Tomb Raider Legend

The original Tomb Raider trilogy is one that has remained relevant through generations, and a lot of that praise could be credited to the constant innovation that the developers had done to each game back then. However, Tomb Raider Legend proudly stands above the trilogy thanks to an excellent amalgamation of brain-tickling puzzles, thrilling chases, and challenging platforming segments that never fail to keep you entertained throughout its run. If you had to experience just a globe-trotting adventure on the PS2, it definitely has to be this one.

]]> 620873 https://gamingbolt.com/the-best-ps2-games-of-all-time-2024-edition Wed, 17 Apr 2024 13:39:02 +0000 https://gamingbolt.com/?p=581365 Sony’s PS2 was a legendary console that’s home to plenty of great releases from different genres, and counting down the best from this vast library is obviously a daunting task. But we have done just that with this feature, and this list is all about 15 of the best PS2 games in no particular order. We have covered this topic before, so do check out our prior renditions of this list as well.

Tomb Raider Legend

The original Tomb Raider trilogy is one that has remained relevant through generations, and a lot of that praise could be credited to the constant innovation that the developers had done to each game back then. However, Tomb Raider Legend proudly stands above the trilogy thanks to an excellent amalgamation of brain-tickling puzzles, thrilling chases, and challenging platforming segments that never fail to keep you entertained throughout its run time. If you had to experience just a globe-trotting adventure on the PS2, it definitely has to be this one.

Max Payne 2

Remedy Entertainment delivered a great first game with Max Payne, but the full potential of the franchise was realized with the sequel. Max Payne 2 spins an appropriately complex tale with twisted characters and never-ending conspiracies, and that paired with the metaphor-heavy writing makes for a consistently engaging time. On top of that, you have some amazing third-person gameplay characterized by slow-motion mechanics which makes for some really cool moments as you swoop through dozens of enemies before they have an opportunity to properly blink.

Black

Criterion Games is most known for its work on Need For Speed: Most Wanted, but it’s first-person shooter Black remains underappreciated. And that’s a shame since Black is an adrenaline-pumping ride through macabre factories and large open arenas complete with realistic shooting mechanics, destruction physics and graphics that were quite ahead of their time. It wasn’t a flawless experience by any means, but Black definitely had its own distinct charm that made it memorable all these years later.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

Grand Theft Auto 3 is what put the series on the map, and 2002’s Vice City is what catapulted the franchise to greater heights. Set against the backdrop of a beautiful rendition of sun-soaked Miami, Vice City provides a playground of possibilities that will keep you engaged for dozens upon dozens of hours. Between an engaging story and flexible gameplay mechanics, Vice City is a really special game that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

God of War

2005’s God of War was the first stepping stone for a franchise that would morph into a massive behemoth, a game that would go on to represent the crown jewel in Sony’s roster of first-party releases. And that prestigious status can be attributed to a simple yet satisfying gameplay loop of toppling down one enemy after another, solving the occasional puzzle, and partaking in an engaging story of vengeance. Sony Santa Monica stitches all these elements in a splendid fashion, which makes this a rollercoaster of an action experience that’s characterized by brutal levels of violence.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was one of the earliest games to be released for the PS2, and it’s safe to say that it set a high benchmark at the start of the generation. Kojima spins an intricate tale about the rapid spread of misinformation with its story, and the gameplay massively improves upon the concepts of the original in new and interesting ways. Add to that memorable boss fights and a clean visual style that surprisingly holds up well to this date, and Metal Gear Solid 2 becomes an unmissable game for fans of this ilk.

Hitman Blood Money

Hitman Blood Money took what worked in prior entries, and crafted a game that’s bigger and better in almost every regard. A suite of highly replayable levels, plenty of new gameplay mechanics, and improved graphics are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the improvements that Blood Money provided over prior entries. It’s safe to say that the pre-reboot series peaked with this game, and it remains a beloved entry in this long-running series even after these years.

Kingdom Hearts 2

The original Kingdom Hearts was an interesting mix of combat and several other gameplay mechanics, but Kingdom Hearts 2 was the true realization of that potential. The sequel makes great use of the expanded horsepower of the PS2 and renders beautiful worlds brimming with imagination, and combined with its unique combat makes for an unforgettable trek that’s punctuated with memorable sequences and unforgettable boss battles.

