Flake wrote:I love when I see other people playing Megaman Legends! That game is horribly underrated for some odd reason - I have never before nor since played a game with so much character and pure joy as the original MML.
MML2 IS expensive but at least it is not as expensive as the Misadventures of Tron Bonne. I am so glad I bought all those games at retail when they were new back in the day. No one could have predicted they would get to be so expensive!
I hear you big time. When I first got into those games my friends were just like "3D Mega Man? This sucks", and wrote it off instantly. These games are pure gold. With the exception of Command Mission, they're the only spin-off Mega Man games I can get into.
I just want to throw my two cents in here and agree with the other guys. Mega Man Legends is an unusual take on the Mega Man games, but it's one that excels in many ways. While I did have some issues with the camera at times, the controls were always good, the game entertaining, and the plot interesting. The voice acting is on the cheesy side, but it added more character, and nobody was laughably bad in the Star Ocean 3 sort of way.
1. Deja Vu 2. Lunar Legend 3. Skies of Arcadia Legends 4. Streets of rage 2 5. No more heroes 2 6. Rogue Galaxy 7. Pokemon White 8. Dragon Age 2 9. Call of Duty: Black Ops 10. Mafia 2 11. ArcaniA: Gothic 4 12. Two worlds II 13. Divinity 2 flames of vengeance 14. Rune Factory 3 15. Persona 4 16. Cabela's Big Game Hunter 2010 17. Serious sam HD the first encounter 18. Deathsmiles 19. The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D 20. EDF: Insect Armageddon 21. Mushihimesama futari ver 1.5 22. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 23. Alpha protocol 24. Conker Live and Reloaded(new)
Finally beat Conker live and reloaded, Bought it two years ago and then lost my saves and didn't want to play it again.
Serious Sam: The Second Encounter (PC)(FPS) X-Men: Mutant Academy (PS1)(Fighting) Street Fighter Alpha (PS2)(Fighting) Extermination (PS2)(Survival Horror) Spyro the Dragon (PS1)(Platformer) Spyro 2: Ripto's Rage! (PS1)(Platformer) Myst III: Exile (PC)(Graphic Adventure) Shaq Fu (GEN)(Fighting) Spyro: Year of the Dragon (PS1)(Platformer) God of War (PS2)(Action Adventure) The Simpsons Game (PS2)(Platformer) The King of Fighters '99 (PS1)(Fighting) EOE: Eve of Extinction (PS2)(Beat 'Em Up) Final Fight (Arcade)(Beat 'Em Up) Gundam Battle Assault (PS1)(Fighting) Dark Rift (N64)(Fighting) Deadly Arts (N64)(Fighting) Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (PS2)(TPS) Vampire Hunter (SAT)(Fighting) Super Scribblenauts (NDS)(Puzzle) Castlevania: Curse of Darkness (PS2)(Action Adventure) Jet Force Gemini (N64)(TPS) Super R-Type (SNES)(Shmup) Mega Man X7 (PS2)(Action Platformer) LittleBigPlanet (PSN)(Platformer) Daikatana (N64)(FPS) Kirby's Adventure (NES)(Platformer) Viewtiful Joe (PS2)(Beat 'Em Up) Final Fantasy II (SNES)(RPG) Gex: Enter the Gecko (PS1)(Platformer)
TOTAL: 30
The second Gex game was a 3D platformer with some interesting differences between ports. I played the PlayStation release for this entry, though I have previously played much of the Nintendo 64 port. In general I liked the PS1 version more for reasons I'll get to in a bit.
I've played a lot of platformers this year, which is generally unusual considering I'm not a fan of the genre and tend to be quite critical towards it. But many of the titles I played through were recommended based on their quality, and I've enjoyed them(for the most part...Mega Man X7...not so much). Gex continued that trend, though not without violating a few personal rules on the genre that anger me to no end. But lets get to the good stuff first:
First, Gex's universe is a humorous(at times) mixture of popular culture references, particularly focusing on television and movies. Many 3D platformers that rely on cartoony characters making quotes and references quickly grow stale(the N64 port cut many of Gex's lines and falls into that trap), but this PlayStation version actually did a decent job of pulling out enough to keep them fresh. Even during the final level I heard a few quips I had never heard Gex make before.
The levels themselves keep up this trend, with great referential titles like "In Drag Net," "Frankensteinfeld," and "No Weddings and a Funeral." The levels keep to a specific set of themes, but there are some interesting variances between them, as well as a few styles which only appear in specific bonus levels. Many levels also featured an assortment of well-hidden nooks and crannies, some of which felt like quite the accomplishment to uncover.
