Here\u2019s an idea of just how dominant and all-conquering the PS2 was back in the day. As of 2022, the PS2 is still the best-selling console of all time, outstripping rivals like the Nintendo DS and the PS4 by a significant distance. With over 155 million units sold across its lifetime, the PS2 still stands proud atop the console market, even though Sony discontinued it in 2013. With that in mind, the PS2 must have had some pretty stellar games to succeed as it did, right? Here are the best 25 PS2 games of all time (in no particular order, of course!).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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For the third instalment in the increasingly popular Metal Gear Solid <\/em>series, Hideo Kojima took things back to their beginnings. Snake Eater <\/em>revolves around Big Boss before he was a mercenary legend; he\u2019s inserted into the unforgiving jungle to uncover plans to build a weapon to surpass all others, and what follows is a tense stealth odyssey full of memorable characters and moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Final Fantasy X<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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For many, 2007\u2019s Final Fantasy XII <\/em>was the PS2\u2019s crowning achievement, but it\u2019s just a little too narratively muddled for our liking. The series\u2019 penchant for overblown melodrama serves Final Fantasy X<\/em>\u2019s plot well, though, and although the lack of a world map or airship are undeniably blows, this classic turn-based JRPG still offers an unforgettable journey to experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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There were three major Grand Theft Auto <\/em>releases on PS2, and San Andreas <\/em>is arguably the culmination of Rockstar\u2019s philosophy while developing them. It\u2019s an absolutely massive open-world crime adventure packed with things to do; you can complete missions to advance the story, yes, but you can also eat fast food, work out at the gym, change your clothes, and plenty more besides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Where Final Fantasy <\/em>is eternally trying to change and adapt with each new instalment, Dragon Quest <\/em>is the opposite. It\u2019s a comfortable, cosy JRPG series that never significantly changes its core formula; turn-based battles with no frills, a bucolic mediaeval-inspired fantasy land to explore, and plenty of gentle British accents. Dragon Quest VIII <\/em>is all of that, but with the extra graphical horsepower of the PS2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Shadow of the Colossus<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The second of Team Ico\u2019s games on the PS2, Shadow of the Colossus <\/em>remains a unique, daunting prospect to this day. You are Wander, a young lad who has brought a comatose princess to a land teeming with colossi. If you slay the colossi, you\u2019ll be able to wake her up\u2026or so goes the legend. To do so, you\u2019ll have to physically climb them and strike at their weak points in a unique take on platforming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Persona 4<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Each Persona <\/em>game iterates on the one before it, and so it was with Persona 4<\/em>. It took the formula of its predecessor – procedurally generated JRPG dungeons interspersed with life sim-style conversations and activities – and expanded it, adding unique theming to each new dungeon and building on the Social Link system. What follows is an unforgettably rainy odyssey through high school life in Japan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. Silent Hill 2<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Silent Hill 2 <\/em>comes from a time before horror games felt the need to be maximalist in their approach to scares. It tells the story of James Sunderland, a man who has come to the town of Silent Hill after receiving a letter from his deceased wife. Naturally, things aren\u2019t as they seem, and as Sunderland explores the town, fighting off malformed monstrosities as he goes, he learns more about the town and his own past.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. God of War<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Sony stated that its intention with God of War <\/em>was to make a cinematic game, and while it definitely succeeded, this is \u201ccinematic\u201d in a way that feels different to today\u2019s spectacle-laden Hollywood-aping blockbuster games. God of War <\/em>mixes balletic combat with platforming, puzzling, and spectacular boss fights; it might have a few quick-time events here and there, but when the rest of the game is this good, that\u2019s forgivable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. Resident Evil 4<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Resident Evil 4 <\/em>is Capcom\u2019s maximalist horror masterpiece. It\u2019s more of an action game than a true survival horror experience, but it does still involve careful resource management and threat observation. The true achievement of Resident Evil 4 <\/em>is to balance humour with horror; the first time you see the chainsaw-wielding Dr. Salvador bear down on you, you\u2019ll be both laughing and crying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. Devil May Cry 3: Dante\u2019s Awakening<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The Devil May Cry <\/em>series is known for its campy, over-the-top action, but that reputation didn\u2019t cement itself until Devil May Cry 3<\/em>. After a relatively sober first instalment and a sequel best left forgotten, Devil May Cry 3 <\/em>amped everything up to eleven. This is a hack-and-slash action game in which one of your weapons is a guitar that summons bats from hell, and that\u2019s not even the most outlandish thing about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. Kingdom Hearts<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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While subsequent instalments would see the Kingdom Hearts <\/em>series disappear into its own mythology, the franchise was never better (and purer) than its first instalment. Young boy Sora, who wields the Keyblade, must stop the Heartless from overrunning a series of worlds inspired by classic Disney movies. No matter how convoluted and ridiculous the series may be now, revisit this action-RPG to remember just how good Kingdom Hearts <\/em>used to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Remember when Ubisoft made games instead of barely-concealed microtransaction simulators? Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time <\/em>remembers. A characterful, colourful, and immersive action-adventure game, The Sands of Time <\/em>remains easily the best Prince of Persia <\/em>title thanks to its acrobatic platforming, innovative time mechanics, and engaging characters. It\u2019s certainly not because of the combat, that\u2019s for sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Jak 2 <\/em>and Jak 3 <\/em>are both great games, but they\u2019re a little too sprawling and unfocused for our liking. The first instalment, Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy<\/em>, was an open-ended exploration-based platformer akin to the PS1\u2019s Spyro <\/em>games. You\u2019re let loose in a series of colourful levels and asked to explore them for challenges and secrets, and you\u2019re given very little direction as you do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. Beyond Good and Evil<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Jade\u2019s story is probably better-known for its vapourware sequel these days, which is a real shame, because Beyond Good and Evil <\/em>is a unique little treat. It\u2019s a sort of mixture between Zelda<\/em>-style adventure game, photography sim, and third-person brawler, but it also finds room to throw in hovercraft races, dungeon exploration, and a host of minigames as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. Psychonauts<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Tim Schafer and company\u2019s Psychonauts <\/em>didn\u2019t sell anywhere near as well as it should have done, although it has recently re-entered the public consciousness thanks to a newly-released sequel. Psychonauts <\/em>is a sharply-written, acerbic collectathon platformer in which all of the levels take place inside somebody\u2019s addled mind. If that description appeals to you, it doesn\u2019t even come close to summing up Psychonauts<\/em>\u2019 weird appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16. Okami<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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If The Legend of Zelda <\/em>took explicit inspiration from classical Japanese mythology and starred a wolf instead of a young lad\u2026well, it would be Okami<\/em>, and Capcom would certainly want to pursue legal action. Okami<\/em>\u2019s breathtaking painterly art style still holds up today, but the gameplay is also not to be sniffed at; Zelda<\/em>\u2019s tool belt of items is replaced by godlike Celestial Brush techniques, allowing protagonist Amaterasu to explore more of the world and uncover its mysteries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17. Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Sniggerworthy pun aside, Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal <\/em>could very well still be the best of the franchise. It retains the childish humour of the games before they went Hollywood with the 2016 remake, and it\u2019s got a plethora of exciting and ridiculous weaponry to try out on its many and varied enemies. For many, Insomniac\u2019s platforming shooter series peaked here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18. Sly 3: Honour Among Thieves<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The Sly <\/em>series mixes some fairly simple stealth gameplay with platforming and collectible-gathering, and Sly 3 <\/em>represents its apex. The levels are open-ended and sprawling, providing plenty of opportunities to use Sly\u2019s moveset to its fullest, and the heist-style narrative gives Sly and his buddies lots of chances to banter good-naturedly with one another as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