Ratchet & Clank: Up Your Arsenal

Before Insomniac Games would become synonymous with story-driven action adventure experiences, it made a name for itself on the back of amazing action platformers – including but not limited to Ratchet and Clank: Up Your Arsenal. Released in 2004, Ratchet and Clank takes you on an entertaining quest to defeat Dr. Nefarious and put an end to his evil schemes. In addition to a simple yet satisfying combat loop of defeating waves of enemies, the game also offers a set of diverse levels and wacky weapons that will keep you glued to the edge of the screen at all times.

Onimusha 3

The third and second last chapter in the Onimusha saga, Onimusha 3: Demon Siege does everything to take the monster slaying experience to the next level. It tells a wonderfully eccentric story about Jacques and Samanosuke traveling through time to reach alternate dimensions to slay demons. The gameplay of slashing through waves of enemies is just as refined as one would expect. With plenty of memorable levels and solid combat loop, Onimusha 3 is a game that will stay with you long after the credits roll.

Silent Hill 4

When it comes to the Silent Hill series, the majority of praise is bestowed upon the second game. And while there are plenty of reasons why that is the case, Silent Hill 4 is also deserving of love. Konami’s Silent Hill 4 was the last game in the franchise to be developed by Team Silent, and it pays homage to what came before while also being its own thing. Set against the eerie backdrop of Ashfield, players have to find a way out of this nightmare before they get caught in a demonic cult. The music and voice acting shine brightly as they elevate the tension and create a sense of loss and anguish. It’s not a perfect game by any means, but it definitely does more things right than wrong – making for a great time for horror fans.

Gran Turismo 4

Developed by Polyphony Digital, Gran Turismo 4 provided a significant bump over A-Spec in almost every conceivable way. Right from the dozens of carefully curated car models and tracks to a strong simulation core and much more, Gran Turismo 4 impresses with its attention to detail. It’s a game that’s meant to be played for a long time, and the intrinsic motivation to get better at drifting across tracks in an effortless fashion will keep you grinding for days without getting bored.

Timesplitters

It’s safe to say that Timesplitters was one of the most creative shooters to be released for the PS2, and that’s largely due to its unique story of taking down time-traveling bandits in a bunch of diverse levels. The shooting mechanics were extremely enjoyable, and the writing also exudes a sense of personality which is something that not many games of the time can boast. While it has definitely aged in certain aspects, there is still quite fun to be had in revisiting this classic all these years later.

Bully

Rockstar Games’ Bully differs from its contemporaries thanks to its unique open-world setting, making it stand out all these years later. Jimmy Hopkins’ journey through the classes and dorms of Bullworth Academy is punctuated with plenty of memorable missions and fun activities – and you could easily spend hours upon hours wreaking havoc and causing mischief without getting bored. While the game has definitely aged in some aspects like the visuals, the gameplay remarkably holds up well to this date.

Freedom Fighters

IO Interactive delivered a great game with Freedom Fighters, an action-adventure game with plenty of interesting mechanics and an engaging story about leading a revolution. There’s great fun to be had in commanding your army of rebels; strategically placing them around corners and Manning a machine gun to clear out a massive herd of enemies. Between excellent level variety and unique gameplay, Freedom Fighters was a game that many more players needed to experience from start to finish.

#9. GRAN TURISMO (PSP)

Gran Turismo’s portable debut (and to date, its only portable outing) didn’t arrive easily, and though those many years of development and delays didn’t result in the stellar quality that this series is generally known for, Gran Turismo for the PSP was by no means a slouch. Offering surprisingly realistic visuals (for its time, and for the hardware, if nothing else), tight simulation and driving mechanics, and a healthy roster of vehicles to choose from, the portable racing sim made a strong impression on most who played it. There were clear issues, of course, with the lack of upgrades and a traditional career mode being chief among them, but even so, it was a solid taste of Polyphony Digital’s series on the go.

