How do you whittle down the thousands and thousands strong library of the greatest video game console ever made to just 100? While limiting ourselves to just two games per franchise, let’s choose the best PS2 games of all time.
100. James Bond 007: Everything Or Nothing
Until just recently, there was an unfair reputation surrounding James Bond games that there hasn’t been a good one since Goldeneye. But the PS2 offered some great adventures like From Russia With Love, which saw Sean Connery return to the role, but the best of the best is Everything Or Nothing.
Pierce Brosnan’s final time in the role, this absolutely balls to the wall third person action adventure essentially served as a prototype for what a modern Bond game could be. First Light should serve as vindication that Everything Or Nothing absolutely was pretty dang good. Also, Willem Dafoe.
99. Urban Chaos: Riot Response
People think that Rocksteady Studios are just the Batman game developers, and while that’s mostly true, their debut game is quite the hidden gem. Urban Chaos: Riot Response is a shoot first, shoot again and then shoot the dead bodies approach to policing, though when you’ve got hordes of masked goons throwing molotov cocktails at you, it makes sense.
While the gunplay is rock solid, steady even, the real highlight is the riot shield, offering a rare defensive option that wasn’t seen much at that time in gaming. Plus, there’s slow motion ragdoll kills, the old PS2 Havoc engine classic.
98. The Matrix: Path of Neo
Why is it so hard to make a proper video game about The Matrix? The whole thing is practically a video game anyway, so maybe that’s where the issue lies. Hard to adapt something that’s already pretty similar, I guess? Still, Shiny Entertainment did a pretty good job of it by turning the entire trilogy into one game with The Matrix: Path of Neo.
Following Mr Anderson from office stealth expert to machine messiah, Path of Neo offers both martial arts beat’em up gameplay and third person shooting to perfectly capture the bonkers action of The Matrix. Also, kaiju mecha Agent Smith.
97. Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks
Those PS2 era mainline Mortal Kombat games sold gangbusters at the time, but their gameplay aged like milk; a statement that certainly can’t be said regarding Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. A bona fide streets won’t forget whipper.
A retelling/fleshing out of the events leading up to and including MK2, you play as Liu Kang and Kung Lao as they travel through the realms hoping to stop Shao Kahn and Outworld’s invasion. Filled with easter eggs and built with co-op in mind, this game is what couches were made for.
96. Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit
People credit the seventh console generation and Telltale Games for the influx of 3D narrative adventure games. It pains us to do it, but we can trace it back further to David Cage and Quantic Dream, as Indigo Prophecy or Fahrenheit if you’re cool was a game light years ahead of its time in many ways. It’s also the weirdest Matrix homage I’ve ever seen, but that’s another conversation.
Following multiple protagonists, the game opens on a ritual killing in a diner bathroom, with the player controlling the murderer and the pursuing cops. It falls apart in the back half, but that opening is undeniably peak.
95. Rayman Revolution
Rayman might not be the world conquering mascot platforming he seemed destined to be after that original game on the PS1, but that doesn’t mean the no-jointed one didn’t go down swinging. Sure, Rayman Revolution might just be a remade version of the PS1’s Rayman 2: The Great Escape, but it’s also a significantly improved version and well worth your time.
Aside from the obvious graphical upgrades, Rayman Revolution offers new levels, minigames and even an overhauled upgrade system, making it the definitive version. It might not be the most beloved 3D platformer, but don’t miss out on it.
94. Xenosaga Episode I: Der Wille zur Macht
Through various worlds and spiritual successors, Monolith Soft’s Xeno series has been going since the PS1, and while Xenogears is the cult classic and Xenoblade is the current darling, people tend to sleep on the Xenosaga era. A JRPG series that blends mecha, existentialism and a love of European literature, Xenosaga is a wild ride.
While the entire trilogy is worth your time, obviously you should start with the beginning, and see how Monolith Soft’s work has iterated and grown over time. Frankly, the fact that these three games haven’t been ported is practically criminal. Namco, figure it out lads.
93. Disgaea 2
Disgaea ranks among the unsung heroes of RPGs. It’s not big as a Final Fantasy for example, but the ball knowers and sickos are tapped in, ready to recommend them to unsuspecting gamers at a moment’s notice. We’re filling that role today, as Disgaea 2 deserves its place on this list.
The game’s story follows Adell, a young man unaffected by a curse that turned an entire town into demons. Seeking a fix, Adell heads out to batter the demon overlord Zenon. With 3D grid based tactical battles, there’s a lot for budding strategists to sink their teeth into here.
92. Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria
Square Enix have probably forgotten more about RPGs than we’ll ever learn, seeing how across both the PS1 and PS2 that was the majority of their output. That’s how genuinely brilliant games like Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria get overlooked, because Square have probably launched seven other RPGs that same year.
A tale of Norse mythology, the game follows Silmeria and Alicia, two characters in one body attempting to stop a war between the gods and Midgard. Truth be told, this is a difficult game, but those willing to learn its unique battle system will find a one of a kind experience here.
91. Shadow Hearts Covenant
If most of the RPGs were Square Enix, imagine how the competition felt? Just look at Shadow Hearts Covenant, the second game in a trilogy that’s also a stealth sequel to channel favourite PS1 game Koudelka. While you should definitely play the first Shadow Hearts for the important context, Covenant is rightly considered the high watermark of the trilogy.
A weird mix of 20th Century history, Lovecraftian horror elements and turn-based RPG gameplay, Covenant is a globe hopping adventure to stop a terrorist secret society from unleashing otherworldly evil across the world. Nightdive, can we get a HD Collection of this? We know you’re watching.
90. Guitar Hero 2
We can’t talk about the best 100 PS2 games of all time and not at least mention the plastic tat king, Guitar Hero. Now, picking which one is the best is usually decided by which one had the soundtrack you liked the most, which is hardly the most objective barometer, but we’re going with Guitar Hero 2 here.
First of all, this is the one that introduced Encores, which feels like they should’ve been there anyway, but it’s mainly because it improves on the first game while still being made for the platform. Ever tried GH3 on PS2? Oh boy.
89. Prince of Persia: Warrior Within
Say what you want about modern Ubisoft, and we will, of course, but one of their biggest success stories of all time was taking a relatively mid-level cinematic platformer and turning it into one of the most successful 3D platformers with Prince of Persia. Obviously, the Sands of Time is the best one of the lot, and we’ll get to that, but there’s a certain charm to the edgy teenage son, Warrior Within.
Following on from the events of Sands of Time, Warrior Within is a much darker game, with the Prince outrunning death itself because he meddled with time.
88. Rogue Galaxy
Sony has always benefited massively from companies like Square bringing their RPGs to the PlayStation, but they’ve struggled more with their own published works. People liked The Legend of Dragoon, but it was outshined by other RPGs. The same can be said of Level-5 developed Rogue Galaxy, a truly slept-on PS2 great.
Set in a galaxy with space pirates that have actual galleons (think Treasure Planet), you control a backwater farmboy roped into a planet-hopping adventure thanks to some mistaken identity. If you prefer action RPGs over turn-based, Rogue Galaxy has all the slashing action you’d ever want.
87. Odin Sphere
Despite being around since the early 2000s, it felt like it took until the 2010s for Vanillaware to finally get the recognition they deserve as a truly phenomenal development studio. Sure, Dragon’s Crown and 13 Sentinels are fantastic, but Vanillaware had already dropped bangers like Odin Sphere before then, which deserve more credit. At least there’s a PS4 remake that’s easily accessible and keeps the spirit of the game alive.
