Japanmanx3
Member
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Is it possible the PS2 is the worst PlayStation console?
- Thread starter Ol No Bones
- Start date
Lion Heart
Banned
All Playstation consoles are amazing but PS2 is the weakest for me. Just rating my enjoyment of the consoles in the era they were available, I would go:
PS1 > PS3 > (Xbox OG) > PS2 > the rest
Its weakness relative to the competition was apparent after 2002 and I migrated my gaming to the OG Xbox. There was so many technically stunning games on the Box and I love tech and admiring art in games. Plus the PS2 was missing a lot of western stuff and games like Shenmue II, PGR, Halo really captivated me.
It had dozens and dozens of great games but it wasn't even my primary system.
PS1 was legendary, I was a kid so it was more impressionable but it also had some amazing games and some of the best in the franchises. It was a magical time.
PS3 had so many classics and under appreciated games, plus Sonys first party really made a name for themselves and came into their own. Each one seemingly surpassing the next with visual flair and great art. Uncharted set the bench mark, then came MGS4, then KZ2 which was arguably topped by U2, followed by GOW3 smoking everyone and then GT5 setting the precedent in its genre and on and on.
The PS4 era is off to a great start and the gen is looking promising. The huge RAM upgrade is really allowing for these massive worlds to be built but also we are getting smoother experiences with regards to installs and less visual hiccups. This could be the best yet imo. No longer are we just rendering deserts and warehouses, devs are really stretching their creativity with regards to game worlds. Flora everywhere, trees, beautiful cities, green grass and waterfalls. It really immerses you in the game world.
Genre variety is making a comeback and Japanese devs are killing it. Its early but I can see this being my favourite.
I place no importance on how things "age" as most people won't play 1% of a systems library a year after it concludes, nor do most people have time to juggle two systems libraries. All that matters to me is how much entertainment a console brought me while it was in my rotation.
PS1 > PS3 > (Xbox OG) > PS2 > the rest
Its weakness relative to the competition was apparent after 2002 and I migrated my gaming to the OG Xbox. There was so many technically stunning games on the Box and I love tech and admiring art in games. Plus the PS2 was missing a lot of western stuff and games like Shenmue II, PGR, Halo really captivated me.
It had dozens and dozens of great games but it wasn't even my primary system.
PS1 was legendary, I was a kid so it was more impressionable but it also had some amazing games and some of the best in the franchises. It was a magical time.
PS3 had so many classics and under appreciated games, plus Sonys first party really made a name for themselves and came into their own. Each one seemingly surpassing the next with visual flair and great art. Uncharted set the bench mark, then came MGS4, then KZ2 which was arguably topped by U2, followed by GOW3 smoking everyone and then GT5 setting the precedent in its genre and on and on.
The PS4 era is off to a great start and the gen is looking promising. The huge RAM upgrade is really allowing for these massive worlds to be built but also we are getting smoother experiences with regards to installs and less visual hiccups. This could be the best yet imo. No longer are we just rendering deserts and warehouses, devs are really stretching their creativity with regards to game worlds. Flora everywhere, trees, beautiful cities, green grass and waterfalls. It really immerses you in the game world.
Genre variety is making a comeback and Japanese devs are killing it. Its early but I can see this being my favourite.
I place no importance on how things "age" as most people won't play 1% of a systems library a year after it concludes, nor do most people have time to juggle two systems libraries. All that matters to me is how much entertainment a console brought me while it was in my rotation.
william_557
Member
Ps1 is easily the best consile of playstations but you can't deny the ps2 was a big seller despite not having a massive number of amazing games
Though i don't think fondly of kingdom hearts and sly cooper especially
Though i don't think fondly of kingdom hearts and sly cooper especially
PS2 gave me FFXII and Romancing Saga, for that alone you won't see me shitting on it.
I can't play these games on anything BUT a ps2, there's no remaster version I can get with better framerate or whatever.
So yeah I'll keep my ps2 while I'll wonder why I even need to bother with mostly broken ps1s or a ps3 with nothing that interesting.
I can't play these games on anything BUT a ps2, there's no remaster version I can get with better framerate or whatever.
So yeah I'll keep my ps2 while I'll wonder why I even need to bother with mostly broken ps1s or a ps3 with nothing that interesting.
Oublieux
Member
Y-you dare utter those remarks on my beloved FFXII! Bah!
In seriousness, yeah, FFXII is a classic to me but it's a divisive game just like FFVIII from my personal experience.
