Latest news with #PS2
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
What if GTA 6 released on PS2? This fan trailer shows you
Source: Rockstar Games The fan-made endeavor is sweeping the internet with a lighthearted yet intriguing question: How would Grand Theft Auto 6 be if it was released in the PS2 era? YouTuber Foosmoke recreated the second official GTA 6 trailer using early 2000s low-resolution textures, animation, and charm of games such as San Andreas and Vice City. The outcome is an entertaining and absolutely imaginative tribute that has stoked fans online. A retro reenvisioning of GTA 6 in the style of PS2 GTA 6 Trailer 2 but it's PS2 In this demake, all scenes from GTA 6's Trailer 2 are painstakingly recreated with PS2-era assets and visual oddities. The game employs blocky character models, stiff movements, and flat shading to emulate the hallmark aesthetic of Rockstar's classics. Even vehicles and environments have been reduced to polygon-laden designs with clipping zones in plain sight, just the way fans remember games from the early 2000s. Made by YouTuber Foosmoke, the video is a complete shot-for-shot remake of the trailer, down to the music and pacing. It's not a parody, it's an homage, and the devotion to detail is what makes it stand out. From reduced-explosion greatness to vacated sidewalks, the demake highlights just how much gaming has come in terms of advancement while still pulling from a massive sense of nostalgia. The video, having gained hundreds of thousands of hits, has been praised for its humor and authenticity. One fan commented, "This is beautiful... by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 40대 이상이고 PC가 있으세요? 그럼 이 게임을 정말 좋아하실 거예요! Sea of Conquest 플레이하기 Undo now all we need is some gameplay of this ps2 version." Image Via YouTube Another, "I just love how it didn't take long to make this yet the quality is just amazing," which indicates how much the project has been appreciated by the fans. Image Via YouTube A fan project combining humor, talent, and nostalgia This PS2-era recreation is more than a great-looking gimmick, it shows the creativity of the GTA fan base. It's also part of a larger phenomenon of "demakes," in which games or trailers are reimagined on current tech using the resources and constraints of older hardware. Foosmoke's project not only puts a smile on fans' faces, it's also honoring the legacy of Grand Theft Auto and reminding us how far the series has come, particularly in visuals, physics, and open-world detail. By making GTA 6 a PS2-era trailer, Foosmoke has caused laughter and applause. It's a playful mix of parody and tribute that will appeal to the franchise's long-time fans, demonstrating that even in a time of hyper-realism, there's always space for low-poly love. Also Read: GTA 6 screenshots recreated in Cyberpunk 2077 showcase Rockstar's next-gen visual leap
The Hindu
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Silambarasan TR interview: On Kamal Haasan's ‘Thug Life' and making a ‘fanboy sambavam' with Ashwath Marimuthu
One could feel the gravity of the moment when Silambarasan TR made his grand entry at the audio launch of Mani Ratnam's Ponniyin Selvan 2 in 2022. It was the star's first major public appearance as 'Ātman,' a new version of Simbu who embraced spirituality and returned to the limelight after a lull phase marked by box office duds, controversies, and fitness concerns. But who expected that at an event featuring the likes of Kamal Haasan, AR Rahman and Vikram, Simbu would get the loudest applause, a clip that went viral on the internet. While naysayers hung their heads in disbelief, his ever-loyal fandom took social media by storm. A new Simbu era had dawned after Maanaadu, with the actor far different from the young man we knew from Manmadhan, and the moment spoke volumes about how Tamil audiences honour their heroes and reasserted that they indeed like a good comeback. On one hand, Simbu doesn't seem too sure about all this attention on his comeback. Citing how legends in every field have braced lull phases, he blames the social media frenzy for blowing this out of proportion. That isn't to say he isn't grateful for this love. He knows he has a very loyal fan base — 'There's a saying about rats leaving a sinking ship; so their loyalty doesn't show who I am, it shows who they are,' he says — but the reception he got at the PS2 event wasn't just from his fans. PS2 wasn't even his film. 'Watching someone get back up instils confidence in people, and that's what I saw there. It felt like the general public was telling me, 'Hey, we respect what you have done, and we want to give back that respect to you.'' To be looked at as this inspirational figure must put a lot of pressure on one's shoulders. 'No, but that gave me confidence, and I realised there's no point looking back at the past. I realised I should do what's required without expecting anything back.' Watching Simbu in flesh and blood for the first time at that event also brought me memories of the time when he had an unshakable hold on youth. Boys got into trouble for wearing the star's signature wire wristband to school, while donning headbands became a popular style statement. Even today, a generation of youngsters continues looking up to him, something he says has only made him more responsible. 