Your biggest suprise this gen?
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Shadow of the Colossus - Deserves a sequel, this is an incredible game.
Mario Baseball - Simply the best baseball game I've ever played. I've probably spent more time playing this than anything else in the last year.
SMT: Nocturne + DDS - I had heard of the series, but didn't know much about it until I played Nocturne, which is now my most-played RPG this gen. I've also enjoyed both DDSagas and will try Devil Summoner once it gets a little cheaper.
Suikoden V - Going opposite Final Fantasy, this series redeemed itself after a couple of lackluster outings.
Final Fantasy - IMO this series went straight downhill this generation. I played through X, didn't like it at all, then tried playing X-2 and only lasted a few hours. Both games were very disappointing and have turned me away from the series, which until this generation was one of my all-time favorites.
Mario Baseball - Simply the best baseball game I've ever played. I've probably spent more time playing this than anything else in the last year.
SMT: Nocturne + DDS - I had heard of the series, but didn't know much about it until I played Nocturne, which is now my most-played RPG this gen. I've also enjoyed both DDSagas and will try Devil Summoner once it gets a little cheaper.
Suikoden V - Going opposite Final Fantasy, this series redeemed itself after a couple of lackluster outings.
Final Fantasy - IMO this series went straight downhill this generation. I played through X, didn't like it at all, then tried playing X-2 and only lasted a few hours. Both games were very disappointing and have turned me away from the series, which until this generation was one of my all-time favorites.
captainfrizo
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God of War - despite the great reviews and everyone's praise, I was still amazed by how great the game is.
Resident Evil 4 - in my opinion the most all-round enjoyable experience this generation.
Nintendo DS - I dismissed it at first as a cheesy gimmick; it's now my favorite hand-held of all time.
Resident Evil 4 - in my opinion the most all-round enjoyable experience this generation.
Nintendo DS - I dismissed it at first as a cheesy gimmick; it's now my favorite hand-held of all time.
Wow, as much as I agree with a lot of what everyone else has posted, I must say I can not believe no one else brought up Halo........This was the sole reason I got interested in video games again.
And since I hated FPS before I played Halo, I was almost in shock of how well a game it actually was.
And since I hated FPS before I played Halo, I was almost in shock of how well a game it actually was.
Resident Evil 4 - I know it has been mentioned by half of the people in the thread, but I was blown away by how good this was. The RE franchise had gotten pretty stale after so many repeats of essentially the same formula with minor tweaks. RE4 brought the series back fresh and new, and was one of the best games of this generation. I had no interest in this until I started reading the reviews and seeing peoples impressions.
Beyond Good and Evil - One of the first games I beat this gen. I had heard good things but only picked it up because it dropped so quickly in price. I started a game just to try it out for a few minutes, I was already working through Metroid Prime. Once I started I beat the game in two days, I couldn't put it down. The developers did a great job of immersing you in the story, without the beat a boss watch a cutscene style rewards, and there was so much variety in gameplay.
I wasn't suprised by some of the games mentioned like, God of War and Shadow of the Colossus, I expected those to be good.
Beyond Good and Evil - One of the first games I beat this gen. I had heard good things but only picked it up because it dropped so quickly in price. I started a game just to try it out for a few minutes, I was already working through Metroid Prime. Once I started I beat the game in two days, I couldn't put it down. The developers did a great job of immersing you in the story, without the beat a boss watch a cutscene style rewards, and there was so much variety in gameplay.
I wasn't suprised by some of the games mentioned like, God of War and Shadow of the Colossus, I expected those to be good.
cochesecochese
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[quote name='evilmax17']-GTA becoming one of the biggest powerplay franchises in console gaming (GTA1 was my favorite game for a long time, but it was often considered to be an obscure title).[/quote]
Yep, that's my answer. No one, I mean no one, could have possibly predicted by playing GTA 1&2 that the third was going to be such a success later on. Until the demos started to come out it was looking to be another generic game but then boom people who haven't played games for years pick up a PS2 because they found out there's a 'steal car' button.
It changed the whole model up, defined a pseudo-genre, and sucked in a boatload of casuals. I don't think there's going to be anything like it (the phenomenon anyways) in the next gen.
Yep, that's my answer. No one, I mean no one, could have possibly predicted by playing GTA 1&2 that the third was going to be such a success later on. Until the demos started to come out it was looking to be another generic game but then boom people who haven't played games for years pick up a PS2 because they found out there's a 'steal car' button.
It changed the whole model up, defined a pseudo-genre, and sucked in a boatload of casuals. I don't think there's going to be anything like it (the phenomenon anyways) in the next gen.
Out of the games I've managed to play from this generation (which isn't as many as I'd like to have played) so far, Beyond Good & Evil takes top prize. I read the reviews but nothing prepared me for how immersive the story was. I had a hard time putting the controller down and can't remember a single time I was frustrated with the game.
