Amazon.com Product Description

The internal Hard Disk Drive (HDD) offers PS2 games an extended gaming world by providing a dynamic experience through expanded applications, downloadable entertainment content, and episodic play experiences. The Hard Disk Drive comes pre-installed with Square Enix's highly anticipated massively multiplayer online role-playing game Final Fantasy XI. The combination of hard drive and network adapter (sold separately) allows for the first time cross-platform play between the PlayStation 2 and a personal computer over the Internet.

The Hard Disk Drive (HDD) slides into the back of the PS2. The separately sold Network Adapter attaches to the HDD.

In Final Fantasy XI, PlayStation 2 and PC players can create communities, as well as alter-egos that can be completely customized by race, sex, nation of origin, trade skill specialties, and numerous other physical traits. These communities co-exist in the world of Vana’diel. Users can immerse themselves in an expansive, original storyline that eventually builds the world’s history. Vana’diel is made up of vast, never-ending environments with more than 100 areas to explore. It is composed of three unique nations--one of which players choose to inhabit--and once players start their adventure, they may congregate, chat and do battle with the forces of evil, creating Vana’diel’s history through these interactions. Communication tools have been incorporated into Final Fantasy XI to assist in interaction between players, including easy-to-use chat and messaging systems.

Once online, you can join parties with other PS2 players--and even players of the PC edition of the game.

• Final Fantasy XI allows gamers to live in a truly persistent world that changes and evolves every time a player logs on.
• The first truly trans-Pacific game experience online with no barriers with either platform or geography. Personal computer and console gamers can play aside each other in this new world whether they are in the U.S. or Japan.

Features and Specifications:

• 40 GB of memory storage
• 5400 RPM
• 66MB
• Pre-loaded with Final Fantasy XI, Tetra Master, and PlayOnline

Features

• Internal hard disk drive for PS2, pre-installed with Final Fantasy XI
• 40 GB hard drive allows PS2 gamers to download game expansions and modifications over the Internet
• Hard drive also allows for faster loading times
• Final Fantasy XI already installed--play online with thousands of other Final Fantasy fans
• PS2 Network Adapter (sold separately) and Internet connection required

Reviews (99)

BIGGEST FINAL FANTASY FAN
Let me start by saying that I'm a big, big, big Final Fantasy fan. I have played and beaten every single Final Fantasy game ever made. I say this because my review of this game is not great.

The Good:
The graphics: are great which is nothing out of this world for any final fantasy game since this series probably has the best graphics of any other.
Online: You get to interact with players form all over the world, which is a good change since you are playing with real people for a change.
Music: Also not strange that this is one of the better parts of the game.

The Bad:
Everything else.
The whole game is about leveling your character. And this takes so, so, so long its ridiculous.
The world is so big that getting form one place to another takes forever specially when you are in the beggining of the game. ITS HUGE.
There is almos no story line here so you will probably spend 100 hours doing basically the same thing which is LEVELING.
Once you manage to get to a decent level (45 and up) the game gets just a little intresting.
You also spend such a long, long time getting the hang of skills such as fishing, or gardening or woodworking or things like this to get other things that you then have to sell at the auction house and wait more to get money to spend on better tools such as fishing rods and then spend a lot more time doing the skill.
The most looked for character in the game in party play is a white mage but for this character, to get to a high enough level to start fighting in a party takes longer since they are not very powerful and they die easier because they don't have a lot of HP

Anyway, I could go on and on and on and on about the bad things about the game. I guess there are certain people who have the time to play this game A LOT and like the online thing. For me it just didn't do it and I would sadly have to say that this is the worst game in the series. Which still makes it much better than most other games. You have to hold it to a higher standard since it is a Final Fantasy game.

RECOMENDATION: If you are not used to online games, at this cost I recomend you find out what the game actually is by reading, asking friends or if you can by actually playing it. If you know how an online game is played such as everquest and you like it then this is a great game for you. If you like more of a story driven RPG like myself then don't for any possible reason buy this game, even if money is not an issue its just a waste of time.

I HAVE TO SAY THAT I DON'T HAVE A CLUE AS TO HOW YOU COULD POSSIBLY EVER FINISH THIS GAME. IN FACT I DON'T KNOW WHAT FINISHING THE GAME FOR THIS GAME IN PARTICULAR MEANS.

*Getting Started
Well I am currently new at the online gaming deal & trying to get set up with this Final Fantasy X1.I have the Playstaion2 thick version & finding out that you need one accessory after another just to start. I had to buy the new Hardrive& Fantasy Game version than the Network Adapter & than found out in order to keep from rebooting you will also need a router which i went with a Linksky's but still waiting to get it to hook up.I give the game 5 stars cause I know the game will be worth it,but i give overall three stars due to the complexity of just getting started....

I called playstaion2 & they walked me through setting up the network adapter/Harddrive than got to the on screen keyboard & found out now i need to attach my computer keyboard to the USB port on the front of playstaion2. To my-luck my keyboard has a 6-pin din hook up and now it wont connect to the USb port, so now i am deciding between the keyboard adapters or just plain buying a USB keyboard cause the Adapters are as much as a keyboard.

Now i find it very frustrating to have to buy all this additional accessories & feel that Sony could of made this a little easier to get started but if you want to play, you have to pay and they know this....My only fear is that once i get my router I know i will be in for more problems getting it set up and working with my DSL/playstaion2 but I only hope I dont have to buy anymore accessories.....it would of been cheaper just to buy the new playstaion2 version & then the Final FantsyX1 PCversion which is what i should of done to begin with.To avoid all this non-sense..

All in all though I am looking forward to eventually getting started cause I am a "Final Fantasy" FAN & know it will be all worth it in the end....c-ya online soon

Humanity is so dumb sometimes
1. this game is fantastic (this comes from an avid player of all FF games and video games in general).This mmoRPG is more of an RPG than any other game in the FF series.You play the ROLE of a character and have complete freedom.

2. If you didn't know there was a monthly fee, you need to READ boxes and research items beore you buy them.

3. If 13 dollars a month is too much for you get a job...Seriously people.Even with minimum wage in this country you can make 5 dollars an hour.That's 3 hours a month and this game is payed for.You people are DISGUSTINGLY lazy!!!I don't care how old you are (I started working when i was 14).This is NOTHING in comparison to the bills you people are going to have to pay when you a. start driving b. have to pay off a mortgage or even c. pay off student loans.

