This Month In Retro October 2022 - RetroAchievements/RANews GitHub Wiki
Hello all and welcome to This Month in Retro! As you've very likely noticed, this month is when we finally got the PlayStation 2 on Retro Achievements! Very conveniently for me, October 2000 is also when we first saw the same system in the west--specifically in North America. So although we have talked about the year 2000 not too long ago, this moment was simply too convenient for me to talk about the release. And that's exactly what we will be doing today! ...Which does unfortunately mean that I'm skipping out on other releases, as well as Japanese releases. A real shame, as some very high profile games released this month as well, such as Pokémon Gold and Silver. Oh well, maybe I'll talk about them when we head back to October 2000 in like... 20 years from now. Maybe. I promise we'll go back to the old format next month.
So how will today's article be structured? I'll first talk about the history of the PlayStation 2, including what happened before, during, and after release, as well as the legacy it left behind. After that, I'll go over the launch games. There were a total of 26 titles ready for launch, and I'll try to cover as many as I can. Unfortunately I won't be able to cover every single one of them, but I'll at the very least list them for reference sake. I'll also go over the achievements set if applicable, since some of them already have sets developed for the RetroAchievements launch! And of course, we have the usual: Sale figures, critic reception, and the release dates for other sides of the world. Because everything from this generation onwards is far better documented, every score is gathered from Metacritic with both the critic- and user scores displayed. Finally, no more jumping through a bunch of hoops for... at least one month! So without further ado, let's explore the arguably most hyped console for Retro Achievements... ever!
The PlayStation 2
Sony entered the video game market with the PlayStation 1 after a fall-out with Nintendo. This was an excellent idea, given that the PlayStation 1 crushed the competition during its generation, which is very impressive considering it was their first foray into the space. Sony developing more consoles was an inevitability, and over 5 years after the release of the PlayStation, it was time for the next console to shine. In fact, the development of this console already started around the original's launch, with Argonaut Games being brought to the table to develop their own rendering chip while Sony would develop one in-house to diversify options. Rumours of a new console started as early as 1997, and they were all surprisingly on point. The console would have backward compatibility, a built-in DVD player, and internet connectivity. Although Sony denied all rumours, every single one of these aspects would become part of the release. Officially announced in March of 1999 and unveiled in September of the same year, the console would release in March of 2000 as the second system of its generation, slightly behind the Dreamcast which released 6 months earlier.
The launch of the PlayStation 2 was a massive success. So much so that we would see something similar to what has happened with the PlayStation 5: the console was in such high demand, that it was difficult to find it at retailers, partially due to manufacturing delays, and scalpers were also very active during this time already. But why was this console so popular that is resulted in such a high demand? One of the reasons was backward compatibility, which was something only seen on the Game Boy Color and Atari 7800 before then, while it was a very desirable feature by consumers due to how costly the hobby could get. And of course, the PlayStation 2 also had another ace up its sleeve that is arguably the other biggest reason this console did so well: the addition of a built-in DVD player, making this not just a high-end gaming system but also a low-cost entry into the home theater market. The system wasn't just a jack of all trades, but a master of all trades.
While not the sole reason, the PlayStation 2 did so well that the Dreamcast was unable to keep up, resulting in Sega's withdrawal from the console industry. But as many people know, this generation also birthed the fierce rivalry that is still going on to this day: the introduction of the Xbox. And of course, Nintendo would also be developing their next console, though Sony wasn't too worried about that system given the different target audiences due to Sony aiming for young adults. The Xbox however, made them sweat for a bit due to their emphasis on online gaming. The PlayStation 2 always had such a feature too, but was never really too heavily marketed. Securing exclusives for highly anticipated games, cutting the price by $100, and also delving into online gaming ensured that the PlayStation 2 would remain on top of the generation--or rather, the entire video game landscape. To this day, the PlayStation 2 is the best-selling game system of all time, slightly ahead of the Nintendo DS. And for what its worth, it may very well be a title that will never be overtaken, with only the Nintendo Switch currently aiming for that title.
