• Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!

PS2 Appreciation & Celebration Thread, long live the King!

I popped in Devil May Cry 1 for the first time in a long while and jesus that game still looks incredible. And it obviously still plays as good as I remember.

It's too bad there's a lack of really good quality PS2 screenshots on the internet.
 
I popped in Devil May Cry 1 for the first time in a long while and jesus that game still looks incredible. And it obviously still plays as good as I remember.

It's too bad there's a lack of really good quality PS2 screenshots on the internet.

DMC is still my favorite one in the series. Love the tone of the OG.
 
This thread is reminding me that I still need to beat Viewtiful Joe and its sequel.

...but I will probably just play through DQ8 again.
 
Thought I'd post some of my recent pickups. Disc Replay has been great for picking up some of the more recent pricey games for cheap. I'm extremely happy about finally finding Dokapon Kingdom and Echo Night Beyond. This copy of Everblue 2 is only the second that I've run into in the wild.

U3N5SuCl.jpg

JKW2oeBl.jpg
 
^ I was always curious about Yanya Cabalista. It's a Cave joint, right? They're known for their shooting games, but I thought their snowboarding game on Saturn was alright. How is YC?
 
^ I was always curious about Yanya Cabalista. It's a Cave joint, right? They're known for their shooting games, but I thought their snowboarding game on Saturn was alright. How is YC?

Yup, Cave game. It's their third attempt at a snow/skateboarding game. Unfortunately, YC isn't great. It comes in that big box, because it includes a plastic fingerboard that you strap onto the analog sticks, and you use that to move around. Outside of the gimmick, though, there's really nothing special about the game. It's pretty boring. Still, going as far as to include a fingerboard is a great capstone to the Xtreme era of gaming.

But I'd rather play BMX XXX. At least there's boobs.
 
Seeing this thread pop up again makes me remember how hard I looked for a decent CRT to plug my PS2 in to.
I can't stand the input lag I get on my LED tv.
 
Thought I'd post some of my recent pickups. Disc Replay has been great for picking up some of the more recent pricey games for cheap. I'm extremely happy about finally finding Dokapon Kingdom and Echo Night Beyond. This copy of Everblue 2 is only the second that I've run into in the wild.

U3N5SuCl.jpg

JKW2oeBl.jpg

I wonder how the EverBlue games compare to the Endless Ocean games. Have you played EverBlue yet?
 
Dang, I managed to get Silent Hill 4 off eBay last week for 10 bucks (Australian), tried playing it on the weekend, and it was running horridly slow. I tried cleaning the disc using the Toothpaste method I saw on YouTube, now the game won't even load.

Anyone have tips on how to fix PS2 discs? Wasn't even scratched that heavily either....
 
If you had to choose between a PS2 Classics game off PSN or an actual PS2 disc, which would you choose as far as image quality on a CRT TV?

Trying to figure out if I'd get a nicer picture from a PS2 slim running a game at 480i over a component cable, or from a PS3 deinterlacing to 480p also over a component cable.
 
If you had to choose between a PS2 Classics game off PSN or an actual PS2 disc, which would you choose as far as image quality on a CRT TV?

Trying to figure out if I'd get a nicer picture from a PS2 slim running a game at 480i over a component cable, or from a PS3 deinterlacing to 480p also over a component cable.

Trick question: PS3 has input lag on PS2 games and suffers from glitches in numerous games, both major and minor, so it's automatically worse.

No idea how they compare in terms of image quality if it's 480i vs 480p. I do recall FFXII looking kinda nasty on the PS3, though, but it could just be my memory acting up.
 
Trick question: PS3 has input lag on PS2 games and suffers from glitches in numerous games, both major and minor, so it's automatically worse.

No idea how they compare in terms of image quality if it's 480i vs 480p. I do recall FFXII looking kinda nasty on the PS3, though, but it could just be my memory acting up.
Really? I've never noticed it playing Sly Cooper at all.
 
I´m thinking about getting Maximo vs Army of Zin. I loved the first one. Anyone here played this?
It's fun. Save up a lot of extra lives for the last boss though, it's multi-stage and the very last fight is kind of horseshit unless and almost guaranteed to kill you the first few times.
 
It's not the sort of thing that you're going to notice in Sly Cooper. IIRC, it's about 3 frames of lag, which basically makes timing sensitive games unplayable.
Hmm, well, I took a pic of Sly Cooper on PS3 in 480p.
ippgiwRIxLbdL.PNG

HDMI probably makes it look the best.
 
Really? I've never noticed it playing Sly Cooper at all.

Isn't that a HD re-release though rather than a PS2 classic?

I tried Persona 3 FES which looks much better on the PS3 than I can get it to look on my PS2 over component cables. Being a turn based RPG means lag is no issue either.
 
Isn't that a HD re-release though rather than a PS2 classic?

I tried Persona 3 FES which looks much better on the PS3 than I can get it to look on my PS2 over component cables. Being a turn based RPG means lag is no issue either.
It's the PS2 classic one.
 
My ps2 slim is acting up. I need some help please. When there is no game in the tray and it's closed it runs fine but when you put a disc in and close it I get a fuzzy black and white screen then the console just shuts off. The weird thing is that the disc still spins when it's closed.
 
