All right, Playstation 2 owners, give us the Straight Dope: Thumbs Up or Down?

[Vinnie Virginslayer]

The things been out for over 6 months now. I love my PSX, but the pipeline of new games is drying up, and I have resorted to prowling the bargain bins at Blockbuster for titles I haven't played before. "Simpsons Wrestling" just ain't cuttin' it!

So what's the verdict? Piss away $250-300 for PS2? Or wait until next year when surely it will be had for about a buck fifty.

Or go the cheap route and spend much less on the just clearanced but pretty damn cool Dreamcast?

Or wait for X-box, which I overheard an EBX employee say is going to blow everything on the market to kingdome come?

Then again, I could always go the computer game route . . but my screen is too small.

So PS2 owners . . which route do I take? And any detailed reviews of the machine would be appreciated! Thanks! VV :cool:

[ultrafilter]

The PS2 is very cool. The big boon is that it'll play anything which comes on a CD-sized disc except Dreamcast games. One thing I was slightly disappointed in is that the CD player doesn't have any kind of cool graphics associated with it.

There is one caveat: the games currently out there do not take advantage of the PS2's graphic capabilities. They are amazing and probably more than the PSX or Dreamcast could handle, but they're still not where they should be.

That said, the best games I've found so far are Sky Odyssey and Gauntlet: Dark Legacy.

[handy]

Xbox is not here yet, I'm not going to sit around doing nothing until it comes out. Frankly, I don't see how it can be any better than a regular computer with the same specs & by the time it comes out, computers are going to be several times as fast. I don't play games on my computer.

The Nintendo Cube though might be fun cause it's gonna have all my favorite games & characters on it.

The PS2 is fine. Plus, its gonna have Final Fantasy on it & you can't get that for the Xbox.

I just read that my Game Boy can get/send email with an attachment cart/modem that only costs $19.95. It makes it into a kinda fun almost-Palm Pilot with email.

My Dreamcast can be used as a fine online machine too. I use it with my regular ISP.

I see GS just made a $19.95 keyboard for the PS2, in black, it looks cool.

[pepperlandgirl]

Go for the PS2. It really does rock. I love the games, they are very high quality. I haven't had a chance to play on it as much as I would like to, but I certainly don't regret spending 350 on it. I can't wait till more games (Especially FF) come out though. There isn't a huge amount of PS2 games on the market right now, but just give it another year.

[Smeghead]

I quite like mine, even though I've only bought two games. I use it more for DVDs than games, personally. I'm still waiting for Gran Turismo 3 to come out. That's the main reason I got one, and it looks amazing.

But as for your question, I guess it depends on what you want out of your toys. I wanted something that would play DVDs and also the occasional extra-cool game. That's what I got. I'm happy.

[Miller]

I decided to spring for the PS2 when my DVD player crapped out roughly .000005 seconds after the warranty expired. I figured, WTF, spend the extra money and I can play Tekken Tournament. Aside from that, Gauntlet, and Onimusha, there aren't many good games out for it yet, though.

[pepperlandgirl]

If you enjoy long, long RPGs, I suggest "Summoner". It was pretty good.

[SPOOFE]

I start this off saying that I think the PS2 isn't worth it, and that the X-Box will rock the world.

Anyway...

Handy...

Xbox is not here yet, I'm not going to sit around doing nothing until it comes out.
You can't wait six months?

Frankly, I don't see how it can be any better than a regular computer with the same specs
It'll be several hundred dollars less. But that's not the point... you can't compare consoles to PC's, simply because consoles are specialized systems while computers are meant to be generalized tools.

However, know this... the X-box will be more than twice as fast as PS2, have a MUCH better graphics card, more RAM, etc. for about the same price. And considering that Sony is still losing money on every PS2 unit sold, I doubt Sony'll be able to get the price down by Christmas.

