The 20 BEST PS2 First Person Shooters

“Urban Chaos: Riot Response” (2006)

You wouldn’t believe by looking at it that Urban Chaos: Riot Response was the debut game from famed Batman Arkham developer Rocksteady, as the two series have absolutely nothing in common. But for their first title, Rocksteady already showed great promise. Although the game offers a familiar level-based formula of clearing each section of enemies before moving on, the game offers a scoring system upon completion, leading to multiple retries for better gear unlocks. The shooting mechanics are solid as is the implementation of the riot shield, which can block or defect incoming projectiles and is essential for later levels with more dangerous enemies. Unfortunately, there’s no real storyline to speak of and the game’s main focus is on the moment-to-moment combat, but thankfully the game is enjoyable enough these oversights are easy to overlook and a great way to unleash some justice while also making your community a safer place.

“Cold Winter” (2005)

Towards the end of the PS2’s lifecycle, devs were pushing the aging hardware to its absolute limits and Cold Winter made the most out of the new ragdoll and physics engines available at the time. Weaving a compelling spy epic, Cold Winter spun a tale of nuclear world ending threats and set players loose with a multitude of weapons to enact their own form of justice on the evildoers hellbent on world destruction. The impressive physics allowed for not only realistic dismemberment at the hands of whatever weapon you had available but also environmental interaction unlike anything else in the genre that allowed players to create their own cover or even block an entrance to stop surprisingly intelligent enemies. Players could also create their own gadgets and improvised explosives with the game’s highly detailed crafting system all of which gave players an experience unlike anything else offered by other typical FPS experiences on the PS2.

“Darkwatch” (2005)

Darkwatch is such an entertaining concept, it's amazing it hasn’t been replicated again except maybe by the likes of Evil West. After being turned into a daywalker, main character Jericho Cross -incredible name for a western character- must battle his inner hunger and blood lust to combat the head vampire and reclaim his humanity. With numerous vampiric powers available to unlock depending on your morality choices, dealing with the legions of the undead is only the start of your battles. Jericho also has access to a steampunk inspired arsenal of weaponry, and the entire game embraces its western horror aesthetic creating some truly impressive environments and creature designs. Everything about the game works in tandem, the powers, the world and character designs, the surprisingly deep narrative all come together to create something entirely new and engrossing. In a world of generic war first person shooters, be a Darkwatch.

“James Bond 007: Nightfire” (2002)

While it will be an unenviable task to try to match up to the juggernaut that is Goldeneye 007, Nightfire does an admirable job and comes damn close. Telling an original story with Pierce Brosnan as 007, even if he didn’t voice the character, Nightfire has all the hallmarks of a fantastic Bond story and more than lives up to the legacy of the famed 00 agent. The implementation of “Bond Moments” which let players enact specific actions only 007 himself could get away with, along with a myriad of gadgets, firearms and vehicles, Nightfire recreates the best the Bond franchise has to offer all held together by a storyline that felt like a Bond summer blockbuster. The game even goes so far as to send Bond to space. How many other 007 games have Bond going to space? None. That’s how many. Mission accomplished.

“Project Snowblind” (2005)

Deus Ex might be the pinnacle of player choice in the FPS genre, but Project Snowblind gave it a good shot, which makes sense considering the game originally started development as an entry in the venerated series. Project Snowblind offers players far more choice in their playstyle than most of the PS2 other FPS, allowing for a more player driven experience despite the game’s linear design. With numerous ways to approach each mission as well as multiple branching paths, including hackable cameras, turrets and even robots to aid you in battle. Players are also granted numerous augmentation powers through cybernetics, further opening options for both direct combat or stealth. Project Snowblind might have been a bit on the shorter side, but with so many options available in how the player tackles the game’s many missions, the game also offers plenty of replayability.

“Call of Duty 2: Big Red One” (2005)

Call of Duty might have only just taken its first steps onto the battlefield on the PS2, but it had already nailed the formula for a polished and entertaining experience. WWII shooters on PlayStation were fairly common thanks to the Medal of Honor, but after Finest Hour was anything but, Big Red One offered a far more visceral and intense experience than anything Medal of Honor had crafted since the opening of Frontline. With a group of characters that felt like a true squad of brothers forged in combat by the time credits rolled, Big Red One remains one of the best narratives in the extensive Call of Duty catalog and the variety of missions kept the entire experience from becoming repetitive. Combine all this with the early days of online multiplayer up to 16 players and you have one of the best WWII and FPS experiences on the PS2.

