2004 (MGS 3: Snake Eater, Half-Life 2 and World of Warcraft are released) WIP
Cave Story (PC, 2004/WiiWare, 2009/PC, 2017 (Cave Story+))
Subgenre: Zelda-like w/ some Metroid and Blaster Master elements
Movement Mechanics: Air boost in four directions, Hover via gun recoil
Other: Hub areas, NPCs, Some item trading
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Subgenre: Zelda-like w/ some Metroid and Blaster Master elements
Movement Mechanics: Air boost in four directions, Hover via gun recoil
Other: Hub areas, NPCs, Some item trading
- Mostly linear (one major dialogue choice leads to an alternate path in the late game, backtracking to previous areas)
- Save points
- Area maps
- Few movement abilities gained (limited air boost, recoil from one gun lets you hover if you keep shooting downwards)
- Multiple endings
- Two minor sequence breaks (using damage boost+pausing): first, second
- Version differences: https://cavestory.fandom.com/wiki/Version_differences
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GC, 2004)
Subgenre: 3D FPS, Collectathon element (3 keys per dark world sub area, 9 keys to get to the sky temple)
Perspective: FP view/TP View/Side View Hybrid
Movement Mechanics: Temporary underwater "flight" w/ gravity boost, 7 jumps in a row and wall jump at certain spots w/ screw attack, Ball form boost (also used for jumping and sometimes attacking), Climbing in ball form via magnetic rails and a few other surfaces, Swinging w/ grapple beam, Bomb jump (works like in Prime 1)
Other: Temple sanctuary is a minor hub connecting to three parts of the temple grounds area which in itself is a hub for the other areas, Parallel worlds theme (Zelda 3; some switches open up paths in the other or both worlds though this is a bit underused and you never gain the ability to travel between them where you want to, different enemies in each world and partially different layouts), 4-player MP mode (death match and bounty modes (find and steal coins), 6 arenas, didn't try it), Some NPCs (can't hurt them and nothing happens if you try), Some controllable turrets however the aiming is really slow, Some forced enemy encounters to open doors, Timed final boss (the escape itself is mostly shown in a cutscene), No stealth aspect here
Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA, 2004)(Metroid Remake) - WIP
Subgenre: Added stealth segment
Movement Mechanics: See Super Metroid
Other: Escape sequences
Save points
Map system
Various control improvements
New bosses
Objective markers (can be removed via a hack)
Unlockables (Hard Mode, Sound Test, Original NES Metroid, Metroid Fusion Gallery - a gallery of Metroid Fusion ending images)
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Subgenre: 3D FPS, Collectathon element (3 keys per dark world sub area, 9 keys to get to the sky temple)
Perspective: FP view/TP View/Side View Hybrid
Movement Mechanics: Temporary underwater "flight" w/ gravity boost, 7 jumps in a row and wall jump at certain spots w/ screw attack, Ball form boost (also used for jumping and sometimes attacking), Climbing in ball form via magnetic rails and a few other surfaces, Swinging w/ grapple beam, Bomb jump (works like in Prime 1)
Other: Temple sanctuary is a minor hub connecting to three parts of the temple grounds area which in itself is a hub for the other areas, Parallel worlds theme (Zelda 3; some switches open up paths in the other or both worlds though this is a bit underused and you never gain the ability to travel between them where you want to, different enemies in each world and partially different layouts), 4-player MP mode (death match and bounty modes (find and steal coins), 6 arenas, didn't try it), Some NPCs (can't hurt them and nothing happens if you try), Some controllable turrets however the aiming is really slow, Some forced enemy encounters to open doors, Timed final boss (the escape itself is mostly shown in a cutscene), No stealth aspect here
- Mostly linear structure (completely linear with various temporary points of no return up until after the first mini-boss (about 1h30m in), nearly linear path up until you get the bombs back and you can only access the first temple in the dark world after that - if you try to go to torvus via the great temple you're met with a purple crystal gate and if you sidetrack to other parts of the dark world or explore more of the light world you run into other gates, the three main areas and the final one are reached in a set order and you get your abilities in a set order as well, can do part of the underwater sub area of torvus in either order, keys can sometimes be found in any order and various optional upgrades can be gotten in any order once you have the right ability, might be possible to go into the super toxic dark world wastes area for an upgrade early (without the light suit) but it's very hard, )
- Frequent save points which also heal you (single save slot per game), Some ammo stations
- Adds a teleportation ability via the light suit though you get it very late. Can teleport to restored temples (one per area in these areas - Agon, Torvus, Sanctuary, Great Temple). Some shortcuts
- Some new tools/weapons (dark beam - opens portals to dark world+opens dark doors+"freezes" groups enemies if charged (no ice beam here)+activate certain crystal gates/switches, light beam - opens portals to light world+opens light doors+more damage vs dark world enemies+multiple homing beams when charged+energize beacons to damage dark world enemies+activate certain crystal gates/switches, annihilator beam=light+dark energy (opens portals) and auto-homing+stun enemies with charged beam and draw enemies into powered up beacon lights+open alternate echo gates via note puzzles)
- Compass added to the map screen (see Prime 1 otherwise), Optional hint system (text tutorial messages here and there (doesn't pause gameplay but is a bit too obvious at times), sub objective markers on the map - these show the goal room to get the next ability but not the route to it), Color coded scannable objects (makes it easy to tell what is important for progression to scan), Map stations that reveal most of the current area when found
- The safe zones mechanic in the dark world create a good sense of vulnerability - shoot beacons to create temporary ones in preplaced spots)
- Some scripted non-cutscene scenes which add to immersion (seeing the pirates interacting with objects and metroids carrying newly consumed ones later on, fight between pirates and dark samus, etc.)
