Much Ado About Everything

I just bought a slimline PS2, even though my 3 years old PS2 is still working fine. The rationale was that reduced noise levels will help me immerse more into games, and prevent getting distracted by the fan noise.

Well, in that it surely succeds. As soon as you turn it on, without a DVD inserted, and you get to listen to the sounds of ocean on the appropriately named splash screen, you’ll notice the lack of noise. If you’re accustomed to old PS2, the difference is stunning. The new console cannot be heard from more than a few feet even in the very quiet environment.

But is this enough to justify spending $140 Canadian of your moderately difficultly earned money? Depending on your needs, more than enough. I’ll elaborate.

If you’re a casual player, a person with average entertainment needs looking for a one-stop solution, a PC zealot who never had a console and has decided to get one now, or you need to get something for the purpose of gaming as a present for a kid or a cottage – in other words, if you need a gaming appliance – this slim PS2 is for you.

Let’s be realistic – ignore the buzz and hype, ignore company loyalty. This console is the smallest, the lightest and the quietest of all that are currently available, and has the most numerous library of games available. You can stuff it anywhere in the living room or bedroom or kids room or dorm room. You can easily take it with you on a trip – even in carry on baggage if you must. It will play DVDs (and CDs but that is a rare need these days, in that format at least) in a pinch. Majority of games are already out and as a consequence are cheap compared to ones for latest console(s), being available in “greatest hits” edition. Even the latest brand new games come at lower prices than before. And the console itself it’s cheap. It does cost a bit more than a GameCube, but the difference is about the cost of one budget game. Yet it plays vastly more games.

For an average Joe – and I mean it in a “guy or girl with average needs” way – this is a no-brainer. Unless they have specialized requirements such as ultraportability, there is nothing else that provides better value for money. This is what a gaming console should be – it’s small, light, easy to hide in your entertainment system, plays huge number of varied games and it’s cheap. Oh, and it’s quiet.

No, I won’t stop mentioning how quiet it is. Because that’s what a gaming console should be. I care not how technologically advanced it is, if it’s noisy, it’s cheating.

And, because if you’re a hardcore gamer, who already has a PS2 and had it for a long time – you can justify buying another one for two reasons: it’s quiet so you can enjoy your RPGs more. And two, it’s small enough that you can carry it when you travel. Given that there are at least 4 more big titles coming for PS2 – Xenosaga 3,Valkyrie Profile 2, Final Fantasy 12 and God of War 2 – and that (the way I figure) you need only 2 AAA titles to justify buying any console that is reasonably priced, you can see that a purchase would be justified.  I won’t add anything “funny” such as “good luck persuading your wife with this ‘two games is reason enough’ logic” because I don’t know how that works.   A hardcore gamer would not have a partner that isn’t one him/herself.