A 2D beat ‘em up based on Norse mythology, Odin Sphere combines beautiful graphics with tight gameplay to create one of the most compelling brawlers on the console.
86. Gitaroo Man
The best part of the PS1 was seeing the sheer level of creativity and imagination from developers. The PS2 continued that in a big way, and there’s no better encapsulation of that than Gitaroo Man. Sure, it might not be the longest or most content complete game on the PS2, but there’s genuinely nothing else like this on the PS2.
Trying to condense this game’s plot and gameplay into a handful of words is a bit of a challenge, but here goes: you’re stopping an alien invasion with the power of rhythm action rock. Hell yeah, brother.
85. Mercenaries: Playground Of Destruction
Open world games definitely existed before the PS2, of course, but it feels like the PS2 allowed developers to get a little bit more ambitious with it, which is what Pandemic Studios did with Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction. Yeah, it might have courted controversy by being set in North Korea, but this is a sandbox that really encouraged players to wreak havoc.
Dropped into North Korea as a merc looking for a payday, you set to work capturing or killing the Deck of 52, NK military’s top brass. Explore, cosy up to the factions, bunker bust city blocks, it’s your call.
84. Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
If you ask us, there aren’t enough games where it’s all about parrying paranormal panics with precision photography. And even if you remake them, they’re not quite as good as this one.
Following sisters Mio and Mayu, you control Mio as you’re trapped in a cursed village filled with ghosts looking to make a bad day worse. Thankfully, your trusty Camera Obscura can see the ghosts and deal damage to them. Snap a picture at the precise time though, otherwise you’re tickling them, basically.
83. Peter Jackson’s King Kong
If all film tie-ins could’ve been at least as good as Peter Jackson’s King Kong, we might still be getting some these days. God, most were rubbish, but part of me is just nostalgic for the way gaming used to be. Anywho, this first person shooter take on the LOTR director’s remake of a classic might just earn the distinction of being better than the movie it’s based on.
The film is fine and all, but this is some excellent FPS gameplay against dinos and creepy crawlies. Smashing things as Kong is also pretty fun too. Somehow it clears modern Turok too. Wild.
82. WWE Smackdown Vs Raw 2006
Wrestling purists will say there hasn’t been a good wrestling game since WWF No Mercy, dismissing the excellent run of form that Yuke’s had with the PS2 grapplers. Smackdown Vs Raw 2006 might not be the best one from them, but god damn, this is some excellent digital wrestling.
Between the 100 match types on offer, the robust Season mode that included full voice acting and fully written plotlines for most of the roster (including some of the legends), more fleshed out creation modes and the introduction of fan favourite GM Mode, SVR ‘06 is integral to modern wrestling game history.
81. Ace Combat 04/5/Zero
Look, have a moan with us in the comments if you want, but we’re lumping all three PS2 Ace Combat games here, simply because they’ve been given the reputation by fans as being The Holy Trinity. Truly, all three games are considered to be the peak of this illustrious franchise, so we’re just going to cheat a little bit. Please, no shouting until the end.
Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies, AC5: The Unsung War and ACZero: The Belkan War all have their own individual qualities, but everyone’s just going to recommend playing them all. We’re doing the same. Sue us.
80. Shin Megami Tensei 3: Nocturne
The PS2 era might have been where a certain Shin Megami Tensei spin-off series started to outshine the franchise it spawned from, but that doesn’t mean that SMT floundered on the PS2. If you’re looking for one of the more brutal and unforgiving RPG experiences on the PS2, SMT 3: Nocturne.
The game follows a high school student (shocker) who is immediately thrust into a demonic post-apocalypse (actual shocker) and becomes a demi-fiend. Now, they can recruit demons and try to save what’s left of humanity. The fate of this new world rests in your hands, so you better make good decisions.
79. Freedom Fighters
IO Interactive is obviously known for Hitman and, now, 007: First Light, but if it were up to us, we would’ve had a Freedom Fighters trilogy by now. Sure, the shlocky Red Dawn premise of Russia invading the US has been done before and since numerous times, but the core gameplay offered here could put most modern third person shooters to shame.
As a lowly plumber, you rise through the ranks of the resistance, taking the fight to the Russians across New York. As you progress, you gain the ability to command more resistance members, before the game turns into militia Pikmin.
78. Manhunt
Rockstar definitely aren’t strangers to controversy, but the Manhunt games might be the most heat the studio has ever dealt with. Manhunt 2 was banned for a good while there, though it’s not quite as entertaining as the first game if we’re being honest.
Playing as death row inmate Cash, you’re forced to survive snuff films led by a sadistic director. You need to use stealth and whatever weapons you can find lying around in the different locations of Carcer City, which is easier said than done. Consider this the Francis from Malcolm In The Middle subplot equivalent to GTA.
77. Sly 3: Honor Among Thieves
It really would be nice if Sucker Punch could just take a break from their samurai love affair for a while and just crack on with a new Sly Cooper. The world could do with more of that mischievous little cat burglar raccoon, but in the meantime, let’s just focus on how good that original trilogy was.
While the third game, Honor Among Thieves, might not have been as good as the second one, it did throw the kitchen sink at the already established formula. More playable characters, more minigames, mostly more fun to be had. PS5 port the Sly Collection, when?
76. Killer7
It’s not shocking information to learn that Suda51’s games are bloody weird, though perhaps none of them have been as ridiculous as Killer7. You’ve got politics in the story, an assassin who can transform into multiple different personas, and an alarming amount of virus riddled humans that like to explode in your face. It’s suitably weird, and undeniably Suda51.
Playing as the wheelchair bound Harman Smith, along with his multiple personalities, you deal with a terrorist group known as Heaven’s Smile, fighting them across multiple levels in this weird on-rails, third/first-person blend. Play it yourself, talking does no justice.
75. Red Dead Revolver
Say the words “Red Dead” and most will likely think of John Marston or Arthur Morgan from both Redemption games, but those are Red Dead 2 and 3. To say otherwise is Revolver erasure, and it’s dealt with enough erasure already considering Capcom cancelled it.
Thankfully, Rockstar revived this explosive shooter, as its fast and loose approach to gameplay makes it one of the most fun Westerns on the console. Yeah, the story is best described as “there”, and the gameplay has the depth of a puddle, but you’ll be yeehawing the entire time, and that’s the most important part.
74. Rez
Chief contender of the video games as art category, Rez might be more famous for the “Trance Vibrator” controller you could buy separately that would vibrate in time with the music, but the juvenile jokes might’ve overshadowed what is a genuinely stunning piece of work.
An on-rails shooter that relies heavily on retro cyberspace visuals and that feeling of synesthesia that comes with seeing music and colours coming together, Rez isn’t a game that can be described. It’s short, but simply unforgettable, and the soundtrack slaps too. That in-game mix of Adam Freeland’s Mind Killer for the last level is diabolically good.
73. Tekken Tag Tournament
The Tekken series came bursting onto the PS2 with all the momentum in the world, considering that Tekken 3 probably still ranks as the best game in the whole series. That momentum would grind to halt almost immediately with Tekken 4, but Tekken Tag Tournament was an amazing stopgap in the middle.
Essentially just Tekken 3 but with better graphics and a 2v2 tag mode as standard, Tekken Tag Tournament was a brand new way to play a still relatively young franchise. In fact, we reckon more fighting games should just say “sod it” and do a non-canon tag fighter.
