Game Developers List All-Time Favorite PS2 Games

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Yesterday marked the 10-year anniversary of the PlayStation 2 in North America, so we thought it would be fun to ask a few high-profile game developers and journalists to name their top three “must play” PS2 games. Word quickly spread, the project swelled in scope, and the result is what you see here — a definitive list of “must-play” PS2 games by some of the greatest living game developers in the business.

A few quick numbers: Ico earned the most mentions at six, while Grand Theft Auto III and Shadow of the Colossus tied with five mentions. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec, God of War, Okami, and Katamari Damacy were also popular picks.

stig

Stig Asmussen

Game Director, Santa Monica Studios

  1. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – GTAIII was amazing. And with Vice City, they added a ton of new toys to boot – the game was huge! The missions made big leaps in diversity and they integrated seamlessly into the story in a way that we hadn’t seen yet. And you gotta love the 80’s flair.
  2. Resident Evil 4 – The best Resident Evil yet. The new camera perspective and controls were effective and helped to reboot the series. The game was epic but still delivered on the isolated spookiness we’ve come to know and love — The zombie showdown in the cabin is still one of my favorite gaming moments.
  3. Devil May Cry – When it came out, we called it ‘Game Developers May Cry’. The game just oozes style. I was always hoping for a 3D Castlevania worth something and this was as close as it got.
Cliff Bleszinski

Cliff Bleszinski

Design Director, Epic Games (Twitter: @therealcliffyb)
Current Project: Bulletstorm, Gears of War 3, and Project Sword

  1. Grand Theft Auto: Vice City – Took the bits that worked from GTAIII and polished the heck out of them.
  2. Katamari Damacy – Made “cleaning” super fun and had some of that trademark Japanese zaniness.
  3. Silent Hill 2 – Because it’s on a similar level to the classic book/film “Solaris,” which always destroys me emotionally.
Ed_Boon_2_0051

Ed Boon

Creative Director, NetherRealm Studios (@noobde)
Current Project: Mortal Kombat

  1. Guitar HeroCreated a new game genre. Sold millions just on “word of mouth.” Genius.
  2. God of WarMore anger, personality and pure brutality than any PS2 game released before it.
  3. Grand Theft Auto IIII have to admit that I didn’t ever come close to finishing it because I simply don’t have the time. But from what I played, it was clear that something revolutionary and NEW was being invented here.
scott_camb

Scott Campbell

Co-Founder and Co-director, Eat Sleep Play
Current Project: Twisted Metal

  1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater Nice blend of espionage, stealth and high action-style gameplay.
  2. Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec – It was fun to race my real car because it looked, handled and sounded just like the real deal.
  3. Katamari DamacyWeird, quirky, but totally fresh and highly addictive. It was a nice break from the more traditional games.
david_cage

David Cage

Co-CEO, Quantic Dream
Current Project: Heavy Rain: Move Edition

  1. Ico – The demonstration that games can trigger complex motions like empathy, a real sense of poetry and an unforgettable ending make this game a must still today.
  2. Rez – A really innovative idea based on the mix of images, sound and interactivity. It shows that games can become sensual (hypnotizing) experiences.
  3. Okami – Maybe the last major game on PS2, a very unique graphic style and gameplay based on drawing make for a fantastic game with a special mood and atmosphere.

alex_waga_sml

Alex Evans

Technical Director, Media Molecule (@LittleBigPlanet)
Current Project: LittleBigPlanet 2

  1. Burnout 3: Takedown – Because it makes you feel awesome, and they capture the sense of speed brilliantly – even if you’re rubbish at driving games like me.
  2. Ico and 3. Shadow of the ColossusBecause they are the games I wish that I had made. Their atmosphere still hasn’t been replicated or beaten in any other game. Roll on The Last Guardian!
ChetF

