Playstation 2




That's right, I got one! Of the 30 units Wal-Mart had, I got the last one. The four hour wait was definitely worth it. I've got to tell you, the graphics this thing is able to put out are amazing! I highly recommend renting this unit as soon as you can get one!

Starting with the PS2 section, I'm going to try something a little different for my ratings. You've seen it before if you read gaming sites or magazines. I'm going to give several ratings for different aspects of a game. These categories are Intro, Graphics, Sound, Control, Replay, and Overall. I will still rate from 0 to 5, and I'll give a reason for each score. This will hopefully help to make my reviews a bit easier to follow and use. Just keep in mind, that early titles are very hard to judge since there isn't much to compare against. A low score doesn't necessarily mean the graphics are bad, just that I believe they could be better on such a powerful system.

To Be Added Soon:
-Evergrace (nice)
-Tekken Tag Tournament (very nice)
-Dead Or Alive 2: Hardcore (nice graphics, unimpressive game)
-Kessen (very involving strategy)
-Wild Wild Racing (absolute crap)
-SSX (BEST boarder yet)
-Madden 2001 (good, if you're REALLY into football)

Armored Core 2

Classic style Mech combat game. Pilot your AC (Armored Core Unit) through some beautiful scenery on Mars, and destroy anything that moves. Tons of options for AC customization, down to the colors for each part. Single player missions or two player arena matches against a friend.
Intro
Absolutely beautiful graphics here, starting outside a space ship, then moving inward to see an AC being prepped and then launched down to the planet from the ship. Keep watching for an amazing Mech fight on the planet's surface.
Graphics
Sound
Good sound effects and nice music throughout, I just wasn't exactly blown away.
Control
I must say, the control in this game is about the worst aspect of all. I lost track of how many times I tried to steer with the analog stick and had to stop and think. Why they used the old D-pad is beyond me. Also, every single button is used, including the analog sticks. Normally this is fine, but you actually do need to use them all at once to effectively battle. The analog sticks would have made this much simpler. Finally, the turning speed is just maddening on some AC's. A full 360 takes a good couple seconds.
Replay
Definitely a fun game to come back to, and the two player mode makes it all the better. I didn't score this too high simply because I'm sure someone will beat it in the near future, assuming we get another Mech game.
Overall
For a launch title, it's great. The intro really draws you in, and it's beautiful to watch. The sound and control dragged it down a bit, but overall it's a fun game that looks good.



Silent Scope

A port of the arcade game
Intro
Graphics
Sound
Control
Replay
Overall