'When I was much younger, I wasn't aware of the kind of films I was doing or what those films communicated to younger audiences,' he says, before stressing this responsibility shouldn't interfere with his craft. 'See, broadly, I refrain from excessive use of swear words, violence, and glamour, and I haven't smoked much after Idhu Namma Aalu. But then, if a character needs me to smoke or be violent, I have to do it. That's how it would be if I did a negative role, for instance. All that we can do then is take a call on how much we indulge in those things.' Simbu on his love for Michael Jackson 'Michael Jackson had the biggest influence in my life. From the energy I carried or my style, be it in dancing or singing, it's all influenced by Michael Jackson. I touched alcohol for the very first time when he died. That's how much I adored him.' His role in Mani Ratnam's much-anticipated film Thug Life, headlined by Kamal, seems quite violent from the promo material. Doing Thug Life, Simbu says, satisfies a desire most actors harbour. 'While watching films like Thevar Magan, where two generations of stars would have acted together, any actor would have wished for one such film to happen, and these films also stand the test of time.' That it happened for him in a Kamal Haasan-starrer feels surreal, he adds. 'Right from when I was a child, my father showed Kamal sir as my on-screen guru, so I have always looked up to him. See, even if we need references for, say, a dialect, a walk, or a specific look, we took inspiration from his filmography.' The actor is in awe of how the veteran has stuck to his approach to stardom and craft. 'He doesn't care too much about what doing a certain role might do to his image, but rather thinks about what he brings to the table. It's about doing something interesting, something different and better than the previous film.' At a level where most might get trapped inside echo chambers, Kamal has managed to stay anchored in his journey as an artist. That he calls himself a student of cinema feels validating to Simbu. 'See, I can say that I am a student because I have a long way to go, but if Kamal sir still feels like a student, it means I am too on the right path.' Even the opportunity to be part of Thug Life, he adds, is a validation, 'for all the effort I have put in for 40 years since I was a child artist. Because so for Mani Ratnam sir to write such a character, to look at me as a good fit for it, and for Kamal sir to accept his decision…It's all a bit surreal, to say the least.' Simbu's role in Thug Life, he says, balances 'mass' and 'class.' 'I am a peculiar hero with audiences who like both these schools of acting. You can't call me an out-and-out classy actor, nor am I just after mass. I can do both, it's great to do roles that balance these schools. In Thug Life, you will find a classy, performance-oriented Simbu and a raw and stylish Simbu.' STR is also returning to a Mani Ratnam set, almost seven years after Chekka Chivantha Vaanam, a film during which the star realised that he was struggling to perform well due to his then poor physical form. He had previously revealed he broke down after shooting an action scene in that film and that the experience ushered him towards a transformative journey. Thug Life, too, is loaded with action, and Mani Ratnam was happy with how STR now moves and dances, says the star. 'He would enjoy watching me perform and say, 'You are looking good. Superb.' So I realised going through that weight-loss journey is adding more to what we're doing.' You might be surprised to hear Simbu say that, while the way he was body-shamed back then wasn't right, there's some truth to it since 'being an actor and losing your fitness like that is a minus.' But isn't reducing weight and bulking up for roles almost a routine in places like Hollywood? Perhaps this toxicity points to something deeply embedded in how Indian audiences see their stars. Simbu doesn't think so; he says it's just the case of a jealous few pouncing upon finding a reason to troll. 'My weight gain was also initially for a film, and if needed, I could have brought myself back to shape. But by then, I had already given a window of opportunity to those who were also desperately looking for a reason to pull me down. But I realised I couldn't keep complaining about it, and that's where this fitness journey began.' It's not just his fitness; anything and everything about Simbu gets put under the media scanner. After facing immense criticism and battling numerous controversies, Simbu began following the Buddhist principle that goes, 'When you receive something (here, criticism) from someone, then it becomes yours. But if you reject it, it stays with them.' But surely that odd negative review for a film or a comment on his acting must break his defences, right? 