- Some neutral creatures that help you in a way (lightbringers - moving safe zone beacons in the dark world, herd of small drones which can be killed for item drops in the fortress area, flying maintenance bots in the fortress, watchdrones move out of the way when activating beacons near them)
- Various new enemies are added to previous areas when you backtrack through them (generally not ones you've never seen before though)
- Can stand on some frozen/encapsulated enemies (not sure if it's useful though)
- Some sequence breaking opportunities but no major ones without glitches (bypass getting the keys to the Hive Temple with bomb jump+screw attack, enter torvus before dark suit with slope jump/ghetto jump, more minor skips with scan dashing/side hopping while locked on+slope jumping+standing on unintended surfaces in the environment)
- Can perform a roll jump similar to Metroid 2 or DKC (while holding R in ball form, unmorph+jump at the right time as you fall off a ledge+hold L right after unmorphing to keep your speed) however it's tricky to pull off consistently. Can also perform a double jump after a bomb jump by doing it with your back against a wall, going forward a bit then pressing back while doing it - tricky
- Environmental gameplay effects (various mechanisms being activated or deactivated, some manipulation of larger objects via switches or breaking walls, dark samus taking out a bridge at one point, sand mound drainage in one room, water draining (gathering hall)) - somewhat fewer large scale ones than in the prequel
- Some good puzzles (seeker launcher circular tiles sliding puzzle, some platforming/disappearing block puzzles in ball form, ) and some decent ones (staircase blocks in pirate base, sacred bridge gate, some spatial reasoning ones, etc)
- Three endings ("barebones"=less than 75% completion, "extended"=75% or more, "full"=100% completion)
- Slow regeneration while in safe zones in the dark world
- Some pits however you lose only a bit of health from falling into one and get respawned on the last platform you stood on
- Unlockable hard mode but it's kind of boring (enemies have twice the usual health and their attacks do 1.5x the normal amount of damage)
- Silent protagonist unlike in Fusion
- Enemies don't keep dropping items which you already have a full stock of here however some enemies don't drop light and dark beam ammo at all
- Can't do a charge/cluster bomb attack here (charge the beam then go into ball form to release a cluster of bombs), No plasma beam/flamethrower or wavebuster and no phazon suit or beam, Still can't grab onto nor climb ledges (Fusion), Still no shinespark or speed booster for faster movement while not in ball form
Some notable cons: - Can't lock onto enemies while in ball form (boost ball is used as an attack against some enemies here)
- Unskippable cutscenes+staff roll besides some repeating ones
- Still no right stick aiming, Still no full control config
- Can't add your own notes/markers to the map - several ability gates early on and unlike SM a room with an item in it isn't marked by a dot plus some gates aren't shown on the map
- Can't be grabbing most of the 9 sky temple keys over the course of the game due to gear requirements
- Activated world portals don't stay active - have to rescan them each time, Opened dark beam and light beam doors don't stay opened or switched to blue doors - ammo-based beams+it's annoying to switch beams all the time+the stacked annihilator beam doesn't work on them
- Some gates placed right after newly opened gates
- Backtracking to restore temples and back to the temple grounds after dark suit+some other lengthy ones
- Harder to hit some enemies with charge shots and various enemies and bosses have frequent invincibility periods
- Constant beeping sfx while near death
Metroid: Zero Mission (GBA, 2004)(Metroid Remake) - WIP
Subgenre: Added stealth segment
Movement Mechanics: See Super Metroid
Other: Escape sequences
Save points
Map system
Various control improvements
New bosses
Objective markers (can be removed via a hack)
Unlockables (Hard Mode, Sound Test, Original NES Metroid, Metroid Fusion Gallery - a gallery of Metroid Fusion ending images)
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Shaman King: Master of Spirits (GBA, 2004)
Subgenre: Igavania-ish (features a soul system variation (AoS) which lets you combine up to 5 abilities/buffs at once (0-2 active and 0-5 passive abilities) as well as make 4 sets to switch between on the fly, back- and forward dashing, no exp point leveling - hp and mp+ability slot upgrades are found and gained after bosses), Collectathon element (5 guardian ghosts/silver spirits for the totem attack to break a barrier)
Movement Mechanics: Grapple hook, Dash jump (see Mega Man X)
Other: Hub map (still have to traverse the distances shown on the map in-game to get to sub areas - even after completing a route you have to backtrack through it), Consumables shop which can be accessed via the hub map (can sell items), Small sheep transformation - moves quickly and reaches into smaller spaces but can't attack and doesn't last that long
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (PC, 2004)
Subgenre: 3D ARPG/WRPG (dialogue trees, reputation- and morality-like systems, detailed char creation where you choose your clan/class (affects story, NPC interactions and quests - can also go your own way) and starting stats (16 feats divided into 4 categories, 9 attributes, 12 abilities, 3 disciplines/spells which are predefined based on your class (some are also more like trees where leveling it up gives access to new spells), three types of damage resistance/soak), manual skill point distribution when leveling up, dodging/defense handled by dice rolls, critical hit rolls), Stealth element
Perspective: TP view/FP view hybrid (FP ranged combat, TP melee combat), TP or FP view toggle (zooms in and makes you invisible when up against a wall with your back and goes into FP mode in tight spaces) however the game automatically switches for combat
Movement Mechanics: Some platforming
Other: Hub map w/ four hub areas and some dungeon-like areas, Can choose between a quiz-style char creation (which you can then edit afterwards) or choosing everything yourself in the menus, Seduction/persuasion/intimidation mechanics, No exp points from killing regular enemies (get it from progressing quests and killing quest relevant enemies), One mini-game of sorts (zombie wave defense/survival mode mission), Three escort/fight alongside an NPC segments (pretty short), Two timed escape sequences (warehouse, society cave) and one non-timed one from grout's mansion, Lockpicking and hacking is based on if your skill is high enough and triggers a short timer where you watch it finishing
Playthrough (Malkavian) - Video Review - Mini Review
Spider-Man 2 (Multi, 2004)
Subgenre: 3D Open World-lite Action Adventure/Beat 'em up (chapter-based)
Perspective: TP view
Movement mechanics: Web swinging and wall sprinting, Ceiling climbing, Lamp post swinging, Strong charge jump, Spider Reflexes Mode (similar to bullet time in Max Payne or Intenso mode in Guacamelee)
Other: Hub area w/ shops and quest giving NPCs as well as scripted events and story quests (some are random), Some chase and on foot race segments (basic ranking for the optional ones and you get more points for beating the "mega" challenges), Pizza delivery and basic photo jobs, Fight alongside NPCs in some missions (the police, black cat), Collectathon element (find all hint markers/tutorial icons, find various tokens) and grinding elements (finish a certain mission x number of times) - for point rewards
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Sly 2: Band of Thieves (PS2, 2004) - WIP
Subgenre: 3D Action Platformer/Stealth (Robbery theme), Spyro 2-like?
Perspective: TP View
Other: Hub areas w/ Sandbox-style/open-ended levels (that you can do in any order?), Shops, Some chase segments, Mini-games
3 playable chars (switch between missions)
Gain movement abilities and tools (climbing poles, sliding along narrow ledges, parkouring, paraglider, hover pack; tools are ammo-based)
No mini-maps (also can't see where you've been on the maps?)
No lives system (checkpoints)
Recon missions (take a photo of the villain and points of interest)
Some minor sequence breaking (train level)
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Subgenre: Igavania-ish (features a soul system variation (AoS) which lets you combine up to 5 abilities/buffs at once (0-2 active and 0-5 passive abilities) as well as make 4 sets to switch between on the fly, back- and forward dashing, no exp point leveling - hp and mp+ability slot upgrades are found and gained after bosses), Collectathon element (5 guardian ghosts/silver spirits for the totem attack to break a barrier)
Movement Mechanics: Grapple hook, Dash jump (see Mega Man X)
Other: Hub map (still have to traverse the distances shown on the map in-game to get to sub areas - even after completing a route you have to backtrack through it), Consumables shop which can be accessed via the hub map (can sell items), Small sheep transformation - moves quickly and reaches into smaller spaces but can't attack and doesn't last that long
- Save on the map screen (one slot only)
- Mostly linear structure besides optional backtracking and sidetracking for upgrades and combat abilities (can take 4 paths from the get go and 2 more paths open up for each new location that you visit up to a point however nearly all of them are blocked off early on - you can really only go to where you get the box pushing ability and then only the path where you use it which is then repeated for the next ability (freeze fire pillars) and then the next (gas protection), the world is divided into 8 areas (unnamed in-game and even in the manual?) which in turn are divided into several paths, two optional bosses in the NW in the end-game and some optional (and missable) spirits)
- No area maps, No area names on the hub map screen or title cards shown when entering them, Can't tell on the map screen if you've visited a path or not - only if you've cleared it once, Can't see if/how many items are left to find on a path
- Gain a teleporter spirit/soul in the late game (go to the other side of a previously finished path, some one way paths before gaining it)
- Regenerating MP/special move energy (can also upgrade the speed of it by using up one special item slot), No MP restoratives
- Enemies carrying special items/souls always drop them after one kill and some are placed in the areas
- Difficulty options (normal and hard)
- Some minor shortcuts when backtracking through paths (not enough of them though)
- New game plus (cleared levels+items+spirits etc. will be the same as before fighting the final boss plus you'll have the fire spirit which lets you gain some HP by hitting enemies - seems the fire spirit should've been there in the regular game since it makes the game easier)
- Some decent switch and box puzzles (red temple, factory) - at times it would've been good if the game showed exactly what pulling a switch accomplished though
- Good economy in that being careful with your money stays relevant throughout
- Can't move while crouching or attacking (can jump while attacking)
- Can't swim (a familiar of sorts picks you up and puts you at the last platform you were standing on but you also lose a lot of HP)
- Most locations on the map simply represent the end of a path rather than a location you can visit (the inn/your home base is the only exception)
- Partial life refill after finishing a path (getting to the other side of it in either direction)
