Top 10 Favorite Playstation 2 Games

So I’ve spent quite a lot of time going through the Playstation 2’s library, so much so that I got rather sick of it by the end. Some people consider the PS2 era to be the peak of gaming. While I don’t know if I can fully agree, the PS2 era did hit a sweet spot where the technology was advanced enough and the developers were experienced enough that most types of games and gameplay were finally possible, but at the same time video games were still new enough and not fully taken over by corporate interests yet that there was plenty of room for experimentation and innovation. The end result was a large library of lots of different games of tons of varying genres. And while in many ways video games as a medium have improved and gotten better since then, the bigger games have gotten more stagnant and greedy, and the indie sphere has gotten a bit too saturated, making it more difficult to find the actually good games.

Still, while the modern game industry has plenty of problems, I’ve played through enough bad and mediocre PS2 games to know that the past wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows either, and romanticizing the past isn’t accurate or healthy. But there were definitely a lot of good games for the PS2, and today I’d like to go over my Top 10 personal favorites.

Before we begin, let me be clear that this list is based on which games I personally enjoyed the most, not the ones that were “objectively” the best or most popular or whatever. So if a game isn’t on the list, it’s not because I think it’s bad, it’s just because I personally didn’t like it as much as the games that did make it onto the list.

And before we start the list, I’d like to go over a few honorable mentions.

Haunting Ground

While ultimately the annoying parts of this game stopped me from finishing it, the environments are nice and the atmosphere is extremely chilling. If you like horror games it’s definitely worth checking out.

Persona 3 & 4

These games are by design very slow burns, and the slow pacing ultimately made me lose interest and stop. But I did find the core concept rather intriguing, I did have fun with both titles, and I can see why these games are so popular. While they weren’t for me, they have made me very curious about Persona 5, though I’m not sure when I’ll get around to it.

Shadow Hearts

This game isn’t anything special, and in fact has quite a lot of flaws. But for some reason it really clicked with me. It just has a unique charm to it, and while I probably won’t play it ever again I greatly enjoyed my time with it.

Darkwatch

Normally I don’t like console FPSs, but occasionally I will find one that I’m able to enjoy regardless, and Darkwatch was one such game. It’s not perfect, but it is incredibly fun.

Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus

And the last honorable mention is the debut game of Sly Cooper. I really liked this game, as I felt it brought a unique style and charm to the platformer genre. The main reason it missed out on the list was because the levels that weren’t focused on sneaking or platforming kind of sucked, and the game felt rather rushed toward the end.

Now, with the honorable mentions out of the way, let’s get started on the actual list.

10. Jak & Daxter: The Precursor Legacy

While not my favorite 3D platformer, the first Jak and Daxter game was really solid and really fun. The levels have varied challenges and environments, and it manages to keep things interesting all the way to the end. Jak and Daxter actually have a lot of similarities to Sly Cooper. Both of their debut games were ones I quite enjoyed, while the sequels went off in different directions that I didn’t care for as much. And another similarity both share is that neither seems to be talked about much anymore.

9. Okage Shadow King

Despite my best attempts to give them a fair chance, JRPGs are just not a genre that I particularly care for, and the vast majority of them I find to be incredibly dull. But occasionally I will find a JRPG (or JRPG like) game that really resonates with me, and Okage Shadow King was one of them. The story and characters are incredibly funny and likable, and despite having a lot of the usual JRPG trappings I still found the gameplay to be fun and engaging. The last third of the game was a bit underwhelming, but not bad enough to ruin my enthusiasm for the game as a whole.

8. Odin Sphere

This game is a very slow burn, and unfortunately the gameplay is extremely repetitive. But despite these flaws I still quite enjoyed this game. It has a really solid and compelling story with a cast of very engaging and varied characters. The visuals are absolutely gorgeous, and the music and voice acting are stunning. (For the most part) I’ve heard there’s a remake of this game, and it’s possible that the remake is better. But even so, this game is still quite the gem, though I can understand why it might not be for everyone.

7. Devil May Cry 3

I didn’t really care for the first two Devil May Cry games, and while I can sort of see why people thought Devil May Cry 2 was a bad sequel, it honestly didn’t seem that bad to me. But Devil May Cry 3 clicked for me in a way the first two didn’t. The story and characters are very silly, but also very fun, and the gameplay is solid, if a bit relentless. I don’t know if I would say I’m a Devil May Cry fan now, since I only liked one out of three of the games I tried, but I did really like this one.

6. Psychonauts

This underrated classic was sadly overlooked when it first came out, but it did eventually receive the attention and acclaim it deserved. While I do have a few issues with the gameplay and the pacing, the sheer uniqueness, charm, and wit this game exudes more than makes up for the handful of shortcomings it has. I’ve heard good things about the sequel that (finally) came out last year, and while I haven’t played it yet at time of writing, if it’s anything like this I’m sure it will be amazing.

5. Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly

Ever since playing Silent Hill 2 I’ve been looking for another horror game that can match it in terms of atmosphere and storytelling. While I have yet to find one, I have found a few that have come close, with Fatal Frame 2 being one of them. It has a wonderfully unnerving atmosphere, and a very macabre but compelling story that keeps the twins as the main focus while also detailing what went wrong in this haunted village. It’s not perfect, but it is one of the best horror games I’ve ever played.

4. Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

I liked the first Prince of Persia game, even though it was a bit archaic and frustrating. But this game absolutely blew me away. Excellent gameplay, beautiful environments, solid story and characters, and near perfect pacing. It is by far one of the best platforming games I’ve ever played, and just one of the best games I've ever played in general. The only thing that keeps me from placing it any higher on this list is the combat, which is incredibly obnoxious and always goes on for way longer than it should.

3. Shadow of the Colossus

A fairly predictable choice for a list like this, but it really is that good. I wouldn’t say it’s a flawless masterpiece like some people claim. I think having the game take place in an open world is somewhat pointless when the order in which you have to beat the Colossi is rigidly predetermined and there’s almost nothing else to do in the game. And some of the fights are a bit annoying to get through, my least favorite one being the second to last Colossus. But despite a few niggles this is still a very solid title, and there’s a reason why it’s widely considered to be one of the greatest games of all time.

2. Silent Hill 2

The Silent Hill series is one I’ve become quite attached to over the years ever since I played the first game back in 12018. Silent Hill drew me in, Silent Hill 3 had some incredibly memorable moments and environments, and despite its flaws I’ve grown a soft spot for Silent Hill 4 as well. But Silent Hill 2 remains the best, and my personal favorite. I can’t think of much to say about it that hasn’t already been said, so I’ll just leave it at that.

1. Resident Evil 4

Since this game has been released for almost every console under the sun, calling it the best PS2 game is a bit misleading. But the PS2 version is how I first experienced this game, and it’s not only by far my favorite game I’ve played for the PS2, it’s also become one of my favorite games of all time. This was one game that definitely lived up to the hype, and I’m glad I finally experienced it, even if I was very late to the party. It was the game I often fell back on whenever the other PS2 games I tried ended up disappointing me, and I’ve put more time into RE4 than every other game on this list combined. I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that, but it’s an incredibly fun game, and I’m sure I’ll play through it many times more.

So that was my list of my Top 10 PS2 games. What did you think? What are your favorite PS2 games? Be sure to leave a comment if you feel so inclined. Next time I will be diving into the Gamecube library, so if that sounds interesting hopefully I will see you then.