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$12.30 list($19.99)
141. Dungeon Siege
$92.50 list($49.99)
142. Diablo
list($49.99)
143. Parasite Eve
$10.01 list($24.99)
144. MICROSOFT MECHWARRIOR 4: MERCENARIE
$14.00 list($49.99)
145. Harry Potter & the Chamber
$8.90 list($14.99)
146. Silent Hill 2
$95.49
147. Grandia
$32.75 list($49.99)
148. Burnout 2
$23.74 $9.88 list($29.99)
149. AGE OF WONDERS 2
list($49.99)
150. Wizardry: The Forsaken Land
$40.95 list($39.99)
151. Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power
$52.95 list($27.99)
152. Pokemon - Blue
$139.99 list($39.99)
153. Tales of Destiny 2
$9.49 list($9.99)
154. Best Seller Series: Warcraft II
$21.56 list($39.99)
155. Metal Slug X
$59.99 list($19.99)
156. Myst Trilogy
$5.29 list($49.99)
157. State of Emergency
$33.95 list($39.99)
158. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
$18.99 $16.45 list($19.99)
159. Mall Tycoon 2 Deluxe
$89.99 list($49.99)
160. Klonoa 2

141. Dungeon Siege
by Microsoft
list price: $19.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00005KBRD
Catlog: Video Games
Manufacturer: Microsoft
Sales Rank: 1152
Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars
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Reviews (281)

3-0 out of 5 stars Looks amazing... but suprisingly vacuous
So many people have already reviewed this game, I'll keep my comments short. This is the best looking top-down view RPG you're likely to play right now. But under the hood it has tired old RPG mechanics which I lost interest in quite rapidly.

If you can enjoy any RPG regardless of the mechanics or repetititiveness, you will enjoy this game. For me, Dungeon Siege was all style and no substance, and I got bored and never completed it (which is exceptionally rare for me).

4-0 out of 5 stars Dungeon Siege
I played this game for a few days now. It's one of the best fantasy games I played make that one of the best comp games overrall, I got this for my birthday and I was so excited.It starts out with you being a farmer you have to kill enemies and you're given missions in the chapters as you go through the chapters you can get more characters into your fellowship. There are different monsters to defeat in all the different dungeons! Shopping is probably the best part (if you have money of course) I like to make them look buff and awesome! The downside is that the music kind of creeps me out and i get sort of tired of the dungeons get lost now and then run out of health potions, i start to get a little lonely, and i spend an hour or two on something that is kind of worthless, but play it on the weekends! Anyway all in all it's a great game have fun playing it!

2-0 out of 5 stars Fun at first, but then you realize it's tedious hack & slash
At first I thought this game was great, simple interface, good graphics and a beautifully crafted world to adventure through. But after playing it for a few days I realized that it was mindless hack and slash the whole way through. No strategy, no thought, just sit back and watch the mayhem, occasionally altering what spell you cast or telling your players to drink a potion. Halfway through the game the only thing that has changed from the first hour of play is the statistics and graphics of the monsters. The storyline is very weak and there is no where to go outside of the one linear path through the game.

However, I gave it 2 stars instead of one for the strengths I mentioned above.

5-0 out of 5 stars Seems to be designed with love
It's true that this game is a little short of character development, but I think it more than makes up for it in depth of detail, and it seems to be made by folks who cared about how it came out. One example: the donkey, not an essential character at all. Usually runs away from the bad guys, but sometimes tries to help you fight them by kicking. This easily could have been left out, but they didn't. My wife is hooked. She's playing it right now. We like it!

5-0 out of 5 stars What a blast
I've never been a big fan of D&D type games and, frankly, I'm still not. The one exception is Dungeon Siege. Unlike other games, this doesn't bog you down in the bizarro world of arcane AD&D rules. More importantly, it has more the adventure flow of a classic FPS with little of the horrible, repetetive running back and forth nonsense found in so many other games of the genre.

My only major criticism is that some of the levels did get a little repetetive. For that, it probably deserves 4 1/2 stars, but that's not an option.

One measure of game enjoyment for me is whether I replay the game and how long it is before I do. In this case, I played it through a second time just after finishing the first (I meant to only play the first level to compare character types, but ended up going all the way through.)
... Read more


142. Diablo
list price: $49.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B000038AAW
Catlog: Video Games
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Sales Rank: 3179
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Editorial Review

"Monty Haul." "Hack and Slash." If these names mean anything to you, you'll likeDiablo. The story is simple and doesn't get in the way of the action: the demon Diablo has set upshop beneath the cathedral on the edge of town, and it's your job to destroy him.

Diablo was and is one of the great PC role-playing games, and this PlayStation port holds true tothe original. You create your character--Warrior, Sorcerer, or Rogue--and take him or her up in experiencelevels as you hack your way down, level by level, to the bottom of the dungeon beneath the cathedral,where Diablo awaits. Along the way you gain a lot of cool magical artifacts, weapons, and equipment.These mystical tools define your character as much as or more than the obligatory character stats such asstrength, dexterity, and stamina.

The game's only flaws are due to its translation to the PlayStation. The controls can be difficult, especiallywith ranged weapons, and the two-player mode throws both characters on the same screen, often making itproblematic to negotiate the various rooms of any given level.

Complaints aside, Diablo is a solid hack and slash adventure game. You'd be either a fool or acoward to pass it up. --John Cocking

Pros:

  • Great hack and slash action
  • Magical goodies galore
  • Classic dungeon crawl
Cons:
  • Awkward controls
  • Frustrating 2-player mode
... Read more

Features

  • Develop your character's skill, attributes, and spells as you explore the dungeon labyrinth
  • SVGA graphics and rendered cinematic sequences bring the horror to life
  • For 1 or 2 players
  • Explore a 3-D world of dark gothic fantasy
  • Choose from a warrior, rogue, and sorceror, each with unique abilities

Reviews (23)

5-0 out of 5 stars do u dare to open the gates to diablo
diablo is fun but let me talk to you about diablo,diablo is the devil but its always fun killing him but i got to wait wait untill june to get this game but i got all diabvlos on pc its an awsome game u get to choose your character from barbarian warrior mage and many more its an alright game dungeon does change places like i said its a fun game and i hope you buy it.

5-0 out of 5 stars 25 bucks?? WORTH IT!
Ok, I kept putting off getting this game because of having the PC Diablo 2 Lord of Destruction and I don't like paying 25 bucks for PS1 games.I usually try to go 15 bucks or less for them since graphics and gameplay are kinda off by today's standards of PS2.And even though I wanted it I felt like I would play it a few minutes and be sick of the controls and graphics.It is an excellent game and it's portable on my PSOne...if you're a fan just get it.The controls are tedious and annoying for awhile but after an hour or so it isn't so bad. It took me a little over 5 hours to get my warrior to level 13---don't know if that's good or bad (don't really care, either) but it was a fun five hours.

5-0 out of 5 stars Diablo Ps1
Hack & Slash, Every time you play the game it's differen, becasue of the random dungeon design. Upgrade your character, loads of spells weapons armour, missions. You name it, it's got it. Great 2 player action as well. Brilliant!

4-0 out of 5 stars Dare to Enter...
Diablo is pretty faithfully ported over to the Playstation, however the graphics aren't as clean as in the PC version of the game. But this game is still a worthy addition to your Playstation library simply for the fact that the dungeons, characters, items, weapons, etc. hold such a diverse amount that this game can keep you occupied for weeks and weeks. The two-player option is really cool, allowing you and a friend to tackle the dungeons together. Everytime you start a new game, the dungeons "randomize", so you won't find things in the same place as you did before. Sound is on par, however if you're used to the mouse in the PC version, the controls associated with the PSX will confuse you at first. A little practice is all that's needed to master it in no time. Overall, an excellent game, worthy of addition to anyone's library of Playstation games if they're into a good old-fashioned "dungeon romp".

5-0 out of 5 stars Diablo's Quest
Join on a quest agaisn't Diablo, Lord of Destruction.
Diablo has ressurected on a small village and now you're the only that can make him die again. Go throw the dongeons and get experience, money, potions, weapons, spells,etc.. and prepare yourself to battle Diablo -I already killed him, and I can say that's no easy job.
This game shows some violence and shouldn't be played by sensible persons (+15).

This is the best game I've ever played. ... Read more


143. Parasite Eve
list price: $49.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B000038ABO
Catlog: Video Games
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Sales Rank: 1087
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars
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Editorial Review

Parasite Eve tells the story of Aya Brea of the NYPD on a case involving massspontaneous human combustion, mutating animals, and the mitochondria revolution. Sound fun?Confusing? Parasite Eve is both.

It begins when Aya is attending an opera at Carnegie Hall. The soloist bursts into song and theaudience bursts into flames. Somehow, Aya is the only attendee who isn't affected. Notsurprisingly, she wants to know what's going on. This curiosity, coupled with her duties as a policeofficer, grows into a full-scale investigation.

Parasite Eve's mechanics are simple, yet elegant. From combat to level advancement, thegame runs easily and smoothly, making it ideal for someone new to role-playing games (RPGs).Experienced RPGers should still enjoy it for its brilliant storyline.

Technically speaking, the game's graphics and sound are good, but not spectacular. The full-motioncutscenes are superbly done. Parasite Eve is a good game--there's just not enough of it.While it doesn't feel crammed together, the story seems to resolve quickly. Brilliant while it lasted,Parasite Eve left me wanting more. --John Cocking

Pros:

  • Mutating dogs
  • Involving storyline
  • Elegant game mechanics
Cons:
  • Too short, and it's confusing
... Read more

Features

  • Numerous high-end CG movies take the player directly into pre-rendered game maps
  • Based on the best seller science fiction novel by author Hideaki Sena
  • For 1 player
  • Sci-Fi horror roleplaying game
  • Fight against dozens of mutated monsters

Reviews (103)

5-0 out of 5 stars INCREDIBLY ORIGINAL
I have always wanted to play parasite eve because i have heard great things. When i first went through the first day, i couldn't believe it. Not only was i moved and stunned when i completed the game but i was certain that parasite eve was a gold mine. A story like no other, parasite eve is a natural in the field of originaliy and not to mention the story that goes along. An RPG Shooter will always be a great combination that squaresoft has created and i hope that there will be plenty more where that came from.

5-0 out of 5 stars Parasite Eve Rocks My World!!!
Parasite Eve is the ultimate videogame ever created.When I was younger,my dad had it and I loved it!Unfortunately,it broke 4 years ago.After going through many different plazas and videogame stores,I finally found the last copy of the game on a website(by the way,it's not eBay).This game is the 6 day story of Aya Brea,a rookie cop,age 25.(Yes,I do remember,it was the greatest game of all time.)Also,there is a Parasite Eve movie.It takes place like 2 years or more before Aya is born,and it tells about Aya's mother,who had similiar Mitochondria Cells to Eve.I am a fiend,even though people do not know how I truly loved Parasite Eve.Now you probably think I'm crazy.Oh,and if you love Parasite Eve,you'll love Tekken 1-4.Tekken 5 is comin out next week,and you'll also love Death By Degrees and Resident Evil 4.Well,thanks for reading!Bye!

5-0 out of 5 stars An RPG with very nice touches by Square!
I guess this game is sorta like Survival Horror meets RPG.The story is great, and the graphics and sound are way up there for the times!Sometimes I found the play control a bit stickey when searching areas for items, but the combat is a big improvement over the Final Fantasy turn-based system.I highly recommend this game for Resident Evil and RPG fans alike!

5-0 out of 5 stars Thought-Provoking And Nothing Short of Spectacular!
Although PS1 seems to be something of the past now, it's always good to return to it to relive classic games, especially classics that are not on PS2. Parasite Eve is one of those rare finds where no matter how old it is or how many times you play it, it's as good as it was the first time.
Based on a popular Japanese novel (under the same name), Parasite Eve stars a young female cop named Aya Brea, whom, after witnessing a chaotic senario at an opera, realizes the existance of "Eve" who plans on "freeing the mitochondria's true powers." Aya soon gets entangled in the horrific adventure as she defends New York City from the approaching apocalypse.

The absolute best thing about PE is it's so intriging and thought-provoking. It makes you think, but not to the point where you're wracking your brain out, eather. The concept of the Mitochondrias may sound bizarre but in all respect gets your creative juices flowing in a plot that PE makes seem all too real. For a fictional storyline, I haven't seen such a realistic-fictional plot like this in a long time!

Pace is steady and smooth. Some parts will be more action-packed than others, but everything's balanced off very well. Music is brilliant and I find myself watching the opening all the time. Visuals are breath-taking, considering it's age. The field/battle graphics aren't worth a full five stars (maybe 4) but the cinematic scenes are, and it doesn't take you long to forget this is a game. You'll begin to think it's an actual movie. It's not unbearably long, either, so things are tight, cut to the chase, and leave you satisfied, yet wanting more. The characters too, are well-developed as far as depth.

Overall, Parasite Eve is one of those rare classics that are worth going back to. You definately don't get the privlege of playing a game like this every day. If you're a fan of Sci-Fi, horror, or action-genres, PE's for you. Truely amazing!

