The 20 best games for PS2

 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is one of the most beloved and currently the best-selling consoles of all time. We have enjoyed countless masterpieces in every genre and for all tastes. For that reason, what better way to have an article with the best games!

Here you will find a list of 20 games that we consider the best on PS2. We tackle different genres, from action to sports or music. Some of these video games have been great sales successes, others not so many, but all of them were well received. Meet the 20 best games for PS2!

The list of games does not follow any preferred order.

1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was the game that launched Rockstar and the saga to worldwide fame. Although by then the saga already had many fans, it was with this installment that many fell in love with the open world and the almost absolute freedom of action. With a massive map, depth of gameplay, and charismatic characters, San Andreas is fun from start to finish!

You will be part of a street group that seeks to retake control of the neighborhoods. Crime is the order of the day, and it's time to be respected by everyone. Use weapons and vehicles of all kinds, complete interesting and varied missions, and meet a multitude of characters that will help you or stand in your way. You choose who will be CJ!

2. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

The great prequel to the Metal Gear Solid saga is one of the most acclaimed games in the series and with good reason! The game recounts one of the most important missions that Naked Snake carried out, before becoming the Big Boss that we all know. It's Metal Gear at its finest, with memorable moments, characters, and final bosses.

With a drastic change of setting, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater focuses more on the jungle instead of urban and industrialized areas. The game takes a step further in stealth and infiltration, in which we will need to take good care of ourselves and camouflage ourselves with the trees and bushes. We will even have to treat our wounds and eat with some frequency!

Apart from the standard version, you can opt for the Subsistence version, which improves the camera, as well as brings the first two parts of the Metal Gear saga.

3. Resident Evil 4

With the fourth installment, Capcom opted for a change of dynamics in the Resident Evil saga. He left the fixed cameras to place one on the protagonist's shoulder and introduced more action-focused elements. Of course, if you think that's why it's less terrifying, you're wrong!

The gloomy setting and characters both flashy and terrifying make Resident Evil 4 a pleasant but tense experience. You must be aware of the enemies and the environment because the dangers lurk in every corner. At times you will need to protect Ashley, the daughter of the President of the United States, and it is not an easy task!

4. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 was one of the skateboarding games that gave the player the greatest freedom to complete missions and walk around the map. It is the pinnacle of the entire Pro Skater series and the bridge to the Underground series, which is also worth playing. If you love this sport and show off your talent by making combos, don't miss out on this opportunity!

You can go with your skateboard through different parks and areas dedicated to sports. With a little time, you'll get the hang of the controls, and in no time you'll be performing impressive jumps and flips. You'll find characters that will challenge you to meet certain challenges and, as an extra incentive, you can even unlock Jango Fett from Star Wars or Eddie from Iron Maiden!

5. Grand Touring 4

Gran Turismo is one of the best car simulation sagas, for many the best. The control is always realistic and the number of official licenses makes us want to drive cars of all possible brands. Not everything stays there; In Gran Turismo 4 we have a good number of official circuits that are recognizable at first glance.

The game invites us to learn to drive different cars and get to know the race tracks well. Every turn, acceleration, and brake counts for victory. If we play in resistance mode, it is essential to pay attention to the state of the wheels. If you are looking to win it all and complete it 100%, the road will be long but rewarding. Pure driving!

6. Devil May Cry 3: Special Edition

Devil May Cry 3 is one of the best games of the hack & slash genre that you can find in the industry. You will control a young Dante who seeks to confront his brother Vergil of him. With stages full of enemies, fast-paced action, and a powerful soundtrack, this game will be etched in your memory!

The game improved a lot in terms of playability compared to the first two installments. Dante will be able to combine melee and ranged attacks to land long combos. The more hits you chain, the more the game will reward you for the performance shown. It is a challenging and fun game, a must for all action game lovers.

We recommend you get the Special Edition, as it has several additions and applied improvements in various phases of the game.