4. don't complain if you haven't played the game for more than 1 month.

5. I work full-time and play in a band and i STILL have time to level my character and enjoy the game thoroughly.I have a LVL 42 PLD and a LVL 38 WHM (although i only play the PLD now and am considering deleting the WHM).

Anyways...yeah this game is incredible.I suggest it to anyone who has a sense of responsibilty and who would like to delve into the world of online gaming.

Good, but be warned.
Final Fantasy XI for PS2 is great, especially if you don't have a powerful enough computer to run Final Fantasy XI for Windows. However just a fair warning, and this isn't really stated clearly enough: YOU CANNOT USE THIS PRODUCT WITH THE NEW SLIM PS2!! Just in case you dont know or were wondering. It is not possible to hook up the HDD to the new PS2. So if you are interested in this game, it is well worth the money, but only get it if you have an older PS2 (SCPH-500XX or SCPH-390XX).

Fun, but...expensive.
This game is very fun.You can play with other people from Japan, U.S., Mexico, China, and more places in the world.If you don't want to see people from other countries, than you can just change your options.
There are four countries.They are the republic of Bastok, the kingdom of San'doria, the federation of Windurst, and the grand duchy of Jeuno.
There is racism also.The races are humes, elvaans, tarutaru, mithra, and galkas.In some of the races, you can choose to be either male or female.
There are a ton of jobs.They are warrior, monk, white mage, black mage, red mage, thief, paladin, black knight, beastmaster, ranger, bard, summoner, samurai, ninja, and dragoon.When you first start the game, you can only choose the fist six jobs.The other jobs, you must earn by doing quests.
There are some people that need help in Vana'diel.(Oh, and Vana'diel is the name of the world in which FFXI takes place at.)The people will tell you what to do.If you complete it, you will be rewarded of given nothing at all.(Don't worry!Most quests will give rewards.I only know one that does not.)The more quests you do, the more famous you become in the country and Van'diel.You're mog will even be happy.
A mog is your so-called servant at your mog hour house.Your mog house is where you live in Vana'diel.To go to your mog house, all you do is step one foot into the residential area of a country.All countries in Vana'diel have residential areas.
In FFXI, you can choose the country you want to serve as only at the beginning of the game.You choose any country you want to live at except for Jeuno.If you are not satisfied with your country, than you can apply for citizenship for a different country.You don't have to start the game all over again.For example, let's say you choose to be a mithra from Windurst.You want be a citizen of Bastok.All you do is go to Bastok, look for the federal area, and ask a lady for a citizenship application.It is not as hard as it sounds.
You need money to survive in Vana'diel.The currency there is called gil.Gil can be obtained by completing quests, selling items, or defeating specific monsters.If some players are generous, they will give you gil.That is very rare, though.
I could go on and on explaining but, there is no reason to.After a week or two, you will get the hang of it.You probably will also start making friends but, remember some stuff.
1.Don't give away personal information such as your age, sex, address, phone number, or anything like that.
2.Watch what you say!The Fianl Fantasy XIgame board people have some people playing the game looking for any mischief.This means that some players are actually supervisors.It is okay to use mild profanity but, don't use stong profanity.If you say something unfriendly to a person and they don't show up anymore, your game might be canceled.All I am telling you is watch what you say.
3.Remember the warning "Game experience may change during online.You can't control other people.The game is rated "T" for animated blood, and violence.Some people might sing a song with bad words in it.
The fees are high for this game.You buy what are calle "content ids."Content ids are what you use to make a character.You must pay for it.It cost 12.95 a month for FFXI and 1.00 a month for each one after the first one you purchased.You can purchase up to 16 content ids for FFXI.
Not that many people talk about Tetra Master.Tetra Master is a card game that comes with FFXI.It is not that much fun.It is a magical weird way of "Yu-Gi-Oh!."You play with other players.
I don't know which FFXI pack you should buy.The pc or PS2.The PS2 one is 99.88.The pc one is more than two-thirds cheaper.The problems here is memory and money.The PS2 version is more expensive than the pc version but, there is so much more memory available in the HDD.The pc version is cheaper but, memory here is the problem.FFXI takes up over 8,000 megabytes.That could cause a problem when it comes to installing new files.In any way or so, I suggest the PS2 version.
I hope you make up your decision.The game is very fun.My character is a hume named Deene who's nationality is Bastokan.I hope to meet you in the game! ... 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

Reviews (3)

So much has not been discovered...
CoP marks the first major expansion of the FFXI world since its release to the US. This expansion does not add any new jobs or raise the maximum level you can attain in the game (still 75), but it does add many new areas, monsters, missions, quests, NPCs, recipes and equipment. The new areas are divided into those you can enter as soon as you install the expansion, and those which you need to complete missions to get to. The ones you can freely enter include new monsters, treasure and fishing areas, but are not hugely different than the areas adjacent to them. However, one thing I've learned is that there is more than meets the eye since many changes are below the surface and take many weeks for them to be discovered.

The areas that are locked out require quite a bit of work to get to. You will need to have a character of lvl 30, with appropriate equipment in order to complete 3 missions to gain access. Since there are a few job combinations that work well, you may need to start a new job, or gain a high enough level in that job to use it. This can be a big time commitment, however many people already have a job or two that they can use around level 30 so it's not terribly difficult to participate. Each of the missions may take between 1 and 4 hours to complete, and you will need between 6 and 18 players to help you. This makes it quite a hassle just to enter the new zones, so don't expect to be able to see everything advertised as soon as you install the game.

The areas that I have been in are absolutely breathtaking and the music fits the atmosphere of that area. There is a new beastman race that you can fight called Moblin, who have their own cities, culture and history. There are new super powerful dragons that give those that are already 75 something to do. One of these dragons took 30+ level 75 characters over 5 hours to kill. There are new recipes for crafters, new spells for mages, new avatars for summoners and new weapons and armor for melee jobs.

