PS2 Appreciation Thread

[ElkinFencer10]

I would go the other direction on that. The Wii/DS have plenty of odd or unique releases (like the Endless Ocean games you've been posting about recently). Maybe not all the exact same things, but any system is like that.
Where the Wii (particularly) isn't as similar is that it largely didn't get the big AAA titles, outside of first-party efforts. If it did get some version, it was probably cut down or even a spinoff title.

Some of those spin-offs, however, were every bit as good as the source material. Dead Space: Extraction and House of the Dead: Overkill (both of which were originally exclusive) immediately come to mind. Although they weren't AAA games, there were also some amazing exclusives - Red Steel 2, MadWorld, No More Heroes (started exclusive and the sequel still is), Monster Hunter 3, and Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, for example.

Most of the AAA releases it got, however, were - as you said - super cut down. The pathetic ports of Call of Duty 3 and 4 as well as Dead Rising come to mind (although I actually enjoyed the Wii port more than the original).

In fairness to the Wii, though, there were a handful of multiplats that - at least in my opinion - played best on the Wii. Okami, The Force Unleashed, and 007 Goldeneye, for example.

[radaxian]

Well said! I have to agree that that it doesn't really matter if the PS2 or any other console is or isn't considered retro, its really just a buzz word and ultimately all consoles will eventually fall under that banner.

I really enjoy getting an old console that I never had as a kid and discovering the library of games that I missed out on. PS2 is pretty epic as far as choice for games goes.

I like this article on the "is it retro yet" topic - https://www.retrosales.com.au/blogs/retro-gaming-news/78013445-what-qualifies-as-retrogaming

Does it really matter? It's a bit of a tired question really. Is this still a fun system with fun games? What are those fun games? Those are more interesting questions. I mean are you going to be more interested in the PS2 because it's retro and that's gonna give it some sort of cultural cachet?

[digimonfreak]

Well the only thing I consider retro is 16bit and down

[mas]

It's been over a month since the last post. Anyways tomorrow I'm going to go thru some ps2 games. Found mad mistro, gta vice city stories, 18 wheeler, for 1.00 each. I'm not complaining. Still looking for outrun 2006, sega classics, guilty gear series, kof 98 and the Sony library first title games. Ratchet and clank, jam and Dexter, ico etc

[Fragems]

PS2 market is running dry locally . About the only stuff popping up are scratched up copies of the extremely common games. Prices are still sweet at $1 a piece at most pawns though and there is still the occasional super find like Xenosaga III CIB in pristine shape for $1 a few months back. Recently I've shifted more towards Amazon though. Been having good luck with Amazon Warehouse aside from the copy of Galerians: Ash that I had to send back the other day after it showed up disc only didn't realize it was a sequel either so I'll have to keep a look out for Galerians . Even after all these years of hunting and after accumulating 500+ PS2 games I'm still finding new titles I've never heard of most at considerably cheap prices pretty regularly so it's definitely one of my favorite consoles to collect for.

[mas]

I thought I would bump this. Reason for it is because I was offered to take a ps2 and games off someone's hands but reluctantly said no. Not that I didn't want to believe me I did but I recently sold everything I owned except for my modded Wii and my nes and master system. Those two systems are the two I always go back to and my memories are most with them
Anyways I look at Craigslist and Facebook and it seems like now would be a perfect time to get into it for anyone who collect the ps2.
Do people still play it or is it another system going to be like Atari. Games so cheap you could give them away with no value

[Markies]

I still play the PS2!

Surprisingly, I think the PS2 market is beginning to get a little hot. Those rare RPG's are going up in price like the Wild Arms series and the Growlanser Generations pack.

For how cheap the PS2 used to be, some of the games are getting above retail price and some middle of the road games are getting over $20.

Since the console had such a HUGE library, I don't think there will be many completionist for the system. Very few crazy people would want an entire PS2 library.