5-0 out of 5 stars great sequl even if u have not played the first
i have not played thefirst pe i bet its a great game and this one is too the gameplay is awsome the storyline can be confusing but its still good the sound is good if u have played re games this is not spooky at all lolall of this can rival a ps2 xbox or gamecube game thats what i think its awsome its a must buy go get it ... Read more


144. MICROSOFT MECHWARRIOR 4: MERCENARIE
by Microsoft Software
list price: $24.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00006IJMS
Catlog: Video Games
Manufacturer: Microsoft Software
Sales Rank: 930
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Product Description

Control 100 ton Mechs while leading up to eight hired guns into the heat of battle in the quest for the all-mighty C-Bill in MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries, the latest standalone installment of the critically acclaimed MechWarrior action-simulator franchise. And this time around, honor doesnt even enter into the equation - its all about the money. Get your fledgling mercenary company sponsored by some of most notable and notorious mercenary groups in BattleTech history and battle your way throug ... Read more

Features

  • Money matters: Different missions offer different awards or cost a certain amount. And, for the first time ever in MechWarrior, players can bring up to 8 Mechs into battle if they have enough money.
  • Dynamic single player campaign: Players can choose from over 40 missions across 10 different planets. How they play determines what other missions open up to them and how the game ends.
  • Multiplayer improvements: Features 19 new multiplayer maps, including the brand new jungle environments, and 2 new multiplayer game types.
  • More Mechs and goodies: Includes 10 brand new Mechs, 2 new weapons and 2 new electronics packages.

Reviews (41)

5-0 out of 5 stars accually im 13 exactly but...........
Mech warrior 4 mercenaries is indeed a great game. Without however the proper extra http://mektek.net expansion packs the game gets boring. I would rate it only 4 stars without the mektek expansion packs. The new mechs from the free mektek packs ; theres over 15 new ones:
Anihilator
Warthog
Cyclops
Blood asp
mauler(modified) note: its just a change to make gameplay easier
Deimos
Stalker (with modified in second pack)
Awesome
Canis
Gargoyle
Zeus (mod)
Marauder
Thantos XT
Avatar (2nd pack mod)
Ares
rifleman
Black lanner
Grim reaper
Black hawk
Uziel (mod)
Gesu
Hellspawn (mod)
Hollander II
Strider (2nd pack mod brand new)
owens (mod)
Uller (mod)
urban mech (with mod)
Commando
Solitare
Brigand
Dasher (new fastest mech over 140 kph)
flea (mod)
--------------
wow big list up there all from http://mektek.net - all do not have spyware.

5-0 out of 5 stars Online against others is where its at
The game senerios are great training and alot of fun.But I found the most satisfaction playing online with others. Working together as a team to try and beat another group of people on a different team. Online gaming is free once you have purchased the base game. There are several organized ladder leagues that have lots of people that want to have fun too. A good example is Mechwarriorleagues if you can find it.There you can find a ton of additional maps and patches for new mech types.
The game runs alot like a 1st person shooter, but you are piloting a giant robot like machine: a Mech. Because you are in a big "Mech" you don't die with 1 or 2 shots like alot of shooter games, which makes this a good LAN party game as well. Friends that have never played it before can join in and have fun without feeling that they are just another target for person that is more experienced at this game.

5-0 out of 5 stars Mech Warrior 4-Now more complete than ever.
Mech Warrior 4 Vengence was a great game, with a solid plot, good gamplay, and great overall tilt. I have also purchased Mech Warrior: Black Knight and loved it-with more weapons, mechs, and overall destruction whats not to love? Mercinaries does the same thing. Not only added content, but a new story, way of play, added a second lance, and different strategy makes Mercinaries Mech Warrior 5.

2-0 out of 5 stars Do yourself a favor and get Mechwarrior 2 Mercenaries
I play the actual board game and after playing this game I am disappointed.If you are into a huge arcade slugfest with little or no realism and wizkids abomination looks then get it.It's a game all about the bigger you are and the more ballistics you have the more kills you get.

They should have kept the game as a simulator but they changed it into a jacked up 1st person/3rd person shooter because of non BattleTech players who are too confused about controls and how a 'Mech actually works.So what you get is a dumbed down game with no real BattleTech in it (aren't energy weapons the primary weapons for a Mech anyway?So why are those so week.) but something that competes with all the stupid gundam.You can't even make some of the variants for the Clan `Mechs in this game or get into actual designing!

Fan of BattleTech?Get the board game, MechWarrior 2 Mercenaries because it is the greatest game I have ever played and MechWarrior 3 if you want something pretty close to the board game.Support the Classic BattleTech community, not a mainstream Microsoft butcher.I hope the money I put forth in this game will make MechWarrior 5 right, if it ever comes out...

One final thing, the most important thing is the Clan Technological edge over the Inner Sphere.Well, that does not exist in MechWarrior 4 and ruins one of the important BattleTech aspects.

5-0 out of 5 stars Just played the game over again.
I recenlty got a new video card for my computer that let me view stuff at a 1024 x 768 resolution on my tv using the s-video cable so i stuck my computer in my living room and hooked it up to my tv and my surround receiver just to see what it would look like.

THIS GAME IS BEST WHEN USED WITH A REALLY BIG WOOFER.

Oh my god it was awesome.I loved this game when i played it the first time (by first time i mean completing it with all three allegences) but when you play it on a 600 watt system you can feel 1/8th of a mile away and on a 36 inch screen that makes big mechs feel big you add a whole different dimension of reality to it.If you have a s-video output on your video card go set your computer up in the living room. ... Read more


145. Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets
list price: $49.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00006IJJO
Catlog: Video Games
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Sales Rank: 3638
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Product Description

MODEL- 14551 VENDOR- ELECTRONICS ARTS FEATURES- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets casts you as Harry in a new adventure with more magic, friendship, and danger. In a stunning next generation rendition of Hogwarts, learn new spells, undertakenew quests, make new friends, and challenge new adversaries to confront the powers at the heart of the Chamber of Secrets. * Greater depth - featuring Wizard Duels and Quidditch leagues.* Take flight - hop on your Nimbus Two Thousand and freely exploreHogwarts. * Challenge foes including Aragog and the fearsome Basilisk. ESRB Rating : E for Everyone Genre/Category: Action System: Microsoft Xbox Number of Players : 1Compatible Peripheral Features: Nice electronics is your source for everyday low prices on theElectronic Arts 14551 - Harry Potter & Chamber XBX and all other Electronic Arts Video Game Handheld Soft ... Read more

Reviews (29)

2-0 out of 5 stars VERY, VERY, VERY dissapointing
This game is the worst game I have ever played! ok, so not as bad as Syberia for xbox but bad enough that I would rate it 2 stars! even though the storyline is ok, the game ended to quickly. Also, the battle scenes (Harry practicing his magic on the washing machine) was very fake and very boring. The washing machine moved in a pattern all the time so there was no surprise to what it would do next.

If you ever want to play this game, I suggest that you should be able to withstand the annoying save games (you can't allways save the game whenever you want). So go ahead and give it a try if you aren't afraid of wasting your money.

4-0 out of 5 stars Extremely fun but too short
ok so basically when I bought this game I couldnt wait to play it. it was really addicting but then all of the sudden I was at the basilisk. all in all, its super fun but its too short. (the quidditch is my favorite part) I ended up beating it in 2 days. I was just disappointed. the voices in this game dont even resemble the real voices of the characters. ok so there's only 6 days and on each day you do 1 class except for like 1 day you do 2 classes. Iwould not recommend this game to people who like slightly challenging games. its cute for little kids but i give it one thumb up.

4-0 out of 5 stars Magic gone WILD!
This game is great. I would question the buttons and handling myself but the magic and action makes up the missiong star. This is a great game for anyone.

5-0 out of 5 stars Cute and fun game.
I loved playing Harry and the animation, music, and settings are beautiful. I only wish the teachers played a more important part and Gilderoy exposed like in the book and movie.

Also, Aragog was more tough to beat than the Basilisk, but still I enjoyed this game and have played it many times since.

3-0 out of 5 stars Much Too Short
In three words that really sums it up for me. The game itself is pretty fun, but I ended up beating it in a day because it was just too short. I was also disappointed with the ending being much too easy and hurried. Additionally, I second whoever wrote in their review that the camera angles are just not helpful and that the issue of losing your beans every time you're hit is such a pain. I suppose that was it really.. most of the levels are pretty fun, just not long enough. ... Read more


146. Silent Hill 2
by Konami
list price: $14.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00007M9SI
Catlog: Video Games
Manufacturer: Konami
Sales Rank: 1430
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Reviews (24)

5-0 out of 5 stars Waiting for You...
They want me to rate how much "fun" Silent Hill 2 was, and it occurs to me, "fun" is an odd word to use here. Silent Hill 2 is deep, enthralling, disturbing, and highly addictive, but fun? Replace that word with any or all of the other adjectives I just supplied, and now we're in the ballpark.

It begins with James Sunderland, in a rest stop bathroom, on the outskirts of the peaceful little town of Silent Hill. He's come there looking for his wife, Mary. She's been dead for three years, or so he thought until he got a letter from her, telling him that she's waiting in their "special place." Like the other characters he meets along the way, James is drawn into the dark world of Silent Hill by a troubled past, which even he's not yet fully aware of.

James' journey will take him through foggy streets, through run-down apartment buildings, through the hotel where James and Mary once stayed together, through a dimly-lit abandoned hospital, through an underground prison with dripping walls and holes leading down, down, down, deeper into the earth.

Along the way, James will meet people as troubled as he himself. Angela, who is trying to find her mother in a cemetery, and who has experienced more terror than anyone should ever have to. Eddie, who jokes about killing people and who flirts with madness. Laura, the willful little girl who knew Mary in the hospital, during a time when James believes she should have been dead. And then there's Maria, who James meets in the park where he and Mary spent time together. Maria is physically Mary's twin, but her clothes and her manner is completely the opposite of that of James' deceased wife. Unraveling the dichotomy of Mary/Maria becomes one of the main points of the game.

The creatures of Silent Hill are, in a word, haunting. Even the ones most recognizably human are faceless, gore-streaked nurses in Brookhaven Hospital, and it only goes downhill from there. No shambling zombies or decaying canines in this game -- the monsters roaming the streets and corridors are twisted, misshapen, barely recognizable as anything but lumps of flesh with mottled skin stretched over them, spitting noxious clouds of gas or screaming and flailing their limbs at you. If they don't sound dangerous, think again...they'll surprise you over and over.

The graphics of Silent Hill 2 are first rate. The fog effects alone, as James first enters the town, had me marveling both at how good they looked and how effective they were in setting the mood. They swirl around you in eddies and drifts, and create a claustrophobic, uncomfortable feeling. All of the graphics have a similar effect, enhancing the overall mood of menace at every turn. Swinging shadow effects, gleaming reflections off the sheen of a creature's membranous skin as it shuffles toward you, encroaching darkness, rotting walls, streaks of maroon and ocher on floors and ceilings and clothing. Character animations and the cutscene movies are equally good, with expressive and natural movement.

The sound quality is one of the elements that really sets Silent Hill 2 above most other games. Voice acting in the game is some of the best I've heard short of The Longest Journey, with all the actors creating convincing dialogue for us. The sound effects set an oppressive mood throughout, with a few nasty surprises in store for the unwary. Walls drip, footsteps echo, voices mutter unexpectedly out of nowhere, and is that the soft shuffle of a dragging limb around the corner? The music adds further to this, mostly consisting of an undercurrent of ambient sounds, suddenly erupting in a storm of percussion, making you wonder what's coming down the hallway, just out of range of your light. Akira Yamaoka, composer and sound designer for all of the Silent Hill games, makes his presence known through the moods he helps to create through the sound and music in Silent Hill 2.

In terms of storytelling, Silent Hill 2 is rich material. Throughout the game I found myself questioning the reality of the story that was presented -- how much of this is "real," and how much is going on only in James' mind? As James descends more and more deeply into his past and the fears that it brings up within him, how much of what he's seeing can we trust? Is he insane with grief? Or is it something else? Why do Angela, Eddie, and Laura keep appearing? How is it that they don't seem affected by the town in the same way James is? And just who -- or what -- is Maria?

Edgar Allen Poe and H.P. Lovecraft were successful in the horror genre not because they were known for being the most shocking or the most gory, but because they knew how to set and maintain a tone in their stories; they knew how to instill dread in their readers, and how to keep it ratcheted up all the way through to the end. That's how Silent Hill 2 works as well. This isn't a game of one shock after another, it's a steadily increasing feeling of unease, of discomfort, a rustle beneath the skin that just feels wrong. Quite simply, it's the type of horror that creeps slowly up on you, captures your imagination, and won't let go. This is what good horror is all about.

If you like creepy, psychological horror, Silent Hill 2 should satisfy you. It's not a splatter-fest, but it's the kind of game that will get under your skin and stick with you, even in your restless dreams.

But don't be afraid. Silent Hill is just a nice little town by a lake, in the middle of nowhere. Why don't you go and see it for yourself?

They're waiting for you.

