The 36 Best PS2 Games
- September 19, 2008 11:20 AM PST
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#15: Kingdom Hearts II
Year: 2006
Why It's Great:
The unlikely union between Disney and Square Enix created an instant classic with the first Kingdom Hearts, and
when it was time for a sequel, there was nowhere to go but up. Kingdom Hearts II integrated even more of our
favorite Disney and Square characters, improved on the game's battle system, and above all, got rid of those
Little Mermaid swimming levels! Kingdom Hearts is a series known for having something for everyone, and there's
just enough magic in this title to make it accessible to even the most jaded, cynical gamer.
Also Try: Kingdom Hearts
Click here for more screens of Kingdom Hearts II.
#14: Guitar Hero II
Year: 2006
Why It's Great:
Guitar Hero II didn't really change the gameplay of the original. It simply added more of what the fans
wanted--more music! With 40-plus music tracks, many of them master tracks, and a slightly easier
hammer-on/pull-off system, Guitar Hero II is the most accessible game in the series, recalling a simpler time
where you didn't have to worry about incompatible instruments or exclusive track downloads. The song lineup is
slightly better in the first Guitar Hero - consider buying both games.
Also Try: Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock
Click here for more screens of Guitar Hero II.
#13: Ico
Year: 2001
Why It's Great:
A silent protagonist and a scared princess who speaks an unknown tongue must escape a nearly-barren castle filled
with uniformly shadowy figures. Somehow, it comes together as one of the most engaging adventures ever. Ico
forges such a strong narrative and memorable characters with little dialogue and the simplistic gameplay come
together into an unforgettable stylized storybook tale.
Also Try: Beyond Good & Evil
Click here for more screens of Ico.
#12: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Year: 2003
Why It's Great:
Resurrecting the highly-regarded Prince of Persia series for the PS2 was a risky proposition for Ubisoft.
Thankfully, the company created something new and exciting that rightfully claims the throne with Prince of
Persia: The Sands of Time. With acrobatic platforming, fun combat, and a unique "rewind" feature that allows you
to turn back time to retry tricky jumps, we could play with the Sands of Time for all eternity. Later games got
bogged down with emo histrionics, making Sands of Time the definitive entry...at least, until the next-gen Prince
of Persia hits.
Also Try: Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
Click here for more screens of Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
#11: Hitman Blood Money
Year: 2006
Why It's Great:
Rather than casting you as an uber-killer who solves his problems with a hail of bullets, Blood Money required
you to take your time and carefully plot out your hits. Agent 47, the star of the classic Hitman series, had a
veritable tool box of devious tricks at his disposal. Missions were open-ended in design, so when pursuing an
assassination target, you could barge through the front door with your guns blazing...or you could sneak through
a back window and slip some poison into the hapless victim's dinner. You could stealthily wire a bomb under the
mark's car and detonate it from afar...or climb into a nearby building with a sniper rifle and patiently wait for
your target to come into range. It was this sense of choice that has always set the Hitman series apart.
Also Try: Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
Click here for more screens of Hitman Blood Money.
#10: Gran Turismo 4
Year: 2005
Why It's Great:
With astonishing customization that allows motorheads to fine-tune their vehicles down to the smallest detail,
Gran Turismo 4 added a new level of authenticity to racing games that has yet to be matched. With
never-before-seen physics that took into account the weight of your car, the friction of the road, and speed of
surrounding vehicles, Gran Turismo 4 wasn't just a racing game -- it was an experience. GT 4 also
introduced GT Online mode, which allowed racers from across the world to challenge each other in their customized
vehicles via the internet.
Also Try: Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition
Click here for more screens of Gran Turismo 4.
#9: Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty / Substance
Year: 2001
Why It's Great:
The first PS2 iteration of the amazing Metal Gear saga is often considered the best. With a refinement of the
original PS1 hit's controls, still-amazing graphics, and a memorable cast of characters--including one surprising
alternate protagonist--Metal Gear Solid 2 was the ultimate cinematic game experience. The "Substance" re-release
added a smorgasbord of side missions and other fun extras.
Also Try: Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell
Click here for more screens of Metal Gear Solid 2.
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Comments [134]
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- Jul 25 2008 at 02:01:21:PM PST
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I probably don't wanna know what's going on in that Psi-Ops screenshot.
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lol i thought they were only doing one game per series on the list...i got pissed when i saw GOW only at number 7
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good list. and i agree with Zexion_VI_OrgXIII. no FFX? i actually would of prefered that one instead of XII, though i like XII.
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umm take away FF12 and and GOW2 and replace them with FF10 and move RE4 up to #1 then you have yourself a good list. =D
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Strange list, just a lot of random choices, Escape from Monkey Island? The worst in the series, not bad by any means though. Psychonauts should go on it over that, at least it is legit Schafer. Marvel Vs. Capcom 2? It has nothing on Guilty Gear and the best iteration of MvC2 is the DC version, I'm not saying that as a fanboy either. Black was straight up bad, if you have ports on the list, Half-Life should have made it hands down. Timesplitters: Future Perfect, another worst of the series, TS2 is a much better balanced game. Hitman: Blood Money ahead of Ico? Lame. Agree on SSX3 being better than THPS3 though. No Virtua Fighter 4? Whatever. Sly and Klonoa 2 remain overlooked as platformers. Overall an interesting list worth the look.
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