I play a lot of video games, natch, and since not all games (or gamers) are created equally I usually find it necessary to use various websites designed to give me a hand. I found a pretty good one the other day, it’s comprehensive and from what I’ve been able to discern, skips the bullcrap. I am personally tired of having to search through loads of text to find what I’m looking for. Like just the other day I was looking for GTA 4 Cheats and came across the site. I was immediately impressed with the layout of the site, it’s fun and chock full of good info you need to know.

I found myself looking around the site and digging the content for so long I almost forgot I was looking for GTA IV CHEATS. Cheat Planet is the cheat/FAQ resource section of a larger site called GamesRadar dedicated to all things gaming from news and reviews to cool polls, lists and random funny junk. The Cheat Planet side is mostly user contributed and is well organized and easy to navigate, a must for short attention span folks like me. There’s also a file download area where you can get sweet old school titles for free and even get some current-gen gamesave info for you achievement/trophy whores out there.

For those out there with a need to make your voice heard to the rest of the gaming universe there’s also a forum where you can”discuss the latest in gaming, news, YouTube videos, breakfast meats, and everything in between.” awesome. Best part? It’s free baby! Yep most jerk sites demand a signup fee or even a monthly membership to access all the really juicy bits but not Cheat Planet, all you have to do is register and you’re good to go.

I gotta say I was blown away by how good this site is. I’m usually pretty hard to impress when it comes to these things and this on really lives up to it’s potential. So if you’re like me and are looking for GRAND THEFT AUTO 4 CHEATS, or just a daily dose of all things gaming, give cheat Planet and GamesRadar a shot. GH recommended!

Keep on pwnin!

The Gamer Hero

I know this one came out about two years ago but I just got around to playing it this week and so here is my shiny new review of a slightly old game. Condemned: Criminal Origins is a first-person shooter/ survival-horror/ action title from Monolith studios. Though it might sound like a bit of a genre mash-up it actually turned out to be a pretty sweet game. I know I’m jaded when it comes to violence in games and movies so I’m sure some of the shock value of the game was wasted on me but that isn’t to say that I couldn’t appreciate it. I have to say that even though I didn’t get “scared” while playing I did get creeped out by some of the sound design and the sheer darkness the game is wrapped in.

So that said I’ll jump right in with the visuals of the game. Considering the 2005 release date of the game you have to be a bit forgiving. Monolith did a great job making the baddies in the game look scary as shit but when it came to the regular people in the game, including the main character, well, weird rubber mannequins come to mind. It’s no big deal though since the vast majority of people to actually see are the effed-up dudes you bash in droves with everything from a pipe to a shovel to a sub-machine gun. My only real complaint about the look of the game was how DARK it was. I mean, even with the bright turned up on my tv I still found I was only able to play after the sun went down. I know this may have been intentional by the developers to add to the “scare” factor but they would do well to remember that not all of us are insomniacs or live in the light-deprived basements of our parents. Oh well.

The story of Condemned is told from the perspective of FBI agent Ethan Thomas, one tough dude, all things considered. You start out at a crime scene and over the course of the first mission you learn that Ethan isn’t just any G-Man, he’s a top investigator and works serial killer cases. Nice. So then the game takes a left turn and heads straight to crazy-town. No not the sucky band, the place where scary things live and people like Leon Kennedy are populous. I love this genre so I won’t ruin any of the game’s many twists and turns, but now that the sequel’s out I feel safe in saying that the end’ll leave you wanting more.

Gameplay in this title is interesting and fun if a bit repetitive. You basically are in a first person shooter environment at night, with only a flashlight to light the game. And even though you do have the first person perspective, considering the very small number of guns to be found in the game and the even smaller amount of ammo for said guns, it seems more appropriate to call this one a first-person-brawler. You basically can pick up and swing just about anything you came across. Pipes, electrical conduit, 2×4 with nails or bolts, the list goes on and on. It’s a fun mechanic that when combined with the visceral feel of combat makes for a satisfying playing experience. That’s not to say that it’s easy, you do have to time your attacks and blocks pretty precisely to take on some of the later foes. All told though, you will get a real sense of accomplishment after finishing this one.

Sound design in the game is one of this title’s high points. The dark, claustrophobic feel of the game is intensified by the score, which is noticeably absent at times leaving you with only the sounds of your own footsteps and the odd crunch or laugh from the scurrying dark. Sweet. Voice work was on par with what you’d see on any network tv drama so I give it a pass.