On the flip size, God of War was a let down after all the hype. It played well, but it felt like a Devil May Cry rehash...by the end of the game it felt like work to play. The story was great though, just the gameplay started to get stale. As many have stated, the game was very short, so for it to turn tedious in such a short period of time was really disappointing.
On the flip size, God of War was a let down after all the hype. It played well, but it felt like a Devil May Cry rehash...by the end of the game it felt like work to play. The story was great though, just the gameplay started to get stale. As many have stated, the game was very short, so for it to turn tedious in such a short period of time was really disappointing.
willardhaven
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The DS not sucking.
Final Fantasy getting its first sequel and it completely blowing.
Disgaea becoming a success.
Sly Cooper getting a sequel (not the greatest game, but still good).
Contra returning from the dead w/ Shattered Soldier.
Kingdom Hearts actually being good.
The surprise disappointment of this generation goes to Nintendo, for completely dropping the ball w/ the GC. I love the system and its games, but there were too few titles too late. I hope the Wii gets some solid traditional games and doesn't revolve solely around swinging a baton.
Final Fantasy getting its first sequel and it completely blowing.
Disgaea becoming a success.
Sly Cooper getting a sequel (not the greatest game, but still good).
Contra returning from the dead w/ Shattered Soldier.
Kingdom Hearts actually being good.
The surprise disappointment of this generation goes to Nintendo, for completely dropping the ball w/ the GC. I love the system and its games, but there were too few titles too late. I hope the Wii gets some solid traditional games and doesn't revolve solely around swinging a baton.
lordxixor101
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Hmm, am I the only one who thinks that Nintendo is taking an unfair beating here? Let's be honest, Nintendo is what it is, it has an amazing game or 2 each year that is worth playing, but it isn't going to have 3 solid games a month. It isn't a great only system, but it fits right in if you have another system or 2 (I love my Cube, but it'll go 6 months at a time without being turned on between great games).
Greatest surprise was the "living" world concept really taking forward steps in console gaming (non online console gaming). This is something we've heard of for awhile with the Playstation, but with games like Morrowind and Grand Theft Auto, there were large steps taken in this.
I was also shocked by Ico. To me, that is a great game to put up for the people who say there is no deeper meaning to games or games aren't "art" like movies and books. Ico is beautiful on levels beyond graphics (which were awesome for the time and still easy on the eyes). I hate seeing people say games aren't art because of Grand Theft Auto or Doom. That's like saying a movie isn't artistic because Showgirls sucks (though, different since I like GTA and Doom).
Greatest surprise was the "living" world concept really taking forward steps in console gaming (non online console gaming). This is something we've heard of for awhile with the Playstation, but with games like Morrowind and Grand Theft Auto, there were large steps taken in this.
I was also shocked by Ico. To me, that is a great game to put up for the people who say there is no deeper meaning to games or games aren't "art" like movies and books. Ico is beautiful on levels beyond graphics (which were awesome for the time and still easy on the eyes). I hate seeing people say games aren't art because of Grand Theft Auto or Doom. That's like saying a movie isn't artistic because Showgirls sucks (though, different since I like GTA and Doom).
licensed games that didn't suck. biggest example is probably chronicles of riddick. i never kept up with the game, so it just came out of nowhere for me. i picked up an x box magazine and they'd rated the game a 9, and i actually thought it must have been a joke. then i actually played it and was blown away.
Scobie
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Lots of great suggestions so far... definitely agree with stuff like Katmari Damacy, Guitar Hero, etc.
For me, though, the biggest surprises software-wise were:
Chibi-Robo -- Didn't expect that much but it turned out to be one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had. Great story line with a nice sense of humor, plus superb gameplay.
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat -- Fully justified the bongo controllers for those who were skeptical about the Donkey Konga games.
Wario Ware series -- Really, who in the hell saw these games coming or expected them to be as much fun as they turned out to be?
Lego Star Wars I & II -- There's no way these games should be as good and as much fun as they are. Beautiful stuff.
Outside of specific games, obviously the DS like others have said. Going from "what the hell?" to "must have" status says it all. Even Nintendo got caught off guard by this one. Home to some of the best and most ridiculously fun games around these days.
For me, though, the biggest surprises software-wise were:
Chibi-Robo -- Didn't expect that much but it turned out to be one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had. Great story line with a nice sense of humor, plus superb gameplay.
Donkey Kong Jungle Beat -- Fully justified the bongo controllers for those who were skeptical about the Donkey Konga games.
Wario Ware series -- Really, who in the hell saw these games coming or expected them to be as much fun as they turned out to be?
Lego Star Wars I & II -- There's no way these games should be as good and as much fun as they are. Beautiful stuff.
Outside of specific games, obviously the DS like others have said. Going from "what the hell?" to "must have" status says it all. Even Nintendo got caught off guard by this one. Home to some of the best and most ridiculously fun games around these days.
GuilewasNK
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My biggest surprise this gen was Indigo Prophecy. I really didn't know what to expect but it is just and engrossing game. Phantom Dust came straight out of nowhere with fun gameplay.
