7 for '07 - PlayStation 2
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7 for '07 - PlayStation 37 for '07 - Xbox 360
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7 for '07 - PlayStation 2
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In all likelihood, this is the last year we will be able to count the PlayStation 2 amongst our numbers. While the other two consoles, the GameCube and the original Xbox, burned out in earnest last year, the PS2 has some life left in it, and even got off to a good start this year with games like the much-anticipated Rogue Galaxy releasing as we were working up this little feature. Still, even with a tentative list of games that looks to extend on all the way to this holiday season (though there’s no telling how solid that is), we had no trouble picking the truly exceptional and noteworthy titles from the garbage. The PS2 is definitely showing signs of slowing down though, as even some of the debatable garbage still managed to make it on our short list. Despite that, Sony’s indomitable system has enjoyed quite a run, being the exclusive home for a number of AAA titles and the launching platform for countless others, and for that alone it deserves a place of honor and some respect. That’ll do, Kambei, that’ll do.
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Brave: The Search for Spirit Dancer – If the fashion industry has taught us anything, it is that even the pasty, skinny nerds can run around with their shirts off and still hang out with hot women...so long as they have millions of dollars, that is. But, it has also taught us that, if you want people to notice you, you have to have style, and Brave: The Search for Spirit Dancer, with its graphical mix of Little Hiawatha meets Vexx, has that in spades. In the game, you play as a young Indian whose village is suddenly enslaved by the mythological Wendigo and, in order to save them, Brave must set out to find the wisest and most powerful shaman, the legendary Spirit Dancer. While this isn’t the first time you’ll play as a Native American in a video game, it may be the first time they aren’t toting around a BFG, ala the classic Turok series or even the more recent Xbox 360 game Prey. Instead, you’ll use more traditional weapons, such as spears and tomahawks, as Brave ventures out to track down Bigfoot, hunt the wildlife, and ride rapids and buffalo. All in all, transcending most age boundaries, this game seems like it would make the perfect addition to most anyone’s library (and has “sleeper hit” written all over it), not to mention our list...you might even say, we have no reservations about it. Or not. |
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Burnout: Dominator - Scrape, scrape. You hear that? That’s the bottom of the barrel. Yep, the harder we looked at what the PlayStation 2 had to offer this year, the more we realized that, despite the sheer number of titles coming out, the long-term future for the system is a bit grim, and 2008 may be the year many have to breakdown and purchase the PS3. Still, we did our best to make a list of the most decent looking titles out there, and Burnout Dominator just barely managed to creep its way on there. When faced with such slim pickings, though, saying a game is the worst of the best (or vice versa) doesn’t have quite the same effect, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we think Dominator is going to be a bad game. In fact, if anything, it stands as a fond farewell to the system that gave the series its start. Dominator looks to offer the same high-octane thrills of the last games, with fantastic car models pushing the limits of the last-gen hardware as they careen together at breakneck speeds, racking up massive points in the process of spectacular wrecks...so, yeah, it’s another Burnout title. Scrape, scrape... |
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Dawn of Mana – The upcoming Dawn of Mana may only be one title in the “World of Mana” - a compilation of games (spanning a number of systems from the Nintendo DS to mobile phones) designed to rejuvenate the Square Enix franchise – but it is by far the most interesting. In it, you’re trying to save your home from an invading army as a predominantly whip-wielding youth, and that plays into some of the major changes hitting the classic, but oft-overlooked action-RPG series. For one, Mana is making the jump to 3D with Dawn and includes a lot of the bells and whistles you’ve come to expect with that, including implementation of the popular Havok physics engine and gameplay that will reward intelligent use of it. It may not be heading to Sony’s shiny, new PlayStation 3, but offering Dawn of Mana to the massive install base of the PS2 could certainly open up some doors...at the very least, it earned it a place on our list. |
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God of War II: Divine Retribution – When the original God of War hit the PlayStation 2 back in 2005, it was lauded for its slick graphics, intuitive controls, fast-placed gameplay, and, um, mini-game of questionable content. Its sequel, the oh-so-aptly named God of War II, will not only see the return of all that, but it also looks to bring it to the next level...including the mini-games. Divine Retribution sticks you back in Kratos' boots while he is at the height of his power, shortly after the victory in his first adventure. However, after defying the gods, he is stripped of his divinity, leaving him with only the lowest health, magic and weapon level, and now he’s out for revenge...on Zeus. With the last part of a planned trilogy already in the works for the PS3, God of War II serves as a proper lead into the next-gen system. However, this game really makes our list since, for Sony fans, it could really be the last great hurrah for the PlayStation 2. |
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Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix – If you’ve already played the original Kingdom Hearts II, then you’ve already played Final Mix...sort of. For the most part it is the same game you know and love, with the mish-mash of Final Fantasy and Walt Disney canons. However, it does include a few changes, such as additional cutscenes, difficulty levels, and a number of new items and weapons. Most surprisingly, it also contains a 3D version of the card-battling system found in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories for GBA.
If you’ve played Kingdom Hearts II before, KHII: FM may not have much to offer you (unless you are simply a nut for the series), as some of the changes were already present in the English verion of the game. However, if you haven’t yet experienced the fantastic amalgam, we can’t see any reason why you should miss out on this version. |
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Tomb Raider: Anniversary – Having played very little of the popular franchise for myself, I can’t account for the success of Tomb Raider, a series that made a name for itself on Sony’s systems. However, there’s no doubt about it, over the years old Lara Craft has certainly taken a turn for the worse: several failed marriages, keeping questionable, alcohol-saturated and clothing-optional friends, and now shaving her hea--oh, wait, wrong person. Never mind that - no matter the reason for her demise, Eidos has taken note of the problem and they are trying to make things right. Last year’s Tomb Raider: Legends may have been the first game in the series since, well, the first game in the series to actually be worth buying. So, with that reckoning, what better way to capitalize off that success than to remake the anatomically incorrect heroine’s first adventure using the lessons learned from her last? We don’t know, but Tomb Raider: Anniversary sure sounds good to us! |
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Wild ARMs: The Vth Vanguard – The original PlayStation launched dozens of franchises, including some of the best the RPG genre has to offer like Suikoden. While it never achieved quite that level of quality, one of the most overlooked in that group is Wild ARMs, which blends the Wild West and anime into a predictable (but enjoyable) story time after time. The 4th installment in the franchise introduced a hex-based battle system and lots of new action-based gameplay, and these attributes appear to be returning for the 5th outing.
Also returning are the series’ staples, including three protagonists, Golems, ARMs, and the same style that’s made the previous installments so popular. We still don’t know for sure who the publisher is (past publishers in the series have included SCEA, Agetec, and XSEED), but regardless we expect another enjoyable and solid RPG. |
Posted: 03/03/2007