Worth purchasing ps2?

[athletics_fan]

Guys,

I need some advice and opinions regarding the purchase of a new slim ps2.

See, I already own an Xbox and had Xbox Live, but cancelled my account. I figured the free online gaming ps2 offers would make up for the $50/year you spend for XBL.

Also, the library of games and system size are what attracts me to the slim ps2, but is it worth a purchase if I already own a perfectly fine Xbox?

I hate sounding like a frugal person, but I'm very indecisive and $150 is quite a lot to spend.

Please help me out with some advice/opinions.

[bdoughty]

How many games on the PS2 are you intrested in that are not available on the Xbox?

If you have a few games you are intrested in do you have an EB or a Gamestop that has kiosks? If so ask them if you can play a few of those games. If the decision is limited to sports games I don't see it being worth it. Winning Eleven 8 is now on the Xbox and MLB 2006 (well you can read the complaints for yourself because I have not played it).

[Badgun]

Guys,

I need some advice and opinions regarding the purchase of a new slim ps2.

See, I already own an Xbox and had Xbox Live, but cancelled my account. I figured the free online gaming ps2 offers would make up for the $50/year you spend for XBL.

Also, the library of games and system size are what attracts me to the slim ps2, but is it worth a purchase if I already own a perfectly fine Xbox?

I hate sounding like a frugal person, but I'm very indecisive and $150 is quite a lot to spend.

Please help me out with some advice/opinions.

You must be beyond frugal if you cancelled Xbox Live. Hell, even pk's tight ass wouldn't do that. At 4 bucks a month it's probably the best value in gaming...period. It's worth it to me if I don't do anything besides download rosters and other content off of it.

Anyway, if you're big into platformers and rpgs, I'd say a PS2 is worth it, but keep in mind, that the PS3 may be out this time next year or by next Christmas at the latest. My guess is that the PS2 is going to be $99 within the next 3-6 months.

If I didn't already have a PS2, I think I'd be more likely to try and find a nice used one for less that $100. I just don't think they're worth $150 and it's very near the end of its shelf life.

Even though the PS2 does have some nice exclusives, most of them eventually make their way to the Xbox.

[Leebo33]

You must be beyond frugal if you cancelled Xbox Live. Hell, even pk's tight ass wouldn't do that. At 4 bucks a month it's probably the best value in gaming...period.

Badgun is absolutely right. I only play a few hours here and there on XBL and I still think it is a great value. PS2's online gaming is free because it can't compare IMO.

[pk500]

You must be beyond frugal if you cancelled Xbox Live. Hell, even pk's tight ass wouldn't do that.

Damn straight. Xbox Live is the ONLY thing that keeps me in console gaming. Fun times with the DSP boys. If it wasn't for XBL, I would have sold everything late last year, I'm convinced, even though I do enjoy playing stuff offline, too.

But I can't tell you how many times I've thought of selling everything to help eliminate clutter from my life, but the thought of not playing on XBL with the DSP boys and others always is a deterrent even if XBL play constitutes only 25 percent or so of my gaming time. But it's the most enjoyable time gaming, no doubt.

Back to the question: A'sfan, your logic in ditching the Xbox for the PS2 for free online play is flawed because you presume that the online experience for both consoles is similar. I've never played PS2 online, but the nearly unanimous feedback here and at other sites is that XBL is a far superior online experience than what the PS2 offers.

You really get what you pay for with XBL, so if online gaming is important to you, I think you made a mistake to ditch the Xbox for a PS2.

Also, if you're a sports gamer, the Xbox is a better console unless you're a 989 zealot. Hard drive for saves, faster load times, downloadable rosters, etc.

Otherwise, Bad is 100 percent right. The PS2 is a good rig for you if you're into RPG's and platformers, or Sony exclusives. Otherwise, I'm an Xbox pimp, all the way.

Take care,
PK

[Atxj]

I can vouch for the fact that PS2 online is horribly unstable. With the ability to connect via dialup, games are flooded with people on dial-up and it can be very frustrating looking for another person to play that has broadband. However if you were planning to get a PS2 for games such as GT4 and Metal Gear Solid and you care nothing for the online half of it then by all means go for it.

[GridIronGhost]

Some of my best played sports games online have been with the PS2. I have not had any problems, finding someone with a fast connection is no problem, finding a game is no problem. Madden online with the PS2 has 600+ players most of the time I log on as do most of the popular games. IMO my online experience has been better with the PS2 then xbox. I gave away my PS2 in early Dec and bought a slim PS2 when I saw one at Costco in Jan. and knew that MLB 2006 was coming out and was hyped here and other forums. So you can say I bought it just for one game.

My problem with PS2 is the memory cards, load times and graphics. Most of the games look like s*** on my high end TV's. Graphics look ok on standard TV's. I love sports games and owning several systems is not a problem as long as it has the games I want...it's all about the games in the end. With that said, my PS2 is prolly going to sit around collecting dust after I'm done with MLB 2006. I think that your going to spend more then $150, unless you already have a memory card $24, extra controller $24, games $30-$40 per title and a headset $30. It's going to take several years to see the money you saved from omitting XBL @ $50 per year.

