For a console that had approximately 2469 games developed for it, you would have to have Rain Man levels of intellect to be able to list all of the PlayStation 2 releases. It’s no surprise then that two PlayStation consoles later and the last game ever made for it, Pro Evolution Soccer 2014, releasing not all that long ago, people’s memories of the console are a little faded considering its long lifespan.
Tearing off Christmas wrapping to find a PlayStation 2 waiting for me is one of the memories that will linger in my mind for many years to come, and so too will my joy at playing the games that came with it, Jak and Daxter: the Precursor Legacy and Ready 2 Rumble Boxing: Round 2. After sticking with my eventually wheezy and downtrodden PS2 for the better part of a decade, it’s understandable that some of the games I played for it became a bit of a blur, but I will never forget the platforming goodness of Jak and Daxter or the goofy punching of Ready 2 Rumble that I would re-enact with my best friend at lunchtime (dramatic falls to the canvas and pelvic thrusts definitely happened).
With that in mind, I travelled the lengths of the big bad web to research some of the best games released for the console that might have fallen by the wayside unfairly in recent years. In no particular order, here are ten forgotten PlayStation 2 games exclusive to the console that might give you a serious case of the nostalgias.
10. Kessen
Along with its more action-orientated sequel, Kessen was a confusing but exhilarating RTS game for my younger self. By skewing Japanese history and making its own alternative lore, it was an experience that would test your resolve. Its cinematics were engaging, dramatic and incredibly silly to the point of parody, but that only added to its charm. For staying relatively realistic compared to its barmy two sequels, the original Kessen stakes its claim as a forgotten PS2 game that deserves more.
9. Herdy Gerdy
Many games have tried something similar to greater effect in recent years, which just goes to show that Herdy Gerdy was ahead of its time, but not exactly groundbreaking. The real charm in the 2002 release from Eidos comes from its art design and challenging puzzles. It paved the way for a cavalcade of farming sims, but sadly never really had the attention it deserved as it was released during the PS2’s infancy and was lost in a sea of Dreamcast ports.
8. Dark Chronicle
Even though it still has a fairly devoted cult following to this day, most casual gamers’ reactions when you mention Dark Chronicle will be that of confusion before asking you if it’s a novelisation of Dark Souls. Surpassing the dungeon-dwelling restrictions of its predecessor, Dark Cloud, to create a far more open experience, Chronicle sees you build villages and fight monsters with some of the most accomplished graphics you can fit on a PS2 disc. When a game that’s 13 years old can more than hold its own against the depth found in most modern sandbox adventures, you know you might be onto a good thing.
7. Ghosthunter
By no means perfect, Ghosthunter‘s underappreciated greatness comes from how effectively it conveys a cartoonish sense of dread. The ghost design is innovative and the combat simple enough, if slightly repetitive. For its time, Ghosthunter has some artistically framed aesthetics and impressively intricate character models. Combine that with punishing gameplay and all the scary ghost children that you can waggle a crucifix at and you have a diamond in the rough that more people should have played.
6. Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny
With everyone clamouring for HD remakes and reboots of classic games, I am always very surprised that Onimusha is never mentioned as a contender. If Resident Evil, a fellow release from Capcom, is deserving of a spit polish, then so is the Onimusha series, but Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny in particular. Taking control of Jubei Yagyu as he looks to defeat a demon army, you must learn to work together with four other characters who can all have a big bearing on the story in a level of depth not often seen in early PlayStation2 games. The difficulty level never errs away from frustrating (a hallmark for the series) and the customisation mechanics are a gift that just keeps on giving in Samurai’s Destiny.
NEXT PAGE
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site. We cover gaming news, movie reviews, wrestling and much more.