In any case, as much as I loved my PS3, PS2 easily trumps it for me--just way too many JRPG's I adored on that console whereas there was a total dearth last generation in general. PS1, on the other hand, reigns king. With the transition to 3D being popularized, I felt PS1 was the time period in which creativity really flourished with the addition of an extra dimension.
Yeah, I just didn't bother mentioning them just like the developers didn't bother using them.
Do you remember pressing x uncomfortably hard for minutes because you couldn't feel when you weren't giving full throttle anymore? Best of all was that with the about 1mm mushiness the buttons gave you it was still practically impossible to press these buttons only half the way in without an on screen indicator.
Racing games where better by default on every other console.
Laughing Banana
Weeping Pickle
From the perspective of build quality, probably. Man... how many times I have to replaced/fix my PS2........
But in terms of games, hell naw. No console was, is, and probably will be, able to have such a diverse library of games as good as PS2.
You're insulting Shinobi, Morrigan? You're insulting Shinobi??? Minus 1000 points for you
But in terms of games, hell naw. No console was, is, and probably will be, able to have such a diverse library of games as good as PS2.
You're insulting Shinobi, Morrigan? You're insulting Shinobi??? Minus 1000 points for you
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Shinobi III is one of my favourite games of all-time.You're insulting Shinobi, Morrigan? You're insulting Shinobi??? Minus 1000 points for you
Shinobi on the PS2 is a travesty. A repetitive, coma-inducing hack-and-slash (pardon, "character action" e_e) with zero thought put into level design. Fuck that game.
Benzychenz
Member
Not possible.
I'd rank is PS2>>PS1>PS3
I'd rank is PS2>>PS1>PS3
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
It is impossible, especially in light of what a trainwreck the PS3 was (and still is) content-wise. I don't think I've ever been so let down by a console... yet, the PS2 is, at worst, my second favorite system ever thanks to an ungodly amount of great games.
Laughing Banana
Weeping Pickle
You and I can't be any more different about this, hahaha.
It has its problems, sure (what game don't?) but up to today, as far as I can remember, it is the only "character action" or even perhaps the ONLY game that I bothered finishing in all difficulty up to Super, getting all the unlocks and collectibles.
The feeling of finally vanquishing the last boss in Super difficulty in Shinobi PS2 elicited in me one of the most satisfying, if not THE most satisfying, feeling of accomplishments I have ever felt surmounting a challenge in video game. I literally yelled out loud, hahaha.
ramoisdead
Member
Here's how I rank it:
PS2>PS1>PS3>PS4
PS4 is at the bottom since it hasn't even hit the middle of its cycle.
PS2>PS1>PS3>PS4
PS4 is at the bottom since it hasn't even hit the middle of its cycle.
MidgarBlowedUp
Member
Are you still bitter about the Dreamcast?
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
Whoah! Hahaha!
Some of the greatest modern day franchises were born on that system. It changed gaming.
Imru al-Qays
Banned
It's certainly my least favorite (profile pic notwithstanding), but I think that has more to do with when I was playing it (middle and high school) than with any inherent flaw in the library. I played a ton of PS1 in elementary school, but I stopped playing games almost entirely at some point in high school, which would have been right in the middle of the sixth generation, and didn't start up again until the PS3 slim came out. So I think I missed most of the generation.
magicalsoundshower
Member
To be honest, I found the PS2 kind of boring when it came out. I've always preferred quirky systems with more of a character to them. It seemed like a beefed-up PS1 with a DVD player and its peers seemed to be able to pull off better graphics in their (few) exclusives. To this day, I still don't own one.
While I didn't get a PS1 either, I remember getting a lot closer to buying one. To me, it seemed incredible back then with the awesome 2D games and great-looking ports of arcade games it was getting while it was still only out in Japan.
But: You can't deny that the PS2 had a ton of great games. If you wanted some of the best titles from pretty much all genres, it was the console to own. I'm pretty sure that if I had been more into console gaming back then when it was new, I would have gotten over my initial dislike of the system and bought one. I'm now waiting for more PS2 classics to show up on PS4, by the way.
While I didn't get a PS1 either, I remember getting a lot closer to buying one. To me, it seemed incredible back then with the awesome 2D games and great-looking ports of arcade games it was getting while it was still only out in Japan.