[quote name='Scobie']
Chibi-Robo -- Didn't expect that much but it turned out to be one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had. Great story line with a nice sense of humor, plus superb gameplay.
[/quote]
I agree, I don't know how I forgot to mention this. I'd put this in my top 10 of the last generation in terms of fun-factor.
Chibi-Robo -- Didn't expect that much but it turned out to be one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had. Great story line with a nice sense of humor, plus superb gameplay.
[/quote]
I agree, I don't know how I forgot to mention this. I'd put this in my top 10 of the last generation in terms of fun-factor.
Shadow of the Colossus.
This game would have went right under my radar, but a couple of people told me how great the demo was. I was still skeptical, but a few days later the demo came in the mail outta nowhere. I was pretty surprised. I tried it, and it was probably the most fun I've ever gotten out of a demo. A couple of weeks later I bought the game and it turned out to be one of the best games I've ever played.
This game would have went right under my radar, but a couple of people told me how great the demo was. I was still skeptical, but a few days later the demo came in the mail outta nowhere. I was pretty surprised. I tried it, and it was probably the most fun I've ever gotten out of a demo. A couple of weeks later I bought the game and it turned out to be one of the best games I've ever played.
Reality's Fringe
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Time Splitters:Future Perfect. Totally thought this was going to be a generic FPS, but was surprised by the variety and great character cast. I didn't even miss the lack of a "jump" button.
Also surprised at how awesome RE4 was. My initial reaction was "Come on, what the
?" but now I can't go back.
Also surprised at how awesome RE4 was. My initial reaction was "Come on, what the
?" but now I can't go back.
I just started Shadow of the Colossus tonight. I got to the first Colossus but got my ass kicked about 5 times and gave up - I need to watch the Mets... I'm going to play it tomorrow night and try to get into it more. I like what I've seen - I just need to learn the controls a little better...
GuilewasNK
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Oh, add kill.switch to this for me also. I didn't like the save system, but the combat was superb IMO.
sblymnlcrymnl
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[quote name='zewone']Biggest suprise?
DS being a better console than the PSP.[/QUOTE] Accepting the award for least surprising thing mentioned in this thread ... :lol:
DS being a better console than the PSP.[/QUOTE] Accepting the award for least surprising thing mentioned in this thread ... :lol:
Kawnhr
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Shadow of the Colossus and Katamari were plesant surprises for me in terms of originality.
Metal Gear Solid 3 and Sonic Adventure surprised me with their amazing graphics.
Tales of Symphonia was a big surprise for me too, because it was one of the first real-time RPGs I've played, and I mostly went into it simply because it was a Gamecube RPG, and people said it was good. And it was just so awesome.
Jet Set Radio Future wasn't a surprise, but it was still a cool and very stylish game with quite possibly the best OST ever.
Lastly, Shenmue 1 and 2's horrible voice acting. ("I'm looking for a place where sailors go")
Metal Gear Solid 3 and Sonic Adventure surprised me with their amazing graphics.
Tales of Symphonia was a big surprise for me too, because it was one of the first real-time RPGs I've played, and I mostly went into it simply because it was a Gamecube RPG, and people said it was good. And it was just so awesome.
Jet Set Radio Future wasn't a surprise, but it was still a cool and very stylish game with quite possibly the best OST ever.
Lastly, Shenmue 1 and 2's horrible voice acting. ("I'm looking for a place where sailors go")
Xbox
When I first heard about Microsoft doing a console I trash talked the hell out of it. A year after it came out, with games like Mech Assault and Splinter Cell coming out, I had to have it. I owned all 3 consoles but Xbox was by far the one that got the most use despite it being the last one I purchased.
When I first heard about Microsoft doing a console I trash talked the hell out of it. A year after it came out, with games like Mech Assault and Splinter Cell coming out, I had to have it. I owned all 3 consoles but Xbox was by far the one that got the most use despite it being the last one I purchased.
[quote name='RedvsBlue']Xbox
When I first heard about Microsoft doing a console I trash talked the hell out of it. A year after it came out, with games like Mech Assault and Splinter Cell coming out, I had to have it. I owned all 3 consoles but Xbox was by far the one that got the most use despite it being the last one I purchased.[/quote]
Same thing here. I bought it roughly three years after my PS2 and one year after my Gamecube and ended up it playing it the most and owning more games on it than my PS2 and GCN.
I have to second what RvB said because I was in the same boat as he was. I laughed at Microsoft, hated Halo, laughed some more at the huge controller, and then later on was compelled to buy one and loved just about every game I bought for it right away. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic became probably my favorite game of all-time, all multiconsole games had to be bought for my Xbox, I played Halo 2 for god knows how long, and I just loved every second of it.
When I first heard about Microsoft doing a console I trash talked the hell out of it. A year after it came out, with games like Mech Assault and Splinter Cell coming out, I had to have it. I owned all 3 consoles but Xbox was by far the one that got the most use despite it being the last one I purchased.[/quote]
Same thing here. I bought it roughly three years after my PS2 and one year after my Gamecube and ended up it playing it the most and owning more games on it than my PS2 and GCN.
