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After finally persuading my cousin to get a PlayStation 2, I have now managed to detach myself from the dual shock controller in order to write a review of Sony’s monolithic demon of a games machine. Needless to say, this review will be extensive, so get ready for a catalogue of important information that you should know about PS2. I’ve been thoroughly impressed, my cousin slightly less, and I’m going to explain why this machine is the safest, most appropriate choice for your next generation of games console. Sit back, get some coffee and stay awake!
The past: Sony break free from the PlayStation one’s tremendous success as the number one 32 bit games machine to own and bring out something in March of the year 2000 that could totally destroy everything else in the market, or possibly, destroy Sony themselves. You maybe pondering about buying one, hopefully I’ll persuade you to set your doubts away to some far off place and you’ll be a PlayStation 2 better off within a few days. It sold. Oh yes it sold like the hottest piece of hardware that it actually is, demolishing all previous gaming console records. The PS2 was an instant hit in Japan, with those ‘horrendous’ (although some just laughable) scenes of fighting – everyone wanted one, and now some 13million people worldwide have one in their homes. The launch wasn’t smooth, oh no! Memory cards faulty, machines that refused to be played upon – even a case or two of exploding consoles! Surely not!
I saw some PS2 fly for £1200! (Fly = sell) wow! And they said we were getting ripped off? Those who pre-order always prosper. That’s my new motto anyway! So, last November - 26th to be precise, was the UK’s launch of the PS2 and obviously the allocated amount was sold out on day one. The launch titles weren’t as bad as some people make out, I for one was delighted with the amount of variety, and I easily selected seven games! So, why should you get one?
Graphically, the PlayStation 2 has the power to surpass anything out there – even the latest Pentium processors and all the current consoles. But I have seen some games that look more at home on the original PlayStation. It’s a well-publicised opinion, which has unduly become a ‘fact’ suggesting that the PS2 hasn’t got any decent games, that the graphics are all shoddy, and the DVD player is useless. Absolute rubbish (no not the PS2 – the supposed fact) – I will be the first to admit that games like Midnight Club street Racing and Wild, Wild Racing are hardly the sort of mouth watering prospects that you expected when you paid out your £299.99 (or £199.99), but there are a lot of superb games with some fantastic graphics (and gameplay) that you shouldn’t overlook. The PS2 has 128bits and 291.3mhz of pure processing power. This demon can perform – negative comments only make it more powerful, thus Gran Turismo 3 will blow your socks off. Eat that Sega fans! SSX looks deliciously fresh, Moto GP and Fantavision make full use of the incredible lighting effects that the SP2 can achieve, and Tekken Tag shows just how realistic the FMV start ups are going to become.
Sound. Yes the PS2 is sound & it’s also awesomely crisp and clear with Dolby Surround Digital sound (or something). Stick your favourite CD into the stylish CD opening slot and listen to it the way Virgin/Emi or Sony intended. The crystal clear sound is apparent in all the games available, except perhaps the original PS one games that can actually be used on this new console! It’s not just two in one you see. So I recommend you invest in a decent set of speakers to accompany your television and PlayStation 2 to fully appreciate such quality.
Games? Yes at heart the PS2 is a games machine, it will always be a games machine but it’s also got an integrated DVD player, meaning you won’t have to fork out £150 or so on a standalone player. It’s region 2 so you can’t play imported DVD films but I have never needed to, and the DVD offers a good standard of picture quality. I’ve only got 5 DVD films – namely Gladiator, Road Trip, Terminator and the epic of last millennium – The Matrix and all play to a good quality.
The future: Gran Turismo 4………. Grand Theft Auto 4……. Metal Gear Solid 2……. Silent Hill 2……. The list goes on!
MGS2 is probably the most highly anticipated game of all time, after the classic that saw Solid Snake stealth and slyness lead him through the first one. Metal Gear Solid: Sons of Liberty, all being well should be released a few weeks before Christmas. Excellent – I know what’s on my Xmas list!
New consoles will arrive, but they won’t bother me in the least. Sure they’ll have better graphics and fresher games, more hype and so forth, but when you’re part of a community – a growing one, with loads of top games, hundreds more to come, then I won’t be trading in. No way! The Game Cube from Nintendo and the X Box from Microsoft both look like strong contenders, but Sony have over a year head start, so there’s no worrying on their part. The only other console, which could be said to be in opposition to Sony, is the Sega Dreamcast, but it’s discontinued now, and won’t be getting many more games.
