Top 10 Best PlayStation 2 Games

The PlayStation 2 defined a generation of gamers. It was more than just a gaming device. It was a portal to countless adventures, unforgettable characters, and groundbreaking experiences.

But with a library as vast as the PS2's, you may be asking yourself: what are the best PS2 games?

We've asked gamers like you to cast their votes and tell us their favorite PS2 titles of all time. We've compiled those results into a definitive list that spans genres, styles, and interests. You'll find critically acclaimed masterpieces that pushed the boundaries of what video games could achieve, hidden gems that flew under the radar but deserve recognition, and beloved classics that still hold up today.

The Top Ten

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Great story. Superb characters. A huge map. Lots of gameplay. Variety of vehicles. Freedom. Your other negative arguments are invalid.

Great location, gameplay, and characters. The setting was great on the west side of America in 1992, where hip-hop music was at its finest. Radio Los Santos was the best station, from Tupac to Dr. Dre. The story was very good too and was clearly the best Grand Theft Auto game out of them all.

Playing this on PlayStation was a way better feeling than on PC. Grand Theft Auto is just a game you play from the couch, lying down, relaxed, unless you're on some difficult mission. There were many great PS2 games and exclusives, and maybe even Pro Evolution Soccer 6 could hit the top of the list. This game is immortal.
God of War

It's the best game I have ever seen. It has a story that is incomparable to any other game. The graphics are awesome, and the sound effects are excellent. The moves, combos, and magical powers are just awesomely designed. The hero is given the ultimate capability of being a god.
The game is for those who love action more than anything, and in my opinion, it is the best and greatest game in the history of games.

It has the best story, best soundtrack, and the moves are perfect. In action games, it must be on top. It's really an awesome game I have ever played.
Resident Evil 4

This is the best game I have ever played in my entire life. I spent three months to complete this game. I was fully immersed in this game. Even at school, my brain was thinking about how to get to the next level.
This is the best game on the PS2. It has excellent graphics, a great story, and plenty of gameplay time. This game sets the standard for outstanding games and serves as an inspiration for many other games. I would give it a 10 out of 10.

Leon is an awesome character. Resident Evil has an awesome story and awesome graphics for the time. Maybe it's the game that changed the style of survival horror games, whether it's Resident Evil or not. Now, they always have the gameplay introduced in this game and faster enemies.
Kingdom Hearts II

This was the game that started it all for me. I have a deep psychological connection to this game. I always told myself that Kingdom Hearts 1 and especially 2 was the height of my childhood.
I waited years for KH3. I was always telling myself that my childhood would not end until Sora's story ended. Today, I am 24 years old and have finally played KH3. Sadly, it was not anything compared to the all-around greatness that was Kingdom Hearts 2. Nonetheless, this series defined me in many ways as a child and its lessons continue to linger even as an adult.

I love this game. It is so creative. Kingdom Hearts is the combination of Final Fantasy and Disney characters.
Explore new and familiar worlds featuring over 200 Disney characters. But you should also beware of Disney villains and their devious intentions. You can team up with Disney heroes as you battle evil. And the greatest thing is that you can see stunning graphics and hear authentic voiceovers. Created by Square Enix and Disney Interactive.
Shadow of the Colossus

If I could name one game that shouldn't be out of that list, it is Shadow of the Colossus for sure! But I still think it should be higher on the list since it was (and still is) one of the few games that I can call pieces of art.
This one, however, is a masterpiece since it has a unique design, and the imagination of the creators of the game has no end, especially the colossi are amazing! Just to say, if you haven't tried it so far, you should. I still remember how much time I've spent playing this game again and again, and I've never regretted it!

This game is the leading example of how video games can be transformed from a simple form of entertainment into a refined, beautiful art form. Shadow of the Colossus is the number one game for anyone who isn't convinced that video games are art or who still sees them as just toys for kids or an escape for adults.
This game is so great that Roger Ebert said if he were to play any game to get the full video experience, he would play Shadow of the Colossus.
This game and Silent Hill 2 are some of the titles that make people slap themselves for not taking video games more seriously. I love this game. It's challenging, it looks great, the world is huge, it's fun to play, and even though it may not have much of a story, it's still memorable.
Why this game is at NUMBER NINE is a testament to people who haven't played good games. AND WHY IS TOMB RAIDER EVEN ON THIS LIST!
Grand Theft Auto Vice City

Still my favorite Grand Theft Auto and one of the best games ever made, in my opinion. The soundtrack changed my music interests in the long run, by the way.