Chet Faliszek

Writer, Valve Software
Current Project: Portal 2

  1. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas This is my favorite of the series, if for no other reason than driving around town with my gang in a bus grabbing territory.
  2. SSX3The single mountain and DJ that introduced levels tied together some great snowboard action.
  3. Burnout 3: TakedownHorrible car accidents can be funny, especially when playing this with a group of friends.
NateFox

Nate Fox

Game Director, Sucker Punch Productions (@SuckerPunchProd)
Current Project: inFAMOUS 2

  1. God of War – It’s hard to resist the game’s clarity of vision, perfect pace and elegant cameras. The people who made that game are as badass as Kratos himself.
  2. Ratchet and Clank: Going Commando – Tons of guns, dudes to blow up, diverse worlds to visit… and a HUGE mid-game ice world that shattered their standard formula. Fantastic.
  3. Grand Theft Auto III – Allowed me to legally vent my backlog of sociopathic impulses. The star wanted levels are a game unto themselves.
Tasha Harris 2

Tasha Harris

Project Lead, Double Fine Productions (@tashascomic)
Current Project: Costume Quest

  1. OkamiUnique, inspiring art and fun game mechanics with the brush. Just an epic game, and so well crafted all around.
  2. FrequencyThe Harmonix rhythm game that was a precursor to Guitar Hero and Rock Band. So addictive, with great style and tracklist. I also loved the sequel, Amplitude.
  3. Final Fantasy XIIts hardcore difficulty was sometimes frustrating, but this highly polished MMORPG did a lot of innovative and fun things with its combat and class systems.
Todd_Howard

Todd Howard

Game Director, Bethesda Game Studios (@BethBlog)

  1. Grand Theft Auto IIIThe mark of a truly great game is how many people try to recapture or emulate it and fail. There’s a long line behind this one.
  2. Gran Turismo 3: A-SpecI think this game put the PS2 on the map for delivering really “next-gen” graphics that felt like a massive jump from before. And if you loved cars, this was the game to have: huge and deep, but easy to play.
  3. SSXThe best game of the PS2 launch. Why on earth do we not have another one of these for the current generation!?
Hermen-Hulst650

Hermen Hulst

Co-founder and Managing Director, Guerrilla Games
Current Project: Killzone 3

  1. God of War – Ahead of its time in terms of epic feel, fluidity of the experience and smoothness of the graphics.
  2. Ico – Wonderful audiovisual design combines with carefully crafted puzzles to deliver an experience that will evoke emotion in any player.
  3. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas – The sheer amount of different gameplay elements from stealthy burglary missions to gang warfare, and all in a coherent experience.
david_jaf

David Jaffe

Co-Founder and Co-director, Eat Sleep Play (@davidscottjaffe)
Current Project: Twisted Metal

  1. Ico Moody, emotional, and just an overall fantastic adventure. People go on and on about the artistry of this game but many forget what a great GAME-Y GAME it was: great puzzles, fun exploration, and a great, hook-y ‘protect the girl’ core mechanic make this one of my top 10 games of all time.
  2. Devil May CryStylish, fun, and super cool. I’ll never forget playing this at E3 and being like, “Holy Cow! The bar has been raised crazy high and I don’t think we’ll ever be able to touch these guys!”
  3. Way of the SamuraiCore game needed polish but I loved the multiple story based outcomes to my actions. It felt like I really was living the story. In so many ways, the interactive storytelling that this game brought to the medium has still not been surpassed. A total lost gem.
KenLevine

Ken Levine

Creative Director, Irrational Games (@IGLevine)
Current Project: BioShock Infinite

  1. Dark Cloud 2 – It’s Diablo meets Sim City meets Tiger Woods Golf meets Pokemon. If you can only afford one game in your life, this might be the one to pick up.
  2. Mercenaries – Hijack a tank and take down a statue of the Dear Leader. Hey, you got something better to do with a Saturday afternoon?
  3. Culdcept – A love child of Magic the Gathering and Monopoly. Don’t believe me? The joke’s on you, pal, because it’s TRUE!
SteveP

