The PlayStation 2 and Xbox era was among the most lucrative for gamers. Both systems saw countless memorable titles released, and some of the biggest franchises in the business left their mark on players. Given the sheer number of games produced during this time, it makes sense that plenty of others slipped under the radar.
Several such titles displayed passion and creativity rivaling the greats. For whatever reason, though, they either fell off the grid or failed to hit the mainstream altogether. Now, the advent of PS Plus Premium gives plucky PS2 gems a second chance at success. These are just a few titles that ought to be added.
7 The Legend Of Spyro Trilogy
This is an odd chapter in Spyro's history. It re-imagines the mischievous purple dragon as a noble hero, placing him amidst a deadly war for a ravaged fantasy world. The developers used his prophesied status to expand on his breath attacks more than ever before. Rather than simply shoot fire, ice, electricity, or earth from his mouth, Spyro creatively manipulates these elements for both combat and puzzle-solving. It's fairly standard for a beat-'em-up of this period, but it's exhilarating fun regardless.
The trilogy's real strength, however, lies in its presentation. The games achieve a surprising pathos through reframing aspects of Spyro's world in a more serious light. At times, it feels like watching an animated epic. That sensation is further enhanced by the downright beautiful music and compelling voice work. This darker approach may not be for everyone, but the developers deserve credit for breaking away from the formula of Spyro's previous outings. At least it's more dignified than what they did to him in Skylanders.
6 The Hobbit
When people think of Hobbit adaptations, they picture either the 1977 Rankin-Bass cartoon or the epic Peter Jackson trilogy. The forgotten middle child, though, is a hack-and-slash platformer from 2003. It fashions its own version of Tolkien's tale, boasting several qualities rivaling its peers.
The title uses these beautifully to capture the spirit of adventure. Although the gameplay is somewhat clunky, it's perfectly fine as far as third-person mechanics go. Not to mention, like with Spyro, whatever shortcomings are offset by the presentation. The appealing art style is akin to an illustration, and it's flanked by some of the catchiest music to ever grace an adventure game. As weird as it sounds, this is among the more inspired works to come from Tolkien's books. Fans and gamers alike should get the chance to experience it.
5 The Tak Series
The PlayStation and early PS2 eras were rife with mascot platformers. Naturally, a new kid like Tak would be lost in the shuffle, but he shouldn't have been. His Juju adventure spawned a whole series, and a simple glance will immediately reveal the strong foundation behind it. The tribal flavor lets the Tak games stand out amidst a crowded market. The vision is apparent in the gorgeous jungle levels, sporting countless cool watercolors and exotic areas to explore.
At the heart of it all lies a distinctive style, which informs the caricature designs and, by extension, the gameplay mechanics. The developers clearly enjoyed crafting the various Juju spirits and their powers, and they go hand-in-hand with the sharp writing. Slapstick and witty comebacks combine for hilarious results. It's no wonder why Nickelodeon later made a TV show based on the Tak titles, as they're among the best contributions the company has ever made to the gaming world. In truth, they deserve a remake akin to the recent SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom, but a place in PS Plus is the next best thing.
4 Rise To Honor
Outside the fighting genre, gaming has seen a surprising shortage of kung fu. Sure, titles like Sleeping Dogs and Sifu occasionally break through the mold, but these are the exceptions. Why not revisit an experimental kung fu clash from years ago, boasting one of the greatest martial arts stars of all time?
Yep, Jet Li heads this beat-'em-up. That may sound like a standard cash-grab, but Rise to Honor has a rather unorthodox control scheme. Players attack by flicking the analog stick. It's not as awkward as it sounds, allowing a bit more finesse than mindless button mashing. That finesse lays a strong foundation for a fully playable Hong Kong action flick.
3 Gun
People credit Red Dead Redemption with the open-world western. While Rockstar's hit definitely fine-tuned the formula, a viable Old West sandbox actually came a few years prior with Gun.
This Neversoft effort presents a vast frontier for would-be cowboys to explore, pioneering many mechanics later seen in Red Dead. Players can get into shootouts, take on bounties, hunt big game animals, and mess around with numerous other activities to strengthen their immersion.
Tying it all together is an engaging story by the Mask of Zorro scribe. For some welcome variety, it's less spaghetti style than competing title Red Dead Revolver and more akin to the soulful John Wayne epics. Westerns are rare, both in film and gaming. Audiences should enjoy one when it comes along.
2 War Of The Monsters
Another genre scarce in video games is the kaiju flick. Granted, players have seen some Godzilla games, but that's about it. Only a few of these are any good. Plus, they obviously don't cover the myriad of other monsters out there.
War of the Monsters pays homage to all that and more. This arena fighter provides a plethora of creatures of choose from. Though they're not the iconic monsters themselves, the archetypes should be instantly familiar to genre followers. They then battle it out in dynamic, destructible environments; they can even use pieces of these places as weapons. For the icing on the cake, the whole brawl is presented like a cheesy '50s creature feature. It's a similar technique to the one used in Destroy All Humans!, and it has a similar appeal as a result. Combined, these elements make War of the Monsters any kaiju fan's dream.
1 The Lord Of The Rings: The Third Age
Here's another Lord of the Rings title, this time based on the films. That said, it's not the same hack-and-slash affair as most of the franchise's movie tie-ins. Instead, it's a turn-based RPG. Specifically, it copies the system seen inFinal Fantasy X. The recent Middle-earth games may take heavy inspiration from Assassin's Creed and the Arkham games, but this is virtually the exact same coding. It's shocking that the developers didn't face a plagiarism lawsuit.
What's more shocking is that it works. Much like Tidus and his party travel across Spira, Berethor and company follow in the Fellowship's footsteps. They visit the same locales and fight in the same battles. While they're not quite as interesting as the mainline group, they're downright Shakespearean compared to most characters in LOTR games. More important is how they lend themselves to gameplay. The different archetypes suit the various character classes. Similarly, the escalating threats inherent in Tolkien's story parallel the enemy progression in a JRPG. If you ever wanted FFX without the whiny melodrama or awkward silliness, then this might be for you.