- Frequently respawning enemies (as soon as you leave a room)
- Enemy drops do disappear but it takes 10+ seconds
- Some resource management (chests don't respawn and enemies rarely drop money - most enemies don't seem to drop anything, enemies never drop healing items, a few ammo-based special attacks, carry capacity limitations on inventory items)
- Can jump past most enemies
- While you can upgrade your main weapon it has the same range and 3 hit combo (gaining the light sword also turns your first special attack into one which adds a projectile) - no alternate main weapons
- Some pits however they don't kill you - instead you lose some health and are carried to the platform you were on previously
- A few NPC encounters but no neutral creatures
- New enemies don't appear in previously visited paths
- No control config and you double tap down to perform a backwards dash
- No breakable walls or floors
- Box puzzles don't stay solved, Totems and fire pillars don't stay removed
- No double jump or wall jump moves and the slide isn't used to dodge with much
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines (PC, 2004)
Subgenre: 3D ARPG/WRPG (dialogue trees, reputation- and morality-like systems, detailed char creation where you choose your clan/class (affects story, NPC interactions and quests - can also go your own way) and starting stats (16 feats divided into 4 categories, 9 attributes, 12 abilities, 3 disciplines/spells which are predefined based on your class (some are also more like trees where leveling it up gives access to new spells), three types of damage resistance/soak), manual skill point distribution when leveling up, dodging/defense handled by dice rolls, critical hit rolls), Stealth element
Perspective: TP view/FP view hybrid (FP ranged combat, TP melee combat), TP or FP view toggle (zooms in and makes you invisible when up against a wall with your back and goes into FP mode in tight spaces) however the game automatically switches for combat
Movement Mechanics: Some platforming
Other: Hub map w/ four hub areas and some dungeon-like areas, Can choose between a quiz-style char creation (which you can then edit afterwards) or choosing everything yourself in the menus, Seduction/persuasion/intimidation mechanics, No exp points from killing regular enemies (get it from progressing quests and killing quest relevant enemies), One mini-game of sorts (zombie wave defense/survival mode mission), Three escort/fight alongside an NPC segments (pretty short), Two timed escape sequences (warehouse, society cave) and one non-timed one from grout's mansion, Lockpicking and hacking is based on if your skill is high enough and triggers a short timer where you watch it finishing
- Partially non-linear structure (can do various side quests in any order in each hub area as well as begin some of the ones that you'll finish in later areas, linear main quest progression and you visit the different hub areas in a set order? - some backtracking to previous areas and some quests cover more than one area, can't revisit various quest areas which are more like dungeons)
- No map feature and no compass - also can't take a photo of an area map or buy one (can only check a hub area's map at a few points per area such as bus stops)
- Save anywhere outside of while you're dancing or setting a bomb (unlimited (?) nameable slots, the game also auto-saves when moving between certain sub areas/rooms), Lives system of sorts in the masquerade violation system (can break the rules 5 times but can also regain masquerade points/tries at various points, can only carry 5 points at once however), Health regen (slowed down by certain attacks noted by part of the life bar turning yellow (aggravated damage) - can be restored quicker by feeding)
- Some ability gating (stealth and computer hacking allow for different paths - mostly optional outside of a nosferatu playthrough and might still be optional but at the detriment of dialogue options and side quest access)
- Your clan affects NPC reactions and the nosferatu clan's looks scare most people
- Various spells that help with progression but are optional (celerity lets you move super fast at higher levels and lets you dodge bullets and melee attacks (can also help a bit with stealth and with getting past laser alarms at one point, has a bullet time/slow motion effect to it so movement feels slower while it's faster compared to everyone else), auspex - temporarily buffs 2 stats and lets you see enemies' and NPCs' auras (mood and type)+see people through walls (Deus Ex)+it works like a torch of sorts which is occasionally useful, dementation can unlock more dialogue options for Malkavians, dominate - persuade or kill people mentally (unlocks dialogue options, works well on humans but not vampires), obfuscate/invisibility - can perform stealth kills and hack during it at a high enough level, stun enemies by making them laugh or vomit blood (there's also two kinds of regular stun in trance and mesmerize), brainwipe - make enemies temporarily think you've disappeared (short duration), limited invisibility/advanced invisibility/unseen force (obfuscate discipline) - move invisibly while crouched and perform stealth kills (you're revealed if you touch others or containers+if you interact with the environment/move freely while invisible and do double damage with a melee attack that breaks obfuscate/can interact with the environment while invisible (but still not touch others or containers)+do triple damage with a melee attack that breaks obfuscate, red eyes - see in the dark (humans will notice the change at point blank range (masquerade violation) and wits +1)
- Five different endings depending on who you side with and one other action
- Alternate solutions to various problems (hacking, searching to find clues/passwords/keys, lockpicking, combat, stealth (stealth kill or avoiding combat and feeding on people, can take out cameras with guns or hacking but can't take out lights), persuasion skill, seduction skill for a steady blood supply, some breakable obstacles like the iron bars near gallery noir if you have enough Str, Some exploding barrels (or objects rather); Quest for Glory, Ultima Underworld, Star Control II, System Shock 1-2, Thief, Fallout, Deus Ex, etc.)
- Stealth/aggression-based reputation mechanic (masquerade; violations in non-combat zones will lead to ambush attacks from human vampire hunters and scorn or contempt by vampires and eventually a game over if the 5 point meter reaches zero, can attack in masquerade zones (non-combat and non-elysium/vampire haven) but it will generally trigger law enforcement for a while)
- Quest log (doesn't add e-mails and certain spoken hints though and you can't add your own notes - see Deus Ex)
- Control and hotkey config
- Malkavians are cursed with insanity making for a unique experience playing as them (every dialogue response is different, you get cryptic clues from voices in your head about the game's plot (which won't make sense to you until your second playthrough), inanimate objects might talk to you)
- Can still use a weapon you're not skilled at at a penalty to its lethality (how well it deals with supernatural enemies)
- Item stash at your home/haven and you can store items in other containers as well (or just leave them on the ground in any hub area)
- Some breakable walls and alternate hidden paths - the former is underused at times and the late game areas are more linear overall
- Can listen in on NPC conversations (Deus Ex, Fallout)
- Some decent-pretty good puzzles
- Pretty natural/believable feeling environments overall in terms of their layouts and doodads (more like actual places than game levels) - similar to Deus Ex
- Decent amount of lore from diaries, logbooks and e-mail accounts which is also pretty well done (no novels or biographies though)
- Some minor sequence breaking possibilities (can skip/speed up parts of these main quests: Slashterpiece by exiting the gallery right after entering it or after stealing the money (skips the main reward though and might affect the next quest), Elizabethan Rendezvous (look at the scene via the cameras instead of going around the ship to see the sarcophagus in person), The Enemy Of My Enemy by killing the werewolf to remove the timer and make the cable car come much sooner; during the Society of Leopold quest you can climb the mountain where the boulder drops down and from there jump onto the outside roof with maximum Celerity active (only lets you get some weapon drops however), Can stand on a frozen enemy to reach higher at times - didn't try it yet), More (ver. 1.1)
- Pick up and throw some small objects (kind of limited though but can occasionally be used to lure guards)
- Some shortcuts (parking garage downtown becomes emptied after grabbing the briefcase, get teleported out of the crackhouse and some other places after beating the boss there, out of the warrens thankfully, sewers and alleys)
- Can eventually gain an item called the odious chalice which stores blood/MP from killed enemies (about mid-way through the game)
- One large-scale environmental change
- Have a home (haven) which can be upgraded to a better one downtown provided you don't piss off Lacroix (can get a second chance if you mess up during the rendezvous quest) - Tremere and Nosferatu players get one elsewhere much later
- Aiming with ranged weapons works like in Deus Ex (makes them pretty slow to use until increasing your ranged combat skill, can still miss even if it looks like you're going to hit since it's dice roll-based)
- The tutorial is pretty short and also skippable
- A sneaky playthrough is mostly doable but you can't completely avoid combat (some bosses and in the end-game you are forced towards combat more and more so you'll want to invest in at least one combat skill) - about 18 kills required in total)
- Can't drive and there's no traffic in-game
- Found inventory items tend to light up if looked at or looking very close to them while near them, Inspection can make this more obvious and/or happen from further away
- Game pauses while in the inventory menu
- Can't hire mercenaries or recruit party members - Can gain a "ghoul" (semi-vampire) in Heather who you can get presents from (money, armor and even people to feed on who you can choose to let go) and tell to change outfits for you, but not have her join you during questing. Have to let her feed on you a couple of times or you can set her free to gain some humanity
- Firearms start out weak but become the strongest for combat in the late-game while unarmed becomes much worse unless you're a Gangrel clan vampire
- Various bugs still (see the mini review)
- Some camera and hit detection issues
- Some tedious segments
- Sometimes poor directions
- Obfuscate does not work on several very common enemies you'll encounter and is not very reliable overall
- No breakout/desperation move in melee
- Stealth kind of sucks overall due to not being able to simply knock enemies out combined with their lack of patrolling/splitting up (with some exceptions) and not having enough objects to lure them away with around+the glitches - some vampires do get stun spells which can be used instead though
- A few missable items
- Need to have left the vent to your skyeline apartment open to be able to get back to the city hub areas after choosing who to side with for the finale (and not be a tremere or a nosferatu)
- Bad enemy AI in some ways
- Some dead space/pointless detours as well as some boring backtracking during questing
- Some invisible walls (sneaking tutorial area, beach, part of the haunted house, between trains outside the warehouse, sabbat hideout, etc.)