5-0 out of 5 stars In my restless dreams I see that town...
You remember that joke in the Simpsons, "the answer to all three is fried green tomatoes" well Silent Hill 2 is my favourite, everything. Its my favourite game/movie/book/whatever. Its my best storytelling experience I guess, the greatest piece of horror fiction and interactive fiction of my lifetime. But its only a game I hear you cry. WRONG! THATS WRONG! Silent Hill 2 is experienced rather then played. This "game"(its more of a participatory quest really) made me scream out loud, not in fear exactly just in emotional overload. This is a rare work of art that is guaranteed to provoke an emotional and an intellectual response. It is one of a kind in the world of video games with its adult human drama and richly drawn complex characters. Most games are just "the martians are invading so just blow up generators A B and C". To me Silent Hill 2 represents the future of entertainment. A fully immersive artificial world peopled with real 3D individuals, a game that adroitly weaves and fuses the interactive gameplay elements with pure cinematic art in the form of second to none cutscenes. I could go on and on about this game but let me just say I've been playing video games for years I've played all the greats FF7 Metal Gear Solid Deus Ex etc and SH2 beats their ass.Tomb Raider has a wise cracking big boobed bond clone whereas Silent Hill 2s protagonist James is a man with levels, no two players will agree on how they percieve James throughout the course of the game, is he a innocent victim of more powerful forces or a detestable and cowardly villain. This sort of ambiguity is foreign to the usually rudimentarily plotted world of computer games. Like all the best works of storytelling Silent Hill 2 is open to interpretation. It deals with serious themes creatively such as suicide grief madness and death. This game scores full marks in all categories be it acting, graphics sound et al. It is a truly original and provotive work with layer apon layer of brilliance. From its deeply disquieting monster design, human forms corrupted and deformed beyond recogniton,its six unlockable ending four of which actually enhance your understanding of the main plot instead of being cynical tack ons for replay value, or its Francais Bacon meets Marilyn Manson asthetic Silent Hill 2 is a resounding success on all fronts. Most importantly of all you will mess your jockies playing this game and it will sometimes sit on your shelf unplayed not because youre bored with it but your afraid to walk the rusty corridors of Brookhaven or Toluca Prison again! BUY IT NOW!

3-0 out of 5 stars Ehhh...Nothing new here...
I bought this game hoping to play a scary, exciting, action packed horror game, but was let down when I got through the first couple hours of game play. The game itself is well made. The graphics are decent and up to par for the year it was made, however, to me, the game has far too much"WALK AROUND LOOKING FOR CLUES" time and not enough "SHOOT THE MONSTERS" time. At first, I thought the game was creepy. The eerie sound effects and foggy atmosphere give the game player a truly on edge dread, but once you find yourself running in circles or trapped in the same area in search of clues that don't seem to serve any purpose it becomes a little boring and repetitive. Maybe I should have tried the game on HARD mode instead of NORMAL, but there didn't seem to be a lot of action throughout the game. If you want something spooky that has an overall gloomy and dark feel to it with only minimal action than this game might be for you. I found myself bored by it, but will give it 3 stars for the creepiness factor and the movie sequences, which I felt were well done.

3-0 out of 5 stars So, what's it like? Well...
...try to imagine slogging your way through a Marilyn Manson music video, at night, with the fog machine turned up. *Way* up. Only the music isn't Marilyn Manson (more's the pity), but a mishmash of semi-creepy "theme" music and some hack's electric guitars.

There's plenty of hack and slash in this game, mostly because there aren't many guns and ammo is limited. Hand-to-hand combat (mostly with a big stick or a steel pipe) is the order of the day (or night, whatever). You'll thank your lucky stars for the map feature, since it's easy to get lost in this burned-out burg, and there's plenty of creepy-crawlies around. Thankfully, you can easily dodge most of them and focus on the battles you really *have* to fight.

This game kind of wears out its' welcome after you've beaten it two or three times, so get it cheap or just rent it. Otherwise you're better off with anything from the "Resident Evil" series, or "Silent Hill" 3 or 4.

4-0 out of 5 stars Film Noire in a game
Silent Hill 2 does to disturbing what the original does for Horror.In SH2 you plat the role of James Sunderland, an emotionally shattered shell of a man who travels to Silent Hill after having received a letter from his dead wife.After stopping at a rest stop on the outskirts of the town, James descends into the darkness of his own psyche to battle the demons therein.

Gameplay:
This plays very similar to what you would expect from a survival adventure game with a slightly different, though equally enjoyable combat system.The interface is nothing to brag about, though it might be a bit awkward if trying to play through the keyboard.I used a Thrustmaster Dual Power gamepad that resembles the standard console gamepad complete with force feedback and analog sticks and was pleased with the response and familiarity.
Yet, what makes a Silent Hill game is the environment you play in.This game obviously takes place entirely within the confines of Silent Hill, both the actual and surreal.Upon entering the city, your first impression is the lack of residents.In fact throughout your quest you'll only come across a handful of the living who will either help or hurt your cause.That is part of the charm to this game.Konami knows that the best way to scare someone is to make their imagination do the work, and this game has that in spades.Whether it's day or night, blanketing fog or enveloping blackness will shrink your sphere of awareness to a bubble.Add to this Konami's use of uncomfortable camera angles and you'll be trying to peer around the edge of your monitor to save your skin.
Beyond the physical approach of trying to discomfort the player, the storyline adds a tangible psychological knife to cut into your comfort zone.In the original Silent Hill, the horror was surreal blood and gore, devils and cults.In this edition, the evil is human nature.You'll come across sociopathic murders, abused children, and suicidal personas to further enhance the feeling of wrongness that this game exudes.And that, my friends, is a good thing.

Graphics:
The motion capture in this game is great, and for being two years old, is has a spectacular lighting engine, which is of utmost importance since you'll spend most of your game with only a flashlight to cling on to.You even have the option to turn on the original noise filter from the console versions to add a little bit of old-time horror feel to it should you feel nostalgic.The textures are extremely well done considering it's a console port made for TVs and the effort put into just creating something that looks evil is outstanding.However, if you've played the original, it will look very familiar since they hit the nail on the head.

Sound:
Ahh, this is the one aspect that will scare you.As stated earlier, with the camera angles, you'll often hear something before you can see it.Heck, sometimes, there's nothing to see.Whether it's a whisper in your ear as you enter a room, or the thud-thump and the ensuing radio crackle of a monster lurking around the corner, you'll find your stomach leaping into your throat on more than a single occasion.The game even supports hi-fi 5.1+ dolby surround if you have the setup, though I prefer hi quality enclosed headphones for the ultimate in personal torture.

Overall:
Whether or not you've played the first one, this game is a must buy.With six endings and a mini-scenario to discuss the background of a character, it provides more than enough content should you want a replay.This is the kind of game you want to play late at night, in the dark, to truly experience the thrills that it has in store for you.Even if you're not one to get scared, you'll find it disturbing enough to suit your fancy.
... Read more


147. Grandia

(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B000034DBS
Catlog: Video Games
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Sales Rank: 5598
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Editorial Review

If you can put up with the cutesy graphics, Grandia isone of the longest, most compelling, and most character-driven role-playinggames you'll ever spin in your PlayStation. By the time wefinished this massive quest, we really cared about the game'scharacters. (By comparison, our interest in Final Fantasy VIIwas focusing more on getting from one transition movie scene to thenext).

The main story line is standard role-playing fare. The powerful GeneralBaal has plans to unleash something of a Pandora's box on the world,and you can guess whose job it is to stop him. Grandia providesa world packed with colorful characters who are fun to talk to, and theunconventional combat system lets players pick and choose their fights.The characters in your party grow, as do their magical skills andweapons, meaning there's always some new accomplishment just around thecorner that keeps players adventuring long into the night. Role-playingfans should be overjoyed that this conversion from the Sega Saturnclassic was made, as it provides weeks of solid adventuring that neverbecomes a chore. --T. Byrl Baker

Pros:

  • An entertaining adventure with loads of interesting characters
  • Characters, weapons, and spells all improve with experience
Cons:
  • Quirky, cutesy graphics won't appeal to everybody
... Read more

Features

  • Voice acting for critical story sequences
  • 3-D polygonal environment
  • For 1 player
  • Fantasy themed role-playing game
  • Turn-based combat system

Reviews (46)

5-0 out of 5 stars Reminiscent of a lost childhood
I am an RPG player to the core. I only play RPG's and I tend to randomly pick them off the shelf at game stores and buy them. I have played and seen my fair share of depressingly bad RPG's.
This is how I happened to come across Grandia in my younger years. I instantly fell in love with the game. I do not look for graphics in a game (although good graphics are a plus), so this game was perfect for me. The story was decidely lack of some really new ideas, and the battles could be teadious. I enjoyed the humour of the game. Even when faced with grave danger Justin is calm and cool, at least he tries to be, just like any younger teenage boy would be.
The battle system was easy to use, and understand. Plus, the leveling up of your weapons and magic added a little twist to getting stronger.
I would definitly advice younger teenage boys to play this game if they wish to play a fun and interesting RPG. The story is easy to understand, the fighting is smooth yet challanging, and the love is to a minimum (which any teenage boy would love, no pun intended).
So, take a chance and play the game. Have fun, and if you don't like it then you don't, but if you do. Well if you like it then you have a game to play when you get really bored.

5-0 out of 5 stars The Theme of Adventure
I heard some many things about the original Grandia that I had to get a copy. Since it was the beginning of the series, I just had to see what started it all. I was impressed with this one despite it being really old. All three of the Grandias emphasize something grand in there stories:

Grandia 2: Story
Grandia Ex: Battle
Grandia 1: Adventure

This game has one of the most original themes I've ever known. This game is all about adventure and the places you visit come from a long list of destinations. The game itself started the unique IP gauge battle system which had the most unique way of learning moves and spells: you have to a certain numerical level to get a new technique. Some moves and magic have two or three required values, making this one interactive RPG that will mostly emphasize training. Once you get a new move, using it or its related statistic increases its power level and activation speed. Also, when a weapon or spell type levels up, you get a boost in the related parameter (for example: if Justin levels up his staff, he gets a bonus of 2 HP added on to his max total as well as 1 point more onto his Vitality). Not a bad system at all, a bit reminiscent of Saga Frontier 2's numerical value Arts system. Game Arts should have kept this on for the other two games. Maybe they might bring it back for the third one.

The music is a definite highlight of this game, considering the great Noriyuki Iwadare composed it. His town and battle themes are amazing, especially Disc 2's main battle theme (my favorite battle theme of all time). There are entertaining and sad themes too and a romantic one for all of us who want something a little heartfelt. The voice acting isn't really as bad as everyone says. Justin and Sue are pretty much right on the dot with their ages (14 and 8) while Guido's semi-Italian speech is really cute. Milda's southern girl accent is nice and burly and Rapp definitely sounds like a kid who has no manners at all.

The story seems a little closely related to Grandia Ex in terms of the Grandia world having elemental spirits residing in it as well as the story of an ancient civilization where man tasted the paradise of supreme knowledge. Not bad at all.

The game spans two discs and has three sidequests of great difficulty on the second disc. Unfortunately, they are very easy to miss and have some sweet rewards inside. Plus, after a certain point, you won't be able to go back and do them, so pay attention on the second disc.

The flaw with this game is that is clearly not meant for the PS2 (because of the constant data flow during battles and dungeons). If you still own a PS1, it will save you all the frustration of infrequent and unwelcome freezes (especially if you haven't saved in a while). Also, the music tracks on this Grandia are cut somewhat in comparison to the Saturn version, which has them all, so you might want to hunt down the OST (which is even rarer than the game these days). All and all, a great beginning game for a hopefully long running series in the future.

5-0 out of 5 stars this is a great game
it is a great game it's a fun and a long gameand if u think it's easy you think wrong i av completed the game three time and am not even bored and am doing it all over agen i wud by this games

4-0 out of 5 stars Simple Clean Fun With a Price
Grandia is simply a gem.The cast of characters are a little predictable, but definitely distinct and unique from one another.It is a decent port from the Dreamcast, but I have seen better.
+ Level Up System:
You level up just like any other RPG with experience points after each battle.However, your weapon level up upon their usage.Each character can use up to three different weapons.Upon leveling up a weapon, something is leveled up such as HP, Vitality, Strength ect.This is the same for magic.Magic is first aquired by finding Mana Eggs and using them to buy magic.Afterwards, the more you use a certain magic, (Fire, Water, Earth, Wind) you level it up, giving you more skills.This makes leveling up a lot more fun, and even adds to the battles as you need to use certain magics to aquire new skill.

+Battle System
This is one of the best types of Battle System.First of all, it is a mixture of active time and turn base battle.Every enemy shares the same Active Time Bar.Once a character reaches a certain point, you have all the time you need to select your attack.Not only that, but certain attacks can affect the active time greatly, sending the enemy, (or your characters) backwards in the active time bar. OH!And did I mention there are NO random battles.The enemies run around in the screen with you, and you see them before you come in contact.Once defeated they disappear.Come close enough to them, and they will chase you though.

+Characters
There are a few characters that join and leave the party.However, there are two that stay throughout the entire game, (Justin and Feena).Each character has their own history, personality, and special movies.This still does not make for good character development though.They are highly predictable.The voice acting and even dialog script is laughable.Such phrases such as; "100,000,000 DEGREES!TAKE THAT!" and "OH WIND, TWIST LIKE A TORNADO!" seems a little cheesy for me during battle.

+Graphics:
The graphics are decent, but there's nothing special about them.The world is in 3D and the camera can be rotated.

+Story:
The story seems very cliche to me.A young adventurer named Justin wants to find new quests for himself.He's a troublemaker and later finds himself on the journey of a lifetime.He meets up with many new people and eventually realizes only he (with the help of his friends) can save the world.It is not very unique or at all intriguing enough, but many of the small side stories is what makes it interesting.

+Overall:
This is a great game!It's fun and well worth your money.It claims to give over a hundred hours of gameplay, but I beat it in 47 hours.Though the character and stories are weak, the gameplay is not.Grandia II is just as good, and with the hopes of another Grandia to follow, things should only improve.

Pros:
Great system for leveling up magic/skills
Fun battle system!
Good length for a game

Cons:
Laughable dialog and voice acting
Weaker story / cliche / cheesy at times
Very linear

5-0 out of 5 stars ^-^
Okay for starters.I am offical a member of the 1 member ABBA (anti Brain Bat Association).If you have played this game, found the optional dungeon, fought those little buggers at a lower level, you know why.(BABOOM)

Sorry.

