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[DDayton]

I can't believe Galaga hasn't been mentioned yet.

Galaga -alone- justifies the existance of Namco.

(Pac-Man helps, of course.)

 

[buck naked]

Hooray! It's never too late. Drill Land is a must-own game on so many levels.. It just kills me that so few people have played it.

Bobby, your undying love for Drill Land has convinced me. I'm going to go get a copy off ebay right now.

 

[RevenantKioku]

Panic Park!
Holy shit, I played this game for a long time with friends while I was in Japan.
http://www.klov.com/game_detail.php?letter=P&game_id=8975

Now this is an arcade game.

 

[jarrod]

Namco does indeed rock, they have since PS1 hit the market.

Namco >>> Sega

 

[ourumov]

I never understood the hate for RRV. Aside from the jaggies, what exactly was so bad about it? Sure it wasn't a big evolution in the series like Rage Racer was (or downgrade like RRT4), but it was in line with the originals in the series. If you enjoyed those titles, I don't see why you wouldn't enjoy RRV.

Actually everyone that loves RRT4 seems to hate the others which is quite comprensible that RRT4 is the least arcade of the RR games. Oh sure it has a great soundtrack and presentation and graphics but the gameplay sucks for what the game is.
I love how the 90% of the RRV haters haven't even played it and are just complaining about screenshots that don't make any justice to how the game looks on a TV set.

RRV ROCKS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ridge Racer V is one of the games I've played most. And Ace Combat 4, Soul Calibur 2, TTT/T4 have been great iterations...
And don't forget Klonoa 2.

In general terms Namco and Capcom have done a great job this gen. +1 For them.

 

[Lyte Edge]

I love how the 90% of the RRV haters haven't even played it and are just complaining about screenshots that don't make any justice to how the game looks on a TV set.

"90% of the RRV haters" haven't played THE PS2 LAUNCH GAME?? Right.

RRV was a disappointment. It was clearly rushed for the PS2's release, and it shows. And yes, R4 was the better game. IMO R4 was the best "home console" Ridge Racer released....

 

[Brandon F]

R5 had issues. but I would still rather play it long before revisiting R4 again. Never understood the lovefest that accompanied that game.

Besides, everyone knows Rage Racer is the most competent game in the series!

 

[jett]

Namco really does kick ass.

You people are crazy. Namco has been SHIT ever since the current consoles came out. They ruled on PS1, they were perhaps the absolute best developers. It all started to go downhill with RR5 and Tekken Tag.

And it`s just become worse after that. Namco is just a shadow of it`s former greatness.

Bitch please, you don't know what the fuck you're talking about.

 

[Miburou]

I was quite stunned when I booted up RRV last week, and it still held up well. I played it for a couple of hours, and it's still the most fun racer I've played this gen. Only OutRun 2 has a chance of taking its place.

Just for fun:

Ace Combat 2 > Ace Combat 4

Soul Calibur > Soul Calibur II

Klonoa 2 > Klonoa

Tekken 2, 3 > Tekken Tag, Tekken 4

Ridge Racer V > Rage Racer

 

[Soul4ger]

Klonoa 2 > Klonoa

NO.

 

[Miburou]

NO.

Oh yes. Everything about part 2 was better. Challenge, length, puzzles, variety, etc.

 

[Doom_Bringer]

Ace Combat 2 > Ace Combat 4

HELL NO!

 

[BuddyC]

Bobby, your undying love for Drill Land has convinced me. I'm going to go get a copy off ebay right now.

Just remember that you'll need a modded or JP GameCube to save your game, Drill Land has the same problem with FreeLoader that Konga does.

 

[ourumov]

RRV was a disappointment. It was clearly rushed for the PS2's release, and it shows. And yes, R4 was the better game. IMO R4 was the best "home console" Ridge Racer released....

Define Rushed.

Technically rushed ?

There are aliasing problems in RRV but the fact is that when you play it on a TV set they become less evident to the point you barely notice them. This game was build from the ground by Namco people with little help from Sony. There is also a few popping in some areas but the whole feeling the game gives to the gamer is of SOLIDITY. Best City EVER.

Or Rushed in other areas ?

