Summary
- Okami is visually stunning with unique gameplay mechanics, an interactive world, and is packed with entertaining content.
- Resident Evil 4 offers intense action, rewarding shooting mechanics, iconic enemies, and a relentless gameplay experience.
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 excels with fast and fluid gameplay, endless replayability, and a fun, momentum-based movement system.
The best-selling console of all time and one of the best generations for video games, the PlayStation 2 era brought with it so many fan-favorite franchises and groundbreaking titles that revolutionized the gaming world and continue to have sequels and re-releases nearly two decades later. The impact of the console is simply immeasurable, and the titles available at the time speak for themselves.
8 Best PS2 Games You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
From platformers to RPGs, these PlayStation 2 are more than just a little on the obscure side of history and likely remain unknown to most gamers.
At the heart of any game is pure fun. As much as a video game can focus on story or complex themes, sometimes it's nice to have a solid balance of story and entertaining gameplay, or to even go a step further and push the fun factor to the maximum to create the most enjoyment possible.
8 Okami
Painting The World Piece By Piece
Okami
- Released
- September 19, 2006
WHERE TO PLAY
For the art style alone, Okami is visually stunning, and the gameplay feeds into the art, using it as a main mechanic for all aspects of the game. A blending of Japanese mythology with Zelda-style exploration, players control Amaterasu, the sun goddess in wolf form, as she restores life and color to a cursed world. The game’s signature feature is the Celestial Brush mechanic, which lets players draw symbols on the screen that can be used in both combat and to manipulate the environment, offering a uniquely interactive experience.
What makes Okami so fun is the ability to interact with the world in interesting and clever ways. The painterly art mechanic brings the world to life with each stroke of the brush, making even the act of restoring a tree feel rewarding. It’s packed with dungeon content and side-quests to keep the player entertained for hours, all wrapped in a whimsical tone that feels straight out of a fairytale. Its originality and warmth make it one of the most memorable and enjoyable experiences on the PS2, and with a sequel on the way, hopefully, they can recapture even a smidgen of that same flair and fun.
7 Resident Evil 4
Survival Horror At Its Best
Resident Evil 4
- Released
- January 11, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
Arguably the best in the horror genre even today, Resident Evil 4 is a wild ride from start to finish. Leaning more into the action side and putting a heavy emphasis on gunplay, players investigate a barren land in search of the President's daughter, encountering more than a few zombie-like enemies and mutated creatures that need to be put to sleep.
8 PS2 Ubisoft Games That Have Aged The Best, Ranked
Ubisoft is a household developer/publisher that has crafted some memorable experiences, but what of their original PS2 era?
The shooting feels rewarding, and every kill is paired with a healthy dose of gore and blood, adding a level of realism to every encounter and pushing the limits of the console. And with a whole cast of iconic characters and even more iconic enemies, the joy never ceases, and while normally the player might be running scared, in this case, the game encourages them to push forward head-on and to shoot their way through anything in their path.
6 Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
So Much Style And So Much Freedom
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3
- Released
- October 30, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Blood, Mild Lyrics, Suggestive Themes
- Developer(s)
- Neversoft, Shaba Games, Vicarious Visions, HotGen
- Genre(s)
- Sports
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation (Original), PlayStation 2, Xbox (Original), Nintendo GameCube, Nintendo 64, Nintendo Game Boy Color, Nintendo Game Boy Advance, PC
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 perfected the series’ arcade-style skating formula, delivering fast and fluid gameplay across a variety of imaginative levels. Players have a lot of freedom to perform complex trick chains, discover hidden routes, and complete level-specific challenges using a tight control system that rewards both creativity and precision. With a few extra new mechanics like the revert move, combos, and high scores, suddenly had a new level of depth, and the amount of time players can spend perfecting a single chain is unlimited.
What makes the game especially fun is its near-endless replayability. Each level is filled with collectibles and hidden objectives that not only encourage exploration but experimentation and mastery. Combined with a killer soundtrack and the ability to play as a range of wild characters, the game never takes itself too seriously. It’s the kind of experience where five-minute sessions easily turn into hours, and its momentum-based movement still feels great over two decades later.
