Playstation 2--info wanted

Cafe Society
1

Ok, I give up. Video games for the computer are dead. I can’t remember the last video game (outside of TRON 2.0) that I bought and the systems are cheap enough that…well…what th’ hell. Th’ last console system I bought was…geeze…a Colecovision? A nintendo? It’s been a long time in any case.

So…couplea questions:

  1. Apparently there’s a Japanese PS2? And there’s games for it that can’t be played on the American version? Can the Japanese version play American games? Can a Japanese version be hooked up to an American TV? (I mean, it’s not set for PAL or anything, right? Japan is NTSC).

I think the game “REZ” looks cool, a buddy of mine is fascinated by “Silent Hlll 2”.

For me, I miss old fashioned games where I don’t have to worry about plot. Plot’s great and all, but dammit, I want a “just fun” game where I don’t have to figure out the motivations and secrets of 40 characters while making spreadsheets to figure out clues. I got months of play out of those great early '80s video games and no-one ever asked me to figure out Ms. Pacman’s motivations.

  1. So…this rantlet leads to the other question: are there games out there for the PS2 that I’d like?

Anything else I should know about the PS2?

Thanks,

Fenris

2

Right so far. The PS2, like the PSX/One and DVD players is rgion coded. Japanese games won’t play on an unmodded US/Canada PS2. It’s not terribly expensive to get your playstation modded, but Sony frowns on that, and it voids the warranty. (I’m pretty sure it was decided that it wasn’t illegal, though. But I might be wrong.) Same goes for the European version (IIRC, there’s only one region in Europe…)

Nope, region coding works both ways. And protects both markets.

I’m pretty sure it can.

You like fighting games? There’s a couple good ones for PS2 - Virtua Fighter 4, and Soul Calibur II, for instance.

They have stories, but they’re Fighters…you can safely ignore them.

There’s also a bunch of sports games, but I can’t reccomend any in particular.

Beyond that I tend to prefer games with a story that advances in the game, so I can’t help you.

3

Rez is a brilliant game, although it’s short, and hard to find these days. It’s more of a musical experience than a game, but it’s sweet. :wink:

If you like music games, be sure to check out Amplitude and Gitaroo Man, both are excellent. Or for something different, there’s always Karaoke Revolution. :smiley:

As far as games with unobtrusive plots? Check out the Sony brand platformers: Jak and Daxter, Jak II, Rachet and Clank (I and II), and Sly Cooper. All of them are incredible, and probably all $20 by now.

Sports? Madden 2004 is great, and 2005 promises to be even better. Winning Eleven 7 (soccer) is good too. If you like realistic racing, I’m told Gran Turismo can’t be beat (couldn’t care less myself). For alternative sports, Tony Hawk Underground and the SSX series both own. :wink:

4

Madden 2004 is good. Better than 2003 but not a revolution- 2005 will provide that.

GTA3 and Vice City both have “plots”, but you can ignore them completely and just cruise around killing stuff and so on.

5

Another good music game is Space Channel 5: Special Edition, which was ported from the Dreamcast and includes both the original and the sequel for $15. There is a plot, but it’s not important - CGI girl walks around in a miniskirt, aliens force people to dance, press the right sequence of buttons to save them.

Another good racing game is Midnight Club II. You can play it online with the PS2 network adapter (which you can also do with the music games Frequency and Amplitude).

Rez is awesome (but not cheap - I paid around $60 on eBay), as is the whole Silent Hill series. SH1 was made for the original PlayStation, and it’s showing its age, but SH2 and SH3 are both incredible.

Speaking of games without plot and games that are showing their age, Intelligent Qube is another great PS1 title, if you like puzzles and classical music.

6

There are at least two kinds of mod chips for the PS2. One will allow you to play pirated games, and is, as far as I know, illegal. The other type will allow you to play games from different regions, as Tengu notes, and as far as I know this is legal.

The first Playstation console was called the PSX. Now, Sony puts out a console that has the same capabilities, but is much smaller, and I believe it’s called the PS1 or PSO, for PlayStation 1, PlayStation One, or PlayStation Original. It can’t play the PS2 games, but it’s pretty small, and I believe that it goes for under a hundred bucks new. Sony also sells a tiny screen for this console, and a cable which plugs into a car lighter. I might have to get one.

