RELATED: PlayStation 2 Games Everyone Forgot About
Although the console’s games, unsurprisingly, show their age today, many of them were so well designed from a gameplay, story, and/or art-style perspective that they a still well worth playing today. Some examples on this list were launched earlier in Japan, but those details will be discussed later.
8 Final Fantasy 10-2
Final Fantasy 10-2 was a big step for the series because it was the first mainline game to get a numbered sequel. Taking place where the first game ends, Yuna, Riku, and new gal pal Paine are trying to restore balance to Spira.
The gameplay is similar to the original as it is a turn-based RPG, but these three girls are the only party members. Also, there is a new class-based system that works like so many other systems in the Final Fantasy series. It’s a lighthearted, girl-powered RPG that often doesn’t get enough credit or love for the good it did.
7 Jak 2
Jak 2 was a big departure for the series that started out as a family-friendly platformer. The sequel seemingly took ideas from Grand Theft Auto 3, which was inspiring a lot of developers in the early 2000s. Jak and Daxter get zapped into a dystopian future where everything feels off. They get guns to fire at enemies like its rival platformer series, Ratchet and Clank.
Jak also gets a Hulk-like power-up, players can drive cars, and the list continues. It’s not as mature as the GTA games, but it is a hard Teen rating, to be sure.
6 Ratchet And Clank: Going Commando
Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando was the first sequel for the series, and it doubled down on what made the first special. Ratchet could gain experience to level up health, and weapons went through evolutions as well.
RELATED: Underrated Square Enix Games On PS2 You Forgot Existed
It gave players a reason to switch between the ever-increasing oddball arsenal like a gun that could turn enemies into sheep. The series would increase the potency of these RPG elements and perfect the mechanics, but Going Commando still feels fresh twenty years later.
5 The Simpson’s Hit And Run
The Simpson’s Hit & Run, much like 2006’s Bully, was often referred to as “Grand Theft Auto for kids” in the 2000s. It’s easy to see why, as the game has players stealing cars and racing them through crowded streets, along with letting them explore a handful of open areas throughout the adventure. Many of these areas feature iconic locations from the television show, making the game a joy to simply casually explore and search for the plethora of collectibles.
The Simpson’s Hit & Run is still great fun to play today, though it is also still brutally difficult in its final act.
4 .hack//Infection Part 1
.hack//Infection Part 1, as the name implies, is the first part in what would become a quadrilogy. It’s the first game series within the .hack brand which launched as a multimedia event including anime. To clarify, this began in 2002 in Japan, but 2003 is the North American launch date. The games take place within a fictional MMO that is starting to corrupt players, and they are hack and slash RPGs.
The sequel series, .hack//G.U., did get a remaster in 2017, so maybe now is the time for this original series to get the HD treatment.
3 Dark Cloud 2
Dark Cloud 2 is another example of a game that launched first in Japan in 2002 before making it to the West in 2003. It’s a sequel to the original, but like Final Fantasy, it features a whole new cast of characters.
RELATED: PS2 Classics That Only Came To The PS3 In Japan
Max and Monica are on a quest through time to restore order to things. It’s part action RPG, part city builder, and all great. The cel-shaded art style helps it stand above its predecessor, and it did get a slight HD makeover when it was released as a PS2 classic on PS4.
2 Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
At a time when platform games were fading away, and action-adventure games were thriving, Ubisoft decided to seamlessly combine the two genres with Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. The result could have easily been a hot mess in the wrong hands, though the developers created a wonderful blend of gameplay styles that was a dream to play.
Despite its age, The Sands of Time is still great fun to play today, with the platforming, combat, and time-manipulation mechanics feeling just as smooth as ever. A remake of The Sands of Time is currently in development, although it has had numerous delays and setbacks.
1 Zone Of The Enders: The Second Runner
Zone of the Enders: The Second Runner was another great mech-based game from 2003. It was a rare game from this era that Hideo Kojima touched, who mainly involved himself with the Metal Gear series within Konami. It has all the trappings of a Kojima game, even if he wasn’t the full force behind it.
The visuals were great, there was tons of action, and the bosses were climactic events. It’s a shame that The Second Runner never got a sequel, but it did get a VR edition in 2018, and it’s actually pretty good.
MORE: The Biggest PlayStation 2 Games Turning 20 In 2021
