Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
Moderators: Friday, LaserBeing
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
III.
One of the hallmarks of RPGs with player choices (as far as they go) is multiple endings. Dragon Quarter has one ending: your liberation. Well, if we want to recognize the poverty metaphor, there are two: you can die, of course.
Now, it would be easy for the game to force the player to toil under these cruel conditions and get to the end through luck, pluck and targeted application of effort and resources the way the poor are told they must in the real world, but Dragon Quarter isn't fucking Hollywood. This isn't a work interested in signing off with "in conclusion, the class structure of capitalism is a land of contrasts."
No, Dragon Quarter knows this status quo is bullshit, it knows you know it too, and it wants you to say it.
And the brilliant thing is, it does this through the same medium-specific tool it used to torment you: agency.
The most amazing thing about the SOL system is how there's no attempt to contextualize it in-universe. It's just there. You can, at any time, push a button and access as system that, with a little bit of dedication, you can use to tear the whole fucking game in half and rocket to the end without breaking a sweat. There's no way to look at this as anything but straight-up cheating, but the frustration of the game's mechanics and limitations ("if only I had more") will eventually drive you to the point where you have to ask what you are struggling against. The answer is right there. Take it. Burn this motherfucker to the ground.
I'd tell you you have nothing to lose but your chains, but the coup de grace is that the game rewards you for cheating with a higher D Ratio upon completion. At last, you surpass Bosch. Do you feel guilty? Empty? Why? Did Bosch deserve his Ratio more than you do?
One of the hallmarks of RPGs with player choices (as far as they go) is multiple endings. Dragon Quarter has one ending: your liberation. Well, if we want to recognize the poverty metaphor, there are two: you can die, of course.
Now, it would be easy for the game to force the player to toil under these cruel conditions and get to the end through luck, pluck and targeted application of effort and resources the way the poor are told they must in the real world, but Dragon Quarter isn't fucking Hollywood. This isn't a work interested in signing off with "in conclusion, the class structure of capitalism is a land of contrasts."
No, Dragon Quarter knows this status quo is bullshit, it knows you know it too, and it wants you to say it.
And the brilliant thing is, it does this through the same medium-specific tool it used to torment you: agency.
The most amazing thing about the SOL system is how there's no attempt to contextualize it in-universe. It's just there. You can, at any time, push a button and access as system that, with a little bit of dedication, you can use to tear the whole fucking game in half and rocket to the end without breaking a sweat. There's no way to look at this as anything but straight-up cheating, but the frustration of the game's mechanics and limitations ("if only I had more") will eventually drive you to the point where you have to ask what you are struggling against. The answer is right there. Take it. Burn this motherfucker to the ground.
I'd tell you you have nothing to lose but your chains, but the coup de grace is that the game rewards you for cheating with a higher D Ratio upon completion. At last, you surpass Bosch. Do you feel guilty? Empty? Why? Did Bosch deserve his Ratio more than you do?
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
Orrr it's a gimmick to turn a 10 hour game into a 30 hour one.
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
https://is.muni.cz/el/1421/jaro2014/IM088/Danto__1_.pdf
And I mean, there's already enough NG+ substance to flesh out the length if you want more.
And I mean, there's already enough NG+ substance to flesh out the length if you want more.
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
Papers Please was my first experience with a game that was THEME over fun. I am sad that I am so actively terrible at what it wants me to do to get farther in the game that I actually cannot play it beyond like, day 5, because the rules just get so insanely complex (to me, whose ability to do paperwork in real life is abysmal) that I lose and die.
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
I liked Papers Please as art in that sense (even if I didn't really enjoy the game either) because the theme fit so well as a game to begin with. Like, existing at the bottom rung of an insane bureaucracy is a game.