The only drawback to the X-box is that, in order to play DVD movies on it, you have to buy a special controller to play 'em. I doubt that controller will cost more than twenty bucks or so, though.

[astro]

I bought a PS-2 for the kids in a moment of weakness about 4 months ago when they had a stack of them at Circuit City and a I have to admit that I got caught in the Sony marketing "buzz" to some extent. I should have known better but here is what I have discovered.

1: Games for the PS-2 are quite expensive ($ 40 - $ 60) and (in CC's case) not exchangeable even if they suck. Definitely rent and try out the games before you buy.

2: It makes a pretty good DVD player although control is somewhat clumsy with the game controller as a wired remote.
You can buy wireless remores.

3: Compared to my PC (P3 500 with Nvidia 2)the comparable PS-2 game I purchased (Quake 3) was (and this was surprising) much poorer quality both in graphics quality and gameplay wise.

4: Boot up and game loading are noticably slower vs the original playstation.

5: The vaunted better "effects" are visible in some games and some graphics are sharper but overall most (puportedly)PS-2 games look like PS-1 ports with a few flourishes thrown in.

6: Some PS-1 games will not save properly on the PS-2.


Overall what I expected to be a bang was whimper. Maybe there is some incredible "blow me away" game out there but I have yet to see it. The PS-2 is reportedly very hard to code for so whether or not we'll ever see a big library of cool PS-2 games remains to be seen. The amount and quality of games out right now is apparently not that impressive which may reflect the coding difficulty. It will be a cold day in hell when I ever pay more than $ 150 for a game console again. I've learned my lesson.

From what I've seen the PS-2 can't touch the quality and gameplay of comparable nvidia based PC games and internet play (esp for role playing games) requires an additional module whereas almost all PC's have modems already. The PS-2 occupies a slippery space between PC's and the PS-1 and it's not really distinguishing itself to any great extent so far.

[SPOOFE]

Compared to my PC (P3 500 with Nvidia 2)the comparable PS-2 game I purchased (Quake 3) was (and this was surprising) much poorer quality both in graphics quality and gameplay wise.
Additionally, if you're smart, you can get a PC (something most people want/use/need anyway) that'll run games MUCH better than the PS-2 for only a little more than twice the cost of a PS-2 itself.

See? I just saved you all $300! (To show your thanks, please send half of your savings to me... :D)

[Badtz Maru]

Originally posted by handy

The PS2 is fine. Plus, its gonna have Final Fantasy on it & you can't get that for the Xbox.


I bet you can. All the FF games get ported to PC these days, they will probably do Xbox ports when it comes out.

Of course, I can't see why anyone would want to play any of the Final Fantasy games. The first one was pretty cool for it's time, but the formula is getting REALLY old by now, and the last few have all had some serious design flaws.

[aoty]

I don't own a PS2, but I've spent many hours playing one. IMHO, there is no compelling reason to buy a PS2 aside from Grand Tourismo 3. Sure, the graphics are good, but not THAT good. I'm afraid that in the long run, the PS2 being so difficult to program will hamper the system.
Once GT3 has been out for a while and the PS2 has dropped to the $150 pricepoint, I may pick one up.

The X-Box. I won't touch one of those with a 10 foot pole. Mystery lock-ups, blue screens of death will be commonplace. I've heard the arguments... "X-Box is designed to be a gaming machine... not a computer." Uh-huh. It's still runs a Microsoft OS. Plus, there are no games coming out for it that interest me. I doubt I'll ever own one of these.

I'm personally waiting for the GameCube. The video footage I've seen is impressive. But, the real clinchers are the exclusive Nintendo titles. Nintendo blundered badly with the N64 and their decision to use carts. But they are doing everything right this time, and I look for them to be kings of the next video game wars.

I really wish the DreamCast hadn't failed. It was a heck of a system with great games. Oh well, now Sega will develop for GameCube :-)

Ok, enough of my opinions.

[Vinnie Virginslayer]

Great feedback, and thanks for the frankness, PS2 owners.

