Death of the PS2?
While all eyes look to these new consoles, people forget that there is much life left in the Playstation 2
| 10 Feb 2007
The 15th of March will be a day long remembered by game enthusiasts, not only because Playstation 3 will launch in Europe after much delay and hype, but because this will be the day that the battle of the next-gen consoles will really begin. While all eyes look to these new machines, people forget that there is much life left in the Playstation 2 (having sold approximately 110 million consoles worldwide ) - many of today's key titles have been inspired by some true classics that have appeared on Sony's juggernaut.
Grand Theft Auto 3 broke new ground in the way we perceive videogames. For the first time there existed a living, breathing cityscape within a game. The title's crime edge brought it under immense controversy and if anything, helped its legendary success. The stunning but criminally underselling Ico from Sony has also been regarded by many in the gaming press to be one of the greatest games of all time, boasting devious puzzle sections, stunning visuals and emotional cut scenes. Escaping from a giant island prison had never been so breathtaking. Greek mythology epic God of War stunned critics with its balance of fluid combat and visceral gore as you took on the gods themselves in one of the most visually impressive titles on the system to date.
Innovative titles such as Singstar and Eyetoy: Play showed that games could be fun for all the family and introduced some truly inspired peripherals. These titles opened up new niche markets previously untapped by any other developer. Red Octane's Guitar Hero has wowed gamers with its unique guitar controller, allowing players to actually play along to their favourite tunes on screen in one of the most inspired titles to date. We have also seen the influx of 'cel-shaded' titles from Capcom such as cartoon beat-em-up Viewtiful Joe and the manga noir title Killer7 - beautifully drawn cartoons, verging on the edge of art - and both play like a dream. Take advantage of their cheap prices now because you need these in your collection! Capcom also reinvented the popular Resident Evil franchise on PS2 with the fourth installment receiving full marks in many gaming publications, making it the premier action game for anyone's collection.
Criterion's Burnout Revenge took driving games to the next level by shifting the focus away from being the fastest racer - instead the aim was to cause as much destruction as you could before you reached the finish line. The game's blistering speed and unbelievable crashes kept the adrenaline pumping throughout every beautifully created track. Causing fifty-car pile-ups was a joy to behold and even better when playing with three other friends. If that doesn't appeal then stick with Sony's Gran Turismo 4, boasting lifelike visuals and over 500 real car manufactures. This is as close to real racing as gaming has ever reached.
While it's all well and good to dwell on a console's past, the Playstation 2's future is looking as bright as ever with some important titles yet to be released. Top of many critic's must-have lists at the moment is the highly anticipated Final Fantasy XII from Square-Enix, which looks like it could be the best in the series if the reviews are anything to go by. God of War will be treated to its first sequel this year with gamers being promised more of the same brutal combat and screen-filling bosses to slay. Capcom continue their foray into cel-shaded design with the beautiful Okami, in which players control a mythical wolf goddess and must save a kingdom from darkness using the power of art. Capcom also release scrolling beat 'em-up God Hand this year -a fact that will be of interest to fans of games such as Streets of Rage or Double Dragon. Retro purists will also be happy to know that Sega release their Mega Drive Collection this year which has some 30 classic titles ranging from Shinobi to Sonic.
The Playstation 2 success story is one that is far from over, but its successor is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated consoles in history, with titles such as Heavenly Sword, Metal Gear Solid 4, Resistance: Fall of Man, Motorstorm and Ridge Racer 7 all looking to enjoy great sales in Europe. Roll on the next-gen!
Grand Theft Auto 3 broke new ground in the way we perceive videogames. For the first time there existed a living, breathing cityscape within a game. The title's crime edge brought it under immense controversy and if anything, helped its legendary success. The stunning but criminally underselling Ico from Sony has also been regarded by many in the gaming press to be one of the greatest games of all time, boasting devious puzzle sections, stunning visuals and emotional cut scenes. Escaping from a giant island prison had never been so breathtaking. Greek mythology epic God of War stunned critics with its balance of fluid combat and visceral gore as you took on the gods themselves in one of the most visually impressive titles on the system to date.
Innovative titles such as Singstar and Eyetoy: Play showed that games could be fun for all the family and introduced some truly inspired peripherals. These titles opened up new niche markets previously untapped by any other developer. Red Octane's Guitar Hero has wowed gamers with its unique guitar controller, allowing players to actually play along to their favourite tunes on screen in one of the most inspired titles to date. We have also seen the influx of 'cel-shaded' titles from Capcom such as cartoon beat-em-up Viewtiful Joe and the manga noir title Killer7 - beautifully drawn cartoons, verging on the edge of art - and both play like a dream. Take advantage of their cheap prices now because you need these in your collection! Capcom also reinvented the popular Resident Evil franchise on PS2 with the fourth installment receiving full marks in many gaming publications, making it the premier action game for anyone's collection.
Criterion's Burnout Revenge took driving games to the next level by shifting the focus away from being the fastest racer - instead the aim was to cause as much destruction as you could before you reached the finish line. The game's blistering speed and unbelievable crashes kept the adrenaline pumping throughout every beautifully created track. Causing fifty-car pile-ups was a joy to behold and even better when playing with three other friends. If that doesn't appeal then stick with Sony's Gran Turismo 4, boasting lifelike visuals and over 500 real car manufactures. This is as close to real racing as gaming has ever reached.
While it's all well and good to dwell on a console's past, the Playstation 2's future is looking as bright as ever with some important titles yet to be released. Top of many critic's must-have lists at the moment is the highly anticipated Final Fantasy XII from Square-Enix, which looks like it could be the best in the series if the reviews are anything to go by. God of War will be treated to its first sequel this year with gamers being promised more of the same brutal combat and screen-filling bosses to slay. Capcom continue their foray into cel-shaded design with the beautiful Okami, in which players control a mythical wolf goddess and must save a kingdom from darkness using the power of art. Capcom also release scrolling beat 'em-up God Hand this year -a fact that will be of interest to fans of games such as Streets of Rage or Double Dragon. Retro purists will also be happy to know that Sega release their Mega Drive Collection this year which has some 30 classic titles ranging from Shinobi to Sonic.
The Playstation 2 success story is one that is far from over, but its successor is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated consoles in history, with titles such as Heavenly Sword, Metal Gear Solid 4, Resistance: Fall of Man, Motorstorm and Ridge Racer 7 all looking to enjoy great sales in Europe. Roll on the next-gen!