The ps2 is actually more powerul then people give it credit for, the problem is that Sony is notoriously bad at giving instructions or Middleware to devs. Basically they hand the developers a piece of unique architecture that is nothing like a pc or any other console and they give theoretical peack performances. This leaves the devs with no choice but to use trial and error when developing games on the ps2. Hence the reason why we are seeing experienced devs come up with masterpieces like Collossus only now. This is something that will improve greatly with the ps3. Still MS being the biggest software giant in the world you can bet they will have better Middleware for the 360.

ORIGINAL: Game Junkie

Still MS being the biggest software giant in the world you can bet they will have better Middleware for the 360.

This is also why Sony cannot (and will not even try) compete with MS in the online gaming arena. Besides the server side of it, it is all software driven, and Microsoft hires the best programmers. I personally think that Sony should still try to have something similar. I mean, no one can argue with the popularity and success of Xbox Live.

ORIGINAL: Majikdra6on

Perhaps you guys are just anti-social loners who don' t like playing online?! Perhaps not...

Haha, that' s fun. I have always seen online players as anti-social loners. Instead of inviting people home to play in the same room or to go outside they just sit alone at their PCs or Xboxes. Bah!
Online gaming sucks (ok maybe not). But I don' t like the fact that it' s becoming standard. I prefer good single player experiences. I think that one of the most entertaining things with games (except multiplayer games) is that you can escape reality for a while and live Links life or Clouds life for a change. I think it' s called escapism and it works like some kind of virtual therapy. It' s the same reason why many read books and watch movies.
But with online play you really never escapes reality since you keep having conversations and interact with your friends. You don' t really see that Halo character as an alien. It' s your friend and so the illusion of an alternative reality disappears.
Hmm, that sounds strange so don' t get me wrong, I don' t live my life in videogames. I prefer playing games with my friends but escapism is one if the things that makes videogames so fun.

So, erm, do you invite your friends round to read your book with you then?!

Ha, no i know what you mean, but online play is still becoming more and more of a standard feature in console games. It' s got to the point where reviewers are including the addition or lack of online play in the total review score (which is unfair really).

The thing about stuff like Halo or PGR3 or whatever is that while they are very good single player games (i too appreciate a nice siongle player game with a great story line), the option of being able to play online when you' ve got bored/stuck/simply had enough is quite valuable. I think online play in games extends the games life too, i mean i completed Ghost Recon 2 four times and probably wouldn' t have gone back to it for ages if it wasn' t for the impressive online modes.

Perhaps you should play MMRPG' s.

Well I do like online games. I just thought it was a strange thing to call people who don' t like online games " anti-social loners" .

It was a joke.

You' re a joke
(that' s a joke too)

LOL!

Online is a godsent to me as I know nobody half as good as me at games. After I' ve done playing a story mode or doing ofline challenges I can go online and play against actual people.

Well I bought We Love Katamari and do love it. It' s strange, quirky, a little more difficult than I thought it would be but overall amazing. Unfortunately it didn' t sell in the UK only managing to hit number 23 in the charts! Is the world crazy or do the majority of the UK' s " Playstation Generation" suck? I can’t believe people aren’t giving it a chance yet keep Need For Speed at the top of the charts. What does this mean for Shadow of the Colossus? Hopefully it isn’t doomed to be another Ico… great but ignored.

It' s possible. It' d be hoddible if it did because Colossus is amazing!

It' s the type of gamer in this country though. They like their tuned Novas and Clios (it' s REALLY bloody sad) and play games like NFSU2 and Tekken to death!

It pretty much comes down to how games are promoted here i think. I can' t remember seeing anything but sport' s games and driving games advertized here (i don' t do TV though so i could be wrong).

What' s worrying is that because a high percentage of PS2 owners in the UK are fairly young or in their teens, it' s not like they will be able to afford the PS3. It' s not being marketted to them!

On another note, i just completely killed several fools on PGR3 while listening to Guano Apes. I think it makes me drive better...

What music do you guys listen to when playing games? Or what music have you put on your Xbox/Xbox 360 to listen to ingame?

YAY Paul! Katamari was a great choice! What a fun and addicting game. I have to kidnap Mxpx' s PS2 for a bit and finish playing some of the games.

Rikka-san!

We Love Katamari is still being played and today I got Shadow Of The Colossus. I actually got a component cable for my PS2 so it' d look it' s best and it bloody well does. It' s too ambitious of a game for the PS2 in fact but it still looks awesome.

After fiddling around with the controls I set off on Agro and got lost. I know you are supposed to follow the light reflected from your sword but I ended up in some underwater place, nearly drowning for a bit before trying else ware... then finally understanding how it works.

The first Colossus is all I' m up to. I' ve killed it and look forward to the rest. It' s defiantly in the same world as Ico... strange shadow creatures around the place in a strange world we don' t know a lot about. Wanda even moves about like Ico. He' s got that vulnerability about him that makes him human. Just the way he runs, climbs, falls and struggles make you feel every ounce of energy uses.

That game has a good ending too. But the lack of cut scenes in between coslli burnt it a bit [i think there was one?]. Very good game none the less!

I don' t get - I love nnovative games like REZ , Meteos - almost all of those , but I got We Love Katamari and I just don' t seem to find it fun ...

When I turned on my PS2 I thought it will be 100% gameplay - the best game this month maybe? but I don' t like it ... I don' t get it ...WHY?
:)

I think its the music, and the way it never takes itself seriously. I love the King!

I played Twilight Princess demo and words are not enough to describe it.

I had a chance to play the demo but I missed out(don' t ask)! I' d kill as many people as possible just to go back in time!!!!!! FUCKING HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Weeps*

We Love Katamari is just very odd. Personally I love the style, the eccentric-ness of the King Of All Cosmos and even the odd storyline that seems to be happening. Thats even before I get to the gameplay which has that *just one more go* factor with you trying to colelct more items in a faster time because you know you can.

Perhaps you guys are just anti-social loners who don' t like playing online?! Perhaps not...

Actually, I' m basically an anti-social loner who hates playing multiplayer with others, period . Whether it be online or at an arcade... Heck, I' m the guy who for years WISHED long and hard that arcade game manufacturers would implement a 2-player LOCK-OUT feature in games. Hell, I' d insert an extra coin just to lock other players out from joining in

I have to kidnap Mxpx' s PS2 for a bit and finish playing some of the games.

He isn' t home from 12:30 - 3:30, the perfect opportunity to get in there and make off like a bandit!!1!!