Reviews (622)

Open Mind
Hey guys.I love this game, flat out.It has great characters, a good plot, a good system, and fantastic music.A lot of people think that the game is boring, or maybe they don't like the plot, but I think that those people need to just give it a chance.This was the 7th Final Fantasy I have beaten, and now I have finished 1-9, and this game is in my top four.

There are some problems with this game, but I don't think they are very critical.Most of them affect the first couple hours, but they are nothing toreally have too big a problem with.First of all, the begining is slow.There are about 4 battles in the first hour, and you finish only about 20-50 in the first few hours.Also it takes a little getting used to to get into the gameplay.Characters gain magic and abilities based on what equipment they have on.

Anyways, I put this in my top list of games, which are in order of which is most important to play

Final Fantasy VI
Chrono Trigger
Final Fantasy VII
Earthbound
Final Fantasy IX
Chrono Cross
Xenogears

Play those RPG's and you will have experienced the best games ever made.

This is to the people
Look, I realize you are entitled to your opinions, as am I.So, let me get my two cents in.This is to the people who do not like FF( because only mages can use magic(like cure, fire, etc.).Stop complaining!Not only can Garnet and Eiko cure, but Amarant uses Chakra to cure, Freya uses a skill to cure, and so can Quina.This game DOES return to the roots which has only certain characters use magic.It makes it harder.Now, to those who claim this game is childish because of certain things.I am twenty-four years old, and I like this game a lot.My friends like this game.Even my twenty-eight year old brother likes this game.None of us think it is too childish.
To those who complain about the storyline, claiming a thirteen year old could do better.I've read the fan fictions people of such age write about the Final Fantasies; trust me, they ARE NOT BETTER.If you think you could do better, try it.By the RPG Maker, and DO IT!Betcha can't, though.If thirteen year olds COULD do better plots, you would think that such companies as Square Enix would hire them.Duh.

Great Game, despite all other opinions
First of all, I'd like to point out that I haven't played many other Final Fantasy Games, so I'm not going to compare them.

On to my thoughts about FFIX. It was the first real RPG Playstation game that I ever bought and it's the one that got made me love the genre.
Plot: 4/5 Great plot, however they fail to really explain some crucial details (for example: why does Zidane sees Garnet's memory?). A little more explanations would be nice for my lack of brain cells.
Characters: 5/5 You really do get attached to Zidane and Garnet, you laugh at Amarant's oblivious and cynical nature, and just want to shoot Thorn and Zorn. The point is, the characters are interesting and have a personality.
Gameplay: 4/5 At first it's hard to understand how to train the characters and use different accessories to learn attacks. However, once that is settled, the gameplay is great. Also, it took me forever to realize that pressing Select on the world screen brings up a map: VERY USEFUL! You'll get lost if you don't use it. Other than that, good gameplay.
Graphics: 6/5 :) Gotta love the grahics. Squaresoft created different cultures/architectures for each different country. Gaia is absolutely gorgeous. The FMVs are amazing. Two thumbs way way up for the graphics.

Overall: Though it required a lot of time training to beat Kuja and the final bosses, the game is really fun. The minigames range from "fun-for-two-seconds" (Jumprope Vivi) and "takes-forever-but-gotta-love-it" (Chocobo Hot and Cold) and the game itself is great, long and never boring. Five stars out of five it is, then. Great way to get yourself in the world of Final Fantasy.

Possibly the greatest game of all time.
Yes, i admit that I have taken risks in writing the title of this review sincem after all the title was highly opinionated, but here me out. Ill look at it from a reasonable angle.

When Final Fantasy IX (FF9) was released, it was very differant than it's predecessors, Final Fantasy VII and Final Fantasy VIII. It had gone from a harsh 'sci-fi' feel to a soft 'fantasy' feel. The main character was not a silent and melencholy introvert. And overall, the game had a very prelavent tone of charm and whimsy, whereas VII and VIII had, for the most part, more depressing tones. Like I said, very differant from its predecessors.

For anyone who doesnt like simple RPGs, this isnt for you. Everything in this game has been made slightly more simple. No Junction or Materia systems here. Every character has unique abilities that only he/she/it can learn. While I enjoyed VII and VIII's systems, XI's felt more believable. Believe it or not, this simplification adds some serious challenge to the game. Because not everyone can learn 'cure' or 'revive' you will have to be careful on forming your groups. and since you can't junction switch at all, you'll find that keeping all of your characters at high levels is a good idea. You cant simply put 'curaga' on someones hp and have it skyrocket. youll have to do alot of levelling up. This doesnt mean that Final Fantasy IX is impossibly hard. In factm if I were to rate its difficulty level, I would say it was 60%.

these differances in abilities add to the very well written characters. Each character feels alive, and you believe what it says. In past final fantasies some characters, although important to the story line, just didnt feel real (Cait sith, anyone?) but in Final Fantasy IX, each character seems 100% believable. Their dialoge matches their personalities seamlessly. some scenes which have no importance to the story are written in just to make you 'feel' the character. Such as when Eiko scolds Vivi for looking the wrong way and vivi says "I was just looking at the mountains".

And then you have the games visuals. Are the graphics breakthrough? no. What you have in Final fantasy IXs visuals is emotion. For example, when playing Final fantasy VIII and you look at a floor tile, it just looks like some-old floor tile. But in Final fantasy IX when you look at a floor-tile,you feel a story behind it. It looks unique to each culture's lifestyles and beliefs. You feel a bit of what the "tile maker" felt when creating it. Yes, every blade of grass in Final Fantasy IX is a work of beauriful art.

