Oh yeah, we're firmly in budget PS2 land now
The game here is Kuon, a rare PS2 horror game from 2005. It, along with Haunting Ground and Rule of Rose, form a trio of low-print late-period PS2 survival horror games that ended up becoming ludicrously expensive on the secondary market in later years, fetching prices in the hundreds of dollars. I'm pretty sure buying copies of all of three games LEgiTiMAteLy
could set you back a 1000 bucks, which is complete fucking nonsense and a reminder to thank the kind folks that run your friendly neighbourhood rom site.
Despite the obviously low production values, the game seems pretty fun so far. I'm digging the old-timey Japanese setting and the subject matter involving ghosts, demons, shrine maidens, magical paper charms and all sorts of other associated folklore and mysticism . It sort of feels like you're playing some hokey old Japanese horror movie. The perfectly antiquated 6th gen gameplay is very much up my alley too
Tobal 2 on the ps1 had special victory screens where the fighters had animated mouths and eyes, pretty advanced tech for the time. I think the game also ran in 480 60fps to boot.
Tobal 2 was ahead of its time entirely
Shame it never came to the west, it's great!
Looking up some footage, the characters in that game do have some pretty detailed faces for the time. Usually PS1 games had more of an action figure approach with the faces just painted on their heads. Also loving the Akira Toriyama character designs (PBUH)