The Good: Interface is great, incredibly easy to use, comes preloaded with a bunch of codes already for use. DVD Region support, in which I have had zero problems with.

The Bad: The Codejunkies website. This is where you will go to grab codes for games that you bought that may not be preloaded into AR Max. The site CAN be extremely unreliable, and there is no other website you can use to get the codes that you desire. So if the site is down...sorry. Another bad is the amount of codes compared to Codebreaker...just wow there really is no comparison, there are just that many more codes for codebreaker.

The Ugly: The Memory manager. Just to test it I backed up some saves on another memory card. Took a clean memory card and "crushed" (which is like a compressing tool) some saves, yes it saved room but I also half the files I crushed became corrupt.

Why this is on Par with codebreaker: There are tools out on the net that will let you convert codes over from v6 - v7 codebreaker to AR Max Format and visa versa. Without these I would go codebreaker, even taking in account the benefits with AR Max.

Words from the Wise: As with any cheat device, make sure that you back up your games first before you start using codes. Some codes as with any device can really mess some things up and even cause loss of your original save!!

Do not buy this. This is a piece of junk pretty much.

I'm actually the son of the person who bought this, and even as a gift this is absolute garbage. Thankful She went through the trouble yes ^.^ But not quite happy with the product. Angered with the product!

Here's what My experience is with this from turning it on.

1. Open the package, A flimsy silver box in which the logo punches out for some reason, easily big enough to fit 3 DVD cases. It actually holds two instruction manuals, one in Spanish, and a CD-Rom in a sleeve.
2. Putting it in. This is not a CD-Rom. Not a DVD, which the Playstation 2 is primarily meant to handle, but a CD, the thing that in conjunction with movies, played to much will screw up your PS2. A low Quality One No less, it sounds like my Playstation is falling apart trying to play it.
3. The codelist is crap, there's games on here with no codes for them at all installed.
4. Using this is interesting. I rarely get the desired result, often codes used will have completely negative effects, which I was not warned about. But in fairness to that area, they only claim it will warn you if it screws up the game, not screws with it.

Also when I got this, the website was down for over a week, and entering codes is lengthy, and tiresome. The codes for each game are incredibly pathetic. Especially with RPGs. Customer Service is a Mess to deal with, worse so then DirecTVs.

If there is a piece of dust on this disk, it will not play, you need to wipe it down thoroughly before inserting it. It's "USB Compatibility" Is explained in the manual, and on use I wouldn't recommend it. The DVD Region X feature, only works on select DVDs, or maybe it's just not compatible with Japanese DVDs, you're better off Buying a DivX DVD player for that. (They sell those cheap now)

Just do not buy this. It was bad enough I will never buy another Datel product again. As far as being Generic goes, I don't know if this is, but it takes the cake on what you would expect from a Generic product. Even the codes section of their website is a bit hidden away, and Generally doesn't contain anything but what's already on the disc/catridge depending on what system you get it for. Just spend your money on a Codebreaker, or Gameshark even, but not this.

Personally, I don't understand the poor reviews. I have owned the ARM for a very long time and I love it. It DOES work with my slim PS2 and has worked for every game I have tried it on. The ethernet connection doesn't work with my ISP, true, but that is a small price to pay for all the help it has been getting over tricky sections in games. And, since I only have to input codes once and it recognizes the game for then on, I don't even consider the lack of an ethernet connection to be a hinderence. This is a phenominal cheat system and I only hope I can find one as good for the PS3.

This CD is good, it is hard to use though. Especially for a child. Directions are not very clear.

The AR disc I received would not play in my slim PS2. I checked with Datel and found that only AR versions 3.30 and up will work with the slim PS2. The version Amazon shipped was 3.06. As another reviewer has stated, Datel says that they will exchange older versions for a 3.30 version if you send it to them together with your sales receipt. Not sure if they make good on that offer as I decided to return my AR to Amazon for credit.

I've owned an ar max for several years now and I can say it's the best cheating system created. I don't what everyone else here is having problems with, but my ar max is compatible with every game I own.

This product did not work in my PS2 slim. Datel said that, with a receipt, they would exchange it for the correct disc, but I still need to find out if that means I had to originally purchase it from them.

ive used a couple of the ps2 disk cheat loaders and this one by far the most user friendly. great interface, extremely easy to use. the action replay comes pre-loaded with codes for alot of games off the bat. can add new codes easy. i have yet to experience any kind of glitch with action replay, which i can say i have for others. if you want to beat the game quick use this infinite ammo, health, power-ups, everything in the game can and will be unlocked using this.

Hey, I know what you're thinkin' ,"Cool, a cheat system like no other!!"
WRONG
Even though this thing gives you unlimited cheats, It doesn't work like codes do already in games such as Jak 3.It alters the programming of the disc, meaning if you do it too much, it'll screw up you're disc. I can't die in Metal Gear without getting a second chance thanks to the altered Health function maxing after I die a second time.
Don't buy this Product. P.S. Watch Class of 3000, Only on Cartoon Network.

I'm not an expert on video games so having this software helped me a lot. I can't ask for a better one. Grazie

I actually recieved this from a friend of mine, which he bought for $0.98. Anyway, I said that there were television shows that I thought were interesting, but were only sold over in the UK (and so on). He told me that the AR MAX was a REGION X DVD reader. So, I took it home, and decided on buying a TV series that was a Region 2, and just recieved it today, to my surprise (not actually) the damn thing didn't work. Now I'm stuck with a Region 2 DVD with nothing to play it in. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS PRODUCT! If you are buying this for the reason that it reads other Regions of DVD's...DON'T BUY THIS PRODUCT! It is junk. However, I am thankful that I didn't even buy this product, but it was given to me. I hope that someone planning on buying this, reads my review first. IT'S NOT WORTH YOUR MONEY!

I have found only one game out of the many that i have tried that the codes on this thing actually work on. This action replay is basically a twenty dollar or more waste of plastic and the cardboard that it came in. avoid like the plague.

AVOID THIS PRODUCT, wait till PS3 with it's Hard drive an hope something better will come out.

Memory cards are flash memory an flash memory is FRAGILE, one whoops an it's destroyed.

Damn to hell Sony for making us pop 25 bucks a memory card in the first place.

BAD:
STAY AWAY FROM MAX MEMORY MANAGER... DO NOT LOAD GAME SAVES FROM THE INTERNET ONTO YOUR MEMORY CARDS. IT WILL CORRUPT AN DESTROY YOUR MEMORY CARD/CARDS. One memory card is worth more than this stupid thing. I lost two memory cards an ALL my bazillion hours of gameplay.

ALSO... the disc sucks, when the PS2 is warm, it won't recognize the disc & if you break or mess the disc up, no way you can make a copy of it an use that. Your screwed!

GOOD:
The codes work an it's great to whip through a game that was driving you nuts or stressing you out before.

If you have complaints, call Datels US office
(727) 431-0650

FROM AMAZON.CA
---------

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.

This is the best working and cheapest cheating device for the PS2. For all you adults who think that the memery card corruption is permanant, well, do some research! I can figure out a way to solve the problem, and I'm only 13! You are all over 21! AR Max Memory has a formatting feature, which scrapes all of the corrupted data away. Yes, you will lose your hard-earned saves, but that's the price for cheating. Who ever said that cheating would be fair? Overall, besides the Max Memory portion, this item is great!

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 bought this product after reading that you can update the code list via a network connection, or using a USB flash drive. I have not been able to get either to work correctly. After following their instructions on the Datel website on how to update the codes using a USB drive, it deleted my game saves on the memory card. It also corrupted the memory card, and corrupted saves on the card in slot 2. I have had nothing but trouble with it, it's slow and doesn't live up to the promises. Their customer support is lousy, with a response that merely said...sorry. Well thanks a lot to them...just lost hours of game saves!!!

I honestly do not like cheat devices, but since Wild Arms 4 came out, it actually now has a use. Let me explain...

Unfortunately, thanks to an programming on the part of Xseed Puplishing (the company that translated Wild Arms 4) it is impossible to unlock two of the bonus contents in the game without the aid of this device, or a similar device like a Gameshark. Since this is the cheapest of all said devices, if you are hellbent on unlocking everything in that game, you'll want to shell out the twenty dollars for this.

If it wasn't for this reason, I wouldn't even be interested in this product.

Okay, I'll admit I bought this cheat thing for one reason only - to see the "hidden" games in GTA San Andreas. It worked just fine on my slim PS2 right out of the box, although there was a long load time as it updated from the website, and of course I had to find the codes and enter them manually since some paranoid loser at CodeJunkies decided to take the GTASA codes down. It takes a long time to put all those dang codes in and it really wasn't worth it for the hidden content. Buy it if you want to tweak your games a little, just don't go overboard or it will freak your PS2 out just as messing too much with Windows will freak out your PC.

Then this will not work on your console.But if you have the huge old ps2 console then this will work on you console.If you do have the slim console then you should get a game shark.

This is a great little cheat device to use, but it's unbearably slow on the PS2. I own both the Gamecube and PS2 version, and with the Gamecube one I'm up and running in about 1 minute. With the PS2 version, I literally have to sit there for 5 minutes waiting for the codes to load into the code list. That might not seem like a long time, but imagine sitting there and just waiting for 5 whole minutes.. it gets really old really fast. Sometimes I don't use it just because of how irritating the wait is.

The good part is being able to download codes off the internet and transferring them to the PS2 on the included memory key. Well, copying over the new codes takes quite a while too, so prepare to wait for that as well. I really don't know if the PS2 is to blame or the Action Replay.. but it really should be faster.

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.

This is a wonderful resource for enjoying 'retired' video games. It adds new life to older titles. It is, however, challenging for new games; it requires you to input long lines of code that can be frustrating at times, but well worth the effort. Overall I recommend this product for anyone with a library of games who is looking to enjoy them again and again.

I got this action replay because I no longer have reflex or free time or 10 year old to finish games that I like. Although I prefer playing the game the way it is written, many times I just don't have enough time to do all the dirty work - like collecting experience points and collecting money.

This worked as advertised. It is little hassel to load this up _every time_ I need help. Since it take a while for this to load up, it's not convenient as popping my game disc and playing.

I think it works reasonably well.. Used on 2 games so far. It's unfortunate that this doesn't let you play import titles. I've heard gamecube version had that functionality.

It has tons of codes already on the disc. Unless you are trying out a recent game, you don't even have to enter a code.

The action replay is very cool actually, it has many things to do, but, there are some codes that do not work in the games, like for example, I was playing Devil May Cry (1st part), and I selected some codes (infinite red orbs), and they don't seem to work. But overall, it works great.

This product was sent to me brand new and in excellent condition. If you enjoy getting the cheats to your favorite games then I do by all means recommend this product.

this unit is only for the fisrst generation ps2, the new slim model that came out recently makes this unit completley useless and outdated. the better buy would be thier evo unit.

He came over this afternoon with it, while I don't cheat in my games, he just bought it so he brought it with him, well I bought my ps2 in 2000 when it just came out, and it works like a charm, I don't know what else other people are complaining about but it works, dynasty warriors 4 was the game that it was tested on.

I have the slim-line PS2 and I bought the AR Max simply to play Region 2 DVDs. When I first put the product in, the machine would not recognize it. I called the customer service line and paid for a 7-minute phone call that told me I would have to send the product back to them in order to get a NEWER VERSION that would work in the slim-line PS2. When I got the new product, it was only a CD (they kept the cartridge I sent in), but the CD is all you need. I still find it annoying that they kept the cartridge. I didn't need it for anything, but it wasn't theirs to keep. So I put in the CD and try to play a few Region 2 DVDs. They don't work. The audio is fine but the video is distorted beyond recognition. The codes for video games work fine, no problem there. I have sent their support department an email (I don't expect them to get back to me anytime soon).

So, in conclusion, if you are buying this product to use in the SLIM-LINE PS2, be prepared to send the product back to the manufacturer as soon as you buy it. Also, DO NOT buy this product solely to play Region 2 DVDs. Otherwise, you will have wasted your money like I did.

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 got the Playstation2 the first day they were available and this product creates a disc read error message.

armax isthe greatest thing ever if it wasnt for ar max i would not even get past some levels of lotsof games it is the 1st thing i put in my ps2 before i play any game dont belive ppl that say it dont work causethey just dont know how it worksi mean u get god mode in al games and infinate ammo and so much moreu can buy an up grade disk with over 30.000 cheat codes and can put in all new game codes by hand or by pc it is the best disk i own and recomend it to any 1 that is having a hard time geting tru any game and levels buy this itsthe best frankie

All I can say is, I've been using cheat software from day one. I've owned Game Shark stuff, Action Replay stuff, and Codebreaker stuff. Nothing has made me as mad as Action Replay Max, though. It corrupted my memory card, causing the loss of dozens of hours of saved games. To add insult to injury, the corrupted games still take up space on the card, but I can't find any way to recover them. I guess I'll have to reformat the card and wave goodbye to hours of hard work (play).

Save yourself a lot of time and frustration, don't bother with this product. I bought it for my 10 year old to give him an extra advantage in his game playing, but this product wound up disappointing him because we never could get it to work at all!! I followed the instructions to the letter and the game just never recognized any of the codes, it was if I had done nothing at all. The product support was, to say the least, poor - almost none existant!!! They had no idea what the problem was and made me feel like I was the only person who had ever encountered a problem with this product. I read the online reviews on this product before I bought it but decided to buy it anyway, thinking that I am probably a little more "tech savy" than the average person so I could make it work. WRONG!!! $30 in the trash can. I think there are probably better products for cheats and codes out there and I will definitely do a lot of homework before investing in another one. Another reviewer on this website suggested only buying from a retailer who offers full refunds for unsatisfied customers or if you are not satisfied with the product. If you are considering this product as a fun way to improve and enhance your games, do yourself a favor and pass.

Action Replay MAX vs. Codebreaker PS2

Who will win?

Codebreaker better features:

Loads faster
More games to choose from
More codes to choose from
A bit cheaper
You only need a PS2 Memory Card

Codebreaker's worst features:

No powersaves
Difficult to use

Overall, it's a tie. But they're both worthwhile devices to use.