7. God of War II

The PS2 God of War game is excellent action-adventure game. They are set in Greek mythology, with a strong focus on gods, titans, and heroes. We follow in the footsteps of Kratos, who continues on his vindictive quest after a past full of tragedy. Although the first part is also a quality game, the second part improved in all aspects.

You will have to make your way by eliminating enemies and mythological creatures perfectly represented. The combats are bloody and challenging, where visual spectacularity prevails. At times, you will have to overcome some platforming phases and a few puzzles. Help Kratos carve his name in mythology, in an alternate history of ancient Greece. Let all know his fury!

8. Okami

Okami is a difficult game to match. Not only is it a great mix of action, platforms, and puzzles, but the artistic and graphic section is striking and attractive. In this game, we become Amaterasu, the sun goddess who decided to take the form of a white wolf. His mission from her? Save the world from eternal darkness.

This game brings an interesting mechanic to overcome the stages of the game. To fight and use Amaterasu's powers, we must use a brush in the game and draw shapes on the screen. The story is linear, but the world set in Japanese mythology and folklore has much more to offer. Find out for yourself!

9. SoulCalibur III

Not everyone will agree that the third installment is the best, but it is undeniable that SoulCalibur III is a quality game. It's a fighting game at its finest, with dozens of classic characters to control and a few new additions. The game has quite a long lifespan due to the number of varied modes it has.

You will be able to discover the history of each character or overcome challenges with unlikely rules such as bouncing off floors and walls. In addition, the game contains an unprecedented mode with RPG elements and its own story. Also, SoulCalibur III was to blame for including the excellent character creator in the series, and we assure you that you will spend hours making new fighters!

SoulCalibur II is also an amazing fighting game. Obviously, it doesn't have the new features of the third part, but it does contain many game modes and very refined gameplay.

10. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time was a reboot of the classic saga that began in the year 1989. It tells of how the Prince tries to make amends for his mistake of activating the Sands of Time. Armed with the Dagger of Time, his mission will be to overcome a multitude of platforming and puzzle stages until he reaches the traitorous vizier and defeats him.

The game is a fun challenge of reacting in combat and looking closely at the environment. There aren't many characters and not enough interaction between them, as Prince of Persia focuses a lot on the gameplay. The dagger will allow you to go back for a few seconds, as long as you have sand on it. A curious system that allows us to correct mistakes that we usually make, such as falling into the void!

11. Final Fantasy X

Final Fantasy X took storytelling to a level rarely seen on PS2. This tenth installment of the main saga brought us a deep and interesting story, full of characters that are easy to love. The game maintains turn-based combat and, on this occasion, we will have a group of 3 characters to face any enemy.

The plot takes us through many different towns, with a visual and sound section worthy of good movies and series. The game invites us to improve the characters to obtain more skills and increase attributes. Only then will you be able to face the boss enemies of each zone. If you embark on this journey, be prepared because it will be long and intense.

12. Guitar Hero II

Do you want to become the best guitarist in the world? With Guitar Hero II, you will be able to demonstrate your musical skills to the rhythm of legendary songs by artists such as Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath, or Aerosmith. It is a game that invites you to follow the melody of each song, pressing buttons at the right time.

The song list is huge, with dozens of different groups. Guitar Hero II encourages you to increase the difficulty and improve yourself every day because there will always be songs that you can improve in the score. It can be frustrating at first for some people, but with practice and muscle memory, you'll be a guitar star!

It's much better played with the controller created specifically for the Guitar Hero series.

13. Shadow of the Colossus

Shadow of the Colossus is a unique game, in which everything revolves around defeating 16 huge colossi, as you can see in the image. The protagonist seeks to bring a young woman back to life and, to do so, he has three elements in her favor: his sword, his bow, and his horse.

The world of this game is vast, devoid of population and even enemies if we do not count the colossi. The game challenges you every minute to fight your way to the next colossus and discover its weak points. Getting to that point and killing the colossus is anything but easy, and it usually takes several minutes per encounter. But how good it feels when you defeat the colossus!

