The PS2 Backlog Committee Game Club Presents: PS2oose Your Own Summer Adventure!

[Phaseknox]

I fired up Vexx for this thang. I had never played it before, but it's a fun collectathon platformer with nice (technically, if not necessarily always artistically) visuals and smooth controls. It's got a hub world with certain collection requirements to open up new and visually diverse areas, and it seems like there's some pretty good variety to the ways you obtain these tokens so far. There's also some combat, which while responsive, is pretty repetitive. It's not necessary to collect everything to reach the final area, but I'm having a good time playing, collecting and discovering secrets so far.

Any of you guys ever played it?

I played it, and remember not really liking it.

[Phaseknox]

dp

[isthatallyougot]

Not only did I never play it, but I don't think I've ever heard of it. As much time as I spend looking in Gamestops during the PS2 era, this cover doesn't look familiar at all:

Well, get on it!

I played it, and remember not really liking it.

[Phaseknox]

I played it, and remember not really liking it.

I’ve just never really been a fan of cartoonish 3D collect-a-thon platformers, when everyone was going crazy over Super Mario 64 I just didn’t really see the appeal. Tomb Raider was my favorite game franchise at that time, and that’s pretty much around when I stopped liking more cartoonish games aimed at younger audiences in general.

[argyle]

I haven't picked yet, but that's partially because I can't find my raspberry pi right now (aka my ps2 emulation box).

I remember playing a little Vexx, but I can't really remember anything specific about it. And it's not because I don't like 3D collect-a-thons. Matter of fact, I'd recommend one that most people passed over back in the day, i-Ninja.

I played it, and remember not really liking it.

I’ve just never really been a fan of cartoonish 3D collect-a-thon platformers, when everyone was going crazy over Super Mario 64 I just didn’t really see the appeal. Tomb Raider was my favorite game franchise at that time, and that’s pretty much around when I stopped liking more cartoonish games aimed at younger audiences in general.

I played Tomb Raider, and I remember not really liking it.

[Phaseknox]

I remember playing a little Vexx, but I can't really remember anything specific about it. And it's not because I don't like 3D collect-a-thons. Matter of fact, I'd recommend one that most people passed over back in the day, i-Ninja.

I liked I-Ninja a lot, from what I remember it was more of a straight up 3D action platformer than a collect-a-thon. Regardless, I remember it being a lot of fun and I liked it more than a lot of the more popular games at the time within the same genre.

I played Tomb Raider, and I remember not really liking it.

For me at the time (1996) Tomb Raider was basically the game that I always wanted: a 3D action adventure game with combat, exploration, environment interaction (climbing, platforming, swimming, etc.), key items and puzzle solving. It had it all, including an appealing female protagonist. I was 26 when it came out, and the PlayStation was my favorite console. I wasn’t into Nintendo anymore, I never even got a Nintendo 64. However, I did get a GameCube and liked it quite a bit, but it was the last Nintendo console that I’ve gotten since then not counting the Switch Lite that my sister recently gave me.

[isthatallyougot]

I’ve just never really been a fan of cartoonish 3D collect-a-thon platformers, when everyone was going crazy over Super Mario 64 I just didn’t really see the appeal. Tomb Raider was my favorite game franchise at that time, and that’s pretty much around when I stopped liking more cartoonish games aimed at younger audiences in general.

I *still* adore classic (Core-developed) Tomb Raider. Those games, for me, are as great as they ever were. Admittedly there's a clunkiness and stiffness to the movement, but the precision is worth the tradeoff. And the exploration, atmosphere and music are still wonderful today imho. The PS1 entries are all-time classics in my book.

I haven't picked yet, but that's partially because I can't find my raspberry pi right now (aka my ps2 emulation box).

I remember playing a little Vexx, but I can't really remember anything specific about it. And it's not because I don't like 3D collect-a-thons. Matter of fact, I'd recommend one that most people passed over back in the day, i-Ninja.

i-Ninja is one of my all-time favs. Fun platforming and nice, silly humor.

[Phaseknox]

I *still* adore classic (Core-developed) Tomb Raider. Those games, for me, are as great as they ever were. Admittedly there's a clunkiness and stiffness to the movement, but the precision is worth the tradeoff. And the exploration, atmosphere and music are still wonderful today imho. The PS1 entries are all-time classics in my book.

I still like them as well, and the little retro console that I have has all of them except for The Last Revelation which is disappointing since it’s one of my favorites.

[isthatallyougot]

I'm having a pretty good time with Vexx. I've got 20 of the 60-needed wraith hearts to get to the final boss/area/whatever it is. They've done a good job of mixing up the methods to acquire them. Granted there is some repetition, but there's also unique puzzles within the various worlds. The different levels are also nicely diverse, both from each other and within their own settings in terms of some unique locations. The platforming is responsive and controls well in general. I still don't really love the character art style, and the combat has remained the same throughout and is ultimately pointless, so it's often best to just run by foes. But as mascot platformers go, this one is worth a play in my view. It's got enough good stuff to justify its existence. I'm happy I took the chance.

[crimson_tide]

Oh snap, now that I am free from the thrall of Marvel Midnight Suns (that goddamn game...so good), I can do my summer adventuring! Still don't know what to pick up. Probably dabble in several things and report back here until I settle on something. Hell, if I get really adventurous in August, I might even hook up my PS2 (have the HDMI thing so why the hell not?)...