Sure that the game features racing in just one city but there are tons of tracks and in comparison to previous RR games (with the exception of RRT4) it has more durability that all of them.
Sure they could have add more content to the game but given the time they had and the final product they gave us I am very happy.
It's not like similar racers offer a lot more...

RRV has an awesome gameplay, it has style and awesome graphics, a superb soundtrack but most important it is the last decent Namco arcade racer we have received so FAR. There is absolutelly no reason to hate it if you are a fan of Ridge Racer, Rave Racer or some of the other Arcade Namco Racing efforts.

 

[Miburou]

Maybe I should've added the redundant IMO.

For it's time I had more fun with AC2 than with AC4. AC4 looked great, and was a lot of fun, but it felt repetitve and short.

 

[Mooreberg]

They still publish some great games but I think 1998 - 2000 was their golden years. RRT4, Tekken 3 (well, the PS version anyway), RRV, Soul Calibur on Dremacast, and TTT were all awesome. They need to get back to focusing on arcade games instead of this action/adventure stuff they've been doing lately.

 

[Gregory]

Namco really does kick ass.



Bitch please, you don't know what the fuck you're talking about.

I certainly seem to know more than you.

Soul Calibur 2 a great sequel 4 years later? no.
TTT and Tekken 4 great sequels? no.
R.Racing Evolution, Breakdown, Street Racing Syndicate, Time Crisis 3, great games? Fuck no. And these are Namco`s highest profile games. Back on PS1 everything they released was gold.

It`s certainly obvious that many of their best developers from the PS1 days have left the company.

 

[Soul4ger]

Oh yes. Everything about part 2 was better. Challenge, length, puzzles, variety, etc.

Puzzles? No way. Level designs and puzzles were WAY better in the original. Neither of them were hard, as far as I remember, and while the length was better in the second, they made you replay certain levels. The music, also, wasn't NEARLY as good, nor was the story or ending or anything like that. The characters were better in the first, the locations were better in the first (sorry, I didn't dig the Circus Town or the Town Constantly At War)... The first was just a better game, in my opinion.

 

[Kiriku]

Tekken Tag is Tekken 3, but a lot better. I don't see how anyone would choose Tekken 3 over Tag.

 

[ourumov]

Only one reason would make me choose Tekken 3 over Tekken Tag and that's the soundtrack.
On the other areas TTT > T3.

 

[Miburou]

Tekken Tag is Tekken 3, but a lot better. I don't see how anyone would choose Tekken 3 over Tag.

Kiriku: I'm obviously talking relative to when they were released. Of course if asked today, I'd prefer to play Tekken Tag over Tekken 3. But I had ten times more fun with T3 than I had with TTT. In its time, Tekken 3 was a much better game than TTT was in 2000. It's the same way I'd say MGS is better than MGS: TTS.

 

[ourumov]

This is what happens when people believes the hype of some publications (not talking about you but about the whole casual mass).
People expected TTT to be something super-innovative and RRV to be as something like GT3 ( I remember some Spanish publications that compared it to the then called GT 2000).

 

[Vargas]

Maybe I should've added the redundant IMO.

For it's time I had more fun with AC2 than with AC4. AC4 looked great, and was a lot of fun, but it felt repetitve and short.

You should not have added it. IMO and IMHO should be outlawed.

 

[BuddyC]

hi is this the thread with the pissy bitches?

 

[Defensor]

Time Crisis 3, great games? Fuck no.

Umm... I hope you are joking.

 

[Gregory]

TTT was a fucking ripoff if you had the first 3 games. They just brought together the characters from the previous games, added a crap tag mode, and hey, new game. :/

 

[Gregory]

Umm... I hope you are joking.

Are you trying to tell me that time crisis 3 is great? I hope you are joking.

 

[RevenantKioku]

Seriously, who cares about series like Tekken and Ridge Racer compared to the other stuff Namco brings us

 

[jarrod]

Just for fun:

Ace Combat 2 > Ace Combat 4

Soul Calibur > Soul Calibur II

Klonoa 2 > Klonoa

Tekken 2, 3 > Tekken Tag, Tekken 4

Ridge Racer V > Rage Racer

Jesus christ, you got every single one of those wrong!! :/

IMO of course...

