The PlayStation 2 was a revolutionary console. It was the platform where goliaths like Grand Theft Auto really came into their own, and where timeless art pieces like Shadow of the Colossus were able to thrive. Two and a half decades later, it remains the best-selling console of all time for a reason: this was a place where magic truly happened.

For the PS2’s 25th anniversary, we’re looking back at the games that made this console truly iconic. These are the games that pushed the technological and cultural boundaries of the era, becoming unforgettable experiences that still hold up today. From toe-tapping jam sessions to city-crossing crime epics, these are the 25 best PlayStation 2 games.

The Best PS2 Games Ever

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25. Guitar Hero 2

Guitar Hero may have changed party games for the next decade, butGuitar Hero 2 was the series at its best. It was developed at a time when the core concept of the franchise was "bitchin' rock/metal tracks that are fun to play on a plastic guitar" and not "fun karaoke songs that sort of also have guitars in them, maybe".

Guitar Hero 2 was also the last game in the rhythm-action genre to come out before every music publisher realized how much money there was in it, so Harmonix had its absolute pick of songs. You have Suicidal Tendencies, Megadeth, Danzig, The Rollling Stones, Iron Maiden, Iggy and the Stooges – you name it, it is in there, and itrocks.

24. Spider-Man 2

Years before the Rocksteady Batman: Arkham and Insomniac Marvel’s Spider-Man games, the prospect of a successful comic book game was bleak. Even rarer was the thought of a genuinely fun movie tie-in. Treyarch’sSpider-Man 2, based on the Sam Raimi film of the same name, flew in the face of both those ideas. An incredibly detailed New York City (for the time, at least) felt like a revelation to swing around in, and Peter Parker’s web-slinging provided a whole new way to explore the sort of 3D open world that the PS2’s Grand Theft Auto games had pioneered.

In a legitimately impressive technical revelation, Treyarch’s Spidey actually attached his webs to buildings rather than empty skyboxes. Flying between skyscrapers and thumping petty criminals was a thrilling sensation back in 2004, and, while it has since been far eclipsed by more modern Peter Parker and Miles Morales adventures, it certainly paved the way for those to exist.

23. SoulCalibur 2

SoulCalibur 2 broke free of its predecessor’s Dreamcast confines and leapt onto multiple platforms when it arrived in 2002. Yes, the GameCube version, complete with Link as its guest character, may well be the best-remembered, but that shouldn’t detract from the PS2 version, infused with Tekken’s Heihachi, from being considered just as fun. One of the console’s very best fighting games, its blade-based, one-on-one action has rarely been bettered to this day.

22. Persona 3 FES

The definitive way to playPersona 3 until 2024’s Reload arrived, FES enhanced an already very good RPG and even added its almost essential final chapter, The Answer. The series’ signature combination of school-set social sim hangouts with turn-based battling in its interdimensional shadow world provided an engaging gameplay loop that has fuelled Persona to this day. But it's the characters and stories that fans always hold dearest, and 3 certainly doesn’t come short in either of these departments, with the mystery of its world-threatening Midnight Hour one that twists and turns all the way up until a final choice that defines the destiny of humanity itself. Oh, and you get to hang out with a very good Shiba Inu called Koromaru.

21. Kingdom Hearts 2

Kingdom Hearts 2 is a prime example of how sequels can improve upon their predecessor. While we certainly recommend playing the first before the second for the full effect, Kingdom Hearts 2 offers series-best combat thanks to a mix of magic, its signature Keyblade, different form states for protagonist Sora, and more.

And its exploration of the mythology offers satisfying depth to ideas and characters introduced in the first game, even despite its pretty long intro section. Kingdom Hearts 2 might not be the best starting point, but every facet, from its world design to its story to its combat, is emblematic of why so many Disney, Final Fantasy, and zipper fans have fallen in love with theKingdom Hearts games.

