Sony’s Playstation 2…

I know, the Sony Playstation 2 is in its “last throes” before the might of the PS3 [/Cheney], right?

Wrong, it seems as though the PS2 will still be alive and kicking for at least until March/April. In any case, I would advise getting a PS2 for one reason:

• You can play whatever PS2 or PSone title you have on the PS3…but it will only work up until certain points. Then it will freeze, and you’ll be one of many GameFAQs user that cries for help, talking about freezes on your PS2/3.

But yes, the Playstation 2 is backwards compatible with the PSone, but not without some trouble. PSone games will play on the PS2, however, that option is not without its problems (see above). Some PSone games (Metal Gear Solid: Special Missions) won’t load at all.

However, this can be ignored if you chose to buy the Playstation 2 slim(line) version (more on that later).

As a sort of (unintended) trade-off, the PS2 can enhance PSone games by speeding up disc read times and smoothing textures to improve graphics. However, speeding up disc read times and smoothing textures will also cause some problems for PSone games.

Speeding up disc read might cause games to have load failure or play incorrectly. Smoothing texture might cause the game to look off/funny in certain areas. Honestly, the display won’t all that noticeable, but I am just sayin’.

But those problems are nothing that can’t be turned off to remedy. Although there some issues will still be there.

Now there are three versions of the Playstation 2:

• The Original Playstation 2
• Playstation 2 Slim
• Playstation X

The original Playstation 2 has some differences from the later Slim version. The differences are fairly minor, but some of the older incarnations of the original Playstation 2 are unable to play DVD-RW and +RW discs. Also older incarnations of the original have louder fans (too cool off the system) and don’t possess progressive-scan output of DVD movies.

The Slim version of the Playstation 2 is, of course, smaller and thinner than the original and has a built in ethernet port (some also include a modem, but that depends on the market). The Slim version also removed HDD bay, which some title (Final Fantasy XI) required.

Note that the Slim version still has backwards compatibility issues with the PSone, so don’t think purchasing a Slim will make everything dandy.

The PSX is an utter failure…in Japan. Thus, you probably haven’t heard of it. If you have, then it may have been someone referring to their PSone. In any case, if you’re into importing, the PSX is a digital video recorder and DVD burner, that can also play your PS2 games.

But again, as it has to be imported (and is probably rare), its only recommend if 1) you speak and read Japanese, 2) you buy loads of import games, and 3) you really must have a digital video recorder, DVD burner, and a game console all in one.

Now that we pretty much have talked about all three versions of the PS3, I am going to give you some advice:

• When you buy this be sure to ask about the machine’s capability. Be sure to look at the box to see the available info on the console.
• Check the manufacturing date, generally that should be on the box or maybe the manual somewhere. As a general rule of thumb, if a console is new (or manufactured earlier), it could be buggy in some way (not always, but it is possible). Also, the older models have things you might want (HDD port), while newer models have stripped away such things…
• If you’re buying a used Playstation 2, I would recommend seeing a demonstration of the console in question. Things could be broken or missing. If the store doesn’t let you do so, then I suggest you make sure you keep the receipt and warranty and know the store’s return/exchange policy.
• Follow the general rules of the console/handheld buying guide.

Returning to the subject of the PS2, the console really kicks off the Sony tradition of being an entertainment system, rather than just a console.

The PS2 is capable of reading both PS2 game discs, CDs, and DVDs, meaning you can game, play music, and watch movies with just the PS2. Thus, you won’t have a jungle of wires behind your TV.

The PS2 is also capable of going online with the purchase of a network adaptor (the network adaptor is built into the Slim version). Additionally, while some games allow multiplayer online play, there’s no unified system for it, a la X-Box Live.

Thus multiplayer online is controlled by either the publisher or third party servers. This can lead to slow connections and such. The more recent PS2 online titles, however, support broadband connections exclusively.

That said, over all, the PS2 is a great buy for gaming and entertainment purposes. It has a nice collection of solid RPGs and many other excellent action/adventure, first person shooter/shoot ‘em ups, fighting/beat ‘em ups, etc titles available.

While the online multiplayer could use some fixing, its a bit late in the game for that, but some of the online multiplayer issues have been ironed out for later games. If you’re looking for great online multiplayer action, look elsewhere (the 360 and DS come to mind).

The X-Box 360 has similar capabilities to the PS2, and may be the better choice if you desire an entertainment system and great multiplayer online capabilities (in addition to some great action/adventure, FPS/shoot ‘em ups, fighting/beat ‘em ups, and platform titles). Again, that’s another topic.

The PS2 graphical power is strong, to say the least, comparable with those of the X-Box 360. But that, as are most things are, is subjective.

I would get it if you desire Playstation 2 games, but don’t want to risk possible glitches or freezes on the PS3. I recommend getting it to iron out graphical issues and load time issues on the later PSone games (Chrono Cross/Final Fantasy IX).

I also would recommend it for getting rid of clutter–its a DVD player, CD player, and game console all in one.