• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

Bargain Bin Questions: BloodRayne 2 or Second Sight? (DS bashing inside)

D

Drinky Crow

Banned
Both are $7.99 used at the local GameCrazy. The first BloodRayne wasn't too bad after you got past the abysmal swamp levels, but it was better on the PC and this new version lacks NAZIS to kill. OMG BLOODRAYNE BEWBIEZ aren't as big a draw as the whole cheesy Nazi occult mythos -- how sterile is BR2, thematically? I don't wanna play Blade with tits, basically. Also, is the animation and "impact" of combat any better? In BloodRayne 1, the chain was great, but the actual slicin'-and-dicin' was paper-thin -- you were just a giant flailing lawnmower with boobies. There was no sense of inertia whatsoever, nor any cool DMC-style impact animation. Knowing that it's inevitably a middle-tier title, gimme a bargain-bin score from $4.99 to $19.99.

Same thing for Second Sight. I played through Timesplitters Future Perfect, and had a great time with it -- it was like Goldeneye meets Unreal Tournament, with some truly sterling firepower, revamped controls, and well-designed levels. I understand that Second Sight is more like Psi-Ops, but I'm kinda impressed with Free Radical right now, and I wouldn't mind more of the same unless the game is busted or has too much of an emphasis on stupid stealth shit. Again, rate it from $4.99 to $19.99.

Thanks!
 
I bought Second Sight for $19.99 and was disappointed.

It's a lot different from Timesplitters. Not exactly stealthy, just a whole lot slower, and of course 3rd person. All of the fun elements of Timesplitters are nowhere to be found.

It still might be worth $7.99, though, if you really like Free Radical. The character models have that same weird style.
 
I like the "weird style" quite a bit, actually. It's refreshing yet consistent in this age of androgynous Japanese heroes and ostentatious anime uniforms. How much stealth do I hafta engage in? I just can't handle slow-paced action games any more -- I gotta be kickin' ass, Mercenaries-style, from the get-go.
 
The only thing Timesplitters has going for it IS the goofy charicatures and an assload of minigames.

I'm frankly surprised you dug it too.
 
How so, Folken? I felt Timesplitters 2 had wonky controls and a flimsy single-player mode, but Timesplitters FP's single-player is pure polished quality, and fast-paced to boot. The game has excellent weapons that're fun to run-and-gun with, the levels flow really well without being too large or too linear, and there's a few nice and cheesy over-the-top boss battles. Really, what more could I want?

I don't want "realism" or AI in my FPS titles -- I just want good controls, cool weapons, and loads of crap to shoot at in a well-paced fashion. Timesplitters FP matches that to a T, and throws in some fun objectives in the harder difficulties. Come on, MAN, the zombie house levels rock!
 
I'd pick up Second Sight -- although I must say that it was a bit on the short side. However, it DOES let you Force Choke nearly every enemy in the game... so it's already better than the new Star Wars game!

Second Sight still confuses me... they put weapons in it, but I've yet to understand why... I just ran through the game strangling and tossing people with my mind.

(...and every time I get worried that our old pal Drinky has lost his love of games, he turns around and surprises us all. Never mind that I can't get past the *(@#&*(#(* "Defend Harry Tipper by sniping!" level.)
 
Raoul Duke: My presence alone IMPLIES DS bashing. As a small-time, two-bit Kathy Griffin-level internet personality I am synonymous with a strong and well-reasoned loathing for the Nintendo DS.
 
David, I love games. I'm just 100% immune to hype, brand names, nostalgia or fanboyism, unless Dynasty Warriors or Nippon Ichi is involved.
 
Drinky Crow said:
FoneBone, why're you surprised?
Click to expand...
Well, it's more just a trend -- that when a game receives critical acclaim, but is nevertheless reviled by a vocal group (as is the case with the Timesplitters series), I tend to expect you to be in the "vocal group." As in a lot of Nintendo stuff, stealth games, BG&E... though I'm actually not sure where you stand on the last two anymore...
 
Well, I didn't play through the whole thing. I think I was near the end when I stopped, though.

It seemed like the stealth parts could generally be passed by running and gunning with the weapons and psychic powers the game gives you. The game does feel kinda slow, though. I think it's because they were trying for a sort of a brooding, survival-horror sort of vibe.