- beatbandito
- Posts: 4300
- Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:04 am
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
things you guys are saying except LISA
also all I remember about Dragon Quarter is using the 'respawn' mechanic to get super OP in the first dungeon
also all I remember about Dragon Quarter is using the 'respawn' mechanic to get super OP in the first dungeon
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
3. Kingdom Hearts 5
16. Beyond Good and Evil 4
31. Persona 4 (Poll closed, let's get drunk) 7
11. Silent Hill 4 5
2. Killer 7 4
46. Chulip 3
Next up:
12. Gitaroo Man
1. God Hand
5. Viewtiful Joe
44. SMT: Nocturne
26. Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance
18. Soul Calibur 2
16. Beyond Good and Evil 4
31. Persona 4 (Poll closed, let's get drunk) 7
11. Silent Hill 4 5
2. Killer 7 4
46. Chulip 3
Next up:
12. Gitaroo Man
1. God Hand
5. Viewtiful Joe
44. SMT: Nocturne
26. Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance
18. Soul Calibur 2
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
12. Gitaroo Man 5
1. God Hand 3
5. Viewtiful Joe 3
44. SMT: Nocturne 3
26. Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance 4
18. Soul Calibur 2 2
I refuse to allow God Hand to lose
Next up:
7. FFX
39. Shinobi
20. Katamari Damacy
35. Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
30. God of War 2
8. Pyschonauts
1. God Hand 3
5. Viewtiful Joe 3
44. SMT: Nocturne 3
26. Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance 4
18. Soul Calibur 2 2
I refuse to allow God Hand to lose
Next up:
7. FFX
39. Shinobi
20. Katamari Damacy
35. Castlevania: Curse of Darkness
30. God of War 2
8. Pyschonauts
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
shinobi ps2 is one of the coolest fucking games i've ever played. it seems like a bog-standard kinda 3D action game of the era, running from room to room and chopping up spawning enemies, but that's the lie covering up the fact that it's actually a speed-running puzzle game. the entire premise of the game is predicated upon your ninja boo getting a cursed sword that constantly drains your health, and killing enemies refills your health, so it naturally makes you want to a.) memorize or know where enemies are going to spawn and b.) know how to kill them most efficiently. it trains you through the levels by the necessity of knowing these things because otherwise you will just run out of time/health and die.
but then you get into a groove and start killing more enemies without taking damage, and start to appreciate the combo system; you do more damage with every kill as long as you keep comboing up to a multiplier of like eight.
a max multiplier will kill any boss in the game in a single sword strike.
time freezes. a line appears, bisecting their body. they split apart and die.
shinobi ps2 is one of the coolest fucking games i've ever played.
but then you get into a groove and start killing more enemies without taking damage, and start to appreciate the combo system; you do more damage with every kill as long as you keep comboing up to a multiplier of like eight.
a max multiplier will kill any boss in the game in a single sword strike.
time freezes. a line appears, bisecting their body. they split apart and die.
shinobi ps2 is one of the coolest fucking games i've ever played.
- beatbandito
- Posts: 4300
- Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2014 8:04 am
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
yeah, but ninja dogs
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
i was going to save the ninja dogs, the zombie helicopter, and the blind samurai you fight in a waterway who can only find you if you're making noise by splashing around in the waterway for my next post on why shinobi rules
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
7. FFX 3
39. Shinobi 3
20. Katamari Damacy 6
35. Castlevania: Curse of Darkness 2
30. God of War 2 1
8. Pyschonauts 2
Next up:
42. DDRMAX
33. Armored Core 2
13. Disgaea
24. GTA San Andreas
21. Resident Evil 4
40. Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil
39. Shinobi 3
20. Katamari Damacy 6
35. Castlevania: Curse of Darkness 2
30. God of War 2 1
8. Pyschonauts 2
Next up:
42. DDRMAX
33. Armored Core 2
13. Disgaea
24. GTA San Andreas
21. Resident Evil 4
40. Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
klonoa 2 might be no klonoa 1, but it sure is still a klonoa game.
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
42. DDRMAX 3
33. Armored Core 2 4
13. Disgaea 5
24. GTA San Andreas 3
21. Resident Evil 4 3
40. Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil 4
Very close. All the losers were only 1 vote behind.
Next up, and last in the round:
10. Silent Hill 3
22. Rez
27. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
37. Nano Breaker (hey fbm)
(Vote for 2)
33. Armored Core 2 4
13. Disgaea 5
24. GTA San Andreas 3
21. Resident Evil 4 3
40. Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Veil 4
Very close. All the losers were only 1 vote behind.
Next up, and last in the round:
10. Silent Hill 3
22. Rez
27. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
37. Nano Breaker (hey fbm)
(Vote for 2)
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
fear is the mind killer
- MarsDragon
- Posts: 555
- Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2014 6:30 pm
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
Sorry Nanobreaker. Sorry Iga.
Rez clearly should've been on the Hottest Dreamcast Games list, though.
Rez clearly should've been on the Hottest Dreamcast Games list, though.
Re: Hottest PS2 Game (Round of 46)
10. Silent Hill 3 2
22. Rez 5
27. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence 5
37. Nano Breaker (hey fbm) 3
that ends the round.
22. Rez 5
27. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence 5
37. Nano Breaker (hey fbm) 3
that ends the round.
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