72. Jak 2
If you were a young lad who first picked up a PS2 and played the original Jak & Daxter, you probably thought that Jak would’ve been a key Sony pillar for generations to come. Shame that it didn’t come to pass, but it’s not really because the games stopped being any good.
Admittedly more action focused than strictly platforming, Jak 2 set the blueprint for Prince of Persia: Warrior Within by offering a more edgy second outing. Jak’s been sent to the far future, he now has a Dark Jak power, and an arsenal that’d make Army Rangers weep. GTA for kids, but we all did love it.
71. Suikoden 3
Suikoden 3 is one of those games that unfortunately suffers due to the fact that it’s not the games that came before it. 1+2 are so beloved that it’s hard for 3 to get a look in, but that doesn’t mean it should be dismissed out of hand so readily. If you want another excellent turn-based RPG to gorge on on the PS2, do not ignore this.
Set 16 years after the events of the second game, Suikoden 3 changes the formula by offering three playable characters, each from their own factions with separate motivations, instead of good vs evil.
70. Red Faction
It’s a crying shame that Volition was shut down a few years back, largely because a new Red Faction would be great fun right about now. All these shooters focus on graphical fidelity and how cool an explosion looks, but that all means nothing if you won’t let me actually demolish things. Red Faction understood that.
Set on Mars, you’re leading a rebellion against the awful Ultor Corporation, using the destructible environment to your advantage in the process. Why open a door when you can smash through a wall? In 2001, Red Faction felt like the future of shooters. What happened?
69. Final Fantasy XII
Despite some excellent reviews at the time, Final Fantasy XII doesn’t get the same amount of love that a certain other PS2 FF game does. Yes, we’re definitely referring to X-2. Girlypop forever. Its impact on the series cannot be overstated though, considering this was the first mainline game outside of MMOs to offer no random battles and a combat system that blended action RPGs and Active Time Battle.
The story follows Vaan, a street urchin who’s swept up into a conspiracy that threatens all the kingdoms of Ivalice. It might not be as good as FFX, but it’s still a wonderful RPG.
68. Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition Remix
There’s a chance that seeing the title of this game has caused a section of our audience to fire up the song Real Big by Manny Fresh, and we’re right there with you. Our belly real big, if nothing else. Midnight Club has always played second fiddle to other racing game franchises, but those who missed out on MC3: Dub Edition Remix really missed out.
Essentially a definitive edition release, this version includes the already excellent MC3, along with more cars, new races, 25 additional songs and the return of Tokyo from MC2. It’s a hard racer, but it’s fantastic.
67. Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
Because the first game was strictly a PC only release, IO Interactive were keen to show console owners what they were missing out on when Hitman 2: Silent Assassin dropped. If you’re looking for a masterclass on stealth, disguise and making death look like an accident, you’ve come to the right place.
The game opens with a retired Agent 47 trying to enjoy a quiet life in Italy, only to be forced back into contract killing when a close friend is kidnapped. Missions take place across the world, and you’re free to take out targets as you wish. An assassin’s playground.
66. The Punisher
If the last one was an assassin’s playground, The Punisher is simply a sandbox for a sadist, and we kind of love it for that. It’s also another reason why we’re sad about Volition, because we’d love a modern port of this classic shooter. No else has been able to nail The Punisher in video games, honestly.
Bringing back Thomas Jane from the cheesy but loveable 2004 film, the game sees Frank massacring New York’s criminal element en masse, from the mob to the Russian mafia. Brutal violence, enjoyable gunplay and plenty of Marvel cameos: a winning combo to be sure.
65. Resident Evil Code Veronica X
If this were the Dreamcast list, Resident Evil Code Veronica would be among the upper echelon of games, but unfortunately, the PS2 release doesn’t quite iterate on the original DC game enough to make it fly up the rankings. Even so, Code Veronica is a superlative continuation of the original trilogy’s gameplay. It’s the Sonic & Knuckles of Resident Evil, I guess.
Code Veronica X is simply just an updated port for the PS2, with some graphical changes like a new haircut for Steve, and 10 minutes of new cutscenes. Hardly game changing, but still an excellent Resident Evil entry.
64. SSX 3
SSX is a core pillar of the PS2’s identity, but people usually refer to one game in particular and it’s never SSX 3. Shame, as SSX is such an ambitious take on the established snowboarding formula that it deserves more love from the fans than it gets, despite DJ Atomica.
Instead of completing events around the world, SSX 3 takes place on a three-peaked mountain, with tracks becoming harder and harder the further up you go. Most impressively though, it was all explorable in free roam, and you could race from the peak to the bottom. Unforgettable stuff, honestly.
63. Soulcalibur 3
Another third entry in a series that’s been overshadowed by the second one, Soulcalibur 3 is a much bigger game than its predecessor, with more characters, arenas, modes and even improvements to existing modes. On paper, it should be better, and some would say it is, but reviews certainly don’t.
From the arcade mode that offered actual choices throughout that led to secrets and unlockables, to the Chronicles of the Sword mode that blended RTS and fighting games, to the amazing character creation, this is an amazing fighting game. No question. Just a shame it doesn’t have any guest characters.
62. Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner
Perhaps Konami’s most overlooked and underappreciated franchise, Zone of the Enders offered fast paced mech combat and some of the most gorgeous graphics on the PS2. However, the first game did have some flaws with its semi-open world and civilians getting in the way of combat.
Enter ZotE: The 2nd Runner, a more streamlined sequel that focuses purely on action and combat and is all the better for it. More enemy types, more weapons for you to use and a linear approach to the stages and level designs make this a tighter, more enjoyable game for mecha sickos. Shame we never got a third.
61. Devil May Cry
It might seem a bit harsh for a game like Devil May Cry to not break the top 50, but that’s not because the game’s bad or anything. The PS2 just has too many good games, and if we’re being honest, the original Devil May Cry might have aged a little worse than some others, especially compared to its second follow-up. DMC2 doesn’t exist as far as we’re concerned.
The game that was originally Resident Evil and spawned from an Onimusha glitch, DMC sees Dante absolutely styling on a castle filled with demons. Great combat, but minus points for the underwater sections.
60. Black
When you get a racing game developer to create a shooter, you get one of two results. Either it’s a fast-paced shooter where you’re moving faster than your bullets, a la Bizarre Creations with The Club, or they’re going to use their knowledge of graphics and details to create Gun Porn: The Game. Criterion opted for the latter with Black, and we respect it.
The story is your typical military nonsense, but the real highlight is how good the graphics are, the detail on the guns and how punchy they feel. The SPAS-12 alone in Black is among gaming shotgun royalty, honestly.
59. Gran Turismo 3
Polyphony had already established themselves as the driving simulation kings on the PS1 with Gran Turismo, and GT3 just proved that things weren’t in danger of changing. Sure, the amount of content on offer took a significant hit compared to GT2, with less than a third of the available cars, but the suite of other improvements across the board more than made up for it.
We’re talking better graphics, better physics, better opponent AI and improved technical performance. As a game, GT3 was a leaps and bounds improvement on its predecessor, but somehow, there were more leaps to make.
58. Ape Escape 3
Look, reviews would have you believe that Ape Escape 3 doesn’t deserve to be on this list, but those reviews are wrong. This game is phenomenal, maybe aside from the cringey British dub dialogue though. You’re running around levels that are send ups of different moments in film and TV and you’ve got a big net to capture monkeys with. What’s not to love?
Once you’re done with that though, you unlock Mesal Gear Solid, a Metal Gear Solid 1 homage but everyone’s a monkey. This game is, and we mean this pun with our whole hearts, bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S.