It sounds like Ps2 is having similar problems to when psX came out in 1996- the game manufacturers took a while to maximize the technology to it's full potential!

At the low price, it seems like a safe bet might be to go with a Dreamcast for at least 12-18 months, then decide between ps2 when the software matures, X-box or Game Cube. I know Sega stopped making DC, but there seems to be a good library, and the technology seems one step above PsX. Of course, whether or not you think that would be a wise move would also be appreciated . .

Kepp the feedback coming, I really am enjoying it!

[slortar]

I picked up a Dreamcast literally the day the prices were slashed a couple of months ago and I'm not even close to regretting it. The graphics on DC games are quite a bit better than most of the ps2 games I've seen yet, there are enough games out there to keep me occupied and even if it is pretty much a dead system, I think the number of games currently out justify the investment. Beautiful, beautiful system.

In my opinion it was worth it just for Soul Calibur alone. On top of that, my local video store dumped most of their Dreamcast stock for 5-10 bucks a game when Sega dropped the DC. :D

[handy]

The DC does have better graphics because a lot of it's games are vga compatible & the PSX2 are not.

"6: Some PS-1 games will not save properly on the PS-2."

Well, you must use the PS1 memory card to save PS1 games on a PSX2.

"You can't wait six months?"

It's been a lot longer than that since they annouced the Xbox.

As for the Xbox, by the time it comes out, there is going to be a new game system on the horizon that'll be 20X as powerful & make you dinner, too. Im not impressed much by better graphics or system specs (After all, they can't get any better than my TV can display), I'm impressed by more game play depth, which they can't really show until you play it.

[bernse]

Bah. The only real reason that the DC looks better than a PS2 is because it is a more mature system. The VGA output looks nice, but the odd time I have actually seen it you could see "jaggies" more plainly. It is nice though. Give it another 6-12 months and we will see more of what the PS2 is capable of. The graphics always improve as the console matures. The DC has something like more than a year of a headstart over the PS2.

That being said, I have both a PS2 and DC and I use my DC far more for games. I use my PS2 more as a DVD player than anything right now... until Gran Turismo 2 comes out, I'm sure.

If you need a DVD player and think you might want a console, I would buy it. If you are unsure if you need a gameplayer, wait until X-Box comes out. I am not saying the X-box will be the end-all, but the forcast is that the PS2 will drop in price then to make it more attractive.

[slortar]

Originally posted by bernse
Bah. The only real reason that the DC looks better than a PS2 is because it is a more mature system. The VGA output looks nice, but the odd time I have actually seen it you could see "jaggies" more plainly. It is nice though. Give it another 6-12 months and we will see more of what the PS2 is capable of. The graphics always improve as the console matures. The DC has something like more than a year of a headstart over the PS2.

That being said, I have both a PS2 and DC and I use my DC far more for games. I use my PS2 more as a DVD player than anything right now... until Gran Turismo 2 comes out, I'm sure.

If you need a DVD player and think you might want a console, I would buy it. If you are unsure if you need a gameplayer, wait until X-Box comes out. I am not saying the X-box will be the end-all, but the forcast is that the PS2 will drop in price then to make it more attractive.

Couldn't agree more. But at a purely price-to-play ratio it's a steal. I bought it with the same mindset that I'd buy, say, a Nintendo at a garage sale. The part of me that camps at Best Buy waiting for the newest games is already more than satisified with PC's.

[handy]

I think I have an Xbox already. All I have to do is turn on the tv & vcr, tune the vcr to a non-channel until I see a perfect Blue screen! :-)

[DKW]

Make yourself comfortable, Vinnie - I'm not very sympathetic when it comes to home consoles, especially now.

