What game should I get?

I'm really bored of my video game collection and want to add a real gem. Can people please tell me a game I should buy that is a real gem? It has to be for PS2, PC, DS, GBA or PSP (preferably PS2). Make sure you tell me why you like the game(s) so much!

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Hmm... looks like a lonely thread so I'll contribute to it ^_^. These choices are based on the only what I play though, and you'll find I'm biased on Nintendo and Sony. I tend to avoid Microsoft, though recently I've only started to try Xbox...

PS2:
-Katamari Damacy: Weird, charming and addictive game. Play it.
-Ico: No one played this hell of a gem. Puzzles for the intelligent man. The atmosphere is dream like too and it mesmorizes you.

PC:
-Worms Armeggedon: If you haven't got this game yet. Addictive as hell.

DS:
-Ossu! Tatakae! Ouendan: I'd go to say this is the best games on DS, period. Excellent music game. You'll only hate it if you hate J-Pop. Even with that its still a great game.
-Metroid Prime Hunters: Of the online games, this and Tetris are the better offerings of Nintendo Wi-Fi Gaming.
-Tetris: Classic gaming in Dual Screens
-Brain Training: Get it when it comes out. Try the demo to see why I've recommended it (you won't want to turn your DS off!)

GBA:
-Tales of Phantasia: The original with enhanced graphics

You could probably put a list of games you own so that we don't recommend you on games you already have.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

It would help if you gave some idea what you already have and have played. A decent, similar thread for PS2 recommendations is RAB's recent one:
http://www.gamingforce.com/forums/so...r-console.html

I second chao's recommendations for ICO and Katamari.
Both Katamari Damacy games are essential PS2 purchases. Quirky, extremely funny and brilliant in design and execution, not to mention awesome soundtracks. They have the kind of respect and love for games and gamers alike that are so missing from most console titles these days, and they remind you why you play games in the first place.

ICO is the very definition of gem. Relatively small in scale, but beautiful in execution (and I don't only mean the graphics). A wonderfully elegant title and different take on the platform adventure. Also my personal favorite console game ever and in my opinion the Playstation 2's finest.

From GBA, I'm currently going through Legend of Zelda - Minish Cap and it's absolutely brilliant. I was worried it would feel tired and calculated, especially after replaying the magnificent Link to the Past, but Capcom's take is wonderful, familiar enough to feel safe, yet new and clever enough to feel fresh and costantly surprising you pleasantly. It's a terrifyingly addicting game though, so be warned.

Before Minish Cap, I finished Mario & Luigi - Superstar Saga, which was awesome. One of the funniest games I've ever played, a wonderfully witty and clever action-RPG, that loves games and Nintendo, but is not afraid to poke fun at either. If you've played your fair share of Nintendo classics, there's a massive amount of humor to be discovered in the story and settings, constantly embracing and making fun of Mario cliches and video game conventions alike.

For PC, I seriously recommend playing Grim Fandango, if you haven't yet. A brilliant, extremely stylish and witty adventure game, with a superb script, cast and soundtrack. Some of the greatest dialogue in games ever, and my favorite PC game. Some of the puzzles can be a bit obscure, but they all consistently follow the gameworld's logic.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

If you're into creepy action games, pick up Resident Evil 4. Amazing in atmosphere, gameplay, sound, voice acting, everything. It's provided me with well over 100 hours of pure enjoyment. This game comes with my highest recomendation.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

It'd help greatly if you told us what genre you're looking at. There's no point in getting a "real gem" if it isn't your thing. People masturbate constantly over Gradius titles yet I couldn't be bothered with them. The same applies with Fire Pro Wrestling, it just isn't my thing.

But I'll third Katamari. Once you've completed it, buy We Love Katamari, as you won't find yourself playing the original again. The second basically takes the first, upgrades it, and does everything right. It's a great sequel and has an incredible amount of replay value.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Originally Posted by Elixir

But I'll third Katamari. Once you've completed it, buy We Love Katamari, as you won't find yourself playing the original again. The second basically takes the first, upgrades it, and does everything right. It's a great sequel and has an incredible amount of replay value.

I hope you realize you're basically saying "the first game isn't that good, you should only buy the second". Which of course is blatant lying and the kind of ignorance that should be punished with multiple lashes on the ear.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Oh sorry, I'm mainly into RPGs and action games by the way.

FELIPE NO

A real gem in the RPG department would be Disgaea. Great story, lots of characters and character classes to use, massive amounts of levelling to be had and the game takes hundreds of hours if you're going to level your characters after the story's complete.

Playing through the story of Disgaea doesn't even scratch the surface. There's no real "trick" to levelling, there's just different levels where you can use grid panels to your advantage. The guides on gamefaqs are actually useful in this game, and you'll probably want to check them out once you've completed the main story.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Elixir

A real gem in the RPG department would be Disgaea. Great story, lots of characters and character classes to use, massive amounts of levelling to be had and the game takes hundreds of hours if you're going to level your characters after the story's complete.

Playing through the story of Disgaea doesn't even scratch the surface. There's no real "trick" to levelling, there's just different levels where you can use grid panels to your advantage. The guides on gamefaqs are actually useful in this game, and you'll probably want to check them out once you've completed the main story.

I second this suggestion. Disgaea is a great game. I suggest giving "Y's: The Ark of Napishtim" a try.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

A really, really great game for the PS2, and an RPG no less, would be Dragon Quest 8 for the PS2.