57. Capcom Vs SNK 2
Crossover fighting games are practically a genre in and of themselves, though you can argue which one is bigger, Marvel Vs Capcom or Capcom Vs SNK. Personally, we’re waiting on the Marvel Vs Capcom Vs SNK ultimate crossover, but that’s about as likely to happen as we are to become millionaires.
Anyway, Capcom Vs SNK 2 continued the battle between two of fighting game’s biggest companies, with a massive roster of characters and gameplay styles all smushed together to create an amazing fighting game. Come on lads, surely it’s about time for a third one at this point, no?
56. Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast
At this point, some of you might only know Outrun as that game Kiryu or Ichiban play between smacking around thugs, but for PS2 owners, Outrun 2006: Coast 2 Coast was among the must have arcade racers on the platform. Sure, it’s just an updated version of Outrun 2 on the original Xbox, but this game is the epitome of sublime vibes.
With 15 different Ferraris to choose from, an actual career mode with races and mini-games to complete, and more unlockables than you’d expect, Outrun 2006 is a PS2 classic. SEGA, pull your finger out, modern port this bad boy.
55. God Hand
Somewhat overlooked in its day and the absolute certified hipster’s pick when it comes to the PlayStation 2’s vast, vast library, God Hand really does deserve its place here. It sums up the PS2 era better than most games.
The first Clover Studio game on this list but by no means the last, God Hand’s unique blend of challenging beat ‘em up gameplay, deep and rewarding mechanics, along with humour that makes you want to guard your bedroom door so no one catches you playing it makes God Hand one of the most memorable PS2 games of all-time. Does it have flaws? Absolutely, but it’s also unapologetic in being itself, and we will always adore it for that. Also, monkey
54. Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance
One of those absolute “you had to be there” kind of games, Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance might be a bit basic in a post-bear sex world, but there’s no underselling just how big of a leap action RPGs on console took when this dropped in 2001.
A co-op cult classic, Baldur’s Gate: Dark Alliance was one of a handful of early PS2 games that hinted at what the console was capable of technically and graphically, and its approachable role-playing and hacking and slashing systems make it and its also brilliant sequel guilt-free throwbacks today. Sometimes hit stuff get stuff big fun.
53. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King
A lot of people are completely blinded by childhood nostalgia when it comes to licensed games. Go in the comments section of this video and you will no doubt find some lunatic suggesting that, I dunno, Cat in the Hat is one of the best PS2 games of all time.
However, as well as looking as close to the real thing as you could get at the time, The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King was a lovingly made hack and slash with an insane sebse scale for the PlayStation 2 real reverence for the source material. Even Sir Ian McKellen is fully on board here.
Return of the King is the Goldeneye of licensed hack and slash games, and you’re gonna have great fun with this one with a pal, even now. Dibs Gimli. He is me.
52. Hitman: Blood Money
While Hitman 2: Silent Assassin was 47’s watershed moment, and for me as a ten year old dragging dead chefs about the place, Hitman: Blood Money for some remains the absolute pinnacle of the series. And then they went and forgot everything and made Absolution. Fun game, but not Hitman.
But this is the Hitman franchise at its most pure and brilliantly complex, with so many different ways of approaching your targets that it feels almost as deep as the immersive sims typically reserved for PC. Murder chess is quite brilliant when it comes together. It also has quite possibly the coldest final mission of all time.
51. The Warriors
It was kind of a bit random to hear that Rockstar’s next game was going to be an adaptation of The Warriors when you were a kid. But that’s what the best adaptations do: they introduce new audiences to things that deserve more love.
And what an eye-catching rendition of Swan, Cleon, and the gang’s big barney around New York City, Rockstar cooked up here. The game looked great for the time and it still does hit differently today, with deep, visceral combat and a surprising amount of exploration and side content for a brawler. Imagine if Rockstar adapted, I dunnom Equilibrium next.
50. Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy
Behold: the most 2000s game ever conceived. Amnesiac secret agent protagonist? Check. Telekinesis? We got that. Nu-metal on the soundtrack? Brother, we were living.
A game that I didn’t realise was actually a commercial failure considering my playground was obsessed with chucking idiots around, Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy is a superbly edgy third-person shooter that’s a bloody precursor to something like Control.
The PS2 was blessed with a bevy of video game-y ass video games, and Psi-Ops was utterly unashamed to be just that. Sure, the controls are a little wonky, but you can put guys on fire, so that’s all good. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I gotta go buy some Chevelle vinyl on eBay.
49. Pro Evolution Soccer 6
American viewers: hold it. Hold it. Don’t go anywhere just yet. While you as a country might still be struggling to fully appreciate our finest export since Custard Creams, it’s hard not to appreciate making dinosaurs and penguins have a kickabout.
As well as being wonderfully daft in a way that simply wouldn’t happen today, Pro Evolution Soccer 6 was also the last true high point for a series that had redefined football games for the entire generation. Sure, today’s football games may have high fidelity Michael Keane with a side of crippling debt, but Pro Evolution Soccer tapped into the fun of football in a way that’s truly just been lost over the years.
Filibuster, ice cream sandwiches, Ella Langley. You can come back now.
48. The Simpsons Hit and Run
The PlayStation 2 had so many licensed bangers like Hit and Run that it’s the closest thing we’ll probably ever see to a golden age for such a thing. For many, just like how nothing beats rock, nothing beats Hit and Run.
A more than cromulent GTA clone, The Simpsons: Hit and Run released when the show was just cresting over its peak, and it’s got the actually funny comedy and golden age references to match. Twenty dollars can buy many peanuts, but we’d pay more than that to see a remaster of this one, or even a brand new Simpsons game. It’s been years.
47. Dark Cloud 2
Call us suckers, but we love RPGs where you get to build towns up from nothing. Placing buildings, recruiting villagers, role-playing having mates, completing tasks; it’s a simple life, and it’s why games like Dark Cloud 2 are some of the best you can find on the PS2.
Dark Cloud 2, or Dark Chronicle as it was known in the UK, features pretty much everything from the first game in terms of ideas and mechanics, only pushing the game further with bigger dungeons, more weapons, more characters, more better graphics wait what and more everything, really. The first game might be more fondly remembered, but if you want the actual best of the best, give Dark Chronicle a whirl. Or just binge them both, back to back. You know you want to.
46. Viewtiful Joe
Look, we told you that Clover would be back again. The game that allowed the team within Capcom to actually form as Clover, Viewtiful Joe’s approach to graphics, 2D platforming and combat was a massive departure from anything else on the platform.
Playing as the titular Joe, you’re dragged kicking and screaming into the world of sentai cinema, becoming the hero known as Viewtiful Joe in the process. As you’re now in the world of film, you can use features like slow-mo, fast forward and zoom in to gain an advantage over the enemy in this thrilling, eye-catching beat ‘em up adventure.
Will it kick your ass to hell and back in the process? Absolutely, but it’s brilliant nonetheless, and the sequel is pretty darned good too.
45. Def Jam: Fight for New York
A wrestling game with hip hop artists sounds like the elevator pitch for a game that would probably never work, but somehow EA managed to turn the Def Jam games into a pretty successful series, with Fight For New York being the undisputed best of the bunch.
Based on the AKI Engine wrestling games responsible for the likes of WWF No Mercy, Def Jam: FFNY featured dozens of real-life artists along with plenty of original creations battling it out in four player brawls across New York’s seedy underbelly, with a banger soundtrack to boot. If you ever wanted to see Snoop Dogg yucking it up as the most diabolically evil pimp in gaming history, Def Jam: Fight For New York is the game for you.
