How well do you know the PS2? For as famous as the iconic console’s library is, I’m betting there are at least a couple of games I’ll talk about today that you’ve never even heard of.
Evil Dead: Regeneration
Unlike some other horror movie franchises, how have we never had there’s actually been a good amount of Evil Dead games, and while they’ve never been sterling, oh me oh my, they almost always manage to capture the kitsch, b-movie charm and comedy of the source material.
Evil Dead: Regeneration for the PS2 in particular nails it the best, even though the game’s story does disregard the events of Army Of Darkness for a whole new adventure instead.
The action kicks off after the events of Evil Dead 2 with Ash Williams locked inside the Sunny Meadows asylum. If that’s not bad enough for everyone’s favourite one-armed hero, the asylum’s doctor and certified Mr Fancy Pants, Reinhard, is using the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis to take over the world. Why must they always use these tools of evil for evil?
Playing as Ash, you’ll carve and shoot your way through hordes of Deadites alongside a half-Deadite ally named Sam, chasing Reinhard down in an attempt to stop his fiendish plans. San, by the way, is voiced by Ted Raimi, brother of Sam…Raimi.
Regeneration is not the most polished game ever made, and Sam can be exceedingly annoying, but if you’re still looking for a bit more Bruce Campbell in your life that is PS2 as hell, Evil Dead: Regeneration should be making its way into your playlist.
Shinobido: Way Of The Ninja – @YukitoOnline
People are still longing for a proper ninja stealth game along the lines of Tenchu these days, though you really should check out Aragami, but @YukitoOnline grabbed our attention with their comment: “When you want a better and non-linear Tenchu game with more mechanics, Shinobido is the game for you.”
Developed by Acquire, who previously created the Tenchu games, Shinobido: Way Of The Ninja bears a lot of similarities to their earlier work, only more open-ended in how players choose to approach the game. You play as Goh, an amnesiac ninja who wakes up on the riverside to a mysterious message: apparently, he’s one of the last surviving members of the Asuka Clan, and in order to find answers and retrieve his memories and soul, he’ll need to ally himself with one of the three prominent warlords vying for control of Utakata.
You’re free to choose to accept missions from one of the three main warlords, with those missions falling into one of over a dozen different objectives. While there’s some story missions and moments that are scripted, your path to becoming a master ninja is yours to walk, whether you choose to approach the story like one ruler’s rabid attack dog, or perform missions unseen for every faction so none of them learn of your “betrayal”. It’s tough and unforgiving, but for stealth fans, it may be a shox to the system.
Shox
While bringing up the word “Shox” in the year 2025 might make people think of Nike trainers, Shox (the game) is proof that the PS2 had a huge love affair with rally games. Regrettably, Shox flew under the radar, but that’s probably not much of a surprise when its competition was the likes of V-Rally 3 and the Colin McRae Rally series, but that doesn’t mean Shox should be left resigned to history. Hell, it’s part of the EA Sports BIG label, and as card carrying members of the SSX fanclub, it’s our duty to show love to a fellow “BIG” boi.
Also known as Shox: Rally Reinvented, players took one of over 20 licensed rally cars from manufacturers like Subaru, Ford, Mitsubishi, BMW and more, and would take them through a world championship season of 30 races. That isn’t how rally has been reinvented, as the key gimmick in Shox’s arcade-style gameplay is the Shox Zones, which would basically serve as mini-time trials players could complete within races. The better your performance during a Shox Zone, the better your cash prize, with gold in all three zones on a track triggering a Shox Wave that offers even more money.
Admittedly, playing this game will probably make you sick of seeing the word Shox, but the rally gameplay on offer here is wonderful, and we wouldn’t alter it for anything.
Alter Echo – @MrMcLovin1995
While we’re not sure if his photo ID is up to snuff, @MrMcLovin1995 offered a solid suggestion in the comments: “Here’s one that’s never talked about, and I swear my buddy and I are the only ones who know of its existence: Alter Echo.”
