satisfied, go out and play God of War instead, because this game is just too repetitive and frustrating to be worth it.

Good concept, ruined gameplay
This hack 'n' slash game looks great, amazing graphics really bring the fantastic world of Fogotten Realms to life in a way never before seen unless you have a computer powerful enough to run Neverwinter Nights at nearly full levels. The various settings ranging from a Wood Elven City in the trees to a lush Jungle to the frozen Mithral Hall just look jaw dropping and the models, especially the Yuan-ti, look totally cool. It's a little ruined by a bad camera though, leaving you sometimes unable to see what you're doing...

The voice acting by Patrick Stewart is great as Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun though it's very, very easy to often just think of him as Captain Picard or Professor X in a funky robe with a funny staff. The other voice actors are ok, though strangely the ones for the actual playable characters are only average...

Finally you also get to not only meet but play as the legendary Drow Ranger Drizzt Do'Urden. I won't spoil too much for you, but it's a blast.

And unfortunately that's where the good parts of this game seem to come to an end. The gameplay itself is repetitive... you get a handful of combos to do, but only a very small number, and they are exactly the same button layout no matter who you're playing as. And even then, it just turns out to be easier to run around mashing X over and over and over again... so you begin to wonder what the point of the combos are in the first place. Also, when you learn new combos as the game progresses, many of them simply replace the older ones, which is a little dissapointing, especially so for the sorceror. I for one would like to be able to choose between fireball, lightning bolt and cone of frost... instead each spell just ends up leveling up to a different one, which takes out a lot of variety.

Second, the overal story is horrible, it is so terribly cliched... you have the: Fighter who tried to save his village from attack but failed and now carries their guilt forever because he refused to just get over it... the sorceror who was born into a family of knights and therefore outcasted because he chose to study magic instead of martial combat... the half Wood Elf who, because of her Drow half, was feared by her village as she grew up and therefore despises her Wood Elf half until she suddenly learns that they're not as week as she thought they were... even the main storyline is straightforward, with hardly any twists or turns in it at all, it might as well not be there at all. Basically it's even worse than a second or even third rate Forgotten Realms novel.

But wait a second... isn't that R.A. Salvatore's name in the credits as the writer? Isn't he supposed to be one of the best Forgotten Realms authors ever? Now I have to admit I haven't actually read any of his books... I've only read a few Forgotten Realms novels, when it comes to Dungeons and Dragons books I've always been about Dragonlance (still waiting for an official Dragonlance game... yep...) but from what I've heard of his novels, he ought to be ashamed for admitting he wrote this game...

The biggest, most obscenely horrible flaw though is the friendly AI. It's not a pain in that you constanty have to save the neck of the other two players you're not playing as, but it isn't effective at all. At first it's only a minor thing, where you can find yourself thinking "Gee, I would have coordinated that a lot better if I actually had real people fighting with me..." but then you get to some boss fights where the sorceror has to blast targets at a distance while the other two protect him from ground troops. Here, it all falls apart. As the sorceror, you start off blasting away but then you're knocked down constantly by ground units. Hey wait a minute, you ask... where are the other two? Aren't they supposed to be protecting me? Instead, you find them slashing away nicely... on the other side of the level! So you have to fight off the ground units yourself... by the time you've gotten clear to start shooting again, your targets have regained all their health, and you're back to where you started except suddenly you only have a fraction of your health!

Ok, no biggie, you think... I'll just play as another guy and let the sorceror blast away on his own. Except he doesn't! He runs around like an idiot attacking the constantly resupplying bunches of ground units, and maybe takes two shots at the targets he's supposed to get rid of! These boss battles happen an awful lot right near the end of the game, and they will almost always leave you clenching your controler as you scream "HELP ME, DARN IT YOU USELESS COMPANIONS!" only you'll be using a lot more less Amazon friendly language...

All in all, if you're into Forgotten Realms than see if you can rent this game, just for the visuals and the chance to see your two favourite characters and the world they live in come to life, but if you really, really want some hack 'n' slash action that'll keep you satisfied, go out and play God of War instead, because this game is just too repetitive and frustrating to be worth it.

Good concept, ruined gameplay
This hack 'n' slash game looks great, amazing graphics really bring the fantastic world of Fogotten Realms to life in a way never before seen unless you have a computer powerful enough to run Neverwinter Nights at nearly full levels. The various settings ranging from a Wood Elven City in the trees to a lush Jungle to the frozen Mithral Hall just look jaw dropping and the models, especially the Yuan-ti, look totally cool. It's a little ruined by a bad camera though, leaving you sometimes unable to see what you're doing...

The voice acting by Patrick Stewart is great as Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun. Even though he can be a bit of a grouch, Khelben has always been one of the coolest characters in the Forgotten Realms world, and Patrick Stewart brings him to life amazingly well, the only problem is that it's very, very easy to often just think of him as Captain Picard or Professor X in a funky robe with a funny staff. The other voice actors are ok, though strangely the ones for the actual playable characters are only average...

Finally you also get to not only meet but play as the legendary Drow Ranger Drizzt Do'Urden. I won't spoil too much for you, but it's a blast.

And unfortunately that's where the good parts of this game seem to come to an end. The gameplay itself is repetitive... you get a handful of combos to do, but only a very small number, and they are exactly the same button layout no matter who you're playing as. And even then, it just turns out to be easier to run around mashing X over and over and over again... so you begin to wonder what the point of the combos are in the first place. Also, when you learn new combos as the game progresses, many of them simply replace the older ones, which is a little dissapointing, especially so for the sorceror. I for one would like to be able to choose between fireball, lightning bolt and cone of frost... instead each spell just ends up leveling up to a different one, which takes out a lot of variety.

Second, the overal story is horrible, it is so terribly cliched... you have the: Fighter who tried to save his village from attack but failed and now carries their guilt forever because he refused to just get over it... the sorceror who was born into a family of knights and therefore outcasted because he chose to study magic instead of martial combat... the half Wood Elf who, because of her Drow half, was feared by her village as she grew up and therefore despises her Wood Elf half until she suddenly learns that they're not as week as she thought they were... even the main storyline is straightforward, with hardly any twists or turns in it at all, it might as well not be there at all. Basically it's even worse than a second or even third rate Forgotten Realms novel.

But wait a second... isn't that R.A. Salvatore's name in the credits as the writer? Isn't he supposed to be one of the best Forgotten Realms authors ever? Now I have to admit I haven't actually read any of his books... I've only read a few Forgotten Realms novels, when it comes to Dungeons and Dragons books I've always been about Dragonlance (still waiting for an official Dragonlance game... yep...) but from what I've heard of his novels, he ought to be ashamed for admitting he wrote this game...

The biggest, most obscenely horrible flaw though is the friendly AI. It's not a pain in that you constanty have to save the neck of the other two players you're not playing as, but it isn't effective at all. At first it's only a minor thing, where you can find yourself thinking "Gee, I would have coordinated that a lot better if I actually had real people fighting with me..." but then you get to some boss fights where the sorceror has to blast targets at a distance while the other two protect him from ground troops. Here, it all falls apart. As the sorceror, you start off blasting away but then you're knocked down constantly by ground units. Hey wait a minute, you ask... where are the other two? Aren't they supposed to be protecting me? Instead, you find them slashing away nicely... on the other side of the level! So you have to fight off the ground units yourself... by the time you've gotten clear to start shooting again, your targets have regained all their health, and you're back to where you started except suddenly you only have a fraction of your health!

Ok, no biggie, you think... I'll just play as another guy and let the sorceror blast away on his own. Except he doesn't! He runs around like an idiot attacking the constantly resupplying bunches of ground units, and maybe takes two shots at the targets he's supposed to get rid of! These boss battles happen an awful lot right near the end of the game, and they will almost always leave you clenching your controler as you scream "HELP ME, DARN IT YOU USELESS COMPANIONS!" only you'll be using a lot more less Amazon friendly language...

All in all, if you're into Forgotten Realms than see if you can rent this game, just for the visuals and the chance to see your two favourite characters and the world they live in come to life, but if you really, really want some hack 'n' slash action that'll keep you satisfied, go out and play God of War instead, because this game is just too repetitive and frustrating to be worth it.

No replay value
This game was fantastic!! but only the first time through. the game has no replay value. you do not participate in the story, there is no gathering of information, it is a hack and slash game.