My biggest complaint with the game came in the form of the camera. Gex gives the option of manually controlling the camera, semi-manually controlling it, or allowing the game to take over(don't even bother with this one). The game suffers because the controls change themselves in relation to the view, so if you run forward and the camera spins around, you'll soon find you're now running in a different direction than when you started, something that will easily get you killed in something as precision-based as a 3D platformer. There were numerous lives lost because the camera would shift a split-second before a jump, causing Gex to hurl himself into an abyss for no reason when he was aimed perfectly at his intended target a moment before. Manual control of the camera isn't always up to snuff either, as there are certain angles the game just refuses to view and often tended to autocorrect beyond that point for no reason, again resulting in Gex getting killed. The hybrid option combined aspects of both the best and worst of each, again making it a mixed bag.
In what I believe was an attempt to make up for this, the game throws metric tons of extra lives at you, allowing you an incredible number of opportunities to get through an area before you throw in the towel. At the peak of the game, I managed to reach 95 lives, and even with the difficult final levels and the end boss, I never again dropped beneath 85, instead generally replenishing every one I lost almost immediately. While I'm glad I had plenty of opportunities to try, I just wish the camera had been fixed in the first place, so I didn't need so many.
I will praise Gex for its difficulty curve. Levels start simply and build in their challenge over the course of the game, so that by the end of it, you're having to do some pretty ridiculous runs. But by that point you're generally acclimated to the challenge, so it's not too big of an issue. The level Samurai Night Fever in particular stood out to me for its challenging design when compared to earlier levels, though by the time I made it that far, I was able to handle the challenge.
And then there's the music...there are some interesting tracks, with humorous references to famous themes (such as the odd Star Wars-esque moment in the space levels), but the computer levels were hands down the best, where some excellent musical queues were used to signify how long Gex could hold an electronic charge. If anything I thought that was the high point of the game's music and wish I could have heard more of those particular tracks.
In general I liked Gex: Enter the Gecko a lot. It has a sense of humor about itself and never takes itself too seriously. There are other platformers out there that I've enjoyed more, and there were some issues with this one, but never so bad as to make me turn my back on it. Fans of the genre should check it out.
Awesome stuff Ack. I was actually thinking of asking you how it measured up to the N64 version, I guess it's pretty clear the PSX version is the way to go. That game is among my list of PSX platformers I want to go through again sometime soon, I don't know if it's a good idea to marathon these games back to back but that's kind of my plan. Seeing so many on your list is a good reminder of doing this since the Spyro trilogy is definitely at the top of my list. Those games, Gex, and perhaps Crash (I'm not sure how I felt about 2-3 but I should give them another chance) are the ones I want to play again.
Do you also know of Croc? Those two games are pretty solid as well, although it's been quite awhile since I've played them. Gameplay wise I remember them feeling quite a bit like Spyro meets Banjo Kazooie.
1/11 Guardian Heroes (SAT) 1/14 Sonic Adventure (GCN) 1/17 Marvel vs Capcom 2 (DC) 1/17 X-Men vs Street Fighter (SAT) 1/22 Dragon Ball Z Budokai (GCN) 1/24 Street Fighter III - The New Generation (DC) 1/24 Street Fighter Alpha 3 (DC) 1/25 Mega Man X (GCN) 1/26 Dragon Ball Advanced Adventure (GBA) 1/31 Tatsunoko vs Capcom (Wii) 2/1 Megaman X2 (GCN) 2/2 Marvel vs Capcom (DC) 2/3 Megaman X3 (GCN) 2/3 Megaman X4 (GCN) 2/4 Megaman X5 (GCN) 2/5 Megaman X6 (GCN) 2/7 Gundam SEED: Never Ending Tomorrow (PS2) 2/8 Jojo's Bizarre Adventure (DC) 2/9 Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors Dreams (PS2) 2/9 The King of Fighters XI (PS2) 2/11 The King of Fighters '99 Dream Match (DC) 2/13 SNK Gals Fighter (NGPC) 2/16 The King of Fighters '98 (Wii) 2/17 The King of Fighters '96 (Wii) 2/17 Metal Slug (Wii) 2/17 Metal Slug 2 (Wii) 2/18 SNK vs Capcom: The Match of the Millennium (NGPC) 2/19 The King of Fighters '97 (Wii) 2/19 Street Fighter II' (Wii / VC) 2/22 Metal Slug 3 (Wii) 2/25 Super Street Fighter IV (PS3) 2/27 Capcom vs SNK 2 (DC) 2/27 Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3) 3/3 Mega Man II (GB) 3/5 Super Street Fighter II: HD Remix (PS3) 3/6 Mega Man III (GB) 3/11 Mega Man IV (GB) 3/13 Mega Man: Powered Up! (PSP) 3/14 Garou: Mark of the Wolves (DC) 3/15 Street Fighter III 3rd Strike (PS2) 3/15 Street Fighter Alpha 2 Gold (PS2) 3/15 Street Fighter Alpha 2 (PS2) 3/15 Street Fighter EX 3 (PS2) 3/15 Real Bout Fatal Fury Special (PS2) 3/16 The King of Fighters R2 (NGPC) 3/16 Project Justice: Rival Schools (DC) 3/17 Capcom Fighting Evolution (PS2) 3/20 Zone of the Enders (PS2) 3/21 P.N.03 (GCN) 3/21 Super Puzzle Fighter II (GBA) 3/27 Super Street Fighter IV 3D Edition (3DS) 4/10 Dragon Ball Z: Budokai 2 (GCN) 4/28 Vampire Savior (SAT) 5/3 Advance Guardian Heroes (GBA) 5/7 Virtua Fighter Kids (SAT) 5/12 Soul Calibur II (GCN) 5/13 Kirby: Nightmare in Dreamland (GBA) 5/14 Dead or Alive 2 (DC) 5/14 Gigawing (DC) 5/15 Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode 1 (Wii) 5/23 Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure (NGPC) 5/24 Mega Man 8 (SAT) 5/27 Kirby's Dream Land (GB) 6/4 Super Mario Land 3: Wario Land (GB) 6/18 Castlevania: Circle of the Moon (GBA) 6/20 Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (PS3) 6/20 Street Fighter Alpha 2 (SAT) 6/20 Street Fighter Alpha: Warriors Dreams (GBC) 7/10 Kodou Senshi Gundam (SAT) 7/10 Super Mario Land (GB) 7/16 Sin and Punishment: Star Successor (Wii) 7/18 NiGHTS: Journey of Dreams (Wii)
Oh. Wow. NiGHTS for the Wii is awesome! I am now convinced that the entire internet has never played this game and simply reviewed it based on what they heard someone say in a bathroom while high on Robitussin.