I have to second what RvB said because I was in the same boat as he was. I laughed at Microsoft, hated Halo, laughed some more at the huge controller, and then later on was compelled to buy one and loved just about every game I bought for it right away. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic became probably my favorite game of all-time, all multiconsole games had to be bought for my Xbox, I played Halo 2 for god knows how long, and I just loved every second of it.
[quote name='2Fast']Same thing here. I bought it roughly three years after my PS2 and one year after my Gamecube and ended up it playing it the most and owning more games on it than my PS2 and GCN.
I have to second what RvB said because I was in the same boat as he was. I laughed at Microsoft, hated Halo, laughed some more at the huge controller, and then later on was compelled to buy one and loved just about every game I bought for it right away. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic became probably my favorite game of all-time, all multiconsole games had to be bought for my Xbox, I played Halo 2 for god knows how long, and I just loved every second of it.[/QUOTE]
Oh god, I forgot about the original controller... It made it so easy to make fun of. Halo was the only game that made me originally even look at the system at all but it definetly didn't make me want to buy it. Despite it being one of the games I bought the system for, it was almost a year after I got the system that I got the game. I refused to pay $50 for a game that was over a year old (at that point) so I waited til the next holiday season when it was $15 at a Black Friday sale.
I have to second what RvB said because I was in the same boat as he was. I laughed at Microsoft, hated Halo, laughed some more at the huge controller, and then later on was compelled to buy one and loved just about every game I bought for it right away. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic became probably my favorite game of all-time, all multiconsole games had to be bought for my Xbox, I played Halo 2 for god knows how long, and I just loved every second of it.[/QUOTE]
Oh god, I forgot about the original controller... It made it so easy to make fun of. Halo was the only game that made me originally even look at the system at all but it definetly didn't make me want to buy it. Despite it being one of the games I bought the system for, it was almost a year after I got the system that I got the game. I refused to pay $50 for a game that was over a year old (at that point) so I waited til the next holiday season when it was $15 at a Black Friday sale.
[quote name='RedvsBlue']Oh god, I forgot about the original controller... It made it so easy to make fun of. Halo was the only game that made me originally even look at the system at all but it definetly didn't make me want to buy it. Despite it being one of the games I bought the system for, it was almost a year after I got the system that I got the game. I refused to pay $50 for a game that was over a year old (at that point) so I waited til the next holiday season when it was $15 at a Black Friday sale.[/quote]
I ended up getting it with the Halo Xbox. I played Halo a ton with friends before I got my Xbox, but I mainly just bitched the whole time because I sucked and thought the game was just sort of a mindless distraction. Once I got my Xbox and my own copy of Halo, I came full circle (or you could say, I did a 360 har har).
I ended up getting it with the Halo Xbox. I played Halo a ton with friends before I got my Xbox, but I mainly just bitched the whole time because I sucked and thought the game was just sort of a mindless distraction. Once I got my Xbox and my own copy of Halo, I came full circle (or you could say, I did a 360 har har).
Oblivion is the biggest surprise for me.
I'm not much of an RPGer. I bought the game not expecting much from it. "I'll play the game till I'm done with the main quest then trade it in," I told myself.
I'm now working on 80 hours plus on my first time playing through the game and am nowhere near getting tired of it.
I'm not much of an RPGer. I bought the game not expecting much from it. "I'll play the game till I'm done with the main quest then trade it in," I told myself.
I'm now working on 80 hours plus on my first time playing through the game and am nowhere near getting tired of it.
for me, once i start any gta game, i can't put it down, so san andreas gets my vote. also, probably re4 (ahem, when i get it). and i'm playing psi ops right now, which is pretty good surprisingly.
lastly, no one mentioned half-life 2?!? great game and great multiplayer (i really can't get enough of the gravity gun)
lastly, no one mentioned half-life 2?!? great game and great multiplayer (i really can't get enough of the gravity gun)
Namelessloser
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SH 1 and 2. They are great RPG's. Two of my faves of this generation. Such a wonderful story line, great gameplay, and the cut scenes were awesome.
Actually, I'm changing my answer to the Xbox 360.
I hated the Xbox, most of its games disappointed me (I only own 5 of them now, probably the only 5 worth owning imo) and wasn't a fan of the 360 when it came out.
Dead Rising looked amazing though, and I told myself that if it ended up being awesome and I could find some other games worth it, I'll take the plunge.
Well, a few months ago, the system really started to get awesome in my eyes... Dead Rising was turning out great, Saints Row looked awesome, the demo for Fight Night Round 3 amazed me, my computer couldn't really handle Oblivion that well.
I made the plunge, bought the system, and I love it, so yea, I think loving the 360 after I hated the original Xbox was my biggest surprised this gen.
I semi kind of count 360 as this gen since it came out at a time when the old gen was still pretty popular... to me, next gen will start when every company has a new system out and support for the old ones is barely there. We won't see companies porting to 360 from the PS2 anymore, for instance, and all games will be built ground up for a new generation.