“Peter Jackson’s King Kong: The Official Game of the Movie” (2005)

Besides having one of the most unnecessarily long titles for a game, King Kong set a new bar for licensed games on the PS2. Not only does the game follow the plot of the film, but it also opts for a more cinematic presentation, completely forgoing the typical on-screen heads-up display and the immersive gameplay is all the better for it. While playing as the big ape Kong himself is a blast, the segments where you attempt to survive Skull Island as Jack is just as enthralling, forcing you to narrowly survive one encounter to the next with barely enough ammo and supplies to make it out alive. Players are also encouraged to experiment and make use of all weapons available to them, especially those scattered around the environment. Few games before or since have managed to recapture the cinematic quality of their license, and Kong stands tall as the true Eighth Wonder of Gaming.

“Star Wars: Battlefront II” (2005)

Star Wars has had no shortage of adaptations over the years, but one of the fan favorites is undoubtedly Star Wars Battlefront 2. For a multiplayer weekend, Battlefront 2 was the perfect blend of strategy and chaos and some of the most fun you could have with a group of friends in a galaxy far, far away. With numerous unlockable hero classes, there was always something new to strive for and unlock. With both on ground and space battles, there was no shortage of ways to engage in combat, whether on foot or vehicular with everything from the Star Wars universe being lovingly recreated as if they were lifted directly from the films themselves. However, as strong as the multiplayer offering was, the single player campaign rivaled even the classic films with its cinematic presentation and narrative, crafting one of the best Star Wars campaigns of all time and more than worth the price of admission.

“Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30” (2005)

With no shortage of WWII shooters on the PS2, Brothers in Arms: Road to Hill 30 managed to stand out by doing something different and was based on real world missions conducted during the many conflicts during the second World War. Combat was also far more tactical, reflecting the more realistic approach to the typical WWII shooter. Players could direct squadmates using a series of commands and elements such as enemy suppressive fire could interfere with the player’s aim making each encounter a stress inducing ordeal while also forcing the player to rely on their squad rather than simply running in guns blazing. While other series were leaning more into the summer blockbuster aspect of the conflict, Brothers in Arms remains one of the most grounded simulations of the all too oversaturated WWII shooter.

“Quake III: Revolution” (2001)

The PS2 era was the early days of FPS games on console, and while not every PC shooter transferred well to a controller, Quake 3 Revolution managed the impossible and brought the lightning-fast gameplay to the PS2 with almost no limitations. Everything fans loved about the PC original was present, including the fast-paced boomer shooter gameplay, strafing, and even the all-important rocket jumps. The port’s only real concession was the lack of true multiplayer besides split screen, instead opting to fill the game’s many matches and levels with bots to fill in for actual players. However, given the speed of the gameplay and the sheer unadulterated fun Quake 3 offered, few were complaining as they rocketed around the game’s many arenas, spraying lead and spreading death and while mouse and keyboard support would have been welcome, Quake 3 delivered exactly what it promised: a no holds barred first person shooter experience on consoles.

“The Operative: No One Lives Forever” (2002)

There may never be another Goldeneye 007, but on PS2, gamers got the next best thing with The Operative: No One Lives Forever. Borrowing not only the title of one of the many James Bond films, No One Lives Forever also tells the story of a British secret agent named Cate Archer in the 1960s and uses the time period to full extent with over the top outfits and pseudo-futuristic gadgets straight out of the Bond franchise. Instead of all-out action and gunplay, the game focuses on stealth and clever use of gadgets as Cate attempts to stop whatever world dominating plans the evil organization H.A.R.M. may be plotting. The series received multiple sequels, but the original No One Lives Forever was sadly the only one ported to consoles.

“XIII” (2003)

Ignoring the abysmal recent remake, XIII remains a classic for its cel shaded comic book style and presentation that is one of the few forms of media to faithfully bring the pages of the comic it's based on to life. Following an amnesiac spy who is blamed for the assassination of the U.S. President, David Duchovny’s charmingly monotonous tone brought the character of XIII to life. The text popping up as the player nailed headshots or the words BOOM quite literally erupting from explosions immersed the player in the pages of the comic book the game was based on. The title received mostly mixed reviews and poor sales killed any possibility of a sequel, but the game has become a cult classic and its stylish comic book aesthetic has more than helped it stand the test of time.

“Area 51” (2005)

Over the years, countless properties have had players facing down the aliens, whether they’re invading us, we’re invading them, or we just happen to encounter them out in the vastness of space, but few have truly tapped into the potential of the top secret base Area 51. A pseudo remake of the light gun game of the same name, Area 51 puts players, oddly enough, in the military boots of David Duchovny once again as he and his team are sent in to clean up a mutant virus outbreak. The title is chock full of government conspiracies, shocking revelations and unlikely allies, as well as a surprisingly star studded voice cast even featuring the likes of Marilyn Manson. Besides the normal military artillery, the player is infected with the mutagen and gains supernatural abilities to survive the invading alien forces.