The game is cool.Graphics are nice (not the best but better than some).The music is excellent.The voice acting is skippy but it works.The magic system can be difficult to figure out in the beggining and hard to level, but hey ^-^ there are places to level them without cheat codes.[For water, try standing in the green water at the tower and heal yourself.It does work, though it does take a few hours for each character--recommending Feena to level 99 water/wind.]

I love the game overall despite the bad voice acting.Nothing tops the original, I suppose.Oh, and who can ever pass up having their final boss fight inside of a coach-roach? ... Read more


148. Burnout 2
list price: $49.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00006JC46
Catlog: Video Games
Publisher: Acclaim Entertainment, Inc.
Sales Rank: 3448
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Amazon.co.uk Review

A sequel which, like its acclaimed predecessor, puts fun right at the top of the agenda, Burnout 2 dispenses with niggling irritants like realism and instead delivers top-class gaming entertainment. So what’s new? Added locations for starters, and the highlights are a twisty road round the Rocky Mountains and an inspired airport-based level. A greater variety of vehicles are available too, and naturally enough you have to balance your need for speed with a vehicle capable of good handling, taking into account the weather and the kind of level you’re racing across.

Yet ultimately, the core of Burnout 2 is still arcade-style racing, and frankly there’s little else that does it better. Burnout 2 is incredibly accessible and an absolute blast to play, whether you’re competing through the suitably enhanced single-player options or hooking up with friends--it’s completely irresistible. Visually, the game looks great and moves very, very quickly. The action too is interspersed with elaborate crashes, and when you do hit something you shouldn’t, at least you’re rewarded with an action replay for your trouble.

Negatives? Genuinely very few. Those who prefer their driving games flavored with a bit more realism are going to be happier with a Gran Turismo game than this, and in spite of some good improvements and additions, there aren’t enormous differences between this and the original, despite the fact that a lot more has been added to it.

These are nothing more than very minor niggles though. Easily one of the most downright enjoyable games of recent times, Burnout 2 is an exemplary piece of gaming entertainment, and a welcome antidote to the growing band of games that just take themselves far too seriously. Treat yourself. You’ll be glad you did. --Simon Brew ... Read more

Features

  • o help keep players rocking and racing.
  • Intelligent trafficsystem, featuring three distinct types of driver behaviors.
  • Unique new next-generation graphical effects - unrivaled on PS2.
  • Vibration enabled controller compatibility, letting players feel every turn and crunch of the car.

Reviews (59)

5-0 out of 5 stars Wait for the NEXT BURNOUT
This is for people that like driving really fast. This game is quite tense because you don't know if your going to crash into a car when you turn that corner. Sometimes you get frustrated by it. People are saying it gets boring but that happens with every great game. When I get a new game I play it(for first 10 days) nearly all day like for 12 hours and thats why I get bored of games like over people. People say it makes you sweat and grin and that's true.

3-0 out of 5 stars It Gets Boring after a while
Burnout 2 is ok. It gets really boring after you played it 20 times. All you do is crash cars and race. Its grafics are ok. There not the best. You should rent it or borrow it from somebody its not worth 20 dollars.

5-0 out of 5 stars Awesome!
I never play such an exciting & realistic driving game before. This totally beats out the GT series! It keeps you busy on non-stoping driving excitment.

5-0 out of 5 stars MOST FUN RACING GAME I'VE SEEN YET!
I have played a lot of racing games and none of them captivated me like this one. When I first played it it was ok until my first crash. The realism and graphics on the crashes are amazing. It shows windows cracked and glass all over the place and unbelievably real damage done to the cars. The crash or destruction mode is awesome because is sets you up in perfect places to cause some serious devestation where the goal is to cause as much damage as possible. The first one sends you down a hill into an extrememly busy intersection full of suvs, semi-trucks, small coupe cars and many more.You just plow through and fly up totaling your car and causing a 9+ car pile up with mass meyhem.This is the best racing game I have ever played! Without a doubt you should pick this game up because I know you'll be going back to the crash mode again and again. Definately 5 stars!!!

5-0 out of 5 stars Extremely fun!
I have always wanted to play a racing game that focused on the crashses as well as the regular game play. I like to see things destroyed, whether they are in movies, tv shows, even video games. When it comes to crashes in other racing games that I have played, they keep keep the POV (point of view) where your driving POV is. Then this game comes along, and during the crashes, it takes you to a 3rd party bystander POV (more like a movie, actually) so you can see all the horrible devastating effects your crash just had! :) The crashes are put into slow motion, just like the movies! Plus, the general game play is great, just like any other arcade racing game.

For the negatives (which aren't many): Though it doesn't matter to me on this particular game (although it may to some), you can't customize your cars.

More positives: There are 3 modes of gameplay. First, complete a set of races to open up more races, areas, and cars. Second, a pursuit mode. Although they should've taken more energy points away for harder the hits on the car instead of one energy point per hit, you get to pursue a car and hit him with your car until their energy bar is to nothing. Hurry up though, you have a short time (at least 4 miles) to reduce the energy bar to nil.

Third positve (and my favorite): Crash. You get to choose any car you want, the boost bar is always filled up for you, and you go out and make as big a mess as possible. Great for blowing off steam after that person just cut you off on the road coming home tonight, or any other incident you may get road raged about.

Absolutely fun game, and with only $20, you can't go wrong! ... Read more


149. AGE OF WONDERS 2
by Jack of All Games
list price: $29.99
our price: $23.74
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00005YTYK
Catlog: Video Games
Manufacturer: Jack of All Games
Sales Rank: 983
Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Reviews (20)

4-0 out of 5 stars Good game, but campaign mode is difficult
I would recommend getting Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic over this game.It is basically Age of Wonders 2.5 and adds its own campaign with an easier starting gradient as well as new units, races, spells and balance tweaks.All of the single-player downloadable maps for AOW2 are still available and useable for Shadow Magic as well as new maps just for it.
Oh, and this is a turn-based strategy game if you didn't know already, kind of like a complex boardgame (think Fantasy version of Risk times 5) where the computer takes care of all of the complicated stuff.

3-0 out of 5 stars Good, but lacking
After playing the original Age of Wonders (and becoming hopelessly addicted to it), I was ecstatic when AOW2 was released. I rushed right out and picked up a copy, hoping for great improvements to one of my now favorite games. Unfortunately that was not the case. While the graphics and audio are mildly improved, I felt gameplay took several steps back, at least in the single player campaign. The new units were nice and had a good variety between the different races. Unfortunately, the wizard/hero system that this game revolves around is terribly one dimensional - spell reasearch is your only real option, unlike the original where you had many different skills to choose from, so you could basicly make your leader/heros into whatever you envisioned them as being.
The single player campaign is fun to play through, the first time. After that it's gets pretty boring. Scenarios are fun, but I liked the campaigns of the first AOW, where you really had a choice in the direction the game went. You could start as good guy and end up on the side of evil, or vice versa. You be righteously good (as the Highmen), plain old good (as the Elves), run-of-the-mill bad (as the Dark Elves), or evil incarnate (as the Undead). This made for massive replayablity, which is lacking in AOW2 - You're Merlin and no matter what you do the game ends the same. The multi-player options are fine and might give more play options, if you like multi-player gaming (I don't, as I prefer to start a game and play at any time - not worrying about others schedules).
Overall, not a horrible game and fun for a while, just not up to the standards of the original.

5-0 out of 5 stars Great game.
Great strategy games. One of the greastest strategy games ever made. You can choose between classic game play style where 1 person takes a turn at a time or RTS style where its all at once.
Other similar games: Populous, The Settlers Games, The Empire Earth Games, Civilization, Warzone2100, The Nations, and about every other strategy-empire building game out there that there is. I would definitely recommend it to everyone who owns a computer.

5-0 out of 5 stars My favorite game of all time
I love turn-based strategy games, and this one is my favorite. I started playing in January and didn't stop till September, when I immediately bought the sequel, Shadow Magic. That should give you some idea how worthwhile this game is.

It's difficult to learn at first; in fact, I almost gave up on it. Finally I bought the strategy guide (the first time I've ever done that) and it was worth it. The game is not easy to win, but it is winnable.

The graphics are simply beautiful, the sound effects are good, and the storyline is acceptable if nothing special. The spells your wizard can learn are varied and fun, and so are the units you command. There's very little to criticize in the game because it is so wonderfully thought-out and executed. If you like turn-based strategy, do NOT miss this game. It's the best.

5-0 out of 5 stars The addictive turn-based game that you have been looking for
There aren't enough good turn-based games out there, but there is at least one that is superior: "Age of Wonders 2".I found this game to be as challenging, enjoyable, and addictive as my favorite turn-based games of all time: "Civilization" and "Colonization".It has the perfect blend of economics, empire-building, advancement, and fighting that you need to make a great game.

Most strategy games of this type don't offer much in the way of tactics.Battles are usually somewhat simple affairs that you don't have much control over.One of the special features that AoW2 has is that you get to play out battles on the battlefield. When a big army of yours tries to capture a city, for example, the view switches to a blow-up of the city, and you command your units one-by-one.The battles are a lot of fun to play out, but you can put them on automatic if you get tired of them.Different units have different strengths and weaknesses, and advantages in certain situations. For instance, when I am attacking an enemy wizard's castle, I have my cannons smash the gate, and then send in the cavalry to race right to the wizard and take him out.Once you figure out how to conduct your units in battle well, you can formulate a high-level strategy for winning them.That is what makes this game such a rare perfect blend of strategy and tactics.

The game is somewhat complicated, but it is not tedious because of it.You can pick up general concepts and strategies and then dig deeper after that.That is why AoW2 is such a perfect mix of complexity and playability.The interface could use more hot keys, but other than that, it is great and it makes the game managable.

The game's fantasy setting is very well done.There are a lot of different races, and although some units are somewhat redundant, every race has at least one or two unique units that make it special.The maps are beautifully decked out in bright colors, and they never get redundant.That is saying a lot, since the single-player campaign has 20 big ones.The wizard portraits look great as well, but the units are kind of small and lacking in detail.The game doesn't look quite as pretty as say,Warcraft 3, but it still looks good.

Diplomacy is a somewhat weak link in "Age of Wonders 2", since most of your missions involve defeating one or more wizards, and diplomacy is almost pointless.That's about the only fault that I find in this outstanding game.If you are like me and you have been searching for that great turn-based strategy game, then look no further.Prepare for some sleep deprivation, and break out the Doritos: you're going to need them. ... Read more


150. Wizardry: The Forsaken Land
list price: $49.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00005RCPT
Catlog: Video Games
Publisher: Atlus Software
Sales Rank: 4297
Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Amazon.com Product Description

Wizardry: Tale of the Forsaken Land takes place in the peaceful kingdom of Duhan. One day, a sphere of light from the heavens shatters the evening sky. Thousands are killed and the kingdom is in ruins. Demonic creatures from the underworld have emerged and the Queen of Duhan has disappeared into the labyrinths beneath the castle. The labyrinths are said to hold the greatest treasures in the land, but will you survive long enough to enjoy them? It is now up to you to face the ultimate challenge! Will you find the queen in time to rid the kingdom of the evil that has befallen it? Fight on, brave warrior! ... Read more

Reviews (24)

4-0 out of 5 stars Can't Stop Playing It, But Can't Stop Re-Starting It
I love this game.I love the mood of this game: spooky, foreboding.The gameplay style is interesting, and the way the customization of characters goes is something new.The story is original and kind of captivating.I pretty much love everything about this game.But, for some unexplained reason, I don't ever get incredibly far into this game.It isn't because it is too hard; something about it keeps making me take breaks, and then going back to play it only I've forgotten what is going on.This is an unusual case for me, but regardless.....I think the game is worth a look whether you are into the Wizardry series, or you just like RPGs.

5-0 out of 5 stars i have still not made it to the bottom of the abyss
at first, i thought i had wasted my money on this game. i bought it and suikoden 3 on the same day and went about playing suikoden. i put this game off for months because it seemed clunky and i thought the character graphics looked silly. when i finally dug it out and started playing i found myself immersed in an interesting world.

true, the graphics are not the best they could have been but i still remember playing wizardry on the nes. for me, wizardry has never been about flashy graphics, it's been about exploring. the floor maps usually have multi-levels to them making them a touch more challenging than usual.

i simply love the way you acquire spells in this game and (though it took FOREVER) i have each of my six characters maxed out in all of them. even the rare ones. my husband was getting so tired of hearing the "explosion" sound from the rare spell combinations he had to go do something else. yes, truly, that part did drag.

but i love the combination attacks. at first, they take a bit of getting used to. however, after you get the gist (and as your players trust each other more) they are indispensable. and after about level five or six, they are necessary for survival.

then, once you beat the game, you get to enter the abyss. it's always random and i have still not yet been able to reach the bottom (i'm betting it's 100 levels). but who knows? the monsters are horrifyingly difficult in some places and combination attacks are essential.

beyond that, i enjoyed the interesting combination attacks you get when all of your characters are possessed. made it worth going out and just letting myself get possessed six times.

1-0 out of 5 stars No, don't even think about it
Don't plan on it. It is bad. You will be in a bland environment, with graphics made for the N64, then you will be in a story that doesn't involve you or anyone! Awesome! Not only is there no motivation, but there is a boring game!

Take for example, save points. To save you have to leave, to leave you have to find an item or WALK back. When you learn about team attacks from this dude, he tells you all the different things then you try them. There is one that took me 3 hours to beat. It is called team defence. Every turn, 16 goblins would run at my guys, one time I tried attacking the goblins, but died horribly and had to redo my hour long work. Ok so then I tried again. This time when I did team defence, my girl would get lucky sometimes and hit something. it literally took me 2 hours just to do that battle. 3 hours because of the losing it and walking back.

