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Playstation 2 Review
I recently got the chance to finally try out the PS2, since the hype has since went down alot. Packed with 14 bucks in my pocket from my mother, I planned on trying out the system that everyone has had SOMETHING to say about. Either "It totally sucks" or the completely opposite "It totally rules!". One way or another, everybody has had their own opinion about this magical system. Therefore... I felt I should also review it too. So here it is, my PS2 experience.
My PS2 escapade started at my local video store, where I was renting the system. I picked up two games: Armored Core 2 since I liked the original, and The Summoner since it was the only RPG-ish looking game there. It was a dead tie between Summoner and Dead or Alive 2:Hardcore, but I made my decision. Standing at the counter I found out that since it's Sunday, I get to keep everything until Tuesday. I knew this already, but I assumed that I wouldn't be able to with a 300 dollar system. Wahoo. I was told by the owner(a good friend of our's) that I should place the PS2 on something hard, since placing it on soft surfaces(like carpet) can ruin it quickly. No big shock. The Playstation was the same way.
I really lucked out on this rental... not only did I get the RF Switch(a cheat off-brand, but a switch is a switch), but I also got two controls. Regular PSX controllers mind you, but still... it saved me the hassle of having to use my own. One was your standard Dual Shock, the other a "Mad Catz Dual FORCE". For the whole two days, I decided I'd use the Mad Catz. Gotta love those wacky third-party controllers with many odd options. I hooked up all the necessary cords(for me, the RF Switch and (obviously) the electrical cord), popped in Armored Core 2, and began history... thus, I write this review, covering each part of the PS2.
The games. Quite frankly, I was pretty shocked to find out that they aren't as horrible as some have described them. Armored Core 2 gets pretty boring/annoying at times, but the graphics and controls are top notch. The Summoner I first had doubts about, considering it's made by the same "great" guys who gave us the HIT RPG,Quest 64. But then I started playing it... and found out it wasn't half-bad. Not comparable to most RPGs, per-say, but decent nonetheless(especially for a launch title). Reminded me of a PC RPG, but with a decent battle system and storyline. It as well dragged on a bit during the non-battle scenes, but when fighting occurs it's downright incredible. No random battles, gaining levels...man, what a feeling.
The DVDs. Once again, I was shocked to find out the down-sizing of the PS2 wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Playing DVDs worked pretty well for me. I slaped in my Trunks:Mysterious Youth DVD and watched it for about a half-hour. The PS2 played it almost better than my DVD player, which switches from bright to dim every few seconds(annoying). The playback function that I heard was screwed up worked fine for me, except there's no rewind(only scene-rewinds). The only problem:audio. I had to crank up my TV's volume to just HEAR what they were saying, let alone hear music well. Plus the dub audio seemed to be recorded even lower, so that became a problem.
Music CDs.Not much to say... you can actually select tracks alot easier with the PS2, remenesant of the old PSX, which is alot better than listening to them on the DC. Of course, it plays them perfect and everything... nothing wrong with it at all. I listened to a bit of Blink 182 and was on my way.
Old Playstation Games. When I heard that the PS2 was backward compatable, I had to try it out. So I stuck in my old Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and tried it. When they said it plays old PSX games, they weren't kidding. It plays them PERFECTLY, and nothing is altered in any way. From what I heard, through the System Configuration you could increase the graphics ratio on regular PSX games if you wanted to, but I never got a chance to try this out.
And as quickly as it had begun, my PS2 experience was over. The advice I have to give? Don't believe everything you hear. Just because one slack-jawed yocal who's favorite system is the Sega CD or(dare I say it) the Sega Saturn says the PS2 sucks horribly, doesn't mean that's what you'll think of it. Believe me, I'm as old-age(I refuse to say school) of a gamer as they come... I learned how to play video games when I was 5 with Duck Hunt and Super Mario Bros. back in the 80s. I watched my father desperately try to defeat Mother Brain in Metroid. I watched my sister conquer Megaman 2 almost completely by herself in a few days. I come from a family of gamers... one of the remaining few. And with that said, you can know I have experience behind me. The PS2 is GREAT. It's not exactly revolutionary or THE BEST, but it gets my seal of approval. There's a CHANCE, a slim chance that it could take off, that is if better games are released, and at a faster rate. It would be a shame to see it totally sink, like the Sega CD and Philips CDi(am I the only one who remembers that?) did. Or even worse: have the fate that the N64 adapted to itself. Hopefully, that'll never happen.
-Grand Master Dragon
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