PS2 Improves PlayStation Game Graphics

When the PlayStation 2 was first announced, Sony surprised everyone by promising that its next-generation system would be able to play PlayStation titles. At that time, Sony stated that the PlayStation2 would in no way enhance the graphical appearance of PlayStation games. But just a few weeks ago, word came down that the PlayStation 2 would in fact enhance PlayStation games by means of texture filtering. So, just how much improvement did we find on PlayStation games with texture filtering turned on? Well, it varies.

The first game we tried was Vagrant Story, and from the start there was noticeable difference. All objects on the screen were much cleaner, instead of the somewhat rough appearance the game normally has. The next title we tried was Ace Combat 3, and while the ground was slightly blurrier, we didn't find an exceptional degree of visual enhancement to the title on the PS2. The final game we tested was Metal Gear Solid. When we first started the game, we couldn't really notice any discernable difference. In fact, dithering used in the game was more noticeable, and didn't look too good either. But, when we compared it to its original form on the PS, the effect from the texture filtering became more apparent – boxes on the ground weren't nearly as pixelated and the detail on the characters' clothing looked much smoother. To note, when playing Metal Gear Solid on the PlayStation2, we noticed polygons disappearing and reappearing on the ceiling in the opening level, a glitch that Sony either missed or didn't deem worthy of adjusting for. Take a look at the following shots and see for yourself.

(Also worth noting: We've been told that Gran Turismo 2 looks much better using the PS2, but, lacking the Japanese version of the game, we were unable to check.)