Top 25 Must-Play PlayStation 2 Games Ever
▼ Summary
– The PlayStation 2 launched in October 2000 with immense hype, building on the success of its predecessor and overshadowing competitors like Nintendo and Sega.
– It became the default gaming platform due to a strong launch lineup and backward compatibility, attracting titles not made for other devices.
– Its affordability as the cheapest DVD player on the market drove sales, making it the highest-selling console ever with over 160 million units sold.
– The PS2’s legacy was defined by an unbeatable game library, including exclusive franchises from Sony’s first- and second-party studios like Jak and Daxter and Ratchet & Clank.
– It was an “everything” platform with diverse games, where many titles remain iconic and linked to the console in players’ memories.
For those who didn’t experience its launch, the PlayStation 2’s monumental impact on gaming can be difficult to fully appreciate. Sony’s follow-up console arrived in North America during October 2000, generating immense excitement even before it reached store shelves. It successfully built upon the foundation its predecessor laid, ultimately overshadowing established competitors like Nintendo and Sega.
The system debuted with a remarkably strong lineup of launch games, featuring titles such as Armored Core 2, Madden NFL, Ridge Racer V, SSX, Tekken Tag Tournament, and TimeSplitters. While it benefited from backward compatibility with the original PlayStation’s extensive library, the PS2 quickly evolved into the primary platform for virtually every major game not specifically developed for rival machines. Its strategic use of the DVD format was a masterstroke, positioning it as the most affordable DVD player available. This clever move prompted millions of households, including those with non-gamers, to purchase the console. To this day, it holds the record as the best-selling console of all time, with lifetime sales exceeding 160 million units, a figure that even later cultural sensations like the Wii and Nintendo DS could not surpass.
From a technical standpoint, the PlayStation 2 wasn’t radically more advanced than its contemporaries; both the GameCube and the original Xbox offered more raw power. However, the console’s true strength and lasting legacy were defined by its incredible and diverse game library. Where the first PlayStation made its mark by securing exclusive deals with former Nintendo partners such as Squaresoft (bringing Final Fantasy) and Konami (Metal Gear Solid), the PS2 era is where Sony’s own first- and second-party studios truly came into their own.
Developers like Naughty Dog (The Last of Us), Sucker Punch (Ghost of Tsushima), and Insomniac Games (Marvel’s Spider-Man 2) all launched their own flagship multi-game franchises on the PS2, with Jak and Daxter, Sly Cooper, and Ratchet & Clank respectively becoming synonymous with the brand. Long-running third-party series including Tekken, Final Fantasy, and Metal Gear Solid became so deeply associated with the PlayStation experience that they felt like exclusives, even when they technically were not.
This incredible wealth of quality software makes compiling a definitive list of essential PS2 games a challenging task. The platform was a true jack-of-all-trades, offering virtually every genre imaginable. Yet, among its vast library of thousands of titles, a select group of games clearly stand above the rest. These are the experiences that, whether developed by Sony’s internal teams or for its powerhouse console, remain permanently etched in the fond memories of players. Each of these landmark titles contributes its own chapter to the larger story of a video game dynasty whose influence continues to be felt throughout the industry today.
(Source: Rolling Stone)