But: You can't deny that the PS2 had a ton of great games. If you wanted some of the best titles from pretty much all genres, it was the console to own. I'm pretty sure that if I had been more into console gaming back then when it was new, I would have gotten over my initial dislike of the system and bought one. I'm now waiting for more PS2 classics to show up on PS4, by the way.
Cave Johnson
Member
It's getting more insane each time.
StoppedInTracks
Member
Slowclap.gif
DragonGirl
Banned
As far as I'm concerned, the PS2 is Sony's best console software-wise. The PS1 was good, it built into great for the PS2, then rapidly went downhill with the PS3, and flat lined at the PS4,- as far as my gaming tastes go.
SolidSnakex
Member
Not only would I put the PSone above the PS3, i'd say that it's easily above it. You have the obvious titles like MGS, FF, Twisted Metal, Wipeout, SH, RE, SotN, Tekken etc. But i'd argue one of the greatest things about the PSone was the amount of originality we saw. For most devs it was their first time working on 3D hardware. And aside from that, no one really knew what the public wanted. Dev costs also weren't sky high, which all combined led to developers being able to just let their creativity run wild. Which led to us getting games like IQ, Devil Dice, Ore no Ryouri, LSD, Parappa, Bust a Groove, Incredible Crisis and so on.
The PS3 turned out to be great. But I don't think it can really compete with the PSone in terms of the number of memorable franchises that came out of it as well as the amount of originality in the software.
I know this has probably already been said - but the short (and correct) answer is that because gaming tastes are subjective, the ps2 will 100% certainly be the worst PlayStation console for a number of people. So yes - it is possible.
My personal take? JRPGs are the biggest factor. If you have even a REMOTE interest in JRPGs, I don't think you can reasonably say the PS2 was the worst PS console. For mostly any other genre, it's up in the air.
The PS2 has my favorite game of all time on it, so naturally I don't think its the worst. I'd say the PS4 is at the moment, but that's hardly fair. Dark Souls 3 and Nier Automata will hopefully cancel out two of the PS3's biggest advantages over its successor, though.
EDIT: Scrolling through the rough-list I keep of my top 30 games:
PS1:
3. Suikoden II
7. Final Fantasy VIII
TOTAL: 2
PS2:
1. Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
4. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
13. Shadow of the Colossus
18. Journey
23. ICO
TOTAL: 5
PS3:
8. Dark Souls
16. Demon's Souls
26. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
27. Nier
TOTAL: 4
PS4:
None
It seems my personal tastes have the PS2 in the opposite position, at least based purely on quantity.
I haven't updated this list in a while though. I probably should, but ranking stuff is such a chore. Though it's fun to see how the results turn out.
My personal take? JRPGs are the biggest factor. If you have even a REMOTE interest in JRPGs, I don't think you can reasonably say the PS2 was the worst PS console. For mostly any other genre, it's up in the air.
The PS2 has my favorite game of all time on it, so naturally I don't think its the worst. I'd say the PS4 is at the moment, but that's hardly fair. Dark Souls 3 and Nier Automata will hopefully cancel out two of the PS3's biggest advantages over its successor, though.
EDIT: Scrolling through the rough-list I keep of my top 30 games:
PS1:
3. Suikoden II
7. Final Fantasy VIII
TOTAL: 2
PS2:
1. Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne
4. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
13. Shadow of the Colossus
18. Journey
23. ICO
TOTAL: 5
PS3:
8. Dark Souls
16. Demon's Souls
26. Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons
27. Nier
TOTAL: 4
PS4:
None
It seems my personal tastes have the PS2 in the opposite position, at least based purely on quantity.
I haven't updated this list in a while though. I probably should, but ranking stuff is such a chore. Though it's fun to see how the results turn out.
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Nah. The PS2 is better than the PS3 for JRPGs (note, I am not counting Dark Souls as a JRPG), but not the PS1. In fact I would say the decline of JRPGs started with the PS2 and maybe even the late PS1, with the 16-bit and early-to-mid PS1 being better for JRPGs.
345triangle
Member
it's 7000% impossible that it isn't the best. OP is on veritable crack.
I agree. My point was more that I can't imagine ANY JRPG fan preferring the PS3 (and PS4 I suppose) over the PS2/PS1. So I'd find it unlikely someone with an interest in JRPGs would ever have a set of tastes that ended up with the PS2 at the bottom.
