The PlayStation 2 is still considered to be the best-selling console of all time. It also may be the favorite in a lot of gamers’ hearts. It’s easy to see why as the library for the PS2 was massive. There was something to play for everyone. It could also play PS1 games which was a big deal at that point.
Backward compatibility for consoles was almost nonexistent without some sort of device, so this feature was huge. The PS2 changed the landscape of gaming in many ways from hardware specs to starting brand-new series. There are too many great and underrated PS2 games to talk about from 2002, the third year in its life cycle, but these ten rose to the top.
8 Final Fantasy 11
- Release Date: May 16, 2002 (JP)
Final Fantasy 11 was the first game in the JRPG series to be an MMO. Final Fantasy had produced various multiplayer entries by this point, but none of them were to the scale of FFXI. While some fans lamented the idea that this was a numbered sequel, others were completely into it. For an MMO, FFXI was a grind and a half even at the time.
Without this 2002 release, Final Fantasy 14 would probably not exist, so it deserves a lot of credit there. It should be noted that North America did not get FFXI until 2004.
The servers for the PS2 version of FFXI were shut in 2016, so anyone who wants to revisit this MMO needs to use a PC.
7 Hot Shots Golf 3
- Release Date: March 12, 2002
Hot Shots Golf 3 was the first game in the series to hit the PS2. The PS1 titles were a bit more obscure. Hot Shots Golf 3 mainstreamed a lot of mechanics, making it a more inviting sports game. The over-the-top caddies and power swings also made for a more lighthearted experience.
Hot Shots Golf 3 proved that sports games didn’t need to focus on becoming number one to be fun. While the game is relaxing and aesthetically vibrant, the gameplay is complex and engaging.
6 Kingdom Hearts
- Release Date: September 17, 2002
Kingdom Hearts was a crossover event that was hard to believe was real at the time. Disney is making an RPG with the Final Fantasy people? Cloud is going to talk to Goofy and Donald? It seemed outrageous but the game was indeed real. Kingdom Hearts was also a smash hit.
20 years later fans are still into this weird mashup of Disney franchises and action RPGs. It’s safe to say that fans will never let it go. Hopefully, Square Enix won’t wait as long to announce the fourth main title as they did with the third.
5 Medal Of Honor: Frontline
- Release Date: May 29, 2002
Medal of Honor: Frontline's release was a huge event in gaming at the time. The PS1 games were good first-person shooters that were limited in certain ways by the system. Frontline was more mechanically sound. It was also an impressive experience.
Saving Private Ryan showcased the storming of D-Day like no film had tried before, and the same was true for Medal of Honor: Frontline in gaming. Great military shooters will never go out of fashion, even if certain franchises fall by the wayside.
4 Mister Mosquito
- Release Date: March 13, 2002
Mister Mosquito is a weird game. Players control a literal mosquito who has decided to terrorize a local Japanese family. He needs blood. It’s a little like Shadow of the Colossus as the family's members are towering behemoths next to this tiny bug.
Mister Mosquito is essentially a boss-focused game. The titular mosquito doesn’t control well, so it’s a bit hard to fly and avoid attacks for example. However, the oddity of it all still makes Mister Mosquito worth a look.
3 Ratchet & Clank
- Release Date: November 4, 2002
Ratchet & Clank had a big year in 2021 with its first game in five years. Will that celebration continue into 2022 for the series’ 20th anniversary? It would be nice to see an updated HD collection of the PS2 games or better yet the PS3 ones.
However one feels about that, this original game still holds up. It mixed platforming and gunplay rather well. The comedy was also a nice touch that made it feel distinct from other mascot platformers.
2 Sly Cooper And The Thievius Raccoonus
- Release Date: September 23, 2002
Sly Cooper and the Thievius Raccoonus was the first title in Sucker Punch's franchise. It’s hard to believe that two giant platformers started on the PS2 in 2002. This really was a monumental year for the system.
The unique flavor that Sly Cooper added to the platforming genre was stealth. There was still plenty of action to be had, but players could die easily. Consequently, stealth was just the safer option. Hopefully, this series will also get an updated collection in 2022 as the world needs more Sly Cooper, especially since the franchise skipped the PS4 generation.
1 Wild Arms 3
- Release Date: October 15, 2002
Wild Arms 3 is often regarded as the best entry in the JRPG series. It is certainly the most influenced by the old west. That’s what made this series so different from other PS1 RPGs at the time. The desert planet, gun designs, and characters all made it feel like an authentic Western but through a Japanese lens.
It’s been a long time since Wild Arms got any love, and the two games after the third entry are difficult to find hard copies of. Thankfully, Wild Arms 3 was added to the PS2 classics section of PSN and can be enjoyed through PS Now. It’s an underrated RPG from the PS2 era so don’t miss out now on its big anniversary.