What is there to say about the PS2 that has not already been said? It is one of the most popular and influential gaming systems ever crafted. It birthed numerous IPs that are still going today and some older franchises saw their most revered entries come out on Sony's second console.

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This topic is a little more nuanced, looking at some of the best characters players first met on the PS2. Most of the characters here were ahead of their time and showed that games could craft characters just as compelling as the best movies or books. Some remained in the generation while others showed up in numerous games afterward on future consoles.

10 Raiden

Metal Gear Solid 2

Most gamers expected to play through the entirety of Metal Gear Solid 2 as Solid Snake. Some were left with a bad taste in their mouth when Raiden became the sole protagonist after the game's opening Tanker sequence, but even they could not deny how great Metal Gear Solid 2 plays.

Raiden's surprise appearance was intentional and played into the game's themes of manipulating information to control the masses. It also helped players see Solid Snake from a different perspective. Most Raiden naysayers even admit he got a lot cooler once he became a ninja in Metal Gear Solid 4.

9 Lulu

Final Fantasy 10

If Tidus was a little too whiny for people's tastes, Lulu was there to be the firm backbone of the Final Fantasy 10 party. She and Auron are the stern, no-nonsense contrast to the naive and positive Tidus, Wakka, and Yuna.

Her character design seems incredibly uncomfortable for every climate the party travels through in Spira, but it does not matter as long as she looks cool. Lulu is the black mage of the party and something of a mother figure or big sister to Yuna.

8 Ratchet

Ratchet And Clank

Insomniac knows how to design a character that appeals to all ages. Spyro had the perfect amount of spunk to appeal to slightly older gamers while still being enjoyable to little kids. Ratchet from Ratchet and Clank is a little sassier, fitting in the game's vibe constantly teetering on the edge of inappropriate.

Through the years it is interesting to see his relationship with Clank grow to a genuine brotherly bond, reflecting both the characters' growth and developer Insomniac's maturing writing style.

7 Tommy Vercetti

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

As groundbreaking as Grand Theft Auto 3 was, it left a lot to be desired in the narrative, especially with the silent protagonist lacking personality. Tommy Vercetti, voiced by Ray Liotta, greatly made up for this. He was loud, arrogant, selfish, and certainly deserved to be locked behind bars.

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All of these attributes make for a great Grand Theft Auto protagonist. Vice City takes place in the 1980s, a decade known for its excess, and Tommy Vercetti indulges in every minute of it.

6 Kratos

God Of War

It is easy to hate Krato in the original 2005 God of War. He is purposefully dislikable. He is rude, merciless, and only cares about vengeance while failing to see how his actions led to his tragic situation.

All the same, God of War is one of the tightest action games on the console, only beaten out by its sequel. In retrospect, the character is improved by the recent God of War games, which show how much Kratos has grown and learned from his past mistakes.

5 Sora

Kingdom Hearts

Combining Disney and Final Fantasy turned out to be one of the best collaborations since peanut butter and jelly on sliced bread. Players experience this in Kingdom Hearts through the eyes of a new character, Sora.

Kingdom Hearts' protagonist is as naive as his eyes are wide, perfectly reflecting gamers' awe at seeing Donald Duck and Goofy together with Cloud Strife and Squall Leonhart. Even if the story becomes convoluted and hard to follow, it is a pleasure just to hang out with Sora and his friends.

4 Dante

Devil May Cry

Character action games came into their true form on the PS2 with games like Devil May Cry. Dante acts like these games feel to play; audacious, bombastic, and over the top.

He is not above the corny joke every once in a while. Even though Devil May Cry 2 received a horrid critical reception, the series bounced back with Devil May Cry 3, letting gamers know that the series and Dante were gaming legends who would be around for a long time.

3 The Boss

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater

Unlike many other Metal Gear bosses and villains, The Boss has no superhuman abilities. She is simply an incredible soldier; the best to ever live according to the game. Her relationship with Snake (who would become Big Boss) is complicated and at the heart of Metal Gear Solid 3's conflict.

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On a first playthrough, players are driven by the mystery of her betrayal. The tragic revelation behind it lays the groundwork for the rest of the series and helps fans understand the impetus behind the events of the prior entries.

2 James Sunderland

Silent Hill 2

At the start, James Sunderland is a lot like the average survival horror protagonist. He does not understand where he is, he is terrified, and his voice acting is slightly off-kilter.

Deeper into the game players start to understand the immense guilt burdening him which reveals exactly why the threats and hazards in Silent Hill 2 are what they are. Silent Hill 2 was a revelation in video game storytelling, and James Sunderland is the perfect unconventional protagonist to lead it.

1 Carl Johnson

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Carl Johnson left his life in Los Santos behind but was dragged back into it at the start of the seminal Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Once the story and missions take a wild turn from street gangs to government conspiracies and police corruption, his reluctance to do what he is told to do by many of the mission givers perfectly reflects the plot's absurdity.

Carl Johnson is just one character in a cast of many memorable faces, some of whom are familiar to CJ and some of whom are new. Even though he does not show up in the franchise again, he remains a gaming icon.

MORE: Best PS2 Games, According To Metacritic