'Earlier, the results of my films affected me, but I used to find ways to channel that into what I do next. But I have realised we can't seek validation from successes and failures. Many suffer because they seek validation externally and let others control their happiness. You need to take control of yourself and find validation from within.' Simbu on Artificial Intelligence: 'I am waiting to see how AI changes our lives. Everything's going to change, from the way we use mobile phones to how we interact. Someone's going to be digitally present for us all the time, someone with much higher intelligence. I foresee drastic changes soon, and I am eager to see how we adapt to them, how AI influences filmmaking, and how it would influence our spirituality.' Simbu has, over the years, also been criticised as an actor who doesn't push himself enough, as a star who is sleeping on his talents. The actor believes this is because he has yet to find solid scripts that could bring the best out of him. 'There's no space to give your full potential in a script that any actor can pull off'. Simbu has pinned his hopes on his upcoming film with director Desingh Periyasamy to do that. 'But see, even to get that on the floors, we have been waiting for two years now. Look at Kamal sir; he would have done about ten such films, like Avvai Shanmugi or Dasavatharam, but there's a longer list of films that he couldn't materialise.' The star has no qualms saying that every time he wishes to do a project like that, he finds that his market then cannot sustain the scale of that project. 'So when more people watch my movies, and the more they perform well at the box office, the more it allows me to give my best.' Of late, many A-list Tamil stars have come out with films — like Petta, Vikram and Good Bad Ugly — that are dubbed as fanboy sambavams; these films feature aspects that appease the die-hard fans of those stars, like cameos and callbacks to the stars' previous films. Simbu's upcoming film with Ashwath Marimuthu also hints at being one such film; the first look poster featured the star, wearing wire bands, bracelets and the check mark tattoo from Dum, throwing his iconic 'box' sign. 'Yes, it is a fanboy sambavam, but it wouldn't just be a film for the fans. It will become a film that even those who don't know me would enjoy. Fanboy sambavams should be like Vikram — it shouldn't just appease the star's fans but be celebrated unanimously by all.' Will we also see more of STR as a singer? 'Yes, there's a lot of that coming up in my next few films,' he signs off. Thug Life releases in theatres on June 5
Digital Trends
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny remaster proves that they don't make them like they used to
'They don't make them like they used to.' As a movie buff, no phrase in the English language gets my eyes rolling more than this. For decades, I've had to hear that phrase repeated to bemoan the state of cinema. I've always found it to be a silly statement. For one: Of course they don't. Art, and the tools we use to make it, changes. What gets me more is when the phrase is used to tear down modern film. The implication that the art we grew up with is inherently better than what's around now always feels like a hard-headed snap take that only shows how resistant we are to change. Recommended Videos But after playing — of all things — Capcom's new Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny remaster, I find myself coming back to that phrase. Returning to the PS2 classic in 2025 is like digging up an ancient artifact. It's a hypnotic time capsule that feels unlike any new release I've played this year. Its cinematic ambitions, paired with the limitations of video games at the time, creates an unmistakable texture that can't easily be replicated. In this case, they truly don't make them like they used to. Back to 2002 Before diving into the remaster, my relationship to the Onimusha has always been at a distance. I didn't have a PlayStation 2 growing up, but I was an avid reader of magazines like EGM and knew about every big game on the system. From that perspective, Onimusha always felt larger than life. It had the feel of a prestige game, right alongside works of the era like Shadow of the Colossus. Magazine screenshots left me to imagine a dark, serious action game that probably looked a lot like Elden Ring does to me now. I was in for an adjustment as soon as I started Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny. An opening story explainer comes out the gate swinging as I'm told that Nobunaga Oda is a.) dead and b.) commanding an army of demons. That detail is delivered so straight-faced in a dramatic voice over that I couldn't help but crack up. It's totally absurd, a B-movie premise treated with the gravity of a historical epic. That attitude continued throughout my playthrough. Capcom's ambitions were lofty for 2002, aiming to create a truly cinematic experience nearly a decade before tech allowed for it. If this were a movie, you'd likely label it as 'amateur.' The script is filled with hacky jokes as characters constantly 'hubba hubba!' over women. Cutscenes are shot through stiff camera placements that never quite feel like they're in the right place. The voice cast has big high school theater energy. And to be very clear: It's positively awesome. Like many games of its era, Onimusha 2 feels otherworldly. It's just off-kilter enough in every respect that it approaches surrealism. A fierce demon will pop up out of nowhere, give a hammy monologue, and then start sprinting in and out of bushes like a Scooby Doo villain. It's purely comedic on paper, but there's a serious reverence for the lore and world that Capcom created. It's a tone that's always