Activision Anthology
Activision Anthology is a PlayStation 2 racing game released in 2002 developed by Barking Lizards Technologies. It centers on vehicle control, route judgment, and speed and overtaking management, with controls and information arranged around the DualShock 2 twin analog sticks, directional pad, shoulder and face buttons, with a dedicated peripheral only where explicitly required.
- AI score · out of 10
- 7.3 / 10
About this game
Activision Anthology is a PlayStation 2 racing game centered on vehicle control, route judgment, and speed and overtaking management. Tracks raise pressure through corners, rivals, and time targets, with progress divided into stages, tasks, matches, or growth milestones that make immediate goals understandable. Its value depends on whether these rules continue to create judgment and room for mastery rather than on length, sales, or series recognition. Short campaigns are judged by repeat-challenge value, while longer ones are judged by variety, pacing, and recovery after failure. Speed, track boundaries, and vehicle feedback determine driving readability, while 3D scenes, streamed data, cinematics, surround audio, and interlaced television output need to preserve action and state readability together. The genre-specific limitation is that visibility, collisions, steering precision, wheel support, or loading can limit consistency. Platform conditions also include DVD loading, the 8MB Memory Card, analog sticks and pressure-sensitive buttons, Multitap, Network Adapter, dedicated peripherals, and retired online services affect present-day use. This description covers only this platform release and does not import features or conveniences from remasters, emulators, or other console editions.
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PlayStation 2AI review
AI reviews are subjective assessments, not player ratings. See each review for its evidence and limitations.Published date:
A characterful retro archive with worthwhile games and imperfect emulation.
The PS2 Activision Anthology makes selection part of the experience: cartridges are chosen in a virtual room, while patches, unlocks and an eighties soundtrack turn a collection of brief Atari 2600 games into a sequence of small goals. Trying unfamiliar titles and returning to improve a score is its strongest rhythm. Running original code preserves many old techniques, but contemporary firsthand testing identifies significant exceptions. Kaboom does not feel right without its paddle, and several games show audio, visual or unlock problems. The PS2 directional pad works for most of the catalogue, but a standard controller cannot faithfully reproduce every original input device. Period music and room details make browsing enjoyable in itself. After the collection goals are exhausted, lasting value depends heavily on affection for these individual old games. This is a historical compilation to explore critically, not flawless preservation.
Strengths
- Inviting virtual-cartridge presentation.
- Many concise score challenges.
Weaknesses
- Emulation and unlock exceptions.
- Paddle controls do not translate well.
Who it is for: Players interested in Atari 2600 history and short games.
Play notes: Original PS2 selection; GBA and PSP editions differ.
View scoring basis
| Dimension | Review state | Score | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dimension The carousel invites sampling; later motivation depends on taste for the originals. | Reviewed | 7.3 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Many short challenges and patch goals work despite emulation exceptions. | Reviewed | 7.5 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension The room and period soundtrack give browsing a strong identity. | Reviewed | 7.6 / 10 | Not provided |
| Dimension Most controls work; paddle games and emulation bugs do not. | Reviewed | 6.4 / 10 | Not provided |
Review sources
Not provided
Core information
- Developer
- Barking Lizards Technologies
- Publisher
- ContrabandActivision
- Release date
- 2002
- Platforms
- PlayStation 2
- Content kind
- Game
- Release state
- Released
- Region
- Worldwide
- Official website
- Not provided
- Offline minimum players
- Not provided
- Offline maximum players
- Not provided
- Online minimum players
- Not provided
- Online maximum players
- Not provided
- Tags
- Pick-up and PlayThird PersonDriving and RacingSolo-friendlyReplayableScience FictionMain Story Under 10 HoursShort SessionsFast-pacedPlayer versus PlayerDodge
- Supported game languages
- Not provided
- Requires base game
- Not provided
- Standalone
- Not provided
- Age ratings
- Not provided
- Play modes
- MultiplayerSingle player
- Perspectives
- First personTop-downSide view
Release editions
- Game Boy AdvanceWorldwide2002
- PlayStation 2Worldwide2002
Game gallery
Sources
Not provided