 

[Soul4ger]

Seriously, who cares about series like Tekken and Ridge Racer compared to the other stuff Namco brings us

That's why I'm debating about Klonoa!

 

[Tellaerin]

RRV has an awesome gameplay, it has style and awesome graphics, a superb soundtrack but most important it is the last decent Namco arcade racer we have received so FAR. There is absolutelly no reason to hate it if you are a fan of Ridge Racer, Rave Racer or some of the other Arcade Namco Racing efforts.

I didn't like the RRV soundtrack at all, and I wasn't terribly enamored of the handling, either. Pretty as it was, I just didn't enjoy driving in that game. Rage Racer feels the best to me gameplay-wise, and RRR has the best soundtrack, IMO. If I had to rank the home RR games purely in order of personal preference, it'd be:

Rage Racer
Ridge Racer/Ridge Racer Revolution
Ridge Racer Type 4
Ridge Racer V
R: Racing Evolution (if you even want to count it as part of the series)

And yes, Namco definitely rocks.

 

[Miburou]

Jesus christ, you got every single one of those wrong!! :/

IMO of course...

I didn't know you played any console games.

And while I can understand some objections, I can't give you any credit for saying that TTT/T4 is better than T2/T3 or SCII is better than SC.

 

[Miburou]

Finally found something that I strongly disagree with Tellaerin on.

And how can you not like Samurai Rocket?

 

[jarrod]

I didn't know you played any console games.

And while I can understand some objections, I can't give you any credit for saying that TTT/T4 is better than T2/T3 or SCII is better than SC.

Well, as said earlier, TTT is really just T3 plus more. Same can be said of SC2 to some extent... if the argument's about which game was more significant at the time your selections might have some validity (except for Klonoa & RR) but if it's which game holds up better regardless of release period concerns, you're way off.

Cute dig though.

 

[Defensor]

Are you trying to tell me that time crisis 3 is great? I hope you are joking.

Well, what didn't you like about Time Crisis 3(Although for the record I do think Time Crisis II is the best in the series)?

 

[Mrbob]

I hope Namco goes back to their roots with Ridge Racer 6. Ridge Racer V had problems, but it was still a ton better than R: Racing Revolution .....

 

[Kiriku]

TTT was a fucking ripoff if you had the first 3 games. They just brought together the characters from the previous games, added a crap tag mode, and hey, new game. :/

Let's say it WAS merely a collection of the first three games. Still awesome to have lots of different characters from all three versions in one single game (if other developers can do it, so can Namco).
And hey, it was also a LOT better-looking than Tekken 3, had a completely new soundtrack, new and useful moves (specific tag moves too), a great tag mode (with a 2 player co-op mode), ending movies for each of the characters, and Tekken bowling!

Also, I almost get the feeling you expected Tekken 4, something Tekken Tag never was supposed to be. It wasn't a totally new game, it was like the best of the previous games, with a lot of polish and a great tag mode. Something I appreciated a lot.

 

[Miburou]

Well, as said earlier, TTT is really just T3 plus more. Same can be said of SC2 to some extent... if the argument's about which game was more significant at the time your selections might have some validity (except for Klonoa & RR) but if it's which game holds up better regardless of release period concerns, you're way off.

I already explained that with my reply to Kiriku.

And I do think Klonoa 2 and RRV are the best in the series.

Cute dig though.

And "Jesus christ, you got every single one of those wrong!!" isn't?
And actually, I was being serious, I thought we said you're a GBA only gamer?

 

[jarrod]

I already explained that with my reply to Kiriku.

Understood, I was just explaining my own position.

And I do think Klonoa 2 and RRV are the best in the series.

Well, I disagree. I found K1 to be the tighter game overall, with better level/mechanic design... though K2's excellent presentation and camera work is worth mentioning. KG2 kills them both however.

I'd also take Rave or Rage over RRV in every area besides visuals. Not to take away from V but I just find these two hold up better (and they definitely made a bigger impact upon release, you seem to be shifting arguments a little here).

And "Jesus christ, you got every single one of those wrong!!" isn't?

Nope, as I specified it was an opinion. Sorry if you took it personally.

And actually, I was being serious, I thought we said you're a GBA only gamer?

