By Julián Jorge Fernández Loyarte & Mark Sammut
The PlayStation 2 fulfilled its predecessor's potential and firmly established Sony as the biggest console manufacturer in the world. Even multiple generations later, the PS2 is still the best-selling console of all time, and an argument could be made that it also has the greatest video game library ever. Every genre had dozens upon dozens of brilliant representatives, and each year produced multiple masterpieces that are still fondly remembered and respected.
From 2000 to the early 2010s, the PS2 received thousands of games, and the console was still relevant years after the PS3's launch. Frankly, there are way too many stunning PS2 titles to cover them all, but let's still try to pick the best release of each year of the console's life.
Note
As regional launch dates complicate matters, games will qualify for the year they debuted in, regardless of region. We will also include a few honorable mentions.
TimeSplitters (2000)
GoldenEye 007 For A New Generation
The PS2’s launch lineup may not have been perfect, but it had some solid titles in it, like Armored Core 2 or Tekken Tag Tournament. But most people who bought this console on its first day wanted to play one game above everything else: TimeSplitters, by the creative minds at Free Radical Design.
The developer’s previous experience working at Rare paid off because this felt like a worthy successor to titles like GoldenEye 007 or Perfect Dark: A unique shooter with satisfying mechanics, fun time-traveling levels, and an addictive multiplayer component.
Other Great 2000 PS2 Games
- Armored Core 2
- Dead or Alive 2: Hardcore
- SSX
Silent Hill 2 (2001)
One Of The Best Horror Games Ever Made
In less than a year, the PS2’s catalog was already changing the industry with excellent games like Grand Theft Auto 3, Metal Gear Solid 2, and Jak & Daxter. But out of all of them, Konami’s Silent Hill 2 was the best title released in all of 2001.
The story of James Sunderland’s disturbing and depressing journey to Silent Hill was quickly cemented as one of the best video game narratives ever made. The entire titular town has a terrifying atmosphere that makes players feel uneasy, and the intense survival horror gameplay can make anyone feel helpless. It is no wonder Silent Hill 2 is still considered one of the best exponents of the horror genre to this day.
Other Great 2001 PS2 Games
- Devil May Cry
- Grand Theft Auto 3
- Gran Turismo 3
- Ico
- Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
- Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty
- Final Fantasy 10
Kingdom Hearts (2002)
Final Fantasy With Disney Magic
The Final Fantasy franchise was associated with the PlayStation brand for years, but Square was looking for the next big thing that would attract the attention of an even bigger demographic. That’s when they joined forces with Disney to create the mind-blowing Kingdom Hearts franchise.
The original game was a magical adventure like no other, as Sora, Donald & Goofy traveled to different worlds based on classic animated movies like Aladdin, Hercules, and The Little Mermaid. With its beautiful soundtrack, memorable story, and accessible action combat, Kingdom Hearts was the beginning of a legendary new IP that would end up making a huge impact on the PS2.
Other Great 2002 PS2 Games
- 007: NightFire
- Ape Escape 2
- Dark Cloud 2
- Final Fantasy 11
- Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Hitman 2: Silent Assassin
- Ratchet & Clank
- The Getaway
Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando (2003)
The Return Of The PS2’s Biggest Mascots
Just like its predecessor, the PS2 was popular among kids because it was home to some new and iconic platforming mascots. While Sly Cooper and Jak and Daxter were really great, Ratchet and Clankwere definitely the most popular mascots, and pretty much became the faces of the entire console.
Their second adventure, Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando, was a perfect sequel, with more crazy weapons to use, improved controls, better comedic writing, hilarious cutscenes, and timeless cartoon graphics. The first game was good, but Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando truly paved the way for the future of this franchise.
Other Great 2003 PS2 Games
- Beyond Good & Evil
- Def Jam Vendetta
- Disgaea: Hour of Darkness
- Fatal Frame II: Crimson Butterfly
- Jak 2
- Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
- Silent Hill 3
- Soulcalibur 2
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater (2004)
The Perfect Prequel
The first Metal Gear Solid game was a PS1 classic, and its sequel was one of the best games of 2002, but Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater quickly became one of the best video games ever made, as Hideo Kojima and his team took this as an opportunity to create a prequel that told the story of Big Boss, and it paid off.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater features an incredible story, with deep characters and a lot of twists & turns that will shock players. The stealth gameplay was refined and perfected, with some really creative mechanics and innovative boss fights. Add to that some of that classic Hideo Kojima madness, and this was a revolutionary game that every PS2 owner had to own.
Other Great 2004 PS2 Games
- Burnout 3: Takedown
- Def Jam: Fight for NY
- Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
- Jak 3
- Katamari Damacy
- Killzone
Read the full article on GameRant
This article originally appeared on GameRant and is republished here with permission.
