It doesn't matter how old the genre gets or how oversaturated it becomes, shooters will always be generally quite popular. Since the earliest days of gaming, shooters have dominated most of the market, offering players the ability to fight crime, battle with their enemies, and launch into multiplayer-focused scuffles. On the PlayStation 2 platform, some of the best shooters of all time emerged.
For many modern shooter franchises, the PlayStation 2 was a birthing ground. It was where some developers cut their teeth, spawning a series that - in many cases - is still around today. For others, it was an experimental platform - or the end of the road entirely. Whatever the story was for these developers, there are some shooters that were released on the PlayStation 2 that, to this day, some gamers may have missed.
8 Black
Black was released in 2006 - one year after the seventh-generation Xbox 360 first appeared on the scene. Despite this, the game was exclusive to PlayStation 2 and Xbox, but that didn't seem to hinder it whatsoever. As one of the most advanced shooters on PlayStation 2, Black was labeled as 'gun porn' simply because of how good it looked and how clean the weapons were on-screen.
Developed by Criterion and published by EA, Black offered a linear story that boasted high-intensity gunfights, punctuated throughout by an impressive soundtrack and live-action cutscenes. It was a high-quality undertaking, but a sequel was never offered up, and the game essentially fell away into the confines of history.
7 Urban Chaos: Riot Response
Urban Chaos: Riot Response was a high-octane shooter, offering players the role of a sharp and capable police officer in a city under siege. As the game progresses, players become increasingly armed, armored, and deadly, dealing with difficult gang members, fighting against impressive fire and environmental threats, and rescuing endangered civilians.
It was a well-received title, but bizarrely, it wasn't a follow-up to the similarly-named Urban Chaos, which was released in 1999, seven years prior, and was also published by Eidos Interactive. It was an innovative and exciting game that launched at the wrong time - after the next generation of home consoles had been released, and it went mostly unnoticed.
6 Killzone
Killzone was the spark that ignited one of PlayStation's most iconic franchises. From 2004 to 2013, the Killzone franchise became a flagship shooter series on Sony's consoles, appearing first on the PlayStation 2, then on the PlayStation 3, the PSP, the PlayStation Vita, and finally, the PlayStation 4. It went dark in 2013, but it's a dramatically memorable series even today.
Launched in 2004, Killzone told a dramatic story, paving the way for the creation of an entire multi-planetary universe. It toted intense, advanced gunfights, multiple character roles (each with their own unique abilities), and a far-stretching story that was good for hours of entertainment. It was also one of the best multiplayer titles on PlayStation 2, boasting a platform that supported up to 16 players at one time.
5 Conflict: Global Terror
Conflict: Global Terror is widely considered the last good Conflict game. It launched in 2005 on PlayStation 2, and it boasted the iconic squad-based gameplay that the franchise had become known for up to that point. It was in 2002 that the first Conflict game emerged - Desert Storm - and that was followed up by a further two titles.
While Conflict: Denied Ops (2008) proved to be the final nail in the coffin for both the franchise and the developer, Conflict: Global Terror was a fantastic title. It was a globe-trotting adventure, fleshed out with tactical gunplay, an enjoyable story, and multiplayer elements. As it was one of the closing games of the sixth generation of consoles, Conflict: Global Terror was also quite easy on the eye.
4 Shellshock: Nam '67
Shellshock: Nam '67 was developed by Guerrilla Games, the creators of Killzone, but it didn't fare anywhere near as well as that franchise. It was released in 2004, and by the end of its lifecycle, it had sold just 800,000 copies, despite being a visceral, gritty game bursting at the seams with bloody action, realistic gunfights, and an intense, relatively true-to-life story.
There was a sequel launched in 2009, Shellshock 2: Blood Trails, but it wasn't well received, ultimately securing reviews with scoring as low as 2/10. In 2004, Shellshock: Nam '67 seemed somewhat ahead of its time, boasting some of the most violent and disturbing scenes in gaming and delivering them with what were then cutting-edge graphics and mechanics.
3 Freedom Fighters
Freedom Fighters was released in 2003, and it was ultimately a standalone title that was never followed up on. Developed by IO Interactive and published by EA, Freedom Fighters put the player in command of Chris Stone, a plumber-turned-survivor, fighting back against a sudden Soviet invasion that takes over New York City.
This was a fantastic shooter to grace the PlayStation 2 platform, boasting a soundtrack composed by the legendary Jesper Kyd and a story that, at times, felt open-ended and quite unrestricted. It was quite a cliché-ridden adventure, but it was great fun, and it offered a four-person couch co-op platform that was quite enjoyable.
2 Call of Duty 3
Released in 2006, Call of Duty 3 was one of the last titles in the franchise to touch the PlayStation 2 platform. It was the first core title in the series developed by Treyarch, who many will argue are the definitive developers of the best Call of Duty titles in history. As a game, Call of Duty 3 offered the quintessential formula that was known up until then - a multi-perspective insight into World War II seen from various theaters around the world.
Call of Duty 3 was a great shooter, and it received generally positive reviews across the board. On PlayStation 2, a multiplayer platform existed that could support up to sixteen players, and the maps and modes would come to inspire later games.
1 SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs
SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs was a critically acclaimed title that boasted some of the most tactical, team-based gameplay the world has ever seen. It gave the player the chance to assume control of a four-man squad, picking apart enemy forces with stealth and precision as they worked their way through an intense and engaging story.
SOCOM was one of the first games to use the PlayStation 2's online multiplayer service in North America, launching way back in 2002. Following the arrival of the franchise, a further nine games and expansions were released, with the series ending with SOCOM 4 in 2011.