#8. GRAN TURISMO 6

Gran Turismo 6 arrived smack dab in the middle of the biggest lull the series has experienced to date- and it showed. It did, of course, excel in all the ways that a GT game is expected to- it had a sizeable roster of vehicles, was brimming with its love for detail, authenticity, and attention to detail, and as always, its driving mechanics were second to none. Some questionable decisions, however, dragged the experience down in unfortunate ways, from its iffy microtransactions to its unnecessary focus on multiplayer gameplay.

#7. GRAN TURISMO 5

Gran Turismo 5 was where the series’ downward trajectory began (and lasted until not that long ago). Arriving after a long and protracted development cycle, GT5 was far, far from a bad game, and like pretty much every other game on this list, it’s still probably one of the best racing sims we’ve ever played, at least where its driving and sim mechanics are concerned, while its incredibly vast offerings in terms of features, tracks, and vehicles were mighty impressive. But with a half-assed damage system, frustrating progression in its career mode, and surprisingly little improvements being made over its direct predecessor, Gran Turismo 5, for all of its excellence, didn’t quite live up to expectations.

#6. GRAN TURISMO SPORT

Gran Turismo Sport remains one of the most controversial and divisive games in Polyphony Digital’s series- and looking back at the state it was in at launch, it’s not surprising to see why. There was no shortage of core issues with the game, its overriding emphasis on online multiplayer being chief among them, especially since it came at the cost of a traditional single player experience. The fact that the game launched with a disappointingly small selections of tracks and vehicles didn’t much help matters either. Sure, Polyphony Digital’s post-launch support did eventually turn GT Sport into a far better game than it was when it launched, but it was still far from the game series fans wanted it to be.

#5. GRAN TURISMO 2

Gran Turismo 2 is, in essence, the prime example of a perfect iterative sequel. Following up on its revolutionary predecessor was by no means an easy task, but Polyphony Digital chose to do it in the best way possible- by expanding on all the biggest strengths of the first game. More cars, more tracks, a better physics engine. There’s an argument to be made that perhaps its unambitious nature as a sequel held it back from being as memorable as the first game was, but if all you’re talking about is execution of ideas, there’s little to dislike here.

#4. GRAN TURISMO

The one that started it all. In pretty much every way, the original Gran Turismo has been thoroughly outdone by its many successors, but given the game’s significance, you can’t help but respect it. For its time, it was an absolutely revelation. It looked amazing, it controlled like a dream, it was brimming with an impressive roster of modes, cars, and tracks, and above all else, it established ideas and mechanics that have by now become staples not only of the series, but an entire genre.

#3. GRAN TURISMO 4

Now that we’re in the top 3, there’s very, very little separating the three games that are left, and there’s a strong case to be made for each of these three being the definitive Gran Turismo experience. Gran Turismo 4 is, for many people, still one of the best racing games out there. It’s the quintessential GT game, with excellent driving and physics, best-in-class visuals, and oodles of content to keep players busy for dozens upon dozens of hours. Not everything in the game was equally fleshed out, but there was more than enough here to impress even the most cynical players.

#2. GRAN TURISMO 7

Gran Turismo had been in a bit of a slump of form since the launch of GT5, with the multiplayer-centric GT Sport being something of a nadir for the series, so there was a great deal riding on Gran Turismo 7. It pretty much had to be a return to form- and boy did it succeed in doing that. For fans of the series, the genre, and car culture in general, this game is a dream come true. Its single player component is densely packed and ingeniously structured, the game looks absolutely gorgeous, and the level of authenticity and realism displayed here just blows you away. It’s also probably the most approachable game in the series in a long, long time, so it may very well bring in a massive audience- even by Gran Turismo standards.

#1. GRAN TURISMO 3: A-SPEC

It’s hard to top Gran Turismo 3. It is, in every sense of the word, an unabashed masterpiece. It may not have been overflowing with content the way something like Gran Turismo 2 was, or Gran Turismo 7 now is, but the game’s biggest strength lay elsewhere- in how focused and tightly designed it was. Its roster of vehicles was full of cars that felt amazing to control, it had some of the best-designed tracks this series has ever had, and for its time, it looked unbelievably amazing. It’s not just the best Gran Turismo game, it may very well even be the best racing game ever made, period.

