Thank You for the Games!

As I was surfing throgh my daily dosage of video game news I got to know that a couple of days was the day when PS2 got released and ushered an era of undisputed reign at the top of the video gaming ladder. The awesome numbers of games in almost all the genres is a true testament of how much of a stranglehold Sony had over the industry. This system has made its way into the pantheon of the gaming elites, so much that even after the HD generation is running full tilt many of us gamer still have their PS2 in working order. I know I still use the black machine from time to time.

I still remember going crazy as I oogled many screen shots of the PS2 launch and actually getting dizzy with anticipation due the graphics and announcement of many games. Yes the early games were not too great and not too much in number, but I knew that a time will come when the gates of Heaven will open to unleash a barrage of awesome games. ICO and Klonoa 2 were two of the games which started the rot, and also send me over the hill with my constant pestering get my dad to buy me a PS2. It was October 15, 2001 when my dad finally took me to the game shop and got me a PS2. I got around 5 games which included ICO, Klonoa 2, Gran Tursimo 3, Twisted Metal Black and Okage: The Shadow King. The ride home was a blur as I keep one envisaging awesomeness, and boy the PS2 did not disappoint.



As the years whizzed past by and more awesome game kept on coming, my time with the PS2 started becoming memorable. Spending long afternoons parked in front of the TV and playing games. My love of RPGs reached legendary status as the amount of RPGs on the system meant that I will always got my fix of the genre. The 3D platforming games were dime a dozens and action and racing games become the major forte for the PS2 games library. That equates unhealthy amount of time playing video games. Good ole days!

I will not state the number of amazing games I have experienced on the PS2 as that will take up most of the post space, but I will jot down 10 of my most favorite PS2 games:

1) Final Fantasy X
2) Metal Gear Solid 3
3) Final Fantasy XII
4) Persona 4
5) Final Fantasy X-2
6) Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves
7) Jak 3
8) Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal
9) Shadow of the Colosuss
10) GTA: Vice City and Beyond Good and Evil

So there you have it, 10 years of providing awesome games to a massive number of gamers. And as the PlayStation brand rolls on in the HD generation with the PS3, we still fondly look back to the PS2. Cheers PS2, Thank you for the all games and memories!

Co-pilot

Before reading on I suggest to the read this article:

http://kotaku.com/5656943/the-gamer-i-really-am

Playing video games with my siblings is one of my most enduring childhood memories. Spending hours with my older brothers playing Super Mario Bros, or using cheat codes in Contra in an effort of finish game. Jungle Strike on the Sega Mega Drive was a game which me and my brother played quite a bit, doing mission turn by turn or helping out in difficult sections. Another game which vied for our time was Brian Lara Cricket. Here was game which we played tourney style, and it was always a blast. Streets of Rage series was one also another franchise we sibling with play alot.

With my purchasing of the PlayStation, coupled with my brothers getting less and less interested in games, I started getting more time playing single player games, and slowly I enjoyed them more than playing with my sibling. My gaming started to revolve around RPGs and it was good. Although it didn't matter much that none of my siblings were interested in gaming much (barring a few games here and there of course), but I did miss simpler days.

As my brothers left home, my gaming would become a total single player experience, as my sisters were either too young or just not interested. But that changed, just for a short period of time when I purchased PS2's first Final Fantasy game, Final Fantasy X. As the game started, my younger sister (who is just a couple of years younger than me) caught a glimpse of me playing the game, and just like that she is like watching me play the game intently, marvelling at the graphics, chipping in with a suggestion on beating enemies and getting really surprised at how the story was developing. This went on for while, and I was kinda surprised that a single player game had caught the attention of one of my siblings. Its not that my sister was interested in the game itself, but she got intrigued with the game's story and the characters.



Now whenever I would put the game, my sister would come and watch the cut-scenes (not FMVs mind you, but story exposition cut-scenes). New developments in the story and characters would be discussed and analyzed. Hell even the sound track would get a bit of attention. I actually had to stop from progressing the story for a month as my sister's annual exams had started, and that gave me ample time to get all the ultimate weapons for my characters and finish all of the side quests by the time her exams finished.

And when the game reached it epic conclusion, and I had broken down into a sobbing mess, my sister was there to witness that doing her best not laugh at me all the while trying to cheer me up during the credits. Yes the game was quite incredible and I regard it as a crowning glory in the world of RPGs, but I know it as a fact that the game become so memorable due to my co-pilot. Even today we sometimes discuss some of the finer points of game's story and the characters.

Invariably after a few years when my youngest sister (who is alot younger than me) started playing Final Fantasy 10, I would usually watch her play and essentially performed the co-pilot's role.

Single player games are still the trend of my gaming, but as I said, for a little while Final Fantasy 10 become a 'multi-player' experience.

But anyways the article written the Leigh Alexander (in link above) was quite the read and will be visiting her blog Sexy Videogameland.