But let's be honest: all these stats are most likely not what you remember the console for. The PlayStation 2 was a juggernaut when it came to games. According to Wikipedia, there have been a total of 4380 games, with some probably slipping through the cracks as well to make that number even higher. The console was supported for a very long time, seeing its very final official game in 2013--which, unsurprisingly, is my arch-nemesis: the football game. Not only did Sony have a strong foothold themselves with the Wipeout and Gran Turismo series amongst others continuing, but the system was also the birth of new beloved franchises like God of War. And of course, who could forget about the iconic platforming trinity: Jak and Daxter, Ratchet and Clank, and Sly Cooper. Sony did not hold back at all, and neither did third party developers.
While the before-mentioned games alone already made the PlayStation 2 a system worth owning, support from third party developers made the library even more amazing than it already was. I'm definitely going to forget talking about your favourites, but one or two paragraphs simply does not do the system justice. There was the amazing trilogy of Grand Theft Auto games that took the world by storm (in multiple ways), many franchises like Metal Gear Solid and Resident Evil saw new entries that are commonly seen as one of, if not the best of their respective series, and new series such as Burnout and Devil May Cry were born here as well. JRPG fans saw more Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Tales of entries, as well as completely new series like Kingdom Hearts and Dark Cloud. And of course, cult classics like Shadow of the Colossus, Ico, Okami, and Katamari Damacy can also not be forgotten about. And I could still go on for a very long while because man, the PlayStation 2 is a gold mine. And now that it is finally on Retro Achievements, a bunch of these can be played not only by an older generation familiar with the system, but also people who haven't ever played on it. And for that, my heartfelt thanks go out to both the PCSX2 and RetroAchievements developers. What you guys have accomplished is beyond amazing, and that should never be understated.
The PlayStation 2 Launch Games
There were a total of 26 launch games on the PlayStation 2. I'm not going to talk about every single one of them simply because that would take far too long (and I definitely don't want to talk about Sports games), but I'll go over the majority. First, I would like to tackle two games that have sets available already since the launch of the PlayStation 2 on RetroAchievements!
| Game |
|---|
 Eternal Ring (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | JP: March 4, 2000 |
| NA: October 26, 2000 | |
| EU: December 22, 2000 | |
| Sales | 300.000 |
| Average score | 62% (Critics), 64% (Users) |
The first title of today is an Action RPG developed by the beloved game studio FromSoftware. In this game, the player controls a young magician called Cain Morgan sent out to investigate a mysterious island in search of the Eternal Ring. But in a surprising twist, the island is inhabited my many creatures standing in Cain's way! I never saw that coming. Played in first-person like most FromSoftware titles of the time such as King's Field, the player fights with a sword and alternates between rings inhabiting one of six elements to defeat enemies. Combining them can result in a good variety of spells that range from offensive- to defensive. This magic system also definitely garnered the most praise, which is good because most else at the time wasn't viewed as favourably. The common word that both critics- and players used to describe this game with was "rushed", with many people agreeing that it could have used more refinement time. Definitely not a bad game as reviews were overall still well above negative whereas some people gave it higher scores than the average may imply, but it wasn't the grand RPG everyone was looking forward to. Fortunately, FromSoftware was long from done on the PlayStation 2, with several follow-ups to older franchises like the before-mentioned King's Field.
The set will face you with no-damage bosses, as well as a good emphasis on the extensive magic system, asking the player to collect all of the elemental rings. There are also a bunch of unique challenges like sticking to only the most basic elemental rings throughout the entire game, or beating it within 14 in-game days without the usage of the Power of Time ring. Some fun miscellaneous achievements have also been included, like destroying every single Gargoyle without actually fighting them! Definitely a worthy set to check out, and at the point of writing, you could still become the first master of the game!
| Game |
|---|
 Ridge Racer V (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | JP: March 4, 2000 |
| NA: October 26, 2000 | |
| EU: November 24, 2000 | |
| Sales | 1.240.000 |
| Average score | 78% (Critics), 75% (Users) |
RIIIIIIIDGE RACERRRRRR! Sorry, couldn't resist making that joke. Winning the award for the most OCD-triggering title in the series due to being the only one with a Roman Numeral of the numbered entries, the definitely-not-5th entry in this franchise brings the high-speed drift arcade racing into the next generation. With 7 courses spread throughout Ridge City, racing fans can enjoy drifting through the city on a good variety of musical genres like Trance and Death Metal. Enough replayability is also ensured, with a total of 6 modes ranging from the usual Grand Prix mode as well as Time Attack and Endurance. Ridge Racer V was met with an overall positive reception from both critics- and players, with the flashy graphics and high speed on display being a strong asset. It couldn't escape common criticism like a lack of innovation and also not having too much meat on its bone, but both of these did not stop this game from becoming a beloved entry in the series that is still ongoing to this day.