I hated the Xbox, most of its games disappointed me (I only own 5 of them now, probably the only 5 worth owning imo) and wasn't a fan of the 360 when it came out.
Dead Rising looked amazing though, and I told myself that if it ended up being awesome and I could find some other games worth it, I'll take the plunge.
Well, a few months ago, the system really started to get awesome in my eyes... Dead Rising was turning out great, Saints Row looked awesome, the demo for Fight Night Round 3 amazed me, my computer couldn't really handle Oblivion that well.
I made the plunge, bought the system, and I love it, so yea, I think loving the 360 after I hated the original Xbox was my biggest surprised this gen.
I semi kind of count 360 as this gen since it came out at a time when the old gen was still pretty popular... to me, next gen will start when every company has a new system out and support for the old ones is barely there. We won't see companies porting to 360 from the PS2 anymore, for instance, and all games will be built ground up for a new generation.
Gameboy415
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Off the top of my head:
-The Fatal Frame series. Killing ghosts with a camera? Sounds lametastic. But the games all have incredible atomosphere and interesting stories and they're creepy as hell!
-Nintendo DS. I'm a bit of a Nintendo fanboy so I knew I'd love it regardless, but for it to become such a HUGE phenomenon in Japan is pretty incredible. Nearly EVERYONE in Japan has, or wants, a Nintendo DS. Madness.
-XBOX 360 doesn't suck ass. I've owned nearly every console released over the past 23 years and none pissed me off more than the original XBOX. It was RIDICULOUSLY huge, you could ride the controllers and still have trouble hitting some buttons, and so many games were a huge letdown. Dino Crisis 3, Ninja Gaiden, Silent Hill 2 all made me want to vomit.
BUT, the 360 has completely changed my opinion of Microsoft. Great games, tons of free downloads (demos, trailers, arcade games, etc.), a great wireless controller, and I absolutely LOVE the achievement system.
-PS2 lasting as long as it has and having so many amazing games. The PS2 is the weakest of the 3 consoles of its gen but it just keeps plodding along and hosting so many incredible games like Okami, the Katamari series, and the Final Fantasy games.
-The Gameboy brand seemingly dying! GBA is out, DS is in. Tons of GBA projects are being "upgraded" to DS games and the GBMicro all but tanked in the market. No big games are in the forecast after FFVI and Nintendo hasn't said a word (lately) about a successor. Truly brings a tear to the eye.
-The Fatal Frame series. Killing ghosts with a camera? Sounds lametastic. But the games all have incredible atomosphere and interesting stories and they're creepy as hell!
-Nintendo DS. I'm a bit of a Nintendo fanboy so I knew I'd love it regardless, but for it to become such a HUGE phenomenon in Japan is pretty incredible. Nearly EVERYONE in Japan has, or wants, a Nintendo DS. Madness.
-XBOX 360 doesn't suck ass. I've owned nearly every console released over the past 23 years and none pissed me off more than the original XBOX. It was RIDICULOUSLY huge, you could ride the controllers and still have trouble hitting some buttons, and so many games were a huge letdown. Dino Crisis 3, Ninja Gaiden, Silent Hill 2 all made me want to vomit.
BUT, the 360 has completely changed my opinion of Microsoft. Great games, tons of free downloads (demos, trailers, arcade games, etc.), a great wireless controller, and I absolutely LOVE the achievement system.
-PS2 lasting as long as it has and having so many amazing games. The PS2 is the weakest of the 3 consoles of its gen but it just keeps plodding along and hosting so many incredible games like Okami, the Katamari series, and the Final Fantasy games.
-The Gameboy brand seemingly dying! GBA is out, DS is in. Tons of GBA projects are being "upgraded" to DS games and the GBMicro all but tanked in the market. No big games are in the forecast after FFVI and Nintendo hasn't said a word (lately) about a successor. Truly brings a tear to the eye.
[quote name='Scobie']Chibi-Robo -- Didn't expect that much but it turned out to be one of the best gaming experiences I've ever had. Great story line with a nice sense of humor, plus superb gameplay.[/quote]
I have to make myself sit down and finish this. I've put in almost 3 hours and have REALLY enjoyed it and the story is even a lot more fun than I was expecting. Just seems that portables get more attention lately.
I have to make myself sit down and finish this. I've put in almost 3 hours and have REALLY enjoyed it and the story is even a lot more fun than I was expecting. Just seems that portables get more attention lately.
richbastard
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[quote name='jimbodan']Katamari Damacy. I honestly don't see how people can call RE:4 a "surprise".[/quote]
I agree this series already had a fanbase and a big name.
if you talk about surprise must be games that have no name yet they are complete master pieces for me are.
Games from
Team ICo- SoTc & Ico.
Level 5- Dark Cloud 1,2 ,Dragon quest 8 & the coming Rogue Galaxy.
Clover Studios- Vietfull joe (2D games can still be fun) and Okami.
and
God of War !!!!!!!!!!!
there is probably more i cant remenber right now.