One mustn't forget the music. Final Fantasy IX lives up to the high standard of its predecessors when it comes to music. Each song is beautifully well written and perfectly placed. Cooky and silly songs play where there is a village of quirky dwarves, sullen and sad music plays in a destroyed city, and so on. Some people (myself included) would get tired of certain songs after awhile in the past final fantasies. For instance, in FFVII when I was in the gold Saucer, although the music was good, it did get tiresome and I muted the volume. Same with Finl Fantasy VIII in Balamb garden. But with Final Fantasy IX i would often just sit and listen to songs re-loop so that I coud hear and feel them again.

The storyline in Final Fantasy IX is beautiful. I wont say anything to ruin it, but trust me. Its amazing.

Out of all this, why do I say that it is possibly the greates game of all time? Well, i'll explain myself.

Does anybody remember Halo? No no, not Halo2. Halo. just plain Halo. It was revolutionary. I remember that everyone played it. everyone who had an XBOX owned Halo. (partially because after awhile XBOXs started coming with a copy of Halo, but still) it was a great game. But now, with the arrival of Halo2, it has just faded out. Even big fans of the origional have said 'Man, there really isnt any reason to play the first halo anymore." Sadly, this is how it is with alot of games. Beautiful and wonderful games slowly fade out when shiny sequals come out. Yes, Final fantasy IX felt some of this when Final Fantasy X came out, but still many many fans play final fantasy IX because of its greatness. In other words, Final fantasy has lived on despite the release of more advanced graphics and things like that.

So, I urge you,(haha, I sound so devoted) if you havent played Final Fantasy IX before, play it. Make sure you buy it, because Ive been noticing that its harder to find at Game stores than it used to be.

Finally, ill leave you with one thing. You may hate this game despite everything i've said. Guess what, people are differant. If you try this game and for some unearthly reason you loathe every second of it, well then at least you gave it a shot.

Not a masterpiece, but still a great game...
I wouldntgo as far as to say FF9 is as good as the recent FF games,or most of the games for that matter, but it is still a great game. The atmosphere of this game is a far cry from FF8's romantic, adult atmosphere. Everything is more comedic and cartoonish, but the graphics are still up to par with recent RPGs, but not very innovative. (They basically look the same as FF7 or FF8). Anyway, I'll break this review down...

Graphics- 9/10 Like I said, they are up to par with games of its time, but are not very innovative. Then again, the Playstation is very limited graphics-wise. But that's what I love about the Playstation one, the games were not all about graphics, unlike the PS2(I am not a fan of PS2 at all, or the recent FF titles.)Anyway, the character designs are a lot more old-school, especially the black mage which looks pretty cool.

Sound- 7/10 This is one of the low-points of this game, the sound isn't that amazing. FF4, 6, tactics, 7, and 8 all have amazing soundtracks, not to mention 5 as well, but this one just doesn't amaze me. After playing through this game several times and mastering it several times, I still don't really remember any tracks in the game. FF8's soundtrack blew me away, so I was hoping for the same here. The only highlights for music are on the start screen, and the world music is pretty good, as well as the battle music.

Gameplay- 10/10The setup is pretty good, making you choose abilities from items that are equipped and learn them. The junction system in FF8 was in my opinion, one of the most innovative systems ever for a video games. This games isn't very innovative, but it's still a great idea that is fun to do. Also, there's synthesis shops now, where you combine items to make armor. (much like FF8s weapon system, except now you can also buy weapons and armor as well.) Overall, this game has a great system that is a lot of fun. The card game isn't nearly as fun as FF8's in my opinion, though. In ff8, you collected cards and then could card mod them, which was also an amazing idea, but in this game the cards seem to do absolutely nothing for the player, other than giving them knowledge that they completed the game 100%, and achieved the highest card collecting level, which is also pointless. Overall, the card game is just a lame re-hash of FF8's Triad game, so dont expect a blast playing cards here, look to ff8 for that.

Controls-10/10 Basically the same controls as in every other ff game. Now there's an exclamation mark which appears over Zidanes head if you are near an item, which was a pretty good idea.

Story- 6/10 This is the games biggest weak point. In my opinion, FF9 has the most forgettable story out of any FF game. Sure, it has its high points( The idea of having summons attack the town was a great idea,and was pretty sweet to watch) But other than that, it didn't leave me feeling amazed. FF4, 6, 7, 8, tactics and heck they all had great storylines, but FF9's is pretty lame. You go after some little guy wearing a thong, and thats about it, it isnt deep like the other titles, although at times it may appear that way. It wasnt the worst storyline, but definitely not up to par.

Overall- 8/10 I have spent a good deal of my life playing this game, since it took a while to master my characters levels and find all the items, and it was definitely worth it. This is a wonderful game that all RPG fans should play. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Lunar 2: Eternal Blue is old-school role-playing goodness at itsvery best. From the story to the simple battle system, it doesn't bore playerswith the details that can make newer role-playing games unbearable. No, Lunar2 won't impress anyone with its likewise old-school graphics, but that's notthe point. This game is fun.

The story in Lunar 2 doesn't take itself as seriously as otherrole-playing games, which contributes to the fun. The game's hero, Hiro, and hissidekick Ruby must help a young girl locate the goddess Althena. The quest turnsout to be long, spanning three disks, most of which hold full-motion videocutscenes.

The video sequences in Lunar 2 are probably the best part. They mixJapanese anime with computer graphics and are completely stunning. The in-gamegraphics, on the other hand, are ported straight from the 16-bit Sega CD, with afew enhancements, so those who like eye candy should consider themselves warned.--Robb Guido

Pros:

• Light and fun
• Super movie sequences that mix anime and computer graphics

• Outdated graphics

Reviews (101)

FLAWLESS!!!!!!!!!!
This game is really something else. the scheme of the battles are quite tactical and where you really have to think whats going on the the game. its amazing how that characters talk during the cut scenes, you really know what is going on. it exceeded past their first game Lunar: Silver Star Story complete. i cant wait to try thw one for the game boy advance!!!!!!!!!!!