14. Silent Hill 2

Silent Hill 2 is an excellent horror game that focuses a lot on puzzle-solving and creating a tense atmosphere. It's not an action game at all, but that doesn't mean dangerous enemies don't exist! You will accompany James Sunderland in the search for her deceased wife, after receiving a letter apparently from her.

There is a strong psychological factor in this game, in that the enemies are often a reflection of James's subconscious. Silent Hill 2 will invite you to explore the dark town and discover its past. You will meet a few characters who will accompany you or try to get in your way. Have the flashlight ready and, above all, stay alert!

15. Tekken 5

After an incident that leads to the belief that Heihachi Mishima is dead, the plot of Tekken 5 seeks to unravel the assassination attempt. In the meantime, another tournament begins and, with it, a multitude of fighters face each other. We have to say that this installment has one of the most memorable and solid casts of characters in the entire saga.

On top of that, it also includes a few assorted modes, including Devil Within. You will take on the role of Jin Kazama, who is looking for information about his missing mother. This mode resembles beat'em ups action games, which added more variety to the game. In short, Tekken 5 is an essential game for lovers of fighting.

16. Kingdom Hearts II

Kingdom Hearts became a saga appreciated by many in a short time, thanks to the first two installments that we received on PS2. The sequel, Kingdom Hearts II, greatly improved the formula of the first part. Although the story is more confusing compared to the first Kingdom Hearts, both playable and visually it is more enjoyable in the sequel.

Sora, Goofy, and Donald return to the mission of saving worlds using the Keyblade. The mysterious Organization XIII hatches a plan that puts these worlds in danger and we must stop them with the help of other characters. You will surely recognize different Disney movies in Kingdom Hearts II, an extra incentive for this magnificent action RPG.

17. Beyond Good & Evil

Beyond Good & Evil is a narrative game that is by no means easy to play. In this game, you will be Jade, a reporter who joins a rebel organization to find the truth behind the alien attacks on her planet. Armed with a camera, a baton, and a gyro disc, you'll need to use your stealth, combat, and wits to beat the game's levels.

As you progress through the plot, you will meet many other charismatic characters who will help you uncover all the mysteries. The attacks are just a small part of a whole, and Jade must have the camera ready to photograph those responsible. Beyond Good & Evil is a game with varied-level designs, making it a pleasant journey with plenty of challenges.

18. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King

Dragon Quest VIII will put you in control of a group looking to save the kingdom of Trodain. Dhoulmagus cursed the king and his daughter, throwing the kingdom into chaos. The game has certain similarities with the Final Fantasy saga, in the sense of being a long story that you must overcome in turn-based combat, with characters that you can improve.

The visual style is very striking and reminiscent of the famous Dragon Ball series. After all, Akira Toriyama is one of the artists in the game! You will be able to explore a whole world rich in locations, towns, and dungeons. Dragon Quest VIII invites you to discover every corner and create an increasingly stronger team. After all, the kingdom doesn't save overnight!

19. Need For Speed: Most Wanted

This installment of Need For Speed ​​mixed all the best of police chases with Underground tuning. You will be a car driver looking to become the most wanted in Rockport. The competition is fierce, with many other drivers wanting the same title.

For many, this game was the last game that really knew how to maintain the Need For Speed ​​formula well with quality. It is an arcade racing game, so the control of the vehicles is not very realistic, but it is pleasant. Buckle up, turn up the volume, burn the wheels, and don't get caught!

20. Ratchet & Clank 3: Up Your Arsenal

PS2 was the target console for many actions, adventure, and platform games. You will surely know Sly or Jak and Daxter, but the one that has come out the best has been Ratchet & Clank. The entire trilogy is available on PS2, but the third part is the best in every way.

Armed with various gadgets and weapons, this leading duo will have to do their best to defeat Dr. Nefarious. This evil robot seeks to erase all biological life in the universe, forcing Ratchet and Clank to jump, fight and survive numerous enemies. It's quite an adventure full of colorful gears and characters!