oscillating between wacky and serious, two feelings that many modern games tend to keep separate. It's not a tone that's unique to Onimusha either; it's a running theme of the era. I have the same feeling when I play Capcom's early Resident Evil games. They're full of stilted acting and awkward one-liners, and yet, I'm able to take that world seriously instantly. Games like this were exceptional at crafting strange languages and making players fluent in them as quickly as possible. That idea doesn't just apply to cutscenes, but gameplay too. It's very clear that Onimusha came in the wake of Resident Evil's success. It has fixed camera angles that build tension by hiding what's around every corner. Rooms are lined with random puzzle boxes that I need to solve to reveal hidden ladders. I learn about the world through plain text item descriptions that flatly pop up on screen. All of those design touchstones of the era create a texture that's both hyper specific and hard to put to words. It's remarkably atmospheric, claustrophobic and eerie even in its silliest moments. I'm not escaping into another world that is under my full control; I have fallen into a mysterious place dictated by the laws of a creator, and I must learn how to abide by them to make it out alive. It's the same feeling as entering a hedge maze on a foggy evening. Video games don't feel like this anymore — at least not the biggest ones. Developers have finally cracked how to actually make a game feel 'cinematic,' with the bar raised for acting, writing, and cinematography. That leads to digital worlds that feel more familiar, grounded in a visual language that's recognizably human. Even this year's Dynasty Warriors: Origins trades the series' oddball acting and head-scratching wackiness for something that feels comparatively grounded. Playing Onimusha 2 feels like watching a 1930s Hollywood drama that deals in stage acting and larger-than-life gestures. That's perhaps why I'm so bullish about the current remake and remaster craze. Onimusha 2 is special because it's a product of its time. It is defined by the weird quirks that redos like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered so often attempt to flatten. Capcom is thankfully light with its adjustment here, giving it a clean resolution bump, reworked controls, and auto-save. The latter is more trouble than it's worth, as dying loads the auto save. If that has left you in a bad position, you'll have to quit and reload your proper save from the main menu. The rest of the package is filled with extras like at galleries that leave the main game untouched in all its glory, giving me plenty of space to appreciate it for what it is — a strange adventure that's still swimming around my brain while so many new games go in one ear and out the other. This doesn't make Onimusha 2 better than today's prestige games, just as I reject the idea that no modern movie could go toe to toe with Gone With the Wind. Playing its remaster now more just highlights how different game design is two decades after its original release. The medium is more defined, with established design rulebooks that prioritize immersion and emergent storytelling over airtight direction. I feel like I know exactly what Capcom's upcoming Onimusha revival will look like, taking the form of a traditional third-person acting game with blockbuster production value. It'll be a product of its own time just as Onimusha 2 is now. Maybe today's young adults will reminisce on it in 20 years and say that 2045's games just aren't the same as the ones that launched in the now fabled PS5 era. I hope that happens, because that will be a signal that the medium has moved. They shouldn't keep making them like they used to; yesterday's games should always feel like historical documents that tell us something about the artistic landscape of the time. Onimusha 2's remaster is a perfect opportunity to travel back to 2002 and soak in all the oddball energy of a medium in an experimental creative peak. The Onimusha 2: Samurai's Destiny remaster launches on May 23 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Android Authority
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Android Authority
There's one good PS2 emulator on iOS, but I'd recommend another option
Hadlee Simons / Android Authority The PlayStation 2 is arguably one of the greatest consoles of all time, with a library of classic games that's hard to match. Sony finally discontinued the system in 2013, which means that emulators can be one of the only reliable ways to play some PS2 games. There are plenty of great PS2 emulators on Android, but iPhones don't have it so good. Here are your best options for PS2 emulators on iOS. The best PS2 emulators for iOS Before we get started in earnest, it's important to recognize that until very recently, most iOS emulators required a hacked (or jailbroken) device. Apple previously blocked all emulators on the grounds that they can play many games, and every single game has to be approved individually. It's the same reason Xbox Cloud Gaming didn't have an iOS app, as well as countless other services. Apple has slowly eased back on these restrictions, with the first few emulators already hitting the App Store. Currently, there are no PS2 emulators on the iOS