In honor of the PlayStation 2’s current 20th birthday, I wish to speak about this fantastic console. It’s been excellent to see all the players discussing it. How they still hold the PS2 as their preferred console, recollecting throughout the years put into some the very best video games ever produced.

When I made the switch from PS1 to PS2 all those years back, it boggled the mind. The graphics were the very best they had actually ever been. The characters were more natural and less cartoonish. It was a totally brand-new experience. The restrictions of the previous generation were fading away, and computer game were ending up being something more than basic platformers. And thinking about that titles were launched for this console for 6 years, there was a lot of time for designers to experiment. As an outcome, there were a lots of remarkable video games to select from, and for me, these were 7 of the very best.

1|Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne

By the time the PlayStation 2 struck the marketplace, the video gaming market was taking a really various instructions. Gone were the stacks of vibrant experiences and E rankings in favor or edgy characters and fully grown audiences. Yes, there will constantly be a market for the pleasant platformers, however it was at this time that business saw a brand-new chance. Coming Across Max Payne, I found a work of art. The gameplay was both enjoyable and, at the time, ingenious. However moreover, the story was fascinating. Max wasn’t simply an investigator, however a guy facing his own inner satanic forces while on a course for justice, or rather, vengeance.

So when this depressed investigator got to continue his story in a follow up, I could not be better.

After removing a whole criminal ring by himself in the previous title and directly getting away jail time, it appeared as though Max’s life was on the up. However when Mona Sax reentered the image, things rapidly went from ordinary to made complex. The Fall of Max Payne is simply as twisty and soul-wrenching as its predecessor, pulling gamers in for another round of computer game noir.

2|God of War II

After the occasions of the initial God of War, it appeared that Kratos had actually lastly made it to the top. Nevertheless, as we would quickly discover, the short-term peace in between the Ghost of Sparta and the other gods was simply that: momentary. Zeus believed he might toss his boy aside, ending his reign as a god prior to it had a possibility to start. Nevertheless, what he did rule out was Kratos’ decision and desire for vengeance.

Go Into God of War II.

The journey ahead for Kratos was a bloody one, with a lot of jaw-dropping minutes and impressive manager fights. Employers like the Colossus of Rhodes and the Sisters of Fate still leading my list of all-time finest employers. It was a significant task on the part of Santa Monica back in the period of the PS2, and it still stands as one of the very best video games of that generation. The gameplay was hack-and-slash, with simply adequate functions and upgrades to keep things intriguing. Yet it was the story, masterfully informed through the voice of Gaia, that immersed gamers into this demigod’s fate. As much as I enjoyed God of War II for the general experience, it was the occasions and the characters that made this video game a legend amongst its rivals.

Searching for more? Have a look at my 7 Best Bosses of the God of War series

3|Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

To ask most players which Grand Theft Auto title is the very best, you would get a series of viewpoints. Numerous would stick to the fan preferred San Andreas or the longstanding GTA V. However, to me, there is something simply a bit more unique about Vice City.

This was at a time when video games were ending up being more extensive, offering us more liberty to go where we desired and do whatever our sneaky minds might think about. I will constantly keep in mind the happiness of having the ability to go into specific places, such as the shopping center and golf course, for no other factor than to trigger chaos. Going to the ideal stores would reward you with brand-new tools like hammers, chainsaws, and golf clubs. In previous video games, gamers we restricted to fundamental weapons; in Vice City, your choices felt endless.

Wrap all of that in a Floridian 1980s plan, and you’ve obtained one unforgettable video game. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City was incredible, and quickly stays my favorite of the series.

4|Shadow of the Colossus

For anybody who played Shadow of the Colossus back on the PS2, you’ll understand why it’s on this list. Due to the fact that at the time of its release, SOTC felt absolutely nothing like your basic video game. And to be truthful, there’s still absolutely nothing rather like it.

Complex controls and dirty cityscapes were removed away, using players an open, yet empty world, to check out. Nevertheless, not every area of the world was unoccupied. Spread throughout rolling hills, tucked into enormous caverns, and buried in the sands of a lost desert, sixteen colossi sat inactive, waiting on you to come across them.

While the art design was standard, it was stunning and carried out remarkably well even in its time. The story, though basic, was breathtaking and fascinating. You understood so little about the primary character or his journey, yet Japan Studio handled to communicate a journey of enormous percentages. Whereas numerous video games were finding the art of storytelling or gearing up gamers with glossy pistols, these designers were hectic handing you a sword, a horse, and the pledge of life for your dead buddy. The remaster is simply as amazing as the initial, however I will always remember my very first playthrough on the PS2.