5 Rayman 2: Revolution
Pure Platforming Perfection
Rayman 2: Revolution
- Released
- January 30, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- e
- Genre(s)
- 3D Platformer
Rayman 2: Revolution brought the lovable, limbless hero into a full 3D world full of vibrant colors and charm that continues to shine today. Fighting through robot pirates and rescuing captives, every moment is full of smiles throughout, and the addition of new and fun mechanics in almost every stage keeps it feeling fresh and engaging in an already crisp and well-polished platformer.
The blend of platforming with deep exploration invited players to go out in search of hidden areas and collectibles, and with such rewarding jumps and so much joy to see in the environment, even running around with no enemies can still be incredibly enjoyable. So much beauty and more than a few surprises, the quirky little fella continues to excite and deliver an unforgettable gaming experience several decades after he first graced the screens.
4 Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
Stealth Never Felt So Good
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004)
- Released
- November 17, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language, Sexual Themes
- Developer(s)
- Konami
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2
Few stealth games hold quite the same esteem as Metal Gear Solid 3. A Cold War-era jungle full of iconic bosses and a whole range of threats, players are given a whole toolshed of systems to utilize, like camouflage and trap setting to make the environment feel like a canvas on which to engage with the map in new and interesting ways that the series hadn't seen before.
Experimentation is really at the heart of the gameplay, and players are able to sneak and approach any scenario however they choose, while still having to manage plenty of meters like stamina and injuries. It is an immersive stealth game unlike any other and pushes players to explore every aspect of the combat and approach enemies in ways they could only dream of before.
3 God Of War
Would Could Be Better Than Killing A God?
God of War
- Released
- March 22, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Santa Monica Studio
- Genre(s)
- Hack and Slash
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2
The original God of War is one of those games that defies expectations when it comes to cinematic storytelling and combat brutality. With the mission dumbing down to basically killing the God of War himself, players are armed to the teeth with razor-sharp blades and a rage that could topple mountains. Slicing through hordes of enemies in seconds and the tight blending of hack-and-slash action with other mechanics like platforming, turns even the simplest moments into a true adventure.
Best Sega Games On The PS2, Ranked
Sega has developed and published some memorable classics on the PlayStation 2, proving their staying power in a golden age of gaming.
There is a constant sense of momentum and forward motion, and every moment belongs on the big screen, with spectacular shots that truly take the player's breath away. It never feels like the game slows down, and even when there is a moment of pause from hacking away at the beasts, it isn't long before the action returns, setting a new standard for not only the genre but games on the system as a whole.
2 Devil May Cry
The Start Of The Demon Destroying Dynasty
Devil May Cry
- Released
- October 16, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
Style, speed, and pure sword-swinging goodness, Devil May Cry has long been a fan favorite in the world of action and for good reason. Combining medieval settings with fast-paced gunplay, it's the perfect mix of old and new, bringing so much fun even in the easiest of fights. The game lives and breathes excitement, rewarding and fluid fighting, and letting the player become a true demon-killing machine.
It brings a decent amount of challenge, combined with plenty of stylistic flair, that brings so much aggression and creativity at every step along the way. Over the top and dramatic don't even begin to describe it, and with a leading man who has so much arrogance and charisma, it is hard to look away from even the bloodiest moments.
1 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
A True Open-World Playground
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Released
- October 26, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas expanded the open-world formula to jaw-dropping proportions. Players step into the shoes of CJ, navigating a massive, fictional version of California full of gangs and corruption in a city brimming with content. The game mixes story-driven missions with free-roam chaos, allowing players to traverse the world however they choose.
What makes San Andreas so fun is its sheer variety. One minute, it's racing dirt bikes through the countryside; the next, skydiving into a casino heist. The possibilities are quite literally unlimited. It’s full of surprises, humor, and freedom, making it a sandbox that feels alive. With its rich narrative and jam-packed world, it’s a landmark title that still holds up today.
12 Best PS2 Game Stories, Ranked
The PS2 has been the home of some of the most incredible stories in the history of video games, and this is how they rank.