Steve Papoutsis

Executive Producer, Visceral Games (@leveluptime)
Current Project: Dead Space 2

  1. Okami – Awesome art style, innovative use of analog sticks, and the wolf-based main character was kick ass.
  2. Persona 3Deep systems, a freaky story, and a very innovative friend system.
  3. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the KingAwesome hack ‘n slash with one of the best stories ever. Plus, it had online co-op way before anyone else. Best movie adaptation ever!
TedPrice

Ted Price

Founder and CEO, Insomniac Games (@InsomniacGames)
Current Project: Resistance 3, Ratchet & Clank: All 4 One

  1. SSXBrilliant combo system, fantastic depth, incredibly addictive. It’s the only PS2 sports title I owned because it didn’t feel like a sports game.
  2. Guitar HeroThe game that kick-started a genre, and probably inspired more people to start learning “real” guitar than Hendrix did.
  3. Gran Turismo 4Everything about this game was highly, highly polished. And you didn’t have to be a racing sim fanatic to get sucked in. I still don’t understand how they pulled off the graphics they did.
schafer

Tim Schafer

President and CEO, Double Fine Productions (@TimofLegend)
Current Project: Costume Quest

  1. Katamari Damacy – This game takes me into a crazy world that I never want to leave. Growing from the size of a mouse to the size of a planet is incredibly satisfying to me.
  2. Okami – Running through a beautiful hand-painted landscape, clearing out the evil spirits, dropping the brown rage from time to time… that’s living.
  3. We ♥ Katamari – Yeah, that’s right. TWO Katamari games. What, you say? That’s not fair? Well, too bad. I loved them both.
warren spector

Warren Spector

Creative Director, Disney Interactive Studios
Current Project: Epic Mickey

  1. Ico – For one thing, the vistas and screens it offers are gorgeous. And all that gorgeousness offers a window into a world that feels more real than almost any other in gaming history. You can FEEL the history, the depth of this world in a way no other game can match.*
  2. Ratchet & ClankI’ve always found the Ratchet and Clank series oddly inspirational….I think what I love about them is the way they defy genre definitions. They feature RPG-ish character development and action-adventure story and puzzle-solving…These games are fun to play, witty to watch and just fine entertainment.
  3. Grand Theft Auto III – I’m a huge believer in the idea that games should be vehicles (pardon the pun) for player expression. The groundbreaking, open world, freeform, sandbox gameplay of GTA takes that idea – that games are about the PLAYER’S creativity as much as, or more than the designer’s creativity – to ridiculous heights.
  4. *Note: These are excerpts of Warren’s full responses, which you can read at the bottom of this post. Please do: As always, Warren is brimming with passion and insight into the art of great game making.

Evan

Evan Wells

Co-President, Naughty Dog (@naughty_dog)

  1. Fatal Frame 2 – By far, the scariest game I’ve ever played.  I actually had to put the controller down on multiple occasions because I was too scared to keep going.
  2. Ico – While I’m sure this won’t be a very original answer, I have to put Ico in my top 3.  It was an amazing experience start to finish and one that still is relevant almost 10 years later.
  3. Resident Evil 4 – This game has everything and influenced many games that came after it, including the games we make at Naughty Dog.
TimWillits

Tim Willits

Creative Director, id Software
Current Project: Rage

  1. Shadow of the ColossusTaught players and developers that there is more to fighting a boss than firing rockets into them.
  2. Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of LibertyThe defining example of what a PS2 game should be: cinematics, story, action, and setting made this game near perfect.
  3. Silent Hill 2 – The scariest game on the PS2. Great story, setting, and creepy action.

