enoonmai
Cyborg Agent
Well, its been some time since I got my PSTwo, and started really getting into the console games. And while I could get through most of the games, I kept getting hopelessly stuck in games like Siren and on the end levels of games like Silent Hill 4, which I managed to beat after banging my head in frustration a billion times, rampaging around the house shrieking like a mad monkey every time I got killed (which was lots, thanks to the fact that the Japanese version of the game was a true nightmare compared to the US version) and cursing heaven, hell and everything in between.
While some games have in-built cheat codes that are either available from the start or can be unlocked/purchased which will allow you to progress easier through the game, most of the games do not have any cheat codes or are locked by the developer during release, and you cannot use them. While it is definitely satisfying beating a game without cheating a single bit, it makes more sense to cheat in a particular level, considering the fact that there are tons of new games that you have to try without wasting your time on clearing a single tough level in a game. Also, many games feature alternate endings, extra weapons, wardrobes, etc. depending on gameplay, and while it can be an incentive to play through the entire game all over again, its just frustrating with some games, that some people don't even bother. Needless to say, its extremely frustrating when you are unable to view the alternate ending to Prince of Persia: Warrior Within simply because you forgot to get a life upgrade somewhere and you would have to play through the entire game again to get it.
How does one cheat in a game or a console that doesn't allow cheats? This was the same question that plagued me ever since I got my hands on the console and some games that I couldn't clear. (*cough* Siren *cough*) One tool that I came across was called GameShark, which allowed you to boot the game through its own loader and modified the console's registers using a special memory card and CD, allowing you to cheat in the game. But the trouble was, I couldn't find the pack anywhere in my city or on sites like EBay.in and I decided to give up and abandon those games and give them away gratis to some unsuspecting poor soul.
It was today that I was led from darkness into light by a program called Action Replay Max. The program, all of 87MB, runs off a single CD and gives you cheat codes for nearly 3000 games. The program also allows you to download the cheats for the newest games right off the Internet if your console is broadband enabled and connected to an active Internet connection. If your PS2 is not connected to the Internet, you also have the ability to enter codes manually into the program. In addition to all of this, the program allows you to play DVDs from all regions by allowing you to manually set the region for the DVD player without any restrictions whatsoever. If that wasn't enough, it allows allows the console to play DivX encoded movies as well as MP3 audio from a portable audio device which can be connected to the USB port on the console.
I was a bit skeptical about this program, and I decided to test it out as soon as I got home. My game of choice for the test - Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne. I put the AR-Max CD in the console and expected to see a "Please insert a PlayStation or a PlayStation 2 format disc" message. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to see the CD start working and load up the user interface and prompt me to insert a game or a movie DVD. I inserted the MP2 DVD and the screen changed to a game list, asking me to choose the name of the game. I choose Max Payne 2 from the list, upon which I was prompted to activate the cheats that I wanted for the game. After selecting Infinite Health and Infinite BulletTime, I loaded the game up and selected a savegame, which turned out to be Max's apartment in the beginning. I jumped out on to the catwalk, slipped and Max Payne fell to his death. Game Over! My first reaction was WTF, "Oh well, I've been had! This doesn't work!" Just out of sheer curiosity, I loaded another savegame, "A Million Dollar Question." How appropriate, I thought, and as the combat started, I switched to BulletTime and was overjoyed to see that the meter didn't fall, nor did Max take any damage. It worked, for the love of humanity, oh joy, it worked! I immediately fired up the DSL router and connected it to the Internet and checked for updates, and it downloaded updates and cheats for the newer games such as Area-51, Chaos Theory and Enthusia automatically. More delight, unspeakable joy!
For all those interested in cheating on the PS2, get the AR-Max, pronto! Tonight, I start playing Siren again. Watch out Shibito, here I come to poke out your eyes!
EDIT: The AR-Max program is currently available for the PlayStation 2, XBox, GameCube and the GameBoy Advance/SP.
While some games have in-built cheat codes that are either available from the start or can be unlocked/purchased which will allow you to progress easier through the game, most of the games do not have any cheat codes or are locked by the developer during release, and you cannot use them. While it is definitely satisfying beating a game without cheating a single bit, it makes more sense to cheat in a particular level, considering the fact that there are tons of new games that you have to try without wasting your time on clearing a single tough level in a game. Also, many games feature alternate endings, extra weapons, wardrobes, etc. depending on gameplay, and while it can be an incentive to play through the entire game all over again, its just frustrating with some games, that some people don't even bother. Needless to say, its extremely frustrating when you are unable to view the alternate ending to Prince of Persia: Warrior Within simply because you forgot to get a life upgrade somewhere and you would have to play through the entire game again to get it.
How does one cheat in a game or a console that doesn't allow cheats? This was the same question that plagued me ever since I got my hands on the console and some games that I couldn't clear. (*cough* Siren *cough*) One tool that I came across was called GameShark, which allowed you to boot the game through its own loader and modified the console's registers using a special memory card and CD, allowing you to cheat in the game. But the trouble was, I couldn't find the pack anywhere in my city or on sites like EBay.in and I decided to give up and abandon those games and give them away gratis to some unsuspecting poor soul.
It was today that I was led from darkness into light by a program called Action Replay Max. The program, all of 87MB, runs off a single CD and gives you cheat codes for nearly 3000 games. The program also allows you to download the cheats for the newest games right off the Internet if your console is broadband enabled and connected to an active Internet connection. If your PS2 is not connected to the Internet, you also have the ability to enter codes manually into the program. In addition to all of this, the program allows you to play DVDs from all regions by allowing you to manually set the region for the DVD player without any restrictions whatsoever. If that wasn't enough, it allows allows the console to play DivX encoded movies as well as MP3 audio from a portable audio device which can be connected to the USB port on the console.
I was a bit skeptical about this program, and I decided to test it out as soon as I got home. My game of choice for the test - Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne. I put the AR-Max CD in the console and expected to see a "Please insert a PlayStation or a PlayStation 2 format disc" message. Instead, I was pleasantly surprised to see the CD start working and load up the user interface and prompt me to insert a game or a movie DVD. I inserted the MP2 DVD and the screen changed to a game list, asking me to choose the name of the game. I choose Max Payne 2 from the list, upon which I was prompted to activate the cheats that I wanted for the game. After selecting Infinite Health and Infinite BulletTime, I loaded the game up and selected a savegame, which turned out to be Max's apartment in the beginning. I jumped out on to the catwalk, slipped and Max Payne fell to his death. Game Over! My first reaction was WTF, "Oh well, I've been had! This doesn't work!" Just out of sheer curiosity, I loaded another savegame, "A Million Dollar Question." How appropriate, I thought, and as the combat started, I switched to BulletTime and was overjoyed to see that the meter didn't fall, nor did Max take any damage. It worked, for the love of humanity, oh joy, it worked! I immediately fired up the DSL router and connected it to the Internet and checked for updates, and it downloaded updates and cheats for the newer games such as Area-51, Chaos Theory and Enthusia automatically. More delight, unspeakable joy!
For all those interested in cheating on the PS2, get the AR-Max, pronto! Tonight, I start playing Siren again. Watch out Shibito, here I come to poke out your eyes!
EDIT: The AR-Max program is currently available for the PlayStation 2, XBox, GameCube and the GameBoy Advance/SP.
You've tried it and damaged your lens?