FLAWLESS!!!!!!!!!!
This game is really something else. the scheme of the battles are quite tactical and where you really have to think whats going on the the game. its amazing how that characters talk during the cut scenes, you really know what is going on. it exceeded past their first game Lunar: Silver Star Story complete. i cant wait to try thw one for the game boy advance!!!!!!!!!!!

THE GREATEST GAME OF ALL TIME
when i first played this game i was amazed even though it was sorta poor graphics not the best graphics but still good onesthis game is a old school rpg i figured out about this game my friend brought it over and he was playing it so after he was done playing i wanted to try it when i first played most of the beginning of the game i was amazed i got pretty far then my friend left after a week or so i bought lunar 2 eternal bule complete i was amazed of the story of the game and how you battledthe key to playing and beating most bosses on lunar 2 is haveing tacticsif u can do that u will have a lot more easy time beating the game well that's all

To be played into the wee hours of the morning.
The games of the past truly are marvelous accomplishments.They know nothing of the modernized games we have today, and their quality is more focused and mature.With the harness of gaming graphics pretty non-existent in Lunar, the game has more power and depth, and certainly more room to grow than recent titles do.With each passing moment, Lunar does not become old and boring, it just becomes more charming and impressive.Lunar is a game that only gets better in time.
Since Lunar is a relatively old game, it was free to run with a complicated story, rather than just display some appealing eye candy as you drag a character through another repetitive task.The fact that Lunar is so different than other games is what really drew me to it.Here you are, in a massive world, with a hole mess of party members, when you realize that you've just embarked on an unforgettable and hilarious adventure that you would be foolish to hope to find in any other game.Lunar's story is touching and it doesn't insult you with the old cliché's and stereotypes.Just when you think it's all over, you always seem to find another important task at hand.When you finally DO finish this game, your left with an indescribable feeling of accomplishment and you finally understand just why everyone loves this 'old-school' game so much.
Lunar's charm washes over you completely from the moment you insert that first disc.It's filled with characters that you just love to interact with.When your away from the battlefield you don't always find yourself worrying about what boss is next, sometimes you just want to talk to the townspeople and see what hilarious thing Ronfar or Ruby or ANY of your party members will say.It's great that there's an rpg out there that's not all 'business', Lunar is just plain FUN!!!
Lunar is a light-hearted, but DEAD serious game, and you can always appreciate what's going on.In one scene you'll be laughing your guts out, then the next second your back to business when something HUGE happens!!!The game is soo exciting, and it's just awesome to play it.
If there is a thing that Lunar lacks, it absolutely makes up with it tenfold with it's laughable dialog, interesting story, and massive amount of extra goodies.Lunar is a game that you'll love forever, and you'll never EVER regret playing it.So, if you haven't already experienced what a true rpg can be, don't waste another precious moment, PLAY LUNAR!!

Great no matter what!
Whether your a long time resident, or a new-commer into the magical world of lunar, you have to admit that it was A LOT more than you expected!LUNAR may bea quite an old game, but that doesn't mean it's charm is in any way outdated.If you ask me this game just gets better with time.
I actually played this game before I played the first one--which is also an awesome game.You can play these games as a set, or idividualy, it makes no difference, you'll love em just the same!!^-^
I won't go into explaining the story, everyone else has already done that for me.You look at all the reviews this game gets and they're all either positive or they're negetive and nobody votes for them!!It's pretty obvious that this game is very crowd pleasing.And with all it's little quirks, it's just a pleasure to own it.
Anyways, I played this game like two years ago now, but i'm still not tired of it, and I don't think I will be any time soon!!Oh and by the way if anyone has information on the infamous "lunar 3" PLEASE PLEASE e-mail me, I'll really apprecieate it!!!

~have fun!!! ^o^ ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Four newly discovered and previously untold adventures are revealed when the closest friends of the missing Lara Croft gather in her honor. As they reminisce about her past exploits, they learn new details about her life, as well as the lives of characters from her past adventures. Lara journeys from the ruins of Rome to the bowels of a German U-boat to the rooftops of a high-tech city in search of four ancient artifacts. The game uses the same graphics engine that was used in Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, but introduces new moves: tightrope walking, parallel-bar swinging, and a hand-to-hand stealth attack. An enhanced inventory system allows for greater combinations of a variety of weapons and items. Create your own adventure with the Tomb Raider level editor, which includes a tutorial level and all of the tools that are required to construct custom levels. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Great graphics, poor gameplay...
The first time i played TR Chronicles for the PS1, i found it not that interesting. Face it, the Rome levels are just not that exciting. I played and beat levels 1 & 2, then attempted 3, unfortunatly, it took me 2 weeks to figure out how to beat level 3, it was WAY too hard. And that's just one of the many things that make TR Chronicles fall short of being one of the best in the series. OK, so there's alot of pros, Lara can now interact more with the characters around her (instead of just shooting a weapon, she can now bash people over the head with crowbars & stuff), she can now open and search file cabinets for various items, and she can kick down doors (which she could do in TR Last Revelations but it's still a cool move). In addition to new moves, there are 4 massive adventures to be explored. But as with all pros, there must be cons, and unfortunatly, the cons are major. My first complaint is puzzles (particulary timed-puzzles) being WAY too hard. I couldn't complete level 3 in Rome (Colessium) for 2 weeks because of the timed-puzzle in the middle of it, i almost tried to give up on the game in all, but after i beat the Colessium, i found it not so hard. In adventure 2, which takes place on a Russian Submarine (personally my favorite adventure of the game), Lara must get onto the sub, dive under the sea, and collect the Sphere Of Destiny (i think that's what its called). Not only is the storyline fun, but you have alot of fun exploring the subs many levels and areas, but once again, a con came into play. I found the Deep Sea Dive level incredibly difficult, and it took me awhile to collect the Sphere and escape back to the sub. Adventure 3, takes place on a haunted island in Ireland, i really just didn't like this area, not only is it boring, but it is so dark its hard to see what your doing. Finally, Adventure 4, which takes place in the VCI Headquarters, is a partly fun adventure. But even with its cool graphical images of a high-tech city, its really difficult to complete the 3 levels involved (espicially since you on have the HK weapon). On level 1 of VCI, i found it difficult to get the Iris at the end, but luckily, i found a cheat (not too much of a cheat) where you can press the button, sideflip left, flip backwards, then press and crawl like your crawling off a ledge, you will go through the glass!! It took me awhile, but after that helpful little clue, i completed level 1 of VCI. Level 2 of VCI, Escape With The Iris, is incredibly difficult (espicially since you have no weapons), i found all the portions with the elevator shafts and that slide where you half to jump and swing off two poles very difficult, i could barely complete this level. And the final level, Red Alert!, it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to complete shooting range #2, it took me 45 to 50 times to complete this one obstacle. Pretty much, i found TR Chronicles a cool game graphics wise, but gameplay is very difficult and sometimes annoying, if you want an all-out fun TR game that still has cool graphics, check out TR2 or TR3, just remember this one is just a sample of what will be on TR6: THE ANGEL OF DARKNESS for the PS2 & PC, coming soon!