Press & Community

Dan Hsu, Bitmob.com

Dan “Shoe” Hsu

Co-Founder and Editor, Bitmob.com (@bitmobshoe)

  1. Shadow of the Colossus – A dreamy (did I really play this game?), epic adventure that elicits fear, wonderment, and hope. A one-of-a-kind experience.
  2. Grand Theft Auto III All those GTA clones over the years? They’re actually GTAIII clones.
  3. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3Perfect arcade controls and clever, nutty levels provide for plenty of addicting grabbing, flipping, and grinding.
BenKuchera

Ben Kuchera

Gaming Editor, Ars Technica (@benkuchera)

  1. Gitaroo ManTo this day one of my favorite rhythm games, and the mechanic of button-presses plus analog direction control has never been replicated. Great music, great aesthetics, and it includes a boss named BEN K. There is no downside.
  2. Shadow of the ColossusEveryone is going to say this, so I considered leaving it off just to be different, but that’s silly. This is an obvious answer because the game really is that good. This is the first game that popped into my mind when asked to create a list of the best PlayStation 2 games.
  3. Bully It kills me how often people talk about Rockstar Games without bringing up Bully. Taking the Grand Theft Auto-style play out of the streets and bringing it to a private school was genius, and the voice acting and writing were top-notch. A surprising, amazing game.
GregMiller

Greg Miller

Executive Editor, IGN.com (@GameOverGreggy)

  1. Metal Gear Solid 2The story got off the rails, but the gameplay was insane. I spent the better part of my Mizzou freshman year collecting every dog tag.
  2. GrimGrimoireThe RTS is beautiful and quirky again.
  3. Spider-Man 2 – A free-roaming NYC? It was so good I traded it in and bought it back a month later.
TN-592278_Gary_Steinman_PTOM

Gary Steinman

Editor in Chief, PlayStation: The Official Magazine (@tinymanrages)

  1. IcoNot just a great PS2 game, but perhaps the greatest game of all time. Story that unfolds via the action, puzzles that all make perfect sense within the environment, and a subtle soundtrack with melodic snippets that still haunt me.
  2. Jak and Daxter: The Precursor LegacyLater iterations were more ambitious, but the first game stands out as the best pure 3D platformer on PS2. This is one that deserves an HD remake.
  3. Final Fantasy XBest battle system in a proper Final Fantasy release, and the second-best cast of characters (behind PSone’s Final Fantasy IX). Tough call, though, since I also adored the absurdly playful FFX-2.
Ricardo

Ricardo Torres

Editor in Chief, GameSpot

  1. Dark Cloud 2Level 5’s deep sequel to the original Dark Cloud improved on the original in every way. The weapon crafting system was incredibly addictive and let you “Macgyver” yourself just about anything you needed..
  2. Monster Rancher 3Tecmo’s continuation of its cult hit bumped up the visuals and monster count, ensuring you’d be trying every disc in your house to get yourself a new battle ready critter.
  3. Ratchet & Clank: Going CommandoInsomniac’s Mario-caliber platforming series hit a high note on the PlayStation 2 with improved gameplay, more minigames and spherical worlds
Sid

Sid Shuman

Senior Social Media Specialist, PlayStation (@sidshuman)

  1. Shadow of the Colossus – Final proof that games can have the emotional impact of literature and film. Future generations of game designers will cite this as a key inspiration.
  2. The ThingThis shudder-inducing shooter preys on your paranoia, making you question the motives of every member in your fragile team. Outstanding mood and atmosphere.
  3. Resident Evil 4Innovated hugely by introducing the now-standard over-the-shoulder camera and shooting interface. More important, it’s an absolute blast to play. Don’t miss Mercenaries!
r3yg

Rey Gutierrez

Senior Social Media Specialist, PlayStation (@r3yguti3rr3z)

  1. Rez – Take that Dreamcast! Simple geometry flying at you in a rail shooter, with a killer soundtrack to boot. Sold. It’s like a peanut butter jelly sandwich made love to an oreo cookie.
  2. God of War II – The original is an instant classic, but the sequel took it to the next level. Its only flaw was that I wanted more. Zeus! Ares! Athena!
  3. Devil May Cry – DMC is God of War’s rebellious punk step-brother. Fast, fun and obnoxious.
Jeff