One advantage of the PS2 is that it is backwards compatible with the PSX/PSO. There are a gazillion used games for the first PlayStation floating around out there, and most of them are pretty cheap. There’s also a gazillion used PS2 games floating around, too. Some of them cheap and some of them pretty dear.

If you get a PS2, you’ll need memory cards. The PS memory cards come in two flavors. The PSX games take PS1 memory cards, and are fairly cheap. The PS2 games need PS2 cards, which are more expensive but hold a lot more data. Unfortunately, you can’t use a PS2 card with a PSX game, or vice versa. So, you need to take this into consideration when buying a game. I’d start out with at least a PS2 card, and just remember to buy a PS1 card if you buy a PSX game. I know that you can buy an internet modem for the PS2, and I think you can also buy a hard drive for it (in addition to the memory cards), but I don’t have either of those accessories, so I can’t tell you about them.

There are at least some collections of old arcade games out for the PSX. I’ve got three or four, and sometimes I just get in the mood for blasting everything that moves, so I put one of those disks in and start slaughtering.

A word of advice…though it’s a fine game, I don’t think that CronoCross is the game you’re looking for…to get all the characters, you have to play the game at least two and a half times (you can end the game before the real ending), it has something like 44 characters, and it has a lot of story.

7

Currently, the hard drive only comes bundled with Final Fantasy XI. As more games come out that use it, presumably, the two will begin to be sold separately.

And, actually, having mentioned PSX games, I’ll reccomend a few, too.

Soul Blade (the game that Soul Calibur (for the Dreamcast) was a sequel to) and Battle Arena Toshinden are good fighters.

Spiro the Dragon 1&2 are pretty good platformers - although the controls are a little wonky.

8

I don’t know of any law that would ban the first mod chip but not the second. The DMCA should cover both chips, since the key words are “effectively controls access to a copyrighted work”. Both the anti-piracy system and the region control system do that; in fact, they’re the same system in the PS1 (not sure about PS2).

9

Fair warning about modchips…due to the amazing complexity of the PS2’s hardware, none of them is 100% reliable. My last modded system completely fried out when I tried to use a multitap on it. A short conversation with a Toys 'n Joys employee confirmed that this always happened with that cheapo chip. So, at considerable expense, I got a new system and modchip from them. And everything runs perfectly on it…except for my cheat devices.

I usually never recommend getting both systems, but if you’re serious about getting any fun out of any of the games and want to save yourself a TON of headaches, that’s what you pretty much have to do.

Now then, you wanted something simple and playable, huh? Well, surprisingly, there’s quite a bit to choose from. I’m about as unforgiving a gamer when it comes to too hard, irritating, no-fun-at-all games, so if I like it, I’m sure you will to.

Anyway, my current collection. These are all good.
DOMESTIC
Capcom vs. SNK 2 - One of the last great 2D fighting games. Tremendous fun.
Streeet Fighter EX 3 - An underrated fighter that’s actually pretty enjoyable once you get the hang of it. Lots of offbeat and one-of-a-kind fighters.
Swing Away Golf - An enormously satisfying, gratifying golf game. You’ll be playing this for as long as you own a PS2. A few areas that could use some improvement, but overall one of the best PS2 games to own ever.
G1 Jockey 3 - The deepest horse racing game I’ve ever seen; replay value by the trainload and all kinds of achievements to shoot for.
Gallop Racer 2003 - I got this recently, so I haven’t really gotten into it, but it has the potential to keep you going for years.
CART Fury - High speed, visceral, primal, unrealistic, stupid, dirty pedal-to-the-metal racing. Oh yeah.
Hot Shots Golf 3 - One of the less serious, simpler golf games out there. Good stuff.
DDR Max and DDR Max 2 - The enormously popular dancing game. Plenty of songs not in any other version. Need I say more?

I also got SSX and Top Gear Daredevil as gifts, but haven’t really gotten into them yet.

IMPORT
Beatmania IIDX series (4 games) - This music-making game is huge in Japan and has a highly loyal following stateside. One of the tougher music games, but very rewarding once you get good at it.
DDR Max, Max 2, and Extreme - Yeah, I got these too. How could I not?
Pop 'n Music 7-9 - I cannot recommend this series enough. It’s pure delight and caters to players of all skill levels.
Guitar Freaks/Drummania (2 games) - One of the more offbeat PS2 lines; definitely worth it if you’re into music games.

