State of the PS2 Backlog

My PS2 backlog is horrendous. I blame this partially (only partially?) on my own lack of self-control and the extremely cheap cost of pre-owned PS2 games, a library which continues to grow with the passage of time. Some of the greatest games of five or so years ago are now cheaper than many of the bite-sized offerings of the XBLA/PSN crowd, which doesn't help their case a whole lot.

As such, I have piles of these things lying around and they're all becoming slowly worthless. So rather than fob them off on Blockbusters (currently having its own issues with obsolescence) for a buck each, which is practically criminal, I'm keeping them all using up space I don't really have.

Since I don't have magical time powers like that tiny dog with glasses from that one TV show we never got in the UK but gets referenced endlessly by other shows we do get, I haven't been able to complete all the PS2 games I've collected over the years. That's where this list comes in. I can shift stuff around and prioritize as needed. Hopefully I can clear some of the backlog before I buy another dozen games in a closing down sale [see "Blockbusters" above].

List items

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  1. Champions: Return to Arms

  The sequel to Champions of Norrath, still conspicuously missing "EverQuest" from its title (did they think console gamers hated MMOs? It's a fair assumption). Much like the first, only more difficult since it was one of those "import your high level characters from the first game into it" instances.

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  2. Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3

  I have a Dragon Ball Z game? I don't remember this. I must've got it in that huge bundle I was bequeathed a few months back. So, uh, I should probably try it right? I mean it's Dragon Ball Z, but these games are supposed to be pretty okay.

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  3. Ephemeral Fantasia

  I didn't really give this game a chance. Most of the missions are time-based, sort of like Dead Rising or Mask of Majora (almost the same game, incidentally), except you aren't allowed to restart the clock. It seems you have to be everywhere at once in the one playthrough. I couldn't figure out what I was doing. I might give it another shot, being older and wiser (code for "better access to GameFAQs").

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  4. Gitaroo Man

  A little more frantic than Parappa, but has the same kind of absurd humor. I can only get so far, though, because my controller is falling apart and can't take it. If I ever get it replaced, I'll be sure to try this again.

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  5. Headhunter

  A game I have yet to try, it came to me in a large bundle of others. I only have passing familiarity with it. It's on the backlog.

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  6. Hitman 2: Silent Assassin

  I'm no fan of stealth-based games (though I enjoyed the Riddick games when I beat them not long ago), so I'm apprehensive about this one. The Hitman games tend to be reviewed favorably though, so it's entirely possible I'll enjoy it.

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  7. God Hand

  God Hand's a curious beast. Like Dead Rising or Psychonauts, you have to look past a lot of faults and be damn good at it to appreciate it fully. I started getting my ass beat way too often and lost focus though, which I'm slightly abashed about.

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  8. Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2

  Ah, the Legacy of Kain series. It's pretty much entirely flown me by, having only played the first Soul Reaver, a little. If I want to catch up with this series, I have the means to do so.

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  9. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

  I got all three of the LOTR games, out of order and for barely no cost, and haven't really got too far with any of them. Fellowship seems set up the most "RPG-ish", as the road out of the Shire was apparently paved with fetch quests. I'll do a sanity-wrecking playthrough of all three consecutively at some point.

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  10. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

  See above. I haven't even touched Two Towers yet. I basically bought it because I already had the other two.

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  11. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

  Unlike The Fellowship and The Two Towers, I actually got a significant way into this game before stopping. It may well be all but complete.

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  12. Makai Kingdom: Chronicles of the Sacred Tome

  An NIS game that continues to sit on my shelf unloved after my patience for NIS finally ran out playing Disgaea 2 (after "beating" La Pucelle, Disgaea and Phantom Brave). If I ever relocate my love of SRPGs, this'll be the first port of call.

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  13. The Mark of Kri

  Got partway into this subdued adventure game thing. It was either moving too slow or I got distracted by something else. I feel obligated to finish it though (I mean, unless it's really bad).

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  14. Marvel Nemesis: Rise of the Imperfects

  Got a large haul of PS2 games towards the start of the year, most of which remain to be beaten (or played at all for that matter). This is one of those, since I hear it's fairly mediocre. I owe it a shot at least.

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  15. Marvel Ultimate Alliance

  I'm debating whether to play this version of the X-Men Legend franchise's retarded but popular jock brother or play the 360 one for the achievements. This one won't cost me anything at this point though, so it's definitely looking good.

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  16. Medal of Honor: Frontline

  Got a couple of these Medal of Honor games in the Dec '09 haul and haven't got around to playing either yet, despite the fact these FPS games tend to take about a single afternoon to complete.

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  17. Medal of Honor: Rising Sun

  See above. Probably beat both of these in a double feature of good old generic WW2 FPS action.

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  18. Metal Arms: Glitch in the System

  Hovering between my "Backlog" and "Throw Away" piles is this little robot game. I abandoned it pretty early into my first playthrough, and I can't say a repeat of that incident is unlikely.

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  19. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

  Never really got into the MGS games. I missed the first one because I generally dislike stealth games, then the series just took off in a big way. MGS2 seems to be the black sheep.

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  20. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

  MGS3 is often referred to (by Kojima fanboys usually) as the best PS2 exclusive of all time. So for that reason alone I should at least give it a chance, even if MGS is a franchise that just doesn't appeal.

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  21. Midway Arcade Treasures 2

  How do you beat an arcade compilation? Both Retro Game Challenge and the new Ultimate Genesis Collection did a neat trick with their achievements, which ranged from hilariously easy to intensely difficult. Setting my own targets for the many games in this compilation seems to be the way to go. Also 40 games for 5 bux beats the hell out of Game Room.