“Battlefield 2: Modern Combat” (2005)

There was once a time when the Battlefield name stood for outstanding quality with state of the art graphics and precision gunplay. While those days are seemingly behind us for the time being, the PS2 managed to get one of the best entries in the once lauded franchise this side of Bad Company and laid the groundwork for what the series would become in the coming years. Whereas many other FPS still focused on the run and gun style of gameplay, Battlefield focused on slower more tactical encounters while still offering gamers the choice to go in guns blazing despite the odds being stacked against this option. Many of the modes now familiar to not only Battlefield but multiplayer FPS in general, the landscape of both console FPS and multiplayer offerings as well would look very different without Battlefield 2.

“Killzone” (2004)

While it might not have been quite the “Halo Killer” Sony was hoping for, Guerilla still managed to deliver a solid first person shooter experience that eventually became a well respected franchise that boasted one of the best multiplayer modes that still hasn’t been duplicated since. Nowadays the original Killzone is looked back on with a bit more appreciation for what it accomplished on the limited hardware of the time. Despite the more cinematic presentation than other shooters of the time, technical hiccups and poor AI held the game back from mainstream appeal until its far more popular sequels came along. However even despite the limitations, the gameplay remains remarkably solid and the Hollywood caliber sound design helps bring the irradiated landscape of the Helghan wars to life.

“Black” (2006)

When the creators of the Burnout series decided to apply what they brought to the racing genre to first person shooters, it definitely garnered some attention. With the goal in mind to bring Hollywood caliber action to consoles shooters, Black features some of the most impressive, for the time, destruction as well as all out bullet hell mayhem and sound effects that could blow out many standard tv speakers, Black did for the FPS genre what Michael Bay did for action movies. The story itself might have been complete nonsense, but it served its purpose of setting up the next set piece for players to blow to shreds with a hail of thunderous gunfire. Thankfully this one-off by the studio has been ported to modern consoles as well so new players can experience the cacophony of carnage and bullet hell that Black offers.

“Medal of Honor: Frontline” (2002)

The Medal of Honor series might be no more nowadays but back on the PS1 and PS2, the series was the pinnacle of WWII first person combat, and while both systems saw numerous releases over the years, the benchmark of the series was undoubtedly its first entry on the PS2, Medal of Honor Frontline. While it didn’t make huge changes to its tried-and-true formula established by previous entries, Frontline nailed every aspect of its combat, objectives-based gameplay and atmosphere better than any other entry. Storming the opening Normandy level remains an exhilaratingly haunting experience even today, and while many subsequent entries attempted to match this level of immersion, none managed to even come close. Call of Duty might be the reigning champ of first person shooters these days, but for a time, Medal of Honor represented the best of what console shooters had to offer.

“Red Faction” (2001)

How is it with all the advancements in video game engines over the years, we’ve actually ended up with LESS destructible environments? In the early days of the PS2, destructible environments and terrain were barely a consideration due to hardware limitations but the team at Volition and their GEOMOD Engine proved it was not only possible, but it was also a hell of a good time, too! The ability to take out bridges, walls and quite literally tunnel in any direction if you had enough explosives was revolutionary for the time and is still a marvel even two decades later. Despite the Total Recall-esque plot tying everything together, the series proved popular enough to span a series of sequels, but sadly the GEOMOD technology was never utilized outside of the Red Faction series and there hasn’t been a proper entry in the franchise since 2011.

“Half-Life” (2001)

Half-Life is undoubtedly one of the most important and influential shooters of all time with its influence still being felt in the first person shooter genre even today. The story of Gordon Freeman and the Black Mesa Facility dealing with the fallout of an interdimensional incident and the iconic G-Man remains one of the highest rated games of all time. While Half-Life has been ported almost as many times as Skyrim, until the recent Black Mesa, the PS2 version was the definitive version of the beloved game, featuring not only updated and smoother graphics, but also tweaks and improvements to level design. If you hadn’t had the chance to play Half-Life during its initial release on PC, those on the home console actually had the chance to play the best version there was.

“Timesplitters 2” (2002)

The original Timesplitters was a launch title for the PS2 and was a wonderful proof of concept with its inventive character designs and time hopping objectives, but Timesplitters 2 was where the series truly found its footing. Featuring a much more fleshed out and detailed storyline as well as more levels to explore and each taking place in a new time period, the sequel improved on its predecessor in every way imaginable. One of the standout multiplayer experiences on consoles, thanks in large part to a majority of the dev team having also worked on Goldeneye 007, Timesplitters 2 hit a bar that even its followup Future Perfect couldn’t match. The series still maintains a loyal fanbase, and with rumors of the series making a comeback, there’s no better TIME to be a loyal Timesplitters fan.

Which PS2 shooter got your blood pumping and made you love the genre? Share your favorites in the comments.