 | PSP 2000 Console - Piano Black
Buy new: $169.99 / Used from: $125.00 First things first. A system to play your games on. Black for simplicity. Silver pack comes with a 1GB memory stick. White and red have character graphics on the back. Recommend 2000 ('slim') series for faster load times and longer battery life.
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 | Sony 4 GB Memory Stick PRO DUO ( MSX-M4GS ) (Retail Package)
Buy new: $23.57 / Used from: $19.99 If you didn't get the silver PSP pack, then a Pro Duo memory stick is a must-buy. Can't save your games without it. Recommend at least 1GB.
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 | Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII with Limited Edition UMD Case
Buy used from: $45.00 Fans of the FF7 saga should give this a playthrough. Great graphics, good storyline. Mission system is iffy, and is a deterrent to some players. Battle system has potential, but also has a 'mash X repeatedly to win' feel. The Shin-Ra UMD case is free; get it while it's available.
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 | Disgaea: Afternoon of Darkness
Buy new: $25.79 / Used from: $23.00 For those who aren't Final Fantasy fans, or looking for a break from that franchise, this is your game. Gameplay is basic, and easy to pick up; but there are metagaming elements (Dark Assembly, Item World) that will add many gameplay hours.
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 | Final Fantasy Tactics: The War of the Lions
Buy new: $19.99 / Used from: $11.72 A well-done rehash of the original Playstation version. This one offers new scripting to give it a more medieval feel, and animated cutscenes. Everything from the original is still available, along with two new playable characters. Con: Unacceptable graphical slowdown during some animations and spells.
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 | Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth
Buy new: $56.99 / Used from: $20.00 Almost a direct port of the PSX version, with a few minor changes. The battle system is turn-based, but there are sidescrolling areas for item gathering, and puzzle solving. Rich story, and a very nice departure from the "pick a team, and play them through the entire game" RPG mold.
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 | Castlevania: The Dracula X Chronicles
Buy new: $19.99 / Used from: $12.00 Rondo of Blood ('Dracula X') in new 3-D graphics. You can also unlock the original version. But the main reason I'm adding this game is because of the unlockable copy of Symphony of the Night. A mainstay of many action RPG players, and worth buying the game just for the port.
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 | Dungeon Explorer: Warrior of Ancient Arts
Buy used from: $17.95 A decent dungeon crawler, with a very nice variety of races and classes to choose from. Unlockable classes. Standard fare; kill monsters and/or perform quests, get experience, level up, buy better stuff. Cons: The experience curve is a bit of a grind, and there is no gauge for job and weapon levels. Range of vision makes playing a mage or bow-class difficult.
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 | Dungeon Siege Throne of Agony
Buy new: $47.99 / Used from: $16.49 A step down from Dungeon Explorer in terms of complexity, but it is still a solid game if you just want a hack-and-slash game to pick up on a whim. There are three characters, and a promotion system. So, there is a bit of replay value to try out all 12 end-game classes.
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 | Ys The Ark of Napishtim
Buy new: $27.90 / Used from: $11.98 A very graphically pleasing sprite-based, top-view action RPG. Think 'Zelda'. Run, jump, hack with sword. Gain levels, explore areas. Gameplay and storyline are enjoyable.
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 | Brave Story: New Traveler
Buy new: $19.99 / Used from: $15.49 Just picked this one up. Finally, something in the turn-based department, and the graphics are very nice so far. Will post a better review once I get more into the game.
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 | Untold Legends: The Warriors Code
Buy new: $19.99 / Used from: $12.47 Another action-RPG. Trying to settle on one that I feel to be 'the best'. Again, better review forthcoming.
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 | PSP Breath of Fire III
Why is this gem of a game import-only? Waiting on its arrival, will post PSP review once I get into the game.
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