All-in-all the good visuals, excellent sound, and balanced gameplay make condemned an easy thumbs-up for me. If you dig horror games and dark, dark FPS’s, give this one a shot. you won’t regret it.

Gamer Hero Score: 8/10

Keep on keepin’ on

The Gamer Hero

A few weeks ago BioWare released the first of what will hopefully be many downloadable content packs for Mass Effect, the amazing sci-fi RPG on the 360. Awesome. So I thought I’d go ahead and put my two cents in on this one since Mass Effect is one of my current-gen faves. The short description is this: it’s a one-off mission about saving a planet from an Armageddon-style asteroid.

The new DLC adds about 90 minutes of gameplay and a new race for you codex-junkies out there. All in all it was a nifty addition to the game but not quite enough for me. I’d say if you have already played the game, maybe wait until the next DLC comes out and get them both then as it might make for a more satisfying use of 400 MS points (hell by then it might even be cheaper). Folks new to the game should definitely pick it up right away though as it adds some new chances for EXP and a pretty easy achievement.

G.H.

Gamer Hero Score: 8/10

Halo 3 - everyone knows about this game already right? Well that’s OK, because I’m going to review it anyway. I know I’m not going to make any new friends by saying this, but I was a bit underwhelmed by this one. I know it’s probably just a result of year’s worth of hype and speculation but I’m gonna just say it, I wasn’t impressed.

Don’t get me wrong - I did enjoy the single-player campaign on the first trip through but the multi-player was over complicated coming from a Call Of Duty background. Also I am really just done with the whole Halo thing all together. I know I’m making enemies by saying that but this game didn’t break enough new ground to make an impression on this old, jaded gamer.

I get that the hardcore Halo-heads out there are just happy as pigs in shit to have more of their favorite shooter to play but that’s just the problem, it’s just MORE. More of the same gameplay we’ve been getting carpal-tunnel from since what 2001? I’m over it. Nowadays I’m looking for innovation in my games (still hard to come by) and a graphically updated version of a game I wasn’t that into when it was originally released seven friggin’ years ago just isn’t doin’ it for me.

The graphics are pretty good but you never see the Master Chief’s face so a shiny helmet is all you get. The characters whose faces you do see aren’t that impressive either. I’ve seen better voice matching on some Japanese RPG’s that are better than this. There’s also still the issue of texture pop-in that tends to take you out of the story. The enemies are poorly defined and are sadly just more of the same bad guys we’ve been killing for three games now.

The story in halo isn’t too bad if you’re a fan of overly cliched sci fi. I didn’t think I’d ever say this since I’m one of the biggest SF nerds around, but this one just didn’t do it for me. I guess it comes back to Master Chief not being a relatable character to me, and that is mostly due to his hidden face and the tired video game theme of the one man army saving the day. I’d say rent it from if you want to give it a shot. Don’t waste your sixty bucks on it until you try it though. Just to be safe.

I know that nothing pisses off a fan boy like a negative review of his favorite franchise so I’ll apologize to you folks now. I’m sorry, the Halo series has never really gotten me interested enough to give it the time that’s obviously required to get good at it. That being said I’ll admit to having my own guilty pleasures in gaming (Lego Star Wars, anyone?) so to fans of the series, more power to you, they made the game for you, not me. You go take on the flood, I’ll be over here killin’ Nazi’s. To each his or her own right?

The Gamer Hero

Gamer Hero Score: 6/10

Oh man, where did the idea for this game come from? I mean this is one dark and creepy em-effer of a game. 2K studios really out did themselves on this one. I’ve only had a working Xbox 360 for a few months but I’ve played a pretty good variety of games in that time and I have no qualms about placing this game at the top of the list in terms of quality.

First off let me say that this is one of only a few games that I’ve played that truly delivered on the “next gen” gaming experience. Every aspect of BioShock has been executed with the utmost of care and attention to detail. The first thing you’ll notice is the amazing graphics, I mean just looking at this game is a feast for the eyes. The dark, brooding nearly derelict underwater city of Rapture takes on a life of it’s own as you progress. You’ll find yourself searching every nook and cranny to find just a few more dollars to spend.