Is the PS2 worth it? Of course. If you're an incredibly hardcore, wired, Gameshark-users-are-inhuman-scum kind of player, and if you want sports, war strategy, and RPGs by the trainload. That, at least, is the impression I get every time I enter Software Etc. or Blockbuster Video, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. (There reportedly was a PS2 'Shark, but I haven't seen it.) Oh, hope you don't mind having to go to the four corners of the earth to find perhiperals. And I hope you don't mind having to wait weeks or months for anything, up to and including the system itself. See, this is a shrewd marketing plot by Sony; by holding everything back forever and a decade, they allow the gullible media to think that "they're just revving up" and "tons of incredible games are just around the corner". They've been regurgitating that tripe since before last Christmas, and I'm harboring serious doubts that there's any truth to any of it. Oh yeah, you can't modify the system to play imports (like you could with a Dreamcast, Playstation 1, or practically every other system before it). A "money" issue or something. Yeah, restricting the player's choices is a great way to make money for the system.

In other words, if you don't mind buying the system Sony wants you to buy, the games Sony wants you to buy, and the perhiperals Sony sees fit to make available, and in general mutely complying with Sony's freaking ridiculous politics, the PS2 is the perfect system. Sheesh. Can you imagine Atari getting away with this garbage? Of course, with the advent of the X-Box and Gamecube, the PS2's in a real danger of getting overwhelmed and pretty much blown out of the market (which wouldn't be hard at all...making the consoles, perhiperals, and games widely available alone would do it). In short the PS2 is in danger of sharing the DC's fate.

I haven't seen the X-box or Gamecube yet, but I'm not confident about them. All the X-box has going for it is hype. News flash, there are people who hate Windows (I used to be one of them). Just as Vince McMahon couldn't make minor league football work, don't assume that everything Microsoft touches will turn to gold. As for the Gamecube, it's produced by Nintendo, and, being Nintendo, will attempt to "kiddify" the system as much as possible. (Don't let anomalies like Conker's Bad Fur Day fool you; the N has been stacked toward "family values" for years, and I'm not expecting any sudden changes)

My advice? Don't buy anything just yet. Right now the industry's an absolute mess. Wait until the PS2 becomes a lot cheaper, or until you've had a chance to experience the new systems firsthand. (I cannot overemphasize the importance of actual hands-on experience.) If you must have a quality system, go for the Dreamcast. They're flagging right now, but lots of great games are available and shouldn't be too hard to find.

Failing that, why not go back to the ol' arcade. There are certainly worse places you could spend an extra hour or four.

[SPOOFE]

The X-Box. I won't touch one of those with a 10 foot pole. Mystery lock-ups, blue screens of death will be commonplace. I've heard the arguments... "X-Box is designed to be a gaming machine... not a computer." Uh-huh. It's still runs a Microsoft OS.
I should introduce you to Chas.E...

[rjung]

Originally posted by DKW
Failing that, why not go back to the ol' arcade. There are certainly worse places you could spend an extra hour or four.
You can still find an arcade near you? Wow! That's almost as impressive as finding an arcade game that's not a fighter, racer, or shooter.

Originally posted by SPOOFE
I should introduce you to Chas.E...
Heck, toss in Monster104 and you can sell pay-per-view tickets. :D

[hazel-rah]

As for the Gamecube, it's produced by Nintendo, and, being Nintendo, will attempt to "kiddify" the system as much as possible.

Actually, I read an article in Next Generation where they were talking to some Nintendo mucky-muck and he was saying one of the focuses of the Gamecube was going to be adult-oriented games, not in the porno sense, but more mature than the usual Nintendo Pokemon demographic.

Nintendo has Zelda, Metroid and Mario, so for me, there never was and never will be any contest. It's Gamecube or nothing. Cute and fun is how videogames should be.

-fh

[erislover]

Well, not an official PS2 owner but my roommate got one soon after it came out. I was, shall we say, impressed with its potential.

