PS2 Games BETTER Than Modern Games

Resident Evil Outbreak (2004)

Remember Resident Evil Re:Verse? The multiplayer focused offering that NO ONE was asking for? Well, its deader than the series zombies only a couple years after release. Why Capcom chose that particular genre is anyones guess, especially when the groundwork for a beloved online Resident Evil game had been laid twenty years earlier. Teaming up with other real-world players, the group needed to work together to escape Raccoon City during the midst of the zombie outbreak and each member of the group had special abilities that would assist in various puzzles and combat encounters. Outbreak was absolutely a title that was ahead of its time and especially with one of the games main characters, Alyssa Ashcroft, tying directly into Requiem, Capcom clearly hasnt forgotten this gem that showed them how to properly do online co-operative play all the way back on the PS2.

Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec (2001)

There was a time when Gran Turismo was THE premiere car enthusiast series, and while thats still mostly true today, the series doesnt carry the same weight it once did, and arguably the series has been chasing the same heights of Gran Turismo 3 ever since the early days of the PS2. A-Spec put the Gran Turismo series on even the most casual racers radar and made such a cultural impact on the genre, it still hasnt been matched even by the series subsequent sequels. With nearly 200 cars, multiple levels of challenge for everyone from die-hard fans to beginners, fully fleshed out tuning and customization options and numerous race modifiers, A-Spec remains the ultimate gearheads game and still has a thriving community even today. With the increased focus on microtransactions and online play of the series, A-Spec remains one of the best entries focused on the race itself and the cars on the track.

Soulcalibur III (2005)

The PS2 had no shortage of fighters but few if any managed to be as fun and consistently entertaining as Soulcalibur 3. The focus on weaponized combat as opposed to fisticuffs was unlike any other fighter and with a swath of improvements across the board, Soulcalibur 3 remains one of the definitive entries in the franchise. While the vibrantly beautiful character and arena designs, and solid, impactful combat would have been enough to make the title stand out, it was the games character creator that really allowed players to customize their experience. Utilizing a myriad of fighting styles, armors, and weapons, players could craft their own combatant to play through the games many challenges and allowed for better and more replayability than in the series past. Soulcalibur might be on its sixth entry today, but it has yet to meet the quality of the PS2 entries.

Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King (2005)

Dragon Quest already had a devoted following, but it was the series eighth entry that made the casual crowd take notice. During the height of Dragon Ball Zs popularity in the west, Akira Toriyamas iconic art style was finally fully realized in gorgeous 3D models bringing the world and the tale of a band of heroes trying to prevent the end of the world to life in a way the series never had before. The world itself felt alive thanks to the in-game day/night cycle and every town you visit felt different from the last making the world feel like a real place. Combat might not have been anything special, but the turn-based mechanics the series helped pioneer were and still remain the industry standard.

Okami (2006)

What is arguably one of the most beautifully artistic games ever made, Okami introduced players to not only a world theyd never experienced or history they likely never knew existed but game mechanics that were unlike anything else on the PS2 or really ever since. Fully embracing the experimental nature of video games, Okami gave players a watercolor world and the tools to bring it to life. The entire world feels hand crafted, as if a painting had come to life to tell its story, and you were the artist. The Celestial Brush allowed players to not only rebuild the world but also utilize a multitude of brush strokes in combat as well. While video games continue chasing the uncanny valley of realism, Okami utilized its cel shaded art style to make itself stand out and remains an icon of the PS2 eras experimental approach to game design.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2005)

Need for Speed has been going through something of an identity crisis in recent years, but on the PS2, not only did the series thrive with entries such as Hot Pursuit 2 and Underground, but managed to become innovators of the genre with Most Wanted. Combining the best elements of both Underground and Hot Pursuit, Most Wanted dropped players into a massive open world full of shortcuts, jumps and hidden secrets, and challenged them to regain their street cred while avoiding the law. Taking cue from GTAs wanted system, the longer you were able to outrun the police, the more severe the response became until it felt like the military itself was bearing down on you. This was the Fast and Furious formula fully realized, and the result is just as exhilarating today. Hell, even the live action FMV cutscenes were well done and surprisingly entertaining.

Dark Cloud 2 (2003)

These days developers try to blend as many genres as possible into the game to appeal to the widest demographics, oftentimes much to the games detriment. However, Level 5 managed the impossible way back in the early days of the PS2. With a time bending narrative, a gorgeous cel-shaded art style, dungeon crawling, fishing, weapon crafting, and city building mechanics, modern games would crumble under the ambition of this forgotten RPG gem. The cities you rebuild affect the future as you hop back and forth, and you earn specific rewards for rebuilding the city to the residents requests and can even use materials found in the games many dungeons to forge and invent your own weapons. This was probably the closest the PS2 ever got to having their own Legend of Zelda title and everything about the title worked brilliantly and all tied back into the games overall narrative.