That being said, I still give this 5 stars based more on my experiences with the current game than on what is in the new expansion. It will take many months for people to complete all the missions and gain access to all the zones included in this expansion, which is really required to write a comprehensive review. This is probably the reason why very few review are posted.

Was hoping for more..
FFXI has it's flaws. Well, okay, quite a few.
I was sincerely hoping this would at least attempt to fix some of them. I have no idea what I was thinking. Not only did the customers who ordered the game as it came out have to run hours worth of upgrades to fix glitches in the expansion, most of the quests and items weren't available due to further problems. Which makes me wonder if Square-Enix just threw the game out as soon as possible, without actually putting any effort into it.
So far, there's absolutely nothing I find useful from the expansion. It HAS introduced a few new items, but most can only be used by classes that already have a nice variety of items available to them. The expansion pack also introduced new areas, one of which is a new city. Wait, no, Square isn't just going to let you go to the new town after you bought the expansion, you'll have to undertake series of horribly tedious missions to unlock the passage. The missions are exactly the same; wait around a few hours to form an alliance then try and survive a trip to a boss fight, except each area looks *slightly* different.
I will admit the new areas that can be accessed freely [...] were pretty fun to explore and introduced some fairly cool monsters, but haven't benefited me in a single way.
NO new jobs were introduced with this expansion. The J&R Music review points out you can get Dark Knight, Summoner and Ninja, but all those jobs are available without Chains of Promathia.

All in all, this expansion didn't introduce much of anything useful (with the exception of some interesting boss fights with familiar FF characters and new areas). Though, it's not horribly expensive so you might as well get it.

The new world of Vana ' Deil, gets even bigger
The world of Vana ' Deil gets bigger in this new expension pack.

Chains of Promathia features new regions to explore, frightening new enimies to engage in cobat, and an mystery to confront.

See ya' ... 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

Features

• Gorgeous hand-drawn artwork and voiced dialogue bring the world of Stella Deus to life!
• Over 50 hours of tactical gameplay including side quests such as the Catacombs of Trial!
• Effectively manage your characters to launch devastating Team Attacks!
• Customize your inventory by fusing and creating items!

Reviews (6)

Poor effort...
This game was a great disappointment.I am a huge RPG fan, and have been unhappy lately with the offerings.Everything is "action" RPGs...real time combat, so many movies your sould screams with impatience, lots of button-mashing tricks to perform, you can beat a game without ever learning a strategy deeper than "hit the attack button."I have been pining for a decent RPG with turn-based combat that forces you to THINK.This game was not it.

The Plus:
No random encounters.Random encounters can be fun, but many games just have TOO many.I swear, I've played games where you beat an encounter and then fall into another one less than two steps latter.That can be frustrating, especially when you're trying to solve a puzzle or advance an interesting part of the story.Stella Deus eliminates that frustration.You fight when you want to fight!

Combat scenarios are great.Not the best animation, but I like the AP concept.Cool movement, especially use of the terrain.

Fusion.Other games have similar concepts, but this is REALLY easy to use.Intuitive.

The Negative
This could have been made over a decade ago.Non-interactive environments (actually, no "environments" at all, except in combat!).Fairly weak storyline.Easy to beat.Side quests are short (some less than a minute) and boil down to one or two quick battles or, even worse, you pick a quest and the game seemingly randomly tells you if you succeeded or not.BOORING!

I figured out an easy way to level up.Take a weaker character (not too much weaker, or the other characters will dodge all his attacks).Put him in the first level of the catacombs with a bunch of more powerful characters.I have found that a character killing a character two levels higher will earn about 50 exp.You can level up pretty quick.On the first level of the catacombs, after a few levels, you can ignore the opponents (they always miss) and just concentrate on having your party murder one another.Spero can die in the catacombs without ending the game (as long as one of your characters survives).You can level up pretty fast this way.Even if your characters are the same level, you can still level up faster by just murdering one another in the catacombs than just about anywhere else.

If your levels are five or more higher than the bosses, strategy is no longer required.You'll pound on 'em!

All in all, a poor effort.One star.

Its about time
I've always liked SRPGs, but they're just aren't enough of them. Especially for the PS2. FFT is the best I've played, but I'd proprably put this right after it. Disgaea was fun with outrageous levels, but I wouldn't want to do that again. {2 much work} Lapucelle and Phantom Brave didn't really do much for me. The reason I instantly liked Stella Deus more than the nimon ichi {don't know how to spell it but u know who I mean} games is because of the story. Its no FFT, but at least its worth hearing. Disgaea was comedy driven, but Phantom Brave insulted me with its kiddy simplistic story. Stella Deus gameplay wise, is solid. Its not as complicated to learn as the others, but it isn't shallow either. Instead of set turns, its all a matter of AP.
Example: The more armor you wear, the more weight, hence the more AP will be spent on each action. The only promblem I have is the afore-mentioned lack of enemies. Cool bosses, every now and again, but mostly the same old enemy classes. Unlike FFT where you didn't see certain classes until later in the game, Stella Deus decided to show you all of them pretty much right off the bat. Also, {and for some reason none of the reviewers seemed to mention this} the graphics are the best I've seen in an SRPG. I know thats not saying much, but its true.

Mediocre effort.Tactical RPG fans need more depth.
Seeing the same 5 enemies over, and over, and over, with the occasional "guest appearance" is not my idea of depth, or replay value.
The battle system is well thought out.(even if it hasn't changed since Hoshigami)Instead of a move and then an action like every other TRPG out there, you have 100 AP (action points) to spend every turn.You can either use some of this to move and some to for an action in the traditional way, or you can move just a little bit, but not enough to place your next move after the enemy, and then basically get a free quarter turn.Also good is that you can attack as many times as your AP will allow.Some characters, if not moved, can get in upto 3 attacks a turn.
Now I will say that there is some depth to customizing your characters, but not nearly enough.Maybe if the game had come out BEFORE Final Fantasy tactics I'd have been fine with it, but it can't hold a candle to FFT's job system.To say nothing of Disgaea and Phantom Brave.
The whole item combination system is nice, but the recipes are a little too arbitrary.That is to say there's no logic as to why you would get any specific outcome.(cloth armor + herb = lance???)It's trial and error and that's it.
The quests are similar to Final Fantasy Tactics but even in that simple regard the game comes up short.The quests give either a fight or some info.
The big problem here is that after playing games with insane amounts of depth like the aforementioned FFT, Disgaea, and Phantom Brave...
Well this game just doesn't measure up.
Not only that, but those same 5 enemies you see over and over?They're also what your mercenaries look like.
Whoohoo.
Also there's a blue haze over the screen during battles and it gets annoying.Yeah I understand that it's the 'miasma', but I'd still like to see the games visuals sans blue fog.
So.Solid but not something you can really sink into.

