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Johnny Minkley is a games expert for BBC Radio 1, editor of Eurogamer TV and former editor of the industry trade weekly MCV. He's played games for more than 20 years and has been writing about them for more than seven. Here he picks the top games consoles. Click to view Top 5 Video Game Consoles.
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Best Budget Option (PlayStation 2) |
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 If you couldn’t give a monkey’s about high-definition this and next-gen that, and are just on the lookout for value for money, with the biggest and best range of software, and classics available at bargain-bin prices, Sony’s stalwart PlayStation 2 is a safe bet for your bucks. |
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Can 110 million people worldwide be wrong? In the case of Sony’s relentlessly successful PlayStation 2, whose sales have surpassed this record-breaking figure, no. The question is, with the release of PlayStation 3 and other "next-generation" consoles, is the older brother now rendered a redundant techno-dodo? The answer, again, is a resounding no. On the contrary, as we’ll explain, Sony’s cheap-as-chips veteran’s maturity is actually something of an advantage right now if pure gaming thrills are your priority.
Obsolescence is a dirty word in the technology sector. And games consoles are no different in that the industry is built upon a cycle whereby systems are superseded by more powerful hardware every few years. Yet for games publishers the equation is relatively simple: there are currently tens of millions more potential customers to target via existing platforms, and development costs are far cheaper. In short, there’s life in the old dog yet.
If you want evidence of PS2’s continuing popularity, look no further than the official UK games charts. For the week ending March 24th 2007 – the weekend of PlayStation 3’s European launch - 21 of top 40 titles were available on PS2.
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Three for 2 |
PlayStation 2 is available in three flavours: Silver and Black are your main options; and there’s limited availability of the Pink system – with matching controller – which hit stores as a special edition last year. The controller itself is the superb DualShock II, which boasts the now industry-standard button layout, two analogue sticks and an in-built rumble feature which causes the pad to vibrate satisfyingly during gameplay – e.g. when driving over rough terrain.
Early in 2007, DualShock picked up a prestigious Emmy Award for Technology and Engineering, in recognition of its glittering career in the palms of millions.
Feature-wise, PlayStation 2 is certainly limited compared with newer systems like Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Yet for under £100, in addition to a fantastic gaming system, you also get a competent CD and DVD player to boot – so PS2 is also ideal as a movie and music player for the bedroom or for the kids. And the Slimline model now available, which was introduced in late 2004, is quiet as a mouse so won’t disturb your film viewing. |
Something old, something new |
 But at its heart, PS2 is a gaming machine. “It’s the consistently brilliant games that are really keeping the biggest selling console ever from slipping six feet under,” says Stuff Magazine. Let’s name a few: Metal Gear Solid 2, Gran Turismo 4, Final Fantasy X, Guitar Hero, SingStar, Pro Evolution Soccer 6, Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, Resident Evil 4, EyeToy Play, Buzz: The Music Quiz, Shadow of the Colossus … the classics trip of the tongue; and many are now available at irresistibly cheap prices.
Yet, arguably, PlayStation 2 has only recently hit the peak of its performance. This is typical for games hardware: it takes years for game makers truly to master a system and even as the PS3 was being born PS2 enjoyed some truly groundbreaking releases.
BBC’s Collective writes of recent PS2 adventure Okami: “This is a masterwork, and one of my favourite games of the decade.” On Final Fantasy XII, Eurogamer.net comments: “It's not hard to see us looking back in five years’ time and seeing FFXII as a pivotal, changing moment in how RPGs [role play games] are designed.”
What PlayStation 2 may lack in graphical power next to its muscle-bound rivals, it more than makes up for in the quality of such game experiences.
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Future prospects |
 Having said all that, the remainder of 2007 is expected to be the console’s last purple patch of genuine mainstream greats, as top developers begin to explore the fresh vistas opened up by newer technology. Realistically, PlayStation 2 versions of major multiplatform franchises will also steadily begin to disappear over the course of this year and into next. So expect new PS2 titles increasingly to target youngsters and families, as older gamers upgrade to new, cutting-edge technology. But for great gaming on a budget, nothing else quite compares to PlayStation 2. |
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Recommended retail price: £94.99/$129.99
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