The PlayStation 2 is arguably the greatest video game console of all time. And if it isn't the greatest, then it's certainly the most popular. The PS2 moved approximately 155 million units throughout its lifetime, making it the best-selling video game console ever released. Its impact is also immeasurable. It revolutionized the way video games were played, its exclusives were breathtaking, and it introduced a ton of now-iconic series' into the pop culture zeitgeist.
That said, some of its games have certainly aged better than others. Such is what you get with a 20 year old console! These are five PS2 games that have aged well, and five that haven't.
10 Aged Well: God Of War
2018's God of War effectively ruined the past video games forever, but those willing to overlook its obvious age will find a lot to like. The original game, released back in 2005, still plays exceptionally well for a game of its age.
Yes, the gameplay mechanics are a little simplistic compared to today's titles, as they involve little more than hacking and slashing. However, those hack and slash mechanics are nevertheless exhilarating, and the Greek-inspired story remains as good as it ever was.
9 Hasn't Aged Well: The GTA Series
Once upon a time, the Grand Theft Auto games were the PS2 system sellers. They were all later released on different consoles, but for a time, each individual game remained a PS2 exclusive. And they sold like hot cakes. But as we're sure you can imagine, an pixelated open world game from 2001 doesn't exactly make for a good time in 2020.
Cruising down Ocean Drive listening to Billie Jean is still cool as hell, but we're sorry to report that these games have aged HORRIBLY. Especially San Andreas. We don't know what it is about that particular game, but man, time has not been kind.
8 Aged Well: Final Fantasy X
Even to this day, Final Fantasy X remains a fantastic place for newbies to jump in and enjoy all the magic that the Final Fantasy series has to offer. Yeah, the graphics are a little dated, and most everyone knows of all the famous plot points and story developments.
But experiencing this game remains an absolute blast, even if you're going in with that aforementioned knowledge. It's a classic for a reason, people!
7 Hasn't Aged Well: Shadow Of The Colossus
Shadow of the Colossus was once hailed as a piece of art. It alone helped bridge the gap between "video games" and "art," and it was rightly regarded as a masterpiece. But even back then, we weren't blind to its flaws - particularly the horrid camera and borderline unplayable frame rate issues.
Issues we were willing to overlook in 2005 have since turned into "issues that completely ruin the game," and Bluepoint was smart enough to realize this. After playing their fantastic 2018 remake, it's impossible to return to the original.
6 Aged Well - Silent Hill 2
Speaking of artistic games, Silent Hill 2 was a mature and surprisingly thematic addition to the esteemed PS2 canon. The game was endlessly praised for its creative monster design, unrelentingly oppressive atmosphere, and thematic complexity. We're happy to report that it's still pretty good, all things considered!
The controls can certainly be clunky and frustrating, but once you get used to that, you will find a game still steeped in creative monster design, an unrelentingly oppressive atmosphere, and thematic complexity! It's one of the all time great horror games.
5 Hasn't Aged Well - Jak And Daxter: The Precursor Legacy
The first Jak and Daxter is wildly different than its successors. Unfortunately, this meant that it essentially dated from the get-go. When the endlessly acclaimed Jak II was released, very few people could return to the more kid-friendly collectathon that was Jak and Daxter.
This game is very much a product of its time. The late 90s and early 2000s was a very popular time for kid-friendly platformers, as companies were still experimenting with and perfecting the use of a 3D camera. But because this game is a product of its time, it's still stuck in it.
4 Aged Well - Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons Of Liberty
Let's be honest here - the Metal Gear series will never NOT be good. Metal Gear Solid 2 is often acclaimed as being the best in the series (or at least in the top, like, three), and it's still as deliriously weird and enticing as it was in 2001.
If you have not played or experienced the Metal Gear Solid series, we fully recommend that you seek them out. If you look past the obviously aged controls and graphics, you will find a game (and moreover, an entire series) that will never leave your brain.
3 Hasn't Aged Well - SOCOM II
SOCOM II holds a place in every PS2 owner's heart, as it remains one of the few good online games that the console produced. But have you tried playing an online shooter from 2003 in 2020? Well, we haven't either, seeing as how the game's servers were permanently shut down in 2012.
However, that just further proves our point. Many multiplayer games from 2003, and even well before 2003, are still being enjoyed today. But no one seemed to care about SOCOM II. It was the game that everyone forgot. And that just makes us sad.
2 Aged Well - Guitar Hero
The good thing about music games is that they never really age. The original Guitar Hero was a PS2 exclusive, and it was released at the very tail end of the console's life cycle in 2005. It's hard to believe that, but it's true! Fortunately, they pretty much nailed the gameplay mechanics from the get go, and the sequels needed very little tweaking.
Yeah, the use of cover songs is kind of lame, but if you can look past that, you'll find a music game that remains well worth playing.
1 Hasn't Aged Well - Burnout 3: Takedown
The major selling point of Burnout 3 was its slow motion crashes. In fact, we'd wager a guess and say that most people ignored all the other gameplay elements and featured solely on the beautiful crashes. But beautiful crashes in 2004 means ugly crashes nowadays.
Unfortunately, the graphics and physics engine of Burnout 3 haven't aged particularly well, and we expect more from our games today than "hold this button until you crash into something." Racing games and crash mechanics have come a long way since 2004, and Burnout 3 has unfortunately been burned out.