Developed by Outrage Games, a studio that would be acquired in 2002 and then subsequently shuttered by THQ within a year (the more things change, the more they stay the same), Alter Echo is an action platformer that possibly has the most 2003 cover art ever seen. Look how edgy this is. That would absolutely be on my pencil case.
Set in the far-flung future, humanity has evolved to where certain people have developed psychic abilities. Referred to as Shapers, they use a material called Plast to create whatever they like. But, to cut a long story short, a powerful shaper named Paavo has created a better version EchoPlast, but he’s gone mad and shot your ship down. Luckily, EchoPlast has gained sentience, giving you a new suit to kick Paavo’s butt.
As a 3D action platformer, you’re given three different forms to approach combat with, from sword to gun to weird frog stealth suit, and while the environment gets a bit samey after a while, the combat will keep you hooked. It’s very very PS2 and we wish we could summon more games like it.
Summoner 2
Volition were (rest in peace) known for a great many different games or franchises. Some know them for Saints Row, others for their work on The Punisher, while no one can forget the Red Faction series. Whippers, one and all. I even liked Armageddon a good bit. However, less people might know of their fantasy RPG work, with the Summoner games offering some excellent, underrated RPG thrills on a console that’s quite frankly filled to the brim with top-tier RPGs. The first Summoner game is still good, serving as one of the first games to launch on the PS2 in North America, but the sequel is a much more well-rounded game.
Playing as Maia, a reborn goddess who can transform into several different creatures at will, Summoner 2 sees Maia form an adventuring band to try and heal the Tree of Elah, fighting monsters, gods and creatures alike in the process. While the first game had a hybrid system of turn-based and real-time combat, Summoner 2’s more action-oriented approach is much more engaging, and the story encourages a lot more choice, especially when it comes to the development of the overall kingdom. Depending on where you donate your money and the choices you make in combat, some elements will change in the later course of the game. It was a total trip that’s well worth taking.
Total Overdose – @AnimeBrosAMV
Shout out to @AnimeBrosAMV, who reminded us of a grave error we’d love to correct: “Total Overdose is not a game you hear about these days, would love to see it in the next one!” We did speak about Chili Con Carnage if that counts for anything though.
The most unabashed rip-off of several established formulas, Total Overdose is a janky mess of a game, but its silly charm, fun gameplay and excellent soundtrack make it a true PS2 highlight for a number of people. Set on the border between the US and Mexico, Total Overdose, as the name would imply, is about the DEA’s war on drugs, with Ramiro and his brother Tommy investigating the gangs of Mexico in the hopes of finding a lead about their dad’s mysterious disappearance.
Instead of piecing together clues and interviewing suspects, Ramiro’s method of investigation is a bit more Frank Reynolds and involves dual-wielding pistols and slow motion dodging his way through hordes of goons while some Mexican hip-hop or rock plays in the background. It’s awesome, and remember kids: “Bullet time is always fun time.” The core gameplay is clearly inspired by Max Payne, while Total Overdose also has one of the more pointless open worlds to explore in gaming, because GTA did that so why not Total Overdose do that also.
Total Overdose is just perfect, “switch your brain off” gaming fun, and the world could do with more of it. We’re not rolling the dice on a HD port of this one though.
DICE: DNA Integrated Cybernetic Enterprises
Licensed and tie-in games usually suck etc etc, but an unwritten rule is anime adaptations can often be exempt. Sure, you get some that are a bit naff, but for the most part, they’re at least pretty fun.
One such adaptation for the PS2 was D.I.C.E.: DNA Integrated Cybernetic Enterprises, and though I’m not going to say that it’s a masterpiece, there’s some interesting gameplay ideas on offer here that it’s baffling they weren’t stolen wholesale by Transformers. It also puts an acronym, within an acronym, and you’ve gotta appreciate that.
Based on the Bandai anime of the same name that was developed specifically for North American audiences, the game allows you to pick from one of 11 characters from the show, each with their own “Dinobreaker” mount. The crux is that Dinobreakers can morph between their regular dinosaur form, which is used in beat ‘em up style combat, and a vehicle form, which is used for various racing missions or to travel across levels as quickly as possible.
