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Crash Bandicoot 2 (PS)
by DavidNaughton92
It's saddening that the console Crash Bandicoot games have died out, back in the late nineties Crash Bandicoot was all the rage, all the kids around my age were always talking about "the new Crash game". In my opinion they were a timeless series and Crash Bandicoot 2 was at the height of its greatness. The first Crash game was ... great no doubt, but its only when you play number 2 that you see how stiff it was and how it was lacking in extra features you are rewarded as you play through the game, this is where Crash 2(and 3) was a winner. The graphics had vastly improved, all the movement seems to be more fluid, there was more characters who were especially appealing to children and the game was more user-friendly compared to the first, which was extremely difficult considering the target market. The game design is just great, very vivid colours and breathtaking levels to play through, a huge improvement on the first instalment in the series.
I'll begin with the basics, the user manual. When you open the case its the first thing you see just like any other game. I was very young when I first played this game, having thrown the manual to the side and attempting to play through game I had some difficulty so I read the manual, its very easy to follow, introduces all of the characters and the story of the game.
The game itself is very well structured, unlike the first instalment in the series it contains five rooms to play through with five levels in each, once you play through and collect the crystals in each level you may proceed to the next room after defeating a "boss". There is also a sixth room with extra levels that can be unlocked as you discover secret entrances. This structure is much more child-friendly compared to the first game where you could easily lose track of where you are in the game, you never knew when a boss battle was coming up and so on.
The gameplay has been improved, they took all the good parts of the first game and enhanced them. The most memorable being Crash riding on a baby polar bear through icy levels, running away from a boulder or a giant polar bear through some levels. Even at 20 years old I keep going back to play this game, and it's not just me, it's recently been released to download from the online Playstation Store where it has a huge amount of downloads. If there was anything bad to say about this game it would be its difficulty, it is a game aimed at children and some of the levels are very difficult to get through, many memories I have of being frustrated at not being able to get through a level or being able to defeat a boss to get to the next room.
The fact that it is still played today by many is a clear indication that this is a great game, a timeless classic in my opinion that trumps many of the games in its series, even some of the games that came after it. For those who have never played a Crash game, I highly recommend you start with this one, you will not be disappointed.
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Tekken 3 (PS)
by DavidNaughton92
This game more or less sums up my entire childhood. Of course it has a very certain target audience, but if you're into those addictive beat em up games, you'll have a tough time finding a better one than Tekken 3 on the Playstation. It's extremely addictive, the arcade mode is legendary to seasoned Tekken players in which you play as a ... certain character and throughout the 10 or so fights you play through as that character you learn their story which is expanded on with every new Tekken release, this will eat up most of your time but with Tekken 3 they decided to add a few extra features which I must admit...almost as addictive and frustrating as the original arcade mode. They added 2 new extras :
Tekken Force --> This will be the death of you, its extremely difficult to complete and probably the most frustrating feature of the game, many playstation controllers I broke in my youth trying to get to the end. That aside, for those who really like a challenge, this is for you.
Tekken Ball --> Not a great extra feature, I found it to be pretty boring compared to the Arcade and Takken Force modes. You use your fighting moves to hit a ball over a line, that seems to be it. Only good thing about is that you can gain a special character if you do well in it.
They did take out some of the best characters in this game but that aside they've added many more which makes the game more interesting, keeps you coming back to find out what the story is behind all the characters. Like I said this game is very genre-specific and Namco certainly had a target audience in mind in its creation. Whether you like button mashing or prefer being tactical, this game is for you. A true classic in my opinion, well worth a go for beat em up fans or even those who are not familiar to the genre.
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Metal Gear Solid (PS)
by DavidNaughton92
Metal gear Solid in it's pre-playstation time more or less created the "stealth" gaming genre, instead of the classic shoot-em-up that consumers were all used to, "Metal Gear" for the NES gave the players an option to either face their enemy guns blazing or to evade them by sneaking around.
The genre was ... set in stone with Hideo Kojima's 1998 "Metal Gear Solid" for the original Playstation console. It was a huge success worldwide, not only for its slick graphics and gameplay system, but for it's story, which is to this day expanding with every new "Metal Gear" release.
The story follows the mission of a retired secret agent by the code name of "Solid Snake", his achievements are legendary. Before the events of the game he is quietly enjoying retirement in solitude when he is summoned by his old colonel for a high-risk mission. Snake eventually agrees, but the mission is far more complicated and personal than he could ever have imagined.
The gameplay consists of sneaking around and collecting weapons and survival items, engaging in combat only when absolutely necessary. New features that have been improved on since the original NES games include a soliton radar, extra equipment and weapons, first person view and so on.
In my own experience, what makes this game stand out from the rest is its storyline which is matched by none, it draws you in immediately as you get to know the characters more and what drives them. I recommend you play the other entries in the series when finished with this one, there are many sequels and prequels that make the story deeper but easier to understand. An absolute gem of a game that will forever be a classic.
NOTE - There is no difference whatsoever between the platinum version and this one, platinum is just a little cheaper while the black version is the original - collectors tend to go for these
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