I was first introduced to the Playstation 2 by my girlfriend who just happen to now be my awesome wife! I arrived at her parents house to find her playing Final Fantasy X, up to this point I had only seen brief gameplay of the Final Fantasy series & never played any of them. She was at Lake Maclania fighting an Al Bhed machine called the Crawler. I remember really liking the combat style & the design of not only the characters but also the world itself. After that brief introduction I decided this needed to be the first thing we got once we moved in together.
Three month later & we had both left Mayo & moved to Galway. I was working in a music shop at the time & decided to buy the PS2 from there. I wished I had not as I did not even get a discount which sucked ass but what are you going to do? There was no bundle deal but I picked up two games that were in the 2 for €50 offer; Final Fantasy X & another game that I just can't remember what it was. If it comes to me I will update this post.
Final Fantasy X is set in the beautiful & dangerous world of Spira. You take on the role of Tidus; star player of the Zanarkand Abes. Through some strange turn of events you get dragged into protecting a summoner on her pilgrimage. What is the pilgrimage for? Well she is gathering powerful beings call Aeons & needs them to summon the Final Aeon. But why? Well according to elders of Yevon (the world religion) we are sinners & need to be punished & that punishment is called Sin. A huge ass creature which destroys everything in its path. Summoners are the only ones that get defeat Sin & bring about peace.
Your party is made of a number of memorable & lovable characters. There is:
Wakka; easy going, full of heart & struggling blitzball Captain
Auron; he has a kick ass sword & is the most bad ass guy ever
Lulu; cold but caring & can kill you just by looking at you
Kimahri; protector of Yuna since she was a child, great with a lance & a little grumpy
Rikku; a little silly but full of heart & cousin to Yuna
Yuna; a young summoner that just wants to save everyone & never thinks of herself
There is a lot to see & many battles to fight. One of my favorite things to do in Final Fantasy X is play blitzball. A sport played in spherical arena made of water. The best way to describe it would be; it is a cross between football, rugby & hockey. I sank many hours into it & was a great way to unlock abilities for Wakka & win rare items. In fact the big reason I bought the remastered version on the PS Vita was so I could play blitzball any time any where.
While RPGs are not my go to genre I truly feel if you don't play this game you have missed out. Between the gameplay, story & characters there is so much depth in this game. If you have a PS Vita or a Playstation 2or 3 pick up a copy of this game. This is one fantasy you just have to play.
What the hell is Super Monkey Ball? Is exactly what I said when my brother in law brought this into my life. Hands down this is one of the most fun games I ever played. Naturally you are a monkey in a ball & need to save another monkey (your wife) also in a ball from Dr Bad Boon. Of course the best way to do this is; traverse crazy courses, collect bananas & cross the finish line. Outside of the main story mode is party mode. You can play with up to four friends or play with yourself. The party games are:
Monkey Shot
Monkey Soccer
Monkey Billiards
Monkey Bowling
Monkey Golf
Monkey Tennis
Monkey Baseball
Monkey Dogfight
Monkey Target
Monkey Race
That's a lot of Monkeys & a lot of Balls! One of my favorite mini games was Monkey Billiards. The big reason for this is that one of the level designs is an old western style saloon, the monkeys in the background are wearing cowboy hats & drinking pitchers of milk. All these little details I really feel add a lot to the game & make it a really fun experience.
While it would be easy to say this is just another party game it is so much more. I implore you buy a copy of the game & invite some friends round to play, you won't be disappointed.
The first time I played Resident Evil was on the Sega Saturn, I remember my dad renting it from Blockbuster for me. I really enjoyed the look & feel of the game & remember how challenging it could be. The first thing thing that springs to mind when I am thinking about the series is the title screen of the original game. When you pressed the start button the voice would say "Resident Evil" in a really evil & malevolent way, it still sends shivers down my spine.
Resident Evil 4 is probably my favorite of the series & is one of my favorite horror games. This games follows the story of Leon Kennedy who is sent on a mission to rescue the US President's daughter Ashley. She has been kidnapped by a one of those peaceful cults & all is well with the world & Leon can just relax - of course this is a lie. Leon must defeat monster & psycho villagers who due to a down turn in the economy & being unable to knit very well wear cloth bags on their heads to keep warm.
I loved the gameplay because they use the over the shoulder view which gave a great level of control when playing. In this game there are a number of quick time events which really works well & keeps you constantly vigilant.
There are two very memorable characters for me in the game. The first is a dog which you can rescue in the first few minutes of the game. You have a choice not to save him but unless you have ice in your veins there is only one logical choice. He disappears after you save him & returns later when your in trouble. While his time in the game is short I really enjoyed his presence & I also like dogs. The second character is The Merchant. It is not just the entrance he makes or his outfit but what he says to you; "What are you buying stranger?", "What are you selling?". While it does not sound that exciting it is & any one who has played the game will know what I mean.
Graphically at the time it looked quite well but I would love them to do a remastered version of the game. I can't recommend this title enough, if you have a Playstation 2, (or Wii, Gamecube, Playstation 3, XBOX 360) then pick up or download this game.
Before moving onto my next console I want to mention a some games that are must haves on the Playstation 2:
Black
GTA 3
GTA Vice City
Lego Star Wars (this was made before there was a Lego version of everything)
Time Crisis 2 (especially if you buy the arcade gun!)
Prince of Persia Warrior Within
Ratchet & Clank
Shadow Of The Colossus
Catch you next post!
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