This set will have you win every cup and collect every car there is to get. Not only that, but there are a bunch of time trials to master as well and a bunch of medals to obtain. You simply won't master this set until you've mastered the game, which is good!
Next up on the list is the current only game that is already claimed and in progress. Who knows, by the time you're reading this, the set may already be live!
| Game |
|---|
 Tekken Tag Tournament (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | JP: March 30, 2000 |
| NA: October 26, 2000 | |
| EU: November 24, 2000 | |
| Sales | 4.050.000 |
| Average score | 85% (Critics), 84% (Users) |
We are sticking to Namco for a bit longer with another entry in one of their beloved franchises, Tekken Tag Tournament. Released in Arcade exclusively in Japan a year prior, this is the fourth entry in the series as well as a spin-off to the franchise as a whole. That is because it is both a hybrid of Tekken 2 and Tekken 3 when it comes to the fighting mechanics and character roster of a whoppins 35 characters, but also because of its unique feature indicated by the name: tag battling. This feature allows the player to switch to one other pre-selected character with the tap of a button, stringing combos together and preserving the health of both fighters in a strategic way as only one empty life bar means a defeat, and both characters' health are added to each other to determine a winner in case of a timeout. This mode is further embraced in the Team Battle option, where eight characters are chosen that each replace another member when they are defeated. This fresh take on the series was greatly appreciated by critics and fans alike, since it doesn't fix what isn't broken while introducing only more strong assets. This led to a remaster in 2011, alongside a sequel, both for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii U.
Every game beyond this point does not have a set yet, or isn't claimed yet. If you like what you are reading, be sure to head over to the page for them to leave a set request! I'll be going through a select few in random order, mostly the more unknown ones that you may have not heard of before, starting with...
| Game |
|---|
 Summoner (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | NA: October 26, 2000 |
| EU: April 6, 2001 | |
| Sales | 510.000 |
| Average score | 74% (Critics), 76% (Users) |
Summoner is an action RPG where the player and companions come together to summon monsters and fight against the tyrannical emperor to protect their home. A prophecy foretells that the emperor's reign will end by the hands of this summoner, and instead of not looking for a fight so that the prophecy doesn't come true, he does the exact opposite, real smart. What is interesting though, is that this game features a hybrid combat system, interchanging between turn-based and real-time mechanics. The characters have to take turn, after which they attack in real-time to do as much damage as possible before their turn is over. And of course, summoning is an obvious important part of battle as well, with the main protagonist being able to conjure monsters to his side, acting as their own party members with their own magic spells and attacks. The game was fairly well received by the audience, praising its story- and gameplay with minor complaints going out to this feeling like a slightly rushed game to meet the release of the PlayStation 2. Fortunately though, it did well enough for Volition and THQ, with a sequel releasing two years later that also did good, and both original games being redistributed on modern PC storefronts like Steam and GOG.
If you are looking for more Action RPG games, then FromSoftware, yet again, has you covered for the PlayStation 2 release!