The sound in this title is probably my favorite aspect of the game (and that’s saying something). From the crazed ravings of the splicers (what’s left of the inhabitants of the city) to the low, whale-song moans of the Big Daddies heard from afar, creepiness abounds in Rapture. Then there’s the music. The game is set in 1960 so the soundtrack sounds like a tea-party at granny’s house (if granny and all her friends were insane). Awesome.

Gameplay is a half-and-half mix of standard FPS fare and “magic” powers gained from gene-splicing. The controls are tight and responsive but in today’s gaming market that’s to be expected. But BioShock does everything so well it’s worth noting anyway. Upgradeable weapons and powers lend a bit of role playing elements and the progression of upgrades is balanced and well executed.

Rarely in games do you find a true mystery based story (or at least one that you can’t figure out in the first five minutes), but this on will keep you guessing right through the final act. The story may be a bit confusing at first but the urgency conveyed by the voice acting will keep you hooked. I want to give you a good idea of what the story is about, but I really think I’d be doing you a disservice by giving it away. Suffice to say that it’s riveting, it’s creepy, and by the end it’s mind blowing.

I know this reads more like an ad for the game than a review, but I truly am hard pressed to find anything to gripe about when talking about BioShock. There is no question that this game deserved all the critical praise it received, multiple gaming sources touted it as game of the year including the Spike Video Game Awards and G4TV’s XPlay. I don’t know what else to tell you folks, if you own a 360 you need to own this game. If you can’t swing the $60 price tag, grab it used from Amazon (running around $30 now) or rent it from Gamefly. You won’t regret it, I promise.

The Gamer Hero

Gamer Hero Score: 10/10

So this is it folks, this is the last installment of Gamer Hero’s list of must-have games on the last generation of gaming consoles. For those of you not paying attention, I’ve already covered the system-exclusive titles for each machine and the multi platform release list is almost complete. Today I’m going to list Sports, Racing and Role Playing games that you simply MUST play. So let’s do this huh? Right. Remember the games on this list are in no particular order and not every title is available on every system (sorry ‘Cube owners).

-Sports-

Madden - I’m not a huge pro football fan but I do recognize a good game when I see it. The Madden football franchise from EA is hands-down the best in it’s genre, every gamer that loves the gridiron loves this game. With new installments in the series annually, this is one you can get on board with at any time. Newer versions now support online play and who wouldn’t like to kick their friend’s ass at football without leaving your couch? Sweet. Xbox/Ps2/GCN

NCAA - This one’s a bit more my flavor as I AM a huge college football fan (go Bucks!). The only complaint I have about this one is that since the players are all students, EA can’t put their names on the jerseys without mucking up the real player’s eligibility to play. But the graphics and sound are gonna be proportional to the year on the box of the game you buy. The controls are another matter. Once you learn how to control this game you’ll pretty much have a fair grip on the rest of the games in the series (and Madden for that mater), so going from year to year isn’t a jarring experience. Learn on an old version, then step up to the current ones and see what I mean. Xbox/PS2/GCN.

-Racing-

Need For Speed Underground 1 & 2 - Super fast driving combined with sweet graphics and sound drew me to this game and the crazy addictive gameplay and nearly infinite car customization choices kept the disc in my machine for weeks. Pick from dozens of cars ranging from Import tuners to all American muscle, customize the engine, body, and paint job and go tear it up! I loved both of these games for all of those reasons but the real reason to play these two gems is the sheer sense of speed the designers were able to convey. You start with a pretty typical beater but before long you’ll be haulin’ ass through dense city traffic at a breakneck pace. You’ll wreck a lot and it will take some getting used to but you’ll be hooked after your first hour just you wait and see. Dig it. Xbox/PS2/GCN

Burnout 1-3 and Revenge - Criterion Games wanted to create a fun arcade style racer with a great sense of speed and tight controls. They succeeded in that endeavor but they also included a crash mode with the game that rewarded players for aggressive and destructive driving. It may seem like a gimmick but take it from me, after playing Burnout you’ll wish every driving game had a crash mode. This mode was expanded and improved as the sequels rolled out and the quality of each game went up and up. The latest release was Burnout: Revenge and let me tell you, it rocks really effing hard; just don’t start with that one or the rest won’t be as good. Xbox/PS2/GCN

