What is the best game of the PS2 (128-bit) Era??

[c0ldb33r]

I guess the clearest way to ask the questions would be as follows:

What was the best game released on any of the following systems:
1. Dreamcast
2. Playstation 2
3. Gamecube
4. Xbox

That way we can avoid the whole "bit" non-sense. Lest we forget that the INTV was 16-bit.

My pick would probably be Final Fantasy XII. I hated it with a passion when I first got it, but once I got used to it, it became digital crack.

A second choice would be Jet Set Radio, just because it's cool.

My third and final pick would Capcom vs. SNK 2. It's my favorite 2D fighter in awhile and the only one I still play on a regular basis.

[JunkTheMagicDragon]

if forced to pick a favorite, i'd pick gta: vice city.

so many good games from that generation, and way more that i haven't even had the time or money to try yet.

my honorable mentions:
god of war
guitar hero 2
final fantasy x
kotor
mgs2
advent rising

oddly enough, both kotor and ffx i initially hated, but i slogged through the beginnings and came to love them.

[heybtbm]

Either:

Resident Evil 4

or

GTA: San Andreas

[Oobgarm]

Super Smash Bros. Melee

[Chainsaw_Charlie]

In no particular order

my top ten

Okami
Resident Evil 4
Odin Sphere
Devil May cry
Fatal frame
God of war
Kingdom hearts
Shadow of the Colossus
Bully
Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess GC

[TheDomesticInstitution]

Half Life 2.

A few runners up...

Elder Scrolls IV: Morrowind
GTA: San Andreas
Knights of the Old Republic (I think 2 was just as great too.)

Although Half-Life 2 was a short game compared to the others, it had the most seamless balance of action, problem solving, and cinematics out of any game I've ever played. That and the story was engrossing too, and it felt like you were playing an interactive movie.

Elder Scrolls... I've never wasted 100 hours (over the course of a few years) on a game before and not completed the main quest. I don't feel like any of those countless hours of meandering around the huge world were a waste of time either. Most in depth RPG I've ever played. Playing this one really prepared me for the monster that is Fallout 3.

San Andreas... What can I say that hasn't been said? This game is packed to the brim with just about everything. So much stuff to do and see, and a shit-load of replay value. The satire is pretty funny, and it's never been so much fun to be the bad guy.

KOTOR... I loved both games equally. The 1st game was so good I played through it a second time, which is something I NEVER do. Other than the Super Star Wars series on the SNES, these are the best Star Wars games I've ever played. I have my fingers crossed for a current generation continuation of the franchise, thats not a MMORPG.

[Iron Draggon]

What the..? Are you a fool? So what happened to the 64bit era? Is the N64 all by itself in that era?? Haha..ha..ehem. <_<


On topic:

Damn. That's a hard list to make. There where tons great titles from that generation. Definitely Metroid and some others on you list. Tales of Symphonia is probably my favorite game from that era. And I know I'll get some flack for this, but Super Mario Sunshine was the most fun I had in a Mario game since Super Mario World on SNES and SMB3 on NES. (SMB64 was average at best)

I guess you never heard of the Atari Jaguar... it's part of "the 64BIT era", though many would argue whether it's truly 64BIT, just as some are arguing about some of the systems of "the 128BIT era" not truly being 128BIT

myself, I look at it like this, and I could care less what the actual numbers are:

2600 & Intellivision = 2BIT
5200 & Colecovision = 4BIT
7800, SMS, & NES = 8BIT
Genesis, Sega CD, & SNES = 16BIT
32X, Saturn, PS1, & 3DO = 32BIT
N64, Jaguar, & Jaguar CD = 64BIT
Dreamcast, PS2, XBOX, Gamecube, & Wii = 128BIT
XBOX 360 & PS3 = 256BIT

so we still have one more generation to go before we finally reach the GBIT era... the next generation will be the 512BIT era, but if Nintendo goes with an underpowered system again, their next console prolly won't be 512BIT

I think it's pointless to argue over actual BITS... just accept them as a generalization to help people understand the incremental increases in power brought by each new generation... it always doubles, until you get to the Wii, which chose to stay behind in the previous generation for some reason... few people really care what the actual BITS are, they just want a way to distinguish each generation from all the other generations... so get over it

now as for the best games of the 128BIT era, I still can't say for sure yet, because new 128BIT games are still coming out... remember, the PS2 still isn't dead yet, and it will survive as long as the Wii does... so we still have many more years of new 128BIT games left to enjoy before we'll know all the best for sure... great idea for a topic, but even now it's still too soon to tell!