Basically next gen hoshigami
Fans of Atlus' PS1 Tactical RPG Hoshigami are doubtlessly going to find alot to like in Stella Deus.

It's very much stylistically similar to Hoshigami with a few interesting tweaks such as Fusion - combineing two items to make 1 unique item (think bow + axe = cloth shirt?)and much more indepth character developement.

What i really liked about Hoshigami was it's unique twist on turned based combat - the ability to speed up a characters next turn by taking no action or little action. Stella Deus brings the same kind of strategic depth by also utilizing the same feature.

Another important point to make is that so far i've found Stella Deus to be one of the more difficult tactical RPGs i've ever played. Despite spending a fair amount of time leveling up i've had to resort to cheap tactics in a few battles. (such as getting a boss to chase one character while pumbeling him with arrows for an hour from an elevated position)This does alot to hurt the overall experience.

In short there are alot of other tactical RPGs for the PS2 i would recommend over Stella Deus (such as Disgaea Hour of Darkness and Growlanser Generations)but if you especially liked Hoshigami or want something a little different then Stella Deus is definately worth checking out.

The best since Final Fantasy Tactics
Granted it's not FFT yet it's the best Strategy RPG out there right now. the gameplsy is just fun, the grphics and the art design are pretty smooth and accomplish well on getting the player in the feeling of the game. The story is not as complex as FFt but its still pretty good, being far more serious than that of games like Disgaea or Phantom Brave.

i fu like SRPG's I highly recommend it.
a review from a fan to fans. ... Read more

Product Description

In this sequel, players contend for control over the original Zohar in an attempt to unravel its mystery and defeat the threat of the Gnosis. Customize your characters using over a hundred different skills and take control of a deeper, more evolved combat system. In Xenosaga EPISODE II, humanitys champions must depend on their will to survive in a battle for the holy grail, which could lead to their salvation or their destruction. ... Read more

Features

• An extensive experience system features over 100 different skills to customize characters to the players preference.
• A new and improved complex battle system utilizes team combination attacks, a refined boost system, double team attacks and a zone attack/break system. The turn-based battle engine requires even more strategy and provides a deeper challenge.
• Shion, KOS-MOS and other favorite EPISODE I characters return with more mature,refined character designs and all new mechs.
• Hours of dazzling cinematics are complemented by high quality English voice acting.Complex philosophical themes add depth to an already sophisticated, dramatic storyline that could stand on its own as an intricately woven masterpiece.

Reviews (32)

Namco's got guts releasing a mediocre game after the hype
In all honestly, how could a game series take this big of a step backward? I mean even the best or most average of game series' take a while and a few bad sequels to degrade to such a point (example Mega Man X5~X7). How could one even work on the development team with a straight consciousnesses knowing you were developing and planned to release such a inferior product? These are the questions about Xenosaga II that keep me up at night...

But seriously (no I don't say up at odd hours of the night pondering about what Xenosaga II could have, should have been), for as great as the original was and the amount of hype this game received, Xenosaga II is a perfect example of a 'almost' complete bust.

First off, the game is way to short. I was really surprised I was on disc 2 after 7 hours of gameplay. I'm not quite sure, but does Xenosaga II use dual layer DVD's like the first Xenosaga, cause if it does and that's all they put on the first disc, that's pretty sad. It's almost seems they put it on two normal DVD's instead of a dual layer disc just to give the player the illusion that because it's two discs it must be along game. Nice marketing tactic guys, gamers aren't as dumb as you think...

Xenosaga II's battle system is absolutely horrendous; it's up there with Legend of Dragoon's battle system in my book (I love to bash that game to no end). Expect to die a few times and spend a few hours taking a severe beating (especially if your battle party is surrounded by enemies ~ that's the definition of fun!) until you get the hang of it. Add to the fact the longer you take to enter a command, the more likely the enemy is going to boost and slap you around in the next turn. To add to this atrocity, add the fun of constantly stocking and boosting attacks in conjunction with airing and downing a opponent to cause any kind of reasonable damage. Then add to that fact not all characters can damage airborne opponents. Combat in Xenosaga I may have been a little basic and simplistic, but at least it was easy to pickup and learn, you almost need a degree (or a really good guide) to get anywhere in Xenoaga II. Oh, and don't get me started on the Mech or E.S. combat. While character combat is confusing to no end, E.S. combat is so pathetically simple it makes the gear combat in Xenogears look good in comparison.

As for side quests, add another point to the lame column. 35 sub quests helping complete strangers out of their stupid, insignificant daily problems they won't remember a week from now while the fate of the universe swings in the balance of your quest's success. Yeah sure, that sounds like fun as well. If I don't like to help complete strangers within the real world with their problems, what makes game developers think I want to do it in a video game? Come on!

Graphically, Xenosaga II is pretty much the same as the original, which makes me wonder why they hyped up that part of the game so much? Do they think gamers are so fixated on that lone aspect of a game, they are willing to forgive flaws in execution and gameplay? I mean, you can take the most graphically gorgeous game, and if the gameplay stinks, the game as whole suffers. Xenosaga II, as a game, proves this theory without a doubt.

As for sound or music, you actually better off turning the volume off, unless you're viewing a cut scene. Most of the music is pretty bad (a slim few interesting tracks do exist), and the voice acting is decent, outside battle that is. In battle, the voices make you cringe, where talking "Star Ocean: The 2nd Story" sound bite territory here. MOMO has to be the worst, the first time you hear her say "I'll lend support" you just want reach though the TV screen, or hope she reaches puberty before the series is over.