| Game |
|---|
 Evergrace (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | JP: April 27, 2000 |
| NA: October 26, 2000 | |
| EU: March 30, 2001 | |
| Sales | 350.000 |
| Average score | 59% (Critics), 80% (Users) |
Released only a month after Eternal Ring in Japan, Evergrace is another Action RPG exclusively released for the PlayStation 2. Unlike that game however, this game is set in third-person with two distinct main characters that can be switched between at any save point, each with their own storyline and battle techniques to dive into. This is handled fairly well though, as both characters have their experience based on items- and equipments they have rather than fighting monsters over and over, alongside combining specialized crystal to improve physical abilities. And other than that, it's mostly what you expect from an Action RPG of this era: venture through various dungeons and stop the power of darkness from overtaking the peaceful land both character inhabit. That's also why critics weren't really too fond of the game back in the day as aside from the dual-protagonist system, there wasn't really much that hasn't been done better in other games. And although the Metacritic score for users is 80%, this is based on a low review count, as players over on GameFAQs are fairly in agreement with the critics on the overall score. Still, the fact that it is at 80% certainly does mean that the game may certainly be enjoyable depending on your tastes. Maybe if you are a diehard FromSoftware fan, as there are a bunch of references to older games like King's Field and Shadow Tower! And they were also not done with this game just yet, as a prequel would be released one year later to... mixed reception as well. Also jeez, how fast can they pump out games???
The fun part is, we're not even done with FromSoftware. Yeah, I'm dead serious. But we'll come back to them later before I lose my sanity. Instead, let's switch it up a bit and move over to a Racing block! Ah I love my racing blocks. Three more racing games were released for the PlayStation 2 launch, starting with...
| Game |
|---|
 Midnight Club: Street Racing (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | NA: October 26, 2000 |
| EU: November 24, 2000 | |
| Sales | 2.630.000 |
| Average score | 78% (Critics), 77% (Users) |
Midnight Club: Street Racing is the first entry in the franchise with the same name, inspired by the Japanese Street Racing team Mid Night Club. After all, the game as a whole is all about street racing through cities based on London and New York City. The player drives around in an open-world fashion in these cities, finding events to race in for money to unlock a wide variety of new cars. That's also what makes this game a breath of fresh air as there are no per-determined circuits or tracks to race on. More often than not, there's only a destination and it's up to you to find the quickest way there. But of course, since the races take place in the middle of a city, there are regular cars also driving on the road that the player has to skillfully maneuver around. Given that the game is published by Rockstar, thinking of something similar to Grand Theft Auto but with the only emphasis being on racing gives you a good idea of how this game plays out. The game did fairly well with critics- and players alike, prompting the developers to release three more games and three expanded versions in the franchise up to 2009, after which it unfortunately was never seen again.
| Game |
|---|
 Smuggler's Run (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | NA: October 26, 2000 |
| EU: November 24, 2000 | |
| Sales | 1.560.000 |
| Average score | 79% (Critics), 69% (Users) |
Coincidentally also published by Rockstar, Smuggler's Run is a video game where the player is tasked to smuggle illegal cargo by using a wide variety of different vehicles like dune buggies, rally cars, and military vehicles. This is done through three large open levels, being based around snow, desert, and forest terrain, where the player has to go through about 10 missions per level in the career mode. Given the nature of the game's themeing, this is also less a game where you are racing on per-determined tracks and rather just have a destination to reach, and it's up to you on how effective you can do so while avoiding the border patrol. Aside from the career mode, there is also a free roam mode and a mode called Turf War, three different mini-games based on actual racing and fighting rival gangs. It was received fairly well due to its open-ended design that gave the players a lot of freedom, but as you probably already guessed from me describing the game, it being short is one of its biggest downfalls, resulting in the player's creativity determining the replayability of this game. Or, if they ended up liking it, they could move over to the only sequel the game has gotten, which more or less offers what the first game had in store with a few new maps.
| Game |
|---|
 Wild Wild Racing (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | JP: September 14, 2000 |
| NA: October 26, 2000 | |
| EU: November 24, 2000 | |
| Sales | 350.000 |
| Average score | 64% (Critics), -% (Users) |
And for the final racing game of the day, we have Wild Wild Racing, an off-road racing game exclusive to the PlayStation 2. In this game, people take their all-terrain vehicles all across the globe in five real-world locations to race against the computer or other players. What I found particularly interesting about this game while reading the Wikipedia however, is that upgrading your car and accessing new vehicles is not limited to just winning races, but instead also through a bunch of mini-games. I'm a simple hamster to please, but racing through a track while collecting letters, playing golf with your car, and completing a stunt course sounds like fun to me. Whether it is actually fun, well, that's what I'll have to find out myself. Critics- and players weren't really that positive about it, saying it's a fun racer but one that doesn't really innovate and feels low quality, and the controls also varies depending on who you ask. After all, no innovation = bad game. But hey, if you would like to see this game on RetroAchievements, be sure to give it a set request!
