Games Of Reference

The game is basically perfect for any fan of FTL. It has many of the hallmarks of Subset's last game (similar art style, fast battles, gradual increases in power) but also is a lot less random. I love it!

This is a video I made about Into the Breach because I've been loving the game for the last few weeks. Hopefully you guys can discuss the game alongside me and give feedback on the video!

I used to LOVE this game when I was younger! I remember the driving being a tad off as the steering felt a bit vague, but it's nice to have a racing game that doesn't focus on the racing necessarily and more about driving and exploring an open world, finding the secrets scattered about the world. The game does lack mechanical depth somewhat, and the track design is not the strongest, but it has a lot of content to play through and is great for anyone wanting a different racing game.

I've never played the first Destruction Derby, but I've played a lot of Destruction Derby 2 when I was younger. I remember the game having fun driving physics and quite advanced vehicle damage for the time, and I used to kill hours playing it! Only real problem with the game is that the arena maps were kinda just luck as to whether you won, because of the pure chaos that ensued. That being said, I do love the game and it's fast pace.

One game which I purchased recently is a PS2 game called Xtreme Express (you can tell it was made in the early 2000's due to the name! ). It's a real oddity, as it's a racing game where you play as trains ​instead of cars or similar road-going vehicle. Because you are in a train, you have to time when to switch tracks to overtake or to get a better route. Oddly enough, the game also functions like Scalextric, where you have to modulate your speed as not to come off the track on a tight, and the game has a bunch of trains that all look distinct and have their own style of gameplay. Any racing game fan looking for a very different, interesting game should check it out!

The PS1 and PS2 are great systems that have a large pool of games spanning many different genres and styles, with a lot of developers experimenting with the content they release. This is why I wanted to make this thread to highlight some of the weirder, lesser-known, or discussion-worthy games available for the system, to help everyone bolster their collection, to start a discussion on the design of these games, or simply to share some awesome experiences! You can post any PS1/2 game here that you like, with the condition that the game is interesting and it is unique in some way. With that said, post away!

I believe my first ever game was either Starwing or Mega Man X, both for the SNES. I think this is why I love gameplay that's easy to learn but hard to master, because both those games fit that description. Give me creative level design and solid movement and I'll be happy for days!

I'd be really fond in seeing a modern rail shooter in the style of the first couple Starwing/Starfox games. I love the simplicity of the gameplay and story, since they had fairly simple mechanics, but used them to make many unique bosses and environments. While I do love my games to be open-ended and full of content, that level of simplicity allowed the developers to craft a polished experience. If anyone knows any Starwing-esque games, please mention them to me.

Recently I have been buying games at car boot sales and markets. The 3 most recent games I have bought (and played) are: Ford Racing 2 (PS2) - While this game may look like any other low-quality licenced game, there is quite a lot to like. A decent selection of 30+ cars, some good songs on a, admittedly, small soundtrack, and some interesting tracks that are set in various locations, all with a unique colourful look. Unfortunately the game is let down by imprecise turning at times and the game being quite a way too hard on the highest difficulty, and a bit too easy on the lower difficulties. Not great, but also worth a look. Ridge Racer (PS1) - This, meanwhile, is a great racing game! While there is only a small track selection, I love the way the cars drive and the drifting is very satisfying. The cars are all unique both graphically and in the way they handle. I like the colours the game uses also, very bright and vibrant. A great arcade racer. Spider-Man 2 (PS2) - One of the best superhero games. The graphics are a bit dated, and do look a bit grey and dull in retrospect. However, that doesn't make the gameplay any less good. The web swinging hinges on momentum, forcing you to time your swings and navigate and think as if you were Spider-Man. Couple that with a surprisingly good combat system (which bears some similarities to the Batman Arkham games), and it makes the game a joy to play.

I just swung by to give a (sonewhat belated) Happy 3rd anniversary for the Neo-Geo thread! This has been one of the most consistent threads I have seen, with so many interesting posts regularly. There is clearly passionate community which has been cultivate due to the hard work of Anthony! Good work! This is as good a place any to speak about my own personal experiences with Neo Geo. While I haven't played too much, I own a Neo Geo X, which has been fun so far. My favourite games for the system so far are Last Resort (a fun, brutal shooter with a creative shooting mechanic, rewarding clever movement), and Final Fight (which suprises me, as I generally don't play fighting games, but this one is colourful and responsive). Here's to many more years of interesting Neo Geo content!

That is a very cool arcade cabinet you have there, it certainly looks the part. It makes me want to make one myself, even though I lack any technical know-how . An innovative way to play retro classics! Thanks for sharing your cool creation with all of us, Mullentino!

This game is fantastic! I absolutely loved the PS1 Asteroids when we played it. Anyone who liked the original should at least try this more modern version, as it adds many new hazards and gameplay elements. It even has the original Asteroids, which unlocks less than an hour into the single player. Thanks for sharing the review Byron!