On the plus side (yes, their is a plus side ~ surprisingly) Xenosaga II's story continues on the rich tale from the first game, even if it seems a little touch and go, and they seem to focus too long on certain characters (the first disc is basically Jr. and MOMO centered); the second disc plays like "hey, we forgot about the core of the story, let's go find the Zohar".

The bottom line, if you like the story, you should play Xenosaga II, despite all it shortcomings. Actually, I'd recommend renting the game instead of buying it, it's short enough, and it'll teach the developers a very meaningful lesson. If this game becomes a greatest hit, like the original, I'd be very suprised (but it probably will just because I said that).

Playing this game is like channeling saidin.
The story is Good.The movies are always entertaining, and the story is always interesting.It never reaches the emotional depths that the last game did.There seems to be a greater emphasis on making the whole thing more...unrealistic.The first game presented a believable future - all the technology was explained, things behaved realistically, etc.That's all thrown out in this game...it might sound strange, but it seems to be more "Japanese" than Episode 1.Characters now swordfight in a Samurai style and shout things in what sounds very similar to Japanese.They shoot lasers out of their swords (and it's never explained why).There's even a character that wears samurai-ish robes.It destroys any believability this universe had.

Also, I'm personally disappointed that the game focused so much on Jr. (couldn't stand him from the first game), and not so much on wonderful KOS-MOS, who's not even present in the first half, and barely says two words in the second.And this is a Very Good Thing, because some of the voice actor changes were not for the better.Shion's VA is improved, but KOS-MOS's was a huge downgrade.

The music is also terrible compared to last game's.Episode 1 marked the first time I ran out and bought the soundtrack to a game.The beautiful orchestra and haunting chorus from that game have been replaced by forgettable boppy tunes, with maybe one decent melody in the whole thing.

Now, one to Dark One's taint = the gameplay.The battle system is easily the worst I have ever seen in any RPG.Ever.They aren't random - the enemies are onscreen.This is the One and Only Good thing.When you do touch an enemy, it takes a strangely long time to load.Your characters appear, one-by one.Then the monsters appear, one-by one.Sometimes, you'll be surrounded by the enemy.Other times, you'll surround the enemy yourself.This is Completely Random.Even if you attack an enemy from behind, you won't start the battle at the enemy's back.Which is too bad, as Back Attacks do more damage, and every time you enter a battle, you'll be desperate to scrape up as much damage as possible.

There's no such things as Powerful Moves here.You're forced to hit an enemy in specific "zones", which you do by hitting Triangle or Circle (did I mention the moves you do have no titles?Bye-bye, Moonlight Serenade or Spell Ray).Hit Triangle/Circle in the right order, and you get what's called a Zone Break.Now, you have to Boost your other characters in so they can damage the enemy while it's in this "break" stage.You boost the other characters by having them sit there and Not Attack during their own attack phase.

You are FORCED to do this - while some enemies do have special weaknesses, they're not exactly mind-blowing helpful for the majority of enemy types.Instead, you have to do the Zone Break, or all of your moves will do about 20 damage...to a creature that has 5,000 HP.And there's still 3 other creatures in the battle, all with 10,000 HP each.

Sound fun to you?Admittedly, once you DO get an enemy's weakness down, and get a Zone Break in, then Boost all of your characters in a row to take advantage of the enemy's weakness and the zone break, you can rack up huge damage.Sometimes it's even enough to take a single enemy down - and it only took 10 minutes to build up!

So, yes, the battle system will corrode your soul.Expect every battle to last at least 5 minutes, and that's if you're quick and know what you're doing.Meaning that you've already fought this enemy before and have either memorized it's Zone Break and weaknesses, or you've taught one of your characters a Memory skill.

And here's another embarassing part of the game.Every single character can learn every single skill.This completely destroys any individuality the characters had.KOS-MOS still has a couple special skills only she can use, but they're not nearly as impressive as the classics from the first game.Instead of being awed by what your characters are capable of, you cooly assign specific skills to each character based on what attributes you want in each battle.If that sounds fun to you, it's not.Many of these skills are useless, and characters will repeat skills that are helpful.

It's possible to "unlock" new skills and Double Attacks (two characters team up to attack) by undergoing the torture that is the game's sidequests.You run around, doing good deeds for people.These good deeds are very loosely explained, and very often involve playing fetch from place to place.I didn't even attempt it.

Other things that will leave you a blackened husk inside when the game is done: The puzzles in the dungeons.Oh how I wish my mind could let me forget them so I could live again.Unfortunately I can't, and so I will always remember shooting boxes to form a bridge, shooting boxes to clear a bridge, and shooting boxes of a specific color that explode other boxes of the same color around them.To form a bridge.

In conclusion, let me just say that I hope Episode 3 is better, or I will go insane.Or the Red Ajah will come for me in the form of Final Fantasy XII.

Nothing on the original game!
Xenosaga Episode I Der Wille Zur Macht, was a breakthrough in gaming!It had deep characterization, a deep storyline, innovative battle system and a soundtrack that blew you out of this world!It was a plot driven game with an intoxicating storyline.Episode II doesn't compare to the original in very many ways at all.Things have been changed that shouldn't have been changed, and in all essence, it's more like watching a season 2 of a declining TV series.

Xenosaga Episode II isn't a bad game.It's actually really good!It's just that it suffers from the sequel syndrome.The first one hit a level that was so high, and now this one has to compare.Either you'll be quite surprised by where it goes, or quite disappointed.

The game opens up with a flashback of Chaos being sent to Miltia with a realian named Canaan to see why all the Realians have gone berserk.Chaos and Canaan meet up with only one who still seems to be in control of himself.General Jin Uzuki, and to prevent spoiling more, let's just the say we rejoin our main cast from the first game in mere moments.

Where as Xenosaga Episode I put an emphasis on storyline, Episode II seems to put an emphasis on character development.It does a fairly good job too.You'll learn more about these characters, and be able to cope with them.Unfortunately, if you haven't played the first game yet, it's all mysterious to you.

A few things about the gameplay have changed.The battle system is refined just a bit.Now enemies are in "zones".Either Zone A, B, or C.Depending on the zone they're in they could take a lot of damage from your attacks.You can also knock them in the air, or down on the ground.You can also link attacks together to perform devastating combinations.Characters attack using points.If you decide to "stock" (by defending) you can attack more times in one turn.