-Role Playing (RPG)-

X-Men Legends & X-Men Legends II: Rise Of The Apocalypse - A role playing game featuring all your favorite characters from the comics in an exciting all new tale that takes you around the globe battling iconic bad guys? It sounded too good to be true to me too but this pair of games really delivered. The controls, visuals and gameplay were all solid and the sweet roster of playable characters (which got much larger in the sequel) only served to make a great game better. The only downside to these games is the lack of online multiplayer, but the offline multi mode for up to four players more than make up for it’s absence. So grab a friend (or three if you have XML2) and start kicking some Evil Mutant ass! Xbox/PS2/GCN

Marvel: Ultimate Alliance - The same guys who made the awesome X-Men legends games got together again to create another hit. This time however the game wasn’t limited to the X-Men but included the entire Marvel Comics universe and most of the characters that inhabit it. With a whopping 23 playable heroes to pick from and an epic story that will have you battling everywhere from the S.H.I.E.L.D. helicarrier to the Halls of Asgard and even the Skrull homeworld, you’ll be thrilled and amazed to see how much Marvel goodness they crammed into this game. The tight controls and pick-up-and-go gameplay will be instantly familiar to veterans of the XML games and the voice acting is top quality. A serious must have for both RPG and Comic book fans alike. Xbox/PS2

Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance 1 & 2 - Cut from the same cloth as the two previous entries the big difference here is that instead of four superheroes at your fingertips you control a Dungeons & Dragons based adventurer. Both of these games offer solid graphics and sound as well as tight controls and gameplay you’ll dig if you liked XML or MUA. The selling price for both games is around 15 bucks for BOTH games so you really can’t go wrong if you’re in the mood for a good RPG but don’t feel like being a superhero. Xbox/PS2/GCN

Gladius - This one is a bit of a departure from the typical RPG. It has all the leveling and story aspects you’d expect from the genre but the gameplay mechanics are more akin to the grid-based strategy RPG’s from the last generation of consoles (Final Fantasy Tactics anyone?). The battles are large arena-style affairs that require a good bit of strategy and good reflexes since each attack has a corresponding timed button sequence to match in order to determine damage dealt to the bad guys. It sounds weird but it’s actually a lot of fun. So if you are looking for a gladiatorial combat RPG, buy this game. I loved it. You will too. Xbox/PS2/GCN

So that’s it, the list is done. Those are my picks for the previous console generation and if you follow my recommendations you will be in store for many many hours of gaming goodness. So what are you waiting for? Stop reading this and get gaming!

The Gamer Hero

Last time out we covered the First Person Shooter genre and half of the Action/Adventure games on the list. Today we’re going to finish the Action games and Fighting games. Remember, these are in no particular order and not every game is available on every system. Ok enough talk, on with the list!

-Action/Adventure (cont’d)-

Lego Star Wars & Lego Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy - This might seem like a kids game (and it is ok for kids) but trust me, the rest of you won’t be let down here either. There are two games, the first game covers the prequel flicks (Episodes I-III) and the sequel hits the Original Trilogy (Episodes IV-VI). The controls are outstanding and the sound is pure Star Wars, but the graphics are what make these games what they are, just picture all your favorite scenes from the movies acted out in pantomime by little Lego versions of everyone from Chewie to Vader. Awesome. Co-op play with a friend makes for hours of fun with even the noobiest of your non-gamer friends (you do have those right?), hell it’s so damn cute, your girlfriend might actually play this one with you. Xbox/PS2/GCN

James Bond 007: From Russia With Love - EA did a respectable job translating arguably the best film in the Bond franchise into a video game. You play as James Bond: Agent 007 out to save the world from SPECTRE (well, OCTOPUS in this case as some licensing issues complicated matters) and it’s evil leader Blofeld. The controls are pretty simple, the only real gripe I had with the game was the controls being a bit TOO simple, and the presentation is top-notch. The best part though is that unlike every other Bond game in history, you actually get to play as Sean Connery! Yep they even got him to do the voice-over work too. It makes for a unique and exciting Bond experience. If you love Bond, buy this game. Xbox/PS2/GCN

The Punisher - I’m not going to sit here and try to explain who the Punisher is. He’s a comic book character and if you don’t know him, play this game and you will. This third-person shooter takes many of the conventional gameplay elements you see in games if it’s type and cranks up the violence and gore to Punisher-esque levels. You can use enemies as human shields and even interrogate them using different things found in the environment. I loved every blood-soaked minute of this game and if you are a fan of the Punisher character you will too, but even if you don’t know Frank Castle, you’ll dig this. Xbox/PS2

