Buying a Playstation 2

[Martok]

I'm looking at purchasing a PS2. Given how cheap they are now, it seems worthwhile to pick one up. I would appreciate some advice & input from you folks before I do so, however.

First of all, I'm wondering whether I ought to buy new or used. New Playstation 2's here in Minnesota go for approximately $120.00, and used ones for roughly $80.00. It doesn't matter to me a great deal either way, but I'd just as soon know whether or not spending an extra $40.00 to get a new one is really worth it. (If it helps to know, I'd probably have the PS2 turned on no more than around 10-15 hours a week at most.)

Secondly, I'm curious as to what games you guys recommend for the Playstation 2. There's a couple titles I already plan to get -- God of War, Gradius V, and Star Wars Legos II all look like fun -- but aside from that I'm really not sure what else would be good. (I'd especially love to get my hands on one of the Marvel vs. Capcom games, but a single copy costs an arm & a leg....and that's only when you can find one for sale at all.)

Part of my problem is that I'm not really sure as to what types of console games I'd like, although I can narrow it down at least somewhat. The following types of games are probably ones that would appeal to me: Fighting, RPG, "arcade"-style (such as the afore-mentioned Gradius), and racing. Genres that do not appeal to me include: Sports, puzzle, music/rhythm, & shooters (the latter type induces migraines and nausea). Aside from that, though, I'm uncertain as to what I would or would not enjoy. Any ideas?

[Fragony]

At least get Shadow of the Collosus and Resident evil 4, can't go wrong with those.

[King Kurt]

So - my old friend Martok is thinking of getting a console!!! - you must need something to pass the time during those long wintery Minnesota nights - you are snowed in for 6 months aren't you???
My experience of the PS2 is via my 9 year old son who gets a lot of fun out of his - he occasionaly lets me have a go...reluctantly!!
As to your questions... the new vs old choice is tricky. I would be tempted to go for a used model myself provided it came from a shop with a guarantee of say 3 months plus. What you save can be used to get the necessary extras - memory card, extra controller so 2 people can play etc. If you are lucky these come with it. The console appears to be quite rugged with not a lot to go wrong - so used is worth looking into, especially if you can find one with one careful old lady user!!
There are a lot of games out there now and fortunately the prices are really tumbling - used are good here as well - virtually all my son's games are 2nd hand. i don't know how things are in the States, but there are shops over here with a healthy 2nd hand game business - the advantge is that the games are cheaper in the first place and if you don't get on with any you can trade them in making the cost of a game a few pounds/ dollars. Lego Star Wars is brilliant - and good 2 player as well for father/ son bonding!! Driving games are good fun with plenty to choose from. After Lego, the game my son has played the most is Prince of Persia (the first one). That seems a nice combination of action and thought. The real gap in console games is strategy - especially historic based ones - but heh we have a good outlet on the PC for those needs.
One last point - if the console is for all the family then we have become big fans of the Wii - even my wife likes it!! - lot more money of course, but real fun for all the family.:2thumbsup:

[Bijo]

Don't get God of War: it's just a simple hack 'n slash game. Ask doc: he knows allll about it :slomo:

[Kekvit Irae]

Final Fantasy X, X-2, and XII. Despite what people may think about their own masculinity, X-2 is a deeply engrossing game and a 100-level dungeon that will make you want to rip out your hair.
Dynasty Warriors 5 + Xtreme Legends. Avoid Empires like the plague, however.
Romance of the Three Kingdoms X. This should complete your quota for strategy games.
Okami. What's not to love about drawing crap on the screen and getting rewarded for it?
Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance + Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistance. Two very worthy games in the series.

[Bijo]

Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance + Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistance. Two very worthy games in the series.
I concur. You should get them, Martok. However, if you haven't played the first one I would suggest to get that one too/first. PSX games should be compatible with the PS2. Hmmm, actually, it might not even be a bad idea to play 2 and 3 first before playing the first one, 'cause when you play 1 after 2 or 3 you could also be like "Ahhhhhh, cool. That's how it goes, hm?"