Xenosaga Episode II is not an easy game.You can't just mash down on buttons and expect to win battles.There does need to be strategy involved.Without strategy, you'll more than likely lose.

The character raising is different.In the first game, you had Ether Points (Magic), Tech Points and skill points.In this one you only have ether points to improve your magic skills.Truthfully, that's sad since all your characters learn the same skills, and once you've learned everything (being that there are no Tech points and Skill points in this one) you'll have a bunch of Ether Points sitting around begging to be used, and they never will.

The graphics in the game have been updated from the first one.I personally didn't think this was neccessary.They tried to make the characters look more "human" and I personally thought the anime look of the first game was just fine.Some of their actions look a little strange, mostly because the dubbing of the game to English was terrible, but otherwise, the graphics are smooth and rich.KOS-MOS looks the nicest out of all the characters.

The voices, for whatever reason, have also changed.I was not too fond of this.The voices from the first game were perfect. These voices are either superb, or they're terrible.MOMO for example, has a terrible voice actor, while Chaos has a fairly good one.

The music is no where near as good as the first game.Actually, to be truthful, the music in this game is forgettable, and you won't care too much for it in the end.It's not the first one.

There aren't as many cutscenes as the first Xenosaga, and while the story is intriguing, the cutscenes don't flow quite as well.Also, it's sad to see this game isn't as long as the first one, and there aren't as many secrets.I thought the game would have more secrets than what I got.

It's also very disappointing with what you get from having a save file at the end of the first Xenosaga.Just a bunch of skills and whatnot.Nothing more.No impact on the story or anything.Really, the save file is useless.

Xenosaga Episode II does work, but it's sad that it can't live up to the first game.It had potential to live up considering how long it was in development, and what the first game gave it to go with.I just wish it could've fallen through.

If you loved the first Xenosaga game, pick this up.You won't regret it, but you probably won't remember it as well as the first game either.

Well Done
I thought the first game was so-so; the 2nd much better.The combat is simpler to understand but more complicated to use - you start with all the fighting techniques you're going to get.Its up to you to figure out which characters and combinations of attacks work well in a given situation.Its a bit confusing until you get the hang of it. Bosses are a bit more complicated - you need to mix up the attacks of more than one character to be effective.There's always one major weakness to be uncovered.

As far as the series - well, the story doesn't end here - if anything, it gets more complicated.Only a few loose ends are resolved, and several new ones are added.

After the game ends, be sure to save - then continue using saved data.The game continues with a huge side quest that's not series related but has a story all its own.

Over all - there's room for improvement, bt I'd say its better than FFX2.

A BIG dissapointment
Oh my. What has namco done?! To me Xenosaga II was such a dissappointment and a heartbreak! I impatiently waited for a couple of years with high hopes after finishing the first one for the second part of the series. I found Xenosaga 1 to be a wonderful game. The music was great (it was performed by the Boston Orchestra), the graphics were good, the storyline really enthralled me, and I fell in love with the characters and found most of their voice actors perfectly fitting. In fact, it still remains as one of my favorite games.Then, when the store got Xenosaga II, I immediately shelled out $55 to get it. I started it, got a little far in the game, then stopped because it was so mangled. They changed the characters looks, which was fine by me, but then they changed their VOICES. My god.
KOS-MOS' new voice actor sounds like she's bored throughout the game, I don't know WHY they didn't stay with the old one.
Shion's voice is now whiny and annoying, she's sounds like a total snob. The old voice sounded kind and soft.
MOMO's voice is now REALLY annoying, before she was just somewhat annoying.
Chaos' voice is actually MUCH better, I like his, it now really suits. All the rest of the characters voices are the same, which is good.
The storyline got very mangled, and is now even harder to follow without the word database from before. I just don't see why they got rid of the UMN stuff...
THE BATTLE SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY HORRIBLE. I have NO idea why they decided to do that. They also messed up the techs, the skills, and items. They make it much more complicated than it should be. I sincerely hope that this system will go back to the much appreciated old one in Xenosaga III.
The music was DISGRACEFUL! IT sounded like they went on the internet and got a whole bunch of MIDIs! Either that or horrible elavator music! It was NOTHING like the sweet tones of the Boston Orchestra! I had to hit mute on the parts with no characters talking.
So, overall, this game was, well, a failure next to the first one. I grew bored of this game after only a little while and found myself wishing I hadn't spent my money on it. The game has been sitting in the same spot for a good three months now, since I got so bored with it. Be aware this is only my view of the game, so maybe YOU would actually find it to be the best game out there and worth the price. Either way, I hope you pick the decision that's right for you :)
... Read more

Features

• Customize your army with over 150 character classes and monsters
• Dynamic battle system allows you to actively switch your characters
• For 1 player
• Unleash over 100 mind-blowing spells and special skills to lay waste to your enemies
• New Formation Attack System allows up to 4 of your characters to do quadruple the damage on one enemy

Reviews (54)

Good fun strategy action, just too demanding.....
Disgaea is a good strategy game. The graphics are outdated, but they are still very decent. The soundtrack is good, and the gameplay is fun. The best things about the game are the voice acting and storyline which are both excellent, and the game takes pride in poking fun at the traditional genre with its own twist of humor. The only problem with the game is the immense amount of commitment required. This isn't the kind of game you can beat quickly. It requires massive amounts of leveling up which equals hours upon hours upon hours. To add to the misery, the level up system is designed so that only the character who strikes the finishing blow recieves the exp., while everyone else who helped is left out. It all equals massive frusturation. If you have no problem spending alot of time leveling up then go ahead and play this. But if you are like me, and aren't too keen upon it, just skip over disgaea and try something easier like final fantasy tactics advance or fire emblem.

disgaea: hour of darkness
The first thing I'd like to say is that Disgaea: Hour of Darkness for the Playstation 2 is not for everyone.It's a single player strategy role-playing game (SRPG), a genre that many people find boring.The gameplay in Disgaea focuses on turn-based tactical decision making, and for this reason, the game can be slow-paced, difficult, and time consuming.I, myself, regretted purchasing the game at first, but after a couple of hours, the game grew on me and I learned to love it.