The Godfather - EA makes you an offer you can’t refuse in this adaptation of Coppola’s classic film about the Corleone mob family. Instead of playing any of the characters from the movie you actually create your own character and (through some pretty clever writing on EA’s part) make the journey through the film’s story from a different perspective. A perspective just off camera as though you were there for all the important bits, just not in the main action. Remember when Michael get the gun from the bathroom and comes back out and kills those two guys? Well how do you think the gun got there? Or sneaking into the movie producer’s house to put the horse’s head in his bed. That’s the kind of cool stuff you get into. Cool use of an awesome license, good control and a large city to explore made this one of my favorites on the last gen systems. Xbox/PS2

The Warriors - Ok, I’ll admit that I hadn’t seen the movie this game was based on before putting it in the machine. That didn’t make it a bad game, not by a long shot and frankly it made me go out and buy the movie the next day. Granted it’s a bit of a throwback to beat-em-up games of generations past but it’s so good at what it does that you forgive it it’s few flaws almost immediately. My only real gripe here is that the graphics were a bit blocky compared to other games on the shelves at the time. But let me tell you, the fighting in this game is off the hook. I loved every ass-kickin, store-looting, car-stereo-stealing minute of it. Don’t miss this one people. Or should I say: can you dig it? Xbox/PS2

Destroy All Humans 1 & 2 - Oh man this one was fun. You actually get to be the evil little green men from space coming to destroy the world with your flying saucers and death rays. The controls and graphics are on par with the other games on this list, but what truly sets this game apart from the rest is the humor with which this dark tale of invasion is delivered. You can even shoot the filthy humans with an “anal probe” ray the make their brains burst from their heads. Nice. The sequel was pretty much more of the same but since the original was so good, who can complain? Good, clean, evil fun. Xbox/PS2

Gun - Not many western themed games were released on the last generation of systems and even fewer were any good, but this one almost makes up for the the crappy games that came before it. Almost. That’s not to say this isn’t a great game because it is. The graphics and voice acting were truly top of the line. The controls were a bit wonky on the ‘Cube but the PS2 and Xbox versions were tight and responsive, but the best part in my opinion was the wide-open world you got to explore on horseback. If you are a fan of westerns this is the game for you. Xbox/PS2/GCN

-Fighting-

First let me say that the number or fighting games released on multiple platforms was very small.

Soul Caliber II - I’m not a big fighting game fan myself but I know that many of you out there are so I’ll include the one title in this genre that I really enjoyed. Soul Calibur 2 is pretty much a graphically updated port of a 1999 Dreamcast game. It did sport some new features and the depth of combat and super tight controls were all great things. My personal favorite part of the game was the console-specific characters you could play as. If you play it on a PS2 you can be Heihachi from the Tekken series. On the Xbox it was Todd McFarlane’s comic anti-hero Spawn. The best one however was the Gamecube version which offered The Legend of Zelda’s hero Link as a playable character. Genius. Xbox/PS2/GCN

That’s it for today folks. Part deux is in the books. Tomorrow I’ll finish up the list with games in the Sports, Racing and Role Playing genres. Until then. Excelsior!

The Gamer Hero

Ok people, this is it, the last list I’m going to make for the old generation of console games. This time it’s going to be the multi platform games, you know, the ones you could play no matter what system you owned? I know that the vast majority of those games were big steaming piles of dung but there are so effing many of them that this list will still be the longest despite all the poop. I’ll list what systems each title is on so’s to avoid any confusion (the ‘Cube got left out quite often in the last gen) about availability. Also this list will be too long for one post so I’m going to break it into three parts: Shooters and half of Action, then the other half of Action and Fighting and lastly I’ll do Racing, RPG’s and Sports. So let’s get started shall we?

These are in no particular order by the way.

