16 Must-Have PS2 Games

The PS2 reigned supreme for years, for a simple reason, there was nothing like it. It offered some of the best games ever and took consoles to a whole new level. Last week, we did a feature on the PS2 and its recent price cut; today, we list our favorite PS2 games across all genres. We hope that you enjoy reading the list and add your favorite games in the comment section.

1)    God of War (Series)

What can I say about God of War that hasn’t been said before. It is and will remain the PS2’s magnum opus, the greatest creation; a game that pushed the hardware to its limit but delivered a stunning experience, one that will serve as a benchmark for future games.

2)    GTA (Series)

The PS2 brand owes a lot to the GTA series. This open-world adventure sold a ton of copies and made car-jacking a national passion. The GTA series on the PS2 were popular for all the wrong reasons, but none can deny that they were highly ambitious games that got better with every offering.

3)    Metal Gear Solid 3

Metal Gear Solid 3 is the best stealth/action game on the PS2, period. The game, which revolved around the Big Boss, put you in the middle of a jungle and offered gameplay elements never seen before. You had to hunt for food, mend your wounds, as well as make sure that no camouflaged sniper is aiming at your head. The cinematics, audio, background score, and plot were better than anything that we ever saw, and remain remarkable even today.

4)    Devil May Cry

I still feel that the original Devil May Cry was the best game in the series and that DMC 2 should have never seen the light of day, but overall this is a series that satisfied our hack-and-slash needs. The story never made sense but uber-cool Dante made up for it. The series has shifted gears into HD and has even offered a new gunslinger, but DMC was the best on the PS2.

5)    Final Fantasy (Series)

Final Fantasy XIII may have defected to the Xbox 360 (which is a good thing, as more gamers will enjoy this fantastic ride), but the series reached its cult status on the PS2. High production values, innovative gameplay, and new battle systems kept the series fresh, and it always surpassed expectations.

6)    Burnout ( Series)

EA is known as the evil empire as it is known to milk their franchisees; however, EA gets it right with Burnout each time, which is godsend as we love burning rubber and taking down opponents.

7)    Shadow of Colossus

The team behind ICO know how to create great adventures; they know how to create games that are ambitiously designed and they know how to deliver. SOC was so different from any other game out in the market that the world quickly took notice. Not only is the game a visual marvel but also an adventure like no other. You fight titans who breach the sky with limited platforming skills, all for the love of a beautiful princess, taking the Damsel in Distress scenario a tad too far.

8)    Guitar Hero

There are way too many rhythm games in the market, but the original Guitar Hero still remains a favorite. This is the game that started it all and the reason it was special was that it was new and innovative. Now there are too many spin-offs and too many sequels, but the original GH remains a must have.

9)    Tekken (Series)

There are fighting games and then there is Tekken. Beautifully drawn characters, a very balanced battle system, and a great offline multiplayer experience make Tekken one of our favorite fighting games on the system.

10)    Ratchet and Clank (Series)

Ratchet is a lombax who runs around with a highly intelligent robot tied to his back, that is all that you need to know before playing R&C. The series grew popular due to the fun gameplay, quirky one-liners, and innovative weapon design.

11)    Pro Evolution Soccer

The football game drew a lot of critical praise and fame due to its realistic gameplay. The football sim took a fair share of FIFA’S market and created a new brand of football geeks, those who considered FIFA inferior. Pro Evo hasn’t had a great start in the HD generation, but I am confident they will strike back.

12)    Gran Turismo 4

Gran Turismo 4 is the best car sim on the PS2; it looks the part, it plays the part, and it has more content than all other games put together. There are hundreds of cars and more than a dozen real-life locations, and it supports 1080i; this one’s a keeper.

13)    Indigo Prophecy

This game wasn’t very popular, but should have been. It’s an action adventure that relies a lot on the players’ decision throughout the game, and then alters the outcome of the game accordingly. The game does have an extra dose of craziness in the story section in the latter half of the game, but the journey till the end is amazing. If you are looking for a unique and different game, look no further.

14)     Shadow of Rome

Another game by Capcom that went unnoticed by many, Shadow of Rome lets you play dual roles. You play a gladiator as well as a frail commoner in Rome. The dual role means that half the time in the game you will be surviving in a large arena, while the other half will go in sneaking around corners and avoiding guards. The game offered both action and stealth and maintained a great balance between the two with a good plot and equally impressive visuals.

15)    Prince of Persia (Series)

The re-invented POP was highly successful on the PS2, partly due to the time-bending gameplay and partly due to the highly comfortable controls. The game just felt right on the console and proved to be a top seller. The series enjoyed a lot of success and proved that games of yesteryears can be re-imagined and re-worked and yet are able to make the IPs look timid.

16)    Resident Evil 4

RE5 may be ruling the charts today, but it was the genre-defining RE4 that brought the series out of slumber. RE4 used quick time events and a new camera angle to bring a new Resident Evil experience to its fans, and it worked like a charm.

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