top 10 ps2 games
10) Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening Special Edition
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Year Released: 2006
Synopsis: Picking a reason why Devil May Cry 3 is a frickin' awesome game is kind of like picking a single reason why you like pizza. Maybe it's good cheese, a tasty sauce or crispy crust that draws you to a good pie, but it's the sum of the parts that keeps you coming back.
Devil May Cry 3 is like a great pizza - a pizza comprised of 32 missions, five difficulties, tons of monsters and multiple weapons.
Following Dante, a half-man half-demon who just can't seem to stay out of trouble, Devil May Cry 3 puts gamers through one of the most challenging games PS2 owners ever popped a memory card in for as the hero blasts bad guys, solves puzzles and tries to meet up with his brother.
Armed with his guns and sword - and four styles of play - Dante breaks out dozens of attack combinations on his missions and leaves you in that funky-place between challenged and frustrated.
9) Kingdom Hearts
Developer: SquareSoft
Publisher: SquareSoft
Year Released: 2002
Synopsis: The premise behind the game was completely absurd: Disney cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse thrown in with Square Enix characters to make a new kind of action RPG. However, as strange as it sounds, these two dissimilar franchises came together incredibly well.
Sora's massive adventure to find his friends Kairi and Riku took him through numerous Disney inspired worlds, such as Wonderland and Olympus. Along the way, he befriended famous characters like Aladdin and Ariel, fought alongside Donald Duck and Goofy, and captured the hearts of various RPG fans. There seemed to be something for everyone, including secret endings and bosses, fighting tournaments and hidden collectables. Even if you hated Disney or Square Enix titles, you couldn't help but be impressed by the massive impact this title had on the PS2, which spawned a popular sequel and mid-franchise card battling game.
8) Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
Developer: Naughty Dog Software
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Year Released: 2001
Synopsis: While there's a massive fault line that gamers gather 'round to holler and scream at each other about when it comes to naming the great platformers of our era (or any era for that matter), Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is among the elite. It represents a stellar culmination of 3D platforming elements, many of which are have been used before, and yet it still feels fresh and new even after all these years. The words "endearing" and "likeable" don't even begin to do it justice.
Besides, even if Jak hadn't spawned two successful sequels and a couple of cool offshoots, Naughty Dog's excellent PS2 rookie would still have made our list because it warmed our hearts, and created a game that was raucous, subtle, beautifully animated, and never made us feel as if we were collecting things... just how a platformer should be.
7) God of War
Developer: SCE Studios Santa Monica
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Year Released: 2005
Synopsis: Though the PlayStation 2 has seen a rather incredible number of extremely high quality titles in its six-plus year lifespan, no game has better shown off what the system is capable of than God of War. We're not just talking visuals here, either -- the control mechanics are virtually perfect, the storytelling techniques are fantastic and the scope of the game is downright enormous.
But while God of War's epic feel makes it stand out, it's the subtle things therein that allow it to sit so high on our list. Nearly every facet of the game's design is perfect, from the pacing to the difficulty to the way its tale is wrapped with Greek mythology. Very few PS2 games can compare to the epic, well-designed beauty of God of War, which is why it deserves to sit comfortable on our list of the best PS2 games around.
6) Burnout 3: Takedown
Developer: Criterion Software
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Year Released: 2004
Synopsis: Criterion Games' racing series really hit its mark with Burnout 3: Takedown, providing perhaps the most white-knuckled driving experience to ever hit a gaming console. The series' perfect control mechanics were dialed in with this release, giving gamers perfect control of a vehicle at 220mph+ and allowing them to barrel down highways and side streets so fast that you almost need otherworldly abilities to stay calm. When mistakes were made, Hollywood-derived crashes became the result.
Burnout 3: Takedown's fantastic visuals allowed for some of the most devastating crashes we've ever seen, and the result is that the game managed to reward the player with plenty of eye candy when they made a mistake. Add in some great online play, the ability to take out other cars, the fan-favorite Crash mode and you have the total package. Simply put, we're not sure how arcade racing will ever get any better than Burnout 3: Takedown.
