Customer Reviews

Playstation 2 Action Replay Max

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(21)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(24)

 

 

FROM AMAZON.CA
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The Action Replay MAX is more than just a video game enhancer (VGE)....or at least it claims to be. My version is quite old yet but it claims to include a Region-free DVD player and a memory card compression utility (squeeze more saves onto your memory card). I have not used either of these features personally, but I have heard horror stories about the memory manager corrupting gamesaves and whole memory cards; some reusable, some permanently damaged. This and the fact that you must load up the action replay software to access saves that use the memory manager turned me off of using it. However, the real reason I bought the ARMax was for its codes and I'll get to those in a second.

The ARMax, like the newer Gamesharks, loads its software from a CD. This is a major annoyance for me. Every time you load a game you must insert the ARMax memory card (which does I don't know what) and CD, go sit on the couch and wait for the software to load, choose your codes, then get up and put the actual game DVD in and wait for it to load. You can't simply turn on your PS2 and go sit down. In the old days of cartridge gaming you would snap the VGE between the game and the console so you could turn on the console and go sit down. The early generation Gamesharks had a little box that would attach to an expansion slot on the PS1 or N64 and that was it. If you wanted it to load before the game, you turned on its switch. Even if the ARMax was perfect in every other way (and it's not, btw), it would get a maximum of 4 stars as long as you had to boot it from a CD first. I mean, why can't the memory card part of it at least hold the codes for even just the current game you're playing after the system is shut off or reset so you don't have to load the software EVERY D@MN TIME.

Ok, rant over. On to the codes. The user interface for the ARMax is better than the Gameshark. Functionally, they are very similar of course, but the ARMax just feels cleaner and easier to use. It offers a Beginner interface that includes descriptions of code functions (not for user-entered ones though, if I remember right), and a more robust Expert Mode. On big advantage, in theory, that the ARMax has over the Gameshark is its ability to update itself using your PS2's broadband connection. The upshot is you can download new codes for your favorite games fairly quickly instead of manually typing them all in using the controller. The dark cloud to go with this silver lining is that you have no control over which codes you download; its all or nothing. And since these updates are stored on your memory card (not the ARMax one), it will quickly fill up with codes and gamesaves for games 99% of which you will NEVER play! No wonder the ARMax has the option to come with 16 or 32MB of space on its memory card. It's to store all the useless codes! Any entered codes you choose to apply will either work, do nothing, or lock up the game. I have come across all, though to ARMax's credit, mostly the former. The absurd choice forcing you to download and save updates for every game in the PS2 library, when you may want just one, loses the ARMax another star. A note about manually entering codes: The sub-headings and folders for a game have their own codes that must be entered if you want them to show up in the game's code list.

Finally, as mentioned in the reviews by Bret Morris and Glenn Nichols (Amazon.ca), the ARMax initially did not work with the new revision of the fat PS2 a couple years ago AT ALL. This happened for me as well. I returned three PS2s and two ARMaxes before I realized it was a defect in all current versions (at the time) of ARMax. I had to send away and get a new disc direct from Intec which now works as well as expected. Since the ARMax has been on shelves for several years since I bought mine, I assume any bought today would not have this problem. However, at the time there was no way to find out about this problem without contacting Intec personally. Retailers were not aware of the problem and no notices were posted on the CodeJunkies web site. This inadequate treatment of a widespread problem drops ARMax down to two stars.

In my opinion, if you're in the market for a VGE, both ARMax and Gameshark have their pros and cons. I would assume both have released newer versions with newer features than the ones I have. Looks at the specs, assume nothing, and don't be afraid to e-mail the companies requesting details regarding any features you have questions about.

I apologize for the length of this review, but I find there are very few in-depth reviews of VGEs on the web or in print. Maybe reviewers feel they are above using VGEs, I don't know.

There are just so many different ways you can add a cheat into a game, and beat the game. You can either try the hard way through practice, or you can access and enter a cheat code that was created by the compant that created the game, or you can just enhance it. Thanks to the people at Datel, you can definitely punch in those codes with the Action Replay Max for the Playstation 2. It is simple and easy to operate. There are also sveral different codes that are preloaded for so many excititng games like Madden '06, Jak & Daxter, or Need For Speed: Underground 2. This is an absolute delight for anybody who owns a Playstation 2, and for anybody who definitely wants a shortcut to beating the game.

Price: B+

Convience: B 1/2+

Overall: B+

I do not own this, and I do not use cheat codes, so ignore my rating on this. I simply wanted to add a little bit of useful information.