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  22. Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance

  Haven't tried it yet. Frankly, with the reputation the 3D Mortal Kombat games have, I'm almost afraid to.

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  23. Nightshade

  There was a spate of these ninja games, with this one coming straight after the new Shinobi and Ninja Gaiden reboots. It looks about as tough as those, so I've been holding off on it. For some reason I'm apprehensive about games that will hand me my own ass.

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  24. Oni

  Bungie's only significant release. I think. This is probably the oldest game (in regard to when I bought it) in my PS2 collection that I haven't actually played yet.

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  25. Onimusha: Warlords

  Somehow these Onimusha games keep finding their way into the backlog. I'm just missing the second one, but I don't think the plot is going to be too hard to follow if I skip just one.

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  26. Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny

  Finally picked up the entry I was missing for the Onimusha series. Now to play them and find out I hate them all.

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  27. Onimusha 3: Demon Siege

  Another of these Res Evil-lite deals, this time with Jean Reno for some reason. If Wasabi was any indication, the Japanese love Jean Reno. I liked that movie. Will I like this game? Who knows.

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  28. Onimusha: Dawn of Dreams

  Dawn of Dreams might well be the worst in the series for all I know. I'm not sure if there ever was a sequel beyond this one. I'm holding off on reading anything about it until I've actually tried it.

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  30. Robotech: Invasion

  Heard less than good things about this very basic FPS, but since FPS games take less time to complete than any other genre out there, it can't be too bad for just a few hours.

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  31. Rogue Trooper

  I already beat the lamentable Judge Dredd game for PS2, I should complete its 2000AD partner. Rebellion seem to be behind an awful number of perfectly banal shooters for some reason. There's gotta be at least one idiot out there that keeps buying their games, right? ...Oh.

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  32. Second Sight

  The disc I obtained for this is messed up. Like "left in a washing machine on a high heat" messed up. I'm worried if I start playing and enjoying it that I'll get pulled up short because of a scratch. I'm curious to see how far it can go.

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  33. Shadow Hearts: From the New World

  I love the Shadow Hearts series. Something about this one just didn't sit right, though. I think I stopped on one of SH's notorious "puzzle bosses" and just gave up out of apathy. I owe it another chance.

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  34. Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga

  MegaTen and I have a love/hate relationship. I resent that it's basically Lovecraft Pokémon, but I also appreciate its long history and very capable gameplay. I enjoyed the recent Personas immensely too. It's just such a grind, though.

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  35. Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne

  Nocturne I have less love for, as I've actually played it somewhat. Very unforgiving, unless you want to spend hours either grinding for XP or grinding for monster fusion (which is mostly a crapshoot anyway). It makes you work hard to get anything out of it.

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  36. Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell

  The original sneak-em-up in this huge franchise. Fine place to start, I guess, but my dislike of stealth games in general has so far put this game off.

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  37. Star Ocean: Till the End of Time

  I just don't get this game at all. It's like a doomed relationship. Just what is the point of a space RPG where you spend all the time on one planet? Why do I have to hug the edges of maps for 100% map completion rewards? What the hell is with all these people inventing shit I should be inventing first? Why did all the enemies just get impossibly tough? Why do healing items cost so much? This damn game, I swear. If I beat EVERY other game on this list, I'll go back to it. Maybe.

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  38. Star Wars: Jedi Starfighter

  Damn you LucasArts. You could've been making amazing games with Ron Gilbert and Tim Schafer, but instead we get repetitive action games based on a trilogy no-one likes. Why do I have this game? It's a low priority backlog item at any rate.

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  39. Stella Deus: The Gate of Eternity

  Very dry SRPG. Shouldn't be too much of a bother to jump right in where I left off (I think I was grinding anyway). I do appreciate that instead of FFT's offputting habit of people jogging on the spot when it isn't their turn to move, everyone in this game just dances instead.

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  40. The Suffering

  Another atmospheric shooter for this list. Sure, why not.

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  41. Taito Legends 2

  Excellent selection of arcade games, including various Dariuses (Darii?) and Space Invader remixes. I should approach "completing" this compilation the same way as Midway Arcade Treasures 2 above.

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  42. The Thing

  Bandied about as a game that almost does justice to its movie source material. I'll be the judge of that. Well, I guess I mean that I will eventually join the number of people who have played this and seen the movie and have already been the judge of that.

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  43. Time Crisis 2

  I hope this game didn't come with a foot pedal, because I certainly don't have one lying around. Time Crisis is sort of archaic by today's FPS standards. I mean, cover-based gameplay? That gimmick died almost immediately. In a perfect world.

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  44. Viewtiful Joe 2

  The original plan was to beat the first game and then move onto this one. But then I realised that I haven't been bitten by a radioactive spider, nor do I come from Krypton, and thus lack the superhuman ability to beat the first game. When I'm ready to die a lot, I'll move this up the backlog queue.

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  45. X2: Wolverine's Revenge

  So many of these generic action games in the ol' backlog, courtesy of the oft-mentioned Dec '09 haul. The haul was obtained from a less-than-picky crowd of teens (who have since sold their PS2s for something Halo or Gears related no doubt), as is becoming more evident each time I beat one. Man, I'm really biting the hands that feed me here. Sorry fellahs.

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  46. River King A Wonderful Journey

  New addition. Arino played an earlier entry in this series and it piqued my interest. A fishing RPG? Sounded interesting, anyway.