I agree this series already had a fanbase and a big name.
if you talk about surprise must be games that have no name yet they are complete master pieces for me are.
Games from
Team ICo- SoTc & Ico.
Level 5- Dark Cloud 1,2 ,Dragon quest 8 & the coming Rogue Galaxy.
Clover Studios- Vietfull joe (2D games can still be fun) and Okami.
and
God of War !!!!!!!!!!!
there is probably more i cant remenber right now.
PapiChullo
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My biggest surprise for PS2 is Winning Eleven 9, simply because I've slept on the series for so long, and it's a great soccer game.
[quote name='PapiChullo']My biggest surprise for PS2 is Winning Eleven 9, simply because I've slept on the series for so long, and it's a great soccer game.[/QUOTE]
Glad to see that you finally discovered the WE series. I've been playing it since WE6. Before that I was emailing Konami everyday telling them to bring WE5 to the USA. The great thing about WE coming to the states is that it force EA to start making a FIFA game with good gameplay. Anyway, I have been working on a really awesome option file for WE9. If you have an Xport or Action Max Replay I can post it or send it to you.
For me, my biggest surprise was Viewtiful Joe. When the game was announced and didn't think much of it at all. Then I picked it up at Kmart for $7 on clearance and was amazed by the awesomeness that is Viewtiful Joe.
Glad to see that you finally discovered the WE series. I've been playing it since WE6. Before that I was emailing Konami everyday telling them to bring WE5 to the USA. The great thing about WE coming to the states is that it force EA to start making a FIFA game with good gameplay. Anyway, I have been working on a really awesome option file for WE9. If you have an Xport or Action Max Replay I can post it or send it to you.
For me, my biggest surprise was Viewtiful Joe. When the game was announced and didn't think much of it at all. Then I picked it up at Kmart for $7 on clearance and was amazed by the awesomeness that is Viewtiful Joe.
PapiChullo
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[quote name='MadFlava']Glad to see that you finally discovered the WE series. I've been playing it since WE6. Before that I was emailing Konami everyday telling them to bring WE5 to the USA. The great thing about WE coming to the states is that it force EA to start making a FIFA game with good gameplay. Anyway, I have been working on a really awesome option file for WE9. If you have an Xport or Action Max Replay I can post it or send it to you.[/QUOTE]
I'm thinking about getting it for my PC now that I have one that could actually run it, and make some goal compilations. I sent you a PM about the option file.
I'm thinking about getting it for my PC now that I have one that could actually run it, and make some goal compilations. I sent you a PM about the option file.
A few things stand out...
*Resident Evil games exclusive to the GC....although that didn't last
*GTA III & VC finally being announced for XBox, and coming out just weeks later
*MGS3 skipping XBox (since MSG2 came out on it)
*MS nabbing Rare from Nintendo
*Guitar Hero being the best reason to own a PS2
*Resident Evil games exclusive to the GC....although that didn't last
*GTA III & VC finally being announced for XBox, and coming out just weeks later
*MGS3 skipping XBox (since MSG2 came out on it)
*MS nabbing Rare from Nintendo
*Guitar Hero being the best reason to own a PS2
ViolentLee
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[quote name='KaneRobot']*Resident Evil games exclusive to the GC....although that didn't last
[/QUOTE]
Remember the much-hyped Capcom 5 -- five games supposedly exclusive to GameCube? They were: Viewtiful Joe (PS2 port), Dead Phoenix (cancelled), RE4 (PS2 port), PN 03 (sucked), and Killer 7 (PS2 port).
[/QUOTE]
Remember the much-hyped Capcom 5 -- five games supposedly exclusive to GameCube? They were: Viewtiful Joe (PS2 port), Dead Phoenix (cancelled), RE4 (PS2 port), PN 03 (sucked), and Killer 7 (PS2 port).
anonymouswhoami
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For me, it has to be the utter lack of quality games for the PSP. Despite its flaws, the machine is a technical marvel. I can only imagine the great games that could be created if developers used the full potential of the machine and didn't just dump horrible ports on the market.
anonymouswhoami
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[quote name='mentos888']
lastly, no one mentioned half-life 2?!? great game and great multiplayer (i really can't get enough of the gravity gun)[/QUOTE]
The OP asked for the BIGGEST surprise of this generation. Given the quality of the first title and Valve's history of delaying projects in the name of quality control, Half-Life 2 was bound to be an excellent title. Now, if Drake 2 is ever made and turns out to be a great game...that would be a surprise!
lastly, no one mentioned half-life 2?!? great game and great multiplayer (i really can't get enough of the gravity gun)[/QUOTE]
The OP asked for the BIGGEST surprise of this generation. Given the quality of the first title and Valve's history of delaying projects in the name of quality control, Half-Life 2 was bound to be an excellent title. Now, if Drake 2 is ever made and turns out to be a great game...that would be a surprise!