19. We Love Katamari<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Katamari Damacy <\/em>was an utterly unique proposition\u2026until the sequel, We Love Katamari<\/em>, arrived. It expands on its predecessor\u2019s premise; you pilot the titular katamari, an adhesive ball that grabs anything smaller than it and grows in size as it does so. We Love Katamari <\/em>finds even more ways to challenge you to do so; one minute you\u2019re picking up pencils, the next you\u2019re absorbing continents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

20. Bully<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Known as Canis Canem Edit <\/em>(\u201cDog Eat Dog<\/em>\u201d) in some more prudish territories, Bully <\/em>is essentially Grand Theft Auto <\/em>at school. It stars Jimmy, a roguish young boy with a tendency to speak truth to power, as he navigates the power structures of his high school. Bully <\/em>isn\u2019t limited to Bullworth Academy, though; you can also explore the surrounding town on your bike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

21. Viewtiful Joe<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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One of the so-called \u201cCapcom Five\u201d alongside Resident Evil 4<\/em>, Viewtiful Joe <\/em>was once mistakenly pledged to be a GameCube exclusive, but PS2 owners should be thankful it turned out not to be. This side-scrolling beat-\u2019em-up is truly larger than life, combining tokusatsu-style over-the-top action with knowing winks and nudges to pop culture and the gaming industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

22. Suikoden V<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Of all of the three Suikoden <\/em>RPGs that made it to PS2, Suikoden V <\/em>is the only one that can uncontroversially be described as a classic. Suikoden III <\/em>was too risky for some, and Suikoden IV <\/em>was\u2026less than stellar, but V <\/em>returns the series to its castle-building roots. You are a royal on the run from your crazed family, and you must amass an army to take back what is rightfully yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

23. TimeSplitters 2<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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When Free Radical announced that it would bring back the TimeSplitters <\/em>series, the world rejoiced, and TimeSplitters 2 <\/em>is a good demonstration of why. This is a wacky, fun-filled first-person shooter with exaggerated character animations and a bevy of content to enjoy. Whether you\u2019re fragging your friends in multiplayer, taking on the single-player campaign, or trying out the challenges, TimeSplitters 2 <\/em>is great fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

24. Max Payne<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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Remakes of the first two Max Payne <\/em>games have been announced, so there\u2019s never been a better time to check out where the series began. Max Payne 3 <\/em>was a po-faced exercise in misery, but the first two Max Payne <\/em>titles are noir-inflected gems, full of bullet time-enhanced third-person shooting perfection. Here\u2019s hoping the remakes help the series find its comedic edge again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

25. Tom Clancy\u2019s Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory<\/em><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The Splinter Cell <\/em>series is, for some unfathomable reason, dormant right now, but if and when it comes back, we want to see more games like Chaos Theory<\/em>. This stealth adventure is filled to the brim with gadgets to use, guards to outwit, and multi-layered levels to explore. It can\u2019t rival games like Thief <\/em>for sheer size, but its levels are intricate, complex, and immensely satisfying to sneak through.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Here\u2019s an idea of just how dominant and all-conquering the PS2 was back in the day. As of 2022, the PS2 is still the best-selling console of all time, outstripping rivals like the Nintendo DS and the PS4 by a significant distance. With over 155 million units sold across its lifetime, the PS2 still stands … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":7574,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"close","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,174],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-videogames","category-nostalgia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7572"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7572"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7572\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10434,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7572\/revisions\/10434"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7574"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nerdleaks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}