Random retro thoughts

masofdas wrote:

I've gone and looked at the Top 20 PS2 games on Metacritic as you know I'm not a big PS2 fan but I was trying to work out what might be on a PS2 Classic

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
Grand Theft Auto III
Resident Evil 4
Metal Gear Solid 2
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
Madden NFL 2003
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4
Devil May Cry
Madden NFL 2002
Madden NFL 2004
Metal Gear Solid 3
NCAA Football 2004
God of War
Virtua Fighter 4
Burnout 3: Takedown
God of War II
SSX
SSX 3

That's a pretty awful Top 20 but the user Top 20 is miles better

I have no interest in american football, but otherwise those are all fantastic games

Compared to the user Top 20 it's not great, not much variety also not many exclusives along with most being better on Xbox.

masofdas wrote:

Compared to the user Top 20 it's not great

I can feel the bitterness through my screen.

The user Top 20 is worse than the standard Top 20. Ignore the NFL games as they aren't ever getting re-released, and there's no comparison...

Top 20

1. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
2. Grand Theft Auto III
3. Resident Evil 4
4. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
5. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
6. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
7. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
8. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4
9. Devil May Cry
10. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
11. God of War
12. Virtua Fighter 4
13. Burnout 3: Takedown
14. God of War II
15. SSX
16. SSX 3
17. Okami
18. Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution
19. Soul Calibur II
20. SSX Tricky

User Top 20
1. Dark Chronicle
2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
3. Kingdom Hearts II
4. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
5. Okami
6. Shadow of the Colossus
7. Suikoden V
8. God Hand
9. Final Fantasy X
10. Klonoa 2: Lunatea's Vell
11. Silent Hill 2
12. Drakan: The Ancients' Gates
13. Kingdom Hearts
14. Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny
15. Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance
16. War of the Monsters
17. Dynasty Warriors 4
18. Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
19. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
20. Culdcept

masofdas wrote:

not much variety

The User Top 20 has a bunch of turn-based Japanese RPGs, two Ratchet & Clanks, two Metal Gears and an obscure card game...

masofdas wrote:

also not many exclusives along

This doesn't matter, given it's to do with system-defining titles. Pretty much all of the games synonymous with PS1 weren't exclusive (Tomb Raider, WipeOut, GTA, Resident Evil). A PS2 mini would definitely need the GTA games, the Metal Gears and the God of Wars - not Drakan and Dynasty Warriors 4.

masofdas wrote:

with most being better on Xbox.

Burnout and SSX looked a bit better, is what you mean.

User Top 20 is more like this as lot's of games have a 9 from users that I then looked at the critic score, hence why no Draken

Dark Cloud 2
Kingdom Hearts II
Ratchet & Clank Up Your Arsenal
Okami
Shadow of the Colossus
Resident Evil 4
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Metal Gear Solid 3
Burnout 3
Final Fantasy X
Klonoa 2
Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando
Silent Hill 2
Sly 2: Band of Thieves
Devil May Cry 3
Metal Gear Solid 2
Bully
Kingdom Hearts
Onimusha 2
TOCA Race Driver 2: The Ultimate Racing Simulator

That to me is better than either you posted but I do think you're right it doesn't need to be 20 exclusives and should have the likes of GTA but not half or more of the games to be multiformat that are better elsewhere even without online now.

I didn't know where to put this, so if there was a better topic, I apologise.
People are getting a bit snarky because there are only 2 NES games this month. What's everyone's opinion? I ask as I don't know if I can formulate one.

BAD:
2 new free games isn't a lot, given that you get 3-4 on PS+ and GWG
There used to be more games released a month on the Wii VC
There's no real discount on other games like you get with those services
Nintendo has a whole library of other games on other old consoles that they could be promoting - 1 free SNES game a month would probably result in an undisputed "banger" a month for at least a year

GOOD:
You pay less for the Switch Online service (but would it be better if you paid more and got more?)
The 2 games this month are both classics; Zelda II being crap is a lazy hot-take
You would pay - more - for those NES games individually on the previous 2 consoles
Some of those games were Lunar Pool

I've not played any of the NES Classic's as I've not really got #Nestalgia for them beyond SMB3, Kirby etc that I would prefer games from other consoles also Game Pass adds about 10 games a month which I think this is more like than Plus or Gold.

It's people moaning just because they can, look at PS+ for example even when there is really good stuff in the monthly games there will be someone moaning about it not being good enough but they're probably still paying for the service.

I always seen the NES games as a nice wee bonus of games I could play if they either pique my interest or something to play if I am somehow bored of all the new games.

Zelda II being good is a lazy piss-take

Jimbob wrote:

Nintendo has a whole library of other games on other old consoles that they could be promoting - 1 free SNES game a month would probably result in an undisputed "banger" a month for at least a year

This is where it is for me. That said, Jaster's right that I'd still have moaned if that was the initial offering, because it still seems awfully skinflinty given PS+ and the fact that we've been given these games several times. Now, I've been beaten down into submission and would accept SNES. SNES with simultaneous online multiplayer and I'd be positively happy.

The Cappuccino Kid wrote:

Zelda II being good is a lazy piss-take

"On you go. I'm no fucking talking to you. He's a fucking great game. Yous are fucking idiots."

I appreciate I'd have to justify that! There are a couple of things that they'd need to iron out if they re-made it (pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease). Obviously the lives thing is one. At the very beginning, the "having to go through a cave without the candle to get the candle" goes against any logical progression Nintendo would want to have in their games. You should continue at the entrance of each castle. And fix the Engrish.

Spoilery chat on the topic of Nintendo Switch Online:

Spoiler:

Timing!

Spoiler:

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EofGiz, Pete and I are mixing it up and not doing gaming book club it seems but having a retro week for the Pod of War cast.

It won't be till the first week of February but basically, we're not playing any current or last gen console (still iffy on what the Wii is now) or handhelds for the whole week plus I can't go play Panzer Dragoon Saga on the One X either as it's a One X enhanced game, meaning I'm not getting the retro experience.

I'm thinking on what to play and quite a few come to mind but I would like to see what you guys think as some might not be worth my time, plus if you do listen what you would prefer to be talked about.

I believe the other two are sticking to one console, so EofGiz Xbox and Pete PS2 that I've gravitated to the GameCube

On real hardware
The Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver, this would be on Dreamcast and I've never really played it
Baten Kaitos, I've never played it
Beyond Good & Evil, One of my favourite games of all-time but I have played it but not for years that would be interesting to go back
Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Seeing I paid £120 for it and have started it that it might make sense to continue on
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door Much like BG&E this one
Pokémon XD, I'ver never played it and from the Pokemon vote Balla tells me how great it is
Skies of Arcadia Legends, This I could play on either Cube or DC
Metal Gear Solid, This one I was thinking about playing on the PS1 Mini but seems to run better on PS3 with the disc or I could play Twin Snakes instead
Persona 4, This is the only PS2 game I own and having played Golden & watched the anime's not sure I really need to play this

PS1/2 Classics via PS3
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, One of the greatest games of all-time and leads into me wanting to play some Castlevania games but I have played before or I could play Super Castlevania IV
Final Fantasy VI-IX, Any of the PS1 Final Fantasy's but which one and I could also play VI on the SNES Mini and VII on the PS1 Mini
Suikoden II, Never played
Wild Arms, Never played
Persona 3 FES, I just picked up on PSN as a PS2 Classic on PS3 meaning it has no extras but it's a long game that likely only thing I would play

VC via Wii U
Super Mario RPG, I don't own much on the Wii U VC that isn't a handheld game (Golden Sun for instance) and this one of the only consoles games to stick out and I could play on the SNES Mini

Now that is mainly RPGs and some long games that I was also thinking about using the random feature on Backloggery and set it just to the GameCube and see what the first 5 or so are and give them all a go to get a bit more variety.

Beyond Good and Evil, Skies of Arcadia AND Metal Gear Solid?

Now THAT is good taste!

(Play Skies of Arcadia on GC for the extra content and the rebalanced random encounter rate)

Yeah those three would be great and be easier just to plug in & keep playing the GameCube.

Take it from me, I've completed all those RPGS, and they're all awful. The correct GameCube game is Beach Spikers.

Oh I hope that Nintendo Switch online rumour in the spoilers is true.

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reply to mas' spoiler:

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Oh I loved Legacy of Kain Soul Reaver back in 2000 even though I played most of it with a guide, though I think it might be one of those games that doesn't hold up that well today.

The Cappuccino Kid wrote:

Take it from me, I've completed all those RPGS, and they're all awful. The correct GameCube game is Beach Spikers.

I could give that a bash and I've had 1080°, Star Fox Adventures, Luigi's Mansion for instance brought up by peeps at work. The GameCube is so good as loads more I could talk about, why it's now my favourite system ever.

Can confirm Soul Reaver doesn't hold up. The combat is horrendous.

1080 Avalanche is excellent and kind of perfect to revisit. It's short but tough and never outstays its welcome.

I've been debating going retro myself as I have a PS4 but only play sports games on it. Started God of War but I wasn't keen.

I might actually revisit the GameCube emulator I have as some games play perfectly. Maybe bring back the magazine threads and play some N64? Very tempting.

masofdas wrote:

Persona 3 FES, I just picked up on PSN as a PS2 Classic on PS3 meaning it has no extras but it's a long game that likely only thing I would play

I think you'll get frustrated with this after playing P4G and P5. You can't control your party members, which was really annoying going back to this after playing P4.

What I know about you gJones, reckon you would prefer retro as you find more gamey games compared to God of War which is much closer to a film.

@Jay I never have anyway but I went for it on PS3 for £8, just in case I didn't like compared to a silly priced physical version.

gjones wrote:

1080 Avalanche is excellent and kind of perfect to revisit. It's short but tough and never outstays its welcome.

I second that - it's a really decent game that's cheap as well as short and tough.

Bollocks soundtrack though. Only one listenable song in the entire game.

gjones wrote:

I might actually revisit the GameCube emulator I have as some games play perfectly. Maybe bring back the magazine threads and play some N64? Very tempting.

This sounds like a top idea.