That Rockstar made a game based on the Warriors movie. Playing it right now on my Xbox and it's awesome. I remember first watching the Warriors on cable around the time I was really into Double Dragon in the arcades. I love the movie and was convinced the creator of Double Dragon got inspiration from the Warriors. That it was finally turned into a game was beyond my wildest dreams come true.
[quote name='danny-o']Your all gonna say Im nuts but....Sniper Elite is my favorite game on xbox. I really Love MGS3 Substance with MGS online too.[/quote]
I agree with Sniper Elite on xbox. I can't stop playing this game at all, I love it
and I will be playing this for a long time.
I agree with Sniper Elite on xbox. I can't stop playing this game at all, I love it
and I will be playing this for a long time.
Wolfpup
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Hmm... when does the current generation start and end? Let's say the Dreamcast to the X-Box 1, and PC games that came out in that period? These are the games that SURPRISED me, but not all my favorites (since obviously many of my favorite games DIDN'T surprise me).
Okay, so:
-Deus Ex (PC)
-Shadow of Destiny-brilliant
-Eternal Darkness-one of the best survival horror games ever, and the first one with (gasp) a great battle system. An absolute must play if you like the genre.
-Luigi's Mansion-loved every minute of this. It's like 50% Resident Evil, 30% Ghost Busters, and 20% Mario game.
-Pikmin-I didn't like the second one, but the first was amazing. Great graphics and totally new gameplay. Also the first and only great RTS for a console.
-Final Fantasy X-brilliant, and a big surprise to me, because for some reason I wasn't expecting to like it. I guess I thought equally Final Fantasy 9 was impossible, but they did it.
-Metroid Prime. I was 99.9% certain they couldn't pull off a real Metroid game in 3D. Thankfully I was wrong. (Though that hideous "Metroid Prime Hunters" on the DS plays like I thought Metroid Prime would play like)
-The Collective's Buffy game. The first and (only?) actually great licensed game, and the best scrolling fighter in years (can't think of a better one off hand). Unfortunately the Eurocom quasi-sequel was just ho-hum...about what you'd expect from a licensed game.
-The continuation of 2D Metroid style Castlevania games on the GBA and DS. I wasn't expecting it, but I'm sure happy about it! (I can't list the 3D ones stinking as being a surprise though...)
-Metal Gear Acid-wasn't expecting a card based strategy game! But it sure came out great!
Big surprises...in a bad way:
-Kingdom Hearts 1-hated this. The gameplay is just tedious IMO. I really enjoyed the sequel Chain of Memories on the GBA though (but I haven't even tried the next one on the PS2 yet).
-Jak II-the first one was a solid Rare platformer clone, the second mucks up the gameplay, making it hardly even a platformer. Sets it in a dreary, boring, tired "post apocalyptic" setting. And makes the main character hidiously unappealing by making him "cool".
-The Warriors-after all the hype, I was surprised that I hated this dirty, poorly controlling little game.
-Silent Hill 2. The first one was brilliant IMO, and not something I thought a game would be capable of for years. Unfortunately the second one just seemed gross. The sequels seem like marketing driven things, rather than art.
Industry Surprises:
-Microsoft enters the game industry-so far I think it's a detriment. They've hurt Nintendo (who I think would have had at least as much market share as Nintendo and Microsoft combined ended up with). They've also neglected the PC (while pretending they're not) which is hurting creativity in general-they've fragmented the market further, shown a complete disregard for older games, etc.
-Sega exiting the hardware business-and possibly more shocking-Sega's quality going down terribly since then. It seems like they're beginning to recover, but they just don't seem like Sega anymore. This is a house that used to compete with Nintendo on quality and innovation-and now releases broken Sonic games
(
-Microsoft bought Rare (!) So far I think their quality has gone way down. Loved Starfox Adventures, hated Kameo, and I've thought their other recent games have just been "okay".
-The bizarre DS hardware...and the fact it's done so incredibly well (I expected the PSP to slaughter it).
-Microsoft's forced registration on PC software
Okay, so:
-Deus Ex (PC)
-Shadow of Destiny-brilliant
-Eternal Darkness-one of the best survival horror games ever, and the first one with (gasp) a great battle system. An absolute must play if you like the genre.
-Luigi's Mansion-loved every minute of this. It's like 50% Resident Evil, 30% Ghost Busters, and 20% Mario game.
-Pikmin-I didn't like the second one, but the first was amazing. Great graphics and totally new gameplay. Also the first and only great RTS for a console.
-Final Fantasy X-brilliant, and a big surprise to me, because for some reason I wasn't expecting to like it. I guess I thought equally Final Fantasy 9 was impossible, but they did it.
-Metroid Prime. I was 99.9% certain they couldn't pull off a real Metroid game in 3D. Thankfully I was wrong. (Though that hideous "Metroid Prime Hunters" on the DS plays like I thought Metroid Prime would play like)
-The Collective's Buffy game. The first and (only?) actually great licensed game, and the best scrolling fighter in years (can't think of a better one off hand). Unfortunately the Eurocom quasi-sequel was just ho-hum...about what you'd expect from a licensed game.