When I bought this game and started playing, the most apparent feature I noticed was its style.Disgaea, unlike many new games out now, uses bitmaps instead of 3D character models, which gives it the appearance of being graphically outdated.This, however, is not a bad thing.Although the graphics of the game are not technically superior, Disgaea is still beautiful.The characters and artwork are top quality, the colors are vibrant, and the use of bitmaps complements the Anime style of the game.Also, Disgaea is separated into chapters or "episodes" much like an Anime series; at the end of each chapter, there is preview for the next episode.Because of its similarities in artwork and structure with Anime, avid Anime fans will love this game.

Additionally, the Anime theme permeates into the story.Disgaea puts you in the shoes of a demon prince Laharl who is on a quest to conquer the Netherworld.With a girl demon who has on occasion tried to murder him, and a naïve angel dubbed "love freak" by his side, the story can be humorous and quirky.Parodies of the Power Rangers make their appearance in this game and perhaps one of the funniest scenes I can recall involves a "horse wiener." Since there is rarely a moment of boredom, Disgaea is a game that is equally enjoyable to watch or play.

In addition to being very stylish, Disgaea is fun to play.The gameplay involves controlling a bunch of units on a map, moving them onto squares, and taking turns attacking the enemy.This may sound boring and it sometimes is; however, the meat of the game is not in the actual combat, but is in the customizability of the characters and equipment.Disgaea gives you the ability to create characters from what seems to be an endless list of possibilities such as a ninja, a samurai, an archer, and a thief.You give them names, monitor their growth, and develop them into sword or staff or gun users.It's up to YOU.New classes of characters are unlocked as you progress through the game, and naturally, to get the better classes, you need to play a lot.This makes the game addictively time-consuming, but fun at the same time.With the maximum level for each character set at 9999, Disgaea offers a lot of replay value, and you never feel like you're finished.Even after beating the game, the "new game +" option allows you to restartwith all your equipment and levels, so you can replay Disgaea in hopes of unlocking the secret map containing the level 4000 boss.Furthermore, unlike many games where items are static and fixed, every item in Disgaea is customizable.Items have "residents" living in them that give the items certain attributes.These residents in the items can be captured and transferred to another item making it stronger.There is game feature called "Item World" where you actually go inside an item.All items are composed of floors, each floor leading to the next with enemies inhabiting them.As you go deeper into the item, conquering more floors and enemies, your item gets stronger as well.

In the end, Disgaea: Hour of Darkness is a very fun game that is unique in its style and customizability.It is definitely a hidden gem only overlooked because of its rough appearance.I think that Anime and RPG fans will definitely love this game.For the other people who are new to SRPGs but who are interested in the genre, I think that this is a good game to start with.

WANNA BUY OR TRADE FOR DISGAEA FOR OTHER RARE RPGS?
To tell you the truth... this is one of the best RPGs of all time... but why would sum1 pay 50 dollars for it used?... plus shipping... i have one in good condition... ill sell it for $40 lol but i dont have a sellers account... [...]and title the email DISGAEA(have to purchase with check or money order or sumthin... ill even trade if ur interested) ... back to the game... lol... great game... over 150 characters... 7 endings that i know of... if you have ever played phantom brave its by the same ppl and after you beat this you should beat that too bc te stories KINDA mix with eachother a lil... phantom brave has a more unique fighting SIM but this game has the best story... if you want the BEST ENDING... NEVER EVER KILL ANY OF UR ALLIES... but i kill em cuz its exp... have fun and feel free to contact me about this RPG or any others for ps1 ps2 or xbox...

What a cool strategy RPG, dood!
Disgaea is one of the PS2's leading cult hits for a good reason: It has some of the most impressive strategy RPG gameplay I've seen on the console. It's not quite as good as Final Fantasy: Tactics, but it definitely comes close.

The game definitely deserves props for it's originality: Especially the lack of RPG cliches in it. There's almost no hint of FF-inspiration anywhere. The characters aren't some save the world quest, they're on a take over the world quest. There's no "universal conclusion" to the story, there are 8 different ones. Playing dirty, stealing, bribing, etc. is encouraged, and there is TON of edgy humor in the dialogue as well. Hell, the humor is one of the things that makes characters like Laharl, Flonne, Etna, Mid-Boss, and the Prinny Squad so amazingly cool. I could easily rank them alongside PS2 icons like Tidus, Snake, Dante, and Ratchet.

The other original features that caught my eye were The Item World and the Dark Assembly. The Item World is used to level up items, but the way it works it intriguing. You fight through several levels of (often bizarre) terrain and the chosen item upgrades for each enemy you kill. And the Dark Assembly? Three words: Fun as hell. This is where you get to create new characters (The amount is absolutely huge, BTW), vote on new game options (and if you lose the vote? Take on the damn senators and if you win, the law is yours! Heh, maybe the U.S. government should take a few hints from this game ) and improve aspects like Counterattack, Movement, etc.

Disgaea is stellar, both in visuals and sound. It uses old-school sprites and anime drawings to excellent use, and the music...man, it is good! It contains a variety of catchy, demented, triumphant, scary, and weepingly sad tracks played out through the different levels (too bad the sound track is so hard to find)
Can't say the same for the English voice acting though. Etna's is excellent, but Laharl's in particular gets on my nerves. Thankfully, that's why Japanese voice options are available, and as expected, they work perfectly.

The gameplay is very high quality as well, with the large amount of moves, challenging maps, and Geo Panel options, but if you don't have a large amount of free time, don't even bother picking this up. This isn't your typical "load up a level, fight enemies, beaten in 10 hours" game. Progress comes much slower, and some maps take as much as 30-min. to beat, but the time it takes is still rewarding for those who have it.

Despite a few flaws, Disgaea deserves to be experienced for it's humor, originality, and addictive gameplay. Don't miss it, or I'll have to throw a Prinny at you, Dood.