don't read it if you don't want hints.
It starts out in rome the first level took a bit to figure out but now it's easy (for me). The other levels are about the same ecxept for the second where you have to kill the three headed dragon.
then comes Russia you start out by getting into the submarine after getting in, it gets tough. When you get to the kitchen figure it out
but be careful of the chef. Walk quietly around the stove and quietly up behind the chefs back and hit ctrl twice fast to hit the chef with your cowbar in his back, I'll leave you there. ...

Lara Croft Presumed Dead; Living It Up In The Past!
At the end of Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, many fans were left devastated thinking Lara was gone for good. They need not have worried as Lara returned in November 2000 in Tomb Raider: Chronicles, the fifth installment of the most successful PlayStation game series ever. There was one slight problem - Lara was presumed dead! Tomb Raider: Chronicles contains four sections of different times of Lara Croft's life from the past. These four stages are titled Rome, Search For The Spear, Black Isle and VCI Headquarters. Each quarter includes three brilliant levels, except Search For The Speach which includes four. Whilst probably the worst game out of all five, Tomb Raider: Chronicles is still superb, proving the excellence of the Tomb Raider phenomenon. The Official UK PlayStation Magazine says of Chronicles, "10/10 - Lara's swansong on PlayStation is a triumph". They're not wrong!

The first section is Rome. As with all Tomb Raider games, the levels become harder and more challenging as the game progresses - Chronicles is no different. In Rome, Lara is attempting to acquire the Philospher's Stone. This adventure brigns her into contact with Pierre and Larson, who you will probably remember as the peksy guys who wouldn't die from the first Tomb Raider! The three levels in Rome are called Streets Of Rome, Trajan's Markets and Colloseum. All levels are superb, mainly because of the scenery. The sky is a deep blue and the sound is superb. You can hear the crickets chirping away and you can almost sense what the levels are like - early evening with fresh air and a cool temperature. I know, this sounds so strange but it's true! The second section, Search For The Spear is a lot harder and complex. In this second section of Chronicles, Lara is seeking the Spear of Destiny, an age-old artefact currently lying in the ruins of a wrecked and abandoned U-boat. She is not alone in desiring possession of this mystical object, however - a mafioso boss has heard of its power and wishes to harness it for his own nefarious aims. He has bribed the admiral of a Russian submarine to take him to the resting place of the Spear. Lara decides to hitch a ride. The four levels in Search For The Spear are called Base, Submarine, Deep Sea Dive and Sinking Submarine. This section is my favourite of the four because it's very exciting and has the best storyline in the whole game...

The game continues with Black Isle. In this third chapter, Tomb Raider: Chronicles follows an early Lara Croft adventure. After Lara overhears a conversation about spooky occurences at a nearby island, she stows away on a boat chartered by Father Patrick as he heads to investigate. The three levels are called Gallows Tree, Labyrinth and Old Mill. Throughout these three levels, Lara is completely without weaponry. Only your wits will protect your beloved Lara from the devilish shandes that haunt the Black Isle. These levels are set somewhere in England, but I'm not sure where. Even though it's always raining and is very dark and damp, it makes for an interesting and refreshing change from the typical hot desert/jungle style levels of previous Tomb Raider games. The fourth and final chapter in Chronicles, VCI Headquarters, is large and very hard! In one of the sternest challenges ever faced in a Tomb Raider game, Lara must steal the Iris - an object of immense power. Mixing stealth with brute force, she has to negotiate complex corridors, fight crack troops and even survive an entire level without a gun. Fortunately, she has Zip - an American hacker - on hand to advise her as she progresses. The fourth section is set in a New York tower block and the three levels are called 13th Floor, Escape With The Iris and Red Alert. All levels are incredibly tough and deeply frustrating if you fail to achieve the required task to progress with the game. Some sections on these three levels are downright scary (echoing footsteps when there's no one there and the sound of invisible laser beams that get closer), yet you will experience an immense feeling of success and achievement once you complete these final levels!

OVERALL GRADE: 9/10

All in all, Tomb Raider: Chronicles is a fantastic game. It's not quite up there with the superior excellence of Tomb Raider, Tomb Raider 2 and Tomb Raider: The Last Revelation, but it's still a superb game to play. The game isn't very long - it took me less than a week to complete over the Christmas 2000 period - a lot shorter than the time it usually takes for me to complete a Tomb Raider game, which is usually in the region of a year! Compared to a lot of other PlayStation games, however, Tomb Raider: Chronicles stands head and shoulders above the rest. Buy this now from Amazon to complete your Tomb Raider collection!