For that reason, i recommend renting this on a five day rental and playing through it a couple of times (takes about six hours to beat it on the most difficult setting).

However, I do recommend renting this game at least once, as it is extremely fun the first time.

Great but Short
The graphics, storyline, and voice acting is superb for this title.However, the story itself is way too short.I expect RPGs to take at least 20 hours of my time -- this took maybe 10.The fighting mainly consists of slashing your way through monsters and would have been better served by a turn based system.However, this is one of the better D&D games for the PS2, so I would recommend it as a rental. ... Read more

Reviews (64)

THE EXPLOSIVE ACTION-PACKED sequel to Zone of the Enders!!!
It useless to describe this game because is SOOO popular and COOL!! but I will say the basic stuffs witch are: IMPROVED action sequences, weapons, graphics, anime, settings and intro. The bad things are: Girl not so cute, blood was tuned down and when you finish the game you will be like "Thirsty for more".

This is the kind of sequel that makes the action more important than the story!! Let's not forget the movie sequel RAMBO 2. The story is not so touching as the fist one except for the ending witch is the only part that was kind of "deep". In fact! the whole story is about improving Jehuty to be STRONG enought to beat a WHOLE army and his powerfull enemy Anubis. But anyway! this is only a videogame, this sequel is SOOO ENTERTAINING that you will play it over and over and again!!!

P.S: If you like improved action-packed sequels like this then you will love: Onimusha 3, Devil May Cry 3, Tenchu 3, Contra 3, Soul Calibur 2, Ninja Gaiden 2, Zelda 2, Megaman X4 and Mortal Kombat 2 or 5.
One last thing: I never understood why this game is rated "Mature" intead of "Teen", but I guess is beacuse the game contains many innocent masacres.

Enders strike again
This is the best game yet. 1. it has new types of jehuty's including version 2 which looks so cool and can teleport like anubis, i think version one can 2, but anubis can teleport because of tha tail he has, if you can destroy that he cant teleport. Anubis is powerful though. 2: it has new features the grab has been upgraded, you can pick up pieces of buildings poles etc. 3: SPACE BATTLES!!! finally you get to fight in space. Also Leo Stenbuck (that evil kid who was in zoe1) makes his appearence and he has his own orbital frame (vic viper) leo is also grown a little (he looks different), Ken is new and her orbital frame (Ardjet), then there is this ugly creepy guy names lloyd and his orbital frame (Inhert). Viola A.I is also new, its based on the character viola. Viola A.I is a cyborg and her frame (Nephtis) is the same. Jehuty also has a scencing mode (the cockpit turns red) where it can scence anubis. I think they are equal matched too because they are both the same (it depends on the player). Also you can pilot an ice breaker too which is slow because it is a heavy machine, but you can make it faster by dashing etc, it can't hover like jehuty can. This game is a keeper and its worth the money, so get off your chair and stop reading my review, GET IT TODAY!!!!

Hideo Kojima's underrated masterpiece
When the name Hideo Kojima comes to mind, most people think of Metal Gear or Solid Snake. Without a doubt, they are his greatest creations. But he has another that most don't know about, the series called Zone Of The Enders. The latest and greatest addition to the series is called Zone Of The Enders: The Second Runner. It's, in my opinion, one of the best games ever made. It's also not a very popular game for some reason, which is a shame.

This has got to be one of the fastest games I've ever played in my life, and one of the most fun! Mechs move like we always knew they could, fast and furiously. And the enemies vastly outnumber you. You will literally, at times, face what looks to be hundreds of enemies. But don't be afraid, your mech is much nimbler and stronger than anything the enemy throws at you. And if you're fast enough, you'll have no trouble destroying the enemy before they can even touch you. Now I'm not saying that this game is easy, because it's not. It can be very, very challenging and will always leave you wanting to come back for more. The bosses are particularly challenging. Once you think that you have a boss' pattern down, they'll throw a new, even deadlier attack at you. But I found no parts of the game to be so frustrating that I'd do something like throw my controller at the wall. The fighting can get slightly repetitive with regular enemies, but is always fun to do. The environments are destructible, and you can even pick up some of it to smash your enemies to little robot pieces with it. You can also grab your enemies and use them as a shield or throw them at others. And best of all, no bad camera angles! You control the camera with the right analog stick.

