GamesRadar - PS2 Reviews

Narc (Review)

Jun 30, 2005

Unlike the windswept, red shoe-wearing Dorothy, Midway probably aren't that keen on Oz. Well, not after the Aussie censors took one look at Narc and slapped an embargo on it quicker than you can say "drugs anyone?". We could, at this moment, spout all kinds of pretentious guff about how beautifully permissive our own country's censorship laws are. We won't though - because if they were more stringent, we wouldn't have to play this half-arsed street gang 'effort'. Yep, we're now officially ...

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja (Review)

Jun 26, 2006

Ask any retail clerk, grade school fanboy or anime fanatic what's hot right now, and they'll all likely say "Naruto" in varying degrees of adoration and/or disdain. But like it or hate it, the shinobi school madness of the series translates very easily into fighting games, and with Ultimate Ninja, you're getting a worthy Super Smash Bros. copycat bursting with dizzying, cinematic attacks that look better than anything you're watching on Saturday morning. It's not just a one-on-one fight - ...

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 2 (Review)

Jun 11, 2007

When the original Naruto: Ultimate Ninja jump kicked onto the scene, any one with the eensiest interest in fighting games and/or advanced ninja education took notice. Trading cel-shaded licks with your favorite characters proved to be slick, easy to pick up, and surprisingly fun. Ask our own Brett Elston, he believed it. And many of you reading this review will be happy to know that Ultimate Ninja 2s sequel treatment gives those who cared for the first game that much more to ...

Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3 (Review)

Mar 28, 2008

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. That's a familiar life lesson and also the approach that Namco-Bandai has taken with the Naruto: Ultimate Ninja series of fighting games. The first game established the easygoing controls and frantic pace. The second installment greatly expanded the character roster. And now, Naruto: Ultimate Ninja 3, the third game in the series, brings balance to the force. ...

Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles (Review)

Nov 14, 2006

One of the hottest anime shows going right now is Naruto, which has already graced a variety of systems in videogame form - and done really well. While most of the Naruto games we've seen have been fighters, the latest title, Uzumaki Chronicles, takes us on the path of the mission-based action game. In this game, you take control of the lovable orange-jumpsuited ninja Naruto and go on various missions assigned to you. As you complete missions, higher-difficulty assignments open up, offering ...

Naruto: Uzumaki Chronicles 2 (Review)

Sep 4, 2007

Sept 4, 2007 Once again the Nine-Tailed Fox's marketing jutsu is in full swing, with yet another game for the long in the tooth PS2. The adventurous brawler is back, but you'd have to be well versed in all things Naruto if you want to tell the difference. Same as with Ultimate Ninja 2, it's an ever so slight upgrade on the original Uzumaki Chronicles. In other words: More stuff for the the fans, and not much else. You can switch out and play as multiple fighters on the fly, and a second player ...

NASCAR 07 (Review)

Oct 9, 2006

The latest game featuring the fine art of turning left isn't remarkably different from its improvements-packed predecessor, though it does have a few small additions. Most of the modes and features from NASCAR 06: Total Team Control return in NASCAR 07: online racing, Fight to the Top mode, team controls, voice command recognition, rivals, car swapping with teammates and driver attributes that affect overall performance. The minigames have been replaced with challenges based on real racing ...

NBA '07 Featuring The Life: Vol. 2 (Review)

Oct 6, 2006

We've all got our guilty pleasures. Perhaps it's that Kelly Clarkson song on your iPod (stupid, catchy chorus...), or maybe the complete first season of 7th Heaven is sitting in your television cabinet. Whatever your well-kept secret treats may be, we've discovered a new one in NBA '07 Featuring The Life: Vol. 2. The on-court action is pretty vanilla - especially compared with the other current-gen hoops titles - but, like an open bag of Doritos sitting next to you on the couch, the stories ...

NBA 08 (Review)

Oct 10, 2007

Oct 10, 2007 The Life goes out not with a bang, but a whimper. Sadly, too, as we've come to grow fond of Sony's unique twist on the ever-so-predictable world of NBA games. Sure, other titles may have had slicker gameplay and sharper visuals over the years, but The Life's story-driven mode was easily the most entertaining take on the staid sports genre. Unfortunately, the end of the Life trilogy is not one that'll go down in the history books - if we're lucky, that is. For reasons we can't ...

NBA 2K6 (Review)

Jun 22, 2007

Games have been progressing to the point where they are nearly photo-realistic. Now that consoles can re-create pro players in dynamic digital detail, animating those on-screen pros fluidly and realistically becomes equally important. The most convincing graphics in the world won't suspend your disbelief for very long if the polygonal players move like mere action figures. Clearly, the designers behind NBA 2K6 realized this too, because the animations in the latest NBA 2K series entry are ...

