Zone of the Enders | Forgotten Gems 

After playing this game. The word “cockpit” never meant the same.

I remember Zone Of The Enders. It was a free game that came with the highly anticipated demo for Metal Gear Solid 2.

Zone of the Enders really was an underrated series. My friends all pre-ordered the original only because it came with an MGS2 demo disc. I did so too, but actually played through it eventually and I genuinely liked the gameplay of it. If the Zone of the Enders Remaster for the PS3 had sold better, they would've considered a sequel, but alas, it did not sell well at all.

"But is it the perfect giant robot experience? Welll..." "THAAAAT DEPENDS ON THE SKILL OF THE RUNNER." THANK. YOU. For that moment.

"That depends on the skill of the Runner." Always gives me chills.

This game series was so influential to me, that I continue to imagine being Jehuty's frame runner to this day.

For everyone who liked the game there is also an anime called ZOE: Dollores .

Hey Ragnar, it's been a while since I began to follow your video series, but I never posted anything so there we go. In one hand, I wanted to thank you. Your videos are ALWAYS interesting and well written, and I think it's very rare these days. On the other hand, the topics you cover are varied and inspiring : it's always a pleasure to dicover a new video. Finally, I just wanted you to know that your channel is a real Gem. Cheers from France! (Sorry for my bad engrish)

You've just covered Zone of the Enders. Possibly my favourite game of the PS2. Take a like, and a sub. And my appreciation for featuring this true gem.

Zone of Enders was such an excellent, excellent game.

The vector cannon is one of my favorite weapons to date. The warm up may be long bu it is 100% suspense induing, and ending with a smile as you wipe out everything in your way. Zone of the enders IS one of my favorite series that I happily view through my nostalgia goggles.

At work on a smoke break, sees a new Ragnar video, knows there is going to be something to look forward to after work. Thanks for what you do. I love your break downs and takes on video games themes, stories and tid bits. Never stop.

Did I miss it, or was there not a single mention of the fantastic soundtrack?

Haven´t clicked on a video that fast in a looooong time.

This was the first game my Dad ever gave me when i was a kid. Loved every second of it. I really miss this masterpiece.

Easily one of my favorite games of all time. I remember at school my friends and I used to talk about this game during lunch and competed to see who could unlock all the playable OF’s first.

this was my first game for ps2 and boy did this game do the ps2 justice. Man, i remember how excited i was that i got a ps2 and didnt know what to play on it. I wasnt a big gamer so I didnt know anything to get. The guy at the game X change, i wonder if those are still around, without hesitation handed my mom ZOE and was like this is all he needs. Oh my god, bringing this game home as my first experience to what the ps2 was capable of was crazy. The graphics, the music, the sheer exhilarating gameplay almost did me a disservice as I had already reached the peak on my first game. When the game was over it was something similar to graduating highschool and saying goodbye to all my friends and past life. Not too many games have the ability to literally make me feel as if my soul needed it. Anywho, stoked to see this while browsing through youtube, this made my day.

You make my evening even better, Ragnar

ZOE is one of my most favorite series, with the Anime being quite enjoyable as well. The music the created was, and still is some of the most emotion filled music to grace gaming. I am so exited to hear that there is a PC/VR remaster version coming next spring. I am for sure going to be picking it up.

I had played 2nd Runner in one sitting. Nine hours, locked in one place. No food, no drink, no sleep, completely enthralled. Just as much as I used to hate Leo, I ended up liking Dingo, and getting swept in the overwhelming feeling of reckoning during a ~certain part of the story~. Seeing nothing but the screen. Chanting "R2+Square", "R2+Square", "R2+Square" during final boss. ...I had passed out from exhaustion exactly when credits rolled. To this day, the only time I ever have neglected myself over a video game to this extent.

Great video, truly great work of scripting and compressing the experience of playing this game in such a passionate way.

Great vid as always. I remember playing ZOTE 2 when I was in high school and feeling like an impressionable kid again. Good times! Hey #gemsuggestion what about some classic dark-cartooney PS1 3D platformers like MediEvil or Jersey Devil? Those games are certainly forgotten.

Armored Core! That series does piloting a war mech really well, good blend of Japanese and Western mech ideas as well.

#gemsuggestion Killer7

Just found your channel and I have to salute you bro, great quality.

*Zone of the Enders was the first game I ever played on my PS2 on my Birthday. I went to BlockBuster down the road and didn’t know which games to pick. While my parents were still deliberating whether I was old enough to play GTA 3/Vice City; I ended up picking Zone of the Enders and Final Fantasy X. Those two remain some of my favorite games of ALL TIME.🙏🏼😭*

One of my favorite games of all time. I glad to see that you covered this :). Hope to see more of your content.