Let's take a break from the genre blocks with a calm relaxing puzzle game. And surprisingly, also the only puzzle game, as well as the only first-party Sony game in the launch line-up!
| Game |
|---|
 Fantavision (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | JP: March 9, 2000 |
| NA: October 26, 2000 | |
| EU: November 24, 2000 | |
| Sales | 470.000 |
| Average score | 72% (Critics), 71% (Users) |
FantaVision is a puzzle game where the player uses a cursor to select three of the same-coloured fireworks to detonate them for a score bonus. Make a streak of three and add some power-ups into the mix and that's your game. Think of something like Missile Command, but instead with colourful fireworks. I wish I had more to say about the game, but it was very clear what the intention of this game was: demonstrating the PlayStation 2's capabilities, specifically the particle system. You can definitely have fun with this game, but replayability is a massive weak point of the game as noted by many critics, who though of the game to be just above average. The same critics also nominated it for multiple awards like "Best Puzzle game of 2000", yet again proving that critics can't make up their mind for one second. I'm not here trying to bash the game though, I'm a neutral hamster. The gameplay itself has been received generally positively after all, so it could definitely function as a pick-up-and-play game. And hey, it has multiplayer specifically added to the western versions so there's that.
The PlayStation 2 would also see some sequels to games seen on previous consoles. We already mentioned a few, and there are also some upcoming, but there is one that is arguably the most interesting of them all due to being one of the kickstarters to a sub-genre of the Hack 'n Slash genre:
| Game |
|---|
 Dynasty Warriors 2 (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | JP: August 3, 2000 |
| NA: October 26, 2000 | |
| EU: November 24, 2000 | |
| Sales | 830.000 |
| Average score | 75% (Critics), 84% (Users) |
Dynasty Warriors 2 is a sequel to a fighting game based on the novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms. But instead of continuing with one-on-one fights in the Fighting genre, developer Omega Force was more interested in larger battles. Why hurt one dude, while you could hurt a hundred? A thousand? The sky is the limit! This resulted in a genre shift to the Hack 'n Slash genre, and also birthed a new sub-genre commonly referred to as Musou, or Warriors. You could argue that other games invented it earlier, but the fact that it is directly named after this series goes to show how impactful it has been. In this game, you select any of the novel's main characters, take to the battlefield and slaughter as many opponents as you can with over the top combos. Overtake important spots of a map and take out opponent generals to win the fight. I personally find these games to be really satisfying to play, and critics were generally favourable as well but did point out that it felt a bit simple, which is criticism the sub-genre often gets. Players were far more positive than the critics however, absolutely falling in love with the concept. This was a breath of fresh air, and resulted in the Dynasty Warriors franchise continuing with this gameplay for all future entries. That series alone is already at 9 mainline games, but a bunch of spin-off games originated from it as well, like Samurai Warriors, Dynasty Warriors Gundam, and the gameplay is found in completely unrelated franchises like the popular Hyrule Warriors and One Piece video games. And we all have Dynasty Warriors 2 to thank for that.
While Dynasty Warriors would ditch the Fighting genre, another strong name in the streets was still going strong. We saw Tekken earlier in this launch line-up, and now its time for its biggest rival to get the spotlight.