-The continuation of 2D Metroid style Castlevania games on the GBA and DS. I wasn't expecting it, but I'm sure happy about it! (I can't list the 3D ones stinking as being a surprise though...)
-Metal Gear Acid-wasn't expecting a card based strategy game! But it sure came out great!
Big surprises...in a bad way:
-Kingdom Hearts 1-hated this. The gameplay is just tedious IMO. I really enjoyed the sequel Chain of Memories on the GBA though (but I haven't even tried the next one on the PS2 yet).
-Jak II-the first one was a solid Rare platformer clone, the second mucks up the gameplay, making it hardly even a platformer. Sets it in a dreary, boring, tired "post apocalyptic" setting. And makes the main character hidiously unappealing by making him "cool".
-The Warriors-after all the hype, I was surprised that I hated this dirty, poorly controlling little game.
-Silent Hill 2. The first one was brilliant IMO, and not something I thought a game would be capable of for years. Unfortunately the second one just seemed gross. The sequels seem like marketing driven things, rather than art.
Industry Surprises:
-Microsoft enters the game industry-so far I think it's a detriment. They've hurt Nintendo (who I think would have had at least as much market share as Nintendo and Microsoft combined ended up with). They've also neglected the PC (while pretending they're not) which is hurting creativity in general-they've fragmented the market further, shown a complete disregard for older games, etc.
-Sega exiting the hardware business-and possibly more shocking-Sega's quality going down terribly since then. It seems like they're beginning to recover, but they just don't seem like Sega anymore. This is a house that used to compete with Nintendo on quality and innovation-and now releases broken Sonic games
(-Microsoft bought Rare (!) So far I think their quality has gone way down. Loved Starfox Adventures, hated Kameo, and I've thought their other recent games have just been "okay".
-The bizarre DS hardware...and the fact it's done so incredibly well (I expected the PSP to slaughter it).
-Microsoft's forced registration on PC software
GuilewasNK
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[quote name='jimbodan']Katamari Damacy. I honestly don't see how people can call RE:4 a "surprise".[/quote]
Probably because it was so totally different from previous RE games. People didn't know what to expect until they actually played it.
Probably because it was so totally different from previous RE games. People didn't know what to expect until they actually played it.
Ranger Rick
CAGiversary!
Big Suprises in a GOOD Way
Beyond Good and Evil -Really Immersive Storyline, Great Budget Priced Title
Def Jam: Fight For NY - Picked this up on the cheap, enjoyed the short story and gameplay
Day of Reckoning 2 -Best Wrestling game of all time on IMO many hours of fun multiplayer
Killer 7 - Love Surreal Games
Metroid Prime- Did not expect to like it as much as I did
Guitar Hero - This came out of nowhere... I can't believe how good this game was
NBA Street Volume 2 - Really good gameplay, fun multiplayer, and just felt kind of cool, Picked this up budget priced and wasn't expecting much.
Super Mario Strikers - Holding off on this game because of mediocre reviews, I was suprised to find how good the multiplayer was when I picked it up (marked down)
Big Suprises in a BAD Way
Metroid Prime 2 - While I would consider Metroid Prime one of my favorite games of all time, I was extremley dissapointed when I stopped playing the second one after two hours. I simply hated it.
NBA Street Volume 3 - Once again a sequel that just didn't have the same awesomness about it
Viewtiful Joe 1 and 2 - Just didn't do it for me. No doubt they were good games... but not as good as I expected after reading such high reviews
Splinter Cell Pandora Tommorow and Chaos Theory - Just didn't do for me what the first one did. More of the same. Didn't like the multiplayer either (which seemed to be the huge difference)
Beyond Good and Evil -Really Immersive Storyline, Great Budget Priced Title
Def Jam: Fight For NY - Picked this up on the cheap, enjoyed the short story and gameplay
Day of Reckoning 2 -Best Wrestling game of all time on IMO many hours of fun multiplayer
Killer 7 - Love Surreal Games
Metroid Prime- Did not expect to like it as much as I did
Guitar Hero - This came out of nowhere... I can't believe how good this game was
NBA Street Volume 2 - Really good gameplay, fun multiplayer, and just felt kind of cool, Picked this up budget priced and wasn't expecting much.
Super Mario Strikers - Holding off on this game because of mediocre reviews, I was suprised to find how good the multiplayer was when I picked it up (marked down)
Big Suprises in a BAD Way
Metroid Prime 2 - While I would consider Metroid Prime one of my favorite games of all time, I was extremley dissapointed when I stopped playing the second one after two hours. I simply hated it.
NBA Street Volume 3 - Once again a sequel that just didn't have the same awesomness about it
Viewtiful Joe 1 and 2 - Just didn't do it for me. No doubt they were good games... but not as good as I expected after reading such high reviews
Splinter Cell Pandora Tommorow and Chaos Theory - Just didn't do for me what the first one did. More of the same. Didn't like the multiplayer either (which seemed to be the huge difference)
bread's done