I haven’t forgotten any of these gems. Love this series and keep up the good work.

Perfect video as always!

Man, you speak right out of my mind. Thank you for this forgotten gem series.

How did you manage to bring that deep message in the intro in "just" a review, respect!

I had to pause at 2:22 and say, this is some damn good editing. I like how you started with a story. Subbed, now going to finish the video.

WHY DID I JUST SEE THIS NOW?! THIS. GAME. WAS. MY. CHILDHOOD! ❤️ till this day, I have all Zoe games for all PlayStation consoles. I just wish they never stopped production for ZOE 3

Was trying to look up game footage of this forgotten gem so I knew if I found the right one on Amazon and stumbled across your video . The mechs voice will be forever burned into my subconscious, I watched my older brother play this game waaaay back in the day and thought it was the coolest thing

AHHHHHHHH this was a lovely dose of nostalgia for me. Though I never saw the relations to mecha anime before and am kinda astonished that I hadn't before. Good video as always Ragnar!

From's Armored Core games did high speed mecha action before Zone of the Enders, but I'm glad you cover these two titles, as they are often overlooked yet awesome games.

Best you tuber. No insane amounts of ads and incredibly high quality

Finishing my essays and noticing that, the notification on my phone, says that you uploaded a video about one of my favourite video games form my childhood. As always, you made my day.

Amazing game. Glad you're bringing it back.

Fantastically done, thank you!

Thank you for this treat! Z.O.E. (both games) is one of my greatest loves and Z.O.E. 3 is one of my greatest sorrows. It means so much to a lot of fans, i'm sure, that this series is still getting recognition up to this day.

Glad to see you uploading often. Lets us all know you're doing alright. I'm not really into the Mecca Anime scene, but I always thoroughly enjoy your videos. ♡

The music and atmospheres of thid game are so so unique and amazing. I still listen to that opening track.

I missed you RagnarRox, you're videos are quality content like no other.

i miss that feeling those games (especialy the second runner) gave me back in those days. So happy to see it is not forgotten.

What an excellent review!

Thanks 4 the hard work

The ZOE universe has a special place in my heart.

I just discovered your channel and just want to tell you that I love it :)

This raised the bar for me. Never I enjoyed any mech game than this

You deserve more recognition man

I love this game so much. It’s a crying shame that we never got Zone of Enders 3

love this game and love ur videos mate

Outcast. Not really forgotten, but terribly underrated imo Keep up the good work!

Huh, first video I've ever watched from you. First time I've ever heard of this game. I'm glad I found this channel.

Good job, you receive a new subscriber. I love your videos, keep working hard!

I remember playing this game way back; can't wait for the VR game to come out. Thank you for making this video

About to take a final, so I'll watch later, but I'm glad you're back in swing, my guy

Great Vid Bro

I've played the first Z.O.E. so many times. That soundtrack was addictive as hell, every time I beat the game the final boss fight themes and ending theme would stay rotating in my head for hours. Never got around to playing the sequel, I'll have to amend that mistake soon, thanks Ragnar. As for my #gemsuggestion I'd love a video about Brave Fencer Musashi for PS1. It was one of the first games I got for the console and my first real exploration/puzzle based RPG, as well as my introduction to Squaresoft games and the Final Fantasy series (an FF8 demo disc was included with the game).

14 years I have heard of this game and it was always on my "I'll get around to it" list... now I really feel like I've been missing out. The way RagnarRox describes it, it sounds like my perfect game.

I hope to play these on the switch! Love your vids bro! Don’t stop your style or censor yourself

#GemSuggestion How about Arx Fatalis, the over-ambitious and all around just weirdly designed RPG by Arkane Studios? I feel like out of all the overlooked games of its time it had some of the most interesting ideas and brilliant moments.

Really really love this forgotten gems series

This was one of the first Kojima games I ever played and I remember it to this day being something of ahead of it's time.

Saw a lot of the Forgotten Gems episodes, then saw this. I am now a subscriber, no one ever references ZOE1/2 and they are great games.

Back in the day, I had to import ZOE from Switzerland, only to get the MGS2 Demo. After I played the demo for a long time, I gave ZOE a try and don’t regretted it. Such a masterpiece.

The only game that allowed you to use a Metal Gear in a way

Between the ending of ZoE1, the build up to it in ZoE2, and the both mechanically and visually incredibleness of it, Anubis is my favorite final boss. That fight is both intense and cathartic at the same time.

This game gave me chills man... literally chills. Will never forget it

Watching this right after beating MARS on PS4 Pro. It is a magnificent game, especially in 4K @60fps. I've fallen in love with the series, and have been playing Fist of Mars as well.

