Among the 4,000 or so games that launched on PlayStation 2 (PS2), a great number managed to stand the test of time and endure for decades. While a great majority of the games on the platform do look and feel outdated, some PS2 titles have aged surprisingly well and are truly timeless classics.
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10 Best PS2 Open World Games You Need To Play
The halcyon days of the open world genre.
That being said, it has been 25 years since the PlayStation 2 made its debut and marked a cultural reset in the gaming world. So it’s only natural for nostalgia to cast a rosy glow over its library. However, some genre-defining titles do not depend on nostalgia, and play great even today thanks to their innovative mechanics and solid storytelling.
While a lot of PS2 games have aged like milk, the ones below continue to outshine their peers with bulletproof gameplay formulas and impressive features that pushed the limits of the console. Without further ado, let’s dive into the PS2 games that have aged best.
10 Armored Core: Nexus
FromSoftware’s Timeless Mecha Action
The eighth mainline entry in the Armored Core series is not only one of the best PlayStation 2 games that have aged well, but it’s also arguably the best entry point to the series.
Although it was rather uninspired when compared to its predecessors, Armored Core: Nexus introduced dual analog support to the series and made piloting massive mechas a lot more enjoyable.
It has also perfectly encapsulated the core tenets of the Armored Core series, controlling a mecha and climbing the ladder of being a nobody to one of the best pilots the planet has ever seen.
If you’ve played Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon and now want to dive into the series in which FromSoftware cut its teeth, Armored Core: Nexus is probably the most accessible entry point. If you want more of that after you’ve done with Nexus, you should prepare yourself for some more tank controls in Armored Core 3 in the earlier part of the generation, though.
9 Star Wars Battlefront II
All-Out Sci-Fi War
Star Wars Battlefront II on PlayStation 2 achieved something that even the most imaginative Star Wars fans wouldn’t think would happen. It squeezed those big battles, the iconic cast, and the relentless Empire vs. Rebel action into one brilliant package.
It was the whole deal as it really delivered in terms of fun and reached most of its developers’ ambitious goals. Despite some clunky controls that troubled most of the games of that era, Battlefront II is still an amazing game that staunch fans still enjoy to this day.
Without battle passes and long matchmaking, Star Wars Battlefront II is just pure couch co-op and chaotic galactic warfare. Whether you’re revisiting it or trying it for the first time, it still nails what a Star Wars game should feel like, and it’s the standard that EA has never really been able to reach with the series since.
8 Okami
Truly Timeless
It has been 19 years since Okami came out, and there’s still nothing quite like it. It looked like a moving painting with its bold brushstroke visuals, and offered a vibrant world that looked beautiful even on your grandma’s 32-inch CRT screen.
That style alone gave Okami a timeless quality that most games from the era just don’t have. However, its Sumi-e ink visuals are not the only thing that made Okami one of the best games of the PlayStation 2 era that aged well. Okami was also packed with tons of heart as it expanded so much upon its Japanese mythology with its great mix of action and platforming elements.
It also offered a dash of challenging combat that I personally loved as it got a bit difficult towards the end and contributed to Okami’s great gameplay balance that stood the test of time.
7 Black
Felt Like Next-Gen Before The Next-Gen Existed
Black is one of those games that showed just how far developers could push the PlayStation 2. When it launched, it played like a dream and quickly became one of the most iconic FPS titles on the system.
Rightfully so, since it boasted great visuals, surprisingly solid sound design, and a really impressive level of mayhem. And sure, the gunplay was far from groundbreaking, but Black still maintained that high-level mayhem throughout its gameplay and backed it with impressive cutscenes that hold up even today.
Even 19 years later, Black is a great pick for some mindless shooting in a gritty setting. Its nonstop chaos and bullet sponge enemies remind us how far the FPS genre has come, while also proving that this simple and explosive formula still works.
6 Final Fantasy X
Amazing Storytelling Meets Impeccable Gameplay
Final Fantasy X marked a turning point for the series with its introduction of solid voice acting and fully 3D environments. It also went beyond simply adding contemporary gameplay features and mechanics. That’s probably why it still feels just as magical today.
As one of the best entries in the series, it boasts a really tight and rewarding combat system and lets you swap characters mid-battle with real strategy. On top of the enriched combat, Final Fantasy X also offers so much with its story and has lots of memorable moments in Tidus and Yuna’s journey throughout Spira.