Playthrough (Malkavian) - Video Review - Mini Review
Spider-Man 2 (Multi, 2004)
Subgenre: 3D Open World-lite Action Adventure/Beat 'em up (chapter-based)
Perspective: TP view
Movement mechanics: Web swinging and wall sprinting, Ceiling climbing, Lamp post swinging, Strong charge jump, Spider Reflexes Mode (similar to bullet time in Max Payne or Intenso mode in Guacamelee)
Other: Hub area w/ shops and quest giving NPCs as well as scripted events and story quests (some are random), Some chase and on foot race segments (basic ranking for the optional ones and you get more points for beating the "mega" challenges), Pizza delivery and basic photo jobs, Fight alongside NPCs in some missions (the police, black cat), Collectathon element (find all hint markers/tutorial icons, find various tokens) and grinding elements (finish a certain mission x number of times) - for point rewards
- Partially non-linear structure after a quick tutorial (sandbox-style/open-ended - you have an overarching line of story missions divided into chapters which is pretty much linear but can enter side missions via NPCs or icons placed around a large city at will and some of these change depending on the current chapter - once you have enough points you move on to the next (doing the story missions first is generally better since they tend to yield more points, can also find and grab secret tokens for a decent amount of points each), sometimes you run into a mission/encounter while moving towards a story objective or just moving around the city)
- Some movement/locomotion upgrades (swing speed - 8 levels, wallsprint duration - 2 levels, web zip - have Spidey shoot a web-line and jerk himself along for a forward air dash (for moving with more maneuverability), slingshot jump - swing backwards with two webs attached and do a charge jump for a longer forward air boost; needed for certain race challenges? - the game makes you buy speed upgrades to proceed to the next chapter a few times though there isn't something like an obstacle or an impossible to reach platform that you need to gain a new move for as you can get anywhere with the default abilities given enough time) and various combat move upgrades (grapple (carry enemies by grabbing them with your web and pulling them towards you (can throw them around by default) is required at a certain point to progress though the mandatory challenge where you're supposed to use it to throw enemies into pits in doesn't actually require it if you're good at throwing them with the web) - buy these at stores spread around the city with points/money gained from finishing missions or found at harder to reach/find locations
- Mini-map (mission goal/point of interest radar feature, shows how far something is from you vertically as well with a pillar display), 2D map screen w/ four levels of zoom (shows points of interest and your location as well as enemies, nice transition between it and in-game)
- Day/night cycle (don't need to sleep, no effect on gameplay besides it being harder to see at night?)
- Mostly skippable cutscenes (a few are not)
- some good bosses (Shocker, Doc Oc besides when he grabs and pummels you for several seconds), pretty good pre-rendered cutscenes (besides the last ones where doc oc looks sleepy, peter looks a bit off and mary jane looks 10 years older), unlockable fight arena (enemy encounter gauntlet, gets very hard towards the end as you'll fight multiple bosses) - beat the game and then buy it for 5k
- Save anywhere (multiple slots - doesn't show your current stats or chapter though)
- Can't see what a mission is like before taking it on by talking to an NPC (can do it with the race challenges)
- Web is infinite
- Fall damage but you have to fall very far to get hurt
- Can't upgrade your health bar (it's generally restored after a mission though not always, can restore it at the stores)
- Exaggerated ragdoll physics when hit by enemies or grabbing them with web
- Dialogue isn't interactive
- No difficulty options
- Can't swim (he can swim in the comics and movies)
- Hint markers are generally placed on the ground so you have to interrupt your swinging to move into them - breaks flow
- No full button config (can choose a few settings and reverse the camera)
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Sly 2: Band of Thieves (PS2, 2004) - WIP
Subgenre: 3D Action Platformer/Stealth (Robbery theme), Spyro 2-like?
Perspective: TP View
Other: Hub areas w/ Sandbox-style/open-ended levels (that you can do in any order?), Shops, Some chase segments, Mini-games
3 playable chars (switch between missions)
Gain movement abilities and tools (climbing poles, sliding along narrow ledges, parkouring, paraglider, hover pack; tools are ammo-based)
No mini-maps (also can't see where you've been on the maps?)
No lives system (checkpoints)
Recon missions (take a photo of the villain and points of interest)
Some minor sequence breaking (train level)
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror (GBA, 2004)
Subgenre: 2D Maze Platformer/PA-lite, Similar to Great Cave Offensive in Kirby Super Star (optional exploration for chests and alternate exits - what matters is finding and beating the bosses), One vertical scrolling shooter boss fight
Movement Mechanics - Flight, Underwater swimming, Air dash
Other: Basic hub area and branching paths within areas/levels (can replay beaten areas), 3 CPU allies (can call them up when needed to make them join you and they can help with combat and healing as well as a handful of minor puzzles but on the whole are underused in SP mode and they can also get in the way in several ways - costs phone battery life)/4-player Co-op (can split up), A lot of paths lead to mini-games that send you back to an area's hub afterwards, MP coop mode where you can teleport to each other or explore on your own (making the allies system more useful since you can help each other open up paths, can also keep going even if player 1 dies in this mode)
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Outliers:
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA, 2004) - WIP
2D ARPG/AA
TD/Bird's Eye view
Roc's Cape (jumping and gliding, gained in the fifth dungeon)
Save anywhere?
Map feature but no mini-map
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (GC, 2004) - 4-player co-op (requires one GBA per additional player..., when you split up by moving indoors you see gameplay on your GBA instead), Level-based and linear (level/area select map screen), Party-based with formations in SP, Platforming via Roc's Feathers (can also be upgraded for a double jump), Collectathon element (2k force gems to power up the sword and open the exit - some are worth 300)
Keys are carried like pots or rocks here
One player can only carry one weapon at a time
Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana (PS2, 2004) - 3D-ish JRPG/AA (2D chars, 2D isometric area exploration, TD/Bird's eye view overworld/world map exploration), Platforming during exploration (TB battles), Crafting
Gain movement abilities (transformations, flight)
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (GC, 2004) - 2.5D JRPG/ARPG Hybrid w/ Platforming (see the prequel), Many optional fetch quests, Mostly linear structure (maze dungeons)?