| Game |
|---|
 Street Fighter EX3 (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | JP: March 4, 2000 |
| NA: October 26, 2000 | |
| EU: March 2, 2001 | |
| Sales | 850.000 |
| Average score | 64% (Critics), 79% (Users) |
The final entry in the Street Fighter EX subseries, Street Fighter EX3 would continue the 2D fighting gameplay with 3D graphics. The core gameplay is fairly similar to its predecessor Street Fighter EX2 Plus, but ironically just like Tekken Tag Tournament, a tag mode is introduced that allows the player to switch between two characters, offering more combo potential as a result. There are also a few changes, like the "Guard Break" system being removed in favour of the new "Surprise Blow" mechanic. There are a total of three modes to choose from, with the Original Mode being most similar to the campaign in terms of progression, Arena Mode for customizable battles where you can alter the amount of opponents you fight in one battle, and the Character Edit mode where the new protagonist Ace can compete in challenges to unlock new moves, making him a completely customizable character. The reviews were generally positive, and the overall score would be higher if there wasn't a critic giving it 1 star for... no reason. What is this, user reviews? But the main complaints towards this game came in the form of, you guessed it, feeling rushed. That's something we haven't heard before in this launch line-up! But it also didn't really stand out amongst strong competitors, like the before-mentioned Tekken Tag Tournament, and Dead or Alive 2 and Soul Calibur that released earlier. Still, it's a Street Fighter game through-and-through, making it one fans will very likely enjoy.
We got a few more games to look at, which I'm going through a bit quicker. I'm not really experienced with either of the upcoming games, so my commentary wouldn't really add that much to the game's description. So first off, we got a popular FPS!
| Game |
|---|
 TimeSplitters (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | NA: October 26, 2000 |
| EU: November 24, 2000 | |
| Sales | 430.000 |
| Average score | 81% (Critics), 79% (Users) |
The sequel already has a set on the site, but said sequel wouldn't exist without the first game: TimeSplitters! This PlayStation 2 exclusive is a first-person shooter with time-traveling as theme, having a story following 18 separate characters that spans 100 years. The game strikes a resemblance to other popular shooters of the generations before, GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark; not all too surprising given that the development team consist of multiple ex Rare employees. This already made for a strong selling point, and they did not disappoint at all. Alongside the campaign, there is also an Arcade Mode for simple player vs bots gameplay that also comes with multiplayer, an unlockable challenge mode, and a level creator. Critics- and fans were generally positive towards the game, often referencing the other two shooter games from Rare to amplify their feelings. This game ended up getting two more sequels, after which it became a hell for TimeSplitters fans due to games getting cancelled left and right. But rumours spread by the developers themselves are going around that a new game is planned so here's to hoping!
Next up, we got one final Action RPG to look at, with this one being an adaptation of a multimedia franchise in Japan!
| Game |
|---|
 Orphen - Scion of Sorcery (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | JP: August 3, 2000 |
| NA: October 26, 2000 | |
| EU: November 24, 2000 | |
| Sales | 310.000 |
| Average score | 54% (Critics), 73% (Users) |
If you were in an Anime phase during the late 90s, Sorcerous Stabber Orphen is one that you may be familiar with. It is an anime based on main character Orphen looking to reverse a demonic transformation on his sister, discovering all of the world's secrets in the process. That plot doesn't really seem to be too relevant to this game however, as it functions on Orphen's other pastime activity: getting rich. He and three other travellers strand on an island Ys-style, with the story being replayable after beating it for alternate outcomes that eventually lead to a true end. The game features a real-time battle system in a turn-based structure, where the player has to anticipate opponent's attacks while dishing out some damage back at them. The overworld is completely in 3D, with platforming and puzzles being key elements to discovering treasure. The game ended up being received with mixed opinions however, with most negative opinions going out towards the lackluster story and poor localization. Fans are slightly more positive about it, who quite funnily appreciate the story more than the gameplay. All in all, I think fans of the Sorcerous Stabber Orphen series will appreciate this far more, and if that's you, be sure to leave your set request on it!
Remember when I said we would come back to FromSoftware? That time is now. With the final block of today's This Month in Retro, let's take a look at mech games--which is a genre I am absolutely 100% not familiar with so uh, I'll try my best!