NBA 2K7 (Review)

Oct 9, 2006

The saying goes "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." We're pretty sure that's the attitude of the folks at 2K Sports this year, at least when it comes to their current-gen hoops title NBA 2K7. While some of the ancillary modes are expanded, and the online options shine brightly, the on-court gameplay remains virtually unchanged from last year. That's not necessarily a bad thing, of course, but gamers may have reason to pause when they mull over their decision to re-up for another year on the ...

NBA 2K8 (Review)

Oct 10, 2007

Oct 9, 2007 Anyone who's ever played organized basketball will never forget their coach's mantra - strong fundamentals mean victory. Sure, talented athletes can soar above the rim for some SportsCenter highlights, but wins are based on teamwork, strength, and commitment. Such is the reason that NBA 2K8 stands victorious in the PS2 hoops battle this season; while it may lack some of the bells and whistles of its competition, it is far and away the dominator on the ...

NBA Ballers: Phenom (Review)

Apr 6, 2006

NBA Ballers: Phenom is filled with furiously paced, arcade-style street hoops and a scathing disrespect for gravity. Stunt dribbling and "off the heezy" passing are the cornerstones of the game. Combo chains followed by quick buckets result in style points and tournament wins for the budding baller. Phenom goes one step beyond the tried-and-true streetball formula by introducing several RPG elements into the mix, but most of the new additions are awkward and unsatisfying. At the outset, ...

NBA Live 06 (Review)

Jun 22, 2007

LeBron. Iverson. Shaq. T-Mac. Unlike the college game, the superstars of the NBA unquestionably dominate the action. NBA Live 06 replicates this with its new freestyle superstar moves, further cementing Live as an undeniably fun hoops franchise. The freestyle superstar moves enable the league's best players to perform risky but incredible feats that can turn the tide of a game, just as they do in real life. For instance, playmakers like Steve Nash can zip no-look passes to get teammates an ...

NBA Live 07 (Review)

Sep 27, 2006

There should be a label on the cover of EA's newest NBA sim: "Warning: Degree in Hoopology Required." Out of the box, NBA Live 07 is set firmly to "wanton ass kicker" mode, so casual ballers and basketball junkies alike will need to dive into the guts of the engine's sliders to get the gameplay right. Otherwise, you'll be sure to invent brand new and exciting profanities after missing 10 straight open jumpers. Live wants you to bust out all sorts of the freestyle moves to do just about ...

NBA Live 08 (Review)

Oct 1, 2007

Every once in awhile, complaining will get you somewhere. We griped loudly last season at the way-too-tough shooting mechanics that the PS2's NBA Live 07 threw our way, to the point of agony. While we may be overstating the impact that our kvetching had on EA's design of this year's hoops effort, one thing is for sure - it's gotten a lot easier to put the ball in the basket. If nothing else, our controllers are feeling a bit less threatened these days. No longer will you feel like your ...

NCAA Football 07 (Review)

Jul 19, 2006

If your idea of a good time is dancing in a purple wig with your face painted like a bulldog, welcome to NCAA Football. In the latest EA Sports entry to the long-running franchise, NCAA Football 07 actually tries to mimic some of the shenanigans at, say, a Florida Gators game. But, instead of twirling cheerleaders dancing to Jessica Simpson hits in the NFL, you get 35,000 college students getting suspiciously excited about a successful third down conversion. The new Momentum Meter tracks all ...

NCAA March Madness 07 (Review)

Jan 26, 2007

Just about all of us have those recurring dreams where we're back in school, the semester's almost over, and it's time to take a final exam. For some reason, though, we've missed all the classes, are completely unprepared, and happen to be dressed in only our skivvies. In many ways, NCAA 07 March Madness and those dreams go hand in hand - it shows up to this year's college hoops competition a couple of months tardy and a little confused (but, thankfully, fully ...

NCAA March Madness 08 (Review)

Dec 19, 2007

Dec 18, 2007 Someone needs to send a memo over to the folks at EA Sports - the PS2 still matters. Heck, these days it's outselling the PS3 by leaps and bounds, so obviously there's a ton of gamers who love firing up their venerable console even as developers and publishers exhaust gobs of time and money building next-generation titles. Despite this fact, though, there's no doubt that this season's March Madness is nothing but an afterthought. Everything about the PS2 version of March Madness ...

Need for Speed Carbon (Review)

Nov 8, 2006

You can be forgiven for cynically thinking "Another year, another Need for Speed." Frankly, that's what we thought when the latest title in the series was announced. After all, the damn good Most Wanted just came out a year ago, so what could Carbon possibly offer so soon afterwards that would get our motors runnin'? It turns out that the answer comes in two parts. First off is the Wingman - not the buddy who'll sit with your hot date's ugly girlfriend at the bar - but a crazy fool who for ...