Well worth the $300
Written: Sep 08 '01 (Updated Sep 08 '01)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great looking graphics, good collection of games
Cons: Jaggies from time to time
The Bottom Line: Is the PlayStation 2 worth the money? Most definitely. If you like games, the PlayStation 2 is where they're at. Go out and get one now that they're in stock.
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| mookiekong's Full Review: Sony PlayStation 2 Slimline Console |
Well, now that the supply of PS2s is up, it's time for you to get one. This system is well worth the asking price even if there are a few flaws with the system.
The PlayStation 2 is the latest console from Sony. When it was released late last year the supply was smaller than the demand and there was a huge fight to get one of these consoles. Now though Sony has started making more of these consoles and you can get one too. The heart of the PS2 is the Emotion Engine which is supposed to create graphics so real that they will elicit emotion from the player. Does the PS2 do what it claims?
In one word, yes. When playing some of the must-have games (such as Gran Turismo 3 and SSX) the true power of this machine is unleashed. The graphics are stunning and at times you can't tell if it's rendered in real-time or if it's a pre-rendered sequence. The Emotion Engine is able to create some stunning visuals. There is one drawback though. Sony did not put any sort of anti-aliasing in the system. Anti-aliasing is the process in which those jagged lines are smoothed out -- with the PS2 a badly programmed game can look terrible because of these jaggies. But, lately the developers for the PS2 have been finding good ways about getting around jaggies and with new titles such as GT3 you'll find little to no jaggies.
The sound from the PS2 is good too. Currently all games playback in stereo. But with a new generation of games coming out, 5.1 gameplay sound is coming too. EA has announced that its upcoming titles will all support DTS 5.1. One of the games, SSX: Tricky, will support this and I can't wait to hear just what a different 5.1 surround will do to gaming. As it stands though, the PS2 does an admiral job at sound.
Lets not forget those people who have the original PlayStation and a library of software for the original PS. The PS2 is able to play all of the PS games and it supports all the old PS accessories (controllers, memory cards, etc). So the amount of games that can be had for the PS2 is not only limited to the releases for the PS2 but you can also pick games that were released for the original PS (I have the original Gran Turismo which is a blast to pop in and compare to the new one).
I love the new DualShock 2 controller that comes with the system. The new DualShock 2 controller has a one-up on the old DualShock in that all the face buttons are now analog and not totally digital. So instead of the button being either totally ON or totally OFF, there is now a range for each button press depending on the pressure you apply.
The PS2 is also a DVD-player. If you don't already have a stand-alone DVD-player then the PS2 is a good player for you. If you have a stand-alone DVD-player then I would suggest you keep it around. For an extra $20 you can get a DVD remote and use the PS2 as a full-fledged DVD player (without the front panel display of a stand-alone though). The playback of DVDs is from good to excellent on the PS2. And in the back of the PS2 there is an optical out so that you can pipe the PS2 sound through a Dolby Digital and/or DTS decoder/amp for true 5.1 sound playback.
I bought the PlayStation 2/Gran Turismo 3 Racing Pack and inside my box I received: A PlayStation 2 unit, a special Gran Turismo 3 game (red DVD snapper case, not blue like the retail), one DualShock 2 controller, and all the necessary cabling for RCA connections (if you're still using RF connections, you'll have to pay extra for the converter). The blue box PS2 (the non-GT3 Racing Pack) comes with all the same things except for GT3. What I would recommend getting on top of just the system is a Sony 8MB Memory Card, an extra DualShock 2 controller and the vertical stand. I recommend the vertical stand for two reasons: 1) it makes the PS2 look oh so much cooler and 2) it keeps the PS2 on its side and keeps dust off the laser lens.
Is the PlayStation 2 worth the money? Most definitely. I would suggest the Gran Turismo 3 Racing Pack if you are going to pick up the system since you get the game GT3 for $20 off. If you like games, the PlayStation 2 is where they're at. Go out and get one now that they're in stock.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
mookiekong
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Location: San Jose, CA, USA
Reviews written: 68
Trusted by: 25 members
About Me:
Current Mookie Obsession: Apple iPhone 8GB and Fedora 8.
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