Sean Kromrey’s Favorite Games of All Time: Ape Escape 2 (PS2)

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Ape Escape was my first foray into the world of Playstation, and I have to say I give it the credit for how much I love Playstation still to this day. We would go over to my friend’s house and play this game nonstop until he had to buy new dualshock controllers. It was the creativity, the technical innovation, and slightly ramping challenge that made it both an easy game to get into and a rewarding one that you want to hundred percent. So when the time came that we grew up, and the Playstation 2 came out I had forgotten about that fix. Until that fateful day I found an Ape Escape game in the bargain bin in Walmart. I thought it was the original, but to be honest I didn’t care what it was, so long as I got that great feeling from before.

Come to find out I picked up Ape Escape 2 and was hooked even further into the franchise. They went further with its crazy humor and crazier monkey designs. This was the zenith of the franchise, understanding both its limitations on a narrative and going nuts with all the creative aspects leaving next to nothing out. Not to mention, the fantastic inclusion of boss battles, a la Freaky Monkey Five, besides Jake and Specter. I finished this game in a day, and completed it in two. I was so enchanted as a child that I didn’t care about my other games. These monkeys made me laugh so much I had to collect every game in the series. Ape Escape 2 set me on the path to adoring games today. They aren’t always meant to be taken seriously, they aren’t always meant to be insanely difficult, sometimes all that matters is the creativity and love put into a title, and you can see that throughout the original trilogy. I still to this day, whenever I feel down or the future isn’t as clear, play Ape Escape 2 and remember that same enchantment. It’s as solid a game as it is timeless and I’m disappointed we don’t get more of this franchise in today’s line up of Playstation titles.

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