Black (2006)

These days first person shooters can be anything from hyper realistic to zany, cartoony over-the-top experiences with no regard for the laws of physics. But with Black, developer Criterion managed to find a balance between the two and fully embraced the insanity of the genre. Black not only uses its spy movie influences to craft its world but combines that with some of the most bombastic gunplay the genre has to offer. The sounds of the games many weapons and explosions was enough to blow out your speakers and it was glorious. The cacophony of chaos was all the more impactful with the games approach to environmental destruction, with much of the games world fully explodable. Black dropped you into the middle of multiple warzones and gave you the weapons to let the enemies know you werent trapped in the arena with them, they were locked in here with you.

Kingdom Hearts II (2006)

And now for something that modern Disney would NEVER agree to, we have a series that has no right to work as well as it did or be such a revolutionary cultural moment back on the PS2. Born from a simple and literal elevator pitch, Kingdom Hearts combined the best of the Disney vault and Final Fantasys RPG elements, threw them into a blender and gave us one of the deepest and most complicated video game lores of all time. Whereas the first game was a solid, yet flawed experiment, the sequel fully realized the concept potential while also delivering the engaging combat the first game was missing. More cameos, more detailed worlds to explore, a deeper narrative full of twists and turns, more options for your companions aid you in battle, DONALD, and everything came together so perfectly, even the most recent third entry couldnt recapture the magic.

Ultimate Spider-Man (2005)

We had no shortage of Spider-Man games on the PS2, including the highly influential Spider-Man 2 movie tie-in, but even with the numerous subsequent web-swinging adventures, including Insomniacs forays into the red and blue tights, none have managed to capture the pure essence of the Webhead better than Ultimate Spider-Man. The games cel shaded art style perfectly paired with use of comic book panels during cutscenes brought the world of Ultimate Spider-Man to life in a way no adaptation ever had before or since. This game also perfectly captured Peters witty sense of humor adapted directly from the series that inspired it. The open world was wonderfully put together and even allowed players to experience two separate campaigns as both Spidey and Venom, each with their own unique powers. Throw in a myriad of cameos and youve got the best adaptation of the Webhead probably ever.

The Mark of Kri (2002)

The Mark of Kri is often overlooked when discussing the best action-adventure titles on the PS2, but it deserves so much more recognition than it has received. Using a Polynesian visual style with its gorgeous watercolor aesthetic, The Mark of Kri was wildly innovative with its combat system when other action games were focused primarily on button mashing. By highlighting enemies, they would be assigned a specific face button and could only be damaged by the corresponding button. This system was incredibly innovative for the time and in some ways led to Rocksteadys implementation of their now industry standard combat mechanics in their Arkham series. Combat notwithstanding, The Mark of Kri represented a shift towards developers adapting broader cultural legends and heritage that has become much more mainstream in modern gaming.

Suikoden III (2002)

Suikoden II is widely regarded as one of the greatest RPGs of all time, but its follow-up doesnt always get the same level of respect. With three entirely separate protagonists, each with their own dedicated storyline AND the ability to recruit well over 100 additional characters to your party, RPGs dont get much deeper than this. Nowadays, RPG characters can sometimes feel one dimensional, their motivations almost non-existent besides you asking them to join your party, but Suikoden III somehow made each of these hundreds of characters feel real with their own backstories and motivations for joining your cause. Not only do the main characters all have different battle styles, but you also need to plan party formations and group attacks as well as some more cinematic one-on-one encounters to deepen the emotional stakes. With so many individual characters and a deep, interesting narrative, Suikoden III is one of the most detailed and deepest RPGs ever made.

The Simpsons: Hit & Run (2003)

We used to be proper gamers. We had more Simpsons games than we knew what to do with and now we get less than nothing. Were a lot of them crap? Of course, they were but they were still fun even if they were broken, near unplayable messes that no one asked for. And right when it seemed like they were finding their groove, boom! No more Simpsons games for you. Without question, the last great Simpsons experience was Hit and Run and proved that all it took was the family finding the right formula to rip off, I mean repurpose, to create a classic. Everything from the look of Springfield to the characters, the writing and even the gameplay were the best the Simpsons ever had, and we may never get another tie-in or Simpsons game like this ever again and that makes us sad.

