Eye on '07: PSP and PS2
The rest of the PlayStation family.
Eurogamer's Top Picks - PS2
Final Fantasy XII
- Developer: Square Enix
- Publisher: Square Enix
- PS2 Exclusive
- Gamepage
The last outing for Square Enix' iconic role-playing franchise on the PS2 was always going to be a major event - frankly, even if we merely knew the name of the game, it would still feature on this list. They may divide opinion, but Final Fantasy games still represent the pinnacle of a certain form of interactive storytelling, not to mention being among the most polished and consistent games in the world. At their best, they are artistic, emotive, technically stunning and hugely enjoyable to play, and even their worst is only a few notches below that mark.
However, we've played Final Fantasy XII - and we're all the more convinced that this is one of the biggest titles of 2007 on any platform. Whereas a new story, some lovely cut-scenes and a tweaked battle system would have sufficed to create a game that would have sold millions of copies, Square Enix has taken the brave step of tearing up the Final Fantasy rulebook - and although some fans of the series are less than impressed, for the majority of gamers the results are a welcome revelation.
Real-time battles and game zones which owe their heritage to MMOGs, expansive side-quests and large non-linear sections, a genuinely ensemble cast of mature characters and a degree of subtle, well-paced storytelling which simply hasn't been seen in previous Final Fantasy titles not only set FFXII aside from the pack - they provide the benchmark against which future JRPGs will be judged. We're witnessing the evolution of a much-loved genre in FFXII - and it's a fantastic game in its own right to boot.
God of War II
- Developer: SCE Studios Santa Monica
- Publisher: SCEA
- PS2 Exclusive
- Gamepage
The original God of War is one of the finest games on the PlayStation 2 - a gory, action-filled treat which is near the pinnacle of the entire hack 'n slash genre, not to mention being one of the most visually stunning games on the platform. Kratos' adventure through the worlds of Greek mythology won awards and critical acclaim left right and centre, and for good reason - here, at last, was a game as bloody, as darkly humorous and as relentlessly testosterone-laden as the ancient legends which inspired it.
We initially assumed that God of War II would be a PS3 title (and we have little doubt that there's one of those in development somewhere), but as it happens, designer David Jaffe and his team are rolling out the next chapter of Kratos' war against the gods of Olympus on the PS2 - a fantastic treat for the twilight of the venerable platform.
The game itself is due out in March in North America, and trailers so far look like God of War II is adopting the tried and true "more of the same, but bigger and nastier" formula for sequels - an approach we wholeheartedly agree with in this case. More brutal moves, more intelligent enemies, more cunning puzzles and a vast array of new encounters drawn from the rich source material of ancient Greece make for a game that any action fan will definitely want in their collection.
Okami
- Developer: Clover Studio
- Publisher: Capcom
- PS2 Exclusive
- Gamepage
Alas, Capcom's Clover Studio is no more - a victim of commercial realities - but the studio's magnum opus is due out in Europe this year, and may be one of the most beautiful games ever created. Inspired by traditional Japanese watercolours and woodcuttings of the Floating World, the game uses cel-shading in completely new ways which really do make it feel as though you are interacting with an immersive painting rather than a polygonal world.
In terms of gameplay, the title owes much to Legend of Zelda (in a good way), with action, platform and puzzle solving mixed together - indeed, players of the recent Twilight Princess will be especially at home with controlling a wolf as a central character. The wolf, by the way, is an incarnation of the Shinto sun goddess Amaterasu, and the game blends various aspects of Japanese mythology and spirituality to tell the story of how she restored light to the world.
The unique hook that makes this a must-buy? That has to be the Celestial Brush - a mode which allows you to pause the game and "paint" over the scene, drawing representations of actions which will then have an effect on the game once it is unpaused. Slash across an item or enemy to split it in half; draw a curling line to summon a gust of wind. Paint a bridge and then walk across it. It's utterly compelling, incredibly beautiful, and no matter how addicted you are to the next-gen, this is a game that commands you to plug your PS2 back into the telly.
Rogue Galaxy
- Developer: Level 5
- Publisher: SCE
- PS2 Exclusive
- Gamepage
Developed by the team behind the Dark Cloud series, among many others, Rogue Galaxy may well have the distinction of being the last truly great RPG on the PlayStation 2 when it arrives in Europe this summer. Blending science fiction with pure fantasy, the game is a galaxy-spanning romp whose game mechanics are as appealing as the storyline - and whose European incarnation promises massive enhancements on the Japanese original, itself already a huge critical and commercial success.
Let's get right down to the nitty gritty here; Space Pirates. Not just space pirates, but space pirates in the very traditional piratical mode, who sail souped up wooden sailing ships across the sea of stars, finding trouble at every stop as they hop from planet to planet. The central character, Jaster, is lifted from his dull life on an enslaved planet when he is recruited to the crew of a pirate ship - and if you're thinking "Pirates of the Caribbean in Space", you might not be far wrong.
The combat system is real-time, owing much to games like Square Enix' latest titles, FFXII and Kingdom Hearts II, and there's plenty of depth in the extremely rich combat model to keep you experimenting with combinations and team attacks for ages. For the European release, we're promised far more than just bonus content, too; there's a whole new planet to explore, several existing areas are being overhauled, there are new items, weapons, costumes and moves, better animations, vastly more spoken dialogue and better quality FMV. Whew. Maybe JRPG developers do love us after all - and if they keep making games like this, we'll keep loving them right back.