Size and looks? The PlayStation 2 is a lot heavier than the PS one, it’s also three times the size (of the new compact PS one), but then it has got a lot more goodies stuffed into it. A4 minus a margin is the area of the front panel, and it’s about 4 inches deep. Unlike nearly every other console, you can lay your PS2 flat or vertically, and pay out £10 for a stand if you so wish, it does honestly add support and make it look better. It looks alright I’d say with a swish purple fading to blue logo on the front with engraved PlayStation 2 underneath the PS2, and it’s black so it blends in nicely with your VCR, should your VCR be black of course. 2 memory card slots, 2 control pad ports and a USB connection with various other ins and out located on the machine – an expansion bay will allow the modem to fit in when it’s released, so no the PS2 isn’t online ready at the moment. A mouse, keyboard and other peripherals should arrive soon. It kind of looks like a stylish black skyscraper – not really anything like a radiator. It does collect dust. You must use duster!
I’m very, very pleased with mine. It’s a giant leap from the PlayStation and can even play your old PlayStation games, which is something – you won’t have to sell them if you get rid of the PSX. It’s ensured a long and prosperous life, with games being released all the time, the genres are rapidly being filled and some should be created soon! Get one is my advice. For your £199 you’re getting a decent DVD player, the best games machine out and a superb CD player. What more can you ask for?
The past: Sony break free from the PlayStation one’s tremendous success as the number one 32 bit games machine to own and bring out something in March of the year 2000 that could totally destroy everything else in the market, or possibly, destroy Sony themselves. You maybe pondering about buying one, hopefully I’ll persuade you to set your doubts away to some far off place and you’ll be a PlayStation 2 better off within a few days. It sold. Oh yes it sold like the hottest piece of hardware that it actually is, demolishing all previous gaming console records. The PS2 was an instant hit in Japan, with those ‘horrendous’ (although some just laughable) scenes of fighting – everyone wanted one, and now some 13million people worldwide have one in their homes. The launch wasn’t smooth, oh no! Memory cards faulty, machines that refused to be played upon – even a case or two of exploding consoles! Surely not!
I saw some PS2 fly for £1200! (Fly = sell) wow! And they said we were getting ripped off? Those who pre-order always prosper. That’s my new motto anyway! So, last November - 26th to be precise, was the UK’s launch of the PS2 and obviously the allocated amount was sold out on day one. The launch titles weren’t as bad as some people make out, I for one was delighted with the amount of variety, and I easily selected seven games! So, why should you get one?
Graphically, the PlayStation 2 has the power to surpass anything out there – even the latest Pentium processors and all the current consoles. But I have seen some games that look more at home on the original PlayStation. It’s a well-publicised opinion, which has unduly become a ‘fact’ suggesting that the PS2 hasn’t got any decent games, that the graphics are all shoddy, and the DVD player is useless. Absolute rubbish (no not the PS2 – the supposed fact) – I will be the first to admit that games like Midnight Club street Racing and Wild, Wild Racing are hardly the sort of mouth watering prospects that you expected when you paid out your £299.99 (or £199.99), but there are a lot of superb games with some fantastic graphics (and gameplay) that you shouldn’t overlook. The PS2 has 128bits and 291.3mhz of pure processing power. This demon can perform – negative comments only make it more powerful, thus Gran Turismo 3 will blow your socks off. Eat that Sega fans! SSX looks deliciously fresh, Moto GP and Fantavision make full use of the incredible lighting effects that the SP2 can achieve, and Tekken Tag shows just how realistic the FMV start ups are going to become.
Sound. Yes the PS2 is sound & it’s also awesomely crisp and clear with Dolby Surround Digital sound (or something). Stick your favourite CD into the stylish CD opening slot and listen to it the way Virgin/Emi or Sony intended. The crystal clear sound is apparent in all the games available, except perhaps the original PS one games that can actually be used on this new console! It’s not just two in one you see. So I recommend you invest in a decent set of speakers to accompany your television and PlayStation 2 to fully appreciate such quality.
Games? Yes at heart the PS2 is a games machine, it will always be a games machine but it’s also got an integrated DVD player, meaning you won’t have to fork out £150 or so on a standalone player. It’s region 2 so you can’t play imported DVD films but I have never needed to, and the DVD offers a good standard of picture quality. I’ve only got 5 DVD films – namely Gladiator, Road Trip, Terminator and the epic of last millennium – The Matrix and all play to a good quality.
The future: Gran Turismo 4………. Grand Theft Auto 4……. Metal Gear Solid 2……. Silent Hill 2……. The list goes on!