-First Person Shooters (FPS)-

Sniper Elite -Let me start by saying that this one won’t be for everyone. This isn’t your typical high octane shooter with lots of nonstop action. It’s a sniping game. WWII sniping to be exact. By today’s standards, Sniper Elite doesn’t look or sound as good as the competition but the gameplay is still top-notch. We’re talking serious snipering here. You need to find good hiding spots to shoot from and when aiming you have to take wind, gravity and even your breathing into account. This title requires patience and skill. Not for shooter virgins. Sniper fans this one is for you. Xbox/PS2/GCN

Return to Castle Wolfenstein: Tides of War/Operation Resurrection -This one was released on both the Xbox and PS2 but the Xbox version is the one to get (sorry PS2 owners, y’all got the shaft on this one). The single player campaign has an odd story about occult Nazi experiments or some such nonsense, but the online multiplayer via XboxLive is truly a joy to play. You can really see where current hits on the 360 and PS3 got their ideas about online gameplay. There are some real innovations here that make the game a must have for the Xbox set. Xbox/PS2

Brothers in Arms: The Road to Hill 30 - I know I know, it’s another World War 2 shooter! But honest, this one has some real innovations in the gameplay dept. You run around with a gun like you do in every other shooter but here you have up to two squads directly under your command, and you’ll need them. The default setting on the game has no crosshair or aiming reticule so shooting with out manually aiming makes hitting your target nearly impossible. When you do aim, you do it by looking down the sights like you would in real life, this serves to emphasize the need to keep your squad alive, you can’t kill all the bad guys yourself (contrary to what other games would have you believe). So you have to send your squads to do squad things like setting up a base of fire or flanking a target. The online multiplayer is just as fun and provides a welcome change from the standard online deathmatch fare. Xbox/PS2

Star Wars Battlefront I & II - Star Wars shooter goodness! The first battlefront was a huge success both as a single player game and a multiplayer one but the sequel is where the developers really hit their stride. Take sides in all the classic battles you love from the movies! Be a clone trooper fighting the Separatist droid armies or a rebel trooper fighting alongside Ewoks on Endor! You can even be Darth Vader storming Echo Base on Hoth with wave after wave of Stormtroopers behind you. Take the action online for intense 16 player deathmatch and capture the flag missions. If you like Star Wars and shooters this is the game for you. Xbox/PS2

Black - At the time of it’s release, Black was both praised and panned by critics for being an audiovisual feast for the senses but ending far too quickly. Back then I could understand people being pissed about plunking down fifty bucks for a game that only lasts 6 or 7 hours, but nowadays you can get the game off Amazon for like $9 so how can you really bitch? The game looks, sounds and plays great. Like I said, the only gripe here is the length, so give it a shot and see what shooting for shooting’s sake is all about. Xbox/PS2

-Action/Adventure-

Beyond Good and Evil - This game reminded me of Zelda quite a bit with it’s level design and control scheme, but hey nobody said that being compared to Zelda was BAD. Instead of a sword-swingin’ elf kinda guy on a quest to save the princess, you’re a stick-swingin’ asian kinda chick with a camera out to expose government corruption. Confused? Don’t be, it’s all pretty well explained in the game’s first five minutes. Seriously though, give this one a try, you’ll be surprised how much you like it. I was. Xbox/PS2/GCN

Spider-Man: The Movie & Spider-Man 2 - Somehow Activision managed to avoid the curse of the sucky movie game and produced a officially licensed title that not only doesn’t suck, it’s actually pretty good! Swinging around on webline through the concrete jungle of New York City is thrilling to behold and simple to control. Just being able to be Spidey in a game doing what you want when you want is a fanboy dream come true. I loved the sequel even more than the original as the combat controls and camera were improved and besides, who doesn’t want to kick Doc Ock’s ass? There was a game to go with the third movie, but like the flick it was based on, it was weak. Xbox/PS2/GCN

Mercenaries - Dig this: sandbox-style action a la Grand Theft Auto, North Korean nuclear terrorists, fully destructible environments and a heaping helping of gory action all combine in this wonderfully dark game from LucasArts (if you can believe that!). Sound too good to be true? it’s not! You pick from three mercs out to get the job done, as long as the price is right. Do missions for various factions and collect bounties on the numerous bad guys in the terrorist chain-of-command, then spend your hard earned loot on new weapons and vehicles from the Russian Black Market. Awesome. Get this game. Do it. Xbox/Ps2

Max Payne & Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne - Anyone ever see a John Woo flick? How about the Matrix? Then you’re familiar with the concept of “bullet-time” whether you know it or not. Basically “bullet-time” is when the action of a movie, or in this case a game slows waaay down so you can actually see the path of each individual bullet. Now imagine being able to do that with the push of a button within one of the darkest, grittiest games ever released on any system and you have Max Payne. The controls are super tight, the voice work is top-notch and the graphics are sweet (at least on the Xbox), so what more do you want? Oh yeah, they’re both available for less than ten bucks. ‘Nuff said. Xbox/PS2

That’s it for part one of the multi-platform hit list. Next time I’ll cover the rest of the action titles and fighting games. Until then make with the gaming, and for crying out loud put some pants on! Nobody wants to see that.