Jeff Rubenstein

Social Media Manager, PlayStation (@jeffrubenstein)

  1. Gran Turismo 3: A Spec – this is the reason I bought a PS2 back in the summer of 2001. I kitted out my favorite car at the time, the Lancer Evolution VI, and raced through most of the game with it over the course of a whole summer.
  2. Grand Theft Auto Vice City – I was so enamored with the style, music, and overall feel of Vice City (didn’t hurt that I was living in Florida at the time) that I themed out an entire awards banquet that I had to produce with a Vice City motif… which was wildly inappropriate. Also: Flock of Seagulls “I Ran.”
  3. Shadow of the Colossus – I tried to restrict myself to only fighting one colossus per day, but I caved and fought the last two in a row – I just had to see the ending (which still haunts me to this day). Oh, and since it’s our Blog, I’m going to cheat: 4. Dragon Quest VIII: Journey of the Cursed King 5. Hot Shots Golf 3 6. God of War II 7. Okami 8. Final Fantasy X 9.Guitar Hero 10. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence

*Appendix: Warren Spector’s Full Comments
1. Ico – I don’t typically like puzzle-oriented adventure games. You know – games where your primary goal is to read the designer’s mind and solve his or her fiendishly complicated environmental puzzles just so you can see the next screen, the next amazing vista, maybe a bit of combat. And Ico is very much that sort of game. Yet I love it. LOVE it. For one thing, the vistas and screens it offers are gorgeous. Not PS2 gorgeous – just plain, unqualifiedly gorgeous. And all that gorgeousness offers a window into a world that feels more real than almost any other in gaming history. You can FEEL the history, the depth of this world in a way no other game can match. But pretty pictures and puzzles do not a great game make. Story helps in that regard. But, really, the story Ico tells is nearly incomprehensible. It’s good enough not to detract from the experience but that’s about it.

So what is it that makes Ico great? It’s the characters, and, more importantly, their relationship to one another. And even MORE important than that is the relationship the PLAYER has with those characters – the boy in the horned helm you play and the girl that boy has to protect. The first time your character holds hands with that girl who needs protecting, you feel something never before felt in a game. It’s an almost indescribable feeling born of the power of touching, even virtually, another person. The fact that the girl is weak and slow, the fact that you have to wait for her, putting yourself in peril?… That’s design genius, friends. And then, toward the end when there’s a magic moment of role reversal? That’s when I knew I’d played one of the best games I would ever play. If you haven’t played it do so. Now. It takes, like six hours to get through, so no excuses. Beg, borrow or steal a copy and get ready to FEEL something as you play – and that’s a statement that can’t be made about many games, sadly.

2. Ratchet & Clank – I’ve always found the Ratchet & Clank series oddly inspirational. I don’t typically make games like them and don’t really love playing them as a rule. They’re action adventures, mostly, I guess. But I think what I love about them is the way they defy genre definitions. They feature RPG-ish character development and action-adventure story and puzzle-solving. Plus there’s some platforming. (If that sounds a little like Disney Epic Mickey, that’s no accident.) And beyond gameplay, the character designs of Ratchet, Clank and the rest of the cast are on par with anything Hollywood has ever put on the silver screen. The list of good things goes on: The writing, animation and cinematics work are all first rate. These games are fun to play, witty to watch and just fine entertainment. Now, for my money, the series has gone from good to even better with each installment. But the core goodness was all there in the PS2 entry in the series. I’ve been more influenced by these games than I like to admit. Gotta have a place on my list.

3. Grand Theft Auto III – I’ve gone on record – somewhat foolishly, I admit – as being annoyed with the GTA games. But I’ve always tried to be clear that while the CONTENT makes me feel this way, I’m in awe of the DESIGN thinking behind GTA. And I’ll be damned if the level of execution doesn’t match the conceptual brilliance. I’m a huge believer in the idea that games should be vehicles (pardon the pun) for player expression. The groundbreaking, open world, freeform, sandbox gameplay of GTA (with a story thrown in for good measure) takes that idea – that games are about the PLAYER’S creativity as much as, or more than the designer’s creativity – to ridiculous heights. I still don’t quite get how Rockstar pulled this off on a PS2!