MGS2 is probably the most highly anticipated game of all time, after the classic that saw Solid Snake stealth and slyness lead him through the first one. Metal Gear Solid: Sons of Liberty, all being well should be released a few weeks before Christmas. Excellent – I know what’s on my Xmas list!
New consoles will arrive, but they won’t bother me in the least. Sure they’ll have better graphics and fresher games, more hype and so forth, but when you’re part of a community – a growing one, with loads of top games, hundreds more to come, then I won’t be trading in. No way! The Game Cube from Nintendo and the X Box from Microsoft both look like strong contenders, but Sony have over a year head start, so there’s no worrying on their part. The only other console, which could be said to be in opposition to Sony, is the Sega Dreamcast, but it’s discontinued now, and won’t be getting many more games.
Size and looks? The PlayStation 2 is a lot heavier than the PS one, it’s also three times the size (of the new compact PS one), but then it has got a lot more goodies stuffed into it. A4 minus a margin is the area of the front panel, and it’s about 4 inches deep. Unlike nearly every other console, you can lay your PS2 flat or vertically, and pay out £10 for a stand if you so wish, it does honestly add support and make it look better. It looks alright I’d say with a swish purple fading to blue logo on the front with engraved PlayStation 2 underneath the PS2, and it’s black so it blends in nicely with your VCR, should your VCR be black of course. 2 memory card slots, 2 control pad ports and a USB connection with various other ins and out located on the machine – an expansion bay will allow the modem to fit in when it’s released, so no the PS2 isn’t online ready at the moment. A mouse, keyboard and other peripherals should arrive soon. It kind of looks like a stylish black skyscraper – not really anything like a radiator. It does collect dust. You must use duster!
I’m very, very pleased with mine. It’s a giant leap from the PlayStation and can even play your old PlayStation games, which is something – you won’t have to sell them if you get rid of the PSX. It’s ensured a long and prosperous life, with games being released all the time, the genres are rapidly being filled and some should be created soon! Get one is my advice. For your £199 you’re getting a decent DVD player, the best games machine out and a superb CD player. What more can you ask for?
that's alright mate
good review there
Release date was November 24th 2000 not 26th of November. So its 1 year old in 1 hour and 40 mins. And I got my PS2 364 days and 13 hours ago.
just thinking ......are you trying to win gad or something...
good review...but i hate to say mgs2 won't be out till february
After finally persuading my cousin to get a PlayStation 2, I have now managed to detach myself from the dual shock controller in order to write a review of Sony’s monolithic demon of a games machine. Needless to say, this review will be extensive, so get ready for a catalogue of important information that you should know about PS2. I’ve been thoroughly impressed, my cousin slightly less, and I’m going to explain why this machine is the safest, most appropriate choice for your next generation of games console. Sit back, get some coffee and stay awake!
The past: Sony break free from the PlayStation one’s tremendous success as the number one 32 bit games machine to own and bring out something in March of the year 2000 that could totally destroy everything else in the market, or possibly, destroy Sony themselves. You maybe pondering about buying one, hopefully I’ll persuade you to set your doubts away to some far off place and you’ll be a PlayStation 2 better off within a few days. It sold. Oh yes it sold like the hottest piece of hardware that it actually is, demolishing all previous gaming console records. The PS2 was an instant hit in Japan, with those ‘horrendous’ (although some just laughable) scenes of fighting – everyone wanted one, and now some 13million people worldwide have one in their homes. The launch wasn’t smooth, oh no! Memory cards faulty, machines that refused to be played upon – even a case or two of exploding consoles! Surely not!
I saw some PS2 fly for £1200! (Fly = sell) wow! And they said we were getting ripped off? Those who pre-order always prosper. That’s my new motto anyway! So, last November - 26th to be precise, was the UK’s launch of the PS2 and obviously the allocated amount was sold out on day one. The launch titles weren’t as bad as some people make out, I for one was delighted with the amount of variety, and I easily selected seven games! So, why should you get one?