[athletics_fan]

Yeah, I think I'll just buy another XBL subscription. You all are right - buying a ps2 just for a few titles isn't worth it. I do still have a memory card and extra controller from owning a previous ps2, but you all were right, the Xbox is far superior in sports gaming.

Thanks to all of you, I appreciate the opinions and advice. I'll be saving more money now

[skidmark]

I haven't had many problems with the PS2 online either, but I still think it pales in comparison to Xbox Live. Games I've played online with it are fun and work as they should, but Live is giving you a community along with the ability to play a game online.

With PS2 you fire up a game and wait for it to load up, then open up its online mode and wait for it to load up, then browse through your friends list (if the game supports it) or jump through rooms to connect to people you want to play with. With the Xbox, you just turn it on and it tells you who is on and what they're playing.

Then you have non-EA sports PS2 games, many of which leave you completely in the dark in connecting to others... so you are forced to setup your online gaming in advance via internet or phone calls. These games usually have plenty of trouble connecting as well because the company itself (or a 3rd party that they have hired for their online) is responsible for the server experience, as opposed to Microsoft's approach. Peripherals are another concern, because if you happen to have a headset for your PS2... there isn't much chance that you'll find someone else who does.

I own both systems and can go online with both, but my PS2 has collected a lot of dust since I purchased the Xbox. And, from the frugal standpoint, I have spent a lot less on average for new games on the Xbox compared to $50 a pop for PS2 games. Obviously, budget titles have been coming out on both, but it seems the Xbox has had more quality titles worth purchasing at budget prices than my days with the PS2 had.

[lexbur]

but you all were right, the Xbox is far superior in sports gaming.

I know I'm in the minority here, but I still have my launch-date PS2, and I bought an XBox last May. I'm only in to sports and racing games (offline).

At the time I felt the XBox purchase was worth it because TOCA2 was supposed to be an XBox exclusive and it's a great game. But a couple months later an improved TOCA2 came out for the PS2, which I traded my XBox version for. I still feel like a sucker.

Almost a year later I'm still waiting for the XBox-only game to come out that makes me feel my purchase was worthwile. Hopefully, Forza will be it.

The only game that comes close right now is Links, which is better than any PS2 golf game, but I don't think it's good enough to justify buying an XBox, especially since there doesn't seem to be any newer versions coming out.

Although I'll admit, if a game comes out on both systems (like MVP) I'll get the XBox version just because of the prettier graphics, the hard drive instead of memory card and the quicker load times. But I don't think that's enough to call the XBox "far superior" to the PS2 in sports gaming.

I don't think (offline-wise) either system is far superior to the other for sports games. If you already have one, you don't need both.

[dbdynsty25]

Although I'll admit, if a game comes out on both systems (like MVP) I'll get the XBox version just because of the prettier graphics, the hard drive instead of memory card and the quicker load times. But I don't think that's enough to call the XBox "far superior" to the PS2 in sports gaming.

The only sports game that has come out on both systems simultaneously that was better on the PS2 was NCAA 2005. That to me, is far superior.

[skidmark]

How much Toca2 do you play online on the PS2?


HD and better graphics is nice, but the online really is a much better experience. PS2 pretty much forces you to set things up in advance or just start jumping into random games (which can really turn you off for online).

[lexbur]

The only sports game that has come out on both systems simultaneously that was better on the PS2 was NCAA 2005. That to me, is far superior.

And the only sports game that has come out on both systems simultaneously that was better on the XBox was...??? That to me, is pretty much a push.

[dbdynsty25]

And the only sports game that has come out on both systems simultaneously that was better on the XBox was...??? That to me, is pretty much a push.

Every ESPN game to start...do you need me to name them all in the past two years?

[lexbur]

And the only sports game that has come out on both systems simultaneously that was better on the XBox was...??? That to me, is pretty much a push.

Every ESPN game to start...do you need me to name them all in the past two years?

Really? I honestly did not know that.

I thought they were basically the same games, the only difference was maybe slightly better graphics on the XBox. I didn't know there were any significant differences gameplay-wise like there are with NCAA and TOCA2.

Good thing I have an XBox then.

[Boom]

I think the PS2 gets a bad rap for it's online capabilities, but XBL is better overall.

I don't play randoms (except for about a month stint w/ Madden) and do most of my online gaming setups w/ friends via AIM.

SOCOM II is probably my favorite console online game ever.

I like the PS2 a lot and would hate to have to choose between my XBOX or PS2 because it would be a tough decision for me. PS2 + Hard Drive + HDLoader is a beautiful thing.

That being said, if it's just for a couple of games I'd probably hold off for the next wave of consoles to hit.