The Gamer Hero

If you’ve been paying attention you know that I’ve been giving you my lists of the best titles on the last generation of gaming consoles. So far we’ve covered the Gamecube and Xbox. Today it’s time for the Playstation 2 short list, and that’s the problem, the PS2 has more high quality games than the rest so this “short” list might end up being a long list. Remember the games here are (or were) PS2 exclusives, I’ll cover multi-platform releases next time. So let’s get to it eh?

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty & Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater - The Metal Gear series is one of my favorite franchises in gaming. The series has had a life spanning 3 generations of consoles and even the handheld market. The PS2 volumes are are arguably the best AND worst in the series. I’m not one of those haters who’ll tell you that MGS2 sucked because you (SPOILER) only play as Snake in the opening level. Both games had their high and low points but in the final tally these two rank among the best (and best selling) titles ever released on the PS2. Stealth Espionage Action is the name of the game. Sneak around killing terrorists trying to take over the world (kinda) and fighting the big walking tank at the end to save the day. Just play these games, trust me.

Final Fantasy X, X-2 and XII - I love traditional Japanese Role Playing Games. No series quite embodies that more than Final Fantasy. Story-driven gameplay and fantastic graphics are just the tip of the iceberg of what makes these games great. You’ll find yourself growing attached to the characters and having trouble turning the game off at night. These games set the bar so high that just about every other RPG pales in comparison. With over forty hours of gameplay apiece and a thrifty $20 price tag you really can’t go wrong here.

Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City and San Andreas - What can be said about this franchise that hasn’t already been said by every other media outlet on the planet? Not much. It’s “sandbox” gameplay at it’s finest. It seems that since GTA3’s release there have been and endless stream of imitators but no gaming series can quite live up to Rockstar’s monster hit. Since you can find the trilogy in one box for around $25 you only have yourself to blame for not buying this one. Get it.

Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams, Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny & Onimusha 3: Demon Siege - Pure samurai gaming goodness people! Capcom took real Japanese actors and mo-capped them nearly to death to get this amazing trilogy to look unlike anything else on the PS2 to date. In the first and third installments you play as Samanosuke Akechi a feudal-era samurai on a quest to topple an evil demon warlord bent on conquering Japan (and later the world). The controls are a bit dated by today’s standards but don’t let that dissuade you from getting at least the first and third games. The second game isn’t bad per se but it takes a few odd turns with the story that really don’t add much to the overall tale. There is a newer Onimusha that came out a year or so ago but it follows a different story altogether so save that one for last.

Gran Turismo 3 & Gran Turismo 4 - The Real Driving simulator or so they call it over at Polyphony Digital. This is one of those “Love it or Hate it” games. It’s uber-realistic driving physics and high learning curve can be frustrating. But after a few controller-squeezing hours of getting the hang of it this game really shines. The graphics are awesome and the cars handle just like they should. It’s a fun game to put some time into but I’ll be honest, it’s not an easy one

Kingdom Hearts & Kingdom Hearts 2 - When SquareEnix (of Final Fantasy fame) paired with Disney, many gamers groaned. Not many good cartoon games exist, especially not the Disney variety. But leave it to SquareEnix to put all those fears to bed. Mix characters from multiple FF games with familiar Disney faces and throw in a heaping helping of action-RPG gameplay and somehow you get a hit. I don’t pretend to understand it. But I loved it.

Katamari Damacy & We Love Katamari - This $20 gem has become one of the biggest cult hits on any system to date. Crazy snowball-esque gameplay combined with odd blocky graphics and a bizarrely catchy soundtrack make for one of the most unforgettable games you’ve never played. You play as the tiny Prince of the Cosmos and have to clean up your father the King’s mess by rolling up everything in sight with your sticky-sticky ball or Katamari. Using the analog sticks nearly exclusively makes controlling the Prince a snap for gamers of any skill level. I love this game. You will too.