44. Need For Speed Underground 2
The PS2 era really inspired the wave of illegal street racing games, with the Need For Speed series sitting at the cutting edge of that specific niche. Many tried to imitate or replicate the magic that the Need For Speed series captured, and some came very close, but if you want the best, Need For Speed Underground 2 takes the cake.
As a young punk street racer, you’ll work your way up from tricked out Peugeot 106s to Ferraris and other supercars as you complete events, unlock new cars and upgrades and customise your vehicles with decals that wouldn’t look out of place on a teenage boy’s wall, or on a Game Boy Advance SP. Tribal tattoo times was better times, but Underground 2 is still brilliant fun even in modern times.
43. Medal of Honor Frontline
Before Call of Duty became the predominant military FPS series, there was Medal of Honor, which had already wowed players with its depiction of World War 2 through the first two PS1 games. Medal of Honor: Frontline was the series’ first entry on the PS2 though, and stood as a chance to push the capabilities of the PS2 early on. EA basically knocked it out of the park from the first level.
From the iconic menu music to the opening level of the campaign, which somehow remains the best depiction of the storming of Normandy in all of gaming, Medal of Honor: Frontline truly felt like you were able to live through your own personal Saving Private Ryan or Band Of Brothers, and it’s a feeling many of us will just never forget. If only the series were able to continue that run of form going forward.
42. Katamari Damacy
Katamari Damacy for the PS2 was brave enough to show people that not all games had to be about bloodshed or competition.
Just introduce a fun gameplay concept of rolling everything into a ball, couple it with some bizarre yet immaculate vibes and you have an instant classic on your hands. Quite frankly, we had to include Katamari Damacy on the list, as it really is just one of those games that sums up the weird, experimental, and most importantly brilliant era of game design that showed why the PlayStation 2 surged into a crazy lead. Also, you could watch How High on it on DVD, but mainly games like Katamari.
41. Twisted Metal Black
Considering that Sony has managed to turn the series into a pretty decent TV show, you’d think they’d have announced a new Twist ed Metal game by now. Why strike while the iron is hot?
Anyway, Twisted Metal: Black was the absolute zenith of the car combat genre that came to define the early days of PlayStation. Following on from the PS1 games, Black saw a post-apocalyptic cabal of psychopaths using their very much OSHA uncertified cars to cause carnage. With multitap and four players willing to get stuck in, Twisted Metal: Black remained a multiplayer favourite for many throughout the PS2’s lifecycle and even beyond. Did someone say “PS5 remaster with online support”? We hope so.
40. Sly 2: Band of Thieves
Another Sony IP that’s fallen way, way by the wayside over the last couple of generations, Sly 2 is everything we’ve been told doesn’t work these days. Cartoonish, stealthy, and not afraid to take risks.
You see, Sly and his pals’ second sneaky shindig tried a lot of different things and wore many different hats, helping it to become one of the most distinct, visually charming platformers of all time. It still looks great, sounds amazing, and is packed with a host of brilliant sandboxes that are just begging to be explored.
If you want a funny, vibrant platformer with a tonne of depth, Sly 2 should really be sneaking its way into your library as soon as possible.
39. Tomb Raider Legend
The Tomb Raider series has been through plenty of ups and downs over the years. Before the launch of Tomb Raider Legend, it was perhaps at its lowest. Tomb Raider Chronicles followed by Angel Of Darkness is a bad run of form, even if Angel of Darkness still looks decent today. Don’t ask about the gameplay part.
Tomb Raider Legend, while a simplified version of the Tomb Raider formula, managed to bring the series back in a big way, featuring Lara Croft on her usual globe-trotting adventure in the pursuit of relics, ancient secrets and perhaps even the legendary sword, Excalibur. While the gameplay was perhaps a bit more action oriented than previous Tomb Raider games, the platforming and puzzle solving were still a key focus, and the real highlight of this excellent journey.
38. SOCOM II U.S. Navy SEALs
The PlayStation 2 was really ahead of its time, allowing players to enjoy online tactical shooters with their friends thanks to the SOCOM series. Quite why the series hasn’t made a comeback in the past decade, especially when the Tom Clancy series keeps pumping out successful tactical shooters, is baffling. It’d be real easy to live service this one, gang.
There were many SOCOM games that launched on the PS2, so picking the best one is like picking your favourite child, only with way lower stakes, but for our money, the mix of campaign and multiplayer on offer in SOCOM 2 makes it one of the best games available on the PS2. It’s basically the first game, only with more content and some key upgrades to the gameplay. Can’t go wrong with a package like that.
37. SSX Tricky
The first SSX certainly wasn’t bad, but it was with SSX Tricky that the franchise and EA Sports BIG really found their identity.
Basically taking the downhill snowboarding of the original while cranking up the character knobs by several magnitudes, SSX Tricky suitably went pretty big. When it comes to letting you ignore the rules of physics and human limbs, few games go quite as hard as this one, and that soundtrack still hits hard too.
Grab a mate and challenge them to a race down Tokyo Megaplex and watch the years roll back with every Bronco Buster and Triple H. Not those guys. Well, now it is.
36. WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain
If you need any proof of how big a leap video games took between the PS1 and PS2, just check out how the SmackDown series improved from the also amazing SmackDown 2 on PS1 to the genre yardstick that is Here Comes the Pain. It was a bigger leap than whatever Shane McMahon decided he needed to do to make his dad love him that week.
With wrestler depictions and animations that still look amazing today, a consistently amazing career mode that remains the best in class, and the ability to frog splash someone off a helicopter ladder for absolutely no reason whatsoever, Here Comes the Pain sums up the dumb brilliant brainrot that is professional wrestling in general like few games ever have. You might prefer one of the Smackdown vs Raw games, but this one’s got Scott Steiner in it.
35. Star Wars Battlefront 2
Introducing space combat to the series, never had galactic conflict felt this cinematic and just epic on console before, with Star Wars fans basically able to ditch their action figures and act out their wildest digital match-ups. Mace Windu vs Darth Vader? I’ll have two trilogies of that please.
As well as capturing the look and feel of its big screen counterpart remarkably well, Star Wars Battlefront 2 took you across the galaxy in an amazing single-player mode, as well as the ability to team up with your mate and see who can commit the most war crimes. Ah. Simpler, more war crimes-y times.
34. God of War
Santa Monica Studio’s first game, the PS2 racer Kinetica, might have flown under the radar when it first launched in 2001, but the studio was keen to not fade into obscurity with its next. Who would have guessed that said game would have launched what is arguably Sony’s biggest current franchise, competing with The Last Of Us for that mantle?
Of course, it’s God of War, the Greek mythology epic that introduced the world to Kratos, the angriest man in gaming. Inspired by the influx of character action games, God of War offered huge combos, cinematic action, and plenty of minigames that’d make you turn off the TV whenever your mum walked in. Improvements would be made, but the foundation? Phenomenal.
33. Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory
For those who didn’t always have time to watch a 14 minute cutscene on how a gun was made and who made it and why it was actually the Patriots the whole time, Splinter Cell was the absolute best way to get your stealth fix on the PlayStation 2.
With the previous games a little bit too slow and maybe honestly hard for some, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory made things a bit more approachable without sacrificing the core design philosophies of the series. It still really rewarded patient planning in its immersive sim like levels as you took to the shadows as Sam Fisher, everyone’s favourite gravel swilling spy.
