Slim PS2, NFSU2, the Sony PSP, and other stuff

    Recently i've been doing more gaming than anything else.. I really need to learn my priorities. I have homework that needs doing, but alas its already 4 am and I've put it off until tomorrow. Xmas break is coming too, and i've got to do work over break.. Bah! On to the more important stuff.

The new Slim PS2 (link)

    Well, last Sunday I was finally able to completely retire my old PS2, which had died and would no longer read any type of disc inserted, as I stated in another article a while back. Last Saturday I had gone to EB Games only to find out they wouldn't sell the Slim PS2 without buying a value-pack (which it isnt), which basically means you have to spend atleast 200$ to get the console, along with the "value" items such as a controller and memory card, or memory card and game. You can't buy the console by itself until after the holidays. My friend came down from his home in Long Beach and we went to the local GameStop in hopes that we could get one there without the stupid 200$ "value-pack," to no avail. They were out of stock, but claimed they sell theirs without needing to buy anything else in addition. So the friend and I decided to just say "Screw it," and we wen't to EB Games and bought our self the new Slim PS2 in the "value-pack." I put that in quotes because it's not even a value pack, its more like, "You must spend atleast 200$ to get the console-pack." Anywho, I finally got my hands on this little machine, and I must say, it functions very nicely. For more, read on..

    First of all, this thing is TINY! I'm sure you've heard that in about any other "review" of the new PS2, but I mean jebus! Anyway, with the PS2, I bought a memory card and the new Need For Speed Underground 2. The PS2 so far has had absolutely no problems, and the console has probably around 10 to 15 hours of play under its belt. I've heard rumors that the console tends to overheat easily after too long of play, but I haven't experienced one single problem with it whatsoever. The controller that comes with the console seems very cheaply made, unlike the original PS2's controllers. The cable tends to crimp up very easily, unlike the normal controllers, so when you first take it out of the box, the cable will be crimped up as if it were still folded together. I find that quite an annoyance. Other than that, the console delivers very solid gameplay, quicker reading times than your standard PS2, and a great pricetag (without the supposed value pack). Highly recommended.

Need for Speed: Underground 2 (link)

    This game I decided to get along with my new PS2 so I could have something better than a third, pretty much useless, controller. Anyway, this game may seem like a game for "Ricers" and "FNF" freaks, but it's not... Well actually, it is, but it can be appealing to the average racing fan anyway. The goal of the game is to essentially be the best racer in a city called Bayview. Unlike NFSU2's predecessor, Need for Speed Underground, there is a wide open city for you to drive through and actually find your races, or challenge random racers throughout the city. Whereas in the first, picking races was just like any other racing game-it was menu based, and the only driving you did was in the race. The city is wide open from the start, but as you progress, you unlock more parts of the city that you at first didnt know about. Also, you need to actually FIND your upgrade shops via sms messages from your "fellow racers" that give you hints as to where these shops are located.

    One thing I enjoy about the game is the fact that you can now fully tune EVERY aspect of your car, from the body kit to the air/fuel ratio of your ECU. A sort of un-needed addition was the ability to set up your own speaker system in your trunk-full of amps, tv's, woofers, cross overs, and even a nos bottle-that doesn't do anything except add on to your visual rating. Though you can't even see the things in the trunk when looking at the outside of the car anyway. New modifications include the ability to get split hoods, reverse opening hoods, suicide doors, scissor doors, among other customizations.. Also, just about everything on the car can become carbon fiber now. One thing that I despise about the game is the sheer uglyness of the new roof scoops. Sure, they really dont do anything to the car, even in real life unless its an MR vehicle, but they could atleast make them look nicer.

    The graphics in the game are as good, if not better than the originals. Theres a rather large viewable distance in game, and they really don't let up on the scenery. No matter where you are in the city the scenery will always relate to where you are, and there will never be an empty spot, or spots that look out of place. The cars are modelled wonderfully as well, and there's plenty of detail. There will never be a time (that I've seen, atleast) that the game will lag visually. The racing in this game is packed with many different styles, from Auto X to Drifting to the art of Drag Racing. Many other race types included.

    So, all in all, the game packs a great amount of gameplay, and it will take more time to get bored of the game (if you ever do). Really fun, and worth a look.

The sony PSP

    Last but not least, we have the new Sony PSP. Pictured here:

    The Sony PSP, in case you didnt know, is Sony's take on a portable handheld gaming device. Needless to say, Sony has hit the nail square on the head with this one. It boasts a powerful processor, that is equal to that of the PS2, along with WiFi capabilities for multiplayer gaming via PSP to PSP, the ability to play DVD's, MP3's, MPEG's, along with many other formats. With Sony's new UMD (Universal Media Disc), you can hold approximately 1.8GBs of data on one single disc. The handheld was recently launched in tokyo, where it was completely sold out within the first 6 hours. The Nintento DS looks like a good handheld, but i'll save my money for the US launch of the PSP!

    You can read more information on the system, games, and the tokyo launch via Gamespot's complete PSP coverage. It's expected to be released in the USA in First Quarter 2005.

    Happy holidays!