Reviews by retrofi

Shadow of the Colossus (PS2) review

A truly epic game, not in terms of things to see or do, but in sheer scale. The landscapes are sparse and wide - there are no enemies to speak of - only colossal battles with bosses. You must shine your sword in the sun to direct your way and then fight a grueling battle with each of them. Admittedly, most of it involves timed use of the R1 button, but there is also a great deal of strategy to be used. When released, this game didn't garner much attention, but it is definitely worth a rental just to see the design and scale of each boss.

Zone Of The Enders (PS2) review

This was the first game I ever bought for the PS2 and from the instant that I was piloting the suit, I was hooked. The gameplay is very mech-based - you are a giant robotic suit that must shoot and melee rival suits. Admittedly the gameplay and graphics have aged, and the game isn't really very long, but it remains a great game and holds a special place in my PS2 library.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2) review

I was surprised to see such a low rating on this game, as I regard it to be one of the PS2s finest. Admittedly the story didn't appeal to me and there were a few significant slow-down issues, however this is a huge sandbox game. There is so much to do and complete (it's a perfectionists nightmare), so many vehicles to use - it is comparable to Saints Row 2, however this has significantly better missions and characters, and is immense fun to play.

Enchanted Arms (Xbox 360) review

I was quite surprised by this game - it was fairly low down my list when it was sent to me, but I thought I'd give it a go anyway, and I was pleasantly surprised. The graphics aren't fantastic, the paths are very linear and some of the voice acting is just ridiculous, but the gameplay itself, including the battles (which are somewhat too easy) was very addictive and the designs for the golems were so wacky and fun that I felt compelled to collect them all. Worth a rental.

God Hand (PS2) review

Underrated, underplayed and underestimated - this game is bizarre. It is a fairly simple beat em up at heart, but it has so much quirk, personality and self-aware humour within it, that it deserves to be known as a classic. The graphics are top notch, the voice acting hilarious, and this game is HARD. Definitely worth a rental.

Okami (PS2) review

I absolutely love this game - the graphical style, the pacing, the controls - everything about it shows true attention to detail and quality. As a precursor to the wiimote, painting using the analog sticks was easy, fluid and enjoyable. A true gem; whether you are interested in the Zelda series or not, you simply have to play this game.

Guitar Hero II (PS2) review

This is the game that got me hooked onto the plastic-instrument-interactive-thing craze. My friend showed it to me; I thought I could do it, so had a bash at RATM on medium and found it oddly addictive and entertaining. More refined than GH1 and with better songs (though terrible covers), this is the pinnacle of rhythm-based-plastic-tapping (is there a genre?) games.

Final Fantasy X (PS2) review

A truly polished and accomplished RPG lies within. Though the concept of Blitzball made me cringe, the story is perfectly told with great pacing, perfect arcs and excellent enemy progression (though I did have to grind at times). The graphics are fantastic for the PS2, the summons are as epic as ever. This is the level that all next-gen RPGs should aim for. I was disappointed by FFXII as I had hoped for something more like this, but I'm a fan of old-school RPGs which are evidently waning in popularity.

Ratchet and Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal (PS2) review

This trilogy of games (I'm ignoring SM and Gladiator) were just fantastic and showed the true power of properly done platforming. Controlling Ratchet was incredibly easy, there were numerous upgrades for each gun (via a perfectly executed RPG-style system) and, though some guns were a bit trivial and useless, there was such a degree of inventiveness put into this game that it definitely deserves a rental.

Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy (PS2) review

An excellent example of platforming performed stylishly and accessibly. When I first picked up this game I found it all too similar to Crash Bandicoot, however after delving further, I found it to be an incredibly enjoyable and original game in it's own right. Jak does move a bit slow, and it can seem a bit boring at times, but this is a definite example of when platforming is done right.