store, but that doesn't mean you don't have options. That said, they're not the easiest options. You will need to sideload the first emulator below in order to use it on your device, although you may not need to fully jailbreak your iPhone. If Apple continues to remove restrictions on sideloading after pressure from the European Union, it may be easier to install them in the near future. But for now, you'll have to follow the instructions linked below. Play! The only true PS2 emulator on iOS, Play! supports a range of file formats, such as CHD, CUE, ELF, MDS, ISO, and ISZ. You'll have to sideload, but once you do, the app can scan folders for new game files and categorize them into Recent, Homebrew, and Unsorted lists. Visit the Settings menu before getting started to ensure the best performance. Also, be sure to check the app's compatibility list before loading games. As of this writing about 1200 titles are marked 'playable,' such as Disgaea and Marvel vs. Capcom 2. If something's not listed as playable, it's going to break mid-game if it loads at all. It's worth noting that this app will require even more setup before you can enjoy PS2 emulation on your iPhone, due to restrictions on JIT from Apple. This is an essential component to making the emulator work, and the easiest way to turn it on is to run AltServer on another device on the same network. There are a few other methods outlined here. Without this, games will crash when launched. Importantly, the Play! PS2 emulator also works on web browsers. Compatibility is much more limited though, so don't think of it as a full replacement for a native app. Streaming PS2 emulators Nick Fernandez / Android Authority Unfortunately, the only other option for PS2 emulation on iOS is streaming it from another device. This is pretty easy via a PC or Mac with a variety of free apps. Of course, you'll still need to install a PS2 emulator, but your options on other platforms are much less limited. PCSX2 is the gold standard on Windows, Linux, and MacOS, with great performance even on weaker machines. Once installed on your desktop, you can install a local streaming app like Steam Link or Moonlight from the App Store to play them on your iPhone. For Steam Link specifically you'll need to add the emulator to your library as a non-Steam game, but that's a relatively simple process. For now, I think this method is the best choice for PS2 emulators on iOS. Without native JIT support, even the latest iPhones won't be capable of emulating PS2 games. For streaming, all you need is a mediocre PC or Mac.
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Delhi HC stays interim ruling against AR Rahman in copyright infringement suit
A division bench of the Delhi high court on Tuesday stayed till May 23, a single judge's verdict passing interim order against music director AR Rahman in a copyright infringement suit filed by classical singer Ustad Faiyaz Wasifuddin Dagar, over the song composition 'Veera Raja Veera' for Tamil movie Ponniyin Selvan 2 (PS2), asserting that the song has been in public domain since 2023. A bench of justices C Hari Shankar and Ajay Digpaul, however, directed the music director to deposit ₹2 crore with the high court's registry in compliance of single judge's order within ten days. 'Given the nature of the dispute, we list for disposal in the supplementary list at 2:30pm on May 23. As the subject matter of the copyright has been in public domain since 2023, without intending expression on the merits of the rival cases of the parties, we stay the operation of the injunction granted till the next date of hearing. Issue notice on the stay application,' the court said in the order. Also Read:'PS2 song identical to Dagar's Shiva Stuti': Delhi HC says in interim ruling against AR Rahman It added, 'As we find that the impugned order has also directed the appellant (AR Rahman) to pay a deposit of ₹2 crore, keeping in mind the law which has developed in grant of stay of money decree, we direct the appellant to deposit the amount with the registrar general of the court within ten days.' The court passed the order in a plea filed by the music director against justice Prathiba M Singh's April 25 order. In her 117-page ruling, justice Singh had ruled that Rahman's song 'Veera Raja Veera' was 'identical' to 'Shiva Stuti', a traditional Dhrupad composition by renowned Dagarvani musicians, the late Ustad Nasir Zahiruddin Dagar and Ustad Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar (popularly known as junior Dagar brothers). She had directed Rahman and the filmmakers to correct the song credits to specifically acknowledge: 'Composition based on Shiva Stuti by Late Ustad Nasir Faiyazuddin Dagar and Late Ustad Nasir Zahiruddin Dagar.' Previously, credits had only mentioned the Dagarvani tradition rather than the specific artists. Justice Singh had ruled that compositions in Hindustani classical music are entitled to protection under the Copyright Act as long as they are the composer's original work. 'Every work or composition which is made in a particular genre or Raga, or style follows the basic principles of the said genre or Raga. It cannot, however, be said that due to the fact that they follow a particular discipline, there cannot be any originality in the same,' the judge concluded.