You play half of the game as a mental patient sneaking around and trying to figure out what's going on, and the other half is battle flashbacks. Unfortunately all I remember from the fighting parts is a lot of really lame, autoaimed sniping.

I really think the game's biggest draw is the art style. I guess it depends how much of a selling point the Timesplitters look is for you.
 
I hate stealth games (although I adored MGS1 and 3), but I rarely bring it up because my only argument is that I'm too fucking impatient for them. I enjoyed BG&E, although I complained about the linear dungeons and lack of content overall -- but it was still a great little once-through experience with amazing art direction.
 
I don't think the stealth will be too much of an impediment to having fun. But if you get impatient in games, this one does have pretty slow pacing.
 
Well it IS fast-paced, I'll give you that. It lacked any subtlety or nuance in the stage planning however. I gave up on the story after the russian 70's episode, so maybe things got better, but the "WOW I'm shooting dudes at 120mph!" rush died off after the initial starship troopers level. It didn't help that the game chugged hard in co-op.

I did find the story charming though, at least all the little cutscenes with the time-travelling hero. Again, I loved all the goofy characters, and online was stoopid fun, but the lag dulled the enjoyment as ninja monkeys and robot santas kept jerking around the arenas.

I am tempted to give it a second attempt though; I mean a game that you, Chick, AND Dave Long all agree on?? Maybe I am the insane one...
 
The first level is dullsville, and while I enjoyed the Harry Tipper levels, the game didn't roar until the haunted mansion levels.

Anyone have any opinion on BloodRayne 2, or should I just save my $8 for a couple lattes?
 
I'd recommend Bloodrayne 2 for a mere eight bones. It's gratuitous and the controls are pretty loose but it's worth a throw. There's some decent PoP "inspired" level design and the MK Scorpion style whip is pretty fun to abuse goth kiddies with. (Basing this opinion on X-Box version). I'd even pay TEN dollars for it!
 
I think the main draw to Second Sight is it's story. It's not very long, but I enjoyed the ride while it lasted. I would compare it's story to Prince of Persia: Sands of Time in the feeling you're left with when the game is over. You can probably beat it in a few days. It's worth $8 imo.
 
Yea, I never got that far. In this market, if a game doesn't flat out impress out of the gates, it's trade-in fodder. Maybe I need time to sink into Future Perfect.

As fer Bloodrayne 2, the demo didn't much impress me. I finished the first game myself, despite all the quirky physics and jerky action, but I did really like the vampire mechanic. Leaping hundreds of feet into the air, grabbing a dude's neck on re-entry, and then activating Bloodlust to slaughter the remains. It was sort of a guilty pleasure that just needed some tuning.

BR2 probably offers more of the same, but I dunno, the demo was really bad.
 
I'd skip Bloodrayne at any price. It's just a bunch of grey/brown/red blah, with lots of violence and BEWBIES but absolutely no style. It's just weak.

Second Sight is neat. It has the best single moment in a game I've played this generation and the coolest sniper rifle ever, but there's some hide-or-die stealth bits.
 
Y'all ain't helpin'! Any other bargain bin titles from the past year or so outside the Drinky staple genres (fighting games, RPGs/SRPGs, and shooters) that I mighta missed?
 
MadOdorMachine said:
I think the main draw to Second Sight is it's story.
Click to expand...

Does it get a lot better toward the end? Cause from what I played it seemed sort of like a bad X-Files episode. I also didn't much care for the voice-acting, especially the main character.
 
Didja ever play Drakan on PS2? I did about 3 years back and loved it.

MMX8 is very solid Megaman fare. (Minus 2 lameduck vehicle stages and a weak set of Sigma levels)

Crimson Sea 2 is pretty ok in my book too, as is Blood Will Tell.
 
I played Drakan PS2 and enjoyed it (unlike the abysmal PC "prequel"). I also played Crimson Sea 2, and it was fun, but hardly a patch on Dynasty Warriors.


Ooh, Blood Will Tell. Good call. Drohne keeps chiding me to pick that up, and so I shall. Fuck you, Second Sight and BloodRayne 2!
 
Blood Will tell is pretty neat, goes for this whole Metroid Musashi thing, but doesn't quite nail it. Still pretty enjoyable though, except when playing as Dororo, which happens way too often.
 