20. TimeSplitters 2

When it comes to the history of console multiplayer, tales of GoldenEye on Nintendo 64 and Halo on Xbox dominate the splitscreen conversation. But PlayStation 2 had its own FPS king that deserves as much respect.TimeSplitters 2 was the essential PS2 shooter, and almost certainly the reason anyone owned the four-player Multitap peripheral. Its Arcade mode provided match after match of exciting showdowns, made all the more thrilling and esoteric by the maps and weapons that were pulled from a whole host of different time periods and genres.

19. Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal

TheRatchet & Clank series was exceptional from the start, serving up lovable characters, galaxy-spanning stories, and loads of wacky weapons. The third installment,Up Your Arsenal, was the biggest yet, with a mountain of new gadgets and mini-games, alongside one of the most ambitious online modes ever seen on console at the time. What other game lets you use a Suck Cannon to turn an army of enemies into bolts? That's just good, clean fun.

18. Jak 2: Renegade

A unique entry in the series,Jak 2 reinvents itself without losing what made the original Jak and Daxter fantastic – which is to say it still has the charm of detailed and diverse environments inhabited by a lively cast of characters and excellent platforming to tie it all together. This sequel takes this dynamic duo from the colorful world of Sandover village to the seedy underbelly of Haven City, and with this change came new combat, new traversal, and a story with far more intrigue, twists, and dynamic characterization than what came before. While the gunplay and carjacking (and hoverboarding) were a new addition to the series, physical combat still plays a huge role, and the introduction of Dark Jak made for the ultimate power fantasy that kept evolving over time. Jak 2 is a satisfying and thrilling adventure that stands out as the best game of this iconic trilogy.

17. ICO

For a game that is designed almost entirely around the escort mission – which are almost universally reviled, even back in 2001 –ICO is nothing short of amazing. Part of that success is due to the quality of its puzzles, but just as important is how ICO develops the bond between its two main characters. It conveys a deep personal connection not through dialogue, but through the simple act of navigating through its labyrinthine castle together. It’s one of the finest examples of minimalist storytelling to date, not to mention an excellent showcase of how to tell stories in a way that only video games can.

16. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3

Your favourite Tony Hawk game is likely determined by the exact age you were when you first tried ollieing over a ludicrous gap or racking up stupidly high manual-based combos. Each of the first four Pro Skaters has a claim to the throne — and even Underground if you happen to be a deviant who wants to get off of their board — but we’ve gone with the excellentTony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 as our pick here. Whether grinding around its sun-bleached cruise ship, dodging the snow-covered firs of Canada, or embracing the downhill chaos of the airport, THPS3 arguably has the best set of maps found in any single entry of the series. Throw in one of its signature punk-fuelled soundtracks to mix, and you’ve got a PS2 game that could, and did, keep us entertained for whole summers at a time.

15. Burnout 3: Takedown

Crash, bang, wallop.Criterion’s Burnout 3: Takedown looked at what Polyphony was doing with simulation racing in Gran Turismo and took things as far to the other end of the scale as possible. With just as much heavy emphasis placed on ramming into your rivals as speeding past them, driving games have rarely been as fun as they were in Takedown on the PS2. And that’s without even mentioning Crash Mode, an all-timer of a mode designed around creating the biggest wrecks possible.

14.Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time's chronology-warping mechanics were incredibly novel back in 2003, helping cement it as an instant PS2 classic and signalling a return to popularity for a series that had been left in the 2D era. But while Sands of Time's supernatural approach formed the bedrock of a fantastic action-adventure, the game as a whole is more significant for being the foundation of Ubisoft's modern-day success. While Sands of Time received a number of direct follow-ups, ideas for a proposed Prince of Persia sequel eventually morphed into what would become Assassin’s Creed.

13. Devil May Cry 3: Dante's Awakening

Devil May Cry 3 is not only one of the most influential action games of all time, it’s, quite simply, one of the best – ever. Even just on its most basic levels, Devil May Cry 3 offers up challenging but rewarding combat, an excellent story of dark and twisted familial bonds, and some of the most downright entertaining cutscenes you’ll find – even compared to modern games. Going deeper, though, you’d be hard pressed to find a combat system with a higher skill ceiling, or one that allows for more creativity than Devil May Cry 3’s.

