Okay, this is not a great game but it is also not the worst Contra game. This game is very reminisce of Gladius or Life Force. It is a huge departure from the first two Contra games but it still had its fun moments. Three out of the four characters are fun to play and the top down levels are the highlight. This game unfortunately has the worst lag I have ever seen in a video game, but once you get a feeling of how the game is, it is actually a really fun game. Check this game out and play it with an open mind.
Castlevania 64 (N64)
Again, like Contra Force, this game is not as bad as most people say it is. I agree that the camera is broken but this was still the beginning of the 3D age. Yes, Mario 64 came out three years before this game but it also suffered from camera issues. I believe if this game was remade in this day with two joy sticks, they would be able to easily fix the camera issue. The game had great graphics for the time, some creepy enemies and an interesting storyline.
Tenchu 3:Wrath of Heaven (PS2)
Tenchu these days may have lost its magic, but there was a time when Tenchu was mentioned in the same sentence as Metal Gear Solid. Tenchu 3: Wrath of Heaven is the Master of Puppets of this series. This game featured awesome stealth kills, a cool villain (Onikage ), some cool CGI cut scenes, and even an interesting storyline. Unfortunately the enemy AI is pretty bad but if you can overlook it, you won't feel like you wasted an afternoon.
Batman (NES)
Before Batman Arkham Asylum, this 1990 game for the Nintendo was the best Batman game released at the time. This game truly made you felt you were Batman. You can use a few Bat weapons and even jump from wall to wall like the ninja that Batman is. The music is also awesome and the game featured Ninja Gaiden like cut scenes. This game is pretty hard and has some cheap parts, but overall this is still one of the few Nes games that I still go back and play
.
Shadow of Rome (PS2)
This gem was released by Capcom during the final year before Playstation 3, and it was one of their last great releases for the Playstation 2. This game, along with Manhunt, is the most violent game I have ever played. You can cut guys' bodies in half, cut off their arms and beat them with it, and smash their heads like watermelons with giant, out of this world weapons.This game had great graphics, decent voice acting, and a good storyline. Some of the stealth sections are a little tedious but it is never to the point of wanting to quite the game. This is truly a great game. Check this one out if you are interested in blood and a lot of guts.
Brutal Legends (PS3)
This one makes me sad because Brutal Legends is such a good game yet was a financial failure. If you love metal at all, you will fall in love with this game. The soundtrack is amazing. I only wish Metallica was on this soundtrack. The voice acting is also very good and the storyline is a satire of the modern "metal" scene. The action is okay, it consist of standard hack and slash and some tower defense type game play. If you do play this game, play it for the story. This game is truly heavy metal.
Fatal Frame 2 : Crimson Butterfly (PS2)
This game is overshadow by Resident Evil but the Fatal Frame series run circles around Resident Evil in terms of horror. I love Resident Evil (Resident Evil 2 is my favorite game of all time) but Fatal frame truly affects you in a psychological level. The second one, Fatal Frame 2, is the best of the series. The graphics is still amazing, the sound design is excellent, and even the storyline is great. The only bad thing about this game are the controls, but once you get a feel of how it works, it won't be a thing. This game deserves to be played by anybody who love Japanese horror or just plain horror. I also love the theme "Chou" written by Amano Tsukiko.
Onimusha 2 : Samurai's Destiny (PS2)
This game is the black sheep of the Onimusha series, but it is not a bad game by any means. This game had great graphics that still amazes me to this day. I remember buying this game and being blown away by the graphics. This game basically takes elements from RPGs, Action, Survival Horror, and mixes them all together. The final product, in my opinion, is a masterpiece. This game reminds me of Resident Evil 2, which had multiple story lines that requires multiple play through to experience the whole adventure. The music is also excellent. Give this game a chance and you might end up loving it like I did. This game was my first PS2 game I ever bought and I still play it to this day.
Suikoden 3 (PS2)
Suikoden 2 is the best of the series but this one is my favorite. The storyline is amazing in this game. It is one of the best video game storyline I have ever experienced. The battle system is traditional turn base but instead of having one person attack at once, you now attack as a group of two. The only bad thing about this game is the soundtrack, which I do not remember much of. If you love JRPGs at all, you must play this game. The story is about as good as Final Fantasy X.
Illusion of Gaia
This game is truly a lost masterpiece. This is one of the most philosophical games I have ever played. It is pretty much a Legend of Zelda clone, but in my opinion, has a better storyline than any Zelda game. The music in this game is also very memorable, which has one of the saddest songs I have ever heard in a video game. The ending of this game will either make you cry or give you goosebumps. This is such an amazing game that should be play by more people. Check out the song "Earthen Womb" and tell me that doesn't make your eyes watered.
Resident Evil 6
Okay, this is not a great game, but it is no way a terrible, unplayable game. Gamespot gave this a 4.5 out of 10. When I think of a 4.5, I think of games like Superman 64 or Action 52. The story is stupid but Leon's campaign saves this game from being a total wreck. Again, not a great game but also not "The" worst game ever. Playing this game again on the PC, I had a lot of fun the second time around.