Recommended rentals:
Def Jam Vendetta - Got this as a gift as well. It’s an extremely complicated wrestling game, and even finishing a match can be a chore. And depsite the numerous characters, there really isn’t much replay value. Still, it’s worth a rental for the sights, sounds, and general atmosphere of the game.
Silent Scope series - Konami’s innovative shooter. Tremendous fun…but only for a few days. Ideal as rentals.
Klonoa 2, Lunatea’s Veil - This can either be a rental or a purchase depending on your situation. At any rate, play it. It’s a rare game that combines simplicity, beauty, innovation, and fun so perfectly.
18 Wheeler - An offbeat racing game that, IMHO, every PS2 owner should play at least once. You’ll get a lot of stress out of your system smashing everything in sight.
Unison - Music. Dance. Sexy babes. A cheesy story that The Simpsons wouldn’t touch. What’s not to love? (Don’t ever buy this, however.)

My GameFAQs stuff! http://www.gamefaqs.com/features/recognition/8940.html

Hope all this helps.

10

Oh, one more thing.

Get a Codebreaker. Now.

I know some gamers have qualms about the ethics and whatnot, but I’m telling you, every PS2 game will eventually screw you 99 ways from Tuesday. Might take a week, might take six months, but it will happen. (The only exception I’ve ever seen is Klonoa 2.) You don’t have to use it all the time…just whenever you need it. Like, say, when the CPU in that football game throws balance out the window and puts 28 points on you in two minutes. Or when all the opposing cars go through the entire course on rails, while you’re slippin’ and slidin’ and bangin’ walls. Or when absolutely none of your attacks connects, while they pull off 5,000-hit combos like nothing and make the perfect counter every time. Horrifying injustices that have you tearing your hair out will happen, and when they do, there’s nothing you can do about it. There’s only one way to prevent them, and it sure as hell isn’t “practice” or “getting better”. Get an equalizer and preserve your sanity.

Don’t ever use it for online games, however. That’s the #1 guaranteed thing to get your account cancelled and earn the ire of the entire online gaming community. Keep your dirty deeds where no one who’ll take offense has to know.

11

The others have already pretty much covered the mod-chip discussion, so I can’t add much except: it’s really not that big a deal. 99.99% of the time, if a Japanese title is cool enough, it will get ported to a US version. (Vib Ribbon being a notable exception… grrrrr…)

IMO, the only reason to have a can-play-imports mod chip is if there’s some obscure Japanese-only title you have to have, or if something really big just came out and you can’t wait for the companies to get around to translating it. I work in videogames, and I just recently got a mod-chip, and then only because I really, really wanted a Taiko drumming game I bought in Tokyo. For somebody who’s a self-confessed casual gamer, I don’t really see the point of going through the hassle and extra expense.

My recommendations:
Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance is as close to a console version of Diablo as I’ve ever seen. (It’s not much like the PC Baldur’s Gate at all). Very streamlined RPG action gameplay, using a modified version of the 3rd Edition D&D rules, I believe. It’s a hell of a lot of fun. I haven’t tried the sequel, but it’s out there.

The Tony Hawk Pro Skater series is excellent all around (I haven’t tried Underground). I never, ever would’ve imagined I’d like a skateboarding game, but it’s just plain fun, even to people who couldn’t care less about skateboarding.

Same with SSX Tricky and SSX 3, but with snowboarding. I don’t think they’re as much fun as the Tony Hawk games, but they’re flashier.

In the rent-it-first category:
Rez is pretty cool, but I wish I’d rented it first. Not much long-term value to it, and it’s not really a “game” so much as an interactive music demo. If you like it, Amplitude is another music game that’s kind of like it (but not as imaginative), and it uses licensed music.

ICO is one of the best games I’ve ever played for any platform, but it may not be your thing. You play as a boy who has to guide a girl out of a castle as you’re both pursued by strange shadow creatures. It’s very puzzle-oriented, but they’re all ingeniously designed and on backgrounds that are just stunning. I usually describe it as being like MYST, if MYST had been rendered in real time and you actually cared what was going on.

Gitaroo-Man has already been mentioned, but I’ve got to second it. It’s very weird, and there may not be a lot of replay value to it, but it’s just cool.

