The PS5 is doing well, and the Switch 2 is off to a great start. It's a good console generation to get excited about games, but with all the advancements of the modern era, there are still some who miss the PS2's heyday. From platformers to shooters to RPGs there was something for everyone.
Most of the big titles still hold up on the original hardware, and look and play even better with the remasters. For some franchises, the PS2 is where they hit their peak. Although these games may have sequels later this generation, they haven't hit as hard. Some games are even considered the greatest of all time, but generally there are good ideas that no one can deny are genius.
Def Jam: Fight for NY
Hip-hop wrestling
Def Jam: Fight for NY This is the second game in the series, and it improves on 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 another sequel, but it didn't do well, and now all fans want to try is a decent port of this classic or a hip-hop wrestling reboot for another company.
Shadow of the Colossus
A difficult game to describe
Shadow of the Colossus A standalone game is a work of art through and through. It has been remastered and remastered, and each time it does, a new generation is given the chance to examine why it remains an enduring classic.
The plot is mysterious with a small story, and all the players know that they need to do is to explore a vast world, find giants and kill them in the hope that this process will revive their loved ones. It's beautiful, haunting, and a little scrappy on the PS2, but it's still one of the most unique boss-centric experiences ever, and no one has been able to duplicate it.
Max Payne
A gritty crime thriller
There are many noir cop thrillers on TV and in movies, but Max Payne The game is out in the world. The titular protagonist narrates the entire game as he blasts his way through the gangsters and corrupt cops who helped plan his family's murder. Filled with bullets and bullets, Max is on a journey of self-destruction.
He's not a hero, he's just trying to get revenge one last time through stylish bullet-time action before the angels take him to heaven. The two sequels are good, although they didn't hit as hard as the original, but maybe the upcoming remake can revive it. Max Payne suffrage
Dark clouds 2
Level-5 at their best
Dark clouds 2 Level-5 is at their creative peak, which is wild because it was so early in their career. It is the second and final game in the series, which upgraded many mechanics to make it more appealing as an indirect sequel. It could be boiled down to an action RPG with two switchable main characters, but there's a lot more to it. There are random dungeons, city building mechanics, time travel, an invention quest, monster transformation, weapon development, and so much more. Anyone interested can enjoy the cleaned-up version on PS4 and PS5.
X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse
Mutant Academy
X-Men Legends 2: Rise of Apocalypse It is the second game in the series, following the plot from the original. Players can create teams of four as they go through 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 ever told in the game.
Through had three spiritual sequels Marvel: Ultimate Alliance games, which are also fun action RPGs. But two X-Men Legends Games, especially X-Men Legends 2: Rise of ApocalypseThere is a good balance between gameplay and story.
James Bond: Everything or Nothing
An original Bond story that became a hit
Goldeneye 007 Widely considered one of the best bond Never the games, but it was based on the movie. There aren't many original games, therefore James Bond: Everything or Nothing There was some benefit, and EA pulled out all the stops to make it a blockbuster game like the movies.
It featured Pierce Brosnan, Judi Dench, Willem Dafoe, and more. It also featured a banger theme song “Everything or Nothing” by Mya, who also appeared in the game. Maybe in 2026 007 First light Can eventually outclass James Bond: Everything or NothingBut for now, Bond fans are waiting for a remaster.
Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly
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Resident Evil 4 Probably the best horror game on PS2, and one played by many fans. However, true horror fans know Fatal Frame 2: Crimson Butterfly is high in many ways, one of them being the main fear factor.
It's a disturbing Japanese story about young teenagers who get lost in ancient houses full of ghosts. To fight them, players can use the camera to trap the spirits of the ghosts. Sequels have never been 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
Almost four games in a year is impressive
hack//infection One of the most ambitious projects for the PS2 and beyond. It's the first game in a quadrature that has players researching a fake MMO they're playing. Through the action-based gameplay, players will search for clues about why the game causes some players to go into a coma in the real world.
Between 2003 and 2004, all four games were released in North America, tied together through saves. There were 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 was in gaming, and how it helped Cyber Connect2 gain notoriety.