Take a look at the cover...
because what you see is what you get. Is Lara a hip, Matrix-style gun-toting action adventure assassin? No, she's a solitary tomb raider doing (hopefully) fun, inventive puzzles in great, real-life locations. So as much as I appreciate new, exciting areas, put us in a situation she would actually be doing. She doesn't need to take on a bunch of villains and skateboard too...

Awkward Controls, Frustrating Camera...
Tomb Raider: Chronicles (TRC) features the lovely Lara Croft in her many adventures from Rome to a U-Boat to a high-tech tower complex.The game has one of the most awkward controls and frustrating adjusting camera angles since Danger Girl (that's a cheap game, and one should buy it simply for the art inside and NOT for the game or gameplay!).Anyway, one will keep on falling and falling...etc. and continously get blindsided by enemies for the most part.Additionally, Lara still moves like a tank with feet, instead of having fluid and sly movement.However, the stealth in the latter levels in particular is a welcome addition, being spoiled by the Metal Gear Solid series.The puzzles aren't too difficult, but they are very physical-oriented as opposed to mental-oriented (like Eidos' Fear Effect).The cinematics are okay, but they are rather short.My two favorite levels on this game is the U-Boat/Russian Base level and the Tower: Level 13 level.Both of these are reminiscent of Metal Gear Solid.Otherwise, this game is definitely for fans of Tomb Raider previously, but for newbies, definitely rent before you buy. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Fine-tuning the white-knuckled car chase formula of its predecessor,Driver 2 features more of the same high-speed, inner-city vehicularmayhem, and casts players once again as Tanner, a hard-boiled undercover copwho's posing as a badass getaway driver--this time, to stop an international mobwar.

With computer-animated cinematic sequences doing the lion's share of thestorytelling, players must guide Tanner through more than 40 action-packedmissions in four different city settings, this time on foot--which primarilyallows Tanner to carjack other vehicles--as well as behind the wheel.

While it can be of a lot of fun to play, Driver 2 is no joy ride. Themissions can be quite unforgiving and require many restarts to complete, and thecops are quite determined--even at the "Easy" setting. Also, the game's coarse,choppy 3-D graphics often get in the way of things, with slowdowns disruptingthe game's pace, and buildings and such popping up out of nowhere. --JoeHon

Pros:

• Drive like a bat out of hell in four different city settings
• Action now takes place on foot, as well as behind the wheel
• One- and two-player minigames add replay value
• "Film director" option lets players edit their own car-chase sequences

• Missions can be quite unforgiving--requiring many restarts to complete
• Coarse, choppy 3-D graphics make gameplay more difficult than it needs to be

Reviews (99)

A VERY WORTHY TITLE
This is a fun game,and realistic too,also this game improves from Driver 1 instead of the same cop cars in the same cities you get different ones(I.E. Chicago has white-and-blue cop cars that go fast and have good endurance.And Havana has big black-and-white cop cars that r big with one siren and u can easily lose the cops in this city.) And the cities have different cars and styles.GRAPHICS:3/5:The graphics have actually dropped from the Driver 1,b-cos the cars look more blocky but you still get the realistic car effects.SOUND:5/5:The sound ain`t ennoying to me the background music is kind of cool but i am so used to being in Chicago that the music always go`s in to my head when thinking/playing Driver 2,the music in Havana sounds more like action the damaging effects also sound realistic.THE STORY:5/5:(The story isn`t any thing like Driver 1 but the story seems to have also continue into Driver 3)The story is about the criminals cocky bookkeeper cuts a deal with his greatest rival but Soloman Caine and his hired Hitman,Jericho go`s in the pub they are in,called The Red Driver in an attempt to kill Lenny but misses him and he escapes but they then kill the Brazzilian Gangster,which is tooken into a Forensic lab to investigate.and then Tanner(The Charictor u play) then has to meet his partner Tobias Jones so they can follow a Witness,who seen the deal that went on but when they catch him instead of treating him mannerly they take him hostage until he spits out imfo and the story begins.GAMEPLAY:4/5: The gameplay is very fun,you get to exit your car and steal another or walk around and sit down or you can stay in your car and make a mini movie by first getting the law on your tail and go do some stunts like skids,Donuts and go up ramps(Especially the lift bridge in Chicago) and then when you wreck yourself, replay it, and see your actions in Cinematic view and then use the fabulus "Film Director"(A Feature that was in troduced in the first Driver,but i forgot to mention it in my other review) to make your own movies(I am talking about the cool Take A Ride mode).the only down falls are is that there are many glitches such as ppl walk thru buildings and once the police set Tanner up i seen a police car so i decided to follow it,driving like the other,good guys so i could attempt to steal it but when he turned the corner and i followed him there was auto-matic 77% felony and a road block of police cars!.CYA Lata

Pretty Damn Good Game
"Driver 2" is one of the best Playstation (1) games I've ever played. From time to time, I wanna flip back from the PS2 to the original, and this is usually the game of choice when I do. There's a really clever yet easy to follow storyline, which grips you in from the momment you start, and puts you in the mindframe that you can't put down the controller until you've done what you're attempting. Graphically, it's not the greatest thing ever created, but from a gameplay point of view it's pretty stunning.

Here's the plot - A US crimelord's money man cuts a deal with his greatest rival, a Brazilian gangster, meaning that violence is sure to ignite both American continents. That's where you come in. You're Tanner. The Driver. You have to drive your way through cities, taking part in a helluva lot of in car and out of car action to get your jobs done. There's really no way to describe how addictive this game is, you just have to play it. 4.5 stars.