[cityside75]

32X, Saturn, PS1, & 3DO = 32BIT
N64, Jaguar, & Jaguar CD = 64BIT

I think it's pointless to argue over actual BITS... just accept them as a generalization to help people understand the incremental increases in power brought by each new generation...

I understand your logic to an extent, but calling the Jaguar an incremental increase over the PS1 & Saturn is flawed to say the least.

Also, I notice that a couple of people have mentioned PN 03 as one of their top games. I've never even given this game a second look, and this is the first I recall hearing of it being a top tier game. Can someone tell me a little more about why it's on a best-of list?

[JunkTheMagicDragon]

some sites, including hawanja's, have started using the wikipedia generational system. it has its faults and some seriously gray areas, but it's useful as a standard and avoids the bits vs 'make-believe bits' argument.

this puts the ps2/xbox/gc in the sixth generation.

[Buns34]

GC: The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker
PS2: Dragon Quest VIII
X-Box: Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic
Dreamcast: Sonic Adventure

[Nesmaster]

GC: Resident Evil 4 or Smash Melee
Runner-up - Super Monkey Ball 1/2

PS2: Shadow of the Colossus
Runner-up - Twisted Metal Black or ICO

Xbox: GTA San Andreas
Runner-up - Halo

Dreamcast: Sonic Adventure
Runner-up - Jet Set Radio

My Number one game from the era: GTA San Andreas.

Honorable mentions:
Beyond Good & Evil
Burnout 3
GTA 3, Vice City
Tony Hawk 3
Metroid Prime
Zelda Wind Waker
Black
Mercenaries

[Rogmeister]

It has to be MLB Power Pros...otherwise, why can't I stop playing it?

[j_factor]

some sites, including hawanja's, have started using the wikipedia generational system. it has its faults and some seriously gray areas, but it's useful as a standard and avoids the bits vs 'make-believe bits' argument.

this puts the ps2/xbox/gc in the sixth generation.

I strongly disagree with Wikipedia lumping together the Atari VCS generation with the Colecovision generation. Very strongly. In fact, I think I have an unhealthy level of vehemence here. Seriously.

[kedawa]

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time belongs in the top ten for sure.

[kedawa]

I guess you never heard of the Atari Jaguar... it's part of "the 64BIT era", though many would argue whether it's truly 64BIT, just as some are arguing about some of the systems of "the 128BIT era" not truly being 128BIT

myself, I look at it like this, and I could care less what the actual numbers are:

2600 & Intellivision = 2BIT
5200 & Colecovision = 4BIT
7800, SMS, & NES = 8BIT
Genesis, Sega CD, & SNES = 16BIT
32X, Saturn, PS1, & 3DO = 32BIT
N64, Jaguar, & Jaguar CD = 64BIT
Dreamcast, PS2, XBOX, Gamecube, & Wii = 128BIT
XBOX 360 & PS3 = 256BIT

so we still have one more generation to go before we finally reach the GBIT era... the next generation will be the 512BIT era, but if Nintendo goes with an underpowered system again, their next console prolly won't be 512BIT

I think it's pointless to argue over actual BITS... just accept them as a generalization to help people understand the incremental increases in power brought by each new generation... it always doubles, until you get to the Wii, which chose to stay behind in the previous generation for some reason... few people really care what the actual BITS are, they just want a way to distinguish each generation from all the other generations... so get over it

now as for the best games of the 128BIT era, I still can't say for sure yet, because new 128BIT games are still coming out... remember, the PS2 still isn't dead yet, and it will survive as long as the Wii does... so we still have many more years of new 128BIT games left to enjoy before we'll know all the best for sure... great idea for a topic, but even now it's still too soon to tell!

This is all drivel.
Why do you want to cling to a system of categorization that, by your own admission, is baseless and inaccurate, and which is no longer used by any reasonable person?

[tomaitheous]

I think Iron Dragon was just kidding around. (Because there's just sooo much wrong with that post of his )

[kedawa]

I hope so.

[Trebuken]

The game too many people didn't play...

Okami.

[icbrkr]

The game too many people didn't play...

Okami.

I've been meaning to play that :/ I've got it, but it's still in the wrap.

That said, everyone knows what's going to happen when we hit over 1000 bits... a new standard will follow...



Mmmmm... tasty.

[kedawa]

If you haven't played Okami yet, prepare yourself for pressing the same button every few seconds to advance the games story, one line of text at a time, for about a half-hour before the game actually starts.

After that it's fairly enjoyable.