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244 Comments

32 Author Replies

  • 1.) Devil May Cry
    2.) God of War 1 & 2
    3.) Burnout :)

  • ^ Devil May Cry 3 in particular :D

  • Never would have thought of Ted as an SSX guy btw

  • 1) Gran Turismo 4
    2) GTA San Andreas
    3) God of War 2

  • Since we’re at it. Mine would be:

    1. SOCOM II – The original SOCOM not only brought a great online shooter with headset support (before Xbox Live I might add) to the Playstation 2, but also a very unique one. SOCOM II improved upon that formula by bringing back all original 10 online maps, and added 12 more, for a total of 22 maps on the disc. Something that’s unheard of nowadays. I spent over 1000 hours online with SOCOM 1 & 2, easily my most played game of all time. I’m hoping SOCOM 4 can return to the magic of the first two SOCOM titles.

    2. Frequency – Before Harmonix brought along Frequency, I had never been able to get myself into a music/rhythm game. But the unique addictiveness that Frequency and it’s sequel Amplitude held on me is something that hasn’t been duplicated in a music game for me since. I hope Harmonix brings it back.

    3. Grand Theft Auto Vice City – Like it’s already been said, Vice City brought the incredible GTA3 formula and set it in my favourite era. I was completely drawn into the 80s experience and what better way than through a GTA game. I hope Rockstar can revisit this era in a future GTA game on the current consoles.

  • 1) God Of War 1 & 2
    2) Winning Eleven
    3) Call Of Duty 3

  • FFXI all the way! Glad to see the game that utilized the PS2’s HDD the best made it on someones list.

  • 1) God of War 2
    2) Metal Gear Solid 3
    3) Katamari Damacy

  • wow what about socom 2?

  • 1) Shadow of the Colossus
    2) God of War I / II
    3) Def Jam: Fight for NY

  • In no order

    MGS3s
    SotC
    GT4

  • 1)Metal Gear Solid 3
    2)Okami
    3)Devil May Cry 3

    I wish I could still play those games but alas my PS2 can’t read discs anymore, but if these 3 ever get HD remakes than I will be sure to buy em all!

  • 1) Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence
    2) Shadow of the Colossus
    3) Jak 3

  • sly cooper 1,2 or 3
    jak and daxter precursor legacy
    ratchet and clank

  • How does everyone forget about Code Veronica X?

  • Rey: Hate to nitpick, but I think you meant Ares, :)

  • I am sorry, but I couldn’t care less what the plebeian western developers liked best, I’d much rather hear which games were the favorites of those who actually made the PS2 the most amazing console to date, the Japanese developers.

    • It’s the North American 10-year anniversary (Japan’s was last year), but we did reach out to a number of names you’d know in Japanese development. Unfortunately, many folks are in crunch time so not everyone could make it in our tight turnaround time — we’ll be adding any latecomers though!

  • I couldn’t narrow it down to three if you paid me. I won’t even try.

  • 1.) Kingdom Hearts II
    2.) Mega Man Anniversary Collection
    3.) Kessen

  • all 3 prince of persias
    sands of time
    warrior within
    two thrones

    epic storyline and amazing platforming.

  • Gran turismo 3 aspec FTW
    and i miss SXX tricky and SSX 3 for ps2 i wish they make a another one for ps3

    GTA Vice city was my fav ps 2 game

    and last Tomb Raider Legend for ps2

  • 1.) Shadow of the Colossus
    2.) Devil May Cry 3
    3.) Disgaea

  • 1. Metal Gear Solid 3
    2. God of War 2
    3. Kingdom Hearts 2

  • 1: Shadow of the Colossus – Very open environment and very beautiful art and gameplay created for this game. I personally cannot wait til I play The Last Guardian!