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Year Released: 2006
Synopsis: Picking a reason why Devil May Cry 3 is a frickin' awesome game is kind of like picking a single reason why you like pizza. Maybe it's good cheese, a tasty sauce or crispy crust that draws you to a good pie, but it's the sum of the parts that keeps you coming back.
Devil May Cry 3 is like a great pizza - a pizza comprised of 32 missions, five difficulties, tons of monsters and multiple weapons.
Following Dante, a half-man half-demon who just can't seem to stay out of trouble, Devil May Cry 3 puts gamers through one of the most challenging games PS2 owners ever popped a memory card in for as the hero blasts bad guys, solves puzzles and tries to meet up with his brother.
Armed with his guns and sword - and four styles of play - Dante breaks out dozens of attack combinations on his missions and leaves you in that funky-place between challenged and frustrated.
Developer: SquareSoft
Publisher: SquareSoft
Year Released: 2002
Synopsis: The premise behind the game was completely absurd: Disney cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse thrown in with Square Enix characters to make a new kind of action RPG. However, as strange as it sounds, these two dissimilar franchises came together incredibly well.
Sora's massive adventure to find his friends Kairi and Riku took him through numerous Disney inspired worlds, such as Wonderland and Olympus. Along the way, he befriended famous characters like Aladdin and Ariel, fought alongside Donald Duck and Goofy, and captured the hearts of various RPG fans. There seemed to be something for everyone, including secret endings and bosses, fighting tournaments and hidden collectables. Even if you hated Disney or Square Enix titles, you couldn't help but be impressed by the massive impact this title had on the PS2, which spawned a popular sequel and mid-franchise card battling game.
Developer: Naughty Dog Software
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Year Released: 2001
Synopsis: While there's a massive fault line that gamers gather 'round to holler and scream at each other about when it comes to naming the great platformers of our era (or any era for that matter), Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy is among the elite. It represents a stellar culmination of 3D platforming elements, many of which are have been used before, and yet it still feels fresh and new even after all these years. The words "endearing" and "likeable" don't even begin to do it justice.
Besides, even if Jak hadn't spawned two successful sequels and a couple of cool offshoots, Naughty Dog's excellent PS2 rookie would still have made our list because it warmed our hearts, and created a game that was raucous, subtle, beautifully animated, and never made us feel as if we were collecting things... just how a platformer should be.
Developer: SCE Studios Santa Monica
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Year Released: 2005
Synopsis: Though the PlayStation 2 has seen a rather incredible number of extremely high quality titles in its six-plus year lifespan, no game has better shown off what the system is capable of than God of War. We're not just talking visuals here, either -- the control mechanics are virtually perfect, the storytelling techniques are fantastic and the scope of the game is downright enormous.
But while God of War's epic feel makes it stand out, it's the subtle things therein that allow it to sit so high on our list. Nearly every facet of the game's design is perfect, from the pacing to the difficulty to the way its tale is wrapped with Greek mythology. Very few PS2 games can compare to the epic, well-designed beauty of God of War, which is why it deserves to sit comfortable on our list of the best PS2 games around.
Developer: Criterion Software
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Year Released: 2004
Synopsis: Criterion Games' racing series really hit its mark with Burnout 3: Takedown, providing perhaps the most white-knuckled driving experience to ever hit a gaming console. The series' perfect control mechanics were dialed in with this release, giving gamers perfect control of a vehicle at 220mph+ and allowing them to barrel down highways and side streets so fast that you almost need otherworldly abilities to stay calm. When mistakes were made, Hollywood-derived crashes became the result.
Burnout 3: Takedown's fantastic visuals allowed for some of the most devastating crashes we've ever seen, and the result is that the game managed to reward the player with plenty of eye candy when they made a mistake. Add in some great online play, the ability to take out other cars, the fan-favorite Crash mode and you have the total package. Simply put, we're not sure how arcade racing will ever get any better than Burnout 3: Takedown.