Trying to find more? Have a look at my complete short article on Shadow of the Colossus

5|Burial Place Raider Underworld

Just recently, I dug through my collection of Tomb Raider titles and discovered an old favorite: Tomb Raider Underworld.

There was something about the PlayStation 2/3 period that triggered an underrated Lara Croft. I think it was a mix of things, specifically players’ general absence of interest in Lara’s continuous story integrated with the absence of quality from a few of those titles. However as an outcome, my individual favorite of the series was missed out on.

Standing as a direct follow up to Legend, Underworld provides a good story, something that the designers have actually not constantly prospered at. Yet, it’s the gameplay itself that feels unique. Simply as the initial video games required you to check out and hunt for the course forward, so too does Underworld. Handholds are not suppressed. Lara does not feed you tips. And there are real levels to check out. A few of the previous video games, such as Anniversary, felt too condensed. Each level broken down into a little area and simple sufficient to finish in about 20 minutes.

And what’s more, Underworld still looks and plays terrific. The graphics look incredible, the controls are strong, and there’s no much better time play it!

6|Mafia

Mafia was among those video games that I bought on an impulse and it took me by surprise. To take a look at it now, it’s nearly absurd, with its less-than-glamorous graphics and stiff controls. However on the PS2, it was among my preferred video games.

It informed the story of Thomas Angelo, a regular person who discovers himself tangled in the dark underworld of the Mafia. This video game was equivalent parts Godfather and Goodfellas. Things start well for the lead character, however much like any negotiations with this criminal offense distribute, things rapidly decipher. Things fail, allies pass away, and ultimately, not even Tommy can conserve his own skin.

Nevertheless, the important things that truly set this PS2 timeless apart from the others was the setting, i.e., the 1930s. Whatever from the clothing to the shopfronts to the vehicles was timeless Americana. In the opening levels, you aren’t precisely abundant and you have not made your method to the leading yet, restricting the quality of products readily available. Advancing through the video game will ultimately open brand-new chances, and yes, some fantastic lorries for you to drive. While the designers went on to develop Mafia II and III, it was constantly the initial that left an enduring impression.

7|Hit Man: Blood Money

A number of Hitman titles have actually been launched throughout the years, consisting of a couple of films along the method. Representative 47 has actually gone far for himself throughout the years, and even on the present gen, he’s still among the very best assassins. Yet, it was my very first encounter with this bald clone back on the PS2 that I enjoy one of the most.

Hit Man: Blood Money is not the very first Hitman video game to be launched, however to me, it was among the very best. By this point, the graphics were a lot more outstanding and 47’s toolbox varied. Each level was broken down into objectives, with each ending up being more intricate and difficult as you went. Preventing detection, getting rid of numerous targets, and discovering the very best escape path was all a part of the enjoyable. Since the important things about Hitman exists isn’t simply one method to finish the objective. Sure, there might be a “worst method” and a “finest method,” however errors take place, specifically on your very first playthrough.

I keep in mind taking on the Vintage Year level for the extremely very first time and being rewarded with a paper heading declaring that a madman had actually eliminated everybody. Ever since, I needed to find out how to play the video game appropriately (though I never ever did get great at stealth) and Blood Money took an unique location in my memories within those experimentations. From a riverboat on the Mississippi to the streets of Mardi Gras, this entry in the franchise had a lot to provide. If you didn’t play it in 2006, play it now.

Last Thoughts

The PlayStation 2 was a time when designers were ending up being more ingenious, as an outcome producing a few of video gaming history’s most unforgettable titles. It was a few of these computer game that would ultimately influence the video games of the following generations, or at least, leave a long lasting imprint on what formed video gaming as we understand it. And for me, these 7 video games are a few of the absolute best.

Let me understand in the remarks listed below what your preferred PS2 video games are, and as constantly, pleased video gaming!

Desire more terrific video gaming material?

Register for our newsletter to get the current video gaming short articles direct to your inbox.

You have actually Successfully Subscribed!

By clicking subscribe, you consent to permit us to send out e-mails to the e-mail address you got in. If you want to unsubscribe at any time, you might do so by clicking the link in the footer of the e-mail message.