The core gameplay is fairly simple, and it didn’t really review that well, but the series was aimed at kids after all, making it a perfect anime game for the tykes to enjoy. You know, if your child still plays the PS2 and isn’t cranking 90s on Fortnite. Do they still crank 90s? We used to be with it, but then they changed what it was
Steambot Chronicles – @SneakySkunk1 & others
@SneakySkunk1 isn’t the only one in the comments sticking up for Steambot Chronicles, but they definitely put their best foot forward: “Steambot Chronicles (aka Bumpy Trot) is a fun pseudo open world action RPG for the PS2… If this video gets a sequel, then that is my 2 cents on hidden gems for that great system.”
Well, we’ll be taking those two cents now. Please, we need them. We do not have any sponsors.
As Mr Skunk alluded to, Steambot Chronicles was known as Bumpy Trot in Japan, which sounds like some forgotten horse wrestling anime, and I love it. Players control Vanilla R. Beans, who awakens on a beach with amnesia after an apparent shipwreck. Before long, you’re joined by Coriander, the lead vocalist of the Garland Globetrotters (no relation to Harlem), and the pair of you find a run-down Trotmobile that’s basically a walking car, and you embark on a world-spanning adventure.
The Trotmobiles are used for exploration and combat, with players able to customise their Trotmobile to fit one of several different archetypes. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Steambot Chronicles though is the personality and choices on offer. At the start of the game, you complete a personality test that determines how people within the game react to you, and there’s even a moment part way through the game that allows you to decide on a hero or villain playthrough. Replayability, cool aesthetic, unique gameplay; Steambot Chronicles has it all.
Soul Nomad & The World Eaters
It might be a sin to recommend a PS2 hidden gem that’s available on PC and Nintendo Switch, but in fairness, the port of Soul Nomad & The World Eaters is just that, and also we can sin a bit if we want, we aren’t on Weight Watchers or the puritan family out of The Witch. Sin: sometimes it’s OK.
Developed by genre legends NIS, players control Reyva, someone who’s been tasked with defeating the magical weapons known as the World Eaters. Their former master, the demon Gig, is imprisoned inside Reyva, and the dastardly devil keeps trying to tempt Reyva towards the path of evil. Hmmmmm. Players can create squads of characters from one of 25 different classes, and the squad formations, known as Rooms, provide various bonuses and benefits that make the strategy aspects really sing. Easy to pick up, fun to play with a great story, Soul Nomad & The World Eaters deserves more attention, especially for its evil playthrough.
As for how to play it, that port is basically just the PS2 game re-released on modern platforms. At least if you played it via some other arcane means, you could boost the resolution and force a widescreen aspect ratio. Get the spellbook out. Regardless of how you choose to play Soul Nomad & The World Eaters though, many can agree that this is a strategy RPG that might leave you in tears.
Crimson Tears – @Senumunu
Capcom were positively prolific when it came to developing and publishing games for the PS2, but one game that flew under the radar was Crimson Tears. @Senumunu is here to put things right: “It’s a Capcom published game that’s basically Power Stone + beat ‘em up. Responsive and fluid gameplay, some light fan service, atrocious voice acting. The full package.” As someone who didn’t know how to say “three” for most of my adult life, you had me at atrocious voice acting.
Set in the far-flung future of 2049, which is basically next week, players can choose from either Tokio, Kadie or Amber as playable characters, each with their own unique stats and strengths, before descending into the dungeons of Neo-Tokyo to try and find loot and kill the boss at the end. If that sounds kind of like a roguelike to you, you wouldn’t be too far off, as the dungeon changes during each run, with different layouts and enemy placements to watch out for. If that’s not enough, you also need to make sure you don’t meltdown, as using weapons too much will put you in a berserk state that’ll begin to drain your health. It’s all pretty neat.
If you like beat ‘em ups that offer plenty of weapons and responsive controls, and you’re a fan of cel-shaded games on the PS2, Crimson Tears should be at the top of the list of games to play.
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