5) Final Fantasy X
Developer: SquareSoft
Publisher: Square Electronic Arts
Year Released: 2001
Synopsis: The PS2's first blockbuster RPG is still one of its best. Final Fantasy X, as we could only expect from Square, was an utterly gorgeous looking game, with stunning landscapes, a wild array of color and artistic license, and some incredibly attractive-looking character and monster designs. Still, these aspects have become the status quo for the FF series. But this time, we got voice-acting for the first time in the series, and it didn't suck!
We got a huge modification/upgrade/alteration to the battle system and the supporting cast delivered a slew of cool, goody accents. Best of all, the storyline and its ending are among the best of any game in any genre of the last generation. All in all, Final Fantasy X pretty much delivered flawlessly on the PS2, and we loved every minute of it.
4) Shadow of the Colossus
Developer: SCE Studios Japan
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Year Released: 2005
Synopsis: Shadow of the Colossus has what is perhaps the most risky on-paper design we've ever seen. With only 16 enemies to fight in the game and an enormous world that is practically devoid of any actual tasks to perform, it doesn't sound like the making of one of the best adventure games ever released.
But Shadow's beauty lies in these empty spaces. It was designed much like a fairytale -- you're left to fill in the gaps with your own ideas of how things came to be, what the reason for the events are and so forth. The battles and events that are there are some of the best we've ever seen, with characters and creatures that look like they're straight out of a dream. Shadow of the Colossus is touching, mysterious, beautiful, desolate and even tragic, and these elements make it one of the most original and awe-inspiring games all of time.
3) Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
Developer: Kojima Productions
Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment
Year Released: 2006
Synopsis: Very few game characters can hold a candle to Snake from the Metal Gear franchise when it comes to outright action. However, when it came to telling the origin of the franchise, 2004's Snake Eater was missing a couple of solid elements.
Subsistence provided the definitive exploration of Snake's roots thanks to the sheer volume of changes made to the title. Six new difficulty levels were included. A brand new camera perspective was added to improve gameplay, along with loads of additional camouflage. A demo theater played cutscenes and let you change the movies at will. Games such as Snake vs. Monkey with new levels, as well as the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 on disc made it into the game. A joke theater with loads of video comedy, and a massive online mode rounded out the game, and for players who owned the special edition, a three hour movie comprised of every cutscene from Snake Eater. This wasn't a patch, a port or a simple expansion; Subsistence was a full re-imagining of the Snake Eater experience.
2) God of War II
Developer: SCE Studios Santa Monica
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Year Released: 2007
Synopsis: The PlayStation 2 certainly has no shortage of action games, and when it comes to pure, unadulterated action, no one does it better than Kratos. While the franchise may be known best for its outright and over-the-top violence, Sony Santa Monica crafted a tale with the sequel that was bigger, better, more refined and, if you can believe it, even more epic than the original, and that was no short order by any stretch of the imagination.
The Greek mythology-inspired tale was told with deft hands, the sites were something out of a book of paintings and the combat was essentially perfect. Oh, and let's not forget the boss battles, which still remain as some of the best we've ever seen. Yes, both the original and its sequel rank high amongst our list, but if you've played them, there's no doubt as to why. It simply does not get much better than this.
1) Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Developer: Rockstar North
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Year Released: 2004
Synopsis: Rockstar's enormous follow-up to its smash-hit GTA series, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, was one of the most evolved sequels we've ever seen. The revamped and more responsive gameplay mechanics, the brand new vehicle physics, a ton of upgradeable skills, more than 100 different missions, and some of the best production values around proved that through and through.
But that isn't the only reason it made our top slot. Once you factor in the excellent storyline, the open-ended gameplay structure, and even two-person multiplayer elements, this one became a no-brainer. If you're looking for the most fun and flat-out best PlayStation 2 game ever created, GTA: San Andreas delivers the goods as no other game offers so much variety and ways to make it your own than Rockstar North's creation.