12. Katamari Damacy

Katamari Damacy is absurd chaos in the best possible way. It’s the simplest mechanical concept you can find – push your ball to roll things up and get real big – combined with the most insane layer of paint imaginable. This nonstop parade of ridiculous scenarios and hilarious sights is joy not only for how silly it all is, but because it’s also endlessly optimistic the whole way through. And while the rolling may be simple, that mechanical core is genuinely so much fun that Katamari Damacy immediately rolled up people’s hearts and still hasn’t let go over two decades later.

11. Bully

Bully is a game where you fight back against bullying, build social networks that connect various insular groups, and where you are, in fact, punished for not attending class.

With a charming coming of age story that modernizes classic themes (without necessarily going full Rushmore on you), Bully manages to be smart and funny, exhibiting the biting satire Rockstar is know for, while also debuting a streamlined progression system and a satisfying crunch to its combat that raised the bar for the studio’s games going forward.

10. God of War 2

The PS2 era of God of War was a completely different proposition from its character-focused modern reinvention. But what 2007’sGod of War 2 may have lacked in nuance, it made up for in scale, ferocity, and excess. Chaining combos with the Blades of Olympus never felt so good as Ancient Greece’s pantheon of Gods fell at Kratos’ feet. Initially created as a Western answer to the character action genre popularised by Japanese developers, God of War confirmed its worthy position standing alongside those names with this excellent sequel.

9. Okami

The idea behindOkami - that you’re a god in the form of a wolf, whose paintings come to life by using a divine celestial brush - sounds off the wall, but it works, and Okami is a beautiful, expertly designed, cohesive work of art. Its gorgeous painterly style is more than enough to draw people in, but its charming story, creative puzzles, and fun action-driven combat prove to be unwavering pillars of radiance all on their own, making Okami a must-play on both the PS2 or more modern PlayStation consoles alike.

8. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec

It’s sometimes easy to forget just how huge the Gran Turismo series is. The third game,GT3: A-Spec, was the biggest-selling exclusive on the best-selling console of all time, with over 14 million copies sold. The PS2 racing sim blew people away at the time with its unmatched graphical power, attention to detail, and authentic car handling. What could so easily be an overwhelming experience for those used to the arcade rough-and-tumble of Need for Speed, GT3 managed to lure in even the most casual of fans thanks to its intelligently designed progression system that ranged from fun test track challenges to concentration-testing, multi-hour endurance races. In an era when driving games were all the rage, A-Spec created an unmatched legacy, coming out on top as the best of the bunch.

7. Final Fantasy 10

Every Final Fantasy game tries to switch things up and keep the genre fresh, butFinal Fantasy 10 made some of the biggest changes the series had ever seen. The switch to a Sphere-grid leveling system and removal of the Active Time Battle system made FF10 more accessible, its story was easier to understand, and, for the first time ever, the in-game cutscenes had characters that could actually pass as real human people thanks to the hardware upgrade of the PlayStation 2. Sure, the game has some meme-able moments, but the overall story is well told and one that people still love to this day, plus it asked one of the most pointed questions in gaming history: “is Blitzball good?”.

6. Silent Hill 2

Silent Hill 2 is a disorientating nightmare of a video game that gets under one’s skin and stays there for years after a playthrough. A more fully-realized vision of its predecessor, Silent Hill 2 pitches its central nightmarish town as a manifestation of its protagonist’s mental state, embracing unreliable narration, multiple endings, and the uneasy juxtaposition of the mundane with the horrific. Its hold on your nervous can be best evoked with that famous call to action:jump down the hole?

You have, of course, no choice but to accept.

This horror classic is so beloved that Konami released aSilent Hill 2 remake in 2024, but nothing quite beats the original.

5. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

One of the most divisive and brilliant games of all time,Metal Gear Solid 2 is constantly shifting what the player thinks they know and understand about the game into something completely different.