Very Good game
I love driver 2 my 14 year old friend bought it last year and he let me borrrow it I played it more then him I never beat the game but almost did using cheats My favorite part was taking different cars I liked the limos in Vegas best the cars look cool the places look realisticand the damage is realistic I like playing take a ride it's fun using all the different kinds of cars. like I said FUN FUN FUN buy it on EBAY AMAZON or EBGAMES.com

A cool game, except for crumpy graphics
Yes, Driver 2 is known as cool game and a bad graphic made game. I like the cities and all but, missions are too hard and images are like stupid. I would recommend Driver 1 and Driv3r because they are better at playing. The foot missions are kinda cool, but Atari/Infogrames, increase graphics when releasing Driv3r.

Awesome Game!
Driver 2 is a great game. It has good sound,, good control, and it's a lot of fun. I haven't played the first one so I don't know how much worse or better the second version is from the first version. The only problemm is that iit's graphics are a little off, but otherwise, it's a great game.

Graphics 3/5
Sound 5/5
Control 5/5
Gameplay 5/5
Replay 5/5

Overall - 4.6/5 ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Where did it all screw up?
When I first gotthis game I have to admit I was excited.I tried it out at a friends and loved it but that was not my final say.I loaded it out and I was DISAPOINTED.the gameplay was slow the charachters were choppy and the line of boxers could of been better and bigger.OH yeah!theres customizing boxers but that feels somewhat mediocre.

Finalsay: Even hardcore boxing fans might want to skip this one.And dont even bother renting even thats a waste of money.

The Career mode is the best I've seen to a boxing game
This is a very well thought out game. First of all, I like the variety of styles you can pick when creating a boxer as well as the realism of the career mode. The only bad thing about the game is its somewhat limited graphics and gameplay. As far as gameplay, it needs to be tweaked a little bit. It's like they got the majority of the game and left out some small specifics such as the announcing. I hope someone can recreate this for ps2 and get the full effect of the graphics and gameplay because if the small defects are fixed, knockout kings won't be the best boxing game for playstation.

This game is Awsome!
To start, This games play control is better than any other boxing game ive played. Unlike most boxing titles, you actually know what kind of punches your throwing, and not just mashing a bunch of buttons waiting for a big punch. Also, for the first time, you can defend punches by your opponent much easier than some games.The training mode is awsome, and the career mode is the best ive seen. The only downfall of this title is it lacks very in depth commentary, and the prematch and postmatch animation isnt very appealing. Also, I would have liked to see other boxers, such as Tyson, Holyfield, Lennox Lewis, Prince Naseem Hamed, Trinidad, Del la Hoya, and maybe for some laughs, Butterbean.

not a good game at all
i played it as long as i could because i wanted to like it...i love boxing games.i thought it might be good.

not!

dont make the same mistake i did

Excellent Boxing Game!
HBO Boxing ranks right up there with Knock Out Kings 2000 and 2001 for the playstation! Not only that, the game inludes boxers like Roy Jones Jr, Fernando Vargas, George Foreman, and Sugar Ray Robinson! All of which you'll eventually have to fight depending on which weight division you choose (Heavyweight, Middleweight, Lightweight). Unlike past boxing games, HBO Boxing allows you to toggle between right and left hand when you throw punches. Many have criticized this as being to hard to learn. I assure you, after playing for a couple of weeks, I am very glad HBO Boxing has this feature! With this feature, I can use all four buttons on the controller, making it easy to throw multiple combinations either with the right or the left! Once inside the ring, the game does not disappoint! Depending on your strength, you don't have to reduce your oppoents health bar to zero in order to get a knockdown. Sometimes, if you are strong enough, you can knock down your opponent with a hard uppercut to the body. Or a well placed right hand. On top of that, you can cut, bruise or even fracture your oppoents nose, cheek bone or ribs! That's how realistic it is! The only knock on this game is that for some people it will take a while to learn the controls. But once you've mastered that, the game has great replay value! You can play it over and over again! I certainly hope they come out with a second HBO Boxing game! Excellent game! The best part of this game is of course the career mode! You start off as a "no name" boxer, but eventually, you work your way up through the ranks to fight on Boxing After Dark, HBO Championship Boxing and even TVKO! From there, that's where you'll need to put your boxing skills to the test, for you'll be fighting the likes of Roy Jones Jr, George Foreman, David Reid, Fernando Vargs and much more! Excellent Game! Definatly worth the money! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX uses a refined version of the gameengine found in the original Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. The modes,menu, and trick system are identical. The main difference is thatinstead of skating around, performing tricks, and collectingvideotapes, you're riding a bike, performing tricks, and collectingmagazine covers. To accommodate the physics of bicycle tricks, thelevel design is different from THPS. Some of the levels aregood, but most are relatively bland and aren't as clever as what we'veseen before. Despite this flaw, it is the best BMX game currently onthe market, but in the context of other extreme sports games it fallsshort. It's too similar to the original THPS and not as good asTHPS2.

Despite the fact that it's mostly derivative, the game has a fewoutstanding features. It contains lots of full-motion video sequences,albeit at the expense of load times. The real gem is the soundtrack,which is a nice mix of punk, electronica, hip-hop, and rock. It'sdefinitely one of the best video game soundtracks ever.

If you're looking for the best BMX game on the PlayStation, this is it.If you're a fan of extreme sports in general, you'd be better servedwith THPS2 or waiting for THPS3. --Raymond M.Padilla

Pros:

• Outstanding soundtrack
• Gamers familiar with the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater series will feelright at home
• Plenty of full-motion video

• Long load times
• Mediocre level design
• Not enough enhancements from Tony Hawk's Pro Skater

Reviews (37)

cool
this is the coolest. For anyone wanting to do freestyle tricks move to MHPB2!!!!like doing tricks like the sufer or FPEG Stand To Expandable.

