UPDATE - The Cross-Country Saga of Our Playstation 2
Written: Jan 08 '01 (Updated Jul 02 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A+ gaming; backwards compatible; Multifunction (games/CD's/DVD movies); DVD remote accessory - AWESOME!
Cons: Games expensive, wait for a few months after release to get better price.
The Bottom Line: Our attention has been drawn elsewhere...but we always come back to our SONY Playstation. Lasting power, a HUGE library of all types of games, DVD capability...perfect!
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| readnbead's Full Review: Sony PlayStation 2 Slimline Console |
UPDATE: (See original review below.)Two and 1/2 years later, and still going strong! Despite the original mishap we experienced with our PS2 unit, we've essentially had no difficulties with the console, and experienced 100's of hours of gaming, and use the console as a DVD player at our weekend RV.
The price has come down considerably, and is now comparable to other gaming platforms pricewise, making the PS2 a fine choice for the gaming family, or the student headed to college this fall. Add the DVD remote controller accessory to the mix, and enjoy a full-featured DVD experience. (We've had no problems with any DVD's we've played, with the exception of 1 title. For some reason "True Lies" won't play!) Enjoy the PS2 with the now lower pricing, and plethora of titles to play.
ORIGINAL REVIEW:
At the time, I patted myself on the back for thinking ahead. I knew that there would be a great demand for Sony’s new video game system, the PS2, and that was before Sony announced cutbacks in production! In the middle of September, I ordered a package deal from KB Kids.com, which included the system, and three games. After Sony’s announcement, I knew the unit wouldn’t be shipped at release, but soon received an email declaring the unit would ship early in November.
I was thrilled when the UPS guy delivered, and quickly hid the package in a place no child would dream of snooping, where my package sat for about 3 weeks. And where is this going? Well, my husband, who is definitely the more practical, asks “shouldn’t we test this think to see if it works?” I gave him one of my “whatever you say, dear” faces and we take advantage of the empty house to give it a whirl.
(Just a warning here, if you don't want to hear why a new PS2 would make a coast to coast trek (back and forth) just skip a couple paragraphs down!)
Uh-Oh. Lights come on. Motor whirls. CD tray won’t open. Reset. Opens 1 inch. Reset. Opens ½ inch. 1-800-HELP!!! After a frantic call to Sony tech support, we tried several ways to get the stuck door to open completely. The technician assures me that it’s probably off-track, and will be a simple fix, but a technician will need to open the thing up. Of course, the insured shipping will be MY treat, at about $8.00! I should mention that the guys you call for help have absolutely NO concept of time, or their own company’s procedures, as he assured me that turnaround time would be, and I quote 㦄-48 hours.” I fully expected that this unit, which was the basis of my children’s ENTIRE bounty of gifts, would be returned, in working condition, within the next 3 weeks, in time for the holiday.
To make a long story short, after about 6 phone calls to the guys in California, the unit finally did ship, repaired. The customer support people were flabbergasted that I had been told 24-48 hours, by the way. After they HAD my PS2, that suddenly changed to 15-20 working days! Just a caution – if time is an issue, don’t always believe what you hear from telephone support! Expect the worst.
So, was it worth the headache? You bet. If you’ve read my other Epinions, you know that our family has had a lengthy list of video game systems, and I’ve been a fan since the Pong/Coleco/Atari days. I sold our N64 in anticipation of the PS2, and it was a great decision!
The PS2 has a number of positives:
Improved graphics Things just look incredible! On the Madden Football, I thought it was a real game on TV! Even the rain was incredibly realistic.
Backwards Compatibility If you can afford the unit, why not get a machine that can play all the new games, as well as the EXTENSIVE library of older titles? We have dozens of PS1 games that we can play on the new console. While the memory card made for the PS2 is much larger in capacity, and not compatible with the old games, you can use your PS1 memory and controllers and play all the old games on your new PS2.
DVD!!! Now if all you want is a DVD player, there are less expensive choices. But, we now have both! In fact, my daughter is now busily building up her DVD collection, and seems to like that aspect of the new console more than the gameplay capabilities!
Of course, there’s always the downside!
Got a few bucks? Well, you’re going to need a few! This is not cheap, at $299 retail. Go bid on eBay and you can spend even more! J
My turn, no, it’s MY turn! Expect the inevitable. You may have to make a schedule, set a timer or draw straws! Everyone’s going to want a piece of this!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
readnbead
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Reviews written: 70
Trusted by: 46 members
About Me:
Teacher, mother of 2, wife. Opinions on games, household, travel, restaurants, family, computers and more!
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