I, as well, am holding out for an XBox, though I probably won't even buy that when it comes out. I'm still catching up playing PS1 games for chrissake. :D

I think by next summer(maybe even spring) the best two of three will be clear, and that's when my money will go down. My bet is that it will be the Gamecube and the XBox. I think Sony has not ridden their wave very well, and a system can't stand without game designers(what the hell was with their video RAM anyway?!?!). The join-up of Sega with Nintendo is, if Sony has a brain in their whole outfit, a truly frightening proposition. The two best game designers ever, IMO.

I, too, think the DC was let out a little early. It is an incredible system. I still play Soul Calibur every day! :) I even went so far as to make Soul Calibur Techno songs, hahaha.

[Kaitlyn]

I have a PS2, and I think it's a good machine. I probably wouldn't have gotten it if it hadn't been effectively free. I managed to get six on the day they were released, sold five of them for $600 each, leaving me with a tidy profit of $1000 and a free PS2. I have Ridge Racer V, Tekken Tag, and Madden, which IMO, is the greatest video football game ever produced. Don't play a lot anymore, except for Madden, but at first, I had a great time, especially given the cost.

[SPOOFE]

So, Number Six, does that explain your screen name?

[Vinnie Virginslayer]

Originally posted by SPOOFE
So, Number Six, does that explain your screen name?

It should be Number SICK- as in he's one of those sick vultures that probably went out and bought 25 "Tickle Me Elmos" or Furbees for $30 then turned around and re-sold them for $300 to some desperate parents who just wanted to make their kid's Christmas special.
.
.
.
.
.

As a complete capitalist pig MYSELF, I LIKE IT!!!!! :cool:

[Tygr]

Over the long Easter weekend we rented one, plus a movie and a couple of games. In-laws were out of town and I let myself in the back window with a brick so that I could hook the PS2 up to their 36" flatscreen Wega TV and the surround-sound. I planted my FIL's recliner four feet from the TV and kicked it back to the half-reclining, shuttle-launch position. I played "Oni" for hours.

(One major bitch about renting a PS2 - they don't rent memory cards, too! Ya get killed, ya starts all over! Arg.)

This was really my first experience with a console after being a life-long keyboard warrior, (FYI, my favorite games are the Wolfenstein, Doom, Heretic, Hexen, Marathon, Duke Nukem, Quake types. FPS is de best!) so I actually played a little Tomb Raider first to get the hang of a game controller, before launching into Oni.

I figger I've played it on the near-optimal setup, so I gotta get one. I mean, I can't go back to the iMac with the 15" screen.

[Smeghead]

FWIW, I just rented "Twisted Metal: Black" and it's amazing. The levels are HUGE and the graphics detail is incredible.

[DKW]

rjung - There's two arcades near where I live, three others fairly close that I go to on occasion, and one indy place that I reserve for special occasions ('cause it's in the good part of town and it's kinda hard to find parking). Forget all the paranoia; there are still many, many places in the country with a terrific arcade scene. Fun Factory, in particular, is absolutely flying; there isn't a weekend where it isn't packed.

hazel-rah - I'm not concerned about the Nintendo's traditional favorites staying fun 'n cute. But I don't want to be overwhelmed with family-friendly cuteness (c'mon, some of us actually liked House of the Dead), especially when it comes to arcade conversions. Dammit, if it has blood, I want to see blood, not excuses. Furthermore, I detest in principle any company that makes needless changes to games due to political pressure. We're the gamers, not politicians, and we decide if you make a profit or loss, not them.

erislover - "Potential" means they haven't done it. And with each passing month, it looks increasingly unlikely that they ever will. The biggest problem, bar none, is the sheer lack of variety in the games. Where are the arcade conversions? The simple, dynamic ("arcade style" to you fanatics) sports and racing games? The extremely popular music games? Just because the Dreamcast didn't have a lot of RPGs doesn't mean they should produce nothing but RPGs, you know.