The last reviewer of this prodct stated that it used his broadband adapter to download new codes. While this is correct, it may not work with your broadband provider. This product DOES NOT work with any broadband provider that uses PPPoE (point to point protocol over ethernet) to give you your connection. This is a fairly common protocol that ISPs use, mostly because it is easiest. It is especially common is DSL connections. I recommend that if you are considering this product, that you check to make sure that your ISP does not use PPPoE. Action Replay is aware of this problem, but does not have a fix (and it doesn't look like they will have one any time soon).

I followed the instructions by the book when I first purchased this product on installation and use. Everything seemed to be functioning normally, but when I start the game, there was no effect whatsoever. I went to the codejunkies website, read all the FAQ's on troubleshooting...nothing helped. So I exchanged this product for a new one, thinking it was defective. Same symptoms occurred. So I contacted both UK and US support. Neither side could help. They just kept repeating the instructions mentioned in the Instruction booklet, wasting my time. Eventually, I threw a question at them that seemed to have boggled their minds. I asked them if early PS2 consoles produced in 2000 don't work with their product. Both sides say they cannot be certain, but there is a possibility since they did design the product based on a later produced PS2 console. The funny thing is, UK support asked me to contact SCEA to see if there was any hardware changes made in the PS2 production over the years. Why waste my time? I just returned this product. My recommendation is to purchase this product at a store that guarantees returns so you can test it on your console and return it without any hassle if it doesn't work. I purchased my PS2 back in early 2000 and AR MAX doesn't work on it. Whether it's because AR MAX isn't compatible with early PS2's or AR MAX is a terrible product, I cannot say for sure with the facts I've collected. Purchase at your own risk!

I've been a long time "supporter" of a major competitor of Action Replay for quite some time now. Lately, I've been very disatisfied with that product, tech support, everything. After waiting several weeks to get a call back from tech support, and an answer to several questions I posted on their boards, I decided to start checking out Action Replay. About a month ago, I purchased the AR Max for PS2. Wow! Am I happy with this product. I decided to register and began checking out the boards at www.codejunkies.com. Talk about a major difference! There certainly seems to be a lot more help and much quicker responses there! I don't even know where to begin on how much better AR is than the competition. All the extra options! And I can even type my codes in with a keyboard! Keep up the good work.

I have the redesigned slim PS2 and this AR Max doesn't work with it...AT ALL!!! It would have been fine if I knew before I bought it, but the only way I found out was to open it and try it, therefore voiding a return. Nowhere on the packaging did it say anything about having to be used with the first version of the PS2. I hate AR Max.

It's cheap, and it works. You can't really get much better than that. I have an older playstaion, and all i had to do was turn the PS2 upright and it booted up just fine. And if that still doesn't work you may have to clean the lens on the PS2. I found that blue bottom discs and dirty lens don't mix. But, the codes i have used for it worked great, i haven't had one single crash or freeze up. Another thing that makes it great is that if you mess up on a code it can tell it's invalid. Unlike the gameshark where you would have to go back through every code reading over every number and letter. As long as action replay stays on this course they stand to do a lot of business. I reccomend this to anyone who loves a cheap functioning cheat device.

I've never been a big fan of "cheating" my way through games, but after buying a couple of new games I realized that I don't have as much "free time" as I used to; the ActionReplay Max definately gave me what I needed to get the most out of my new games.

Even though the "AR Max" comes with TENS OF THOUSANDS of codes for about a hundred games on the disc, it didn't come pre-loaded with the particular codes I was looking for; I realized that was because the games I bought JUST came out the day I bought the Action Replay.

Much to my surprise, when I poped in the ActionReplay disc into my PS2 and it loaded, it automatically detected my broadband adaptor and updated itself with EVERY CODE I could ever want!! (New codes, and I didn't have to enter a sinlgle one by hand) There was over 1000 brand new codes for the Final Fantasy X-2, and it just came out the day I got this thing!

This thing is MUCH more than a simple cheat disc, it makes old games fun again; especially with codes to make cars fly, characters shrink and grow, and allow you to play as characters you could NEVER play with before. It has a memory manager, which kind of sucks, but it also lets you download game saves straight from their website and play DVD's from other countries.. I don't know why you'd want to, but at least I can if I want to!

To the people made this nifty little blue disc, Nice job and THANK YOU!!!
I'll never play my games without the Action Replay Max again!

If you get one, I'm sure you'll be just like me; surfing the "codejunkies" website, thumbing through game magazines, and on message boards looking for even MORE new codes!

The AR MAX is an awesome gaming tool. If you like cheat devices, buy this one or the evo edition. Although it has slow loading time, it works perfectly. I recommend using expert mode. I use it all the time.

if your having problems with a disc read error try putting tape in the inside(hole) of the disc...it worked for me....i noticed the disc was sliding on the drive...