I do agree that both games are quite slow to progress, but I personally believe that the amount of content outweighs this. I can see how that that would turn off many people. However, I also prefer Forza, because irs progression makes for a better overall game, ​while Gran Turismo makes for a great simulation. ​It's a matter of preference really. I totally agree. 700 cars on a PS2 with only a single disc? How'd they manage that? Gran Turismo, while a bit dry at times, normally makes up for it with sheer amounts of content.

Hey guys! I have found a video by a guy named ColourShedProductions on YouTube. I have been subscribed to him for a while, and I felt that his content was so good that I needed to share it. Here you go, a review of Gran Turismo 4! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMrhesoD1R8 This has got me thinking: What is your opinion on Gran Turismo 4? It was one of my first ever racing games, so it is fairly special to me. I have lost many, many hours to it. The difficulty is weird in it though, as you could theoretically use overpowered cars in any event, but the driving in it is fantastic for the PS2.

I leave this thread for a day and a myriad of posts spring up. Better get to work! I was also fairly late in getting my PS2 (it was around 2006-ish, if I remember correctly). And the constant software updates do get annoying on later consoles. Nothing worse than trying to play Battlefield for the first time only to be confronted with an 8-hour long download (although admittedly my internet isn't all that good). I am entirely clueless on the modding scene for consoles, so probably best not to ask me on that subject. Seems like others are much more knowledgeable on the subject than I. There are a lot of hidden gems released for the PS2, which people don't talk about, as well as the classics. Guess that's why it has endured so long! While it isn't exactly a 'gem' (and possibly not that hidden) is Road Trip Adventure. In these days where most racing games are fairly realistic, this game focuses mainly on exploration, with a surprisingly big world for the PS2. You can discover hidden mini-games, and do a bit of racing as well. While the driving may not be stellar, I remember liking it a lot as a kid. Huh, I never knew any game on the PS2 was bundled with a hard drive. That is actually quite the cool and useful bit of info.

It seems like we all have some memories attached to our PS2, which is a lovely thing. Great choice with GT3, an amazing racing game, one of the best. I find myself liking GT4 a tad more though, most likely because I owned GT4 before GT3. Seems also that the DVD drive was a bigger selling point than I realise! That must've been really frustrating, just missing out on the PS2. I can imagine the disappointment. I do like how many PS2 and PS1 games are getting remastered for newer audiences to experience. I am looking forward to the Crash N-Sane trilogy myself!

Ah, that's awful that it broke but the PS3 will do you fine. Games such as Crash were some of my favourites. As you said, Crash 3 and Crash 4 were, and still are, my faves! Surprisingly, I've not played too much of Spyro... (loses all of his gaming cred)

While I myself am a little more optimistic towards modern gaming, I do enjoy the larger variety the PS2 and other older consoles offers. Not every big game was a shooter. You had platformers, racers, etc. A console for everyone. That must've been a really weird situation, especially in that period and the fact that you were playing a horror game. Still, Silent Hill is a masterpiece nonetheless.

Absolutely correct! I think the PS1-PS2 era is one of the 'golden ages' for video games, with so many great titles. As you mentioned, there's Burnout (I've played too much of Revenge and 3) with some of the most satisfying driving ever. There's Gran Turismo, with literally hundreds of hours of content. I also remember playing Pro Evolution Soccer, which is weird considering I never much liked football/soccer. And yes, of course, it is a console through-and-through. One of the best!

That's the problem: PS2 games are both plentiful and cheap, they'll bound to be a few we've bought and never played. I know there's a few I own... Well, now is as good as a time as any to pick one up! As I stated above, most games for it are fairly cheap, so you shouldn't have too much trouble buying games for it. I myself own the non-slim PS2, and it looks like a black brick.

I believe that the PS2 was my first DVD player too, if I recall. I think what we can gather from your list of games is that there was so many good racing games for the PS2. Such variety. If you wanted simulation, there was Gran Turismo. If you wanted kart racing, there was Crash Nitro Kart. And there was everything in between, such as the great Twisted Metal you mentioned, toiletunes. Thanks for joining in on the discussion!

As the name would suggest, this is a thread to discuss anything about the PS2, one of my all time favourite consoles! Posts do not have to be explicitly about the PS2, but as long as it's relevant, you can post away. Game stories, reviews, collections... All of it welcome! Some of my first memories with the console was playing Need For Speed Underground 2. The game seems slightly dated due to the Fast and Furious neon and customisation, but it gave you so much freedom to make the car look however you wanted. Fun driving physics also. Very weighty for an arcade racer.

I think my favourite must be SMB3. I have such fond memories of playing the game for hours on my SNES with the Super Mario All-Sarts cart. It basically defined my childhood, that game. I loved the visuals, which were bright and colourful, and it still has some of the best controlls for any platformer. I love it!

That does look like a really cool racing game. I do love racing games in general, and that seems like a great one.