As soon as you see this game in action you'll notice the similarities graphic wise between it and MGS2. That is not a bad thing, this game is beautiful! Honestly, some of the best graphics I've ever seen on the PS2. It blends traditional graphics with cel-shaded graphics, and it works wonders on the eyes. Every explosion is a joy to behold and the mechs are just downright gorgeous with their "vein-like" look. The environments are a little bland and repetitive, but it's no big deal really. There can be a few slow downs also, but nothing to major. The anime cutscenes are well animated and are also a very nice touch to the game because it's an anime-like story. Even if you're not into that kind of thing, you'll enjoy them.

As always, Hideo's games have a wonderful soundtrack. From the techno beat theme song(which is just wow) to the slightest explosion from destroying something, you won't believe your ears. The stage music isn't all that great but the boss music is awesome. The voice acting is pretty good as well. The only problem is that because it's from Japan, the mouths don't always match up with the dialogue. But, from what I've seen, the voices seem to actually only be about half a second off. So maybe something got screwed up in recording. And in the cockpit, the mouths move very fast for some reason. Either way, it's nothing that'll bother you much.

You can probably complete the main game in about 10 hours or so. You'll probably want to play through it a few times though because it's just plain fun. Oh yea, and for the extras. And from what I've heard, there are a ton of them. However, I've only played through the main game once so I haven't unlocked much. I have however played multiplayer with a friend or two and it was pretty fun. It had us for almost a whole day, and we'll probably play it again many times to come. Most people will say differently about the multiplayer though.

If you like mechs, you will like this game. If you like fast combat, you will like this game. If you like fast mech combat, you will absolutely love this game. This game is a blast to play and the hours that you get from it may be the best video game hours of your life. I, for one, believe this is one of the most underrated games ever and not enough people have played it. Even if you aren't a Hideo Kojima fan and/or didn't like Metal Gear Solid, you may still love this game because it's not like anything else out there. The ultimate question is to either rent or buy however. All I can say is if you liked what you heard in my review, then buy it. If you didn't, I say at least give it a rent. That is, if you can even find it. This is a gaming experience that no one should miss out on.

....I love you Konami
This is seriosly one of the best games I've ever played. Fast based Mech action is right. The game is so fast and the AI is so intelligent that you'll actually start to feel like Dingo, the main character. The storyline is so much better than the first game and Dingo is SOOOOOO much more mature then that whiny brat, Leo. The music is really engaging, but the game's real strength is in the gameplay. I mean, what's not to like about dashing from one opponent to the next and slashing them to explosion.

uber
i love this game... even if it is easy after u beat the first... i love the graphics and the speed of the game the first was a classic this is just awesome. fun fun fun. ... Read more

Product Description

Drakengard tells the tale of love, lore, sacrifice and obligation focusing on the main character Kyme, his sister Friae, and her fianc and Kymes childhood friend, Yuvalt. Players will be in for a thrilling ride as they battle on land and in the skies. Not only will the players attributes evolve throughout the game, his contracted dragon will also mature as the game progresses, changing in appearance and abilities. ... Read more

Features

• a new game play experience, changed environments and new enemies to conquer
• Development team members of PROJECT: DRAGONSPHERE at cavia inc. have worked on blockbuster titles Resident Evil Code: Veronica, the Bust-a-Groove series and Ace Combat.

Reviews (22)

Amazing, but flawed.
Darkengard isn't like Final Fantasy, definitely. It's not an RPG, it's an ACTION RPG, which I'm sick of people knocking because of the lack of stats.

Drakengard was original in the most part, just that the gameplay kind of got on my nerves and the lack of allies PO'ed me.

---Drakengard's graphics are decent. Most of the enemy character models are bland, with the exception of Yuvalt and his dragon, the wyrm, the cyclops, golems and Furiae's goddess form and that giant baby thingamabob. The backgrounds are what the name suggests, backgrounds and nothing more, they are expansive, but foggy and there are a few pop-up issues with foes, which I believe is excusable because of the sheer number you are forced to face at one time.