No, I don't find Tim Schafer that funny, and knowing that, I'm sure to find Psychonauts a middling platformer effort. The more a game emphasizes its style and theme, the less interested I become -- especially in the case of a 3D platformer from an unproven developer. I'm willing to be proven wrong, but not for $50.
 
Absolutely no help to you, but UK GAF bargain hunters might want to check out the dregs of the Amazon clearout sale. I picked up:

# 1 of: Midway Arcade Treasures 2 (Xbox)
# 1 of: Boxing Champions (PS2)
# 1 of: Fallout: Brotherhood of Steel (PS2)
# 1 of: Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy (PS2)
# 1 of: The Bard's Tale (Xbox)
# 1 of: Metroid (Nes Classics GBA)
# 1 of: The Getaway: Black Monday (PS2)
# 1 of: Red Faction 2 (PS2)
# 1 of: Banjo Kazooie : Pilot (GBA)
# 1 of: X-Files: Resist Or Serve (PS2)
# 1 of: Splashdown 2: Rides Gone Wild (PS2)
# 1 of: Project Rub (Nintendo DS)
# 1 of: Hulk (Xbox Classics)
# 1 of: X2 - The Threat (PC)

for a total of £75 (an average of £5.35 a game). Plenty of stuff I wouldn't have paid full price for, but wanted to get hold of at some point (Project Rub, Bard's Tale, Psi-Ops), a few titles that didn't seem worth paying real money for, but that I'd give a chance at a genuinely knockdown price (The Getaway, Fallout: BoS, X2), a few retro titles that aren't worth full game price to me (Metroid, Midway Arcade Treasures) and some utter tripe that I'll use next time GAME do a three games and 99p for any chart title offer (Splashdown 2, Hulk, X-Files, Boxing Champions). Some other good games in the sale that I've already got, as well. If you're wanting some great titles for a tenner or less (only Project Rub and Bard's Tale from my list weighed in over £10) it's well worth a look.
 
Don't know, the first batch of games (Bard's Tale included) is due to arrive tomorrow. Most reviews I've seen have been pretty positive about it, though I'm not holding out particularly high hopes.
 
I would go with Second Sight. Definately worth that price.


btw- I'm getting to be a fan of Free Radical myself. Timesplitters is the shit IMO. :)
 
Stolen needs to drop to $20 soon. The demo seemed more interesting than the reviews led me to believe, and I hardly play stealth games so I'm not burned out on them. I dig the visual style, with the stark shadow & light and the futuristic city environment. Also, lots of BLUE.

I never did pick up Cy Girls. The demo was pretty cool, though, with all the acrobatics you could do and the nice animation, but it was too easy. I'm sure I can find that for less than $10.

Airforce Delta Strike is a better arcadey flight-sim than the reviews painted it as (damn Ace Combat whores). It has some cool anime/sci-fi-ish missions done with jets and prop (!) planes from the 40s all the way to current prototypes. Also, the Tsukasa Jun designs are cool.

In before Sea Manky: BUY DROPSHIP. I think it hates my modded JP SCPH-15000, though, because on this one mission it never recognizes one of the primary objectives as being completed, so the game just sits there and nothing happens. I need to look up some cheats.

Crimson Tears almost got me to buy it, until I realized that I'd almost definitely get sick of it before its time - tends to happen with highly repetitive JP dungeon-crawlers.

RTK IX is $18 at Gamestop now! !! ! ! !!!

My $10 copy of Samurai Warriors came today. TIME TO PLAY
 
Drinky Crow said:
Also, is the animation and "impact" of combat any better? In BloodRayne 1, the chain was great, but the actual slicin'-and-dicin' was paper-thin -- you were just a giant flailing lawnmower with boobies. There was no sense of inertia whatsoever, nor any cool DMC-style impact animation.
Click to expand...

In that sense, you're sure to be disappointed with Bloodrayne 2 as well. The animation is still stiff and awkward with no sense of weight or impact, and Rayne's jump animation is among the worst of all time. There's no arc; no sense of her losing inertia as she gets to the top of her jump, and picking up speed as gravity pulls her back down. It's painful to watch.