For all these reasons and more, Final Fantasy X is one of the best RPGs on the PlayStation ecosystem that continues to hit hard with its gameplay and storytelling.
5 Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War
Perfect Vehicular Combat And Bulletproof Military Drama
Visiting the golden days of gaming and playing our favorites from when we were children doesn’t often turn out great. While nostalgia does have a tinted glass effect on lots of those games, Ace Combat 5 is simply not one of them. After all those years, it still plays wonderfully well and holds up great when compared to the plethora of PS2 games.
That said, Ace Combat 5 flew under the radar for many, including the genre’s staunch fans. But it stuck hard with those who played it thanks to its incredibly smooth and responsive flight mechanics.
Although it has some drawbacks in terms of its mission design, Ace Combat is still one of those games that strikes a rare balance between arcade action and really immersive military drama.
Its surprisingly emotional narrative and impressive radio chatter were simply brilliant, and it helped the game endure the test of time even stronger. It’s just one of those timeless games where gameplay and storytelling can soar together.
4 Devil May Cry 3: Dante’s Awakening
Hack-And-Slash At Its Finest
Devil May Cry 3 is where the series finally locked into what made it great. It took the cool factor of the original, amped everything up, and gave Dante the personality fans now love him for. Although difficult, the gameplay was so polished that Devil May Cry 3 simply outshines a lot of other hack-and-slash games on the system.
But what made it age really well was its bulletproof gameplay and memorable campaign. Despite the difficulty curve, which was retooled later on different versions, Devil May Cry 3 was the perfect action game when you got into the pace. Even today, not many action games match that sense of flow.
And this isn’t just me being nostalgic. The near-perfect formula of Devil May Cry 3 built on what was great about the first game and delivered everything the second one missed. Honestly, pretty much everything about it stands the test of time, and that makes it totally worth revisiting.
3 Burnout 3: Takedown
Pure Adrenaline
More than 20 years after its debut, Burnout 3: Takedown remains one of the best racing games in existence. Without relying on nostalgia one bit, Takedown reached a peak that the series could never quite reach again. It ditched any sense of realism and went all in on speed, destruction, and adrenaline.
It’s one of those games that introduced a no-brainer mechanic to the genre and executed it perfectly. Arguably no other game rewarded the aggressive driving formula in such a great way. That’s why slamming rivals into walls at 150 mph and watching the wreckage fly both in single-player and online was pure joy.
Takedown also came with tons of events, lots of cars to unlock, and the iconic Crash Mode, which was basically its own puzzle game built around maximum carnage.
Burnout 3 doesn’t need nostalgia to stay fun like other racing games on PlayStation 2. It’s as explosive and satisfying now as it was on day one.
Best Way To Experience The Legend
One of the finest entries in the Metal Gear Solid 3 legendarium was Snake Eater, and Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence offered much more than being a definitive version of it. It enhanced the manifestation of Kojima’s celebrated franchise in ways that still hold up today.
Before anything, Subsistence made the game play as good as it looked, introducing a fully controllable 3D camera. While it may not sound huge, ditching the fixed-camera made a massive difference, and it helped Snake’s journey stand the test of time even today.
Beyond the much-needed quality of life improvements, Metal Gear Solid 3 still remains a masterpiece with its bulletproof Cold War setting, innovative survival mechanics, and top-tier jungle action.
For all these reasons and more, Metal Gear Solid: Subsistence is a top-tier game that went beyond being a re-release and claimed a lasting place among the PS2 greats.
1 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
I Mean, Come On… Of Course It’s San Andreas
I mean, it’s no surprise that Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas claims the top rank as one of the best PlayStation 2 games that aged incredibly well. It’s mind-blowing to even see San Andreas as PlayStation 2 game.
It defined the idea of an immersive open world with its massive map consisting of three massive cities, gang wars, incredible cast of characters, and much more.
It’s also a PlayStation 2 game that still manages to feel fresh, as there are still thousands playing its multiplayer version without any modifications. That happens because San Andreas lets you shape the experience, from CJ’s physical appearance, conquering gang territory, and building his property empire across San Andreas.
All of this makes San Andreas the ultimate PS2 game. It’s ambitious, unforgettable, and still fun after all these years.
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