Cons:
-The game costs money
-Battles are repetitive
-The environments are stupid. It is blocks. All blocks.
-You hit up, down, left, and right to do everything.
-The town is all text and stuff, there isn't any walking around.
-The game has such poor graphics that are some of the most boring and uninspired environments ever conceived in a game.
-The atari has better graphics than this game

Pros:
-The game is hard to find
-You get a receipt for buying it

1-0 out of 5 stars didnt get the game at all
do not buy from this company I ordered 5 games and they all came in from different places just fine except atlus usa. I havent recieved the game and they have had a month to ship it the others came about 3 weeks ago.

5-0 out of 5 stars One step up from the original series.
This game raises the bar from the previous Wizardry games.If you enjoy adventuring and creating your own fighters, this is definatly the game. ... Read more


151. Star Wars Episode 1: Jedi Power Battles
list price: $39.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00005NN7J
Catlog: Video Games
Publisher: THQ
Sales Rank: 3391
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Amazon.com Product Description

In Star Wars: Jedi Power Battles, players can compete in single- or two-player mode as they fight off legions of battle droids, destroyer droids, assassins, and other creatures from the Star Wars: Episode I worlds. The game is scrupulously true to the Star Wars universe, with authentic characters, locations, and weapons. Gamers fight as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, or Mace Windu--all powerful Jedi Knights. Players will fight through 10 levels of progressively more challenging gameplay, gaining power boosts, new moves, and enhanced capabilities as they progress. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

5-0 out of 5 stars Very good game by Legolas.
Those negative reviews are W-R-O-N-G WRONG! This in fact is a
G-R-E-A-T G-A-M-E GREAT GAME! There 10 levels (so I read.) in this game. The best character mustbeWindu! he's NOT my favorite character but his performance is awesone! when you kill an alien-ish dude there sort of an "ugh" sound.(I think.) what stinks is that there's no save feature BUT there's dumb pass-code feature. This might something good to bring on that 5 hour trip to summer vaction :D

3-0 out of 5 stars NO CONTROL
This game is really awesome in some ways but in other it stinks. For example: The weapons, characters and moves are sweeeeet. But you can bearly see what you are doing. The lighting is AWEFUL. This game may be fun to play for about 3 days but then the problems get in the way. This game also has almost NO CONTROL. The controls stink. Do not even think about jumping because it is impossible. Most of the game is based on jumping from platform to platform. There are little guys that stand on the platform that you can not kill from you current position so you try jumping and end up beening pushed off by them. Very Frusterating. The saving on this game is also a big issue. The game gives you codes that are like 5-15 letters long so they are really hard to write down and get correct. I was almost about to beat the game but the code I wrote down was incorrect so I LOST!!!!!!! Other than all that this game is pretty decent. Do not think I am a totally killing this game I just choose to state the problems. It just was not my favorite. So enjoy this game!

2-0 out of 5 stars Terrible Controls
First of all, I am a huge Star Wars fan.That said... This game looks like it would be a neat game and I'm sure it would...IF the play control was decent, but it's not.This has the worst play control out of every GBA game that I've played so far.Jumping is nearly impossible to do accurately.That alone makes the game far too difficult and bothersome to play.Things happen to my character all of the time.For example: I want to jump out and to an angle to jump to another platform, but the dumb thing jumps straight up and then I fall straight down into a pit.End of Life.THQ should have spent more time making the play control better or not released it at all.This game is a real disappointment.

5-0 out of 5 stars super great
this is one of the best games i ever.thelevels are very great I can play it all day long.You shold get this game today.

4-0 out of 5 stars Believe me, Im a Jedi.........
This game is so cool. if you like most or all of the star wars games, then you'll like this game. ... Read more


152. Pokemon - Blue
list price: $27.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00000IYER
Catlog: Video Games
Publisher: Nintendo
Sales Rank: 487
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Editorial Review

Welcome to the world of Pokémon, one filled with wild Pokémon and the people who attempt to tame them. You are Ash Ketchum, a boy on a quest to become the best Pokémon trainer in the world. Professor Oak, the leading authority on Pokémon, has given you your choice of three tame Pokémon in exchange for your helping him catalog and document every Pokémon in the world.

But to catalog a Pokémon, you have to capture it by first beating it up with one of your trained Pokémon, and then hitting it with an empty Poké Ball. As your tame Pokémon gain experience in battle, their abilities improve and they earn access to new attacks. Sometimes they even evolve into more advanced Pokémon.

Aside from capturing wild Pokémon and evolving your own, you can catalog new Pokémon by trading with another Pokémon player using either a link cable or the Game Boy Color's infrared system. Pokémon gained through trades learn and evolve faster, and trading is the only way to capture all 151 Pokémon, since each Pokémon game (Pokémon Red, Pokémon Blue, andPokémon Yellow) has certain Pokémon missing. Of course, as a Pokémon trainer, you've "gotta catch 'em all!"--150 to be exact. So if you own Blue and want to have a complete set of Pokémon, you must find a friendly Red or Yellow owner and arrange a trade.

Pokémon Blue is packed with interesting characters, an ingenious story hook, intriguing strategy, and of course plenty of cute Pokemon and it's easy to see how it started the Pokémania that is sweeping the world. --Michael Fehlauer

Pros:

  • Gameplay and strategy that's fun for all ages
  • Fantastic replay value
  • Brilliant game design encourages players to meet and trade
Cons:
  • Hours of looking at the Game Boy's little screen may hurt neck
  • Only 1 saved game per cartridge--2 people can't share a single game
  • No difference between Red and Blue except for distribution of Pokémon
... Read more

Features

  • Play as Ash Ketchum, a boy on a quest to become the best Pokemon trainer in the world
  • Collect all 150 blue Pokemon
  • Train your creatures and they will evolve into different types
  • Trade Pokemon with your friends using the Game Link Cable
  • For 1 or 2 players

Reviews (126)

5-0 out of 5 stars Blue = excellent game!!!
Pokemon Blue is a very good game to play at anytime. The unqiue part of Pokemon Blue is that it is a adventrous game. You play as a boy to capture pokemon and battle trainers. You have to trade pokemon with your best friend. These excellent features made kids love Blue!! They want to trade and collect pokemon!! Nintendo made this game, and we should give a great thankyou to Game freak and Nintendo for making this game!!!! THANKS!!!!!!

5-0 out of 5 stars Gotta Ketch em all
Title: Gotta ketch em all

Pokemon blue is a great adventurous game. Once you set your fingers on the gameboy you won't stop. It's fun to give your pokemon there own nicknames and making them happy. Making new pokemon buddies, leveling them up to their full force, beating the gym leaders is so fun. The game can be perfected over and over again. Trust me its great! It tells it all by the five stars.
Vica Jean Manuel

3-0 out of 5 stars Cool
In this game, you play as a boy collecting and battling creatures called Pok'emon.There are plenty of worlds to explore, Pok'emon to catch, rivals to battle, badges to earn, and items to find to keep you playing for a long time.It's one of those games that you can't beat in a day.Training Pok'emon can be fun, and also hard, depending on the level of your opponents.You earn money each time you beat another Pok'emon trainer, which you can use to buy items to strengthen or catch Pok'emon.The moves you teach your Pok'emon and what attacks you use require strategy, so it's not just random moves and thoughts.

My only complaint is that this game is almost unbeatable.To win, you have to collect all the Pok'emon in the game, which is just a few tens short of 200, if I remember correctly.A bunch of things are required to do this.You must have two Game Boys and two Pok'emon games, or a friend who also has a Game Boy and Pok'emon game to trade with each other, because there are some points in the game where you must choose between one Pok'emon or another, and whichever one you don't choose is impossible to get again in the same game.Also required is a Game Boy link cable, which you need to attach two Game Boys to trade.

So basically, it's going to be very, very, very hard to win, especially because everyone is past the "Pok'emon phase".So unless you have multiple Game Boys and Pok'emon games, and a link cable, you're going to have tons of trouble beating the game.I think the people who made this game purposely made the game this way so that kids would have to spend more money on Game Boy supplies.

Overall, I still like this game.I know I'll never beat it, but it's still a lot of fun.I can't say who I would and wouldn't recommend this game to, so I'll leave it up to you.Either way, I hope you're satisfied in the end.

5-0 out of 5 stars I Ain't Feelin' 'Da Blues With 'Dis Game
Well If you like a simple game that can keep you on all day well then this game is for you!I got this game in kindergarden and ever since I LOVED this game!I'd come home from school every day and play it forever [yet I got to play my friend's Red Versiom every day on the bus.]In 2nd grade i did the Missingno. trick and no one knew it and I was the champ!My PKMN were at level 200 [!] and I kicked my Friends mewtwo's butt!Get now!You'll love having Missingno.!

5-0 out of 5 stars Funny and nice until you finish it.
I own the Spanish version of this. It's just the same, but with booklet and texts in spanish, this is a very nice game and the first that I've got.(April '99) This game is funny and good, until you finish it, because when you finish it you just get the Pokemons that are not available and you finish it. Later? Restart it.
Pokemons not available AT THIS are:
ODDISH
GLOOM
VILEPLUME
GROWLITHE
ARCANINE
MANKEY
PRIMEAPE
ELECTABUZZ
EKANS
ARBOK
SCYTHER

... Read more


153. Tales of Destiny 2
list price: $39.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00005NCBY
Catlog: Video Games
Publisher: Namco
Sales Rank: 4030
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Amazon.com Product Description

This latest Tales centers on the realm of Eternia, a place where the surfaces of two worlds meet. Inferia is home to our heroes, and Celestia is the world of the skies above. Inferia is rich in academia, art, history, and culture. Celestia is inhabited by the uncivilized (by Inferian standards). A girl shrouded in mystery, finds her way to Inferia and crash-lands her spaceship in a nearby forest. Nothing is known of her except that she has come with a message of impending doom. Here, the adventure begins. Tales of Destiny II is a real-time action RPG that takes place within two massive worlds. Its engaging storyline presents a huge cast of characters, each with distinct personalities and abilities. Intriguing subworlds and countless minigames lie within this quest to provide over 60 hours of gameplay. Hundreds of arcane items, powerful spells, and enchanted weapons are at a player's disposal. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

5-0 out of 5 stars Great game!!!!
I didn't think it was all that great at first because of the poor english voice actings, but once you really get into the game, it's no problem at all! The small faults wouldn't affect th game-play too deeply, and after all, fortunately, the voice acting gets better as you advance in the game. The voices do match the characters well, although.

Anyways, like I said, don't let the voices get to you, after all, it's an honest to goodness, excellent game!!! It's one of the most memorial ones I've played, even though I've been through many rpgs. Once you've completed the game, it'll have you thinking, "Why does it have to end!" Lol.

The main plot is quite alright, although it wasn't one of the strong points of this game. The character developement and the events that take place within the whole main plot makes up for it big time though. Although to repeat again, the main plot isn't that bad anyways.

The little morals and dialogues in the game are so touching. One of the strong points of this game.I found myself trying to stop tears when Meredy questions Reid what good memories really are. This game also brings a good point to discrimination.

The characters are simply brilliant. You get to really understand them and they're great. The character developement is great. In fact, this was what motivated me to write this review even though I'm not that sort of person, really. You'd think a 15 year old would have better things to do. But I thought I really should to put in my compliments for this game. And yeah, the characters are simply lovable.

The battle system is excellent. This game really sticks out from the rest of the rpgs how getting into battles can be also fun too, not like the others how you'd wish you could run away from all the annoying, boring battles. The voices in the battles aren't that bad, in fact, with the full awesome animation of swordsman techniques and spell casting for each character, simply excellent. The awesome battle music gets you going too.

The graphics of this game was pretty satisfactory I guess. Even though it's 2-d, it's still beautiful. I don't get what people were complaining about. After all, animes are 2-d. the backrounds have a nice, crisp look to it in my opinion.

The music wasn't that bad either. Even though the tunes weren't THAT catchy, it still has depth and feeling in it. It also has mood in it. I should know, I love music. Like Reid's hometown music, it has a homey, gentle feel to it. Oh yeah, and the battle music. Awesome. But not to be biased, I've played other rpgs too, and yeah, theirs isn't bad either. Still, the battle music for this game is GOOD.

Oh yeah, and not to forget about the mini games. They are fun. The game developers sure know what fun is. I've found myself playing Meredy's dancing thing over and over, trying to continously beat my own record. Lol.

The anime intro in this game was so cool!! It looks great. You should see it.

Anyways, I think I'm done. Ps. A very memorial game. I recommend it. Even for rpg haters. The battles system is so much better!

4-0 out of 5 stars talesofdestinty2
I think tales of destinty is a great game for playstation one. The grapics are real good.And the is good also. I like the charcters backgrounds and story line.

3-0 out of 5 stars So-So
It's not terribly good, but it's much better than the first one.I actually had something that resembled fun while playing it.

5-0 out of 5 stars Best RPG Ever!
This is the absoulute best RPG I have ever played. It has beautifful graphics and loveable characters. I love the characters because they are all so uniquie and quite funny at times, you begin feeling like you know them and how they would act in different situations. The battle style is one of the games best features. No time limit, you can place the characters in the order you want, and there are some really wicked combos you can pull off. Another great thing about the game is when you leave a town or even that world to go to another, when you revisit you usually find something new. The story is basically never ending and very realistic. The only thing about the game I didn't like was that the name of the game was changed from Tales of Eternia to Tales of Destiny II when it reached the states. If you love RPG then you definatley need to get this game. I also bought the stratagey guide to go with it and it helped a lot.