Still, it can be decent mindless fun. The blood and gore is insane - you can cut enemies in half from crotch to head, complete with a muscle-and-bone cross section, and ragdoll on each half. If you enjoy that kind of over-the-top violence, it might be worth a look. I had some fun despite it being an extremely flawed and repetitive game, but I wouldn't say it's worth more than $10.

I can't say much about Second Sight. I bought it for $10 a week ago - I enjoyed Timesplitters Future Perfect a lot, and wanted to see what else Free Radical was capable of. I've put in a couple hours, but I just cannot get into it. The stealth sections are even more tedious than other stealth titles because there's no real pay-off for all the sneaking around. In Metal Gear you can slit someone's throat or break their neck; in Splinter Cell you can knee someone into a chasm or choke them unconscious. In Second Sight, there's no sense of reward for your patience, and that really killed the fun for me. There's some run-and-gun involved, but it feels watered-down and forgettable. I'll still give it another try, but I can't say that it was $10 well spent.
 
Another bargbain bin FPS you might want to try is XIII. I just picked up a used copy for the Playstation 2 at CD Max for like $4, and it's worth it. You can probably find copies at any Gamespot or EB for under $10. It is an old-fashioned shooter: fast-paced and fluid run-and-gun action with some light stealth thrown in. It's nothing great (the AI is poor), but it's fun so far.
 
The fact that a lame, self appointed "internet celebrity" is asking about two of the worst games released in the past year really surprises me. I thought you had good taste Drinky?
Apparently I was wrong. :D

EDIT: Seriously though, please save your money for something good. Neither of these games are worth your time no matter how cheap they are.
 
McPhineas said:
Does it get a lot better toward the end? Cause from what I played it seemed sort of like a bad X-Files episode. I also didn't much care for the voice-acting, especially the main character.
Click to expand...

I don't know where you left off, but I thought it started picking up about the time you had to infiltrate this base. It was just cool the way the flashbacks affected the future. It's nothing epic by any means, but I thought the story was better than probably 75% of all the other action/adventure games out there.
 
The presentation of Bloodrayne 2 is every bit as bad as any given late 1990's badgirl comic. If you enjoyed the world of the first game, you'll be turned off by the awful fucking OMGLINESDRAWNOVERAREOLA character designs of Rayne's siblings.

As far as the game goes, I enjoyed this one less than I enjoyed the first game. They added more moves, new weapons, and IIRC some sort of combo system; but it never really clicked with me and I just used basic weapons and moves throughout the whole damn game. In my estimation, the combat system attempted to make it a deeper game, but fumbled in the execution. Maybe I just suck at button tap combinations or am too impatient to bother with the intricacies of every f'ing game engine on the planet.

I also had a lot more issues with The Fucking Camera™ in this one than in the first game.

Still - for $8 you could certainly do worse. I did enjoy some of the extras you unlocked once you beat the game. Although it was nothing that inspired me to slog through the fucking thing a second time.

FIANL JUGMENT: Bloodrayne > Bloodrayne 2, unless you're buying Bloodrayne 2 for a little more than the price of a rental.

I went a bit overboard today and picked up Crimson Sea 2 @ Gamecrazy for $25 new. It's pretty tough to find and I was interested and being Mr. Moneybags thanks to my tax returns. I'll end up paying for this later in the month no doubt. >:|

Yeah - buy games when you don't have time to play them. I AM SO SMRT! :lol
 
TotalBastard, they're EIGHT BUCKS. Like I said, the price of two lattes. I'm fully aware that both games are flawed and mediocre -- just like EVERY DS release -- but for some cheap entertainment from moderate-quality developers, why not ask and see if they're worth the tiny asking price?

I don't measure games on a strict BUY/DON'T BUY scale. I evaulate a purchase based on the asking price. For $8, I might even give Nintendogs a shot. MIGHT.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Second Kirby Direct Oct 23
2 3
114
907
BlackTron replied
  • Poll
Avowed or Outer Worlds 2?
2
62
195
Field replied
Super Mario Galaxy 1 + 2 missing checkerboard/dithering effect on Switch 2 (comparison inside)
2 3 4
154
3K
Zuo replied
SWITCH 2 DS INSTEAD OF A SWITCH 2 LITE?
Opinion 
33
1K
6502 replied
GameStop leaks second playable character in RE9
Rumor  2
62
746
kat_on_the_roof replied
Top Bottom