Retro Review: Grand Theft Auto III

With the Release of Grand Theft Auto IV this week, it's a good time to sit back and take another look at the game that made DMA design - Rockstar North. GTA 1 and GTA 2 were top down open world games that were fun, but never really had any sense of story. You were just causing some top down destruction. GTA III reinvented the series and made it was it is today. GTA III took the open-world, sandbox concept of its 2D predecessors and moved it into 3D. GTA III introduced a violent and mature world and story that captivated people. The freedom was unprecedented. GTA III created a new video game genre and copycats came out of the woodwork. For its time (Oct 2001), GTA III had good graphics (though not PS2's best), fantastic sound/audio, an amazing presentation, and brought something to the table no one had ever experienced before.

Verdict Back then: 95%

Is Grand Theft Auto III any good today? I say not really. The graphics look horrendous and boxy, the draw distance is terrible, the missions are repetitive, the controls are really bad outside of driving, and the storytelling has been surpassed by every subsequent sequel (c'mon the main character doesn't even talk). Grand Theft Auto III deserves a ton of credit for created the genre, but it was stale even back when Vice City came out. Maybe Vice City was just that good of a sequel that it immediately brought out all the flaws of GTA III. At the very least, Vice City and San Andreas showed us what could've been expanded upon and fixed with GTA III. Maybe that is exactly what Grand Theft Auto IV is for...it's a return to Liberty City to show us all what has blossomed from Grand Theft Auto III's legacy. GTA III will always be remembered as revolutionary, but what were once viewed as minor flaws at the time have become major ugly tumors on this game. It's a relic of the early PS2 era, but it will always be remembered.

Verdict Now: 78%

God of War 2 Playstation Review

God of War 2 is a superb adventure and probably one of the last great titles for PS2. For me, the appeal of God of War has always been the story and puzzles and I would say that both are superior in this sequel.

Gameplay: 9.5/10
Pros: Combat is relatively unchanged from the first title, but the puzzles and locales are all the more fantastic. The new pegasus flying sequences are very good. Boss fights return and are as spectacular as ever.
Cons: I still think Combat is somewhat of a button masher...context stuff is great, but I found myself wanting to get to the next boss, puzzle, or story sequence over mowing down my 1,000th generic spartan looking soldier.

Graphics: 10/10
Pros: An exceptional looking Playstation Game. The different locales are amazing and seeing a graphical depiction and interpretation of mythical locales is a real treat.
Cons: It is a PS2 game and switching back from next gen makes you really notice a difference in quality.

Music/Sound: 10/10
Pros: Catchy theme, dramatic music and score, excellent weapon effects, perfect voice acting (and a lot of it at that) makes the audio of this game shine.
Cons: The blood curdling screams of the creatures you slay may haunt you at night.

Lasting Appeal: 9/10
Pros: The lengthy and intriguing quest will keep you playing till the resolution of the story. Multiple difficulties and bonuses to unlock.
Cons: For me, the lasting appeal of a story driven game is tough...once it's over there's no real need to play it again. However, it does deliver on an excellent story and adventure and that's what it is supposed to do. There's not that over and over again need to play, but it certainly delivers on an excellent adventure.

Average: 96.25%
Tilt: -0.25%

Just a slight detraction to make it an even 96% since it's not quite a 97% since it lacks some appeal during combat and replayability. This is a great game though and if you have a PS2, you absolutely have to play the game. Check out the last great adventure on PS2.

Verdict: 96%

One of the Best Games You've Never Played: Shadow of the Colossus PS2

Released in October of 2005, Shadow of the Colossus was a sequel of sorts to the cult classic, and PS2 launch title, Ico. I never played Ico, but Shadow completely stands on its own and is absolutely enchanting. Here I am 2 years later, and I am yearning to play the title all over again (the only question is where is it). Describing what makes Shadow so good is difficult because the game is more a piece of artwork and an experience than a game. It's truly breathtaking, both graphically, in scale, enjoyment etc. One of the true gems of the Playstation 2 and a title that probably sold a third as many copies as the disappointing and rather abysmal Devil May Cry 2. I do not want to ruin any of the majesty and wonder of the title, but the basic premise is that to save your love, you have to defeat these colossal beasts of the land. Shadow is really just a series of Epic Boss battles and mythical land traversing and exploring. There's no real point in breaking down what makes Shadow work and what doesn't work. The only complaint I had (still have) is that the adventure is over too quickly. A true gaming masterpiece that would make even the harshest anti-game senator admit that videogames can be works of art. A must play for any Playstation 2 (or 3) owner.

Verdict: 99%

This game is an absolute must buy at these prices:

OKAMI PS2 Review:

Okami is an absolutely gorgeous game. Yes, it can't compete with Gears of War, PS3's resistance of man, or any of the next-gen games in terms of photo-realism and polygons per second, but it can compete in the general category of graphics. The visuals in Okami are phenominal and amazingly stylistic. A new look you've never seen before, Okami looks like a living breathing watercolor. Words really can't describe the way the game looks like in motion. The gameplay and puzzles are topnotch too. The celestial brush technique is different and is really fun incorporating into the puzzles and even the battles (though I think it is sort of cheap in battle since it freezes the screen). One of the best things about Okami though is getting your wolf, Amaterasu running at full speed and just enjoying the scenery. Basically the structure of the game is like most other action rpgs: Explore area, solve puzzles, defeat bosses, gain new abilities, and gain access to new areas to explore. What makes this whole experience more rewarding and new is the fact that you are restoring color and nature to all its glory as you go. You can literally see teh results of defeating evil... trees bloom, animals return, color is restored, people reoccupy the area, etc. You truly start feeling like the Mother Goddess Amaterasu. It's really just an amazing adventure and the last great gem of a game that will probably grace PS2 now that PS3 is on the horizon and releasing in the coming weeks. An absolute must play for all Zelda and RPG fans.


Gameplay: 9/10
Pros: Your wolf can really run and makes exploring great. Drawing Stuff with the brush and puzzle-solving is really unique and different (outside of the DS at least) and works well.
Cons: The battles are fun and break up everything else nicely, but can be annoying when travelling long distances...you can see them and try and avoid them, but its still a nuisance when they get ya.

Graphics: 10/10
Pros: I'm not one to insist that graphics be photorealistic and find the vibrant watercolor graphics of Okami to be absolutely beautiful. The best Graphics on PS2 since MGS3
Cons: Nothing for me, but some may not like the stylistic look

Sound: 8.5/10
Pros: Amazing score and sounds- especially the wolf sounds
Cons: No voicework at all, instead each character sort of has a mumbly sound as the text comes up. It works within the theme well, but when most RPGs have full voice- it makes it seem lacking

Lasting Appeal: 9/10
Pros: The game is REALLY long. I've heard 60+ hours. I've been playing for about 20+ and have had it for a couple weeks. A long enjoyable Quest and a great stroy w/ some Mini-games: fishing, digging, etc. Just what an RPG needs
Cons: I'm not really sure if there is any incentive to replay an RPG, and this one is no different

Average: 91.25%
Tilt (+/-): +2.75%
Okami is the PS2's Zelda. A great Action RPG that will hopefully see a sequel despite Clover Studios (the team behind the game) being broken up. One of the last gems on Playstation 2!

Verdict: 94%