I still play the odd console game also occassionally (3rd Strike PS2 and Pikmin 2 currently)... I've personally sold off all my consoles except my Saturn though.

 

[SantaC]

ToS was fantastic!

 

[Miburou]

and they definitely made a bigger impact upon release, you seem to be shifting arguments a little here).

I'm not shifting arguments, I liked RRV in 2000 more than I liked Rage in 1997, although they're really close. As for Klonoa, I honestly don't remember much of the first one, just that I finished it on my first try, in a very short time, and wasn't that impressed.

Of course, right now I'd rather be playing the PS2 versions of all 5 games I mentioned than the PS1, but Namco hasn't impressed me this gen with their arcade games like they did last gen.

 

[TekunoRobby]

You know what, I went into this thread thinking "NAMCO WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR ME LATELY, EDDIEEEE!!!"* But now I realize quite a lot actually, yay for Namco I'm glad they still make good games.

*So you don't think I'm crazy (or is it too late AHAHAHA) that was inspired from Eddie Murphey RAW.

 

[Buffy4ever]

Namco does indeed rock, they have since PS1 hit the market.

Namco >>> Sega

No sega is better then namco for one reason Virtua fighters is better then Tekken. Phantasy star and Skies of arcadia better then the tale of destiny series( well the 2 ps2 games anyway< this of course is jst my Opion and I know some people my belive other wise.

I actually love alot of Namco games, thay like Sega make a lot of Arcade type games. I won most of the current namco games on the PS2 except for Tekken 4. Just this past mOnth I found Klamoa 2 for the PS2. I love all the Gun games by Namco.

 

[Alex]

I hope Nightmare of Druaga pans out. I'm pretty interested in that.

 

[jarrod]

No sega is better then namco for one reason Virtua fighters is better then Tekken. Phantasy star and Skies of arcadia better then the tale of destiny series( well the 2 ps2 games anyway< this of course is jst my Opion and I know some people my belive other wise.

I actually love alot of Namco games, thay like Sega make a lot of Arcade type games. I won most of the current namco games on the PS2 except for Tekken 4. Just this past mOnth I found Klamoa 2 for the PS2. I love all the Gun games by Namco.

Honsetly, I'd say VF/FV over Tekken/SC is about the only thing Sega has over Namco. PStar and SOA aren't nearly as playable as the Tales games (of which the Destiny installments are the worst). I'd take Klonoa over Sonic, Mr Driller over Puyo Puyo, Ridge Racer over Sega Rally, Ace Combat over AeroDancing, Time Crisis over Virtua Cop... hell, Katamari looks like it'll unseat Monkey Ball even. Five years ago, I might have agreed with you but in the mean time Namco just keeps getting better, while Sega just keeps getting worse. :/

 

[jarrod]

In general terms Namco and Capcom have done a great job this gen. +1 For them.

100% agreed. They along with Konami are the only major Japanese game companies who've made real progress this generation. Sega, Square, Enix & Nintendo (outside GBA at least) have all seemingly gone backwards in terms of their output quality. :/

 

[Miburou]

I'd put Tecmo at the top of the list of Japanese companies that've improved this gen.

 

[jarrod]

I'd put Tecmo at the top of the list of Japanese companies that've improved this gen.

Maybe (though they've yet to make a worthy successor to the Deception series this gen) but I also wouldn't classify Tecmo as a major JP game company. They seem more 2nd tier, like Atlus, Hudson, Taito or Koei.

 

[JJConrad]

Namco has greatly improved this generation over the last. Their biggest accomplishment is that they've reached out to the other consoles and have been successful at it.



The other japanese companies:

Konami is down. MGS2/ZOE vs MGS/SotN is a tight race, but last year's blasphemous TMNT game sends them straight to hell.

Capcom (post DC) is down, slightly. Same ol' Capcom, releasing releases several times over. RE4 may change my view of them. If count the DC, they kick ass.

Sega.... ugh!

Nintendo = up. Their games haven't had the same impact as in the previous generation, but quality-wise I take any of their current games over their past counter-part.


As for western developers, the only one that have improved have been EA, Ubisoft and Acclaim (bwahaha!). Lucasarts has dropped; Midway and Activision are stagnet; THQ and Infogames/Atari are still crap.

 

[BuddyC]

new page time!