[Spartan198]

I'll look through my case and come back,but here's a quick list:
Spartan: Total Warrior - for obvious reasons.
Colosseum: Road to Freedom - Might be difficult to find,but if you do,pat yourself on the back! The main focus is basically hack 'n' slash,but there's a good story behind it and the character upgrade system provides some RPG stuff.
GTA: Vice City Stories - Doesn't have the glitz and glamour of San Andreas,but it's actually a decent game,especially for a PSP port. But shy away from the similarly-titled Liberty City Stories unless you suddenly become a GTA madman.
Metal Gear Trilogy - I concur with everyone else on Hideo Kojima's works of art. Metal Gear Solid WILL play on PS2,but to really make sense of the over all plot,play MGS3 first,then 1 & 2,in that specific order.
God of War 1 & 2 - They maybe just pointless hack 'n' slash and naked breasts (no pun intended),but it does provide somewhat of a theraputic (sp?) release when you're angry. Nothing like ripping a baddy's arm off and cutting him in half with it after you've been cut off in traffic! :furious3:

[Fragony]

Don't get God of War: it's just a simple hack 'n slash game. Ask doc: he knows allll about it :slomo:

I loved it to death. Excellent graphics, supurb music, great story, it's testosteron to the max from start to finish rrrrrrrrrrrrr

Since you didn't play it video review who did https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVdZhMCzNWE

[frogbeastegg]

Prince of Persia trilogy - 3 games for a budget price. Sands of Time is one of the best games of last generation IMO. Warrior Within is good if you mute the music and shut your eyes during the cutscenes - unless you like heavy metal and a whiny, swearing "I wanna be teh c00l!!11!" perversion of a formerly great character. Two Thrones dumps the metal music and black-clad Goth prince, and heads back closer to the Persian fairytale that was the first title.

Dragon Quest VIII. It's an old school style Japanese RPG. Huge! Took me around 70 hours to complete. Old school in terms of design elements: there's a world map, battles are tougher than the average JRPG, you only get 4 characters to make up your entire party. I didn't realise how much I missed wandering around an entire world in games like Shadow Hearts until I played this, and spent hours off the roads looking for treasure. It's got a good sense of humour too. Sky high production values ice the cake, with gorgeous graphics and good voice acting.

Ico and Shadow of the Colossus. Some love them, some hate them, others miss the point entirely. Play them and find out which category you land in. Short little games, no more than 10 hours apiece, with plots that are never fully explained, and gameplay which centres around a couple of ideas and refuses to budge into doing something different. I admit as I wandered around the vast, empty world of Colossus I wished they'd add some life to the place, something to do other than hunt the colossi. Then I'd find one and the battle would begin, and all was awe inspiring once again. Much the same deal in Ico; I'd be having a great time exploring and working out how to advance, then there'd be a battle and I'd loathe the game.

We love katamari. Don't ask me what genre this game is. It's about rolling a little sticky ball around so tiny objects fasten themselves onto it, making it bigger and able to pick up larger objects. Eventually you can gather up houses, people, planets. Different levels have different objectives, such as a certain sized ball in a set time limit, a ball made of certain objects only, or even a race. It's weird, the weirdest game I've played, and it's all Kekvit Irae's fault for recommending it to me! :p Nothing can demonstrate the sheer eclecticness available on consoles better than this

Okami. Read my topic (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=89458&highlight=okami) and go and buy it. Now. That applies to anyone else who does not own it.

Get both Lego Star Wars games. IMO the first is better than the second, but whatever your preferences they are essentially two parts of one whole.

To play the Metal Gear games you need a high cutscene tolerance. Do you want to watch your games yatter on for up to half an hour at a time, over and over again? Serious question, that. If you think you can cope with that then start with the first game on the PS1; the plot does follow on through the series.



When you've played a few games and can give us some comments on them we'll be able to give you a better series of recommendations.

[doc_bean]

Don't get God of War: it's just a simple hack 'n slash game. Ask doc: he knows allll about it :slomo:

I thought it was a pretty uneven game, but at budget price it's still worth getting imo.

[Martok]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! Much appreciated. :bow: