I have a similar problem with a PS2, it struggles to load PS2 gaames for some reason, and many trimes rarely gets out of the "Playstation 2" pop up before the games.
The funny thing is that it has no problem running the old Playstation games, and once its "warmed up" it plays the PS2 games just fine too, but it absolutely won't load them until the PS2s been running for a good 1/2 an hour.
Odd.
Once it gets running, I spend hours on end with GTA3 and MGS2, although I think that Konami could have done more with the PS2 sequelk to their hit game. It just seems to be a graphically updated version of the first in many respects.
But I worship at the alter of GTA3
Can anyone else recommend any other good PS2 games for me to rent while I still have it?