Devil May Cry is the stupidest game I’ve ever loved. It’s way, way over the top and feels like a cheesy Hong Kong action movie turned into a videogame. There’s just something indescribable about using your two big-ass pistols to juggle evil reanimated marionettes in the air, while the screen flashes the words “Bravo!” and “Stylish!” on the screen.

Onimusha and Onimusha 2 are basically Resident Evil set in feudal Japan. I like them better than the RE series because you use melee weapons (swords), which are much easier to manage with the RE control scheme. The soul-sucking bit is neat, too.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is a very slick game, but you have to like jumping puzzles.

And if you change your mind and decide you do like story-driven games:
Final Fantasy Tactics is the best game ever made. (It’s a PS1 game, that will run on your PS2 if you get a PS1 memory card).

Suikoden III is a solid console RPG, but I’ve always loved the Suikoden series so I don’t know how non-console-RPG fans will take it. It’s not as spectacular as Final Fantasy X, but it also is more interactive and slightly less linear. I think the Suikoden games are all about fun, while the FF series is all about the spectacle and the story.

And I haven’t played them myself, but I’ve heard several people say that Ratchet and Clank and Ratchet and Clank 2 are the best platforming games around.

12

Nitpick: It’s Soul Edge. Either way, it’s a great game, as are its sequels.

13

Oops. It was a second-hand reccomendation, and the friend who handed me the title must have mistyped it.

14

Rez is a great game. Once you complete it, go back for 100%. Then try for 100% in time with the music :slight_smile:

Jak and Daxter is great, Jak II is a bit of a let down.
Ratchet and Clank one and Two are just brilliant, brilliant games, excellent playability, great storyline and some good jokes thrown in.

15

Thanks for all the great replies!

Couple more questions:

  1. How hard is it to mod-chip a PS2 if I decide to go that route? I’ll probably just get a US version for the moment.

  2. I’m really in the mood for…hell, I’m not sure how to describe it…more abstract video games. Think 1st / 2nd generation video games: Dig Dug, Tempest, Millipede, Breakout, Tetris, Missile Command. That sort of thing (but new. The idea of Dig Dug 2004 is not a pretty one! :stuck_out_tongue: ). The less realistic it is, the better. Eye candy…but non-realistic eye candy if that makes sense. (Super Mario Kart which I played on a friend’s N64 was the best racing game I’ve ever played: not so much because of the gameplay (which wasn’t bad, mind you) but because of the surreal landscapes…realism is, for me, a minus not a plus.) No interest whatsoever in sports games or fighting games. I dunno what the genre I’m looking for is called. “Arcade games”? “Retro Games” (except that usually means some lame update/port…and I want something new)

Fenris

16

Actually, normally I do (although that’s not what I’m in the mood for right now) and my pal and I were lamenting the fact that there’s no more turn based role playing games any more (Being able to pause a real-time game is not the same as a turn-based game) like the old Realms of Arkania games or Ultima.

Any turn-based role-playing games?

17

I second, third, fourth, whatever Ratchet & Clank which may be one of the best games ever, since I hate jump 'n runs with a passion but played this for a week straight with taking occasional breaks to stuff some crackers (and whatnot) into my mouth.

Also, I just love my little eyetoy. Usually people I try it on start out by saying: “Ah, stupid kid’s stuff. I’m not doing this…” and approximately five minutes later they’re jumping up and down in front of it excitedly, trying to karate chop their enemies into oblivion.

18

I’m randomly checking out the suggested games (thanks again, btw) and so far, Klona 2 and Ratchet & Clank look like games I’d be interested in.

19

Activision Anthology

Midway Arcade Treasures

Intellivision Lives!

Namco Museum

Did I mention I like old-school games?

20

Usually, it requires breaking open the PS2 and soldering some wires at key connection points. Some of the spots are extremely narrow, and a bad soldering job will destroy your PS2. If you’re good at that sort of thing, then go for it, but most places that sell the chip offer an installation service (and a decent place even will replace your PS2 if they break it).

A quick google search turns up a new thing called a slide card: Web Page Under Construction

Apparently the same effect, without modding the PS2 at all.

For the original PS1, I had a gameshark device that could also be used to play imports/backups, and it worked great, without having to mod my PS1.