The zenith of this phenomenon – and the zenith of the series as a whole as a result – was Gran Turismo 4. Beyond this point, the franchise would cede the top spot to Microsoft and Turn10’s Forza games, and struggle with the HD transition, and its own inability to deliver on its own standards for a few entries. But Gran Turismo 4, this game was in so many ways the ultimate racing sim when it launched. On almost every possible level, it was a total triumph and delivered on what it set out to do. Automobile enthusiasts, outlets, and media personalities notably praised the game for its stunning authenticity and attention to even the smallest possible details in terms of recreating these cars in the game – while, of course, they noted some deficiencies, on the whole there was widespread praise and recognition lavished on the degree of accuracy in the game.

This can be attributed to a lot of things – the game’s graphics were top notch (notably, this was one of the few PS2 games that supported progressive scan resolution output), the models were incredibly well realized and high fidelity, the environments were convincing and accurately recreated the locales you were driving the cars on, and just the general attention to graphical techniques in service of creating stunning visuals and aesthetics (a sensibility that carries over into Sony games across the board to this day) all contributed to this.

But it wasn’t just the graphics, either – the game’s engine sounds were great, and while this is an area that future games in the series would garner criticism for, Gran Turismo 4 at the time was about as good as things got on this front. And the controls and handling – this was paramount, you see, the cars you drove in the game had to actually feel like the cars they were emulating. From their heft, their steering, their traction, handling, drag, all of the many, many, many attributes that go into each car having such a distinct feeling from every other car, had to be replicated for the seven hundred cars that were in Gran Turismo 4. And Polyphony Digital, by golly, did it! Again, there were a handful of shortcomings, but they were single digit in a game with over 700 cars, and more permutations and combinations thrown in by way of customization, terrain, tracks, and so much more. This authenticity wasn’t even limited to just the cars either – events and courses were stunningly recreated as well, including the Le Maans endurance event, known to be a 24 hour driving event in the real world, which also took a whole 24 hours in GT4.

Gran Turismo 4 wasn’t just great at being an automobile sim, however, it was just all around a well designed game. It had an almost excessive amount of modes – apart from the classic A-Spec racing mode and the License Test modes, there were Driving Missions, as well as the B-Spec mode, which saw you go a bit more hands-off and use a management style overview mode to direct and navigate the driver through races and courses rather than doing the driving yourself. Progression was incredibly well balanced, and the game’s sophisticated physics, paired with its alarmingly accurate and authentic handling models, made it a joy to play, especially for players who liked a more sedate and yet exacting experience even from their driving games. The progression system was compelling, and also designed to encourage replays and experimentation, with players standing the most chance of earning credits and points if they replayed events and courses with different cars. This is the kind of thing that kept people playing the game for hundreds of hours, the kind of thing that endeared it to 11.76 million people worldwide – you don’t sell that many copies just by being a great racing sim, to sell that much (especially back in the PS2 era, when sales at this level were still unusual), you need to have general mainstream appeal. And a racing game only has that kind of appeal by being as good at the game part as anything else – if not more.

It was a combination of so many factors that made Gran Turismo 4 stand out to this extent – it got to build on everything that had come before, it came at the zenith of the PS2, and before the HD transition with the PS3 would decimate so many development pipelines and cause so much trouble around the world, it was as accomplished at being a great game as it was at being a great racing sim. All of this made Gran Turismo 4 a hell of a game, and one of the few breakthroughs Sony’s first party had at the time. Of course, very soon, Sony’s first party profile would gain a huge lift; this, combined with Polyphony’s struggles with HD development, and the rise of Forza, means that no Gran Turismo game since 4 managed to recreate that lightning in a bottle moment that all the games in the series through to this point had. But that would come later. In 2004-05, when Gran Turismo 4 originally came out, it was the peak of its kind of game, and Polyphony’s star was flying very, very high indeed.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

Back in 1992, producer Kazunori Yamauchi compiled a group of seven developers to create Gran Turismo for Sony’s upcoming PlayStation console. He aimed to bring simulation racing to the mainstream, and he was stopping at nothing to achieve that goal. For him, Gran Turismo’s development was his entire life. Yamauchi once stated to Autoweek: “It took five years. In those five years, we could not see the end. I would wake up at work, go to sleep at work. It was getting cold, so I knew it must be winter. I estimate I was home only four days a year.”

