Buyer's Guide - Playstation 2

Sony has dropped the price of the Playstation 2 to $99 in the US. While this is certainly newsworthy, being a landmark price point for a still popular console with an immense back catalogue of games, the more sceptical amongst us will question the validity of such a move.

Developers and consumers alike have been screaming for a PS3 price drop for some time, but instead we get a cut price version of a system that the vast majority of gamers already own. But, let’s focus on the positives. The PS2 has enjoyed an astounding shelf life and this price drop should give it the swansong that is so deserves.

So, in light of this news, I feel that now would be a good time to have a retrospective look at the best selling games console of all time and some of the games that made it what it is.

The Low-Down –
Since its launch in 2000, the PS2 has sold over 136million units worldwide as of the end of last year, and will support a game library of over 1900 titles come the end of 2009. It was the first system to integrate DVD technology and of course featured backward compatibility with the PS1, adding literally thousands of pre existing titles to the PS2 experience.

Plans for the system were officially unveiled in March 1999, and the Emotion Engine, a graphic processing chip, particularly impressed. Crowds flocked to electronic stores upon release, and there were huge shortages. In fact, one unhappy gamer threw himself off a rooftop in Akihabara. The machine garnered further publicity, as the Japanese Ministry of Trade limited multiple exports of the PS2 due to concerns that its powerful hardware could have military implications, namely that it could be used as part of a missile guidance system!

In time, the PS2 would overcome supply shortages and as more games were released, consumers began to spend more on the PS2. Initially, there were fears that consumers would merely pick up the system as a cheap DVD player and not buy software. Due to a lack of release titles, these fears were well founded, but eventually a steady stream of well received games alleviated this problem.

From there, the PS2 went from strength to strength and would eclipse the benchmark for success set by the PS1.

The best selling games worldwide (taken from wikipedia.org)

1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
2. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec
3. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
4. Grand Theft Auto III
5. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
6. Final Fantasy X
7. Final Fantasy XII
8. Kingdom Hearts
9. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
10. Madden NFL 2005


My Recommendations –
Since getting my PS2 in the summer of 2001, I have played and enjoyed a wide variety of games. Here are a few of the titles that I would most recommend picking up –

Metal Gear Solid 2 & 3
God of War 1 & 2
Timesplitters – Future Perfect
Final Fantasy X & XII
Red Faction
Resident Evil 4
Shadow of the Colossus
Onimusha
Devil May Cry
NBA Street
Rez
Okami
GTA3
Max Payne
Manhunt