The frame-rate is consistent, only slowing for rather frenzied combat, particularly when too much dragonfire or enemy missile weapons are used, but I believe its forgivable. The CG graphics are simply stunning, I especially liked the fight between Caim and Yuvalt and when Angelus takes to the sky to fry the black dragon and gets chomped.

---Drakengard's soundtrack is original to say the least. The music is rather repetitive but the character's voices suit them. Caim's bitter agony mixed with his concern for his sister in the beginning, his melancholy speech in the end of the first ending; Leonard's soft, hypnotizing voice, full of sorrow and anguish; Arioch's insane twisted laugh; Verdelet's shaky voice and lastly; Angelus' ethereal voice, haunting and speaking such wise words.

---The story of Drakengard, far better than most I've heard, the characters are not clichéd with Square aggrivating habits, like how most of the male heroes are feminine, the only one I find clichéd here is the instability, but their backgrounds justify it. I also appreciate the little stories behind the weapons and how leveling them up gets you another piece of the story, it adds to the replay value for those who like to get everything.

---Gameplay is incredible, I mean it, it's freakin' awesome. There are three modes, Ground, which reminds many of Koei's Dynasty Warriors series, which also has a spot on my shelf, where you go through seemingly endless amounts of foes (Which are merely thousands, so calm down) with your sword, mace or whatever weapons you bothered to collect and reach a goal spot. Aerial combat, which involves Caim, Angelus and your enemies, in which you engage in firefights in which you dodge and shoot your way to victory. The most dynamic in my opinion is the Strafe mode, which functions like Ground mode, except you may also ride Angelus close to the ground and rain fiery death on the enemy, the only problem is that early on, this is moding to the fullest.

Drakengard is a solid game, but flawed, like any game. And to tall you haters out there, if you can't do any better, don't flame it, you don't have to be brutal to get your point across!

The cons are slight, camera problems, repetitve music, repetitive gameplay, but I believe it is a good game, if it were to recieve a letter grade it would get a B+. That is all.

A Fast, Bloody, and Very Different Game from SquareEnix
I love the majority of games that Square has put out there, and it is very refreshing to see them do something totally new and different from their usual RPG/Adventure/Strategy games. Drakengard is essentially a straight-forward hack n slash game, with some typical Square complexity thrown in.
The gameplay itself is very fun. I personally found the ground missions to be much more fun than the sky missions, but it's still nice to have the variety. I heard that this game had really bland environments, and that the world it took place in wasn't very interesting. However, I found there to be quite a large variety of places to go, from castles to forests to canyonlands and even floating sky and ocean palaces. You also have total freedom over where to go, and you can replay any level at any time, which I thought really added a feel of freedom to the game despite the rather linear storyline.
The story itself is very good, and the game is stuffed full of beautiful Square quality CG scenes.
Playing as the blood thirsty Caim was very fun as well. He was a very violent, bloodthirsty, and fun protagonist to play, in contrast to many of Squares main characters, which are often kind of weak and feminine.
The inclusion of experience is excellent in this game, and keeps up your desire to slaughter hundreds of more soldiers. Everything in this game can level up...you, your dragon, and even your weapons.
The weapons are probably my favorite part of the game. There are 65 total, most of which are hidden cleverly throughout the game. Each one has a unique look, feel, name, and magic. The magic powers up as the weapon levels up. Each weapon can go up to level 4 (the maximum), and the appearance of the weapon even changes as it becomes more powerful, which is really cool. As icing on the cake, you unlock a story of the weapons history as you level it up, which is really fun and interesting. It serves no real purpose in the game...it's just one of those great details that Square includes just for the sake of it.
Overall, I really enjoyed this game. I had a little over 40 hours into it when I beat it, though I suppose if you wanted to you could whip through it much faster. It all depends on how you play. Furthermore, I look forward to picking it up again, maybe in a couple monthes, to play through it again and continue powering up my weapons. It has definite replay value and is highly recommended to fans of action/adventure games.

TOO REPETITIVE!!!!
This game lacks depth and gameplay variety and gets boring in the first fifteen minutes!! And one more thing, it is WWWAAAAAYYY too REPETITVE!!!!!!!!