Since the PS2 version of Zone of the Enders 2 is very cheap now, is it worth acquiring? Or did the post-patch PS3 HD version just leave it completely obsolete?
 
Since the PS2 version of Zone of the Enders 2 is very cheap now, is it worth acquiring? Or did the post-patch PS3 HD version just leave it completely obsolete?

AFAIK, the post-patch PS3 version is actually an improvement over the original. Sure took em long enough to get there...
 
Black-Passwords-and-Unlockables-PS2-2.jpg


Who else remembers black? This game was so good and it was the start (IMO) when EA games went really full throttle with the sound design. Wish this game had a sequel or at least emulated to play on the vita :/ wouldn't mind buying a remastered version

i played it on the xbox, but it was probably impressive on the ps2 as well. A gun porn action film kind of fps.

I really wish studios were allowed to go off and do different genres still, it's how we get unique fresh takes on things. Studios become a franchise sequel house now, as Criterion is stuck on need for speed and laid a bunch of people off.
 
My ps2 slim is acting up. I need some help please. When there is no game in the tray and it's closed it runs fine but when you put a disc in and close it I get a fuzzy black and white screen then the console just shuts off. The weird thing is that the disc still spins when it's closed.

It sounds like your PS2's graphics chip spazzing out, which is fatal.

You could make sure that the RGB/YGrBl switch is set to the proper side in your PS2's settings, but that doesn't seem like the issue.
 
Thought I'd post some of my recent pickups. Disc Replay has been great for picking up some of the more recent pricey games for cheap. I'm extremely happy about finally finding Dokapon Kingdom and Echo Night Beyond. This copy of Everblue 2 is only the second that I've run into in the wild.

U3N5SuCl.jpg

JKW2oeBl.jpg

That's exactly two more copies of Everblue 2 than I've run into in the wild. I got mine from an Amazon seller for pretty cheap, but that was certainly a game that didn't sell a ton when it was new.

Also, I've noticed that the pickings are starting to get a little slimmer around me, mainly because the mom and pop store closest to me has suspended trade ins for PS2 games (with a list of exceptions that reads like a Who's Who of rare, valuable stuff), and Craigslist is mainly full of people selling the same common, million seller games that I already have. :) I figure I still have a few years to collect before PS2 becomes the target of nostalgic retro collectors everywhere...
 
such a great system and such memories playing it

still have a working one today as i assume do most gaffers

favourite ps2 game is without a doubt Kingdom Hearts 1 (and 2 as well)

objective1-1.jpg
 
I checked out the PS2 Xploder HD disc today, and I was very impressed with the results. It basically forces 480p output on the vast majority of games. Even ones that don't originally support it.

Shinobi was the first thing I tried because I hated seeing the interlacing on his scarf. It just made the game look like shit. The Xploder disc worked perfect and here's a few shots of the game running on actual PS2 hardware.
 
Whoa, what the heck is an Xploder?
How does it do that? Is it magic? Where can I get one of these magical devices?
 
GS Mode Selector does the same thing as Xploder but better. Can force output on a console to 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p, and more to varying results. It's free and you can run it with OPL if you've got a modded console.

I'd link to info but I'm on mobile.
 
I have one (XPloader). For the most part- it works as advertised. Many of the games I use it with force them into 4:3 mode which is not a big deal to me, but may be for some.

Good luck trying to find one in the wild, however. I thought I had lost mine a few years back and attempted to replace it- and could only find _one_ PAL version being sold out of Hong Kong (which-technically-would work because the device supports PAL/NTSC switching, it would just start in PAL, and you'd have to know the button presses to get it into NTSC without being able to see it).

In any case, it's a simple "swap" method. Load it up, open tray, put in the game you want to play, hit start, done. 480p on almost any PS2 title.
 
GS Mode Selector does the same thing as Xploder but better. Can force output on a console to 480p, 720p, 1080i, 1080p, and more to varying results. It's free and you can run it with OPL if you've got a modded console.

I'd link to info but I'm on mobile.

Of the two xploder gave me a better picture. You lose pixels when forcing above 480p, and it can also cause glitching. I use my external upscaler to upscale it to 1080p and it does a better job than gsm.
 
Following up from my post in the PS1 thread, got these too for a £1 each:

uSSJ0rE.jpg


Really impressed with Final Fantasy X, as it's in pretty good condition with the bonus DVD included too.
I've got Ridge Racer V already but in French, so I've bought it to keep a consistent collection.
 
Soooo, I might have just installed Free McBoot on my PS2.
What cool things can I do with this?

HDD gaming, emulators (depending on which one), file browsing, media playing, play backups (if you don't have a chip, these will have to be ESR patched), etc.
Really awesome piece of software, and I'm glad I have it too.
Make sure to have a Network Adaptor and an IDE Hard Drive.
 
I grabbed the GS Mode Selector thing, but I don't really know what settings to use.
Can I play imports. There's a bunch of JRPG's that never came over to PAL territories that I'd like to play one day.
 
Soooo, I might have just installed Free McBoot on my PS2.
What cool things can I do with this?

Open PS2 Loader is the big one. I wouldn't bother with loading games off of USB; go get an IDE hard drive that fits into the slots on the network adaptor and use Winhiip to format the drive on your Windows PC.

The speed doesn't increase dramatically, but the convenience is impossible to beat.
 
Top Bottom