To keep it brief, the game ahs stunning cel-shaded visuals with long draw distances, an excellent British voice cast to help keep the medieval feel of the game, a great story, and most importantly a truly fun game. If you want an awesome RPG, definitely check it out.

Plus, it comes with a demo for Final Fantasy XII, although you really don't want that.

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Muzza

I'm really bored of my video game collection and want to add a real gem. Can people please tell me a game I should buy that is a real gem?

These are the real deal. True gems, you can't go wrong with any of the three!

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

PS2
- Guitar Hero

PC
- I second the recommendation for Grim Fandango. That game is brilliant.

PSP
- Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror (Imo, the best game on PSP)

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I third Disgaea, the king and queen of attacks of overkill in rpgs, and Grim Fandango, the devilishly challenging puzzle game in a vibrantly "dead" setting.

This whole thread gives me an opportunity to gush about my fanboy obsession with the following two games. However, I hope you can truly sort between the games you really think you might want, and the games you know other people express intense favour for but don't appeal to you:


1) If by action, you mean Platformer, then Psychonauts is golden. Mostly for the humour and application to platformer mechanics:

- The whole game is psychically themed set in a variety of locales. You are at a summer camp for psychic kids as Razz (aka. Rasputin), and the levels consist of going into people's minds....literally! You'll use Psychic bullets, fly on your thoughts, command invisibility, pyrokinesis, clairvoyance, and much more in highly clever ways. People have very strange minds (the Milkman level comes to mind) and you have to help them clear their thoughts.
- For a platformer, the humour is top-notch. It goes beyond the clippy one-liners we are used to hearing and actually provides hilarious conversation bits. You'll hear lots of crazy quips from the mentally disturbed people you'll encounter (the dog walking story at the end of the first mind is funny, a one-sided, infinite conversation if you stick around long enough). If you want domething to make you laugh, this is it.
- The only real downsides are the ending (sequel?), and the fact that before you know it, Psychonauts is over! If you're a perfectionist, then you'll take forever trying to spot some obscure doodles to collect in-game, such as in Napoleon world. The adventure is short, but wonderfully sweet.


For RPGs, I'd have to say Wild Arms 3/4.

- I could go on for pages about them, since I've always loved the series for unique take on the atmosphere and environment, but I'll try to stop short. The Wild Arms series are Western-themed, based on desert locales. STOP! Before you think: "Deserts are boring, I prefer my highly advanced cities," the desert is only a concept shared throughout the series. The places you visit will actually be very interesting places, for worlds full of sand that is. There are suprising amounts of technology and advanced machines and such.
- The main catch of the games are that, in all of them, random strangers converge their journeys coincidentally, but fatefully, and end up being travelling together to eventually fight against the greatest threats to the world. The concept of teamwork is most vital in a Wild Arms game, and is very frequently alluded to. There are tools, guns, spells, guardians (summons) and much more to help you in your quest. Along with engaging characters and neat puzzles.
- The antagonist designs are very interesting. In Wild Arms 3, you'll face the same annoying groups (yes, more than one) many times, with each fight showcasing successively powerful attacks. The Schrodingers, prophets, and another group in particular all attempt to hinder your progress. In Wild Arms 4, you will be facing the members of an elite specialist group throughout the whole game, the likes of which no normal group could beat without teamwork.
- It's just a series you have to play for yourself and decide if you will like it. It might not be for everyone, but it's pretty original in several aspects (let's see, Maya dropping a gigantic machine gun from her skirt every turn...being able to light a boss' afro on fire...etc.)

(note: Why didn't I mention 1 and 2? They're PS1 and also great games (1 more so, I haven't played 2 fully))

I was speaking idiomatically.

Dark Cloud 2 PS2: It's to gameplay what Final Fantasy is to story. It's an incredibly deep action RPG. It may not have as near as much flash as Kingdom Hearts or its sequel, but there's so much there to do. I've easily drowned more than 80 hours into the game, and that's a conservative amount if you want to try everything and 100% the game.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

I've been playing DQ8 for 76 1/2 hours so far and loving it, but if you're not keen on classic-style RPGs that take their sweet time in developing the story it'll probably lose you before it gets going.

FELIPE NO

Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney for DS if you can find it. Probably the single most brilliant DS game in existence right now hands down, and I would not be surprised if you didn't already have it. If you don't, get it. I'm a huge RPG player and still could not resist this game's charm.

I'll also back up everyone's claims for Katamari Damacy. Every gamer should at least play one of the two titles in their lifetime.

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Dragon Quest 8 is the best game that has come out in the 21st century so far to me.

Voice acting, a flowing plot that does not stop, excellent gameplay with skill pt raising, orchestra music, and great methods of travel such as the sabrecat, ship and bird.

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Originally Posted by Helloween

If you're into creepy action games, pick up Resident Evil 4. Amazing in atmosphere, gameplay, sound, voice acting, everything. It's provided me with well over 100 hours of pure enjoyment. This game comes with my highest recomendation.

I have to agree there. This generation hasn't really produced many classics, but Resident Evil 4 is undoubtably not only one of the few but the defining game of the era. It's fun, nice and long but within reason, and the atmosphere and overall mood of the game are very strong.

Another awesome game is, as mentioned before, is Dragon Quest 8

There's nowhere I can't reach.