4-0 out of 5 stars 32-bit Transition of Great Series
The first of Tales series, Tales of Phantasia was such revolutionary RPG for SNES/SFC, it was pity not to make in US.When they introduced the second series, Tales of Destiny, with slightly tweaked Phantasia engine, there were no doubt that turned many gamers.
This time, they got it right (well, mostly).I still can't forgive some bonehead at Namco for changing name from Eternia to Destiny II, but otherwise, this is fine RPG.
Graphic has been improved to 32-bit level without losing its uniqueness.With bit of 16-bit simpleness, it distinguishes from others.
Battle system is where this game shines.Improving its trademark single plane, full time (no timebar) battle system, battle is more enjoyable than other RPGs.While others might dismis this as simple button masher, it is not.It takes great reflex of 2-D fighting game, and bit of strategy before the battle to maximize effectiveness.For instance, assigning character's battle position, their battle method, and attack point increases your survival.
Also, it doesn't hurt to point out that the first Tales was developed by Wolf Team (from Namco), which later defected to become tri-Ace (yes, the creator of Star Ocean series).It explains the similarities.
Weakest part of this game is Music Score.They do their job, but also very forgetable.I've played more than 50 RPGs including every Final Fantasy series, Star Oceans, Chronos, Lunar, Grandias, Persona 2, Manas, Sagas, Phantasy Stars, but this is the only time I couldn't remember any tune while playing.
If you can find one (I got lucky at local store), you should give it a try.However, if you are NOT RPG fan, I wouldn't recommend it. ... Read more


154. Best Seller Series: Warcraft II Battle.net
by Vivendi Universal
list price: $9.99
our price: $9.49
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00009ECD9
Catlog: Video Games
Manufacturer: Vivendi Universal
Sales Rank: 833
Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Reviews (2)

4-0 out of 5 stars i love warcraft 2 almost as much as warcraft 3
i love this game is really really good

here is my resuilts
overall -8
-graficks err whatever-4 really outdated
gameplay online-10 computer-3
controls -10 really easy love it
overall im sorry it is not that good im not good at writing reviews but hey i still play it and it is 2005 i really love it almost as much as warcraft 3 i am not a kid but i did not fealll like putting my name in...

3-0 out of 5 stars Build Armies and defeat your enemies
Warcraft Two is a strategy and battle game.Not turn based, timing is of the essence in gameplay, building your farms, barracks, training soldiers and pesants to mine gold and chop lumber faster than your enemy in order to build your armies defeat the enemy.

However, I've found that computer opponents tend to be predictable, and so easy to beat.I've become practiced at playing the same scenario with one, two, three, four, and even five opponents.Because the computer generated opponents are fairly simple, they don't have much sense, and will get "stuck" at an obstacle, or rush blindly into traps.Still, with enough opponents the custom scenarios can be challenging and have you scrambling to keep up production of soldiers, catapults, dragons or gryphon flying fighters, and building walls of farms and cannon towers in defense of the onslaught.

Depending on wether or not you're playing as Orc or Human there are a few slightly different ways the individual charachters move or fight, and there are some entertaning speech recordings on all the charachters, just keep clicking them and they'll react with annoyance, or seasickness, or the secret of the sheep flock!

A classic game, and one which is still fun to play, and is often much more reasonable in price than many of the newer games out on the market today.Watch out when using cheat codes, as many of them will give the same benefit to your enemy as they do to you. ... Read more


155. Metal Slug X
list price: $39.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00005B2CV
Catlog: Video Games
Publisher: Tommo Inc.
Sales Rank: 1862
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Features

  • 2-D space action game
  • Side-scrolling shooter featuring beautiful graphics
  • New enemies, new weapons, new bosses
  • Vast numbers of levels and challenges
  • For one player

Reviews (26)

5-0 out of 5 stars Metal Slug X
Metal Slug is one of the most popular Arcade Games made by Snk (formerly for the now deceased Neo Geo home console).

The games were ridiculously priced at $300 but now with the power of the internet and emulation, you can play these games for free.

Metal Slug X is an enhanced version of Metal Slug 2. In Metal Slug, you play as war hero fighing nazi soldier's and freeing pows, and blowing up tanks with machine guns and high bazookas!!

In this version, the game has been enhanced to include deadly Aliens from outer space!!! (Obviously borrowed from Aliens and Duke Nukem).

Tthere are 5 different sequels to Metal Slug and this a great one to that collection

4-0 out of 5 stars I love it!
Metal Slug X-Super Vehicle 001 is Nazca's third run-n'-gun platformer game in the Metal Slug Series. It was first released for arcades and the Neo-Geo in 1999, and was later put on Playstation.

In Metal Slug X, you play as soldier Marco, Tarma, Eri, or Fio fighting against Saddam lookalike Morden's army. You have a variety of power-up weapons, from the homing Enemy Chaser to the crawling Iron Lizard to the powerful Laser Rifle. When you have no weapon, you have a pea-shooter pistol, and if you shoot while close to an enemy, you use a knife or a hatchet to save ammo and for extra points. Levels have nice variety, are well drawn, and have funny little things going on in the background. Graphics are very cartoony, with unbelieveable animation. Enemies don't just robotically attack you, they run away in fear, they cook dinner, they talk with eachother, they even go to the bathroom. Bosses are huge, powerful, and exciting, not even causing any slowdown. Yes, you have infinite continues, but if you want to really beat the game and get true satisfaction, you'll have to do it on one credit.

But the highlight of the game, is the slugs. No, not garden pests, but huge war machines. There are a huge variety for you to drive, or even fly, such as the Plane Slug, the downward-firing Slugnoid, the standard tank Metal Slug, and even the Camel Slug. They each seem to have their own personality-the Metal Slug even flinches when hit!

The game itself is extremely fun and playable, and the multiplayer mode can get quite hectic. If you see it, buy it, but the Neo-Geo version is much better, as expensive as it is.

5-0 out of 5 stars Metal Slug X
In the land of me too 3D everything this game is very refreashing even for a PS2 owner.The game a very good conversion from the arcade version of the slug series.This is the type of game that you play just to enjoy the art work , as you blast your way through each level the games art and background just get better and better.Unlimited continues mean you will beat the game in one sitting but the skill and and challenge of trying to do this without the continue along with co-op 2 player will have you stomping through many times.Action , Comedy , 2D shump..

5-0 out of 5 stars Best 2-D shooter platform! Better than Contra SS
This game is amazing! The first time I played this game was at a friend's house on Sega Saturn. I remember this game from the neo geo arcade machines too. At any rate I was looking for some old school 2-D shooter platform games and picked up Contra: Shattered Soldier. Contra SS is a horrible game and I was not happy. Then I remember Metal Slug and after some online research I wanted it. I had to call 8+ gamestop till I FOUND ONE! This game is based on Metal Slug 2 with few extra twists.

The graphic is totally awesome, just like the arcade! Even for today's standard, the graphic is still very good! The hand drawn cartoon animation is unique and beautiful. This game has better graphics than Contra SS, seriously. Due to the limited memory of PS ONE, the explosions were degraded to "big pixels". This does not ruin the game in any way, the big pixel explosion blends well with the cartoon graphic.

The music is typical 16 bit, nothing impressive but still good. Each stage has its own music theme, pretty cool. The gameplay is totally awesome, non stop carnage and a feel of free style which contra SS totally lacks. The control is pretty solid but is a tiny bit floaty. The game is easy due to unlimited continues. This game is super fun, you will keep coming back for more! Multi player is even better. The gameplay never slows down, but I use a PS2.

Metal Slug 3 is coming to PS2! GBA will also get a Metal Slug but which one I don't know. Overall this treasure is a MUST BUY for old school gamers or gamers who appreciate solid FUN 2-D action. I LOVE THIS GAME!

5-0 out of 5 stars BEST...GAME....EVER
I bought this game because i had played it in arcades.Ive beaten it 3 times in two weeks.Even though its not hard, it has enough multiplayer action to keep you coming back for more.THe extra missions you unlock when you beat the normal game are VERY hard though, so be prepared.This game will entertain you a lot. ... Read more


156. Myst Trilogy
by UBI Soft
list price: $19.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B0000639O2
Catlog: Video Games
Manufacturer: UBI Soft
Sales Rank: 1869
Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Amazon.com Product Description

With more than 10 million copies sold throughout the world, the Myst series has become the benchmark for all adventures to come. Now, for the first time, the three volumes of this mythic saga are assembled in one astounding collection. Gather your cunning and summon your imagination--for every enigma you unravel binds you closer to the unforgettable realm of Myst. Myst Trilogy includes Myst Masterpiece, Riven, and Myst III: Exile.

Myst Trilogy includes:
Myst Masterpiece The remastered version of Myst. In this acclaimed first adventure, embark on an intrepid journey into a strange world and its mysteries--a world wracked by intrigue, betrayal, and inexplicable distortions of time and space. Join Atrus as you discover the secrets of the D'ni civilization, where books are portals into other worlds, and lessons of the past shape your future.
Riven: The Sequel to Myst Riven plunges you deeper into a world cursed by bewildering rifts in time. Every shadow hides a secret, and appearances are never what they seem. Atrus needs you once again; help him free his wife, Catherine, and untangle the daunting mysteries of Riven.
Myst III: Exile A decade has transpired since Riven. Now Atrus and Catherine's efforts to rebuild the D'ni civilization are jeopardized by a new enemy. Saavedro, bent on avenging his ruined existence, has emerged from exile to claim vengeance upon Atrus's two sons. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

5-0 out of 5 stars XP Compatibility
I have all three Myst Trilogy games working perfectly under Windows XP Pro (SP2) OS on my PC.It has an Nvidia GeForce FX 5600 video card with 256 mb RAM, which is recommended by Ubisoft for this product.

5-0 out of 5 stars Captivating Time Waster
If you have the time to immerse yourself in a 40-60 hour puzzle, these are the games for you. Great graphics, wonderful puzzles. Not for the dim-witted....

5-0 out of 5 stars This game is really cool!!
Myst is a wonderful game full of puzzles, fun, and it takes a LOT of brain power.I enjoyed playing Myst, although for children, I would recommend adult help (some puzzles are REALLY tricky)I would say though, that this game probably shouldn't be played by children under 12.Again, very tricky.There is a little bit of a kind of spooky atmosphere (not terribly spooky), but kids might not like it.Myst is a big puzzle.There are no directions, you're just dropped on an island, all alone.You have to find special books that take you to different islands, and at every island, lies more and more puzzles.I think this game is best played in a group or with a friend.Together you can use your different skills to solve the puzzles.
I would recommend this Myst Trilogy pack to anyone that enjoyed the game, or is interested.Also, the price is wonderful.If you like puzzles, thinking, and teamwork, buy this Myst Trilogy pack!

5-0 out of 5 stars ???Help Me???
I've read some reviews from people that say they got it to run on XP. How? I have run the compatibility wizard--more like a compatibility trickster--and it still doesn't work. What I've SEEN of it is excellent (artistry is stunning; plot, so far, is great), but it quits when I get to the part where the player goes to another age. I loaded it onto the dinosaur of a computer that has Windows 98 on it, and it worked, except the computer is so ancient it's too slow to keep the graphics up with the sound and it gets stuck.
Somebody help me? If you've got a suggestion (a solution would be nice), pleeeeease e-mail me at: sindar_gloriel@mailpuppy.com And this is the new version of the original Myst, if that makes any sense. I looked for patches--couldn't find any. I've heard some horror stories about tech support from UBI software, too.

1-0 out of 5 stars Noooo....puede ser...
No puede ser semejante juego tan malo....No soy aficionado a los juegos de aventura pero Syberia y Grim Fandango me parecen geniales...Pero este....en trilogia si dejenme decirle que es una farsa...Ni se les ocurra comprar este juego... Necesita quicktime...y consiste en hacer click sobre imagenes y estan van cambiando...acercandose, no hay sensación de movimiento...aunque dice que tiene vision 360 grados...pero esto no es un juego. Las imagenes son buenas pero es simplemente la superposicion de imagenen al hacer click....noooo que desilución tan gigante. ... Read more


157. State of Emergency
list price: $49.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00005UNWB
Catlog: Video Games
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Sales Rank: 835
Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Amazon.com Review

The publishers of Grand Theft Auto III are back with another gamegeared towards a mature audience. But fans of GTA III should note thatwhile State of Emergency contains adult themes and extremely violentgameplay, that's pretty much where the similarities end. Whereas GTA IIIwas about creating a deep experience unlike any other video game, SOE isa throwback to arcade beat-'em-ups like Smash TV and DoubleDragon. However, the game takes the genre to a new level with mind-blowinggraphics.

In State of Emergency, you play as one of five selectable charactersthat's going up against the Corporation--a tyrannical group that has the city inan iron grip. The city is in a state of disarray and the citizens are rebelling.Amazingly, up to 250 characters can riot onscreen at once. It's shocking thatthe developers were able to render so many moving characters while keeping asmooth frame rate. Basic gameplay consists of picking up numerous weapons andobjects to cause as much damage as humanly possible. Providing context to themindless violence are the revolution and chaos modes. The former is the game'sstory mode and features more than 175 missions, while the latter is asingle-session mode with a few variations.

