The PlayStation 2 is somewhat of a forgotten console, especially since there have been three upgraded consoles since then. However, if you’ve been gaming for a long time, you still remember what this retro console was like.
Two decades later, there are still plenty of PS2 games that you can purchase if you’re interested in enjoying a little bit of nostalgia or taking a break from the PS4 and PS5 hype.
It’s no surprise that the PS2 is among the most successful video game consoles of all time, moving a whopping 158 million units worldwide. The PS2’s unprecedented success also meant that new games came out in droves. There were hundreds of legitimately good games for PS2, which makes narrowing that list down to the absolute essentials a daunting task. We’ve tried to do just that here. Separated by genre, here are our picks for the best PS2 games of all time.
Further reading
Action
Resident Evil 4
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Viewtiful Joe
Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening
God of War
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
SOCOM II: U.S. Navy SEALs
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow
Adventure
Shadow of the Colossus
Ōkami
Ico
Silent Hill 2
Fighting
SoulCalibur II
First-person shooters
TimeSplitters 2
Music
Guitar Hero
Platformers
Psychonauts
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal
Jak II
Katamari Damacy
Sly 2: Band of Thieves
Racing
Gran Turismo 4
Burnout 3: Takedown
Role-playing
Final Fantasy X
Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King
Persona 4
Kingdom Hearts
Sports
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4
SSX 3
NBA Street Vol. 2
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