Graphically, the PlayStation 2 has the power to surpass anything out there – even the latest Pentium processors and all the current consoles. But I have seen some games that look more at home on the original PlayStation. It’s a well-publicised opinion, which has unduly become a ‘fact’ suggesting that the PS2 hasn’t got any decent games, that the graphics are all shoddy, and the DVD player is useless. Absolute rubbish (no not the PS2 – the supposed fact) – I will be the first to admit that games like Midnight Club street Racing and Wild, Wild Racing are hardly the sort of mouth watering prospects that you expected when you paid out your £299.99 (or £199.99), but there are a lot of superb games with some fantastic graphics (and gameplay) that you shouldn’t overlook. The PS2 has 128bits and 291.3mhz of pure processing power. This demon can perform – negative comments only make it more powerful, thus Gran Turismo 3 will blow your socks off. Eat that Sega fans! SSX looks deliciously fresh, Moto GP and Fantavision make full use of the incredible lighting effects that the SP2 can achieve, and Tekken Tag shows just how realistic the FMV start ups are going to become.
Sound. Yes the PS2 is sound & it’s also awesomely crisp and clear with Dolby Surround Digital sound (or something). Stick your favourite CD into the stylish CD opening slot and listen to it the way Virgin/Emi or Sony intended. The crystal clear sound is apparent in all the games available, except perhaps the original PS one games that can actually be used on this new console! It’s not just two in one you see. So I recommend you invest in a decent set of speakers to accompany your television and PlayStation 2 to fully appreciate such quality.
Games? Yes at heart the PS2 is a games machine, it will always be a games machine but it’s also got an integrated DVD player, meaning you won’t have to fork out £150 or so on a standalone player. It’s region 2 so you can’t play imported DVD films but I have never needed to, and the DVD offers a good standard of picture quality. I’ve only got 5 DVD films – namely Gladiator, Road Trip, Terminator and the epic of last millennium – The Matrix and all play to a good quality.
The future: Gran Turismo 4………. Grand Theft Auto 4……. Metal Gear Solid 2……. Silent Hill 2……. The list goes on!
MGS2 is probably the most highly anticipated game of all time, after the classic that saw Solid Snake stealth and slyness lead him through the first one. Metal Gear Solid: Sons of Liberty, all being well should be released a few weeks before Christmas. Excellent – I know what’s on my Xmas list!
New consoles will arrive, but they won’t bother me in the least. Sure they’ll have better graphics and fresher games, more hype and so forth, but when you’re part of a community – a growing one, with loads of top games, hundreds more to come, then I won’t be trading in. No way! The Game Cube from Nintendo and the X Box from Microsoft both look like strong contenders, but Sony have over a year head start, so there’s no worrying on their part. The only other console, which could be said to be in opposition to Sony, is the Sega Dreamcast, but it’s discontinued now, and won’t be getting many more games.
Size and looks? The PlayStation 2 is a lot heavier than the PS one, it’s also three times the size (of the new compact PS one), but then it has got a lot more goodies stuffed into it. A4 minus a margin is the area of the front panel, and it’s about 4 inches deep. Unlike nearly every other console, you can lay your PS2 flat or vertically, and pay out £10 for a stand if you so wish, it does honestly add support and make it look better. It looks alright I’d say with a swish purple fading to blue logo on the front with engraved PlayStation 2 underneath the PS2, and it’s black so it blends in nicely with your VCR, should your VCR be black of course. 2 memory card slots, 2 control pad ports and a USB connection with various other ins and out located on the machine – an expansion bay will allow the modem to fit in when it’s released, so no the PS2 isn’t online ready at the moment. A mouse, keyboard and other peripherals should arrive soon. It kind of looks like a stylish black skyscraper – not really anything like a radiator. It does collect dust. You must use duster!
I’m very, very pleased with mine. It’s a giant leap from the PlayStation and can even play your old PlayStation games, which is something – you won’t have to sell them if you get rid of the PSX. It’s ensured a long and prosperous life, with games being released all the time, the genres are rapidly being filled and some should be created soon! Get one is my advice. For your £199 you’re getting a decent DVD player, the best games machine out and a superb CD player. What more can you ask for?
The past: Sony break free from the PlayStation one’s tremendous success as the number one 32 bit games machine to own and bring out something in March of the year 2000 that could totally destroy everything else in the market, or possibly, destroy Sony themselves. You maybe pondering about buying one, hopefully I’ll persuade you to set your doubts away to some far off place and you’ll be a PlayStation 2 better off within a few days. It sold. Oh yes it sold like the hottest piece of hardware that it actually is, demolishing all previous gaming console records. The PS2 was an instant hit in Japan, with those ‘horrendous’ (although some just laughable) scenes of fighting – everyone wanted one, and now some 13million people worldwide have one in their homes. The launch wasn’t smooth, oh no! Memory cards faulty, machines that refused to be played upon – even a case or two of exploding consoles! Surely not!
