Summary
It could be argued that the PS2 generation is the last best era for game collectors who like having tactile feedback from their games. The cases were thick, long, and had game manuals inside. Game cases after this era used a flimsier plastic and removed manuals.
The point is, the PS2 library is one of the greatest of all time, regardless of the quality of the game cases. There wassomething there for everyone, from RPGsto shooters to racers. It may be too late now to promote these classic games that went nowhere, but they should all be played at least once to get a better glimpse of the PS2’s variety.
Jak and Daxter,Ratchet & Clank, andSly Cooperare theplatformer franchises that most people know about and played on the PS2.Ape Escape 2, and its one direct sequel, was not as big, which is a shame.
It has some of the most inventive gameplay on the system for a platformer, and it’s a refined design from the PS1 title. Monkeys are hiding in levels, and players have to find and capture them with various tools. It’s silly, weird, and just a good time. Thankfully, this PS2 game can be played on PS5 via its PS4 port.
7Auto Modellista
Cel-Shaded Bliss
Gran Turismo 4was thePS2’s biggest racing game, and it is still a wonder decades later.Auto Modellistawasn’t a technical marvel, but Capcom was going for something more artistic with its cel-shaded designs.
This made racing around levels feel like something out of theSpeed Raceranime, and because of this, it holds up better than most games on the PS2. Beyond just PS2 fans, racing fans need to check outAuto Modellistaat least once to get that anime thrill.
Capcom made a lot of great action games with a horror vibe on the PS2, includingDevil May CryandOnimusha. The one game that doesn’t get brought up much is Chaos Legion, which never received any sequels like a lot of games on the list.
It’s a hack-and-slash game that gives characters the ability to summon demonic presences to fight alongside them. Players can upgrade their legions from sword fighters to bowmen. It doesn’t have the deepest characters or lore, but the gameplay was fun to invest in.
2005 was a very big year for horror asResident Evil 4launched on the GameCube in January. Months later, PS2 fans gotCold Fear, which got completely overshadowed despite some great technical work. It’s a survivalhorror game set on a boatwith dynamic waves crashing as players explore.
Explore a boat filled with mutated men, shoot them, hunt for clues, and escape. It’s a simple gameplay loop, but for those curious, the game is available on Steam, which runs decently on a Steam Deck.
Mister Mosquitodoesn’t quite fit neatly into one genre, as it’s just a weird game. Players are a mosquito that is hunting for blood in a Japanese home. In each level, players have to distract their human targets, drain them of blood, and then escape.
It’s sort of like a stealth version ofShadow of the Colossuswith a bit of humor thrown in. Stranger still, this hidden gem can be checked out on PS5 thanks to proper console emulation.
Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracyis a third-person shooter with a twist. The hero, Nick, is part of a generic program that grants him abilities like telekinesis to throw enemies and objects around. Pyrokinesis is later unlocked, and it is a real treat to start things on fire.
Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracyis not the tightest third-person shooter on the console, but the powers turn it into a fun playground similar to other chaotic PS2 shooters, includingMercenaries: Playground of DestructionandJust Cause.
The twoMetal Geargames on thePS2 offer peak stealth espionageaction along withSplinter Cell’sports.Spy Fictionis an under-sung, odd little gem, and PS2 fans may have never heard about it. It was made by the same quirky director asDeadly Premonition, SWERY.
The plot and characters ofSpy Fictionare not as over the top asDeadly Premonition, but there are plenty of strange “SWERY” things about the gameplay. Sneak around bases, attack from the shadows with gadgets, and save the day.
JRPGs and RPGs had an equal balance on the PS2, with a lot of good hits on each side.The Lord of the Rings: The Third Agewas looked down on a bit when it was released for having a battle system too close toFinal Fantasy 10and creating alternate events in the timeline.
It may not have been whatThe Lord of the Ringsfanswanted back then, but maybe modern fans would get a kick out of it. It does admittedly borrow a lot fromFinal Fantasy 10in battle, but is that really a bad thing?
