The PS5 is doing great, and the Switch 2 is off to a tremendous start. It’s a good console generation to get excited about games, but with all the progress of the modern age, there are still some who miss the heyday of the PS2. There was something there for everyone, from platformers to shooters to RPGs.
Most of the bigger titles still hold up today on the original hardware, and look and play even better with remasters. For some franchises, the PS2 is where they hit their peak. While these games may have had sequels past this generation, they haven’t hit quite as hard. Some games aren't even considered the greatest of all time, but generally have good ideas that no one can deny are genius.
10 PlayStation 2 Games That Are Masterpieces
These PS2 games are great even on the original hardware.
Def Jam: Fight For NY
Hip-Hop Wrestling
Def Jam: Fight For NY
- Released
- August 20, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- m
- Genre(s)
- Fighting, Wrestling
Def Jam: Fight for NY is the second game in the series, and it improves upon everything that made the original great. The idea was a novel one in the early 2000s: pitting rap stars against each other in a wrestling ring to the beat of hip hop. There were more fighters, better mechanics, and, best of all, more music to groove to in this sequel. There was one other sequel, but it didn’t do well, and now all fans want is a decent port of this classic or for another company to attempt a hip-hop wrestling reboot of sorts.
Shadow Of The Colossus
A Hard Game To Describe
Shadow of the Colossus
- Released
- October 18, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
Shadow Of The Colossus is a work of art through and through as a standalone game. It’s been remastered and remade, and each time it is, a new generation is given a chance to examine why this has remained an untouched classic.
The plot is mysterious with little story, and all players know they need to do is explore a vast world, find giants, and kill them in the hopes that this process will revive their beloved. It’s beautiful, haunting, and a bit scrappy on the PS2, but it’s still one of the most unique boss-focused experiences, and no one has been able to replicate it yet.
Max Payne
A Gritty Crime Thriller
Max Payne
- Released
- July 23, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
There are tons of noir cop thrillers on TV and in films, but Max Payne sticks out in the world of games. The titular hero narrates the entire game as he blasts his way through gangsters and corrupt cops who helped orchestrate the murder of his family. Filled with bullets and pills, Max is on a journey of self-destruction.
8 PS2 Games More People Should Play
From RPGs to platformers, these PS2 games have unique concepts that deserve to be experienced by more players.
He’s not a hero, he’s just a father trying to get revenge one last time through stylish bullet-time action before the angels carry him off to heaven. The two sequels are good, even though they didn’t hit as hard as the original, but maybe the upcoming remake can revitalize the Max Payne franchise.
Dark Cloud 2
Level-5 At Their Best
Dark Cloud 2
- Released
- February 17, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Dark Cloud 2 is Level-5 at their peak creativity, which is wild since this was early on in their career. It’s the second and final game in the series, which upgraded so many mechanics to make it more compelling as an indirect sequel. It can be boiled down to an action RPG with two switchable protagonists, but there’s so much more to it. There are randomized dungeons, town building mechanics, time travel, an invention quest, monster transformations, weapon evolutions, and so much more. Anyone interested can enjoy a cleaned-up version on PS4 and PS5.
X-Men Legends 2: Rise Of Apocalypse
Mutant Academy
X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse
- Released
- September 20, 2005
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T // Mild Language, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse is the second game in the series, following the plot from the original. Players can create teams of four when they go into dungeons, and the dungeons replicate Diablo-like action combat. Classic villains and heroes alike will team up to stop Apocalypse, and it’s one of the best X-Men stories told in a game to date.
There were three spiritual sequels via the Marvel: Ultimate Alliance games, which are also fun action RPGs. But the two X-Men Legends games, especially X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse, are better balanced between gameplay and narrative.
James Bond: Everything Or Nothing
An Original Bond Story That Hit
James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing
- Released
- February 17, 2004
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- T For Teen Due To Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Genre(s)
- Third-Person Shooter
GoldenEye 007 is widely considered one of the best Bond games ever, but it was based on a film. There aren’t many original games, so James Bond: Everything or Nothing had a bit of an advantage, and EA put out all the stops to make it a blockbuster game just like the movies.
8 Best Game Series That Died On The PS2
The PS2 was home to a lot of gaming franchises, and while some continue to thrive today, others died on the console and have yet to resurface.
It featured Pierce Brosnan, Judi Dench, Willem Dafoe, and more. It even had a banger theme song "Everything or Nothing" by Mya, who also appeared in the game. Perhaps 2026’s 007 First Light can finally outclass James Bond: Everything or Nothing, but for now, Bond fans are waiting for a remaster.
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly
Pictures Of You
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterly
- Released
- December 10, 2003
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- M
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
Resident Evil 4 is probably the best horror game on the PS2, and the one played by the most fans. However, true horror fans know that Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly is superior in several ways, one of them being the core horror factor.
It’s an unsettling Japanese tale of young teens getting lost among ancient homes filled with ghosts. To combat them, players can use a camera to trap the souls of ghosts. The sequels just never got as scary as this second game. There was a quick Wii remake in 2012, but fans are more excited about the big upcoming remake in 2026.
.hack//Infection
Four Games In About A Year Is Impressive
.hack//Infection
- Released
- June 20, 2002
WHERE TO PLAY
.hack//Infection is part of one of the most ambitious projects on the PS2 and beyond. It’s the first game in a quadrology about players investigating a fake MMO that they are playing. Through action-based gameplay, players will look for clues about why the game is causing some players to go into comas in the real world.
Between 2003 and 2004, all four games were released in North America, which were tied together through saves. There was accompanying anime and novels to tie things together as one big media blitz. Fans who were part of this movement know exactly how special this time in gaming was, and how it helped CyberConnect2 gain notoriety.
Game Characters Who Are Too Into Themselves
The video game characters are so self-absorbed and arrogant that they need a serious reality check before their ego becomes visible from space.