Could you even imagine Ubisoft trying to make a game like this these days? I genuinely cannot.
32. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
Many iconic series made their bow on the PlayStation 2, but few were as consistently brilliant as Ratchet & Clank, Insomniac’s platformer shooter that may have been most responsible for platformers going more Arn Anderson in general.
But arguably the best of the bunch is Up Your Arsenal, which ups the, um, arsenal, embraces its goofy side more, and just generally includes enough stuff to collect and complete that it’d make Rareware blush, all while looking brilliant.
Up Your Arsenal also introduces drivable vehicles for the first time in the series, as well as online multiplayer alongside its charming single-player offering as Ratchet and Clank seek to stop an invasion by a villain who you might just recognise.
31. Psychonauts
Back during the PS2 era, DoubleFine were a fledgling studio built off the legacy of LucasArts staff like Tim Schafer. They were an unproven commodity as their own, but when their debut game, Psychonauts, finally dropped on the PS2, any fears were set aside like an empty bottle of milk.
Set in a summer camp made for kids with psychic powers, players control Rasputin as he learns to get to grips with his new powers, travelling into the brains of the camp counsellors and other denizens to solve their mental problems.
It’s a bonkers game, but the level designs, comedic timing, and that immaculate aesthetic are completely unique to Psychonauts, and the gameplay is up there with some of the best 3D platformers ever made too. Play that second game as well when you get the chance.
30. Onimusha 3: Demon’s Siege
How do you improve on greatness? Send in The Professional. Onimusha 3: Demon’s Siege might’ve been one of Capcom’s wildest swings ever at that point, taking what was an action game that blended Japanese history and mythology, and moving the game to “modern day” France. In any other series, it would have been a shark jump moment, but for Onimusha? It was simply peak.
Reuniting players with Samanosuke from the first game, Onimusha 3 splits the narrative with Samanosuke in Paris, while newcomer Jacques Blanc, played by Jean Reno, is moved to feudal Japan. Both time periods are absolutely flooded with Genma, and both lads have the weapons and skills to put an end to Nobunaga’s ambition.
29. Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution
While Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution definitely has some vocal fans, the Virtua Fighter series has often been stuck in the shadow of Tekken and other 3D fighting games. That’s a bit of a shame, as even though they’re not as successful, the Virtua Fighter games are uncanny in terms of their gameplay design and control schemes. Accessibility and complexity somehow combine to create pure magic.
The Virtua Fighter games only feature three buttons, punch, kick and block, but somehow SEGA and AM2 squeeze every possible combination of moves you could think of to create command lists bigger than most game manuals. Virtua Fighter is amazing, basically, and Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution was the best instalment in the series up until that point.
28. Tony Hawk’s Underground
The Tony Hawk’s series continued to grow and evolve from its humble Pro Skater roots into something pretty wild on the PS2. While 3 and 4 added mechanics like the revert and spine transfers, Underground revolutionised the formula entirely by letting you get off the board.
The idea of a skateboarding game improving because it reduced the overall amount of skateboarding sounds ridiculous, but the climbing and parkour elements of THUG allowed players to experience levels in a whole new way, setting up new lines, extending combos or just glitching their way out of bounds. Throw in a decent story mode too, as well as just a heap of unlockable content including Iron Man and uh KISS, and it’s not surprising that THUG is considered a high point in this legendary series.
27. Max Payne
The game that arguably started gaming’s love affair with bullet time, which is always a good time, Max Payne allowed Finnish developers Remedy Entertainment to prove that they were going to create iconic single-player action games. `
A hard boiled New York detective reeling from the deaths of his family, Max Payne sees the titular detective going on a rampage around the city to stop the drug runners responsible for their death. How does he do that? Slow mo shoot diving into every room and blasting everyone within a five city block radius.
The noir style, the comic book cutscenes, the wonderful gameplay, the making drugs a bit cool, the haunting nightmares levels; all of these are reason enough alone why Max Payne is an all-time great.
26. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Bullet time is a good time, but go back time is also a good time, as Prince of Persia: Sands of Time proved way back in 2003.
The Sands of Time gave a pretty much AWOL franchise a second lease of 3D life, as players wallrun their way to vengeance against basically Jafar. Basically. The advanced platforming and souped up combat would be enough on its own to bring the franchise into a new era, but being able to control time honestly felt like a revelation in gameplay for the PlayStation 2.
You might want to put the Two Thrones or Warrior Within here instead, and that’s totally fine, but there’s a reason why a remake of this game seems to be next to impossible to get anywhere.
25. Spider-Man 2
Bullet time. Go back time. Pizza time.
Truly, I never thought video game open worlds or superhero games in general would get better than this. While it is a tad rough to compare to its peers of today, it’s wild to look back and see what Treyarch cooked up here.
One of the first alive feeling open worlds where you can’t pick up “after dusk entertainers”, Spider-Man 2 let you embody the Spiders-Man like no game before it, feeling like a huge step up from even the earlier movie adaptation.
It absolutely nailed web-swinging, so much so that you could just spend hours swinging about, ignoring children crying about their balloons so you can piledriver goons from the top of skyscrapers. Noice.
24. Persona 3 FES
When it comes to Persona games on the PS2, many point to Persona 4 as the game that really popularised the series, which isn’t necessarily incorrect, but the social sim/RPG dungeon crawling that came to define the Persona series absolutely originated with Persona 3. Unfortunately, PS2 owners would have to wait until 2008 for the definitive version of this RPG classic, P3 FES, but the wait was worth it.
Players join the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad, studying in school and socialising by day while spending the Dark Hour exploring Tartarus, a tower that rises out of the ground at night. The FES version includes some changes and upgrades to the original game, along with a brand new epilogue that ties everything up pretty neatly.
23. Tekken 5
Considering that Tekken 3 was one of the highest selling games on PS1, it’s not surprising that Namco were keen to continue their love affair on the PS2. Tekken Tag Tournament offered more of that Tekken 3 goodness, only with 2v2 fights, though Tekken 4 perhaps changed the formula too much with its Dead Or Alive-esque arena design.
Enter Tekken 5, which removed the silly arenas from Tekken 4 while refining the additions of walls and their combo potential to create arguably the most fluid, kinetic game in the series right behind Tekken 3.
Tekken 5’s place as one of the greatest fighting games ever is truly earned.
22. Bully
The greatest Wayne Rooney sandbox simulator ever, Bully felt like something completely different from Rockstar at a time when the studio was known for trying new things often.
A lot has changed since then, but what hasn’t is the inherent appeal of Bully, in which you play as Jimmy Hopkins as he acclimates to Bullworth Academy and all its cliques. Jimmy has so many curricular and extracurricular activities that this relatively small sandbox feels completely packed.
With a banger soundtrack, amazing visuals, and plenty of rhythm minigames to inevitably mess up, choosing Bully as one of the best PS2 games ever is a bit academic. Modern devs, add more lawnmowing minigames, ya cowards.
21. Burnout Revenge
The PS2 was the home of arcade racing games, and picking the best of the best is harder than you’d think. Between Ridge Racer 5, Wipeout and the Burnout series, that’s an embarrassment of riches for racing game fans.
While Burnout 3: Takedown really set the Burnout series on the correct path, with its focus on carnage, crash junctions and the ability to be rewarded for slamming cars into pillars, Burnout Revenge takes everything about Takedown and turns it up to 11. Bigger tracks, bigger cars, bigger explosions and more of them; Burnout Revenge is a kitchen sink sequel to an all-time great racing game, making it even greater by default.