Actually, that's one of the most utterly baffling things about this system; it's lacking in areas I never even gave a second thought to for other systems. I took it for granted that the perhiperals would be produced and widely available, the system would be widely available, there'd be a wide variety of games, there'd be games I'd want to buy, and there wouldn't be horrendous delays. All this has been true for each and every system I've ever played on (yes, even the Neo Geo for a while). Now Sony's much-overballyhooed system arrives, and it seems that the only thing they ever produce for it is delays. I know ridiculous when I see it, and believe me...this is ridiculous.

[Tsugumo]

3 words: Game Boy Advance (http://pocket.ign.com/news/35712.html)

The PSX is dead (sigh...I hoped it wouldn't happen, but alas...the good part is I can find a lot more used games for sale nice and cheap now). The Dreamcast is cheap and has some good games, but it's dead (sure, they SAY it's not dead and they'll support it for a while longer, but realistically...). The PS2 is expensive and doesn't have the greatest selection of games yet, and probably won't for a little while until people push the system to its max. The X-Box and GameCube aren't out yet.

The GBA is out. It's really cheap (if you want to buy an X-Box in 6 months you could probably save up the money by then) and has anyone doing handheld games developing for it so you're guaranteed to get some good games...there's no competition and Nintendo isn't going to bring out an "Ultra Advance" or something dumb when they don't have to, so it's going to be around for a long time. And it's pretty damn cool, to boot, heh...That is, if you like 2d games. If you're dead set on playing 3d, then ignore this post and wait for a few months to see what happens when the X-Box and GameCube come out...

- Tsugumo

[Amp]

4 words: Game Boy Advance Sucks (http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=74509)

[handy]

GameCube has lots of kid & some adult games:
"Nintendo also showed gameplay footage of many other GameCube
titles in development, including Super Smash Bros. Melee, Luigi’s
Mansion, Starfox Adventures: Dinosaur Planet, Star Wars Rogue
Leader, Raven Blade, Wave Racer Blue Storm, NBA Courtside
2002, Disney’s Mickey, Donkey Kong Racing, Animal Forest,
Metroid Prime, Mario Kart, Eternal Darkness, Kameo: Element of
Power and Zelda for Nintendo GameCube."
(http://www.ebgames.com/ebx/news/content_item.asp?cont_id=22716)

Only $199 come Nov. 5 2001.

[Gozu Tashoya]

Speaking as a self-professed Sony whore, I have to say that I think the PS2 rocks, and that the Xbox, from what I've seen, doesn't.

I have played both systems so this isn't pure conjecture based on tech specs and whatnot, but, again, I'm not exactly unbiased either. Going purely by the Xbox's and PS2's E3 offerings (which pretty much make up every hot game you're going to see for the next 6-12 months or so), I have to go with the PS2.

Metal Gear Solid 2 looks absolutely amazing, as does Capcom's Devil May Cry if you like that kind of game (ftr, "that kind of game" translates roughly to a Resident Evil type game, but one that's really, really good - an oxymoron, I know, but still). There are of course, a whole slew of other games coming out, but these were the "killer apps," IMHO. Then there's also the "old" killer apps such as the aforementioned Madden (though this will be out for Xbox as well), Onimusha, TTT and DOA 2: Hardcore, and even Zone of Enders, even if it doesn't have the deepest game play in the world.

Xbox, on the other hand, had a showing full of less than impressive games (as did the GameCube, but that's another story altogether). Halo was pretty cool, but exhibited slowdown, and didn't look like anything special (kinda like what you'd expect a console port of Starsiege Tribes to look like). Similarly, the new Oddworld game didn't look like anything special as far as utilizing tech goes, nor did Microsoft's other E3 offering, Cell Damage, which was very cartoony and probably would have looked just as good on an N64.

OTOOH, Dead or Alive 3 is going to be an Xbox exclusive (for a couple months, anyway), and that looks like a hell of a fighting game, if you go for that kind of thing.

