Reader Reviews
Midtown Madness 3, Freak Out, the PS2 itself and someone's opus on ICO.
PlayStation 2
by Khab
Having owned a GameCube for almost a year, I came upon an opportunity to purchase a Playstation 2 at a fraction of the proper cost. Armed with the box, an extra controller, a memory card and Jak & Daxter, I jollily returned home. After opening the box, I noted the unit itself was a lot smaller than I had thought - not really that much bigger than the Cube as one may think. I plugged it into the wall and into my TV set and broke into the packaging of the memory card. Here's where I started seeing some differences with my previously owned console. Now, the GameCube is cute. It's also very slick - everything fits like a glove into where it belongs, the ports are tiny and cleverly designed so that it is impossible to try and fit the controller in the wrong way. On the PS2, I had some problems inserting the memory card and the controllers properly. That moment was a bit of a sign of things to come, as I’ve realised, the more time I've spent with my shiny new toy.
The PlayStation 2 is home to some of the more incredible games of our time. ICO, Final Fantasy X, Virtua Fighter: Evolution, Jak & Daxter - the list goes on, as you're no doubt aware. However, I have realised that though there are many very good games for the PS2, there are about 50 poor ones to every good one. In the world of Nintendo, where I used to reside, this ratio is not as great - maybe ten shit games for every golden nugget. This has nothing to do with the platform itself, but everything with the kind of market share it has. Since Sony is the big kid on the block, everyone and their dog want in on the dough.
It quickly became apparent to me that I'd have to educate myself about my PS2 if I were not to purchase really shitty games. On the Cube, the catalogue of games is manageable - you can keep track of most releases and know if they're worth it or not. Dropping in on the PS2 this late in its life, I've had a lot of research to do. Not that I mind, because when I do it properly, I get to play really good games. Also, having a PS2 creates sort of a sense of relaxation in me, since I know that the games will be out for that platform no matter what - even if it might not be quite as pretty as it was elsewhere.
I’m glad I have a PS2 - it's got great games. However, had I paid the full price of the thing, I doubt I would have felt as satisfied with it - it is an ageing piece of technology, and only ICO has "wowed" me in a graphical sense so far. Had I not received an offer I could not refuse, I would probably have been better off waiting for the inevitable and possibly imminent price reduction.
No score supplied.