Reviews/ Impressions
Posted by @ 5:16 PM, EDT
Gaming Age posted their Top 5 picks of the PS2 launch games.
Here’s a bit:

1) SSX
SSX is the PlayStation 2's biggest sensation. Who would have figured that a snowboarding title, would be a system launch's best AAA title? Well it has happened, as EA's latest title is definitely brilliant on many levels. Great visuals, a kick-ass soundtrack, a very intuitive control scheme, and a great 2-player mode has pretty much given it a lock on being Game of Launch. Well done EA!

2) Ridge Racer V
Namco's latest title in the Ridge Racer series, despite being available since day one of the Japanese PS2 launch, has believe it or not, ranked as our number 2 pick. Many have commented on how little that Ridge Racer V has pushed the RR series, and some believe it is a step backwards, but the package Namco has put together still makes it worthy of any racing game fan. Again, great graphics, super fast driving action, cool cars and really nice (although foggy) 2-player modes.

"Rampage!"
Just like the PC version of UT, the game will acknowledge your accomplishments during the game. Score a headshot on your opponent and the PS2 screams back "Headshot!," kill two opponents in rapid succession and you'll hear "Double Kill!" The action can get quite an intense during a heated battle of deathmatch or CTF, and the game fully acknowledges that.
Between the excellent sounds of the weapons and the in-game vocal cues, the sounds of Unreal Tournament are sure to get the adrenaline flowing.

Interface
One thing we didn't like about the Playstation 2 conversion for UT was the interface for commanding your teammates. While the PC version featured an excellent system that allows you to communicate with your teammates while fighting, (the voice menu) the PS2 version takes you to a separate, blank screen that features significantly less functionality. We couldn't find a way to issue orders to our teammates other than this command screen, making issuing commands a huge hassle, practically impossible during a firefight.

Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2 is a great sequel to what was one of the best Dreamcast games to date. On the PlayStation 2, this arcade boxing game really shines. The wild characters are hilarious, the gameplay is incredibly fun, and the graphics are excellent. Midway scores a KO in Round 2.

Fans of this ferocious fighter franchise, of either the arcade or home version, will immediately feel at home with the controls. Using just the top-four buttons, directional pad, and a shoulder button to switch between fighters, bruisers can execute devastating 10 hit-combos and bone-crunching linking moves. Even if you're a Tekken newbie, the Practice mode will quickly get you in shape, as it lists every special move, which the computer will demonstrate how to do if you're unsure what the move is supposed to look like.

Once several levels have been beaten, the game opens up a Challenge mode. Most of the Challenges are short shoot-'em-ups provided for the hyper player who doesn't have the 15 minutes or so needed to complete a full level. Our favorite Challenge gives players exactly two minutes to shoot the heads off of 50 zombies. Zombies, being inherently slow and dimwitted, are fun to shoot as it is, but this fun is doubled when players must use their shotguns to cause undead heads to pop off decaying necks like dandelion tops.

Moving on, and in terms of game-play, Midnight Club focuses on drag racing through the streets of bustling cities. Thereby, players can choose their own path through a given city, provided they also pass several checkpoints. In terms of play mechanics, the game plays well, and the control is quite responsive. However, the game runs at 30 frames per second, and there's still intermittent slowdown. Other game-play modes include capture the flag, wherein players race across a city and attempt to secure a flag before opponents can steal it. Much like its visual presentation however, Midnight Club provides a decidedly short and slightly disappointing game-play experience.