Great game and fun gameplay. If you like to jack golf carts and motorcycles, then this is the game for you. This game rules!

Honestly, I found this one much better than San Andreas. I don't quite know why, though.
Final Fantasy X

I loved this game the minute I started playing and still play it, 10 years after the release. I love the characters and the story, and most of all, the Sphere Grid!
The only complaint I have is that there is a lot more grinding towards the end of the game, and the story plot should have continued with grinding interspersed. You suddenly finish the main plotline largely within 20 hours and suddenly need to grind for about 50-80 hours. Also, the voice acting is about 1000% better in the Japanese version, trust me.

This is the best video game I have ever played in my whole life. It's not only the best PS2 game, it's the best video game ever. The story, the world, the characters, everything about this game is so awesome.
This isn't a game you finish in a day or two. You can put up to 500 hours of gameplay into it. And you can replay it again and again because you'll never get sick of it. Such a wonderful game.
God of War 2

It is a great action game. I really enjoy playing this game. One of the things I like about it is the ability to uncover secrets and gain powers within the game. Due to these extras, players have to explore and discover various Greek powers.

Hey, what the hell! This is the best game I've ever played in my life. Surely it should be because it has the best PS2 graphics. The action in this game is totally amazing. It should be rated in first place on every list. Man, this is not done! Please vote, people. Are you sleeping? Take a look at it. No one else. See the powers it's got, the dragons, heroes, warriors, magic...
Jak II

One of the best, I don't know why some complained about the attitude of Jak. Remember that each duo features two protagonists with different attitudes. Sadly, due to the poor popularity of the franchise overshadowed by more popular games with little interest, the series doesn't have a sequel. But I think this is better than milking a franchise for years.
The Jak and Daxter series aged very well. The transition from the old world to a futuristic environment was a good idea. I'm glad they put a voice for Jak because a silent protagonist isn't enough to appeal. It gets old quickly. So, humor mixed with serious comments is definitely worth a try.
Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal

Hey everybody, here is Courtney Gears. Can you hear me, robots? I can hear you. I see a future. What can I see? Robots going crazy across the galaxy, and all organics who are soft and squishy. The time is now. Then robots must be free.
I'm sorry if the text is wrong.

One of the most perfect Ratchet and Clank games ever. I have all PS2 games, 100% of the Ratchet and Clank series, but this one has so many cool weapons and secrets. I always try to find new glitches that could make the walkthrough so fun, faster, and maybe (at some points) harder.

The Newcomers

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FIFA 06
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Crimson Tears

The Contenders

Mortal Kombat Armageddon

It should be one of the world's best games ever. It's purely mature and has the best characters like Stryker, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Frost, Sonia, Raiden, and lots of beautiful girls and males.
By Jafar Ali.

I voted for Resident Evil 4 and Grand Theft Auto, but now I must support this awesome game. MK Armageddon had some monotonous fatalities, but the whole gaming experience, Konquest mode, graphics, and arenas were cool. This is one of the best MK games.

Last good Mortal Kombat game... It was one of the only good ones. Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, Mortal Kombat: Deception, and Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks were the others.
Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

I don't understand why it is ranked so high. It is much better than some other games on the list. I mean, number 11. It deserves to be in the top three. It has an awesome storyline, much better than some others. The gameplay is addictive. You can't get enough of it. The boss battles, such as The Sorrow and Revolver Ocelot, are awesome. Anyway, it surprises me to see it this high up, and it deserves better.

Played and beat this game for the first time this week. The current generation consoles are still waiting for a game of this caliber and will likely continue waiting until the release of MGS4.
Bully

This is the game of school life. This was the best game I ever played. The Rockstar company was really proud to release it, and the Rockstar company gave me and us a real and dashing game. So, thanks to the Rockstar company. By Rath. Come on Rockstar game, release the part 2 of 'BULLY'. We all are waiting for 'JIMMY HOPKINS'.

I love this game so much because you can do the stuff you can't do in school in real life! It's even better on the Wii because you actually punch.