Bioshock 2
Bioshock 2 is a good game. People say it is not as good as the first one but in my opinion, I think it stacks up against the original well. The game play and graphic is pretty much the same as the original Bioshock. I would agree that the "twist" in this game is not as cool as the 2nd one but still, this is a fun decent game.
The Thing
This is one of the few "movie" based games that is not unplayable. This game is actually a sequel to the 1982 movie of the same name. This game had cool horror elements, cool action, and an interesting "fear" and "trust" system. Give this game a shot if you love the movie. The only complaint I have about this game is the controls. It feels like the game didn't really know what it wanted to be. It controls like a 3rd person shooter, but this is not Max Payne. It is difficult to explain the control scheme, but it is not terrible, just different.
Terminator: The Redemption
This is another movie based game that is not broken. Besides Terminator 2: The Arcade game, this is the best Terminator game out there. The graphics are awesome, the voice acting by Arnold is awesome, and the game is very fun. This game is very hard, but if you love the Terminator series you will at the least "like" this game.
X men: Origins Uncaged Edition
This is a good game based on a not so good movie. The best X-Men game since the 16 bit era, this is pretty much Devil May Cry set in the Marvel Universe. This game is violent, fast, epic, and action packed. It does suffer from some repetition and a horrible ending, but besides these issues, it is a decent action adventure hack and slash that will satisfy your bloody thirst.
Dear Esther
This doesn't really qualifies as a game but this "game" has something that a lot of games these day don't have; a soul. The only thing you do in this game is walk from point A to point B while hearing narrations from your character. This game is very short but in the end, it will either move you to tears, or give you goosebumps. It is a very philosophical game, and the ending will stick with you long after the journey is over.
Simpsons: Hit and Run
The best Simpsons game since the arcade hit, this is one of the better GTA clones. You play as one of the Simpsons family and you are given the freedom to explore Springfield. It suffers from repetitive game play and shoddy AI, but it is still a fun game. The highlight of this game is the voice acting, which is very comedic.
Final Fantasy 8
A game that has received much criticism for not being as "good" as its predecessor, this game is actually better than FF7 in terms of its storytelling, graphics, and music. Final Fantasy 7 had a great cast of characters, but the story was very straight forward. Final Fantasy 7's character model were also extremely deform, even for 1997. Final Fantasy 7 is still a great game, but so is Final Fantasy 8. It had a great story, great music, great CG, and an interesting, but flawed magic system. Give this game a shot if you are a fan of JRPGs.
GTA 2
One of the most entertaining games I have ever played, this second installment in the GTA series really help established this series as the go to series for all out crazy action. This game improved over the original in every way. With better graphics, better action, and overall just a more polished experience, this is a game you do not want to miss. It is free to download on the Rockstar webpage.
The Darkness
As a shooter that relies more on its story than its game play, this game is actually a really good shooter. This game has a very cool premise, great graphics for the time, awesome voice work by Mike Patton of Faith no More fame, and the most realistic version of Hell I have ever seen. Give it a chance and even if you hate the game play, you will enjoy the story at least.
Contra Shattered Soldier
Contra is a game that suffered in the mid - late 90's. I can't blame it though, Zelda and Mario both made a successful transition to 3d. Contra was just taking a chance with the 3d and even though I have never played the two Contras for the Playstation, I often see them on "The Worst Of" lists. Contra Shattered Soldier brought Contra back to its roots with brutal difficulty, crazy boss fights, and dozen of bullets and enemies onscreen at once. This game had an interesting weapon system, but for some reason they decided to not include the signature Spread gun in this game. Still a great game for old school Contra fans.
Final Fantasy 12
Final Fantasy 12 is a great addition to the Final Fantasy saga, but many fans hated the game because of its fighting system. At first I hated it too, but once you get a hang of how to properly use the fighting system, this is actually one of the better Final Fantasies in years. The story no longer contained a cheesy love triangle, and now instead focuses on more mature themes like war, race, and class. I love this game and for me, this is the last great Final Fantasy. Final Fantasy 13 unfortunately was boring for me after the first 30 hours or so.
Evil Dead a FistFul of Boomstick
Another great game based on a great movie license. This game looked like a quick cash grab but after playing through it, I can honestly say that this is one of the funniest action adventure games I have played in awhile. The story for this is the highlight of the game. There is some time traveling thing going on here. Overall, a lost gem that could have been a disaster, but turned out to be so much more.
Manhunt
A game that has slowly disappeared from the RockStar catalog in favor of the more popular GTA, Manhunt was one of the most revolutionary game in history. This game was not afraid to go where many games would only dream of doing. Besides Shadow of Rome, this is the most violent game I have ever played. A great thriller that is also a satire on American culture. I doubt Manhunt 3 will ever be made due to the negative reaction to the second Manhunt, but for me, the original Manhunt will always be one of my favorite games of all time.
Second Sight
A great science fiction action thriller that deals with themes of destiny and fate, this game is my number one pick of underrated games because I had no idea what to expect when I bought this game. I saw the score on Gameinformer way back in the day and I remember seeing this game on sale for $15.00 at the local Shop Co. After play through the first few levels I realized that I had made a great decision. This game's game play, music, and story blew me away. The control takes a little bit to get used to and some stealth segments are poorly done but I love this game. I love the idea of time travel and changing the past and this game delivered.
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