A game about the spread of misinformation that actively used misinformation in so much of its marketing, MGS2 was thematically and mechanically ahead of its time, even though it initially turned off fans and critics by replacing series hero Solid Snake with the younger, more... outspoken Raiden. It has, however, aged like a fine wine, and is still widely regarded as one of the best stealth games – both with and without vampires – ever created.

See our guide to theMetal Gear games in order for more of the series.

4. Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4 was a magnificent shake-up for the series, ditching the more traditional bump-in-the-night haunted house antics for an over-the-shoulder shooting gallery in a sprawling Spanish village. A greater focus on action didn’t dull the horror, either. Resident Evil 4 is still a deeply uneasy experience thanks to its monsters - the Los Illuminados, the Regenerators and the chainsaw man are all unforgettable - and it introduced a strong sense of The Weird that turned ”what’re ya buyin?” into an iconic phrase. Now with the arrival of theResident Evil 4 remake, this landmark survival horror is just as popular as ever.

See our guide to theResident Evil games in order for more.

3. Shadow of the Colossus

More of a puzzle game hidden within a giant-boss-fight shell,Shadow of the Colossus leaves you in awe well after the credits roll. Turning the should-be heroic affair of slaying giant monsters in the name of love melancholy in the subtlest way, it is an impactful and unforgettable experience, unlike anything we had played before at that time. Shadow of the Colossus’ bleak world, clever puzzles, understated storytelling, dynamic music, and, of course, badass giant colossi still stand tall above many, even today, especially with the release of its 2018 remake.

2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Metal Gear Solid 3 took a step back from the high-tech-and-concept structure of MGS2, and in doing so gave us what is still widely regarded as the best entry in the franchise to date. Mechanically, Snake Eater expanded on all of the revolutionary systems introduced by its predecessor, added new survival elements like hunger and camouflage, and presented us with some of the cleverest boss fights of all time. The later Subsistence re-release included further mechanical updates like a free-moving third-person camera, but MGS3’s strongest element by far is its story: a complex tale of honor and duty, of love and patriotism, one that not only works as a self-contained experience, but sets up and recontextualizes every other game in the series as well. That's why so many fans are excited for theupcoming remake.

1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

While Rockstar consistently found bold new ways to raise the open-world bar, 2004’sGTA: San Andreas represented a leap forward like we’d never been seen before. The game’s vast, vibrant state of San Andreas – with three cities, based loosely on Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas – is the perfect playground for players to have CJ and his cohorts survive gang shootouts, high-speed police chases, and frantic, sprawling heists on foot or in dozens of different vehicles. San Andreas also introduced RPG and survival elements into the series for the first time, like tracking what CJ ate or how much he worked out, and adjusting his abilities accordingly. While all of the GTA series are classics in their own right, San Andreas is one of the most robust and memorable open-world games ever made, and the pinnacle of the gaming experience on the PlayStation 2.

And there you have it – the 25 best games on PS2. Did your favourite make our list? Let us know what you think the PlayStation 2’s best game is, and point out anything that we missed, in the comments below. And dont forget to rank your favourites in the Tier List below!

The Best PS2 Games Of All Time

The Best PS2 Games Of All Time

 

 

 

 

 

What PS2 Games Are Available on PS5 in 2025?

Unfortunately, PS2 discs are not compatible with the PS5, but you can still stream some PS2 games thanks toPlayStation Plus' Premium membership. This membership tier will set you back $17.99/month, but it's worth it for what you get. Through the membership, alongside the catalog with PS4 and PS5 games, you'll have access to over 300 games from PS3, PS2, original PlayStation, and PSP. To see an updated list of what's available in the Classic Catalog, visit our IGN Playlist page below.

PlayStation Plus Classic Games Catalog

This is an up-to-date listing of the entire PlayStation Plus Classics Catalog. You can browse, sort, and tag the titles and use them to build your own playlists. Sort by "Recently Added" to see the newest additions to the catalog.

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Tri-Ace

Vanillaware

Singletrac

Square Enix

Tri-Ace

Just Add Water Developments

Eat Sleep Play

LucasArts

Guerrilla Games

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More on the best PlayStation games of all time:

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