I personally think the PS1 had a greater breadth of excellent JRPGs, while the PS2 had a greater depth - a handful of classics, but those classics were best in class. Especially Nocturne. PS2 also has the added benefit of the two good Shadow Hearts, which don't really have an equivalent competitor on PS1 (Koudelka is the same franchise, yes, but I think mechanically it's a very different game).
EDIT: Though I suppose that's not fair since the PS1 has Chrono Cross, which also doesn't have a good PS2 equivalent. I guess it goes both ways.
matrix-cat
Member
The PS3's the worst Playstation by a long way for me. Just such a shitty user experience, constantly having to download 150MB system updates, huuuuuge patches for games, never-ending installs, slow-as-molasses PS Store, worst controller, ugliest design, shitty multiplatform ports, and all the worst entries in the big PS-exclusive (or formerly exclusive) franchises: MGS4, GTA IV, GT5, DMC4, FFXIII. The Last Guardian skipped the console completely to avoid being associated with that bunch 
PS2's the best console ever made. Look at this shit:
Jesus Christ, what a fucking line up, and in its first year!
PS2's the best console ever made. Look at this shit:
Jesus Christ, what a fucking line up, and in its first year!
hydragonwarrior
Member
Yeah PS2 had a lot of memorable games and there was still a trickle of PS1 type weird games that were trying to make it in then.
When PS3 and the whole HD gaming rush came around, many unique companies simply kicked the bucket due to the rising costs. PS3 gen in particular was lacking in many of the unique Japanese type games that were numerous during PS1 and some of the PS2 era.
*high five*
Morrigan Stark
Arrogant Smirk
Well, I like(d) JRPGs, but I still prefer the PS3, because the JRPGs I enjoyed were already dying on the PS2 so it's a moot point for me and the PS3 made up for that by having Demon's Souls and therefore winning by default.
Dragon Puncher
Member
It's possible that it's YOUR worst Playstation console, it ain't mine.
StoppedInTracks
Member
Funny how wrong the OP is.
PS2 is battling with SNES for the title of best console in the history of video games yet he thinks it is the worst Sony console.
PS2 is battling with SNES for the title of best console in the history of video games yet he thinks it is the worst Sony console.
ULTROS!
People seem to like me because I am polite and I am rarely late. I like to eat ice cream and I really enjoy a nice pair of slacks.
PS2 is probably second to PS1 and tied to PS4 IMO though. The way it's looking (including PS4's future lineup). Do note I'm a big JRPG fan:
PS1 > PS4 = PS2 >>> PS3
PS3 really sucked at the start and the only decent JRPG that came out during the early days was Valkyria Chronicles. It started getting more JRPGS in 2010, after the release of Star Ocean 4 and FFXIII.
Why I ranked PS2 = PS4 is solely because of SE's output. SE had a weak lineup for PS3, though their PS2 lineup is better. Their PS4 lineup seems to be replicating the PS2 lineup but at a much faster pace (a lot of their games are coming out in 2016... Hopefully).
PS1 > PS4 = PS2 >>> PS3
PS3 really sucked at the start and the only decent JRPG that came out during the early days was Valkyria Chronicles. It started getting more JRPGS in 2010, after the release of Star Ocean 4 and FFXIII.
Why I ranked PS2 = PS4 is solely because of SE's output. SE had a weak lineup for PS3, though their PS2 lineup is better. Their PS4 lineup seems to be replicating the PS2 lineup but at a much faster pace (a lot of their games are coming out in 2016... Hopefully).
Crimsonclaw111
Member
I would consider PS4 to be the weakest lineup. Anemic first party output 2 years in with very few third party exclusive I care for.
PS2 was amazing.
PS2 was amazing.