For the most part, the game is an enjoyable cacophony of senseless violence, butthere are some flaws. Although the revolution mode boasts an impressive numberof missions, they do get repetitive. The game screams for a multiplayer mode,but it's strictly one player. In spite of these flaws, the game remainsaddictive and fun. It bears repeating that gamers looking for another GTAIII will not find it here: this game provides an arcadelike experiencethat's excellent, but in a very different way. Parents should note that thisgame carries a Mature rating for its blood, violence, and gore. --Raymond M.Padilla

Pros:

  • Amazing number of characters onscreen simultaneously
  • Simple beat-'em-up gameplay
  • A vast arsenal with which to inflict damage
Cons:
  • Missions get repetitive
  • No multiplayer mode
  • Bland soundtrack
... Read more

Reviews (294)

2-0 out of 5 stars Extremely Repetitive
State of Emergency was released the spring after Grand Theft Auto III became a national obsession.Published by the same company (Rockstar - but developed by now out-of-business developer VIS) the game successfully cashed-in on Grand Theft Auto's success.Featuring similar ultra-violent, mission based gameplay, State of Emergency actually plays nothing like GTA.
The game takes place during massive riots, (the game's claim to fame being the more than one hundred characters on screen at once), and you play as one of a number of characters rebelling against The Corporation.There are three levels each featuring about fifty missions to complete amidst the chaos.Trouble is, the missions are all mindless and repetitive, and are virtually all just a slight variation on a basic formula: you'll either be sent to kill a target, sent to protect a target and/or escort him or her somewhere else, or you'll be sent to destroy a building, car, or area.The missions are fun for a short while, but once you realize you're just performing the same task over and over again, it quickly grows tired.
Some of the minigames are fun, however, and rather than being mission based, they are generally based on time and points - you'll kill people or destroy property while collecting extra time from downed enemies while racing against the clock, and you'll keep coming back for more trying to beat your best score.
The gameplay, however, is still simple and boring; just a 3-D beat-em-up, with a few attack buttons and a handful of weapons to wield (though the ability to pick up some smaller objects floating around each level, like benches, is a welcome feature).And yes, it is an ultraviolent game, despite the cartoonish visuals.Blood sprays realistically as you fire in to crowds, taking down innocent civilians; pink blobs (guts) pop out when people are shot, limbs and heads come off (you can wield them as weapons, in fact)...it's all mindless and gimmicky.
Sure, it's really cheap these days, and if you're really interetsed I'd say go for it, but it really isn't even worth a rental.

5-0 out of 5 stars Here is the goriest games ever
Manhunt, State Of Emergency, GTA series, Resident Evil, Bloodrayne.

5-0 out of 5 stars Rockstar Does it Again!
This is a cool game.The only bad part is,NO MULTIPLAYER.Still, ya need ta get dis game mon. Peace.

4-0 out of 5 stars State of Enjoyment
I think that Rockstar is the best and most honest game publisher out there.I'm sorry, but if you've had a long day and are angry at everyone, than playing a game like Grand Theft Auto (III, Vice City, and San Andreas), Manhunt, or State of Emergency will ease your pain.State of Emergency can have something like 250 people at the max on screen at one time, which helps create the extreme sence of dread caused by the intense riots taking place.Of course this many people on screen at once mean alot of carnage in Chaos mode.Sure you can kill thousands of people, but there's usually a civillian casualty penalty which drains points, making it more challenging.The Revolution missions are pretty challenging, they really push you to your limit.Close minded adults think it's right to outlaw these types of games and take away the free enterprise that Rockstar deserves and has earned.Another thing: people often think that if you kill someone in a Rockstar game like GTA or State of Emergency that you'll be praised and glorified, WRONG.The GTA atmosphere is realistic.If you ruthlessly kill someone in public you will be punished by law enforecment foreces.Likewise in State of Emergency if you do decide to gun down thousands of people than special enforcment SWAT type soldiers will come afteryou, surround you, and beat the living **** out of you.Enjoy!

1-0 out of 5 stars gets old fast
While I love the idea of the game- taking part in a modern day revolution- the game gets old real fast. All you do is go around killing all of the police that you come by, and doing small tasks for those who tell you what to do. You can shoot the innocent bystanders if you really want to (but in a real revolution why would you want to do that anyway?).

The point is that in shooter games like Doom, Red Faction, etc. at least other people are attacking you as well. In military strategy games such as SOCOM II and the type, you have to strategize. Killing EVERYBODY you feel like in an extremely overpacked mall (such as level 1) is just kind of childish. So if playing games that have absolutely no real point to them is your gig, have fun kiddies. ... Read more


158. Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
list price: $39.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00005BJ9G
Catlog: Video Games
Publisher: Konami
Sales Rank: 1734
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Amazon.com Review

One of the best side-scrolling game franchises makes a successful debuton the Game Boy Advance in Castlevania: Circle of the Moon. This timearound you follow the adventures of Nathan Graves as he attempts to stop therecently resurrected Dracula. In the fine tradition of Castlevania vampirehunters, Graves carries a whip as his primary weapon, and will soon discover thetraditional secondary weapons of holy water, dagger, boomerang, time freeze, andmore. New to the series is the dual set-up system (DSS), which allows you to use20 cards (randomly found) for up to 80 power-ups.

The game plays like a side-scrolling classic without seeming too dated. Playerstraipse around a nonlinear dungeon, defeat monsters, and unlock new parts of thedungeon, often through the use of new abilities. It's similar to the excellentCastlevania: Symphony of the Night for the PlayStation, with the obviousaural limitations of a cartridge-based handheld system.

Unfortunately, the game's dark graphics are difficult to see on the Game BoyAdvance's fickle screen. Long sessions require consistent overhead lighting, sothis isn't the ideal game for travel. The animations are also lacking, makingcharacter movement appear jerky. Despite these graphics shortcomings, thisside-scrolling wonder makes a fine addition to your GBA library. --Raymond M.Padilla

Pros:

  • Classic gameplay
  • High replay value
  • Great sound for a handheld game
Cons:
  • Dark graphics are butchered by the GBA screen
  • Mediocre animation
... Read more

Reviews (164)

5-0 out of 5 stars Challenging and dark Castlevania game.
This game is just plain old fun. Its very challenging, unlike most other new Castlevania games, and really gets you into the adventure.

The special items you can obtain all make the game more interesting and the magic and card system just plain rocks.
You can change your whip into fire/ice whips, get magical swords and even summon a dozen monsters to help you.
The card system is what really makes this game shine.

Pick this game up if you really want a fun and exciting dark adventure, but be warned that this game requires a bit of skill to get through as it very tough.

5-0 out of 5 stars The First GBA CV Game Remains, Arguably, Its Best
"Castlevania: Circle of the Moon" (CotM) was one of the first games to be released for the Game Boy Advance.Borrowing elements from the unexpected hit, "Symphony of the Night," K.C.E.K. (the Konami division responsible for the N64 Castlevania games) has created a familiar, yet still totally enjoyable, Castlevania game, and arguably the best of the 3 for the Gameboy Advance (the other two being "Harmony of Dissonance" and "Aria of Sorrow").

Story: Castlevania has a rich history when analyzed deeply beyond the games; though, the actual storylines in the games take a backseat to other elements.CotM sets up a plot in the beginning, has bits and pieces interspersed after major events in the game, and resolves it all in the end.The year is 1830.Rather than having Dracula resurrect naturally, a dark priestess named Carmilla resurrects him pre-maturely, and seeks the full-regeneration of the Dark Lord's powers by using the life essence of a captured vampire hunter, Morris Baldwin.His two disciples, Hugh Baldwin (the son of Morris) and Nathan Graves, are given the task of saving their master, and destroying the Count, too.You take the role of Nathan Graves, and will meet up with several characters in your adventure through the Castle.The storyline is nothing deep or engrossing, but, it's definitely far from horrible, and decently entertaining.
~ 7.0/10

Gameplay: Wonderful.It's kind of like SotN, but with a whip, though still not as silky-smooth.The controls allow you to change direction while whipping in mid-air, too.Nathan doesn't have any fancy moves like "Juste-dash" to get around faster, but you can double tap the d-pad to make him run once obtaining the specific item, and this is more than adequate.Nathan can spin his whip around when the attack button is held down to deflect projectiles and do quick damage.Also going along with SotN, you will obtain certain relics while progressing through the Castle, which help you explore new areas.Items include the "Tackle," which allows you to smash through stone blocks, and the "Roc's Feather," which lets you perform a Moon-Jump (this was introduced in SotN).CotM is also the innovator for the "Gameplay Gimmicks" in the recent Castlevania games, such as AoS's Tactical Soul system.CotM's is called the DSS, where certain enemies will drop cards (either Action or Attribute cards), twenty in all, and you can combine them to create different effects.For example, combining the Mars and Mandragora cards lets you use a huge sword that shoots out a cloud of poisonous roses for extra range, while also increasing your attack power.You can also create a small rotating set of flames around your body to ward off attacks, make your whip double its reach, and much, much more.All in all, I would say it's the smartest of any of the systems used in any Castlevania.Almost nothing is useless, and has its own advantages, unlike AoS's myriad of pointless souls, and "Lament of Innocence"'s and "Harmony of Dissonance"'s number of useless attacks.Like the other "Castleroids," you'll collect armor and accessories to equip on your character.Most of the equipment is quite useful, and almost all (except for one certain armor) are dropped by enemies to make collecting them harder and more rewarding.Healing items are rare, and there is no merchant this time around, forcing the player to rely on his/her wit and skill, rather than copious amount of potions and such, making the game a lot more challenging and, consequently, fun.
~ 9.25/10

Level Design: The best out of the three GBA titles.There is a huge emphasis on platforming in this game.Rather than making the main challenge be getting past enemies, like in games such as AoS and HoD, CotM also forces you to battle with your environment.To be sure, there are loads of tight spots, like the Machine Tower's layout, with its constantly moving platforms and electrically charged ceilings, and most noticably in the last area, the Observatory Tower (made even harder, considering the the abundance of super enemies).Most of the rooms are completely different in their layout, and this gives the game a fresh feeling throughout, since you are constantly presented with unexpected challenges.There is the occasional puzzle, such as the Underground Waterway's switches, or the box puzzles in the Underground Warehouse.It's very nice that the game makes you think beyond, "How do I kill this next enemy?", and I hope this amount of level interactivity is reproduced more often in future Castlevania games.
~ 9.5/10

Graphics: Though not as flashy and detail-filled as AoS, CotM exudes its own certain charm, reminiscent of Super Castlevania 4.Whereas HoD and AoS seemed to feel more contained and small, CotM is full of huge rooms and corridors, chock full of grand expanses of spooky skies, spires, and dark, towering pillars.While being pretty basic in terms of the "Ooh-Aah" factor, CotM has plenty of superb atmosphere that comes from its well-realized dark nature in its dark color composition and abundance of gothic architecture.Multi-scrolling in the backgrounds is minimal, and I wish the developers had spent more time on this to create more of a sense of dimension, but what is here I found to be particularly intriguing and more than adequate.Pack a GBA SP or DS, though, when you play this, as playing it on the GBA renders the graphics too dark to see.Nathan's sprite could have used more frames of animation, but his animation is decent and, for the most part, believable.I found the enemies in this game to be especially charming.You won't find multi-segmented beasts like HoD's Living Armors, or stunningly weird denizens like AoS's Stolas, but, rather, beasts that seem to be more realistic and organic, with its anthropomorphic creatures like the Were-jaguars and Fox Archers, or the humanoid bunches of armored knights.None of them will really blow you away graphically, but I found them all to be interesting and fun to see in action.They, too, though, could have stood to have more frames of animation.The special effects in CotM are nice, concerning the use of your DSS cards to create new attacks.There are all sorts of fun things, like the giant hammer, or flaming sword.Again, they all get the job done, but are nothing incredible.
~ 8.25/10

Sound: This is one of the high points of CotM.It's made all the more incredible by the fact that this was one of the first-gen games for the GBA.Quality-wise, it's on par with some of the highest quality soundtracks on the SNES; compositional-wise, it's on par with some of the highest quality soundtracks for video games, period.Rather than follow the trend of most Castlevanias and introduce totally new soundtracks, with perhaps one of two older tunes remixed, CotM opts for having a majority of its music be comprised of some of the greatest Castlevania tunes, masterfully redone, and interspersing it with a few new powerful melodies that will not soon be forgotten.The start-up screen's song is very well done, taken straight from the PC's Japan-only Dracula X.The ghostly vocals will send chills down your back.The first area's music, "Awake," is one of the most memorable and impressive songs to ever be in a Castlevania; I'd rank it among the likes of "Dracula's Castle" and "Vampire Killer."It's no wonder the music in this game is so great, as the composer of Castlevania 4, Sotaro Tojima, is the composer for this one, too.Repeat performances include "Clockwork Mansion," which has an oddly psychadelic feel to it, "The Sinking Old Sanctuary," which is more upbeat this time around, and "Aquarius," another incomparable classic of the CV series.Then, there are new ones, like, as mentioned, "Awake," along with the heart-pounding final battle theme, "Proof of Blood," and one of the greatest ending songs for a Castlevania, "Repose of Souls."As far as sound effects are concerned, they're pretty minimal.Enemies generally are totally silent, and most of the sounds you'll be hearing are the yells and grunts of Nathan as he performs certain moves.More attention should have paid in this department of the sound.However, this is overlooked quite easily, as CotM is one of the best musical experiences on the GBA, if not THE best.
~ Music: 9.5/10
~ Sound Effects: 6.5/10

Replay Value: I've played through this game three times so far.The average player will probably find enough in this game to at least come back for a second helping, eventually.There usually are rooms you might have missed your first time through that you'll find your second or third romp through.And there are additional modes, such as "Magician, Mode" (which will allow you to start the game with higher magic power, but have your other stats lowered), helping to make the experiences of playing through multiple times more varied.Sadly, there is no "Hard" mode, which would have been a truly wonderful addition.The game will probably take a person familiar with the map a little more than 6 hours to beat (while also getting 100% of the map); however, for a first-timer, it will most likely take them ten or more hours.
~ 8.75/10

Satisfaction Value: CotM is also an extremely satisfying game.It makes you feel truly good about accomplishing certain things in it, such as beating a particularly tricky boss, or finding an item in a hidden spot.Like the "Metroid" series, CotM's satisfaction comes from the journey itself and the discoveries along the way, not the conclusion of everything...and what an engrossing and memorable journey it is.
~ 9.5/10

"Circle of the Moon" is a fitting end to K.C.E.K.'s Castlevania games, and remains one of the highest points of the series.Displaying near perfect controls, difficulty progression, atmosphere, sound, and more, it's one of the best games you can get for any hand-held system, and easily holds its own in this year, and will continue to do so.Konami's people are geniuses when it comes to creating instantly classic games.