Liked Final Fantasy Tactics?You'll love Disgaea!
Disgaea, what does it mean? Who knows but anyway Disgaea is a great game that you will instantly fall in love with as soon as you play it. The game is divided into 14 episodes and with each episode you can obtain more jobs. But heres a review for Disgaea: Hour of Darkness

Concept- Take and arrogant prince and send him on a quest to obtain the throne of his father

Graphics- Not impressed, but good

Sound- Tsunami Bomb's the Invasion from Within is cool and so are the voice-overs, other than that the music's like a mixed tape.

playability- easy to pick up

Entertainment- a long lenthy Strategy RPG that will keep you busy for weeks

Replay- High

Alex-10/10 ... Read more

Product Description

MODEL - 63073 VENDOR -SEGAFEATURES -Shining Tears PS2 Shining Tears tells the tale of a young man who has lost his memory and has gotten caught up in a war he does not quite understand. The city he lives in is under siege, and the reason, he is told, revolves around two magical rings of power in his possession. In a journey of discovery, the young man and his friends will soon realize the terrifying truth about the world they live in. Along the way, they will fortify themselves with ever more powerful weaponry, spells, and a rotating cast of allies. The game's most unique innovation is its 'Partner Relationship'mechanic. In the solo scenario, two characters are controlled simultaneously, with your partner relationships affecting your abilities and the storyline of the game. The player must carefully orchestrate the movements of both a 'lead' and a 'partner' character, all the while taking on up to 50 enemies at a time.* Choose between 8 different partner characters that effect abilities andthe more than 30 link attacks to destroy your foes.* Gorgeous 2D backdrops filled with fluid, expressive anime characters.* Offers both single-player and 2 player-simultaneous gameplay.* Deep character customization A wide range of skills, items, and weaponsare at your disposal.* Partner Bond SystemThe bond between you and your partner affects thescenarios you face and the story.* Eight different game endings-- SPECIFICATIONS -------------------- ESRB Rating : T for TEENGenre/Category: Role Playing GamesSystem: Sony PlayStation 2 Number of Players : On-LINE Compatible: Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theSega 63073 - Shining Tears PS2 and all other Sega Video Game Acc ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great game!
Shining Tears is officially my first Shining series game and I love it! In the Shining series, the games were famous for lots of different races. When I saw how diverse the cast looked, I had to get my hands on it. This game takes me back to playing Albert Odyssey since the party was also diverse in that game. The different characters are quite a team:

Xion, male human swordsman
Elwyn, female elf archer
Ryuna, female human priestess
Lazarus, male dragonian knight (my all time fave)
Neige, female human sorceress
Volg, male wolfman martial artist
Mao, female catgirl ninja

Now that's a diverse crew if I ever saw one!

The graphics are VERY top quality anime. The party members and their facial expressions are simply beautiful. Makes me outright jealous that I can't draw that kind of anime.

The music is similar to Final Fantasy Tactics. You have your standard military themes, normal mission themes and special opera-like themes for grand battles. A beautiful selection of songs, I hope the OST comes out soon.

The gameplay will remind one of playing Secret of Mana and its more recent cousin, Legend of Mana with the real time battle system. You move around a map of an area slaying enemies with two party members. You control Xion (mostly), and you're partner is up to you. You have Charge attacks with Xion and Link attacks with your ally (which differ depending on your friend). The action gets intense from time to time, especially when you end up taking on armies of monsters and enemy races from more than one map.

The story is unique. What intrigues me most are Xion's two rings that are the core of your party's fighting power. A pair of dragon rings grant two characters the power to take on hundreds of enemies at once. That's quite a basis to form a war story! And it seems a kingdom with Rune in its name has once again fit the role of villain. I'm impressed.

All and all, Shining Tears is a great RPG. For some people, the redundancy of training using old haunts may bring the same feeling of mediocrity one may have felt playing Tactics since the systems are similar. However, if this is something you can deal with, this game will be a guaranteed hit for you.

Why is this wonderful game getting such low reviews???
First and foremost I just want to say:
****Ignore all reviews that says this game is bad****

Okay, Now for the reasons why I made that statement:

Graphics:The graphics are beautifully done in an Anime style artform.The characters are all beautifully done. I would give the graphics a 5 out of 5.

Sound:WOW!Simply amazing.Especially the battle music.Voice acting is limited to the shop owners and some battle voices.Which I think is great.Since I know how to read I don't need the characters reading for me.I would give sound a 5 out of 5 as well.

Story/Gameplay:The story and gameplay are awesome.You control Xion, a hero with amnesia, through a quest to find out who he is and where he's from.Along the way you will meet a strategist/doctor, a cold sorceress, a heart warming priestess, a strong wolf, a cute and perky ninja cat, and you are found lying on the beach by a bow wielding elf.All the while something sinister is brewing.Also, a cute rabbit girl will tell you about the different game mechanics.All playable characters are completely customizable.Shining Tears is simply awesome.Story/Gameplay gets a 5 out of 5 as well.

So why four stars???The constant loading screens are a little bothersome, but all you need to overcome them is a little patience.I clocked them around 2 to 10 seconds long.In short, if your into more of the fantasy RPG's, then Shining Tears will not disappoint you.

****Shining Tears is Classic Role Playing at It's Best****

Super underrated!
If you do research on this game, you will find that it recieved a lot of really low scores.And I am begging you to disregard it.Shining Tears is a really fun game.Especially for it's two player option.I find the story interesting, and battles are fun.It does take a little while to load, but that's because originally and in it's Japanese release it was supposed to have a lot of voice acting.So, the load wait is a little on the extreme, but it hasn't deterred me from the game.You play as the hero, who was found on a river bank.And of course, you have amnesia, and the only thing that can hint at your past life is a ring.You find out shortly after that the ring contains crazy awesome butt kicking power.You will always be fighting alongside a partner, and that partner will always inherit the ring when you choose to put yours on.It then goes on a yin/yang thing.If your partner has an evil soul, you will be good.If your partner is pure, you will become evil.And one of the most enjoyable things in the game is watching your wussy lead character transform in to a blood thirsty maniac.In a way, it reminds me of the very excellent Growlanser.The fighting is just hack and slash "Zelda" fun, but your party is completely customizable, and you can choose which skills to learn or level up.The skills are pretty cool in this game too, and because you will always be with a partner- you get link skills.And even if you play alone, you can control your partner to a certain extent.
This game is just really cool, and it is very unfortunate that it is getting some tough reviews. ... 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