God of War & God of War 2 - I saved possibly the best for last. This is PS2 gaming at it’s absolute best people. A gripping story set against a backdrop of classical Greek mythology and real life locations tells the tale of Kratos, a Spartan soldier in the service of the God of War Ares. It’s too good to ruin here but suffice to say that Kratos is a serious badass that would just as soon kill you as look at you. The controls, sound and graphics are crazy good in both games and both can now be found for less then $25 so get them both and save yourself a trip to the store.

Well that’s it for the PS2. I know there are lots of other good or even great games I left off the list but this should definitely get you started. If you’ve burned through these and you need a few more suggestions, post it up on the forums. Next time I’m going to cover multi-platform releases. That ought to be sweet. Later all.

The Gamer Hero

Last-Gen consoles may be going the way of the Dodo but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t any gaming goodness to be had! I know a lot of you are just now getting an Xbox as the prices continue to drop and I commend you on your frugality, but which games should you buy for your new system? Since the magazines and gaming websites are all about the new consoles these days look no further compadres! The Gamer Hero has you covered. I’m gonna give you the short list of must-have Xbox titles so you don’t go wasting your money on Lee Carvallo’s Putting Challenge. Let me be clear on this though, this list is Xbox exclusive titles only, games released for multiple systems will be covered in a future post.

Ok let’s get to it.

Halo: Combat Evolved & Halo 2 - Everyone knows about this one already right? Legendary First Person Shooter (FPS) that revitalized the genre with mind-blowing graphics and control? The even-bigger selling sequel that took the experience to the next level with online multiplayer via Xbox Live? Yeah I thought so. Moving on…

Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind - This is the title that sold me an Xbox. As a longtime Role Playing Game (RPG) fan, this quest-based “sandbox” style game had me hooked from the start. Create your character by choosing your species, sex and class. From there the game pretty much leaves the rest up to you. You can join guilds, do jobs for local militia or just go from house to house stealing spoons or goblets. The amount of freedom you have to explore and interact with the world (which is effing HUGE by the way) is astounding. Good graphics and tight controls make this one of my all time favorites.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic & Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - Star Wars + RPG + Xbox + BioWare = Awesome! BioWare game studios outdid them selves on this one. Create you character and play 4000 years before Luke and Vader did their thing. The graphics are sweet and the ability to choose your path through the game, Light Side or Dark, really affects the outcome of the game. The best part is that the game retains that special “Star Warsy” feel right through to the end. The sequel KotoR2:The Sith Lords (developed by Obsidian Entertainment not BioWare) was a bit lean in the story department, but gameplay improvements made it a worthy follow-up. Both games are on the Platinum hits list and can be found used for around 15 bucks. A good deal for any Jedi (or Sith) in-training.

Ninja Gaiden - The 2004 update of Tecmo’s NES classic made most gamer’s heads spin when they saw the game in action. I loved this game. Super-tight controls, slick styling, a kickass story and crazy (at the time) graphics made this one of those games that didn’t leave my Xbox tray for weeks on end. Some folks complained about the game’s sometimes maddening level of difficulty but I loved every minute. This is a game that sucks you in and then makes you earn your way through to the end. When you beat this one you will definitely feel like an ass kicking, revenge seeking super ninja. Word.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay - Awesome Graphics, crazy-good control, innovative gameplay mechanics, Hollywood style production values and a stellar cast turned this into one of the biggest surprise hits of 2004. Vin Diesel, Cole Hauser and Xzibit all lend not only their voices but their likenesses as well to this title. Riddick has some of the best facial mapping and voice acting in a game to this day. More of a First Person Adventure than FPS this game’s take on the genre was a refreshing change of pace from the fast-twitch gameplay of contemporary FPS titles. Whether you liked the movies of not, give this game a shot, it was a lot of fun to play.

Ok so that’s the short list of Xbox exclusives. You have my word that every game here is worth the money you’ll spend on them. And as always, if you’re really broke, there’s always the options of Blockbuster Total Access and GameFly for unlimited game rentals.

I hope this list helps some of you out. Let me know if you have questions about the details of any of these games. Next time I’ll go through the Must-Haves for the PS2. Until then, happy gaming people.

The Gamer Hero