It's not as good as the Saturn original but then the Saturn original was gaming perfection on a level beyond what man was ever intended to realize. But NiGHTS for the Wii still manages to evoke that same oh-so-very-90's sense of wonder and fun. Part of it is the gameplay. Part of it is all the music they have carried over from the original game.
I only had two gripes: A) I felt NiGHTS was more personable in the first game where it never spoke. Not sure how Sega pulled that off but now that I have had a game full of NiGHTS speaking and shit - I prefer my jesters to remain silent. B) I know that for a sequel it is important to tweak gameplay thus justifying the sequel. They tweaked too much. NiGHTS was never about having variety in gameplay - it was about the seamless levels and the desire to beat your best scores.
If you are at all a Sega fan and have a wii, ignore the bad press and at least give this game a rental!
Maybe now Nintendo will acknowledge Metroid has a fanbase?
Xeogred wrote:Awesome stuff Ack. I was actually thinking of asking you how it measured up to the N64 version, I guess it's pretty clear the PSX version is the way to go. That game is among my list of PSX platformers I want to go through again sometime soon, I don't know if it's a good idea to marathon these games back to back but that's kind of my plan. Seeing so many on your list is a good reminder of doing this since the Spyro trilogy is definitely at the top of my list. Those games, Gex, and perhaps Crash (I'm not sure how I felt about 2-3 but I should give them another chance) are the ones I want to play again.
Do you also know of Croc? Those two games are pretty solid as well, although it's been quite awhile since I've played them. Gameplay wise I remember them feeling quite a bit like Spyro meets Banjo Kazooie.
I had an absolute blast with the Spyro games, so I would say yes, play through the first three again. I played them pretty much back to back(Myst III and Shaq Fu I beat in one evening in between Spyro sessions), and while I did start feeling it towards the end of the third game, it was such a great experience overall that I'm glad I went through with it. Changing up the series by jumping to things like Gex or Crash could work, though I must admit I've played very little of Crash and never really cared for him as a character. I've seen the Croc games, but never played them. I might look into them though, as my girlfriend likes 3D platformers and is the person who got me to play Spyro and provided Gex.
I think you should honestly give Crash another shot, the first game especially. He's not much of a character, but it's a really weird... different kind of platformer, since it's level based and pseudo 2D/3D at times. I just can't say I've seen very many other 3D platformers quite like it. LONG game though, I don't think I've ever actually finished it.
It almost seemed like you beat Gex in one sitting though, lol. How long was it and the Spyro games?
Games Beaten: Castlevania: Portrait of Ruin for the DS Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light for the PS3 Sonic 4: Episode 1 for the PS3 Donkey Kong Country Returns for the Wii Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee for the original Xbox Portal 2(PS3) Flower(Playstation Network) Darksiders (PS3) Alice Madness Returns(Xbox 360) The Dishwasher Vampire Smiles(Xbox 360) Heavy Rain (PS 3)
Plants vs Zombies Game of the Year - PC Steam version
I finished Adventure mode. The game is pretty well designed and funny. There's a ton of content too with the mini-games, puzzles, garden, and going through Adventure mode with new conditions and all of your upgrades. I kind of don't feel like giving stuff scores anymore, so I'll just say that the game is awesome
This is my first tower defense game and I find that it reminds me in some ways of my one and only real time strategy experience with Starcraft. You build resources, create troops and defend your base. Only real difference it seems is that you never get to go on offense and move around a map
RyaNtheSlayA wrote: Seriously. Screw you Shao Kahn I'm gonna play Animal Crossing.