Plus, it has LCD Soundsystem on the soundtrack. 11/10, game of the year every year until the end of time.
20. Onimusha 2: Samurai’s Destiny
While all three of the famous Onimusha games are deserving of a place within the top 20, I’ve got to give it to Onimusha 2 for just feeling like the most unique of the bunch, even though Onimusha 3 has the best CG opening cutscene of all time.
With newcomer Jubei as the leading man, Onimusha 2 pits you against that rascal Nobunaga, but this time with extra friends in tow. Onimusha leans more into the RPG side of things, with you able to give your allies gifts to open up more routes, which wasn’t seen that much at the time.
Onimusha 2’s clever ideas and likeable supporting cast are pretty regularly overlooked when it comes to the PlayStation 2, and while the controls may take a bit of getting used to nowadays, there’s just a feel to Samurai’s Destiny that you’d struggle to replicate today.
19. Kingdom Hearts 2
Sticking the two disparate worlds of Disney and Square together sounded silly at the time, and it’d almost certainly still get a bit of ridicule if announced today, but together, they created magic in the form of the Kingdom Hearts series.
Continuing the adventures of Sora, Donald Duck and Goofy, Kingdom Hearts 2 sees you travelling across various Disney inspired worlds, with the usual suspects all appearing alongside some surprising additions, such as Tron, all to try and stop the dastardly Organisation XIII.
The lore is certainly dense, but the combat is incredible, and the absolutely undeniable charm of seeing a goatman cheering Hercules on against one of the coldest RPG characters ever makes it easy to see why Kingdom Hearts 2 was a pivotal game for millions of childhoods.
18. TimeSplitters Future Perfect
Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because the Fortnite clone never happened. Free Radical created three of the best FPS games ever made in quick succession, only for them to apparently fall under a witch’s curse, and all hopes for a follow-up or remastered collection disappeared.
Still, let’s focus on the good old days, with the third and ultimately final game in the series, TimeSplitters: Future Perfect, serving as the pinnacle of the whole journey. The campaign mode is a time hopping escapade following Sgt Cortez from the 2400s as he travels through the previous half millenia to stop the evil TimeSplitters aliens.
Throw in a bizarre array of characters, plenty of maps and modes for multiplayer shenanigans and a diverse challenge mode, and it’s no wonder that Future Perfect has become so beloved.
17. Persona 4
Thanks to Persona 3 blending dungeon crawling and turn-based gameplay with the high school/social sim daytime sections that breathed new life into the entire RPG genre, Persona really started to blossom on the second PlayStation, but if you want the Persona game on PS2, you arguably want Persona 4.
Unlike the other Persona games, Persona 4 travels to the Japanese countryside, but you’re still making friends in school during the day and battling monsters at night by jumping into televisions, with your social bonds leading to greater strengths in combat and when summoning personas.
While the title of best Persona game is up for debate, the characters and story on offer here are undeniably brilliant, on top of the uniquely vibrant, captivating, and still off-beat aesthetic that’s come to be a Persona calling card. Also, it’s got Kanji in it.
16. Ico
A game so wonderfully, fantastically simple that I couldn’t imagine it getting made today, ICO is a foundationally vital video game that doesn’t always get the respect it deserves. It’s constantly cited as one of the first examples of video games as art for a reason.
In it, you play as the titular horned boy as he guides the imprisoned Yorda out of a castle and away from her evil mother. You solve puzzles, protect Yorda in combat, do some platforming, and hold more hands than the edgiest anime villain ever, and that’s about it.
There are so many games like Dark Souls and The Last of Us that probably wouldn’t exist without Fumito Ueda’s softly lit, minimalist tale that can still take your breath away today, ICO laid an early marker for just how much the PlayStation 2 was going to change everything when it launched in 2001.
15. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
The first game in this iconic RPG series to have full 3D characters and environments, you’d be forgiven for thinking that Dragon Quest VIII would suffer from a tough transition into this new dimension. The fact that Level-5 and Square Enix were able to create a potential series best in DQVIII is nothing short of astonishing.
As the subtitle implies, Dragon Quest VIII follows the adventures of the Hero and their ever growing band of friends as they try to restore the king to his former glory after being turned into a troll by an evil jester’s sceptre.
The turn-based gameplay is still just as fun as it ever was, but the cel-shaded graphics, likeable cast and incredible character designs from the late, great Akira Toriyama have helped cement Dragon Quest VIII’s status as a PS2 classic.
14. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
We’ve already talked about how Jak 2 is one of the best action platformers on the console, but for me, booting up The Precursor Legacy one Christmas morning and being completely mesmerised is a memory that genuinely gives me goosebumps every time.
A wonderfully vibrant action platformer that captures the spirit of exploration and just trying things out, The Precursor Legacy follows the titular duo after the latter is turned into
an ottsel, with the only solution being to of course collect everything not nailed down.
From the gorgeous environments to the lack of loading screens to the truly iconic soundtrack to the sheer amount of varied content packed into everything, I’ve constantly been chasing that Christmas morning high ever since, and few games have really come close.
13. Soulcalibur 2
A case could be made that Soulcalibur 2 is the greatest 3D fighting game of all time, and it’s hard to argue against it. Perhaps the only knock we have on the PS2 version of SC2 specifically is that it’s not the GameCube version, which included a playable Link from The Legend of Zelda as a guest character. Don’t get us wrong, Heihachi is still fun and all, but he’s no Link.
Still, Link or no Link, Soulcalibur 2 took everything that worked about Soul Blade and Soulcalibur 1 and refined it even further, making the game more responsive, giving characters more moves and weapons to use, and extending the Weapon Master mode to make it like an RPG of sorts. Also, those graphics are some of the best on the console, and that soundtrack continues to be a whipper. Is it time for Soulcalibur 7 yet?
12. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto 3 was a landmark step forward for a franchise that was typically seen as merely throw away fun, but that game had flaws like Grizzly Adams has facial hair. The prototype was there, all it needed was a bit more style, a bit more character and mission types that were a bit more varied, and suddenly you’d have a new global phenomenon on your hands.
That’s precisely what happened when GTA: Vice City dropped. Yes, it’s obviously stealing everything it possibly can from Scarface (and if you’re wondering, the Scarface game would’ve been 101, sorry), but who cares when you’re having this much fun? Having your main character voiced by the legendary Ray Liotta too? This is a masterpiece, plain and simple.
11. Okami
We’re now three for three for Clover Studio games, but there’s a reason why this one got ported way more than God Hand or Viewtiful Joe ever did: Okami is a genuine masterpiece. While the gameplay formula borrows from The Legend of Zelda, specifically Ocarina of Time, it’s what Okami does with its own ideas and style that makes it an unforgettable experience.
Set in the world of Nippon, you control the sun god Amaterasu, as she descends to the Earth in wolf form to try and rid the land of a deadly scourge. The whole game is presented using a version of cel-shaded graphics that look like a traditional Japanese watercolour painting come to life, while Okami’s Celestial Brush allows you to draw symbols to affect the environment.
This is nothing short of a magical adventure that everyone should seek out, whether on the PS2 or in its almost inevitable PS5 port to be announced any day now.
10. Gran Turismo 4
The undisputed king of the racing sim genre, PlayStation and Gran Turismo’s success go hand in hand. If Gran Turismo is thriving, PlayStation is thriving, and Gran Turismo 4 saw the series achieve new heights across the board thanks to the most photo-realistic graphics the console had ever seen. Looking back, calling these graphics photo-realistic almost seems quaint, but at the time, we genuinely didn’t know we could have it so good. Back in 2004, Gran Turismo 4 already looked like the mountaintop.