Gain new partners some of which let you reach new areas (can have only one active member which follows you around but can switch on the fly, yoshi kid lets you fly over pits, madame flurrie can reveal some hidden pipes by blowing away obstacles, bomb partner)
Paper transformations which let you reach new areas (airplane, flat profile, rolling paper tube)
No mini-maps
Some badges help outside of battle? ()
Can buy hints from a fortune teller
Battle audience mechanic
Random shop restocking mechanic
Blood Will Tell (PS2, 2004) - 3D AA/Hack 'n Slash w/ RPG elements (weapons level up, stat upgrades), TP view w/ automatic camera (right stick goes into FP mode which isn't useful), CPU ally which you can give orders to and switch to - She's good for puzzle and platforming segments; Linear structure w/ maze levels/areas but can backtrack for optional bosses (often requires puzzle solving)
Gain a weapon that can be used to create platforms similar to Quackshot
Area maps and semi-transparent mini-maps
No fast travel system
Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure (PC, 2004/PSP, 2007) - 3D ARPG w/ Platforming, TP view, Rhythm element to combat (for critical hits), Block puzzles
No ability gating?
Mini-maps
Two endings
Super Mario 64 DS (NDS, 2004) - 3D, TP view, See Mario 64
Temporary balloon form (NDS only) - temporary flight, temporary giant form (NDS only) - smash rolling boulders and invulnerability)
Basic map feature on NDS (vague top down view, rotates based on the camera, shows the current star's location)
New playable chars in the DS version which sometimes leads to alternate ways of getting to stars
Getting 100% on DS and going to the castle roof lets you find a green rabbit which gives you another key to the drawer of the Princess's rec room (mini-games)) and you can get a wing cap in the courtyard area
X-Men Legends (Multi, 2004) - 3D ARPG/Beat 'em up, TD view, Linear and level-based (you sometimes revisit previous levels), Party-based (select 4 from a larger roster to create a team, switch on the fly, can switch chars in and out of the team at save points), Escort and destructathon segments
Some ability gating (create bridges, flight)
Semi-transparent mini-map
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (Multi, 2004) - See the prequel, More hack 'n slash focused (many combos, dual wielding option, can pick up and use enemy weapons, more bosses), Some chase segments (get chased by the main villain), Somewhat less linear (hub area and backtracking to previous areas (usually in different time periods?) - these change in some ways when you do, hidden challenge areas for HP upgrades), No escorting here
Can gain haste+slowed down surroundings abilities based on power tank collection but you don't gain new moves over the course of the game (start with more moves instead)
Save points don't give clues to the next puzzle here
Healing points (fountains)
Draining life in the end game
No mini-map - no maps at all?
Jak 3 (PS2, 2004) - 3D TPS/Action Platformer, See the prequel, Desert hub area (larger and more barren than the city, some enemies), More vehicle segments
Some new temporary movement abilities?
Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone (PS2/PC/XB, 2004) - 3D ARPG/Hack 'n Slash, TP view, Linear, Switch between 3 chars on the fly (party-based, the other two are CPU controlled like in SoM)
Ability gating in that only 1 char can jump
Second Sight (Multi, 2004/PC, 2005) - 3D AA/Stealth Action/TPS Hybrid, TP view (FP aiming mode)+automatic camera toggle, Level-based w/ some open ended levels?, Minor platforming
Gain some exploration/traversal focused psychic powers over the course of the game (projection - go through laser traps as a ghost of sorts and possess enemies after it's upgraded, charm/partial invisibility, psionic blast? - basically force push) - start with telekinesis which lets you move/throw enemies and objects around+interact with stuff from afar
Onimusha 3: Demon Siege (PS2, 2004/PC, 2005) - 3D Hack 'n Slash w/ some AA elements (time travel puzzles, upgradeable equipment), TP view w/ automatic camera, Linear?, 2 playable chars, Non-tank controls
Swing to normally unaccessible areas using Oni Fireflys as Jacque - no other ability gating?
Item drop magnet
Thief: Deadly Shadows (PC/XB, 2004) - See the prequel, TP view/FP view hybrid (switch at will), City hub area w/ shops (missions tend to be split up between two areas), Linear?, Can't swim or use rope arrows here
Ability gating?
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II (PS2/XB, 2004) - See the prequel, TD view, 2-player Co-op, 5 chars/classes, Can choose which order to do some levels in, Some platforming
No ability gating?
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2, 2004/PC/XB, 2005) - 3D Open World AA, Various vehicles
No ability gating?
A.I.M. (Artificial Intelligence Machine)(PC, 2004)? - 3D ARPG, Flight/hover-based (robot avatar), FP view, Open world?, Factions?, Weather changing NPCs?
Ability gating?
Map feature
Ninja Gaiden (XB, 2004/PS3, 2007) - 3D Hack 'n Slash/Action Platformer w/ RPG elements (upgrades, shops), TP view w/ FP aiming mode, Hub area (Level-based and mostly linear?)
No ability gating?
Opens up more after the halfway point or in the end-game
Pyuu to Fuku! Jaguar Byuu to Deru! Megane-Kun (GBA, 2004) - Linear 2D Action Platformer/Misc action (some long maze levels, some levels are timed, beat 'em up and sokoban-like segments), TD/Side view hybrid, Shops w/ temporary upgrades, Hidden bonus levels, One Shoot 'em up level
Mini Review
Breakdown (XB, 2004) - 3D FPS/FP Beat 'em up/AA/Survival, CPU ally, Linear structure but interconnected world?
Minor ability gating (gas mask)
Starts with you vomiting in the intro scene for some reason
Have to lean down to pick up items
Tales of Rebirth (PS2, 2004)(Untranslated) - 2.5D ARPG/JRPG Hybrid (isometric exploration/side view battles w/ 3 rows, manually upgrade your gear, 3D overworld/world map exploration in TP view), Very minor platforming during exploration (no jump button outside of battle?)?, Puzzles, Cooking?
Minor ability gating (melt ice blocks w/ a spell, more?)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow (Multi, 2004) - See the prequel (fewer alternate paths through levels?), Minor platforming?, added MP mode (4-player matches, asymmetric in that one team plays in TP view an the other FP view w/ different gear)
Any new exploration gadgets?
Save anywhere on PC
Operation Shadow (N-Gage, 2004)? - 3D AA/TPS, Vehicles
Tenchu: Fatal Shadows (PS2, 2004) - See the prequel, 2 playable chars (ayame and rin), No 2-player?, No shops? (find items or get them as rewards after missions)
Some exploration/traversal tools (Chameleon and invisibility spells, Hand Claws - cling to walls, some decoy and stunning tools, start with a grappling hook)
The Incredibles (Multi, 2004) - 3D AA/Beat 'em up w/ Platforming, TP view (FP aiming mode), Level-based and linear (level select menu)?, 4 playable chars (each one has their unique levels and abilities, violet only gets one level and it's stealth based)
The Suffering (PC/XB/PS2, 2004) - 3D AA/Survival Horror, TP/FP view hybrid (switch at will), Level-based and linear, Basic morality system affecting the ending, Minor platforming
No ability gating?
Transform into a beast after killing enough enemies (using it too much can kill you and affects the ending) - not used for gating?
City of Heroes (PC, 2004) - 3D MMORPG (detailed char creation), Some platforming, Level gated zones/sub areas
Gain travel powers as you level up (fly, super speed, super jump, teleport)
Maps (and mini-maps?)
Rest skill (regenerate your HP and endurance)
World of Warcraft (PC, 2004) - 3D MMORPG (Real-time battles and exploration), TP view, Jumping but little platforming?, Mounts (hippogryph can fly, horses, tigers, raptors; some have been removed), Cooking and fishing, Optional PvP combat
Maps and mini-maps
"corpse runs" after death (similar to Diablo) - as a ghost/wisp run back to the location you died at (can also resurrect at a graveyard but you reduce your armor/weapon durability by 25% and incur ten minutes of resurrection sickness which further hinders your abilities)
Fast travel via vehicle routes (or you or someone else at a high level teleporting you)
EverQuest II (PC, 2004) - 3D MMORPG (many races and classes - 4 main classes w/ 6 subs each?, choose starting city), TP view, Jumping but little platforming?, Mounts (leaping+gliding+flying ones at higher levels), Crafting, Houses
No ability gating? (invisibility spell)
Maps (w/ auto-mapper) and mini-maps
Fast travel (CPU controlled mounts, teleport stations)
Monster Hunter (PS2, 2004/PSP, 2005 (Remix)) - 3D ARPG/MMORPG (real-time combat), TP view, Very little platforming (can climb ledges+vines and jump down), Hunting/Gathering/Capturing quests, Crafting and Cooking
No ability gating?
