First Person Shooters for PS2

[Goofball]

Hello all. I finally got a PS2, and contrary to my PC gaming preference, I have found that my favorite genre for PS2 games is FPS. I have finished The Medal of Honor games and also Finest Hour, and really liked them. Can anyone recommend any other similar FPS games for PS2? I tried MetalGear 2 and am not really a big fan. I like my FPS games to be all shooting and minimal "sneaking and peaking."

Any ideas?

[econ21]

Have you tried Vietcong? It's PC, but also PS2. I don't play many shooters - I prefer RPGs and strategy games - but this one is the bees knees.

I find it pretty "realistic" - the fighting is chaotic and often you don't see the one who kills you. One shot can kill you although this can be varied with the difficulty level (which I found just right at normal). The weapons are historical and "feel" fairly right. There's a nice variety - all the stuff you'd expect from the conflict.

The game has a lovely mechanical innovation - right click your mouse when behind cover (a tree or log etc) and you aim while taking advantage of that cover. It really makes fighting smart easy to do.

The missions are fairly long and open - you can try to go for a flank while your squad engages at the front - and I never felt boxed in, running down a set track. It does not require stealth per se, although seeing the enemy before they see you helps. There are not waves of enemies - you are fighting realistic squads, often small squads - so Doom it ain't.

There is a nice variety of missions - some tunnel rat stuff and some defending a base missions are particularly stressful. Sometimes you have a squad; sometimes you are lost and scrounging enemy ammo.

The game has something of a story and even one or two "characters" (for some reason, I like "Hornster", the hard'ass machinegunner). It appeals to the RPGer in me.

Politically, I am anti-war regarding Vietnam but found nothing in the game to object to. It's rather like those 1980s US Vietnam war films, if less subtle. It even has Lee Emery (from Full Metal Jack) as the drillmaster in the tutorials, swearing blue murder at you. At the end, you are medivacked out of 'Nam, intoning "It don't mean nuthin' man." I love it.

I think it is a brilliant game that has not done as well in sales or critical acclaim as it deserves. Give it a go!

[IrishMike]

If you want a all out war game, blast em all, that takes skill to win. Try killzone. Great game, good graphics, nice story, and a great futuristic war feel to it all. Plus it takes skill, its just not a mindless "oh well shot another one, 200 more to go" type game, and the AI is pretty impressive.

[lars573]

I would recomend Time splitters series. I used to have TS1 good light on story FPS game. There is a bonus mode where you shoot duck-men who quack when you blast them. And you can unlock a pink bunny girl to use in multiplayer mode. Also when you take out zombies you have to blow their heads off to kill them permanently.

Also try red faction 1 (2 was not as good). Also check out the dynasty warriors games. Not FPS games but very good.

[Gregoshi]

The MoH games were good. I'll only caution you to avoid Unreal Tournament - no matter how cheap the price.

[Goofball]

Thanks for all the tips guys. You've given me a sampling that should keep me busy for the next couple of months. Simon, you got me thinking: are there any good RPG's for PS2? The last RPGs I played on a console other than the PC were the Final Fantasy series on Super Nintendo (I know, totally childish graphics, but that still didn't stop me from pissing away a few hundred hours of my life on them). Is there anything along those lines or like the Baldur's Gate series for PS2?

[Gregoshi]

Goofball, Dark Alliance and Dark Alliance 2 are basically Baldur's Gate-like for the PS2. I've not played the BG games on the PC, but I doubt they are the same adventures ported to the PS2. The games do have your characters based in Baldur's Gate in the Forgotten Realms. I've played through DA2 and I will get and play through DA just so I can see the whole story. They are kind of a stripped down D&D, but like Diablo and similar games, you find yourself rushing through the game from one room to the next. A much too hurried pace for a true D&D game in my mind. Anyway, I did enjoy DA2 apart from a few bosses that were a pain in the butt.

Another similar game to the DA series is The Champions of Norrath. My daughter has almost completed the game and from what I saw it looked good. I'll give that game a shot too. The sequel, Champions: Return to Arms is due out in a few weeks or less.

[econ21]

Simon, you got me thinking: are there any good RPG's for PS2? The last RPGs I played on a console other than the PC were the Final Fantasy series on Super Nintendo (I know, totally childish graphics, but that still didn't stop me from pissing away a few hundred hours of my life on them). Is there anything along those lines or like the Baldur's Gate series for PS2?

Dunno, has there been anything lately like the Baldur's Gate series for the PC? ~;)
BG2 was a high water mark for the genre that I don't think has been surpassed yet.[1]

I am afraid I don't have a PS2, but I notice that Gamespot gives Final Fantasy X a score of 9.3, so that may be worth looking in to.

[1]PS if you are into RPGs, you must try Vampire: Bloodlines. It's only for the PC, I am afraid, but it is an amazing game - up there with the best of the genre. Have a look at the thread on it in this forum - I think other org members shared my enthusiasm.

[lars573]

The badur gate games for the consoles and PC are very different. Baldur's gate for the PS2 is more like the diablo games. Sure you level up put points into your feats and skills but you can only choose from 3 premade characters in the first dark alliance game and 5 in the second. Plus in dark alliance 2 you can play threw the game as Drizzit Dro'urden after you beat the game once. If the last console RPG you played was on the SNES I'd stay away from any of the PS2 FF series while they look very pretty the story lines and characters are stupid beyond bellef. Try lord of the rings the thrid age. If you can deal with the back fellowship story line it's good. You play with a group made up of a tower guard of Gondor and elven maiden, a ranger, a dwarf, a shield maid of Rohan and a rider of the mark. You follow the fellowship of the ring on their quest. There is even a part in Moria where your guys are walking along and then a dwarf skeleton falls out of the celling and lands in front of you then you hear Gandalf bitching and Pippin.

[Gregoshi]

lars, thanks for that info on the differences between BG on the PC and DA on the PS2. I may have to look into the BG games - the price is certainly right these days.

[econ21]

I may have to look into the BG games - the price is certainly right these days.

Gregoshi, you will be in for a treat. Unfortunately, if you proceed, you will face a dilemma - BG1 is rather plain and very long, but sets up the story for the wonderful BG2. I am never sure whether to recommend to a newcomer whether to wade through BG1 (we are talking 50-100 hours here) or just get stuck in to the good stuff with BG2 (the engine is the same, but the characters, quests and story-telling are much richer). On balance, I would say start with BG1. In itself, I still find BG1 a great game and the bond you will develop with your character (and party) makes BG2 much more rewarding when you import them to BG1. One pointer though - if you burn out on BG1 (I did, several times), don't be afraid to stop playing and import the character to BG2 without finishing BG1. I did that and lost nothing in the process; I ended up going back and finishing BG1 years later - greatly enjoying the climax.

[Fragony]

If you are looking for a PS2 shooter get Killzone. That crumbling little grannie we call PS2 still has some tricks, excellent game if you allow yourselve to be immersed by it. It has some flaws, some minor and some major, but when it shines oh boy.