At a basic level, Gran Turismo 4 doesn’t do anything the previous games didn’t do, but it’s how the game carries itself that makes it an example of racing game perfection.
From the massive selection of tracks, to the hundreds of cars that span decades of the automotive industry, to the massively improved career mode that blends traditional racing with silly events, GT4 deserves to be preserved in a racing game hall of fame.
9. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty
We’re partial to saying “you know, MGS 2 predicted all this” while lamenting the state of the world, but only when you go back and play again with a modern lens does it really begin to hit home. AI, overflows of information online, misinformation, false flags, memes, everything about Metal Gear Solid 2’s themes and story hits 10 times harder now that we’re actually living through it.
If you have La-Li-Lu-Le-NO time for the story, you’ll still be entertained by the vast improvements to the movement and gunplay here. Being able to aim down sights was a game changer compared to the first game, and hey, it kept up the series tradition of being a stinky piss boy as a mechanic. It’s the game that basically made any diagnosis for me completely and utterly redundant.
8. Devil May Cry 3
The absolute cheek of Capcom. Most game developers sweat, struggle and break their own backs trying to find gameplay mechanics that keep players coming back, but Capcom did it accidentally. Twice. The first was Street Fighter 2’s combo system, while a glitch with Onimusha’s combat led to the creation of Devil May Cry, and arguably the character action genre as a whole.
Once again following the demon hunter Dante, Devil May Cry 3 is actually a prequel to the series, focusing on the relationship (or lack thereof) between Dante and his brother Vergil. Between DMC3’s incredible gameplay, including the weapons, enemy types and new styles for Dante, along with the kickass soundtrack, DMC 3 was pretty much every teenage kid’s new favourite obsession.
Vergil might not be in his final fedora form here, but he’s still fairly cool.
7. Resident Evil 4
Capcom just kept changing the course of video game history almost by accident a few generations back, as everyone also knows that Resident Evil 4 could have looked very different. While I lie awake at night thinking about Hook Man, I couldn’t imagine my gaming tastes without the Resident Evil 4 we did get.
Bringing back the fringed fancy that is Leon S Kennedy, Resident Evil 4 shunts the camera behind Leon, amps up the action, and ramps up the camp to breathe new life into a whole genre and the gaming landscape as a whole.
From the insane storyline to Leon and Ashley’s relationship, Resident Evil 4 is a wild jumble of ideas that somehow works magnificently. The remake doesn’t replace this classic, it’s just a different vintage of cheese.
6. Final Fantasy X
There are many moments in your gaming life that absolutely just shift your perception of video games and what they’re capable of. For me, one of those moments was playing Final Fantasy X hot on the heels of IX and witnessing the kind of technological leap I don’t think we’ll ever see again.
Final Fantasy X’s tale of a young man whose whole life is turned upside down by a giant whale wasted no time in showing what the PlayStation 2 was capable of, from its incredible CG cutscenes to massive scale to allowing you to play the greatest sport of all time.
With an incredible cast of characters, a gorgeous soundtrack, and the super fun sphere grid to play around with, even my deepest hatred for the Cloister of Trials can’t stop Final Fantasy X from being an all-timer.
5. Silent Hill 2
While Resident Evil 4 changed the way horror games were played, Silent Hill 2 changed the way that horror games would be told forever — and arguably no game since has told as captivating and deep a tale as James Sunderland’s not that romantic solo getaway in the American version of Newcastle.
Just like Final Fantasy X, Silent Hill 2 felt like a considerable step up from its PS1 counterpart, with the foggy, mysterious character of Silent Hill itself really starting to come into focus. Its less than happy inhabitants also remain some of the most interesting seen in the generation, with 2 hour long video essays on a particular person’s hat still getting cranked out regularly. Few games have been pored over as extensively as Silent Hill 2 over the years, but just like the town, Silent Hill 2 is different things to different people, and that’s why it’s so brilliant.
4. God of War 2
Released in 2007 when the PlayStation 3 was already out and wowing us all with its Genji and SD card slots, you really cannot think of a much better send-off for the PlayStation 2 than Kratos’ second quest for revenge.
More than most games of this era, God of War 2 was taking plenty of notes from the blockbusters of the big screen, with a bigger scale, bigger budget, and bigger acts of violence all combining to make this into a hack and slash dream that still is just a tonne of fun now.
Yes, it might have innovated QTEs a bit too much, but God of War 2 is basically just the first game but bigger and better in every way, which you will realise right from the off when your battle with a colossus takes place across the entirety of a city, and then somehow just never lets up from there.
Not a bad console funeral, as things go.
3. Shadow of the Colossus
Everyone’s second example of a video game that should be considered art, Shadow of the Colossus is practically perfect. Sure, the stamina meter can be a bit annoying when you’re trying to climb up a Colossus, and yeah, the formula of slaying every Colossus could be seen as repetitive, but this is a journey that every self-respecting gamer should take at least once. Just make sure you have the tissues ready by the time you reach the end of the game, because this will get dark.
A sort of prequel to the events of Ico, Shadow Of The Colossus follows a boy by the name of Wander as he travels to a forbidden land to try and revive his lost love. A mysterious force tells him that slaying the 16 Colossi that roam the land will revive her, and you can already see where this one is going. Team Ico’s second masterpiece is one of the first to really make the player hesitate and ask why you’re stabbing the great big shiny weak spot.
Who needed the PlayStation 3 to be right around the corner when Shadow of the Colossus pushed the PS2, and also us emotionally, to breaking point?
2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
While my heart is screaming Metal Gear Solid 2 to be number one on this list, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater did feel like a massive technical leap up from a game that was already embarrassing plenty of its peers.
Somehow, within just a three-year span, Kojima and the gang added countless camouflage options, injuries, diet, better CQC, and more of those countless MGS details on top of better visuals in a prequel that’s longer and more open to experimentation to boot. Just like Psycho Mantis and his controller, MGS 3 played around with the very hardware itself for some of its own boss battles.
Then there’s the subversive story, which, just like how Shadow of the Colossus made you question why you were pressing the buttons, Snake Eater has you wade through rivers full of ghosts you made and come up against an antagonist who maybe isn’t all she seems. There’s also a guy who wears bees. It’s Metal Gear, baby.
But the best PS2 game ever is of course.
1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
The PlayStation 2 was all about progress, and nowhere was this more obvious than in how wildly the Grand Theft Auto series evolved in just a three year span. From the simple sandbox shenanigans of GTA 3 to the cinematic empire building of Vice City to the absolute kitchen sink of San Andreas, Grand Theft Auto’s legacy was solidified in no time at all.
It’s the third game that often gets the most plaudits, as you can really tell that this was Rockstar throwing everything at a game that they arguably haven’t done since. Though hopefully GTA 6 will let me become an obese kung fu master with a gambling addiction.
From different combat styles to gang warfare to the light RPG mechanics that let you improve CJ over time, San Andreas doesn’t do any half measures at all. It’s a wonder that the PlayStation 2 could handle it all, and we’ve not even mentioned the weight fluctuations, dating, character and car customisation, and even some multiplayer that absolutely nobody remembers.
Chuck in a more sprawling, personal, and infinitely memeable story, an aesthetic and vibe that remains impossible to replicate, and the fact that every newspaper feared it like it was the devil, and you’ve got one of the most iconic video games of all time, and the PS2’s best.
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