    2: Grandia 2 – Very in depth storyline, you could almost feel how the characters would feel as you progressed through the game.

    3: Final Fantasy XI – Although, for me, it was confusing and frustrating at first, it became close to my heart for the gameplay and the amount of things you are able to do within the game and with other players.

  • 1) Final Fantasy X
    2) Kingdom Hearts (Series)
    3) SSX and SSX Tricky

  • Its weird to me that so many people said GTA: vice city, I liked GTA3 when it came out then got vice city day one, I absolutely hated it, I thought it was unplayably awful… but I guess I’m a minority there

    my three would be

    1) God of War
    2) Shadow of the Colossus
    3) Ico

    These are easily three of the greatest achievements in the entertainment industry (MGS3 is an absurdly close #4)

  • 1) God of War 1 & 2
    2) Resident Evil 4
    3) anything like Call of Duty, or Medal of Honor
    4) Devil May Cry

    Shadow of the Colossus I regretfully never got to play. Although when I had a PS3 that was still backward compatible, I almost bought it. Unfortunately now I seem to have troubles finding someone with a PS2 that still works that will actually let go of. Also, unfortunately, PS3 now is no longer backward compatible. Which made a very large number of people including myself extremely disappointed with Sony. Some of the best game titles were on PS2 and its a hassle having to have two game systems hooked up. I can understand having a PS3 and an XBox at one time to one TV, but two Playstations? Why not just leave them backward compatible and keep the customer happy? (YES- I am a very in depth Halo player as well as CoD4 and CoDMW2 player. I just prefer Playstation over XBox. Except when it comes to backward compatibility.)

  • even though there japanese games but my fav
    1 another century’s episode ps2
    2 macross ps2
    3 gta all of them

  • Ive said before and ill say again, again and again. The original SSX was an instant classic and like the Honorable Todd Howard said “The best game of the PS2 launch”. But it wasnt until SSX3 that I fell in love all over again. Clearly a more polished game than its predecessors and the best in the series. It was the Grand Theft Auto of snowboarding, the Tony Hawk Pro Skater of the icy mountains. Peanut Butter, meet Chocolate, I think you two will get along just fine! Amazing graphics with Progressive Scan support, superb audio and soundtrack supporting DTS in-game and an all-out balls to the wall high-speed gravity defying vertigo inducing instantly gratifying trip down the most memorable mountain of all time, my friends this is PS2 at its finest! Please EA, bring it back in HD, the time is NOW!

    • Agreed. SSX was was EPIC. The others got a bit more complex, but my favorite was the first. Killer soundtrack, too!

  • Okami
    Robot Alchemic Drive
    ICO/Shadow Of The Colossus

    :) Now I gotta dig my PS2 out and play these games again! XD

  • 1] jack 2 or 3
    2] dynasty warrirors or gta sa
    3]tekken 4 5 there all good
    tbh i cant say i have a top three i mean i love the jaks they should get hd remakes lol

  • God of War

    Oddworld: Abe

    Shadow of the Colossus (Can’t WAIT for the HD)

    No particular order, and 3 isn’t enough

    Thank you PlayStation.

  • Man, this list takes me back! Really well done post!

    My Top 3 (in no particular order):

    1. Ratchet & Clank series. The entire series is really fun, but Going Commando is the first game I played, and what really pulled me in. Up Your Arsenal was even better, probably the high point of the series for me. I’m sad I never got to try the online multiplayer there, but I should get my fix when All 4 One comes out next year!

    2. Burnout series, mainly Burnout 3. That game may be one of the most fun racing games I’ve ever played! Revenge was fun as well, but it didn’t feel quite the same as 3, specifically in the Crash mode. What happened to that, Criterion? Would’ve loved to see that in Paradise! And Paradise was fun as well, but again, it felt very different from #3.