After those grueling five years of development time, its 1997 release was met with widespread critical and commercial success. It still holds the crown as the best-selling original PlayStation game to this day, having shipped over 10.85 million copies in its lifetime. And it’s no secret why; with 140 cars, 11 tracks, and great AI for its time, Gran Turismo was one of the most fleshed-out and impressive racing games ever made at that time in videogames, effectively achieving exactly what Yamauchi had hoped – mainstream appeal.

The unexpected success gave Yamauchi the drive to get to work on a sequel with hopes of improving the formula even further. By 1999, Gran Turismo 2 was hitting store shelves with an unprecedented 650 cars from a variety of manufacturers, making it even more robust and impressive than the original game. Unfortunately, a collection of errors and glitches plagued the game’s release, perhaps due to its rapid development, prompting Sony to issue updated replacements for those experiencing problems.

Luckily for the franchise, these problems didn’t seem to stop the game from receiving universal acclaim again, and Yamauchi was ready to keep things going. With the move to PlayStation 2, Polyphony Digital was able to improve the graphics substantially, allowing Gran Turismo 3: A-Spec to boast some of the system’s most impressively-detailed cars and tracks. This increase in detail meant the team had to reduce the amount of cars available in the game to 180 in order to ensure the quality remained high across the board.

The reduction in cars was a small price to pay for the beautiful graphics and enhanced gameplay. It didn’t take long before critics were singing the game’s praises and falling in love with its improved features and gameplay. It’s still one of gaming’s best-selling titles of all time, and is currently considered the second-best racing game of all time by aggregate site GamingRankings.

Not one to rest on his laurels, Yamauchi once again set out to continue his life’s work. Gran Turismo 4: Prologue teased the upcoming launch of Gran Turismo 4 with a sneak peak at the new and improved features Polyphony Digital were bringing to the full game’s launch. While the title only launched in Japan and Europe, it still went on to sell over a million copies.

When the full release of Gran Turismo 4 finally launched in North America in 2005, gamers and journalists were amazed. With 51 tracks and an unprecedented 700+ cars from 80 manufacturers, it was an awe-inspiring addition to the successful franchise, propelling it even further than before. The addition of pickup trucks, a B-spec mode that allowed players to simulate the job of a racing crew chief, and massively improved physics, all combined to make Gran Turismo 4 one of gaming’s most sought-after titles that year. It went on to once again become one of the best-selling video games of all time.

With the arrival of the PS3, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue’s Australian and European launch once again raised the bar for the series with better graphics and new gameplay elements, selling 5.09 million copies and becoming the second-highest grossing PlayStation exclusive. So, what game could have possibly unseated it from first place? None other than the full release of Gran Turismo 5, of course.

The fifth entry introduced gamers to 16-player online racing, a feature that saw players around the world ecstatic at the chance to finally pit their skills against other sim-racing fans. It also added the franchise’s first external and mechanical damage models and the ability to turn cars over during a race. Add that to the fact that the game offered over a thousand cars and plenty more offered through DLC, Gran Turismo 5 was doing what the series was always best known for: Improving beyond everyone’s wildest expectations.

However, the game was criticized for its mixed graphics and the detail of standard cars which lacked cockpit views. Furthermore, many critics and fans were not happy with the game’s damage model and the uneven AI. The game finished up with a rating of 84 on Metacritic which isn’t bad by any means but this when the series started to lose a bit of steam as well. Compared to GT1, GT2 and GT3 which were rated way above 90, and GT 4 coming very close to 90, one could easily see some cracks forming in the series’ quality.

Gran Turismo eventually showed up on Sony’s PSP in 2009, going on to sell nearly 5 million copies and becoming one of the best-selling games for the handheld. The game might’ve been on a portable system, but that didn’t hold it back very much. Running at a solid 60fps with over 800 cars and 45 tracks, Gran Turismo on PSP refused to be thought of as a lesser entry. Still, the game’s critical response was mixed, with many criticizing its lack of career mode and upgradeable vehicles. The game finished off at a rating of 74 over at Metacritic.

