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Dino Crisis (PS)
by sparkymarky1973
Dino Crisis is a classic PSone game from the makers of Resident Evil featuring dinosaurs instead of zombies and set on a fictional island where illicit scientific experiments have been taking place.
After rumours are heard of some kind of secret weapons programme going on, an agent from the Secret Operation Raid Team is sent ... in only to discover that a famed scientist, long thought dead, is actually very much alive and well! As other agents land on the island as back-up, it soon becomes clear that Dr. Kirk has been working to bring back the dinosaurs using some form of new technology and a previously undiscovered energy source which has crerated a rift in time and space. As Regina and her fellow Operatives try to track down the scientist to take him into custody, they find themselves battling the new inhabitants of the island including a very fierce Tyrannosaurus Rex which dogs their every move. And thats before it turns out that one of their number may have another agenda in mind.....
This was the first game of its kind, described less as survival-horror and more panic-horror! At crucial moments, the tempo of the background music intensifies and you are required to press buttons in a certain order in a bid to survive! There are lots of scenes spefically designed to make you jump out of your seat and though the graphics are understandably a little dated now, still this remains a cracking game to play with three seperate endings gained by different choices made during the games progress.
I loved this game in its day and still quite enjoy it now! Ocasionally when I want something different, I often load up a saved game on my PS2 (this is one of the games that is backwards compatible on the console!) and give it another run through. I just love the way certain moments still manage to make me jump!!
You can pick this up now for next to nothing, it being an much older game now! Apparently there were two sequels ( I have only played the second, Dino Crisis 2 as part 3 was only available on the original Xbox!) but this remains the best of the bunch according to both my experience and that of the critics.
Certainly it still offers something a little different for your gaming time.....
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Final Fantasy: Origins (PS)
by Em145202713
When I first started gaming, I knew straight away that I was going to be a fan of the RPG genre. I'd only played a couple of games but as I began to learn more and more about the hobby and the games out there, I came across a series which I would suppose most people would call the Holy Grail of RPGs and that series is Final Fantasy. ...
After hearing so much about the series, instead of starting with the most recent game, I decided to go back to where it all began and so bought Final Fantasy: Origins. This includes both the first and second on two separate disks.
I'll review the two games in separate paragraphs to give you a better idea of what's in which.
Final Fantasy 1:
Plot: Only a vague plot to be found. Basically a fight between good and evil but there's so much dungeon crawling in between each stage that it's quite easy to forget what's happening.
The main grab of the game is like with most RPGs where you have to kill stuff to level, receive money and obtain loot. The higher in level you get the better chance you have of taking on harder monsters that drops something even better. It's a case of keep repeating going through the games dungeons until your ready to take on the games end boss.
Graphics: They are in the style of a GBA game so quite dated but I find that style quite enjoyable still. There are some CGI (computer-generated imagery) included in certain moments of the game which are still quite impressive in this day and age but they are a rare thing.
Controls: I actually played it on the PS2 so the whole of the controller wasn't put to its best use however the commands were very easy to get to grips with. X for selections, triangle to bring up the menu, O to back out of your selection and the arrow keys to move. These buttons are the only thing you need to know to play the game.
I've just finished the first one and I loved every minute of it. Yes it can be a bit punishing at time with the whole save system but it makes you think more about reserving your characters in a fight rather then just going in all guns blazing.
Lifespan: Took me around the 30 hour mark to complete but that was including getting all the treasure in game as well doing all the quests and side quests. If you only wanted to do the bare minimum then I reckon it could possibly be got down to 20 hours.
Overall: It was a great game for its time and still can be enjoyed even now. Even though some bits could be improved like the plot and repetitive nature of the game, it's these faults that give the game the charm it has. It you want to know where such a great series began then I would really recommend this.
Final Fantasy 2:
Plot: Unlike the first game, this one actually has a plot. Can't really say much without giving too much away but it's an enjoyable game to play through with twists, happiness and sadness throughout. True it may not hold up very well against more modern titles but for its time I could see it being near the top.
Have to add that it's a little slow to start with as I spent my first ten hours or so pretty much grinding (killing monsters over and over again) simply for gold to purchase spells and gear but once that's been done, your free to work your way through the game without any more interruptions.
Graphics: The same as the first but with a few improvements. The characters were a little clearer, the environment more detailed and the cut scenes were prettier too.
Controls + Lifespan: The same as the first.
Overall: Although I loved the first one, I loved this one even more. It's a great second game to the series taking the first game and improving everything they thought could be better.
One of the great additions I found was the save points. Although I wasn't bothered by it, you could only save in an inn in the first but this time round you were allowed to save anywhere on the map. Additions like that streamline the whole experience for players.
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Silent Hill (PS)
by Liam1979
An awesome foray into the world of survival horror by leading games developer, Konami. Drenched in an unyielding sense of dread, the game takes the 'missing child in a creepy town' premise and elevates it to new and increasingly disturbing levels of terror. Many of my freinds complain that the game is to dark, yet this ambiguity lends ... to a confused mysterious experience than many of it's immitators fail to capture. Similarly fog and shifting coridoors evoke an unsettling, displacing experience for the player that is vastly more emotionally centered than comparitable survival horror games such as the resident evil franchise. The gameplay seems a little dated and the graphics blocky, however between the confusing, yet somehow enthralling narrative and stunningly scary concept design, the player forgets these blips as they are swept away into a tale of redemption, loss and the twisted machinations of both demons and humans. The score provides edgy, demented orchastrations and subtle trip hop ballads perfectly suited to the games grainy feel. A detailed instruction manual, provides set up instructions, gameplay advice and individual back stories for the main players.
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