Skip to Main Content

Sony Playstation 2

With support for DVD video playback, the Sony PlayStation 2 is the most sophisticated gaming platform available. This is the one to get if you've got the money and can find it.

By The PCMag Editorial Team
March 6, 2001

With support for DVD video playback, the Sony PlayStation 2 is the most sophisticated gaming platform available. This is the one to get if you've got the money and can find it. The PS2's laundry list of noteworthy components includes a 300-MHz, 128-bit Emotion Engine CPU (capable of 6.2 gigaflops); 32MB of Rambus DRAM on a 3.2-GBps memory bus; an IEEE 1394 port (Sony calls it iLink); and two USB ports.

There are over 50 games currently available (plus original PlayStation titles), and developers haven't fully tapped the PS2's resources yet, so the future should be a fun ride. One weakness of the PS2 is that it supports only two controllers. To attach more, you'll need to buy the PS2 Multitap ($34 list). To save games, you'll also need an 8MB memory card ($34 list).

As for specific games, EA Sports' Madden NFL 2001 is the best-looking and best-sounding football game (despite the vapid commentary). TimeSplitters is a first-person shooter with an impressive frame rate, which adds a frenetic pace to engaging firefights. My only criticism of Silpheed: The Lost Planet, an airborne combat game, is that the spectacular graphics distracted me from game play. And Kessen, the first PS2 title to ship on DVD, is a real-time strategy game based on the ascension of the Tokugawa to the shogunate in the early 1600s.

To play DVDs, the Pelican DVD Controller remote control ($14.95 direct) is a must. To make use of the PS2's Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, you can connect the console to your home theater system. For a visual improvement, upgrade the included AV cable to one from Monster Cable Products, such as the Monster GameLink 200 AV Cable ($29.95 list) or GameLink 300 S-Video AV Cable ($39.95), or use the LightWave 100 Fiber Optic Audio Cable ($29.95) with the GameLink 400 Component Video Cable ($29.95). For improved sound, the Cambridge SoundWorks PlayWorks DTT2500 Digital speaker system ($250) is adequate for small rooms but lacks a clear midrange. Serious audiophiles will want to move right up to the Boston Acoustics DPS5.1 speakers ($599.95), which were much more accurate (my cat jumped at the surround effects) but don't offer bone-rattling subwoofer performance.

Pros

  1. Great game play.
  2. DVD playback.
  3. Dolby Digital surround sound.
  4. Plays original PlayStation games.

Cons

  1. Poor availability.
  2. No online gaming.
  3. Expensive games ($50 to $70).
  4. Supports only two controllers.

Return to .