Worse drops in SP
Maps and mini-maps
No platforming:
Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django (GBA, 2004) - See the prequel, Melee weapons replace guns, Exp point leveling w/ manual stat distribution, Hub town w/ NPCs, Fewer mini-dungeons but the optional ones are about as big as the main ones, Side quests/"requests", More limited item carrying capacity, Weapon crafting, More IRL sunlight mechanics (puzzles, item decay, forging weapons, item prices), No platforming
Can transfer your completion data from Boktai 1 for a stat boost
Gain a vampire form which can transform (bat - fly over small pits, mouse - move into tight spaces, wolf - regain hp by attacking)
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II (XB, 2004/PC, 2005) - 3D WRPG (reputation/influence), Party-based, No platforming?
Movement abilities aren't used to reach new areas? (Force jump (can get it with one class only?), Knight speed?)
Champions of Norrath (PS2, 2004) - 3D ARPG/Hack 'n Slash, TD view, No platforming
The Bard's Tale (PS2/XB, 2004/PC, 2005) - 3D ARPG/Hack 'n Slash, TD view, No platforming
Knights of the Temple: Infernal Crusade (Multi, 2004) - 3D ARPG/Hack 'n Slash, TP view, Linear, No platforming
Sacred (PC, 2004) - 2D ARPG, Isometric, No platforming
Beyond Divinity (PC, 2004) - 2D ARPG, TP/Bird's Eye view, No jumping
Sudeki (XB, 2004/PC, 2005) - 3D ARPG, TP view, No platforming; Mini-map
Fable (PC, 2004) - 3D ARPG, TP view, No platforming
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2, 2004) - 3D AA/Stealth, No platforming besides falling down in a few spots (no jump button)
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GC, 2004)(MGS Remake) - See MGS
Kuon (PS2, 2004) - 3D AA/Survival Horror, TP view w/ static camera angles, Linear but takes place in one big location (a manor), No platforming (no jumping); Short, Map feature (no mini-map), Consumable spells ()
Katamari Damacy (PS2, 2004) - 3D Action Puzzle/Collectathon/AA (roll every loose object into a sticky ball to make it grow - its size determines how big the objects you add to it can be), TP view, Level-based and linear (level select screen, open ended levels); No mini-map?, No ability gating and no power ups, Diameter eyeballing mode (try to get the ball as close as possible to the objective),
Silent Hill 4: The Room (PS2/XB/PC, 2004) - 3D AA/Survival Horror, TP/FP view hybrid (mostly TP) w/ automatic camera, Small hub area, No platforming (besides jumping into a few holes); No ability gating?, Map feature
Final Fantasy XI: Chains of Promathia (PC/PS2, 2004)(Expansion) - 3D MMORPG (can switch classes once unlocked, Semi-TB battles), No platforming?, Mounts (chocobo, raptor, crab, beetle, levitus, tulfaire (chimera), etc.; some can hover but you can't fly freely nor jump); Fast travel via found teleporter books (or airship flights), Map feature and mini-map+compass, Auction house, No hunger or fatigue mechanics
Disney's Toontown Online (PC, 2004)(Original version is dead/closed) - 3D MMORPG, Shops, Pets, Houses, Mini-Games, Platforming in some mini-games only?; No ability gating?, Mini-maps
Summon Night: Swordcraft Story 2 (GBA, 2004) - Tales of-like ARPG, TD View (Exploration)/Side View (Encounters) Hybrid, Crafting, Can only jump during combat?; No ability gating? (run faster and jump higher based on your agility stat), Dialogue heavy
Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (PS2, 2004) - 3D ARPG, TD/Bird's eye view, No platforming besides falling down some holes (can't jump outside of battle)
Riviera: The Promised Land (GBA, 2004) - 2D JRPG, Very little platforming (no jump button - just a context sensitive action at times)
Mabinogi (PC, 2004) - 3D MMORPG (JP, pretty detailed char creation, talents/jobs instead of classes), TP view, Mounts (horses, more?); No ability gating?, Mini-maps
Dragon Ball Z: Buu's Fury (GBA, 2004) - 2D/2.5D ARPG (manual stat distribution), TD view (mode 7 style overworld/hub map w/ flight), No platforming (can fly between pads in some top down view segments but the movement seems automatic), Literal level gates w/ level numbers on them; No ability gating?, Can stun lock bosses, 4+ playable chars (switch at certain pads)
Trickster Online (PC, 2004) - 2D MMORPG (JP), TD view, No platforming; Maps
Subgenre: 2D Maze Platformer/PA-lite, Similar to Great Cave Offensive in Kirby Super Star (optional exploration for chests and alternate exits - what matters is finding and beating the bosses), One vertical scrolling shooter boss fight
Movement Mechanics - Flight, Underwater swimming, Air dash
Other: Basic hub area and branching paths within areas/levels (can replay beaten areas), 3 CPU allies (can call them up when needed to make them join you and they can help with combat and healing as well as a handful of minor puzzles but on the whole are underused in SP mode and they can also get in the way in several ways - costs phone battery life)/4-player Co-op (can split up), A lot of paths lead to mini-games that send you back to an area's hub afterwards, MP coop mode where you can teleport to each other or explore on your own (making the allies system more useful since you can help each other open up paths, can also keep going even if player 1 dies in this mode)
- You don't gain any permanent abilities/forms
- World persistency issues - Chain bomb blocks used for puzzles generally don't reset when re-entering a room (sometimes blocks you off from alternate paths based on trial & error and you then have to re-enter the area from the hub area) while other opened paths that you'd want to keep opened do reset
- Mostly non-linear structure after the first boss (branching paths (called hidden routes) within levels, can sometimes pick between more than one level in the hub world, can open up paths to some later areas instead of doing them in order - some areas connect to four other areas, area 5 doesn't connect to area 6 and area 7 doesn't connect to area 8)
- More connected world than in previous games (levels/areas have a door around the mid-point (sometimes on a hidden path) which connects back to the hub world, more paths between areas)
- Some abilities/forms for traversal and exploration (missile+fireball (fast flight), sword and cutter for ropes and vines, some "block breaker" forms which break the steel blocks/hard blocks (missile, master, smash, stone, UFO), laser ability - ricochets on slopes (a few puzzles), mini form for small paths, hammer/master/smash/stone for pegs/stumps (see Yoshi's Island), fire or burning form for lighting fuses on two cannons that transport you to another room, ice form lts you not slip on ice - not required, ranged attack forms - for taking out the door stealing enemies that burrow some doors underground) - the alternate forms gained are all temporary however and pretty easily lost like in previous games (here your allies can also steal them and you can't make them give you theirs), Some new forms
- Can exit to the hub area at any point
- Can find area maps (these show which rooms are connected and where you are+where you've been before+area names+boss and level goal rooms however they don't show room layouts at all, zoomable with A, they also don't show minor detour paths nor do they show which room has an unopened ability gate in it+you can't place a map marker in-game, no mini-map) - have to find one per area
- Mostly mundane chest items/collectibles besides 4 extra HP for your life bar via the hearts (music tracks, color change, health and phone battery life consumables)
- Minor puzzles (chain reaction blocks (some paths that open temporarily as you hit one of these forcing you to move quickly to get through the path - generally a trial & error affair, some spatial awareness challenges, at one or two points you make your CPU allies stand on door switches to progress - easy),
- the other ones can be trivialized by calling your allies and the mole boss is easy with the throw ability), 3 other mini-games (decent but not part of the game itself), decent variation
- If you inhale two enemies with Copy Abilities then you'll start a chance wheel and get a random ability,
- Most alternate exits won't open up a new area in the hub world
- Lives system (pretty easy to gain extra lives, frequent checkpoints)
- No form/ability inventory (form/ability stars bounce away in an unwieldy way when hit or letting them go+disappear after a few seconds, can also bounce through one-way switch gates, can't grab dropped stars underwater), No item inventory (can't carry HP or battery items with you for later if currently at full stock)
- Off-screen enemy respawning (mini-bosses also respawn however you can skip them when backtracking) - generally good for ability enemies but bad for others given the above
- Auto-saves after reaching a level goal or mid-level exit (one slot per game only, respawn at hub area w/ CPU allies next to you)
- One-way paths between rooms at various points in areas - you frequently run into a block type that only some forms can break and without such a form nearby so you're unable to take that path in your current run of the area (the game also doesn't show on the block or elsewhere which ability is needed or which form has it, you also might not get the right form when re-entering the level via the mid-point door which tends to have a couple of form spawners/statues in the first room)
- Death pits here and there
- Double-tap to run however you can tap once while moving and start running that way so it's a bit better
- Can't stand on blocks created when freezing enemies (only push them forward)
- No difficulty options (ignoring your allies is basically hard mode)
- No item explanations in-game
Playthrough - Video Review - Mini Review
Outliers:
The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap (GBA, 2004) - WIP
2D ARPG/AA
TD/Bird's Eye view
Roc's Cape (jumping and gliding, gained in the fifth dungeon)
Save anywhere?