Developer: SquareSoft
Publisher: Square Electronic Arts
Year Released: 2001
Synopsis: The PS2's first blockbuster RPG is still one of its best. Final Fantasy X, as we could only expect from Square, was an utterly gorgeous looking game, with stunning landscapes, a wild array of color and artistic license, and some incredibly attractive-looking character and monster designs. Still, these aspects have become the status quo for the FF series. But this time, we got voice-acting for the first time in the series, and it didn't suck!
We got a huge modification/upgrade/alteration to the battle system and the supporting cast delivered a slew of cool, goody accents. Best of all, the storyline and its ending are among the best of any game in any genre of the last generation. All in all, Final Fantasy X pretty much delivered flawlessly on the PS2, and we loved every minute of it.
Developer: SCE Studios Japan
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Year Released: 2005
Synopsis: Shadow of the Colossus has what is perhaps the most risky on-paper design we've ever seen. With only 16 enemies to fight in the game and an enormous world that is practically devoid of any actual tasks to perform, it doesn't sound like the making of one of the best adventure games ever released.
But Shadow's beauty lies in these empty spaces. It was designed much like a fairytale -- you're left to fill in the gaps with your own ideas of how things came to be, what the reason for the events are and so forth. The battles and events that are there are some of the best we've ever seen, with characters and creatures that look like they're straight out of a dream. Shadow of the Colossus is touching, mysterious, beautiful, desolate and even tragic, and these elements make it one of the most original and awe-inspiring games all of time.
Developer: Kojima Productions
Publisher: Konami Digital Entertainment
Year Released: 2006
Synopsis: Very few game characters can hold a candle to Snake from the Metal Gear franchise when it comes to outright action. However, when it came to telling the origin of the franchise, 2004's Snake Eater was missing a couple of solid elements.
Subsistence provided the definitive exploration of Snake's roots thanks to the sheer volume of changes made to the title. Six new difficulty levels were included. A brand new camera perspective was added to improve gameplay, along with loads of additional camouflage. A demo theater played cutscenes and let you change the movies at will. Games such as Snake vs. Monkey with new levels, as well as the original Metal Gear and Metal Gear 2 on disc made it into the game. A joke theater with loads of video comedy, and a massive online mode rounded out the game, and for players who owned the special edition, a three hour movie comprised of every cutscene from Snake Eater. This wasn't a patch, a port or a simple expansion; Subsistence was a full re-imagining of the Snake Eater experience.
Developer: SCE Studios Santa Monica
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Year Released: 2007
Synopsis: The PlayStation 2 certainly has no shortage of action games, and when it comes to pure, unadulterated action, no one does it better than Kratos. While the franchise may be known best for its outright and over-the-top violence, Sony Santa Monica crafted a tale with the sequel that was bigger, better, more refined and, if you can believe it, even more epic than the original, and that was no short order by any stretch of the imagination.
The Greek mythology-inspired tale was told with deft hands, the sites were something out of a book of paintings and the combat was essentially perfect. Oh, and let's not forget the boss battles, which still remain as some of the best we've ever seen. Yes, both the original and its sequel rank high amongst our list, but if you've played them, there's no doubt as to why. It simply does not get much better than this.
Developer: Rockstar North
Publisher: Rockstar Games
Year Released: 2004
Synopsis: Rockstar's enormous follow-up to its smash-hit GTA series, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, was one of the most evolved sequels we've ever seen. The revamped and more responsive gameplay mechanics, the brand new vehicle physics, a ton of upgradeable skills, more than 100 different missions, and some of the best production values around proved that through and through.
But that isn't the only reason it made our top slot. Once you factor in the excellent storyline, the open-ended gameplay structure, and even two-person multiplayer elements, this one became a no-brainer. If you're looking for the most fun and flat-out best PlayStation 2 game ever created, GTA: San Andreas delivers the goods as no other game offers so much variety and ways to make it your own than Rockstar North's creation.
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