Great game.....As long as you dont get the last endings.
I am here to warn you. If you like a good story line, get the game, as long as you dont think that a bad ending could ruin the game. I thought the game had a great story line the first time through and it got me hooked. There were 5 endings and I was determined to get them all. I got the first 3 and I was starting to think that something was going wrong. Then I saw a flying baby that eats people and I know it was going downhill. The final ending almost made me write a letter to Square-Enix asking them why they made an ending like that. This game had so much potential but Square-Enix killed it. Im not going to put the ending up on the board but if anyone wants to save hours of their life not looking for all the weapons then they can send me an e-mail. My suggestion, borrow the game once or twice to beat it if you really want to get it and save the money.

Bravo Drakengard, Damn You Magazines
This game is awesome! I didn't get it because magazines didn't like... then I said screw the magazines and got it later. It's like if Eragon was a game, then it would be Drakengard. It's gotta be good, a fourteen year old dragon approves of its quality. See the review two reviews below or so. P.S. Sorry I just read it like that. ... Read more

Amazon.co.uk Review

With a couple of exceptions, the PlayStation2 has been starved for quality survival horror games. Thank goodness then for the arrival of Fatal Frame, with its mix of Japanese mythology, atmospheric graphics, and freaky sound effects.

The game tells the tale of a young girl searching for her missing brother in a cursed mansion--all fairly straightforward stuff. Fans of the genre will feel right at home as the backstory is quickly filled out, allowing the process of ghost hunting to begin--and unlike the comic lunacy of the GameCube’s Luigi’s Mansion, the spooks and specters here are of a very adult nature. Screaming and moaning accompany the arrival of the ghosts, and they don’t shut up until they’re "killed"--an act that requires a camera. Fatal Frame eschews pistols and shotguns in favor of a celluloid-death approach, which makes sense given the fact that the opposition are well beyond the living to begin with. In camera mode, the heroine’s faithful Box Brownie pops up in a first-person style and it’s necessary to keep the ghoul within the focusing reticule in order to drain maximum power from it. It sounds a little lame, but in practice it works well and is an effective way of explaining just how to "shoot" ghosts.

The plot development is nicely done, and there are a host of puzzles to solve that are well balanced and never get too tough, but it’s the graphics and sound work that really make Fatal Frame special. Cutscenes are rendered in a variety of styles designed to increase the tension, and the sparse soundtrack works wonders when it kicks in. While it’s not the strongest title in the PS2’s gaming arsenal, it’ll certainly keep survival horror fans busy until the next installment of Silent Hill rolls around--remember, though, it’s best played with the sound up loud, in the dark, on your own... --Chris Russell ... Read more

Reviews (70)

Truly unique!
After finishing the atmospheric, grotesquely beautiful 'Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly', I was eager to play the game that spawned it. Needless to say, as you could guess from former reviews, I was not let down in the least.

This is an *exquisite* game. The graphics are not as fluid or haunting as they are in the first one, but this manages to make the ghosts even more frightening. When the man with the long arms started after me, mouth agape, I was squirming in terror. Often I had to take a break and pause the game, coaxing my heart beat back to a normal rate.

The storyline is a little formulaic, and neither of the endings are quite satisfying (but then again, it *is* a horror game), and Miku and her brother didn't pull at my heartstrings the way Mio and Mayu did. Still, it's an excellent game, a classic in the history of horror.

One scary game
I rented "Fatal Frame" yesterday from the video store. I was really excited to play it. I didnt think it would be as scary as Resedent Evil because of the Teen rating but I was way wrong. It was dark out when I started playing and the game made me so tense that I jumped at everything {even Miku's reflection LoL}. I'm a big fan of survival horror games but after beating RE Zero and playing RE on the gamecube the whole guns and ammo thing got annoying and repedative. I reccomend Fatal Frame to ANY surrvival Horror fan.

It might suprise a few people...
I bought this game without even knowing much about it, but the fact my foes were ghosts (I love anything having to do with ghosts..lol) I had to try it for myself.When I found out more about it (The camera as a weapon & such) I was a lil doubtful on how I would take to this game.

I'm a long time survival/horror fan & I don't think I'd even put the RE or SH series together with Fatal Frame.Those games belong in their own category in a shrine somewhere, but this game is in a class all by itself.It stands apart from those, & real