Map feature but no mini-map
The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords Adventures (GC, 2004) - 4-player co-op (requires one GBA per additional player..., when you split up by moving indoors you see gameplay on your GBA instead), Level-based and linear (level/area select map screen), Party-based with formations in SP, Platforming via Roc's Feathers (can also be upgraded for a double jump), Collectathon element (2k force gems to power up the sword and open the exit - some are worth 300)
Keys are carried like pots or rocks here
One player can only carry one weapon at a time
Atelier Iris: Eternal Mana (PS2, 2004) - 3D-ish JRPG/AA (2D chars, 2D isometric area exploration, TD/Bird's eye view overworld/world map exploration), Platforming during exploration (TB battles), Crafting
Gain movement abilities (transformations, flight)
Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door (GC, 2004) - 2.5D JRPG/ARPG Hybrid w/ Platforming (see the prequel), Many optional fetch quests, Mostly linear structure (maze dungeons)?
Gain new partners some of which let you reach new areas (can have only one active member which follows you around but can switch on the fly, yoshi kid lets you fly over pits, madame flurrie can reveal some hidden pipes by blowing away obstacles, bomb partner)
Paper transformations which let you reach new areas (airplane, flat profile, rolling paper tube)
No mini-maps
Some badges help outside of battle? ()
Can buy hints from a fortune teller
Battle audience mechanic
Random shop restocking mechanic
Blood Will Tell (PS2, 2004) - 3D AA/Hack 'n Slash w/ RPG elements (weapons level up, stat upgrades), TP view w/ automatic camera (right stick goes into FP mode which isn't useful), CPU ally which you can give orders to and switch to - She's good for puzzle and platforming segments; Linear structure w/ maze levels/areas but can backtrack for optional bosses (often requires puzzle solving)
Gain a weapon that can be used to create platforms similar to Quackshot
Area maps and semi-transparent mini-maps
No fast travel system
Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure (PC, 2004/PSP, 2007) - 3D ARPG w/ Platforming, TP view, Rhythm element to combat (for critical hits), Block puzzles
No ability gating?
Mini-maps
Two endings
Super Mario 64 DS (NDS, 2004) - 3D, TP view, See Mario 64
Temporary balloon form (NDS only) - temporary flight, temporary giant form (NDS only) - smash rolling boulders and invulnerability)
Basic map feature on NDS (vague top down view, rotates based on the camera, shows the current star's location)
New playable chars in the DS version which sometimes leads to alternate ways of getting to stars
Getting 100% on DS and going to the castle roof lets you find a green rabbit which gives you another key to the drawer of the Princess's rec room (mini-games)) and you can get a wing cap in the courtyard area
X-Men Legends (Multi, 2004) - 3D ARPG/Beat 'em up, TD view, Linear and level-based (you sometimes revisit previous levels), Party-based (select 4 from a larger roster to create a team, switch on the fly, can switch chars in and out of the team at save points), Escort and destructathon segments
Some ability gating (create bridges, flight)
Semi-transparent mini-map
Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (Multi, 2004) - See the prequel, More hack 'n slash focused (many combos, dual wielding option, can pick up and use enemy weapons, more bosses), Some chase segments (get chased by the main villain), Somewhat less linear (hub area and backtracking to previous areas (usually in different time periods?) - these change in some ways when you do, hidden challenge areas for HP upgrades), No escorting here
Can gain haste+slowed down surroundings abilities based on power tank collection but you don't gain new moves over the course of the game (start with more moves instead)
Save points don't give clues to the next puzzle here
Healing points (fountains)
Draining life in the end game
No mini-map - no maps at all?
Jak 3 (PS2, 2004) - 3D TPS/Action Platformer, See the prequel, Desert hub area (larger and more barren than the city, some enemies), More vehicle segments
Some new temporary movement abilities?
Forgotten Realms: Demon Stone (PS2/PC/XB, 2004) - 3D ARPG/Hack 'n Slash, TP view, Linear, Switch between 3 chars on the fly (party-based, the other two are CPU controlled like in SoM)
Ability gating in that only 1 char can jump
Second Sight (Multi, 2004/PC, 2005) - 3D AA/Stealth Action/TPS Hybrid, TP view (FP aiming mode)+automatic camera toggle, Level-based w/ some open ended levels?, Minor platforming
Gain some exploration/traversal focused psychic powers over the course of the game (projection - go through laser traps as a ghost of sorts and possess enemies after it's upgraded, charm/partial invisibility, psionic blast? - basically force push) - start with telekinesis which lets you move/throw enemies and objects around+interact with stuff from afar
Onimusha 3: Demon Siege (PS2, 2004/PC, 2005) - 3D Hack 'n Slash w/ some AA elements (time travel puzzles, upgradeable equipment), TP view w/ automatic camera, Linear?, 2 playable chars, Non-tank controls
Swing to normally unaccessible areas using Oni Fireflys as Jacque - no other ability gating?
Item drop magnet
Thief: Deadly Shadows (PC/XB, 2004) - See the prequel, TP view/FP view hybrid (switch at will), City hub area w/ shops (missions tend to be split up between two areas), Linear?, Can't swim or use rope arrows here
Ability gating?
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance II (PS2/XB, 2004) - See the prequel, TD view, 2-player Co-op, 5 chars/classes, Can choose which order to do some levels in, Some platforming
No ability gating?
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2, 2004/PC/XB, 2005) - 3D Open World AA, Various vehicles
No ability gating?
A.I.M. (Artificial Intelligence Machine)(PC, 2004)? - 3D ARPG, Flight/hover-based (robot avatar), FP view, Open world?, Factions?, Weather changing NPCs?
Ability gating?
Map feature
Ninja Gaiden (XB, 2004/PS3, 2007) - 3D Hack 'n Slash/Action Platformer w/ RPG elements (upgrades, shops), TP view w/ FP aiming mode, Hub area (Level-based and mostly linear?)
No ability gating?
Opens up more after the halfway point or in the end-game
Pyuu to Fuku! Jaguar Byuu to Deru! Megane-Kun (GBA, 2004) - Linear 2D Action Platformer/Misc action (some long maze levels, some levels are timed, beat 'em up and sokoban-like segments), TD/Side view hybrid, Shops w/ temporary upgrades, Hidden bonus levels, One Shoot 'em up level
Mini Review
Breakdown (XB, 2004) - 3D FPS/FP Beat 'em up/AA/Survival, CPU ally, Linear structure but interconnected world?