And, yes, I'm comparing first gen games against second (and third?) gen PS2 games, but if we're looking at something to buy now (or in the next few months), then that's something we're going to have to put up with.

FTR, although the PS2 does play DVDs, it doesn't necessarily do this well. I, personally, have had some image and vertical sync problems with some titles, especially anime DVDs. This may be just me, though, since I don't here much griping from anyone else.

Oh, and of course there'll be this game (http://www.avn.com/ng/query.cgi?act=detail&in=news&eid=8841) for both systems as well.

[Dark Lord Davidson]

I bought my PS2 in early January, and it was one of the shrewdest decisions I've ever made. I'm so glad I have it. Not only is it an awesome console, but a DVD player to boot. LOL, I even went out and bought a TV twice the size of my old one so I could enjoy it even more...

As said before, yes, there are a lot of games out there that...suck. But I think this'll be the case with any new console. Remember when PSone first came out? Compare some of those games to Metal Gear: Solid. As the system matures, it'll gain a lot. I bought Twisted Metal: Black a week ago, and it's the best game out for PS2, bar none. I can't wait for GT3 (I have it preordered, cackle), Grand Theft Auto 3 (which looks amazing in its own right), and of course..METAL GEAR SOLID: 2. The do-all, end-all. If I could play that game for an hour, I'd die a happy man. It's not like there aren't a million game review web sites out there, so you can pass on the stinkers...but there are still some very quality games out. At the moment, I own SSX, Madden 2001, Midnight Club Street Racing, Star Wars: Starfighter, Tekken Tag Tournament, Twisted Metal: Black, and Oni. I'd have to say the only game I regret buying is Oni (which I bought on the good word of mouth from my friend...WHO BOUGHT IT FOR THE GOD DAMN COMPUTER AND DIDN'T TELL ME OTHERWISE! The controls suck, and the rest of the game is pretty weak...). I'm really happy with the rest of them, especially Madden, SSX, and TM:B.


I'll be the first in line for PS3.

[SPOOFE]

I will also admit to being a Sony whore, just like KK, but my opinions of the PS2 still stand.

Additionally, I'd like to mention that Silent Hill 2 will, thankfully, be released on both X-Box and PS2. I was considering buying a PS2 just for this game... thankfully, now I don't have to.

(Never heard of Silent Hill? Well, to put it bluntly, it's the game that makes Resident Evil seem like a game of Chutes & Ladders).

[Mikahw]

A whole lotta words: GBA really isn't that bad. I really don't see why people are complaning about the screen brightness. I played it in the back seat of the car at 8:00 PM, and I could still see it. At 8:30 it was too dark to play though. If I could do that, you could certainly play it at home with a couple of lights on. All you have to do is hold it at the right angle.

As for the OP, go the retrogaming route. Get a SNES. Even if you have one, get every single good game ever made fo rthat thing. Seriously. It's cheap, and they're better than many games made today.

[teppei]

in anticipation of the x-box and gamecube, the price of PS2 in Japan is going down 4800 yen, which is sure to be mirrored in the US relatively soon. If I'm correct, 4800 yen roughly equals 50$, or a PS2 game. besides, a heck of a lot of games are coming out in the next few months, so you'll be able to better judge the software.

BTW, I wouldn't reccommend getting a dreamcast; manufacture of the system has halted, with less than 50 more games to be published. Don't get me wrong, it's a great system, with a few games that definately stand out. However, the 99$ would be better spent on a Next-gen system with a bigger library. Sega's gone 3rd party anyway; all of the good DC games likely will become ports anyway.

[erislover]

Originally posted by SPOOFE
Additionally, I'd like to mention that Silent Hill 2 will, thankfully, be released on both X-Box and PS2. I was considering buying a PS2 just for this game... thankfully, now I don't have to.
Ah, Silent Hill. Bar none my favorite Horror title. I, too, was a little worried about habing to get a PS2 for it, but Slick Willie Gates has saved us, hopefully.