singingsamus
Banned
PS2 is (outside of PS1 in a lesser way) the only console where to this day someone can mention an obscure title that i've never heard of, it had a massive library of mid-budget titles that can be fun to play and some strange Japanese stuff
some of my personal favourites
King's Field IV
Evergrace
SOS The Final Escape
Wizardry (the one that got released in Europe)
i have even laying stuff around that i bought and to this day never played, which i'll try to rectify in the near future when my backlog has depleted a bit
i think PS3 is the worst console of them all, though it was also my first Bluray player and has some great games
i do have the same problem as OT in not replaying games, but i can stretch this to almost any console since i rarely replay a game after i've finished this (there are exceptions, but they are few and far between)
some of my personal favourites
King's Field IV
Evergrace
SOS The Final Escape
Wizardry (the one that got released in Europe)
i have even laying stuff around that i bought and to this day never played, which i'll try to rectify in the near future when my backlog has depleted a bit
i think PS3 is the worst console of them all, though it was also my first Bluray player and has some great games
i do have the same problem as OT in not replaying games, but i can stretch this to almost any console since i rarely replay a game after i've finished this (there are exceptions, but they are few and far between)
Chittagong
Gold Member
The hell? PS2 was a phenomenal console that gave us the templates for many games we are playing today. Many of the ideas were trialled on PS One, but only with PS2 they really got the formula nailed down:
- Brought video to consoles with DVD
- Kicked off with phenomenal graphics and gameplay, as in TTT, SSX, RRV
- Introduced us the modern cinematic MGS formula with MGS2&3
- Introduced all time horror masterpiece with SH2 and Siren
- Introduced the modern epic GTA formula with GTA3 & VC & SA
- Introduced us to the modern epic FF style with FFX
- Introduced Ico and SotC to the world
- Nailed the modern GT and Prologue formula
- Introduced gesture gaming with Eyetoy
- Took games online with Twisted Metal
I'm sure there are countless more examples, this is just from top of my mind.
- Brought video to consoles with DVD
- Kicked off with phenomenal graphics and gameplay, as in TTT, SSX, RRV
- Introduced us the modern cinematic MGS formula with MGS2&3
- Introduced all time horror masterpiece with SH2 and Siren
- Introduced the modern epic GTA formula with GTA3 & VC & SA
- Introduced us to the modern epic FF style with FFX
- Introduced Ico and SotC to the world
- Nailed the modern GT and Prologue formula
- Introduced gesture gaming with Eyetoy
- Took games online with Twisted Metal
I'm sure there are countless more examples, this is just from top of my mind.
Chittagong
Gold Member
PS1 was the pioneer and really invented modern, grown up gaming, controls, and many 3D formulas, so I think it can't be the worst.
PS2 is god tier, as I posted above.
PS4 is low on originality, but there is tons of solid enough content.
There is really an argument that PS3 is the worst:
- Awful launch pricing and underdelivery of features
- Awful launch lineup with graphically weak output
- No rumble in controller for a while
- Worst / disappointing entries of many series - FF, GT
- Inferior third party games were the norm
PS3 had very few highlights - introduction of Uncharted and Souls series
PS2 is god tier, as I posted above.
PS4 is low on originality, but there is tons of solid enough content.
There is really an argument that PS3 is the worst:
- Awful launch pricing and underdelivery of features
- Awful launch lineup with graphically weak output
- No rumble in controller for a while
- Worst / disappointing entries of many series - FF, GT
- Inferior third party games were the norm
PS3 had very few highlights - introduction of Uncharted and Souls series
Sumio Mondo
Member
People saying that PS2 was just a JRPG machine and nothing else are just talking a load of horse crap; the sheer amount of survival horror games on the system, the amount of amazing action-adventure games and the amount of creative, fresh new games on the system is still unparalleled to this day. PS4 has a lot of catching up to do for it to even get close.
dreamlongdead
Member
I will admit that you really have to be into the niche Japanese stuff on the PS2 if you still want to enjoy it in 2015. A lot of the Western stuff might not be worth playing, because it holds up poorly against later gens.
For me, the PS2 still has hundreds of undiscovered gems. I played a lot of great titles on PS2, but I was never close to actually being finished with the library. The system will remain enjoyable until possibly the end of my lifetime.
For me, the PS2 still has hundreds of undiscovered gems. I played a lot of great titles on PS2, but I was never close to actually being finished with the library. The system will remain enjoyable until possibly the end of my lifetime.
The PS3's the worst Playstation by a long way for me. Just such a shitty user experience, constantly having to download 150MB system updates, huuuuuge patches for games, never-ending installs, slow-as-molasses PS Store, worst controller, ugliest design, shitty multiplatform ports, and all the worst entries in the big PS-exclusive (or formerly exclusive) franchises: MGS4, GTA IV, GT5, DMC4, FFXIII. The Last Guardian skipped the console completely to avoid being associated with that bunch
PS2's the best console ever made. Look at this shit:
Jesus Christ, what a fucking line up, and in its first year!
It's pretty telling about how mediocre the PS4 is in comparison when it's exclusive lineup won't come close to hitting the quality found in that image until close to the end of the generation.
I mean what, it has atm Bloodborne and...uh...hm...Infamous?