Pretty Darn Good
I haven't unlocked every level on this game yet, but from what I've unlocked so far I would say that this game is pretty darn good. I mean, who cares about the graphics? C'mon. I bought this game with some of my birthday money at GameStop. I couldn't wait to play it. As soon as I got home I jammed it in my console and started playing. I was hooked! I didn't like the first level, mostly because I had played it already in the THPS2 demo, but the next level, Construction Yard, was AWESOME! And to those people who say this game is easy, they must be sick in the head. This game constitutes a good challenge. Especially the level I'm on now. Can't wait to get to the next level. I'm gonna push myself...
Anyway, if you want to get this game I'd say go with that voice in your head and spend some cash. You won't be sorry. You can trust me.

The most addictive game I have ever played
I love this game, it is totally awsome. My best friend I stayed up untill 5:00am trying to beat the game. I thought the Mat Hoffman's Pro BMX was money well spent. I recomend to everyone that is looking for a fun and challengeing game to play. It is just like the first Tony Hawk game.

MAT HOFFMAN ROCKS !!!

Blood splatters unacceptable and unnecessary!!
My 6 1/2 year old son was so excited about getting this game, he talked about it constantly while we waited for it to be delivered. But when he started playing it, he was so disturbed by the blood splatters, he left the game in tears. We have so enjoyed Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4, we assumed this product was comparable. Since when are blood splatters OK for "Everyone" (the game is rated E)??? Tony Hawk, you should be ashamed to offer this game to young children. My son ended up very disappointed, and my husband and I were outraged.

my review (please read)
The game is pretty much the same as tonyhawk proskater except for the fact thats it is bikes. although the game just dosent have that special something to make it a great game like the tony hawk pro skater series. although it is still fun to play every now and then. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Hours of entertainment
I'm not one for sports type games but this one was so much fun.The characters that you get to choose from is where the fun comes from. The real fun of the single player game is contained in the game's championship mode.Here, you'll select a boxer whose stats will be extremely low. You'll have to work the boxer through the ranks, through three classes. You can fight for cash prizes and then spend the cash on the training of your boxer. The training takes form in a series of little minigames.Do extremely well in the minigames, and you'll get an even higher bonus to your stats. As you move through the ranks, you'll unlock more boxers in the championship mode, and you'll eventually unlock the bosses for play in the arcade mode. The boxers' faces get banged up after a few rounds and their personalities shine through in the ring introductions. The sound of the crowd, including shouts of encouragement from the corner men, brings a lot to the game's atmosphere.Since it's a few years old.. it's a cheap game now but it's one to have in your collection.

A FUN GAME
THis is a fun game and has lots of different things to do.Different boxers and bonus players.Its a great gameto buy.

Not to easy.
I thought this game was bad. There is unlockable characters and everything. But there is just no way to win 7 fights. You have to hit the computer a million times with jabs and it will probably lead to a knockdown. You have use this system because the computer crowds you and takes over the fight. If all you want is graphics by all means take, but if you want something more this is a rental style rumble.

afro thunder's patna
i've been trying for so very long 2 find out how to knock the referee out the ring, if not that at least hit him... how can i just hit him????

michael (The king) feldmanBEST BUY!
This is the best game of all time.All of the boxers improved in terms of graphics. Ready 2 Rumble 2 is the best fighting game on playstation and arguably the best playstation game of all time. I like this game because there are no rules. It is the NFL Blitz 2001 for boxing. it is phat and cool.Pick Afro Thunder. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Great game
this game is the best not only does it have the normal big name schools but it also has ivory league and stuff like that the only problem is you can't create schools and you have to do thier schedule so of course i was kansas state and won the championship which wasn't easy but then i started a new season and had the same schedule which is an easy schedule because kansas state isn't good at bball but all and all i love this game i'm now lookin for a newer one so i can be updated if i were you i would get this game it doesn't have the names of the players so the year don't matter but i would like to find one where you can create schools

Buy this game!
I think NCAA Final Four '99 is the best college basketball game on the market!the only problem is that the players might have the wrong skin color. There is great collision detection, so the players don't go rightthrough each other like thin air. The difficulty level is right on themark, so the senior level is really hard. You should buy this game insteadof March Madness or Final Four 2000!

OK, but it could be better
This is one of the funnest games in my collection, but it's way too easy.You know that something is wrong when the University of Richmond beats Duke 150-78.The shot meter is a nice touch, but if you use it, it's almostimpossible to miss a shot.I would recommend that first time basketballgamers play this, but steer clear if you want a challenging collegebasketball game.

Go FIU
The game is awesome. I love the fact that you can be any team on the board and try to win the Tourney. I like picking the underdogs and matching them up against the top ranked teams like North carolina and Duke.

this game is cool
this is the best basketball game for any system. It Rock ... Read more

Amazon.com Product Description

Harvest Moon: Back to Nature is a different sort of game. Instead of blasting aliens or scoring touchdowns, players plant seeds, care for crops, interact with villagers, and search for a mate. This is a role-playing game that features gameplay that's nonlinear and in real-time. To help your ranch become successful, befriend the Harvest Sprites. There are over 50 characters with which you can interact. You can attend festivals, and compete in events like Chicken Sumo and the annual Town Tomato Fight. Collect and cook different recipes--even create your own dishes to impress the ladies. ... Read more

Reviews (122)

Funny, cute, hard work
This game ist like the others before: working on a farm, feeding your animals...but it is as funny as the others before, maybe more, 'cause you have more possibilities what you can do in this game. To be honest, you cannot explain what makes this game worth to buy it, you MUST play it by yourself, then you can see, what I mean!!
Have fun

Not the Usual Genre
Last year for christmas, I got a playstation one and Harvest Moon Back to Nature. This game is pretty great. First of all it's not the usual "shoot as many people as you can" type of game. Basically, you run a farm. I know, I know, you're probably rolling your eyes but trust me, there's more to the game than that. First, you have three years to build up the farm. You do this by buying animals (chickens, cows, sheep) and taking care of them. You also do this by growing a variety of crops (there are different crops for each season.), and by improving your house. This game never gets old. There are festivals to attend, people to talk too, wood to chop, hay to harvest, and a variety of of adventures to be had.