This is what we call a game. All others are only in name. This is what everyone wants. I can't explain how brilliant this game is.
Silent Hill 2

This may not be my favorite Silent Hill game, but for what it is, Silent Hill 2 is an utterly fantastic masterpiece.

Only the greatest horror game of all time, and often considered one of the greatest games of all time, period.

Does not need an introduction. It is the game all other horror games want to be and deserve to be in the top 20, at least!
Kingdom Hearts

Great gameplay and an amazing storyline. If you haven't played this yet, play it. It will change your life. Just because there are Disney characters in it does not make it a game for just kids. It is so much more than that.

Disney and Final Fantasy. Who would have thought? All those people voting on Grand Theft Auto were probably thinking that this game is for little kids, but it's not. It really isn't. They should really try it.

I shouldn't have bought a pre-owned copy. The game stopped working multiple times during my few minutes of playing it. Then it stopped working and wouldn't function after I killed Darkside in the Awakening area. Eventually, I got its Final Mix on the PlayStation 3, and I loved it. I miss my saved data. - Gehenna
Jak & Daxter

I've had so many raging times while playing this game, but it was so enjoyable to play. If I started, I could play the whole day long.

There are no words to describe how good this game is.

Better than the second and third one.
Star Wars Battlefront II

Fun game where you get to choose your class and play on all of the Star Wars planets. Also, you are able to play as Jedi and Sith.

This is the only game I play on the PS2. Its gameplay is amazing even when you compare it to new shooters.

For a long time, this was my favorite game, along with Star Wars Battlefront 1.
Dragon Ball Z: Budokai Tenkaichi 3

The best game and my favorite, with epic graphics and an epic story. Almost all characters are available to be unlocked, and the game has awesome moves and transformations.
It also includes survival and multiplayer modes. This game would especially be loved by Dragon Ball Z Kai fans.

I have it for the Wii, but there is a disc fusion feature on the PS2 version with the second Budokai Tenkaichi, so this is the superior version. Greatest DBZ and greatest fighting game ever.

Every character in this game has awesome moves. There are also lots of events to participate in.
Ratchet & Clank

While this is still a good game, I think the lack of the ability to strafe hurts the combat.

My childhood was complete when I played the Ratchet & Clank series.

Fantastic game! It needs to be in the top 20. Are you serious... 48?
Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

Considered by some to be the first postmodern video game, Sons of Liberty takes everything gamers loved about the original MGS and flips it upside-down. You don't play as Snake. Instead, you play as Raiden, a wimpy-looking character that reminds me of somebody I know. Hmm, today's average gamer!
The twists get a little crazy towards the end, but it is all worthwhile in this thought-provoking experience. Game mechanics are also the best out of the three MGS games.

Without a doubt, in the three greatest games of all time list, and also a gripping storyline, it deserves to be in the top two! Forget Resident Evil 5!
Tomb Raider: Legend

We waited a long time for a good PS2 Tomb Raider, and Legend was awesome! It's not hard, but it's difficult enough that you have fun while playing it.

It's the very best game I have ever played on PC. Let's see it on PS2. The end begins from now. I want this game on PS2 wholeheartedly. Let's see.

The game that got me started on gaming. Look how far I've come.
Ratchet & Clank: Going Commando

A great sequel to the first Ratchet and Clank game! This game topped it with its upgraded weapons and new locations. An awesome game, one of the best on the PS2.

Probably one of the best Ratchet and Clank games. There is so much to do, and it's all just so much fun.

The best Ratchet & Clank game made. Fun, funny, and satisfying.
Tekken 5

It's the best fighting game on PlayStation. I love its characters and moves. It's easy to learn, not too hard to master, and you can't get enough of it.
Gran Turismo 4

Gran Turismo 4 is the best driving-style game among all consoles, and by the time it arrived, it was almost a revolution in its group. Although the console was PlayStation 2, it provided a whole lot more graphical support for the players.

This is really a driving simulator, with more than 700 cars added to this game, and I like the B-Spec. You can play for 24 hours endurance or switch it to B-Spec mode, and you must train your driver to drive consistently.

One of the greatest racing games in history, if you ask me.
Mortal Kombat Deception

This game is so fun because you can play chess with the characters and a puzzle. My second favorite Mortal Kombat game.