    3. Okami. One of my favorite action/adventure games ever! Yeah, the constant chirping that passed off as dialogue got really annoying, but the scope, concept and music in this game was and still is like nothing I had seen before! One of the only games I’ve gone back & played through many times!

  • 1. Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (I loved MGO!)
    2. Final Fantasy X
    3. Shadow of the Colossus

  • For me it is :
    1.God of War 2
    2.SoulCalibur 3
    3.SoulCalibur 2

  • Why are there no sports games on any of the lists?

  • i have or had most of the games mentioned in the post and in the comments and loved them. i just want to say how much i love Mark of Kri. from the commercials, mix of game play, and how skins i unlocked in the original transferred to the sequel. oh and tekken, lots of it.

  • 1) Persona 3.
    This game changed how I viewed friendship and made me a big fan of the Shin Megami Tensei games.

    2) Metal Gear Solid 3.
    The only game that has ever brought me to tears. I’m a little choked up just thinking about the ending.

    3) Timesplitters 3
    A FPS made by some of the same people who did Perfect Dark on N64?! Sold! Probably the best multiplayer FPS on PS2 and one of my favorite protagonists of all time.

  • Very nice to see Team ICO’s games got plenty of recognition. I’m really looking forward to the HD Collection, not only because I’ll get to experience the games again in HD, but because I really can’t wait for more people to play and experience ICO and SoTC.

    Guess I’ll list my Top 10

    1.Metal Gear Solid 3
    2.Shadow of the Colossus
    3. God of War 2
    4. GTA San Andreas
    5. Ico
    6. Metal Gear Solid 2
    7. Gran Turismo 3
    8.Twisted Metal Black
    9. Burnout 3 Takedown
    10. Jak 2

  • We really do need another SSX this gen… I’ve been wondering that for a while now… In any case, it really is nearly impossible to list the top three from PS2, there is just too much that made a big impact on me. Same with PSOne honestly.

  • for me it was

    1)the atelier/ar tonelico/disgaeas series
    2)tales of the abyss
    3)tales of eternia
    there are more but i had alots of fun playing with these games. plus, the tales series are just beautifull too bad that namco-bandai are forgetting about their tales fans here in the west ;0

  • 1) Final Fantasy X
    2) God of War 1 & 2(Both were just so epic I couldn’t name one without the other)
    3) Killzone (as many issues as it had, it was still an awesome game, Hermen should be proud especially with KZ2 and KZ3… mmm kz3 beta yummy).

    Ack …. I can’t stop at 3 either lol…. 4) Shadow of the Colossus, 5) MGS3 but I’m gonna restrain from 10.

    *sigh* I miss my backward compatible PS3…. my PS2 (which I had to get back from my sister) just died today.

  • Top 3 is too hard

    Metal Gear Solid 3
    Resident Evil 4
    Shadow of the Colossus

    I can replay this games again and again and still enjoy them as mush as i did when i first played them. Silent Hill 2, Gran Turismo 3 and God of War also deserve a mention.

  • CliffyB, current project: Gears of …Oh wait, we don’t allow to say it here! lol

  • 1) Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
    2) Ratchet & Clank / R&C2: Going Commando
    3) Sly 2: Band of Theives

    Glad to see some of my favorite games (ever!) represented above.
    P.S. I agree with Gary Steinman that a Jak and Daxter HD Collection needs to be made! :D

  • Vice city really was more fun because of its location because I lived pretty near where it was set (even though Miami is very different than Central Florida, its still Florida). I would think the same would apply to those who live in NY etc… for GTA 3 – 4. But then again, there isn’t much that isn’t based in NY or CA these days… :P

  • Mine would be:

    1-Twisted Metal: Black
    2-God of War
    3-Gran Turismo 4

  • Shadow Hearts Covenant
    Devil May Cry 3

  • 1.) Sly Cooper 1,2, and 3
    2.) ICO
    3.) MGS 2 and 3
    4.) God Of War 1 and 2
    5.) Resident Evil 4

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