The PlayStation 2 is a console that many gamers believe defined an entire generation, if not their own. Various franchises got their start on the Sony console, while others released some of their signature installments.
While some of these games have been spiffed up and re-released for more current consoles, all of them could be fired up today on the PS2 and offer gamers a good time. These are games that introduced gameplay mechanics and ideas that modern games still call back to, even today. And, in some cases, gamers may even prefer these titles to their modern-day counterparts.
10 Final Fantasy X Modernized The Final Fantasy Series
Final Fantasy X is one of those games in the Final Fantasy franchise that brought many new players into the series. It was the first to include voice acting and take a more linear approach to world exploration. While it may have lacked the staying power of other entries, it still managed to get at least one direct sequel. The iconic gameplay style, music, and world of this game are something that still captivates gamers to this day.
9 People Still Play Soul Calibur 2 In Tournaments
Soul Calibur 2 was one of the most successful fighting games available for the PlayStation 2. The game put the player in control of various weapon-toting fighters all battling over a legendary sword named — you guessed it — Soul Calibur.
What really made this game stand out was a high-profile series of character cameos. Each console release of Soul Calibur 2 came with an exclusive character. The Nintendo GameCube version featured Link from The Legend of Zelda series as a fighter, the Xbox release had Ryu from Ninja Gaiden, and PS2 players got to enter the ring as Heihachi Mishima from Tekken.
8 Resident Evil 4 Is Still Seen By Many As The Best In the Franchise
One of the best horror games of the PlayStation 2 era was Resident Evil 4, a sequel that effectively mixed the action and horror genres. The player is put in control of the U.S. Special Agent Leon S. Kennedy, who is on a mission to rescue the president’s daughter from a mysterious cult.
Resident Evil 4 introduced many of the iconic elements the later parts of the series would utilize like context-centered controller prompts and quick-time events.
7 The Colorful Imagery Of Katamari Damacy Has Aged Beautifully
Before the rereleases of this game, the only way it could be played was on the original PlayStation 2. Katamari Damacy has some of the most chaotic, yet beautiful imagery in any videogame.
Players are put in control of the Prince of All-Cosmos on his quest to roll up entire new stars, moons, and worlds with the game’s titular Katamari. Players became addicted with making their Katamari as big as possible, with the potential to roll up entire continents and, eventually, whole planets and stars.
6 God Of War Introduced One Of Gaming’s Most Iconic Protagonists
Kratos is a character who has seen plenty of growth following his first appearance in the God of War series where he fought and defeated Ares to claim his title. God of War introduced a brutal take on its ancient Greek world that made the series so iconic. It refined a hack-and-slash style of gameplay, and many gamers insist this is the title that made quick-time events a common feature of the genre.
Despite how old of an entry this game is in the series, it still began the story of Kratos that’s being followed to this day with the modern Norse-mythology-centered sequels.
5 Persona 4 launched an entire sub-series of games
If Persona 3 modernized the Persona series, then Persona 4 perfected the formula. This game puts the player into the quiet town of Inaba as a series of murders begin happening. It’s up to the player to discover the truth about what’s going on.
Not only did Persona 4 improve upon the previous entry’s mechanics, it also launched an entire sub-genre of Persona 4-related games like the rhythm game, Persona 4: Dancing All Night, and the fighting game, Persona 4: Arena. The characters and world introduced in this game remain so memorable that it even warranted an upgraded release with more content: Persona 4: Golden.
4 Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix+ Perfected The Series Formula For Gameplay
This release of Kingdom Hearts 2 Final Mix+ is considered the best entry in the series by many fans for the gameplay elements it introduced that later installments were never been able to perfectly replicate. This entry also served as a major turning point in the series narrative with the proper formal introduction of the only-previously-hinted-at Organization XIII.
Certain series staples, like the magic system, were introduced in this game, but other ideas like Drive Forms and Reaction Commands never saw true returns, only getting paid homage to in later games like Kingdom Hearts 3. The Final Mix version also included hours of new content, including a newly explorable area, 14 new super bosses, and a new secret movie.
3 Players Still Have Fun With Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’s Original Release
Despite the handling of the modern remaster of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the original release of it is still hailed by gamers as one of the best in the whole series. This game has stood at the center of plenty of controversies, yet despite that outrage, many players still love to go back for more mayhem.
The exploration and sandbox-style of gameplay this game brought to gamers is one that set the stage for many modern sandbox games. The series itself would only keep evolving with San Andreas serving as ground zero for many of the installments that would follow.
2 Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Is The Metal Gear Series At Its Prime
The aesthetic of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is that of an old espionage flick, and it starts laying on that vibe right on its opening sequence. What makes this game such a strong and memorable entry in the Metal Gear franchise are the story elements introduced and the fun references to other moments in the series.
Fans of this game also praise Snake Eaters innovative gameplay style that rewards players for taking unconventional approaches to victory. In some cases, it can be as simple as the player waiting for a boss to die of natural causes by stepping away from the game or changing the console clock.
1 The Beautiful World, Monsters, and Story of Shadow of the Colossus Are Just As Captivating As Ever
One game that’s aged beautifully with time, even in comparison to its modern remake, is Shadow of the Colossus. The feeling this game evokes is one of intense isolation in nature. Of course, that quickly shifts once one of the titular Colossus beasts appears.
The appearance of these monsters makes the game’s tone shift drastically as the player scrambles to figure out the proper approach to slaying these beasts. Adding to the intense emotion of this game is how it portrays the deaths of these monsters — it doesn’t celebrate them with victorious fanfare but rather plays this somber song that only makes the player feel as if they did something wrong by slaying such a magnificent beast.
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