Is the PS2 capable of 2D?

[Cinder6]

What I've read is that the PS1 doesn't have the capability of doing 2D games in the sense that the NES, SNES, Genesis, Saturn, etc. could. It would emulate the behavior by using transparent polygons on a very wide, very thin vertical plane, then slap sprites onto them. This is obviously not the greatest way to do it, as you have the system doing calculations for polygons that are never even seen.

Here's where I first read about it, on VGMuseum (and it undoubtedly explains it better than I):

http://www.vgmuseum.com/mrp/cv-sotn/...turne-port.htm

It deals specifically with the Saturn port of Symphony of the Night, but goes into the details of the PS1's lack of real 2D capabilities.

[Icarus Moonsight]

Playstation consoles have been far from the most capable 2D machines, yet they have some of the most impressive and gorgeous games in the medium available. Look at Valkyrie Profile (PS1) and Odin Sphere (PS2).

On the 2D hardware front Saturn whooped ass on the PS1 and Dreamcast kicked PS2 in the grapes. Popularity and success (read: install base!) outstrips hardware design and capability.

What I've read is that the PS1 doesn't have the capability of doing 2D games in the sense that the NES, SNES, Genesis, Saturn, etc. could. It would emulate the behavior by using transparent polygons on a very wide, very thin vertical plane, then slap sprites onto them.

If this is indeed the case then it isn't dealing with spites at all. They're polygon textures. Lots of wasted effort and inefficient. Still better than a software sprite engine I'd imagine.