Man. I never knew anyone who played this game when I was a kid. So badass to see so many others enjoyed this back in the day too.

Rewatched your death stranding video this morning, went to school (most likely failed a math assignment), and came home to see one of my favorite content creators make a video on such a favorite childhood game of mine. Today is a good day

Nohman: CAN YOU STOP ME DINGO?! Dingo: *audible prehistoric creature screaming*

#GemSuggestion Medievil!!

The fact this game was a part of me growing up makes me love this more. ❤️

I actually had this game growing up and been trying to figure out its name for years. Thank You

I just found your channel and I have to say your content is really awesome, so well constructed and entertaining. And there another Zone of the Enders, far more forgotten than the others: Z.O.E The Fist of Mars, for the Gameboy Advance. Its a graphic novel - strategy game with a very well written story and entertaining gameplay, just maybe a little too easy. Its really worth playing it if you like Z.O.E., I personally love it. Thanks for such great videos!

Holy Shit. I thought I was the only person who knew about these games. You the man, Ragnar! Truly a hidden gem of bygone days.

I played this series about 15 years after they came out via the HD PS3 version and they felt so good I was amazed how I never heard of them before then.

I love zone of enders it was my first game ever! Thanks for the video!! I love your voice!!!

2nd runner on PC?! I am dying right now this is the best news! Awesome reminder about an old favourite, Thanks Ragnar!

I first played this game when I was about 10 years old. I was absolutely blown away as a kid. The repetitiveness of it didn't seem so bad when I was 10 now it's very noticeable. It really boils down to nostalgia I remember all the fun I had with this game and there really isn't a way to recapture that so the game now is a disappointment because I remember it being so much more than it was.

Fantastic content, you have a new sub.

DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! ; always so happy to see another RagnarRox video =]

I remember playing the HD collection and falling in love with ZotE, only to find out it's been shelved. Now my bedroom has a small section dedicated to orbital frames. Fucking fantastic video once again Ragnar. Quality is always consistent and worth the wait.

Awesome video content! I totally forgot this gem for sure. Another Game what I do think is a forgotten one is "Star Ocean:Till the end of time". I really, really loved this one.

Im well glad you did this game, I remember putting in way too many hours to both these games on my ps2. I was so shocked coz I didn't expect much when I got them.both for ao cheap, I love em. Nice video

i’ve had the game box for this game since as long as i can remember and literally knew nothing about what it was. back in the day when my mom was settling with my step father and he brought me his PS1 with all his games, he used the ZOE box to carry two PS1 demo trial discs so when i was a little kid i thought “Zone of the Enders” was just some PS1 promotional campaign or something, i still have the game box with the demo discs inside to this day. This video is the first time i’ve ever seen any footage of the actual game, it’s weird to see that the game box i’ve had in my possession since as far back as i can remember belonged to an actual game ive never played nor even seen till now. Just saw it in my collection today and thought “maybe it’s about time to see what that game actually is….”

"This is detached backup battle unit ADA. Do you request control instructions?„

Hit the nail on the head man, hit the goddamn head on the nail. Ever since I was a kid and saw this game discussed on TV I wanted to try because I knew intuitively this the first game I saw that this feeling of actually piloting a mech. Years later I finally got to play it on xbox 360 the HD edition, and it was exactly what I expected. Amazing game, truly a hidden gem!

Way back in high school, I played through the second ZoE game so many times I knew it like the back of my hand. I got so good at it that I could probably do speed runs back in the day if I had a way to record it. I graduated 13 years ago and left for the Navy, leaving my PS2 and my original copy of the game with my dad. Surprisingly he held on to my old box of games and PS2, and I found them while I was visiting a few years ago. Took them home and was pleasantly surprised the console still worked. So a few months ago I played through The Second Runner, and though I'm no where near as good as I used to be at zipping around the battlefield wiping enemies out while taking minimal damage, I still had a blast reliving that experience.

The menu screen music for ZOE 1 was amazing!!!

You are an unusually good writer. Have another sub.

One of my all time favorite games. It really defined my childhood

Always impressed by the pronounciation of the names at the end.

Oh my god, this video took me back!

I came across the game in a bargain bin a long time ago, i've never seen anything so visually pleasing. The controls, the combat, they were all so satisfying. And nobody else seemed to ever heard of it. sometimes i wondered if didn't just make it all up. If it was all just a dream. I still have no idea how my old ps2 could render so many details without catching fire.

looking forward to hearing what you have to say about the new Death Stranding trailer!

You forgot to mention Bulk Slash on the Sega Saturn. That game easily captured the feeling of flying a mecha, years before ZoE.