I saw some PS2 fly for £1200! (Fly = sell) wow! And they said we were getting ripped off? Those who pre-order always prosper. That’s my new motto anyway! So, last November - 26th to be precise, was the UK’s launch of the PS2 and obviously the allocated amount was sold out on day one. The launch titles weren’t as bad as some people make out, I for one was delighted with the amount of variety, and I easily selected seven games! So, why should you get one?
Graphically, the PlayStation 2 has the power to surpass anything out there – even the latest Pentium processors and all the current consoles. But I have seen some games that look more at home on the original PlayStation. It’s a well-publicised opinion, which has unduly become a ‘fact’ suggesting that the PS2 hasn’t got any decent games, that the graphics are all shoddy, and the DVD player is useless. Absolute rubbish (no not the PS2 – the supposed fact) – I will be the first to admit that games like Midnight Club street Racing and Wild, Wild Racing are hardly the sort of mouth watering prospects that you expected when you paid out your £299.99 (or £199.99), but there are a lot of superb games with some fantastic graphics (and gameplay) that you shouldn’t overlook. The PS2 has 128bits and 291.3mhz of pure processing power. This demon can perform – negative comments only make it more powerful, thus Gran Turismo 3 will blow your socks off. Eat that Sega fans! SSX looks deliciously fresh, Moto GP and Fantavision make full use of the incredible lighting effects that the SP2 can achieve, and Tekken Tag shows just how realistic the FMV start ups are going to become.
Sound. Yes the PS2 is sound & it’s also awesomely crisp and clear with Dolby Surround Digital sound (or something). Stick your favourite CD into the stylish CD opening slot and listen to it the way Virgin/Emi or Sony intended. The crystal clear sound is apparent in all the games available, except perhaps the original PS one games that can actually be used on this new console! It’s not just two in one you see. So I recommend you invest in a decent set of speakers to accompany your television and PlayStation 2 to fully appreciate such quality.
Games? Yes at heart the PS2 is a games machine, it will always be a games machine but it’s also got an integrated DVD player, meaning you won’t have to fork out £150 or so on a standalone player. It’s region 2 so you can’t play imported DVD films but I have never needed to, and the DVD offers a good standard of picture quality. I’ve only got 5 DVD films – namely Gladiator, Road Trip, Terminator and the epic of last millennium – The Matrix and all play to a good quality.
The future: Gran Turismo 4………. Grand Theft Auto 4……. Metal Gear Solid 2……. Silent Hill 2……. The list goes on!
MGS2 is probably the most highly anticipated game of all time, after the classic that saw Solid Snake stealth and slyness lead him through the first one. Metal Gear Solid: Sons of Liberty, all being well should be released a few weeks before Christmas. Excellent – I know what’s on my Xmas list!
New consoles will arrive, but they won’t bother me in the least. Sure they’ll have better graphics and fresher games, more hype and so forth, but when you’re part of a community – a growing one, with loads of top games, hundreds more to come, then I won’t be trading in. No way! The Game Cube from Nintendo and the X Box from Microsoft both look like strong contenders, but Sony have over a year head start, so there’s no worrying on their part. The only other console, which could be said to be in opposition to Sony, is the Sega Dreamcast, but it’s discontinued now, and won’t be getting many more games.
Size and looks? The PlayStation 2 is a lot heavier than the PS one, it’s also three times the size (of the new compact PS one), but then it has got a lot more goodies stuffed into it. A4 minus a margin is the area of the front panel, and it’s about 4 inches deep. Unlike nearly every other console, you can lay your PS2 flat or vertically, and pay out £10 for a stand if you so wish, it does honestly add support and make it look better. It looks alright I’d say with a swish purple fading to blue logo on the front with engraved PlayStation 2 underneath the PS2, and it’s black so it blends in nicely with your VCR, should your VCR be black of course. 2 memory card slots, 2 control pad ports and a USB connection with various other ins and out located on the machine – an expansion bay will allow the modem to fit in when it’s released, so no the PS2 isn’t online ready at the moment. A mouse, keyboard and other peripherals should arrive soon. It kind of looks like a stylish black skyscraper – not really anything like a radiator. It does collect dust. You must use duster!
I’m very, very pleased with mine. It’s a giant leap from the PlayStation and can even play your old PlayStation games, which is something – you won’t have to sell them if you get rid of the PSX. It’s ensured a long and prosperous life, with games being released all the time, the genres are rapidly being filled and some should be created soon! Get one is my advice. For your £199 you’re getting a decent DVD player, the best games machine out and a superb CD player. What more can you ask for?