The coming end of an era.

It's a strange feeling going through the new releases and marking off the last few games that I will be purchasing for the PS2. I feel like there should be a long montage of me with my PS2 while Memories plays in the background: feeding ducks in the park, flying kites, working at the ASPCA rescue shelter, visiting the elderly, saving the world just so I can destroy it myself.

Unless there are any major changes in release schedules here are the final big three I am picking up for the system:

Tomb Raider Anniversary (06/05/07) Like a good many other gamers Tomb Raider blew me away. This was a truly amazing game that took gaming to the next level. Ten years later they have revamped, polished, and overhauled the game completely and restored a lot of reviewers & fans faith in the entire franchise. Apparently the adventure is back in the game - no silly convoluted "wheels within wheels" plots - it's just exploration and a pistol packin' mama. I'm in for a penny.

Manhunt 2 (07/10/07) As a Rockstar Games whore I can't not buy this game. I played the hell out of Manhunt no matter how much it creeped me out. It's in my top five favorite horror games for any console and I still throw it in every so often for some good twisted enjoyment. Manhunt 2 seems to have a more coherent plot in the asylum school a la The Suffering. I like the look of the protagonist of Manhunt 2 - bespectacled and not some 'roid rage convict. I'm expecting a lot from this game and have no doubt that it will deliver in spades.

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 (07/24/07). Persona was released for the PS waaay back in ye olde 1996. It was a completely bizarre Japanese high schoolers vs demons kind of game that sucked me in because characters used modern weapons instead of fantasy crap. Plus it was just insane - read the review. The newest installation sounds like it's going to be more of the same only with better graphics, better gameplay, and a darker story. Oh yeah and Atlus is putting it out - a sign of quality if you're unfamiliar with Atlus.

So that's it - two more months of new PS2 gaming unless there are some Japanese back catalog releases brought over. Yep. Guess I should start saying my goodbyes now. Good old PS2. Sniff.