| Game |
|---|
 Armored Core 2 (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | JP: August 3, 2000 |
| NA: October 26, 2000 | |
| EU: March 23, 2001 | |
| Sales | 790.000 |
| Average score | 78% (Critics), 85% (Users) |
Armored Core 2 is the fourth entry in the Armored Core franchise, and an indirect sequel to Armored Core: Master of Arena. It takes place 70 years after said game, after the colonization of Mars has been successful. Can't say everything is at peach now though, as a powerful organization called the Frighteners are overthrowing the frightened government. The gameplay is fairly similar to what has been seen before, with the player taking control of their own Armored Core to take to the arena and duke it out with other pilots in a third-person shooter. The complex mech-building aspect is as good as ever, and there is a local multiplayer function as well so that you can prove to your friends that your mech is the best there has ever been. The reception has been very positive as a result, with special credits going out to the graphical qualities. Only the controls were addressed as negatively, with there still not being any analog controls. It will also require a lot of investment as the complexity mentioned earlier wasn't just for show, but if you are willing to invest that time, you are in for a great experience. The Armored Core franchise would go on for a bit longer, and this game got a direct sequel as well called Armored Core 2: Another Age.
| Game |
|---|
 GunGriffon Blaze (PlayStation 2) |
| Release dates | JP: August 10, 2000 |
| NA: October 26, 2000 | |
| EU: July 12, 2002 | |
| Sales | 110.000 |
| Average score | 73% (Critics), -% (Users) |
GunGriffon Blaze is part of the short-lived GunGriffon franchise. Just like the game before, the player pilots a mech and dukes it out with military vehicles, as well as other mech pilots, in an arena in a first-person shooter perspective. It takes place in a post-apocalyptic setting, where the world is splintered into different unstable fractions, while you are part of the only Western Alliance that does have a desire for a peaceful world. It's also probably one of the more colourful post-apocalyptic worlds that doesn't deal with a nuclear aftermath or something amongst those lines. The game got above average reviews, but still ended up being kind of forgotten, potentially making this one of, if not the worst performing game of the line-up. Which is a shame since it looks to be a solid game with a cult following. Critics always comparing this to Armored Core 2 probably didn't help with the sales, leaving this series with one final game after which it was never seen again.
And with that, we've reached the end. Out of all 26 games, I've talked about 15 in total. Let me first go over some games that I was planning to talk about but didn't:
- Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore - I do like the Dead or Alive games, but this game already saw an Arcade- and Dreamcast release beforehand, so I didn't really feel the need to address it again.
- Silent Scope - Same reason as Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore, this Rail Shooter game already saw an Arcade- and Dreamcast release beforehand.
- Unreal Tournament - Yet again, another port of a game that was already popular on PC. I feel like I'm a broken record.
Which finally leaves us with 8 games unaccounted for. It's not really too hard to figure out why I didn't talk about most of the games, but I'm listing them regardless for the people who do like these games. All the power to you after all!
| ESPN International Track & Field | ESPN Winter X-Games Snowboarding | Madden NFL 2001 |
| NHL 2001 | Q-Ball: Billiards Master | Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 |
| Swing Away Golf | X-Squad |
Conclusion
And that's the PlayStation 2 launch! We had a good variety of games to look at, covering most of the genres there are. Ironically no Platformers though. It was also a shame to see Sony themselves having nothing to offer aside from Fantavision, but they would make up for that not too long after. The launch itself wasn't the most stellar we've ever seen in terms of console-defining games, but there were still a bunch of games that would be impactful to the industry as a whole, like Dynasty Warriors 2 and Midnight Club: Street Racing.
In terms of sales, Tekken Tag Tournament crushed the competition by a wide margin--at least, if VGChartz is reliable. But it also is one of the best-performing game review-wise so I can definitely believe it. According to critics though, Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore is the best-performing game with a whopping review score of 91%! The sales for this game were around 1 million so definitely worthy of being one of the best launch titles as well. The other best-performing games were, unsurprisingly, Madden NFL 2001 and NHL 2001. Not going to give them any more credit though, nope, I refuse.
As for the worst-performing games, that's a tough one. Evergrace and Orphen: Scion of Sorcery definitely had the toughest time trying to convince the critics, but they were overall still above average, which does show the quality of this launch line-up as there are no definitive failures. The worst-selling game does unfortunately look to be GunGriffon Blaze however. Again, take sales figures with a grain of salt, but it is quite a shame to see a cult classic having so much trouble reaching an audience. Let's revive it with RetroAchievements shall we?
For the next edition, I'm going to focus on more retro years again. After all, we've seen the 2000s a few times now, while my roots lay with the early 90s. So with that in mind, next time we're taking a look at 1994!
Sources
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