Yeah, buy this
How could a game about farming be entertaining? You have no idea.

The mere fact that this game is about farming is a major turn-off to anyone who hears about it -but it's not boring at all. On the contrary, it's one of the best games I own. This game makes farming fun! But it's not all about farming! There's a social aspect, as well. Not only do you have to make friends with all your neighbors, but you have to charm a girl and eventually get married. You later have a child. (Although your son will never grow past toddler) It's quite the complex game, really.

I'll tell you right off that it's not the most exciting game. No blowing off heads, no shooting people, no dodging street cars... Don't let that turn you away! This game calls for hours (upon hours, upon hours, upon hours...) of fun.

I have every Harvest Moon game released in the US, and quite frankly, this is by far the best. Most people purchase the version for PS2 instead of this one, simply because it's more recent, but it's nowhere near as good. You can't even get married in that version.

The real reason that this game is the best is probably because of the festivals. There's an average of about a festival a week, and I must say, their quite good. The festivals in the other games (with the exception of N64) are quite mediocre. They're hardly worth going to. The festivals in this game are very interesting and they're always worth seeing.

I have only one criticism for this game: Saving, loading, and merely switching between scenes takes far too long. In other versions, these actions typically occur without delay... In this game, however, it takes a few moments. It's not terribly long, it can just be a pain.

Despite that little set back, it's a marvelous game that anyone with a half of mind can enjoy. I whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone with the slightest interest in a game that requires strategy.

Harvest Moon
This game was so much fun!It's so realistic, and so well thought out.Not to mention the cute little charecters!

You play as a boy who, if I remember correctly, has inherited a relative's farm.There's a garden to plant and grow, a barn, and a building to keep chickens in.You can travel outside of the farm, visiting different parts of town.You'll meet plenty of people along the way, and have oppurtunities to buy animals, books, food, and other items.Your ultimate goal is to have the farm up and running before a year is up, to prove to the town that you can take care of it.Every second is a minute on the game.

Now, quit reading reviews and go rent or buy this game!I'm just kidding.I really would recommend it, though.

Harvest moon back to nature
Harvest Moon BTN is the best game ever. You get to live on a farm and raise cows and sheep. You can get a horse which you can ride. You can marry 5 different ladies. Who are Elli, Karen, Ann, Mary and Popuri. There are over 50 charaters. To become friends with. GO HARVEST MOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

SmackDown! 2 is the best wrestling game for the PlayStation,period. In both its graphics and gameplay, it's very similar to the firstSmackDown!, except that players will find a mother lode of options forspicing up their wrestling lives.

Besides season mode, players can fight in ladder, table, and chair matches.Their battles can spill over into back areas, in which furniture and eventraffic abound. Wrestlers can even drive a forklift over their opponents forparticularly painful results. All of the ring entrances are there in finedetail. Players also can create their own wrestler with hair, weight, andaccessory options that rival those of any wrestling game out there.

Still missing is the color commentary; also, the move set for each wrestler iskind of limited. Overall, players can expect a fun experience that, while notperfect, is certainly the top wrestling title for the system. --RobbGuido

Pros:

• Stellar graphics and user-friendly controls
• Countless options

• Still no color commentary

Reviews (171)

Just as good and in some ways better then the original
This game has the same graphics as the original but has a bigger match list. Hell In The Cell is on the card, TLC, and the Casket match which is lackluster. Season mode is done a little better, but would be greatly enhanced later on in the series. The game looks good, the controls remain the same, which is awesome. This is actually the last platinum game for the PS1 before the PS2, which would actually release one month after this. But congrats to WWE, the games keep getting better.

WWF: Smackdown 2
Smackdown:2 is a got to have game. If you have Playstation and you are looking for a good wrestling game, then, you've definetly got to get WWF: Smackdown 2 Know Your Role. This game is very fun with lots of interesting matches. The superstars actually look like the real thing, the graphics are also good. Warning: This game is very addictive, so if you are really a true Smackdown fan, then this a game that you have to own. And the coolest things are

1. The season mode is very good

2. The gameplay is easy

3. You get to fight at the Smackdown arena or Raw arena

4. You fight for many title belts

5. Many fun matches

These are just a little bit of the action of the game. If you want the real deal, then get WWF: Smackdown 2 Know Yor Role.

Smackdown 2: Know Your Role
This is the best wrestling game I had ever played for playstation. Its graphics and gameplay, it's very similar to the first SmackDown. Besides season mode, players can fight in ladder, table, and chair matches. Their battles can spill over into back areas, in which furniture and even traffic abound. Wrestlers can even drive a forklift over their opponents for particularly painful results. All of the ring entrances are there in fine detail. Players also can create their own wrestler with hair, weight, and accessory options that rival those of any wrestling game out there.

wow!
i have all the wrestling games for ps1 but smackdown 1 is a lot better!

Way To Tight & Old School
The Game is awesome.It has alot of wrestlers.It is The Undertaker,Eddie G.,The Rock,Mankind(Mac Foley),Al Show,Val Venis,Vince,Sean,Stephine M.,Kane,Chris B.,Scotty 2 Hotty,Y2J,Edge,Tazz,Test,Christain,& Many more.It is #1.But Better Then WWE SMACKDOWN Here Comes The Pain.That not important,the Game is great.I`m done,Bye ... Read more