With Gran Turismo 6 launching near the end of the PlayStation 3’s lifecycle in 2013, some expected the game to see less success than previous entries. And while it didn’t initially see a slow takeoff in North America, the game went on to be a critical and commercial success. However, despite the fact that it offered a host of improvements to graphics and car customization, Gran Turismo 6 was criticized for its focus on its online component and microtransactions, marking the first time a franchise had seen many of its long-time supporters lose faith in Yamauchi and Polyphony Digital’s integrity. It finished with a Metacritic score of 81.

As new sim-racers like Forza had entered the playing field over the years leading up to Gran Turismo 6, gamers were offered new places to get their fix, leading many to speculate Gran Turismo’s days as the industry king were nearing the end. Forza was growing from strength to strength with its Motorsport and Horizon brands, while Gran Turismo was struggling to keep up.

2017 brought the release of Gran Turismo Sport and it saw a drastic change in direction for the franchise. It placed emphasis on competitive online driving and eSports, lacking a single player campaign when it launched. It also lacked dynamic weather and day/night cycle thanks to its always online requirement. However, it also improved on vehicle design and PvP elements making it a solid entry. But for most of the old fan base, GT Sport came off as a disappointment. Although Polyphony Digital have continuously added updates in the form of single player races, tracks and cars, and have started to gain traction again, many fans haven’t really forgotten its underwhelming launch and its disappointing Metacritic score of 75.

Gran Turismo Sport simply wasn’t Gran Turismo 7 though, and the desire for a core entry in the franchise remains. Yamauchi has gone on record promising that a new game in the series is on the horizon, and there has been speculation that the game may even serve as a massive boon to the PlayStation 5 launch lineup. There is no doubt that quality wise, Gran Turismo has seen a dip since the PlayStation 3 days. Gran Turismo Sport is a shining example of how developers can convert an underwhelming experience at launch to a fantastic one almost two years late.

We just hope that this isn’t the case with the next Gran Turismo. Gran Turismo as a brand has defined each PlayStation era and the next game needs to get it right from day one. We hope it will be beautiful combination of the past, present, and future games. If Yamauchi’s dedication to the series is any indication of its future, we’re hopeful that not only it will be worth the way, but it will stand toe to toe against fellow competitors.

Note: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, GamingBolt as an organization.

If history has taught us anything, it’s that there are still going to be quite a lot of games that you’re gonna want to see in this list but are not gonna make the cut, so if you have any suggestions, leave them behind in your comments. Who knows, maybe we’ll make a part three.

As always, keep in mind that this list is in random order. Anyway, let’s get right to it!

THE LAST OF US

Naughty Dog are absolute masters when it comes to making visual beasts. Starting with the first Uncharted in 2007, Naughty Dog triggered a string of one technical marvel after another, and The Last of Us was their crowning achievement on the PS3 (side note: the PS4 Remaster looks even more stunning). The Last of Us was crammed full of detail in typical Naughty Dog fashion, with amazing lighting, wonderfully rendered environments, stunning character models, and, thanks to the studio’s amazing motion capture work, some of the best animated and best acted cutscenes you will ever see in any video game.

Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty

Though somewhat divisive over protagonist and range of metaphysical themes, Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty was universally praised for its visuals. As a jump from the PS One to the PS2 era, the animations, texture work and cinematic direction saw monumental improvements. Despite the highly industrial setting, environments were realistic, right down to the grime, dirt and atmospheric lighting.

There has been this general idea that the upcoming Gran Turismo Sport isn’t as much of a graphical powerhouse as the previous games in the series have been. And while it is true that it is not as immediately visually striking as the series used to be in its heyday, a simple comparison with older games reveals that there are some impressive visual evolutions that it has seen nonetheless.

Thanks to these screenshots, which you can see for yourself below, we have an idea of not only the evolution of the series’ graphics across GT4, GT6, and GT Sport, but also some really great images of GT Sport in general. These batches come to us courtesy of Yiazmat, dumb, dumb again, and dumb one final time on NeoGAF.

You can check them out for yourself below- it is undeniable that the game does look pretty. Of course, I suppose the larger question we will all be asking is- does it look as good as the upcoming Forza 7, which launches later this year?

Gran Turismo Sport launches exclusively on the PS4 on October 17. It will have PS4 Pro enhancements, and PSVR support as well.