~ Total (not an average): 9.5/10

5-0 out of 5 stars hard but gets better
I reccomend this game to good thinkers and people who likestrategy games and long action-fantasy games. I first had trouble with this game but then it became easier to play though some bosses are hard.(use Holy Water when facing the IRON GOLEM)I liked the story, and its better to use a GameBoyAdvanceSPor a regular GameBoyAdvance with a light to catch the good graphics.Its very hard to get all the dss cards(unicorn and black dog are gotten in the battle arena).To defeat Draculas second formI reccomendURANUS WITH THUNDERBIRD DSS CARDS.Its a very good game, so buy it.

2-0 out of 5 stars Ack!Weak game.
This was a shock to me.For one thing, this game was raved all across the internet.For another thing, I'm familiar with the series (as far back as the first three NES games, to the SNES one, and Symphony of the Night), so I thought this would like those.Well... the gameplay mechanics are here, it seems, but everything else...

Lets figure this out piece by piece.First, the graphics were okay.Even though they're dark, and even though they're a bit lacking in animation (only THREE frame to show the main character running??!), the style was okay, and it added to the environments.

The sound was nice, and the music was great, but everything here just seemed like it could be done much better (the music sounds a bit MIDI-ish, but the melodies are good).

The controls... here's where everything really goes down hill.I'm no stranger to the Castlevania control scheme, having playing the first four games.However, for reasons I cannot fathom, this game has by far the worst control setup of all of them (which says alot, because I've replayed the first three games recently, and they haven't aged that well).First, controling your character is much like controling a big wooden stick.While the same could be said for the first four games in the series, this game takes it to far worse extremes, especially when considering the enemies move so much better (in other words, they're attacks seem more suited to a game that has you moving your character as franticly as a Mega Man X or Mega Man Zero game).Also, the option to have the whip spin by itself became rather annoying.Unlike Castlevania 4, which allowed you to move the whip around by holding the attack button down, this one only makes it spin on it's own, which is somehow amazingly counter-productive.Some of the abilities are nice (high jump, wall jump, etc...), but they don't alieviate this problem much, and actually require over-utilization in some areas (trust me, you would never survive the final battle without high jump).

Now the gameplay.I've played other games that used the "Metroid-vania" style (free exploration, found in Symphony of the Night and Aria of Sorrow, as far as the ones I've played).Somehow, this one takes that system and just makes you lost.Seriously, this castle was not as fun to explore as all of the others.The boss battles (mostly refering to the last 4) were super cheap, requiring me to over-use the DSS system to the most extreme, which was a far cry from the more "down to earth" battles from Castlevania 4 and Aria of Sorrow.Much as I enjoy difficulty, I can't stand not being able to have a clear shot at a target with my whip due to the enemy being over-sized or too quick to dodge.

This is by far one of my most hated Castlevania games.If you even think about buying this game (since a lot of other people liked it), I recommend you find a way to rent it first.Otherwise, you may get yourself into a snag like I did.Lucky for me, this was only $15 at K-Mart, which is about as low as GBA games get.

5-0 out of 5 stars Castlevania: Circle of the Moon
How do you spend a good time with your GBA?By picking up Konami's "Castlevania: Circle of the Moon".This is by far the best GBA game you can buy and with good reason.The launch title for the GBA is ranked among one of the best sellers on the GBA.

It isn't hard to see why this is a loved game.From the moment you pop this into your GBA you'll be swept off your feet by its AMAZING sound and incredible gameplay that goes unmatched by any other game out there!

The game begins when three vampire hunters corner Dracula.A master, his son and an apprentice.The master becomes imprisoned by Dracula and drops The son and apprentice into the depths of the castle below.Now, playing as the apprentice, Nathan Graves, you must explore the castle and find a way to get inside Dracula's chamber and stop the rite from happening!

Most noticeable about Castlevania: Circle of the Moon is its music.Anyone who's played this game can tell you that Circle of the Moon sounds INCREDIBLE!There is no GBA game that sounds this good out there.Some of the music is actually Orchastral and for the GBA that's amazing.

The second most noticeable thing about Circle of the Moon is the gameplay.Circle of the Moon incorporates an RPG style like gameplay.You run around with a whip that you use to attack enemies.For each enemy you kill you get experience points.When you get enough you level up and your HP and MP increases.

But the gold of Castlevania: Circle of the Moon is in the DSS (Duel Set-up System).This is perhaps the most innovative game idea presented in a title like this.There are twenty DSS cards in the game.Those for elements, and those for attributes.Finding all twenty isn't an easy task since the enemies drop them at random.But incorporating this system into the game is what makes it fun.You select one element and one attribute and see what happens.The DSS presents about 100 combinations and some are very worthwhile to see.

The other part of the gameplay that presents itself well is the exploration.The castle you explore is huge and well constructed.As you defeat more bosses and acquire more abilities you can explore even more of the castle.Much like the Metroid games, you'll know when you can proceed and when you can't.If you come to an area you can't get to its obviously because you do not have the correct ability.

Castlevania doesn't have bad graphics.For a GBA launch title the overall presentation is good but unless you have a GBA SP its a little dark.On a normal GBA it was so dark sometimes that I'd take damage and didn't know what was hitting me.The animation is also on the shorthand side.But that shouldn't suggest that Circle of the Moon doesn't present itself rather well.

The game is also a good challenge.It is not an easy game to get through, and newcomers to the series will have some trouble.But a good challenge is a good thing.The game is not too easy but it really isn't all that hard either.The meat of the challenge comes from the bosses and in any game that's where the challenge should come from.

Perhaps the best part about Castlevania Circle of the Moon is the replay value.Most games lack this but Circle of the Moon makes it worthwhile by providing new modes.Each time you complete the game you unlock new modes.Magician Mode, Fighter Mode and Thief Mode. Each mode has its own strenghs and weaknesses.For example, in Magician Mode you start off with all the cards and a massive amount of MP but your attack, defense and HP are severely limited.In Fighter Mode you have incredible attack, defense and HP but you don't get any DSS cards.In thief mode you have incredible luck!This makes playing through the game a second, third or fourth time a completely different experience than before.

Castlevania: Circle of the Moon is perhaps the best GBA game out there.With superb sound and gameplay, this is easily a treat for any gamer and Castlevania fan.It stacks up perfectly to Symphony of the Night and more over, should be the Castlevania that all future titles on the GBA should be compared to.An awesome effort by Konami.

The Good
+Great gameplay
+DSS System is the best
+Good challenge
+Visually striking
+INCREDIBLE SOUNDTRACK. Among the best the GBA has to offer
+Of good lentgh
+Lots of exploration to do
+Good storyline
+Lots of replay

The Bad
-The graphics are dark on a normal GBA

That's actually the only con that sticks out.Enjoy, as this is as good as GBA games get.
... Read more


159. Mall Tycoon 2 Deluxe
by Global Star Software
list price: $19.99
our price: $18.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B000688ZTE
Catlog: Video Games
Manufacturer: Global Star Software
Sales Rank: 4596
Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Features

  • Manage every aspect of a major shopping mall, from hiring and firing mall staff to setting rent for individual shops
  • Suit an infinite number of shoppers, al with their own personal preferences
  • Promote your mall with seasonal events and advertising campaigns
  • Give people access to your mall by train, car and bus
  • Research new technologies to improve your mall - elevators, security cameras and more

Reviews (2)

2-0 out of 5 stars BAD!!!!!!!
THis game is a WASTE to buy!!! This is the wort game i have, and i have played many games!!! you have to build your own mall and it doesn't give you half the things you need. I know it seems fum but i promise you it is not. What it is is a waste of money. if you are going to buy a game go and get Sims!

4-0 out of 5 stars Shopping Tycoon Lovers
Mall Tycoon 2 has new environments to choose from-and-you can build 9 Shopping levels! It has the same look and feel as Mall Tycoon 2.I was hoping on more of a 3D environment like the Sims 2--they're not there yet-and I hope it wont be too long.This is the BEST shopping mall tycoon you can buy! ... Read more


160. Klonoa 2
list price: $49.99
(price subject to change: see help)
Asin: B00005LZNI
Catlog: Video Games
Publisher: Namco
Sales Rank: 6142
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars
US | Canada | United Kingdom | Germany | France | Japan

Amazon.com Review

The original Klonoa for the PlayStation was a criticallyacclaimed 2-D platform game, but it was mostly ignored by consumers. Gamerspassed on it partially because of its unfamiliar and unusual lead character,Klonoa, a furry critter with a giant pair of ears tipped with extremities.Hopefully PlayStation2 owners will not suffer from a similar aural phobiabecause they'll be missing a fine game in the sequel. Klonoa 2: Lunatea'sVeil takes the excellent gameplay of its predecessor and puts it in a 3-Dworld. The game offers a nice mix of graphics, gameplay, and sound--albeit for arelatively short time.

Fans of games such as Sonic Adventure and Crash Bandicoot willlove this title. It plays similarly to those games, but with superior cameracontrol. Although the graphics are technically impressive--excellent use oflighting effects, particle effects, and cel shading--it's the style that reallystands out. The bright and playful graphics give off a feel-good vibe withoutbeing puerile. Unfortunately, all these lovely aspects are found in a game thatmost players will finish in fewer than 10 hours. Sure, there are some secretsand puzzles, but nothing that's truly challenging. It's a brief experience, butone of the best on the PlayStation2. --Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:

  • Beautiful graphics
  • Classic platform gameplay
  • Lovely soundtrack
Cons:
  • Very short
  • Very easy
  • Text boxes scroll slowly
... Read more

Reviews (65)

5-0 out of 5 stars Klonoa, your very best Friend.
This Game is your kind of game that has almost everything you want except the gibberish whackness I didn't have the game yet BUT I'm gonna bother my mom to get this for me.Nuff said.

5-0 out of 5 stars Kaze No Klonoa 2 (Klonoa 2)
Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil brings back the flying cat (yes, he's a cat. Namco confirmed it) from the PSX game, "Klonoa: Door to Phantomile". Personally, I was a HUGE fan of the original, so the second was a wonderful happening. The nonsense language from the first game has returned! It's good to hear a language that's not standard English or Japanese- it takes you away from reality, and since Klonoa travels through dreams, it's perfect. Klonoa has new garb, and a whole new adventure ahead of him, helping a priestess in training named Lolo, her companion Popka, and a world in turmoil. The feeling of the game is cute and bouncy, and the animation is lovely. I don't know what it is about this game, but I keep playing it over and over. RUPURUDU! (let's go!) ^_^

5-0 out of 5 stars An insanely fun game
Klonoa 2 is the best PS2 game that I've ever played. It is not a "kiddie game". It is really fun!

Gameplay: 10/10
It plays like a 2-D game, except for some of the hoverboard levels. Some of the puzzles are hard, but other than that, it's an insanely fun game.

Music: 10/10
It doesn't get in the way, like it does in most games. The background sounds stay in the background. There's even a sound test!

Graphics: 10/10
The graphics are probably the best in any PS2 game! It almost looks like a cartoon, but better.

Story: 8/10
Well... it's kinda confusing, and there are too many cutscenes, but you'll get used to it. At least the story is original and not as predictable as the Sonic or Mario games.

Replay Value: 10/10
If you think that the game ends after you beat the final boss, you are wrong! This game has lots of unlockables and fun extras like Time Attack and two terrific bonus levels.

Overall: 9.6/10
If you have a PS2 and you don't have this game, then you're missing out on a lot. It's worth the money. If you like other Namco games, you'll like this.

5-0 out of 5 stars OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOOO[...]VE THIS GAME IT IS AWESOME.The music,colors,gameplay oh its all so good.Its like a storybook that even eleven-year-old kids would LOVE to read.I PLAY IT AND FINISH IT EVERY DAY!!!!You guys have to get it!Im SOOOOOOOOOOOOO wowed!Its AMAZING!UNLIKE ANYTHING I HAVE EVER PLAYED!IF YOUR A BIG FAN OF NAMCO,you should try it.DONT JUST STAND THERE DUPIDA DE!DUPIDA DE!(LETS GO!) (LETS GO!)BUY THIS!!!![...]

5-0 out of 5 stars THIS GAME IS THE BEST GAME IN THE UNIVERSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I think this game is wonderful.this game is pretty easy but at the last boss it can get a bit hard.I just finished it.klonoa is my FAVORITE character.The end was sad,and I cried.The music is great.Unlike the game boy one,the music changes with every level and sets the mood of each one.The controls are very easy to remember(since it only uses two).The graphics are colorful.
I rented this game and I searched for it for a year.I got It for christmas and I couldnt stop playing it.My parents barely ever saw me.My mom wondered if I was still allive.please people if you read this buy this game.You wont regret it.enjoy it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more


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