![]() ![]() In May of 2002, just two years after the console’s launch, Sony made the decision to cut the price of the console considerably. Even if you weren’t interested in gaming, the PlayStation 2 was worth buying simply for the fact that it was one of the cheapest DVD players on the market. The reason that this is so significant is due to the fact that there was no such thing as a streaming service back in the early aughts, and DVD players were a highly desirable commodity at the time. It was cheaper at launch than not only the original Xbox, but also most DVD players available at the time. Part of what made the PlayStation 2 so insanely popular at the time was its incredible value. Couch co-op is another aspect that is sadly absent from the modern gaming landscape and is a feature that is in dire need of a comeback. Try as they might to recapture it, modern console manufacturers just cannot recreate the magic of sitting next to a friend while simultaneously beating the snot out of them in Mortal Kombat. Modern-day multiplayer modes simply do not possess the same fun factor that was present in the early 2000s. While some of the previously mentioned games are available on modern consoles in some form or another, there is nothing quite like digging out your old PlayStation 2 console and hooking it up with a SCART adaptor in order to re-experience the glory days of gaming, – even in 2023! One thing in particular which is almost impossible to recreate in the modern era without booting up a PlayStation 2 is that antiquated concept known in the modern era as couch co-op. However, that beloved modern classic, along with titles like Scarface: The World Is Yours, Prototype, and The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction were all developed by Radical Entertainment another mid-tier company who are sadly no longer around. People often bask in amazement when the realization hits them that The Simpsons: Hit and Run was developed by a mid-tier company and it is understandable given the game’s iconic status. They were also responsible for publishing a massively underrated science fiction thriller title called Headhunter, which definitely deserves to be revisited in the form of a remake. Franchises like Crazy Taxi, Burnout, and Turok all got their start via Acclaim Entertainment. Titles like The Suffering, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, Area 51, and Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy are all great examples of interesting and unique titles which the publisher took a chance on, which went on to innovate within their genre and become fan favorites.Īcclaim Entertainment was another company similar to Midway, publishing back-to-back mid-tier titles with massive success in the same vein. Midway alone was responsible for putting out a plethora of phenomenal double-A experiences which cemented them as one of the greatest publishers of the era in the eyes of many gamers. Titles like these are simply too niche for modern-day publishers to take a chance on. Things like the brilliantly wacky Twin Caliber from Rage or the violent, stylized slasher Bloodrayne from Terminal Reality would never be released in the modern era. Without the mid-tier being allowed to exist and thrive in that era, there are a number of cult classic games that we would never have gotten. Unfortunately, publishers in the modern day are simply not willing to let their studios take those same risks. The reason that so many gaming fans love and miss the mid-tier section of the market is due to the fact that it allowed creative developers to create unique, boundary-pushing experiences without having to worry about such a monumental risk factor if the said project didn’t work out.
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