Upcoming PS2 Hits

Upcoming PS2 Hits

By Le Chupacabra

Even though the Xbox 360 is released and the PS3 is coming up by the end of the year, the current generation is far from over. Here are some upcoming games that should give you enough reasons to hold onto your hard-earned cash:

Final Fantasy XII (October 2006)
Does FF need an introduction? Once again Square-Enix is creating a stirring, magnificent adventure that will suck up atleast a hundred hours from your life! FFXII is also a complete departure from the other eleven. The main change: the combat. Now in real-time, you can see your foes before engaging them and facets like mutual foes/friends add greater twists. Lure the Mandragora towards a group of reptiles and watch the enemies go at it, while you hang back and add the finishing blows to get the EXP points! Being able to take advantage of elevation and ambush tactics will give battles a whole new layer of complexity. You can also customise your party's AI behaviour with the flexible Gambit system. Interestingly, the story is also taking a different route with emphasis on political intrigue and latent power struggles. The art design is stunning and Ivalice is teeming with interesting characters and diverse races that make the world truly come alive - par for the course for Square-Enix! Many purists aren't too pleased with the change in gameplay, while some really appreciate it. I guess it's a matter of opinion. Personally, I'm rather excited and the last proper Final Fantasy was released way back in 2001 (FFX). (The Japanese version of FFXII was released on the 16th of March, 2006 with Japan's most revered gaming magazine Famitsu - giving it the perfect score of 40/40 which was an honour bestowed upon only five other games).

Hitman: Blood Money (May 2006)
Blood Money features a tense and involving story where all members of the Agency are being neutralised by a lethal assassin - and despite your tepid relationship with the corporation, you're still on top of the newcomer's list. The gameplay has received major upgrades especially in the vein of some much-needed close-quarters combat tactics ala Metal Gear Solid 3. There's greater emphasis on stealth and you're rewarded in kind for being a ghost in every sense of the word - being able to bribe people into denying your existence is a very cool addition indeed. Hitman's vaunted open-ended level design is taken to new heights so players can experience the game in accordance with their personal preferences. According to IO, this game will boast 'next-generation graphics' even on current-gen consoles. This is the first Hitman game to interest me and if IO make good on their promises, this looks to be a stellar title.

Kingdom Hearts II (March 2006)
It's part two… enough said! The story is now skyrocketing to truly epic proportions as the fray becomes a lot more complex with the addition of the enigmatic 13th Order and the mysterious Nobodies. Sora and Co. return to once again thwart the plans of evil alongside familiar and new faces. All the worlds from the first game are included but this time we also explore the old school world of Steamboat Willie, the magnificent Kingdom Castle and surprise, surprise… the world of The Pirates of the Caribbean! Fighting side-by-side with Capt. Jack Sparrow is now a reality you PotC fans! But that's not all; other worlds include the Pride Lands (Lion King), the Land of Dragons (Mulan), Beast's Castle (Beauty and the Beast), the virtual-reality realm of Tron and many more! The graphics look incredible and the fighting system has had major upgrades with all manner of new spells, context-sensitive attacks and FF-inspired Limit Breaks. Did I also mention that there's a side-story starring FFVII's Cloud Strife? (The Japanese version was released on December 2005 with Famitsu giving it an exceptional 39/40 - which means it was just a wee bit short of perfection.)

Okami (August 2006)
Yet another beyond-the-norm experience from Capcom's Clover Studios (the makers of the surreal Killer7 and fantastic Viewtiful Joe). Here you play as the Sun God, Amaterasu, who is on Earth in the form of a white wolf. Evil has been unleashed and all the world's colour (and life) is vanishing. It's upto you to restore peoples' faith and bring back colour to all. The art style is absolutely unique; it gives the impression that you're playing through a traditional Japanese calligraphy painting. It sounds odd, but once you see it, it is utterly compelling and in fact, no words can express the ethereal artistry of it all - think Ico but with a wolf. Given that you attack with a calligraphy pen and that you can literally draw changes to the world around you with your Celestial Brush, this becomes a truly unique experience that only a PS2 can offer.

Tomb Raider: Legend (Mar-Apr 2006)
Tomb Raider is back… again! Don't run away though; this is no Angel of Darkness! Created by the minds behind the revered Legacy of Kain series, Lara Croft is looking better than ever before. Not only does she look more realistic, she comes across as a far more believable character this time! The graphics are brilliant with the stunning artistry and architecture as expected from the crew who gave us the world of Nosgoth. The puzzles are reportedly very organic this time, requiring more lateral thinking; think less box-pushing and more fun. The action is brilliant with all manner of new moves the melds some of the shooting aspects from Max Payne and the acrobatics of Prince of Persia: Sands of Time. Just don't expect any wall-running or bullet-time, thank god. This game could very well be the one to revitalise Lady Croft and bring back her former glory.

Also worth watching out for:
Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
Yakuza
Superman Returns
X-Men: Last Stand
Rogue Galaxy
Splinter Cell: Double Agent
Phantasy Star Universe
The Godfather