Minor ability gating (gas mask)
Starts with you vomiting in the intro scene for some reason
Have to lean down to pick up items
Tales of Rebirth (PS2, 2004)(Untranslated) - 2.5D ARPG/JRPG Hybrid (isometric exploration/side view battles w/ 3 rows, manually upgrade your gear, 3D overworld/world map exploration in TP view), Very minor platforming during exploration (no jump button outside of battle?)?, Puzzles, Cooking?
Minor ability gating (melt ice blocks w/ a spell, more?)
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow (Multi, 2004) - See the prequel (fewer alternate paths through levels?), Minor platforming?, added MP mode (4-player matches, asymmetric in that one team plays in TP view an the other FP view w/ different gear)
Any new exploration gadgets?
Save anywhere on PC
Operation Shadow (N-Gage, 2004)? - 3D AA/TPS, Vehicles
Tenchu: Fatal Shadows (PS2, 2004) - See the prequel, 2 playable chars (ayame and rin), No 2-player?, No shops? (find items or get them as rewards after missions)
Some exploration/traversal tools (Chameleon and invisibility spells, Hand Claws - cling to walls, some decoy and stunning tools, start with a grappling hook)
The Incredibles (Multi, 2004) - 3D AA/Beat 'em up w/ Platforming, TP view (FP aiming mode), Level-based and linear (level select menu)?, 4 playable chars (each one has their unique levels and abilities, violet only gets one level and it's stealth based)
The Suffering (PC/XB/PS2, 2004) - 3D AA/Survival Horror, TP/FP view hybrid (switch at will), Level-based and linear, Basic morality system affecting the ending, Minor platforming
No ability gating?
Transform into a beast after killing enough enemies (using it too much can kill you and affects the ending) - not used for gating?
City of Heroes (PC, 2004) - 3D MMORPG (detailed char creation), Some platforming, Level gated zones/sub areas
Gain travel powers as you level up (fly, super speed, super jump, teleport)
Maps (and mini-maps?)
Rest skill (regenerate your HP and endurance)
World of Warcraft (PC, 2004) - 3D MMORPG (Real-time battles and exploration), TP view, Jumping but little platforming?, Mounts (hippogryph can fly, horses, tigers, raptors; some have been removed), Cooking and fishing, Optional PvP combat
Maps and mini-maps
"corpse runs" after death (similar to Diablo) - as a ghost/wisp run back to the location you died at (can also resurrect at a graveyard but you reduce your armor/weapon durability by 25% and incur ten minutes of resurrection sickness which further hinders your abilities)
Fast travel via vehicle routes (or you or someone else at a high level teleporting you)
EverQuest II (PC, 2004) - 3D MMORPG (many races and classes - 4 main classes w/ 6 subs each?, choose starting city), TP view, Jumping but little platforming?, Mounts (leaping+gliding+flying ones at higher levels), Crafting, Houses
No ability gating? (invisibility spell)
Maps (w/ auto-mapper) and mini-maps
Fast travel (CPU controlled mounts, teleport stations)
Monster Hunter (PS2, 2004/PSP, 2005 (Remix)) - 3D ARPG/MMORPG (real-time combat), TP view, Very little platforming (can climb ledges+vines and jump down), Hunting/Gathering/Capturing quests, Crafting and Cooking
No ability gating?
Worse drops in SP
Maps and mini-maps
No platforming:
Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django (GBA, 2004) - See the prequel, Melee weapons replace guns, Exp point leveling w/ manual stat distribution, Hub town w/ NPCs, Fewer mini-dungeons but the optional ones are about as big as the main ones, Side quests/"requests", More limited item carrying capacity, Weapon crafting, More IRL sunlight mechanics (puzzles, item decay, forging weapons, item prices), No platforming
Can transfer your completion data from Boktai 1 for a stat boost
Gain a vampire form which can transform (bat - fly over small pits, mouse - move into tight spaces, wolf - regain hp by attacking)
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II (XB, 2004/PC, 2005) - 3D WRPG (reputation/influence), Party-based, No platforming?
Movement abilities aren't used to reach new areas? (Force jump (can get it with one class only?), Knight speed?)
Champions of Norrath (PS2, 2004) - 3D ARPG/Hack 'n Slash, TD view, No platforming
The Bard's Tale (PS2/XB, 2004/PC, 2005) - 3D ARPG/Hack 'n Slash, TD view, No platforming
Knights of the Temple: Infernal Crusade (Multi, 2004) - 3D ARPG/Hack 'n Slash, TP view, Linear, No platforming
Sacred (PC, 2004) - 2D ARPG, Isometric, No platforming
Beyond Divinity (PC, 2004) - 2D ARPG, TP/Bird's Eye view, No jumping
Sudeki (XB, 2004/PC, 2005) - 3D ARPG, TP view, No platforming; Mini-map
Fable (PC, 2004) - 3D ARPG, TP view, No platforming
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (PS2, 2004) - 3D AA/Stealth, No platforming besides falling down in a few spots (no jump button)
Metal Gear Solid: The Twin Snakes (GC, 2004)(MGS Remake) - See MGS
Kuon (PS2, 2004) - 3D AA/Survival Horror, TP view w/ static camera angles, Linear but takes place in one big location (a manor), No platforming (no jumping); Short, Map feature (no mini-map), Consumable spells ()
Katamari Damacy (PS2, 2004) - 3D Action Puzzle/Collectathon/AA (roll every loose object into a sticky ball to make it grow - its size determines how big the objects you add to it can be), TP view, Level-based and linear (level select screen, open ended levels); No mini-map?, No ability gating and no power ups, Diameter eyeballing mode (try to get the ball as close as possible to the objective),
Silent Hill 4: The Room (PS2/XB/PC, 2004) - 3D AA/Survival Horror, TP/FP view hybrid (mostly TP) w/ automatic camera, Small hub area, No platforming (besides jumping into a few holes); No ability gating?, Map feature
Final Fantasy XI: Chains of Promathia (PC/PS2, 2004)(Expansion) - 3D MMORPG (can switch classes once unlocked, Semi-TB battles), No platforming?, Mounts (chocobo, raptor, crab, beetle, levitus, tulfaire (chimera), etc.; some can hover but you can't fly freely nor jump); Fast travel via found teleporter books (or airship flights), Map feature and mini-map+compass, Auction house, No hunger or fatigue mechanics
Disney's Toontown Online (PC, 2004)(Original version is dead/closed) - 3D MMORPG, Shops, Pets, Houses, Mini-Games, Platforming in some mini-games only?; No ability gating?, Mini-maps
Summon Night: Swordcraft Story 2 (GBA, 2004) - Tales of-like ARPG, TD View (Exploration)/Side View (Encounters) Hybrid, Crafting, Can only jump during combat?; No ability gating? (run faster and jump higher based on your agility stat), Dialogue heavy
Star Ocean: Till the End of Time (PS2, 2004) - 3D ARPG, TD/Bird's eye view, No platforming besides falling down some holes (can't jump outside of battle)
Riviera: The Promised Land (GBA, 2004) - 2D JRPG, Very little platforming (no jump button - just a context sensitive action at times)
Mabinogi (PC, 2004) - 3D MMORPG (JP, pretty detailed char creation, talents/jobs instead of classes), TP view, Mounts (horses, more?); No ability gating?, Mini-maps
Dragon Ball Z: Buu's Fury (GBA, 2004) - 2D/2.5D ARPG (manual stat distribution), TD view (mode 7 style overworld/hub map w/ flight), No platforming (can fly between pads in some top down view segments but the movement seems automatic), Literal level gates w/ level numbers on them; No ability gating?, Can stun lock bosses, 4+ playable chars (switch at certain pads)
Trickster Online (PC, 2004) - 2D MMORPG (JP), TD view, No platforming; Maps