SSX Tricky (2001)

Believe it or not, there was a time when extreme sports games were their own genre. Now? Almost nothing. And the few that we do get fail to recapture the pure unadulterated fun and outlandishness that was SSX Tricky. Featuring some of the series most recognizable characters, simply making it down the mountain in first was only half the battle. With countless unlockable outfits and boards, a myriad of tricks to learn and the ever-increasing challenge of the races themselves, Tricky was a trip in every sense of the experience. SSX 3 attempted to leave some of the over-the-top gimmicks behind and the relaunched SSX in 2012 was a shell of its former self. For whatever reason, developers didnt think players wanted flashy characters who would trash talk one another between races and loud brightly colored tracks to race down at breakneck speed. Weird. Its almost like they forgot games were meant to be fun.

Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal (2004)

The Ratchet and Clank series might still be ongoing today, but something just feels different. Once the series hit the PS3 and beyond, the entire franchise began to take on a darker, more mature tone, whereas the PS2 entries were almost entirely focused on delivering unbridled chaos with as many inventive weapons as possible. Sure, there was still a narrative tying everything together, but the events were much more lighthearted and played for laughs rather than trying to pull at your heartstrings. Up Your Arsenal remains the peak for the franchise, offering the most over-the-top weaponry alongside the most varied activities and worlds in the entire series. Giant Clank worlds, Captain Qwarks side scrolling levels, challenge modes and even an addictive online multiplayer component, the Ratchet and Clank titles of today feel bare bones compared to the pairs previous outings.

Burnout 3: Takedown (2004)

Traditional arcade racers might be a dying genre these days, but back on the PS2 these kinds of games thrived and none more so than Burnout 3: Takedown. Beyond the overall goal of crossing the finish line first, players were challenged to take down the other racers in whatever brutal ways they could and were rewarded with cinematic car carnage for their efforts. At every turn, Burnout 3 was rewarding and challenging the players skills, whether it be new cars, time trials, or the ever-addicting Crash mode, Burnout 3 gave players more content to keep them coming back for more and it was all on the disc! Can you imagine? No DLCs, no microtransactions, just the complete experience that remains not only one of the best racers on the PS2, but probably one of the best racing games of all time and nothing today even comes close.

Star Wars: Battlefront II (2005)

In video games, theres no property more varied and expansive than the galaxies far, far away in Star Wars. And who wouldnt want to team up with their buddies and shoot the absolute crap out of each other using their favorite characters from that beloved universe? Before Helldivers 2 we had Star Wars Battlefront 2 where every battle felt like the climactic conclusion to one of the many legendary adventures in the Star Wars universe, and with a plethora of weapons, characters, and vehicles to bring into battle, there was truly no better way to experience George Lucas world than Battlefront 2. Not only was the multiplayer some of the best on the system, but there was even a meaningful and detailed single player campaign as well. No absurd microtransactions, just good clean Star Wars chaos. And it was glorious. Why was this so hard to replicate DICE?

Devil May Cry 3: Dantes Awakening (2005)

Remember when action games were a thing? Before every so-called action game was really just a Souls-Like in disguise? Devil May Cry remembers. Devil May Cry remains the peak action game experience today but with entries so few and far between, its worth remembering back on the PS2, we had two incredible games and one we dont talk about. Dantes Awakening was the encapsulation of the series ideas perfected. A cool and confident hero with the skills to back up his sarcastic attitude, a cinematic narrative wrapped up in brotherly family drama, a world ending calamity full of creative creature and boss designs waiting to meet the end of your sword and other assorted weaponry. Dantes Awakening focused purely on the adrenaline field spectacle and while it offered challenge for those looking for it, wanted nothing more than the player to have a good time.

Final Fantasy X (2001)

The Final Fantasy series was once a juggernaut of JRPGs and while the name still carries weight today, back in the day, the release of a new Final Fantasy game was an event and without a doubt, the last true Final Fantasy game was the tenth entry. With turn-based combat on its way out, Final Fantasy X introduced new quick time elements to keep combat constantly engaging and what is widely considered one of the series best and most emotional storylines in the entire franchise. The move to 3D environments and the addition of voice acting brought the world to life in a way the series never had before and along with their unique designs made them icons of the series. Theres a reason Final Fantasy X has managed to stand the test of time, and its because it represents the last traditional Final Fantasy experience.

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004)

Ever since GTA3, the Grand Theft Auto series has been one of the most celebrated and respected franchises in all of gaming, and with each entry getting bigger and better, they also have gotten much more serious and left some of the anarchy that made the series infamous back on the PS2. San Andreas is arguably the last entry that fully embraced the series chaos, giving players a -for the time anyways- massive open world to explore, full of secrets and even RPG-style game mechanics to customize their character as well as a narrative that perfectly balanced the franchises over-the-top nature while also telling a compelling narrative that is still infinitely quotable even today. Subsequent entries have improved the graphics, the physics, and the gameplay, but theres something perfect about the unrelenting mayhem the PS2 entries let us unleash that the franchise has lost over the years.

Which PS2 game do you think puts modern gaming to shame? Share your favorites in the comments.